Hi. We’ve been friends for almost a year now and I started developing feelings for him earlier this year and last month we both basically confessed our feelings for each other, and we’re practically dating now without the label. The reason we’re not dating is because we’re trying not to rush things and I have some family stuff that keeps me from dating for a while. But lately I’ve been falling for him more and more, and a part of me wants to risk what my family wants and go for it. He’s mentioned before he’s willing to wait for me, but recently I’ve been getting the feeling he’s starting to detach. We talk everyday and when we have talks about what we could be, he’s always saying how he’s committed to this. But I know words are just words.
Lately, his responses are short over text and he’s dealing with personal stuff that’s causing stress for him. He mentioned he’s feeling trapped with his life. I’ve given him my support and told him he can always talk to me if he needs to and that’s basically where our last convo ended. I’m not sure what to think right now considering we were perfectly fine when we hung out a couple days ago. The whole atmosphere changed over night. I honestly think I’m just getting into my head about this. The last thing I’d want is for him to feel suffocated with me.
My plan is to talk to him in person about how I’m really feeling with our relationship, Should I talk to him about this? Or is it too soon and I’m rushing things? Sorry this is a bit long and seems a bit dramatic, but it’s taking up all of my thoughts at the moment. Any piece of advice is appreciated. Thanks

Hey there, Gosh, doing the quant section just brings up a lot of feelings I have regarding why I hated math growing up. Feeling very discouraged about my quant abilities. I'm on week 7 of GregMat's 2-month plan. I'm doing mixed practice sets from the official quant guide and it was brutal...about 9/25 correct. On GregMat's optional quizzes, I'm getting about 3/10 correct. During the videos, I feel like I understand the concepts and walk through make me feel hopeful/confident but then something doesn't click when I'm doing these problems timed.
I can have a ballpark idea on what its asking me, but sadly I don't feel quick to know how to tackle the problems.
Any advice would be great. I've been diligently following the lectures of gregmat and working through the problems. But I have issues applying the techniques. Is it normal to feel this frustration around week 7/8 when everything comes together? Or just normal in general to feel this? I keep telling myself its part of the process to make these mistakes.
I think I need a mental health break because even thinking about doing a timed quant section makes my head throb. Feeling very discouraged as I was hoping to take the text week (nothing booked, planning to take at home), but obviously thinking about pushing it back and just sticking with power preps.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I have until the end of July to aim for an ideal score of around 320. I know I have to just do a PP to get an idea of where I'm at and go from there.
Peace,

I'm an American citizen who's been living in India for the past 15 years, Currently I'm 23 years old. Am planning to move to the United States in a couple months and was wondering if I would be able to drive there temporarily with an Indian license, even though I'm an American Citizen with a US passport. Thoughts?

Ok so I (at the time) was like 7-8. My cousin (at the time) was like 9 taught me about things like s3x, p0rn, etc. When I was 7. Randomly one night he asked if he could 'stick it in me one time' and it didn't help that I was wearing a nightgown. I kept saying no but he kept asking. Thankfully he didn't do anything further, but he would keep asking. That's not the worst part tho. When I was 6 (I didn't know about this stuff yet. We were at camp and shared a room because it had 2 beds. It was late at night and we were both awake. (At this point it gets a little uncomfortable so heads up) and he asks me to suck on his nipples. Because u was a 6 year old who didn't know any better, I did it. But then he did it to me afew times.. I was uncomfortable with it but thought it was normal cuz yk. I was 6. I don't know if this is sexual assault or hewas molesting me or what. I've never opened up about this to anyone. Not my friends, family, or even oneof the 4 therapists I've had. I just need advice on it. I'm 14 now and he has stopped doing/asking anything like this all together and when i ask why he did it he says he never sone anything like that to me. Can I have some clarification on what he did to me?

I 22 F need to get out of my mom’s house but I can’t . For context, I left my mom’s house at the age of 18. I moved back there at the age of 20, I was suppose to be there for a short period of time, I was severely depressed and I needed a break. But I never left. I realized that my senior dog (she was 10 years old at the time) was being severely neglected. She is a Pomeranian mix, she has always had a beautiful long hair. But she had a lot of bald spots and her fur was really thin, as well as her body, she was visibly unhealthy. She was extremely reactive and was stressed all the time. She has always been a nervous dog with separation anxiety, but it all got worse because she barely went out for walks during those two years, she was always tied up and probably they would never show her any affection. It broke my heart and I felt so guilty for leaving her. I couldn’t do it again.
Now her fur is back, she is still anxious and reactive. I took her to the vet and they gave her a daily dose of CBD. Of course, since she is old she needs other kinds of daily extra cares: eye drops, vitamins and the expensive senior dog food. I pay for all of this and I am the only one who takes care of her.
Now I also have another dog. She is not technically my dog, my sister adopted a husky a little more than a year ago. Before se was adopted I told her that I could help with the husky but that I was planning on leaving my mom’s house again; so I told her not to count on me after that. The husky wouldn’t be mine. Unsurprisingly the husky is also neglected. Again I am the only one who takes care of the husky. I am constantly reminding my sister to feed her and give her water. I constantly ask my brother to bring her out for walks, since the husky is so strong and my brother is also supposed to take care of her. If I wasn’t there for sure the she wouldn’t even be going out for walks. I am training her everyday because it is necessary, the huskies are a really hard breed to handle. I clean her place and I pay and take her to the groomer. The husky has a skin problem, I took her to the vet, paid for the lotion and apply it every day. Ay sister didn’t even think twice about the skin problem.
I want to leave my mom’s house, I need to. My family is conservative, homophobic, low key racist and are completely emotionally immature, as a bonus they are soooo messy. It is really toxic here. The worst part is that I can afford to leave, I can’t afford to leave with the dogs.
I have been thinking of rehousing them, but honestly I don’t know any responsable owner that will give them all the cares that they need. Because is not just the medical cares or the behavioral problems they both have. I need to find someone with the space, experience and knowledge. Specially the husky, there is so much to know. Like they can’t be shaved, they NEED structure and training as well as exercise, they need to be brushed constantly and they need access to a fresh space (we live in Mexico). It feels like every candidate I think of is irresponsable with their huskies or their dogs.
I truly don’t know what to do. I simply just cry.
P.D. I also would like to go to college but I can’t if I have to work and take care of myself plus two dogs. I wouldn’t have the time, money or energy for that.
Edit: my siblings are 19 and 20 years old

My parents - especially my mother - never showed any interest in her children. Any older children for that matter. From a certain age on, she looses all interest in children. However, she calls herself "baby crazy" and she is. She constantly wants to cuddle and hold baby's, wants to make thousands and thousands of photos of her grandkids (my brothers children, 5m and 4f). It is not unsualy that we get up to 30 or 40 pictures of my niece and nephew in our family group chat. My parents don't work since the mid 90s and live off benefits from the government. But she has a huge reborn collections, dolls that are made to look like newborn baby's. One can be a couple hundred euros. She really is baby crazy.
As far as I can remember, my parents raised us without any empathy, warmth or genuineness. They never asked how we are and as teenagers we did discuss it with them. Told them we want some more attention. Their answer: "So we have to ask you ever day how your day was?" as if it was so bothersome. When I moved out to study in a different city they never asked how it goes and never visited, except for when they had business in that city and needed to stay with me so they didn't have to pay for accommodation. When my younger sister was born, I was 13 years old and noticed, how warm and sweet she was with her baby. Not with us tho. It broke my heart hearing her say "I love you" to my baby sister but not me. Now my sister is 18 and hasn't heard "I love you" for a long time. This pattern continued with her grandkids. She adores them but ignores her adult children. Now, since my nephew is 5, my parents pride themselves with the fact that they can give the 5 year old a switch, mobile phone or any other electronic device and he sits on the couch and doesn't bother them. I find it sad tbh. It already started that they are uninterested in him. Last week it escalated and I argued with my mother. Mostly about my pregnancy but also about their lack of interest in their children from a certain age in. Her repsonse: "If we really were uninterested in our children from 6 years old, we would've put all of you up for adoption when you were 6." Two of her coping mechanism with critique is excuses or vastly exaggerating the issue to make it look ridiculous. It's really frustrating to have an adult discussion with her (Btw my father is the quite type, never argues but always stands behind my mother).
The problem: I (30f) am 38 weeks pregnant now. During my whole pregnancy she never asked how I am. Never asked how the baby was, which is not surprising. But now, she has demands. She demands - not even wants but demands - lots of pictures of my baby (not me or my husband, but my baby) because she already bought a photo album to put them all in. The same album she has for her other grandkids. It reads "my grandkids" on the cover. So it's only for her, not a memory that she can give to us when it's full. The issue I have here is that her only goal with these pictures is to post them online or show them (offline) to friends and family. My brother told me that she already promised lots of people these pictures. I assume she does all this to show what a great grandma she is. Her whole Facebook page is full of "best grandma" or "proud grandma" posts. What makes me believe that this whole situation is only for her benefit is connected to her lack of interest. To this day, she didn't even ask for the baby's name. Never. She only knows it because my sister said it by accident when she visited them. I am not mad at her for that. My parents are totally allowed to know the name but they simply never asked. So basically she isn't even interested to know my baby's name but wants hundred pictures to show them around? Doesn't make any sense to me.
In addition, she has no empathy for our wishes. For instance, my husband and I don't want naked photos taken of our baby. She does send us naked pictures of my niece and nephew and children of the extended family I never even met. So this has been an issue. Usually they are in the bathtub or relaxing after swimming in the pool. We did say we feel uncomfortable but her excuse: naked baby photos are totally okay because they are still small. My husband and I believe otherwise. But she is unwilling to compromise.
Some of the other issues I have and her response to my confrontation: - I told her she never asked how the baby is or how I am coping with the pregnancy. Her repsonse: when she was younger it was custom that the child informs the parent of any news in their life's. And since she was raised that way, she is not gonna change. - I told her she has to change since the world is constantly changing. She can't keep staying in the past. The world will never adapt to her. Her response: she is already 54 and can't change that easily, it would require her whole life to change. And, according to her, I wouldn't change either when I am 54. I doubt that. - she asked us if she can make prints of our baby's hands and feet when she comes to visit. My problem: she takes these moments away from us - the actual parents. I would like to do these things myself. - concerning visitation: my parents never asked us when they could come to visit. I am due June 22nd and honestly was hoping that they couldn't afford the trip, since they cannot stay with us and would need a hotel. But last week, they told us that they would like to come around July 17th for 4-5 days.oraweek earlier! They didn't really ask but told us, that this would be the best time for them. When I told them we have lots of things to do in July (new baby, becoming a small family, moving to a different apartment which my parents also know of) and we would welcome them in August, she lost it. They couldn't come I'm August because A) they have "so many" appointments in August and she thought, even tho we are moving, a few days for us to spare would surely work. And b) the baby would already be "too big" in August and I would rob her of these precious weeks when the baby is so small. Time she will never get back. And after all, I probably already would have had 2-3 weeks with my baby already after birth (as if she decides what's enough time for me and my baby). - she said that she thought the time when we plan to move would be perfect for a visit anyway since she can take the baby for the day while my husband and I do the moving or do household chores. I hate people who think that the best help for a young mother is to take her baby away from her so that she can "finally focus on household chores" wtf? - I am SO stressed thinking all she comes for is my baby. She has no interest in seeing me or my husband and said "I already know you two and now I want to get to know the baby". Reminder: she never even asked for the baby's name! But wants to "get to know her"?? How does that make any sense? - She told us she only wants to visit if she can hold, cuddle and kiss the baby. And she was livid when we told her we decide when she can hold the baby. I don't want them to hold my baby just because they are here. I want them to have a genuine interest in our live and our baby. Also I would like my baby to sleep in piece but I am sure she will take it anyway since she repeatedly said "we will only be there for a couple of days and wanna make the most of it". She also said "You can have it back when we are gone" and, what bothered me the most "The baby will belong to you once we are gone". As if it doesn't belong to me while they are here? My husband and I want to habe full control over who holds the baby at what time. For instance I want it back when it's time for breastfeeding but I know she will not easily give it back.
Early on in the pregnancy I knew it would come to that. A necessary discussion about setting boundaries. And it stressed me out so much. So we tried to compromise. We set a visitation date at the end of July (not August) and put some boundaries in place: only holding the baby when asked or if we give it to her, no pictures taken unasked, no hand or footprints taken unasked, if they want information about the baby, they need to come to us not the other way around.
She didn't accept any of these. We always told her we would like for them to come but we want them to respect our boundaries. To no avail. She won't compromise and uses the uni reverse card saying "Well, if you don't want us to be there..." which we never said. Yesterday my husband asked her one final time is they come to visit end of July. She said she would love to but can't due to the collision of "our and your requirements". As if she is entitled to requirements about my baby! My husband then asked what her requirements were and she said: unlimited and unrestricted access to pictures and cuddles/kisses. She said it would "break her heart" to hear us say no to photos, if the baby has a cute moment. Smiling for instance. A moment that he will never get back because she will only be here for a couple of days. And won't see the baby for months after that. But we all know that they won't give a firetruck about my baby once they are gone, once the baby is "too old" in there opinion.
This made me so mad. She really things she is entitled to everything concerning my baby. Everything that would proof what a "great/proud grandma" she is. I am so mad that she chooses pictures of my baby over seeing us. She would rather not come - out of spite - than to come and meet her grandchild. I am sure this relationship will not heal from that. I am sure that in the future I will always get to hear "Back then you didn't allow us to come..." etc. So I figured goof long contact might be the best solution for my little family and me.

I'm an American citizen who's been living in India for the past 15 years, Currently I'm 23 years old. Am planning to move to the United States in a couple months and was wondering if I would be able to drive there temporarily with an Indian license, even though I'm an American Citizen with a US passport. Thoughts?

So this just happened!! I am 38, I'm in a committed relationship with my boyfriend of 7 years. I have a 16m, he has a 8f and we have a 2f. Our 2 year old was a HUGE surprise!!
A little back story- I was married to my first husband, we had our son, and when he was 2 we got off birth control and we were never able to conceive again. Our marriage fell apart when our son was about 8. I met my now boyfriend and we became pregnant over covid. At the time, my clinic was closed,and with all the "crazy" that was going on in the world, my birth control shot wasn't on my mind, plus I always felt in the back of my mind that I couldn't get pregnant again, well surprise surprise we had our daughter! She was a shock but she is an absolute joy and we wouldn't trade her for anything!
All that being said, we truly did NOT want to have anymore children, and this morning I took a test, as I've been feeling nauseous and I was late, it was positive!!
Now comes the reason for the post. This brings me a tremendous amount of anxiety, as well as for my boyfriend. We live in a small 3 bdrm townhouse, and finances are tight. We are just in such a mode of, how are we going to do this, how are we going to afford it, Also, I am 38 years old and pretty overweight, which can cause complications, so that brings added anxiety as well. To make matters worse, a close friend of mine, her daughter was 38, overweight, and pregnant and she and baby passed away very suddenly when she was 35 weeks pregnant due to step b. This has me spiraling with thoughts. I'm just looking for some encouragement and kind words as all I can keep thinking is, "I'm to old for this, how are we going to do this"

Name: Kaelen Stormrider
Background: Kaelen Stormrider is a resilient individual who endured the tragic loss of his parents during his childhood. However, amidst the chaos, an unexpected savior emerged in the form of his ancestral guardian, a 500-year-old arena legend and champion. This revered figure protected Kaelen and his younger brother from their family's killers, using their unparalleled combat skills and wisdom to ensure their escape to safety.
Skills and Abilities: Kaelen inherited his ancestral guardian's lightning-based combat skills and received extensive training from them. He wields lightning spells with precision, channeling the ancient techniques passed down through generations. Drawing inspiration from the guardian's legacy, Kaelen combines lightning-infused strikes and his mastery of Pak Mei Kung Fu to overpower adversaries with remarkable finesse and power.
Information: As a disciple of the Stormseekers and a student of his ancestral guardian, Kaelen embodies discipline, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of justice and enlightenment. He carries the weight of his tragic past but draws strength and guidance from the wisdom of his guardian. Kaelen's journey through Skyrim is fueled not only by his desire to unlock the full potential of his lightning powers but also by his determination to seek justice for his fallen parents and honor the legacy of his ancestral guardian.
Age and Appearance: Kaelen is a young adult in his mid-twenties, while his ancestral guardian remains a towering figure of immense experience and knowledge, appearing as a wise and weathered elder. Kaelen possesses a lean and athletic physique, reflecting his dedication to physical and martial training. His eyes, like his guardian's, hold a mix of determination and a deep understanding of the world. Kaelen's raven-black hair, often tied back in a practical manner, emphasizes his focused and composed demeanor. Both Kaelen and his guardian wear attire befitting their roles as warriors, combining the traditional Stormseeker robes with elements of the arena champion's legacy.
With the guidance and protection of his 500-year-old ancestral guardian, Kaelen Stormrider's journey takes on a profound significance. He not only seeks justice for his parents but also aims to uphold the legendary legacy of his guardian. The guardian's wisdom and unparalleled combat skills serve as a source of inspiration and strength, propelling Kaelen forward as he faces the challenges that await him in Skyrim.

Everyone's ready to get to the conference season. It's entirely possible some people were overlooking the final non-conference game. Would focus be a problem? Who would get through with the momentum? And would the games played today matter when the Selection Committee gathered? Let's find out.
*****
#1 UCLA 87, #25 Illinois 74. It's been a long road through a lot of difficult teams, but UCLA did what they set out to do: repeat a 12-0 start.
Bill Walton had 20 points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was two blocks shy of a triple-double, and the Bruins (12-0) took out the Illini (9-3) to run their winning streak to 49 and finish non-conference's play undefeated for the second consecutive year.
"We look at every game as important," Bruins coach John Wooden said after the game. "We're not about to slack off, and we're not about to take our focus down at all. Illinois is just as important as Kentucky to us."
For a while, the Illini road the hot hand of Derek Harper to stay with their foes. Harper had 14 points by halftime as the teams entered the locker room deadlocked at 43. However, Reggie Miller's defense kept Harper out of the scoring column in the second half and provided the difference.
"It's a 40-minute game, and I wasn't there for 40 minutes," Harper said.
#3 Kentucky 67, #8 Michigan 58. If UCLA is the undisputed #1, could Kentucky be the undisputed #2? Voters can be weird, but we'll see.
Cliff Hagan led all scorers with 15 points as the Wildcats (11-1) ended their non-conference schedule in style with a win over the Wolverines (9-3), who had been hoping for their second Super Five scalp of the season.
"I think this shows we still have room for improvement," Michigan coach John Beilein said after the game. "We need to make some adjustments before Big Ten play, but I think we can find them and do something with them."
Kentucky's starters, other than Hagan, struggled during the game. Dan Issel was held by Chris Webber to a mere 5 points on the night. But the Blue Line -- Kentucky's "second starters" as coach Adolph Rupp calls them -- came through in the clutch, as Jamal Mashburn had 12 points to spur an 11-3 run that put Kentucky up for good.
"It's a good luxury to have 10 starters," Rupp joked.
#4 Duke 72, #15 Southern Cal 68. In the NIBL postseason, you survive and advance. Duke is getting ready for that mentality early.
Elton Brand's 16 points and 11 rebounds led the way as the Blue Devils (10-2) held off the Trojans (9-3), who finished non-conference play 0-3 against the Super Five and 9-0 against everyone else.
"What that tells me is that we can be a 2 or 3 seed, and that the Sweet Sixteen is good, but it also says we have work to do to compete for the big prize," coach Sam Barry said when asked about the unusual split. "We'll have time to work on our game, we'll face UCLA a couple times... I hope we can improve over the course of the season."
Duke, meanwhile, enters ACC play with two close wins after a loss to Michigan. Coach Mike Krzyzewski isn't worried, though. "We'll be ready," he said to reporters. "We've played tough teams, and we're a tough team."
DeMar DeRozan led the Trojans with 15 points.
#5 Kansas 77, #9 Notre Dame 65. Notre Dame had been overachieving throughout the non-conference season. It had to come to an end with a reality check.
Paul Pierce took over in the second half, getting a personal 8-0 run as part of his 24 point outburst as the Jayhawks (10-2) knocked off the Fighting Irish (9-3) to enter Big XII play with momentum.
With the score tied at 55, Pierce hit a three-point jumper to give Kansas the lead. A steal by JoJo White followed, and White fed Pierce for a dunk to extend the lead to five. After an Adrian Dantley miss, Pierce drove the lane and got the layup plus a foul on Bill Laimbeer, completing the three-point play to give Kansas a lead they wouldn't give back.
"It's like my man [Kevin Garnett] says, anything is possible. We feel we can win it all, man," Pierce said after the game. "If Wilt [Chamberlain] is having a bad day, I can step up, Joel [Embiid] can step up, JoJo [White] can step up... we got options!"
Austin Carr led the Irish with 15 points.
#16 Maryland 71, #17 DePaul 66. George Mikan was rested and ready to go. Unfortunately, so was Len Bias.
Bias scored 22 points to lead all scorers and outduel Mikan (20 points) as the Terrapins (9-3) defeated the Blue Demons (8-4) in the final non-conference game for both teams.
"Len is our spark plug," coach Gary Williams said after the game. "When he gets an open floor, he's hard to beat. We're glad to have him on our team."
Mikan, who played sparingly in the previous game against Rhode Island, was a monster underneath in the halfcourt set. He went 9-13 from the field (2-2 from the line) and added 14 rebounds and 5 blocks. However, Bias was able to get around Mikan on multiple occasions for dunks, and sixth man John Lucas II made a critical three to provide the final score.
"They're good," Mikan admitted. "We're going to take these lessons and prep for the Big East."
#14 Arizona 90, #7 Syracuse 53. When the week began, Syracuse was 8-1 and looked like they could compete with the two Super Five teams in the ACC. Now, questions abound.
Jason Terry and Richard Jefferson each had 25 points as the Wildcats (9-3) sent the Orange (8-4) to their third straight defeat, all against Top 25 competition -- and all against the Pac-12.
"We're not taking anyone lightly," coach Jim Boeheim insisted. "The Pac-12 is a powerful conference. We just had a bad week. We're going to be drilling extra hard in practice to prepare for the ACC season."
Syracuse used their usual 2-3 zone, which discourages going inside and dares three-point shooters to hit their shots. But Terry and Jefferson did that, leading a barrage (with help from Mike Bibby and Steve Kerr) of 15-27 shooting from long-range.
"We just didn't miss," Jefferson said, amused. "We were all dialed in. Heat checks were going in. Everything worked."
Louisville 72, #22 Florida 59. It looks like Florida's stay in the Top 25 won't be repeated.
Donovan Mitchell had 19 points and 6 assists as the Cardinals (9-3) upset the Gators (8-4) to make a statement about their place in the ACC pecking order... and perhaps the Top 25 itself.
"Oh, we definitely belong," Mitchell said when asked. "You look at how we started the year, you look at who we beat; we deserve the recognition that teams like Duke and [North] Carolina do. ACC ain't all about Tobacco Road."
Gators coach Billy Donovan was disappointed in his team's effort. "We're capable of playing better, especially when we get the looks we got today," he said. "You can't do that against teams like Kentucky and Tennessee and expect to get away with it."
Bradley Beal led the Gators with 14 points.
Houston 80, #23 Iowa 67. Rumors of Houston's demise appear to be exaggerated. Iowa, meanwhile, may not be as strong as they looked.
Hakeem Olajuwon went for 21 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 steals as the Cougars (9-3) jumped out to a 20-point lead by halftime and held on to beat the Hawkeyes (8-4) in the final non-conference game for both teams.
"Now that's more like it," coach Guy Lewis said of Olajuwon's performance. "We're a dangerous team when we click on all cylinders, and Hakeem is a big cylinder. We look ready for Big XII play now."
"We dug ourselves too deep of a hole," Hawkeye forward Connie Hawkins said after the game. "We need to start better and we need to finish better."
California 83, #20 Minnesota 75. The Pac-12 hopes to get more than three bids this season. If it's going to happen, teams like California have to step up the way they did today.
Jason Kidd had 17 points and Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 11 with 6 blocks as the Golden Bears (9-3) took out the Golden Gophers (8-4) in a battle of "golden" teams in the Big 10-Pac 12 rivalry.
"I love how Jason plays," Bears coach Pete Newell said after the game. "But I'm really proud of the progress Shareef has made. Today he dominated the paint on defense, and that's how we were able to get the W."
With Cal up 4 and a minute to go, Abdur-Rahim blocked a Mychal Thompson layup attempt. The scramble went to Archie Clark, who found Kevin McHale underneath. However, Abdur-Rahim blocked the dunk attempt, and Kevin Johnson ran the ball out to get fouled and begin the march to the free throw line.
"Everyone had a good game, and we had a good game," Johnson said.
*****
#24 UNLV 70, Princeton 66. In the mid-major non-conference game of the season, it was thought that Princeton's best chance was to keep UNLV from making it a full-court game. Add some three-pointers, and they could steal a win.
That's almost what happened. But talent won out in the end.
Shawn Marion led all scorers with 17 points as the Runnin' Rebels (8-4) held off the Tigers (7-5) in a game between two of the top mid-majors in the country.
"You gotta give them a ton of credit," coach Jerry Tarkanian said after the game. "Princeton is a team that doesn't lose easily. They're going to be a tough out down the line if, no, when they make the Dance."
With both teams trying to play at their more comfortable pace -- Princeton's average possession was about nine seconds longer than UNLV's -- it was play underneath that kept the Tigers alive. Bill Bradley and John Hummer each had 17 points as Sidney Green was unable to keep up defensively. But in the final seconds, Larry Johnson and Armen Gilliam denied inbound passes, forcing Brian Taylor to put up a three-pointer. It missed, and Reggie Theus' two free throws made the final score.
"So close and yet so far," Bradley told reporters.
*****
HOW THE TOP 25 FARED

1. UCLA 87, 25. Illinois 74
2. North Carolina 95, Arkansas 64
3. Kentucky 67, 8. Michigan 58
4. Duke 72, 15. Southern Cal 68
5. Kansas 77, 9. Notre Dame 65
6. Michigan State 108, Saint Louis 58
7. Syracuse 53, 14. Arizona 90
8. Michigan 58, 3. Kentucky 67
9. Notre Dame 65, 5. Kansas 77
10. Indiana 82, N.C. State 70
11. Ohio State 72, Arizona State 58
12. Connecticut 80, Tennessee 64
13. Texas 75, Saint John's 74, OT
14. Arizona 90, 7. Syracuse 53
15. Southern Cal 68, 4. Duke 72
16. Maryland 71, 17. DePaul 66
17. DePaul 66, 16. Maryland 71
18. LSU 80, West Virginia 71
19. Georgetown 94, Tulsa 69
20. Minnesota 75, California 83
21. Alabama 69, Washington 68, OT
22. Florida 59, Louisville 72
23. Iowa 67, Houston 80
24. UNLV 70, Princeton 66
25. Illinois 74, 1. UCLA 87

‘The Little Mermaid’ is finally here. Find out how to watch Disney's latest live-action adaptation animated film The Little Mermaid online for free.

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Link: https://4kflim.online/en/movie/447277/the-little-mermaid
Animated Film! Here are options for downloading or watching The Little Mermaid streaming the full movie online for free on 123movies & Reddit, including where to watch Disney's latest live-action adaptation movies at home. Is The Little Mermaid 2023 available to stream? Is watching The Little Mermaid on Peacock, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Netflix or Amazon Prime? Yes, we have found an authentic streaming option/service.
The new live-action 'The Little Mermaid' movie stars Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy. Make sure to keep on reading to learn where you can watch and stream it.
Folks, it's time to dive under the sea once again. Over the last few years, Disney has recreated their top animated musical films into live-action movies. The Little Mermaid is no different, and viewers can't wait to swim into theaters to catch a glimpse of how the movie will stand up against the original version.
Walt Disney Studios has established a remarkable trend of making live-action remakes of its classic stories. One after the other, all the fairytales of the past era are being brought to life by the studio in an attempt to tell the magical stories in a new light of living characters. With the live-action Peter Pan & Wendy due out in April, Disney will continue their string of live-action remakes a month later with The Little Mermaid.
Get ready to go "under the sea!" The latest of Disney's hugely successful line of live-action remakes, Ariel (Halle Bailey) is set to return to theaters for the first time in almost thirty-five years with The Little Mermaid (2023). The Walt Disney Company once again invites audiences to travel under the sea to see Princess Ariel's story unfold like never before. Featuring direction from veteran musical filmmaker Rob Marshall and other roles inhabited by major Hollywood stars like Melissa McCarthy as Ursula the Sea Witch and Javier Bardem as King Triton, the film is bound to be a bona fide hit at the box office.
Though the upcoming and highly anticipated film will have stiff competition against two stand-up comedians on the weekend it releases, The Little Mermaid is destined to show that life is better down where it's wetter under the sea this Summer movie season. To find showtimes and streaming information on Disney's latest big-budget reimagining of an animated classic, here is where you can watch The Little Mermaid.
Actress Halle Bailey as Ariel, the iconic mermaid princess who longs to be part of the the mysteriously world housed above the ocean floor. When she saves the handsome Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) from a shipwreck, she makes a deal with the sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) in order to gain human legs and go on land to impress him. But there's one catch to the transaction: Ariel must trade her voice in order for her to try and see the things she's after. But as fans of the original 1989 film know, this comes with a series of consequences that threaten both her existence and the lives of those she loves.
Before we ask if you're interested in seeing this, we know you are. But like us, you're probably wondering how to watch and stream The Little Mermaid online. Luckily, we have some clues and it's likely to land on a major streaming site very soon. So climb aboard, because here's where to watch and stream The Little Mermaid online.

What Is the Release Date for The Little Mermaid?

Ariel's quest to go from a mermaid into a human begins anew when The Little Mermaid premieres this Memorial Day Weekend on Friday, May 26th, 2023. The film will be going up against not one, but two stand-up comedians and their films that weekend, with Sebastian Maniscalco's About My Father and Bert Kreischer's The Machine premiering on the same day. That said, The Little Mermaid will almost certainly be the choice for younger audiences and families.
While some Disney films are heading straight to Disney+, The Little Mermaid will first be shown exclusively in theaters.

Where To Watch The Little Mermaid Online:

As of now, the only way to watch Fast X is to head out to a movie theater when it premieres on May 26, 2023. You can find a local showing on Fandango.
Watch Now: The Little Mermaid (2023) Movie Online Free
Otherwise, you’ll just have to wait for it to become available to rent or purchase on digital platforms like Amazon, Vudu, YouTube or Apple, or become available to stream on Disney+.

How to Watch The Little Mermaid

At the moment, you can watch The Little Mermaid at your local theater. But like most movies these days, it should hit a streaming website in the near future.
Like its predecessor, The Little Mermaid is a flick produced by multimedia conglomerate Disney. What's more, the production studio owns a number of other famous franchises, like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars. Titles made under these umbrellas have both hit Disney+ sometime after arriving at the box office. Fans may also know the original Little Mermaid is currently available to stream on the site as well. So, if the 2023 version follows the same pattern, folks will likely get to see The Little Mermaid on Disney+ later this year too.
As for an exact release date for The Little Mermaid, that's more complicated. Most movies produced by Disney often go to its streamer site within three months after debuting in theaters, like the most recent Marvel film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. If this is the case for The Little Mermaid, it will probably drop in late August 2023 or sometime near Labor Day in early September.
When the time comes for The Little Mermaid to splash onto Disney+ though, make sure you're all prepared to watch it. If you don't have access yet, you can opt into a 30-day free trial before choosing a plan that start at $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. After your account is all set, click on the title page on Disney+'s official website or the Disney+ app.
As you wait for The Little Mermaid to hit the streamer, why don't you watch the animated version and its sequel The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea? Or if you want to immerse yourself in another live-action version, click on the 2019 ABC TV special The Little Mermaid Live!. Enjoy!

Will The Little Mermaid Be in Theaters or on Streaming?

Unlike several of Disney's other live-action remakes such as Pinocchio and Peter Pan & Wendy, The Little Mermaid will be exclusively in movie theaters first with tickets available for pre-sale now.
After The Little Mermaid has completed its exclusive theatrical run, the film will be released on the Disney+ streaming service. Based on Disney's past release models, the film won't be made available to stream before 45 to 90 days after its theatrical release.

When will The Little Mermaid be streaming on Disney+?

The Little Mermaid Disney+ premiere date is tentatively estimated to be August 30, 2023.
While no official Little Mermaid streaming date has been confirmed by Disney, most of its major movie releases drop on Disney+ following a minimum 90-day period, and typically premiere on the platform on Wednesdays, making Wednesday, August 30 the most likely date for Disney’s The Little Mermaid live-action streaming release.

Will The Little Mermaid Be Streaming On Disney+?

The 2023 version of The Little Mermaid will only be in theaters initially. After The Little Mermaid has completed its exclusive theatrical run, it is likely to stream on Disney Plus. You can also watch the animated version of Hans Christian Andersen's 1837 fairy tale of Ariel on Disney Plus now.
While you will only be able to catch the new "The Little Mermaid" in theaters starting next Friday, you can still sign up for Disney+ now to refresh yourself on the characters, song, plot and magical fun from the highly anticipated film. The 1989 version of the movie was a catalyst for Disney's animation renaissance throughout the '90s and it still holds up today.
An ad-supported Disney+ subscription starts at $8 per month, but you can get an ad-free access to the service for $11 monthly or bundle the Disney streaming service with Hulu and ESPN+ starting at $13 per month. Disney+ boasts a huge collection of movies and television series, including Marvel and Star Wars content. If you add in Hulu and ESPN, you have nearly unlimited entertainment at your fingertips.

Is The Little Mermaid streaming on Netflix?

No, The Little Mermaid will not be on Netflix — at least not any time soon. In the meantime, you’ll just have to head out to a movie theater or wait for it to become available to stream on Disney+.

Will The Little Mermaid Be On HBO Max?

No, The Little Mermaid will not be on HBO Max since it’s not a Universal Pictures movie. Last year, the company released its films in theaters and on the streamer on the same day. However, they now allow a 45-day window between the theatrical release and the streaming release.

Is The Little Mermaid Available On Hulu?

Viewers are saying that they want to view the new animation movie The Little Mermaid on Hulu. Unfortunately, this is not possible since Hulu currently does not offer any of the free episodes of this series streaming at this time. It will be exclusive to the MTV channel, which you get by subscribing to cable or satellite TV services. You will not be able to watch it on Hulu or any other free streaming service.

How to Watch The Little Mermaid Online For Free?'

Most Viewed, Most Favorite, Top Rating, Top IMDb movies online. Here we can download and watch 123movies movies offline. 123Movies website is the best alternative to The Little Mermaid (2023) free online. We will recommend 123Movies is the best Solarmovie alternatives.
There are a few ways to watch The Little Mermaid online in the U.S. You can use a streaming service such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video. You can also rent or buy the movie on iTunes or Google Play. You can also watch it on-demand or on a streaming app available on your TV or streaming device if you have cable.

The Little Mermaid Cast and Characters

The Little Mermaid was written by David Magee and directed by Rob Marshall. It stars the following actors:

• Halle Bailey as Ariel
• Melissa McCarthy as Ursula
• Javier Bardem as King Triton
• Noma Dumezweni as Queen Selina
• Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric
• Daveed Diggs as Sebastian
• Awkwafina as Scuttle
• Jacob Tremblay as Flounder
• Art Malik as Sir Grimsby

What is The Little Mermaid About?

The official synopsis for The Little Mermaid by Walt Disney Studios read:
“The Little Mermaid” is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
There is not much mystery in The Little Mermaid's plot. As seen in Disney's many other live-action remakes, it is anticipated that the film's plot will largely stick to the original. With the well-known song "Part of Your World," in which Ariel sings about her wish to be a part of the world beyond the water, i.e., the human realm, the teaser already alluded to Ariel's fascination with the human world. Fans will get to see Ariel and Prince Eric's romance as they deal with the challenges posed by their differences.

So I (22 M) started work at a mid-sized national retail store (Canada) In April and I am already thinking of handing in my two weeks notice. I work in the tech department. I thought I signed up for a part time job selling tech products to people. What I actually signed up for was a parade of awful* customers and terrible management.
*90% percent of my customers have been chill, remaining 10% are the problem
The things I've had to deal with include(But are not limited to):
Having to watch to make sure that somebody who is clearly on something so that the don't pilfer the smart home stuff or the tablets, several times a day in some cases.
Having an old white dude loose his mind because I was taking a bit to cut up someone else's passport (On a paper cutter, mind you) as a line built front of the photo counter because I was only one of four people on the tech floor at the time and two of the three are managers who are in a meeting and the other was our proper computer technician.
Activating a phone plan for someone who is (again) clearly on something and in an elevated mood, sending my autistic brain into fight or flight mode and causing me to look like an idiot in front of anyone nearby.
A manager being like "How do you not know how to do The Thing?!" even though the thing that they are referring to is a complex procedure that I did a training module for almost literal months ago and have not done in person ever before.
Our cardboard compactor being set on fire from the outside.
Some dude smashing his iPhone on the tech counter and storming out.
Having someone pay for a game console entirely in cash.
Customers looking at me like I told them that I kick puppies because I told them "I'll just a moment" as I was putting out small appliances on the display shelves that are taller than I am.
I recognize that this workplace is inherently toxic, but I really don't have many other options nearby as I live in the kind of place that prides itself on being a university town, even though that in reality it's an isolated cesspit that's used the fact of it having a university to disguise the fact that it a dead-end Industry town, like a boujie outhouse in the middle of the woods that people keep using but no one has bothered to clean in the past 12 years. Thank you for reading through my rant.

Welcome to the third #letswriteamystery thread!!!!! Each week I will be posting a new chapter and you folks will get to vote on what happens in the story. Voting is easy, just comment A, B, or C on each chapter to cast your vote. I will make sure to include the previous chapter in each post to let you know what is going on, in case you missed a week. Are you ready?!?!? Welcome to Nancy Drew and the Wedding Day Mystery!
Dear Hannah,
After all of these years, I’m finally getting a vacation! My good friend Bess has recently started working at Happily Ever After, a wedding planning company. One of their biggest clients, Poppy Dada the famous artist, is having a huge wedding in India, and when she found out Bess was working with the wedding planners, she invited us both out to her week-long wedding retreat. She has fallen madly in love with a wealthy socialite named Jai Kumar, whom she met through their yoga guru, Swami Rama. She promises me nothing but relaxation and fun, doing some yoga and meditation at the private resort, dancing and eating at the fabulous Mehndi party and Sangeet, and of course a beautiful ceremonies and reception. I may even get some sightseeing done while I’m here! After all, who’s ever heard of a wedding day mystery? Love, Nancy.
CHAPTER 1: Nancy ducks after a bolt of colorful silk fabric is thrown at her
CHAPTER 2: Nancy finds a cryptic note saying "Meet me at...Swami..."
CHAPTER 3: The servers had to shoo away a trained monkey away from the corridor
CHAPTER 4: Bess and Nancy splurge and stuff themselves on all of the street food
CHAPTER 5: A bridesmaid knocked over a large flower arrangement and is crushed by marigolds!
CHAPTER 6: Bess receives a suspicious box of chocolates from a secret admirer
CHAPTER 7: A rogue monkey has stolen a party guest's hair pin!
CHAPTER 8: Nancy finds Swami Rama's self help book
CHAPTER 9: Nancy corners the culprit in an alcove and forces them to reveal their identity
CHAPTER 10: TAKING VOTES!

So basically everybody quite criticise the Indian Education System but nobody actually explains what is the other way if not going through this education system. Simply going everywhere and ranting "muh Indian education system" won't solve the problem, it's like putting the blame onto something else.
So instead of criticising the system here in the comments, let me know what is the solution to this problem. Sure government should do something but even if the government plan to do something it would take them atleast 5-10 years to implement everything. So for the time being what is a probable solution right now?
I'm someone who has completed their schooling and is going to an engineering college this year. Now I know that condition of engineering with ages old syllabus and many non-interested professors and that's why I'm asking what can I do from my side for the betterment of my life? What do I do different? How out of the way do I need to go to acquire the knowledge as well as acquire the skills for the current market situation?
I don't care about "we need to improve the system" right now. I'm being selfish because changing the whole system looks good in discussion but requires immense amount of work which would take time. Sure it would happen sometime but for now, I'm more focused on my own growth, and how people like me do better for themselves.

‘The Little Mermaid’ is finally here. Find out how to watch Disney's latest live-action adaptation animated film The Little Mermaid online for free.

Watch Now: The Little Mermaid 2023 Movie Online Free

Link: https://4kflim.online/en/movie/447277/the-little-mermaid
Animated Film! Here are options for downloading or watching The Little Mermaid streaming the full movie online for free on 123movies & Reddit, including where to watch Disney's latest live-action adaptation movies at home. Is The Little Mermaid 2023 available to stream? Is watching The Little Mermaid on Peacock, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Netflix or Amazon Prime? Yes, we have found an authentic streaming option/service.
The new live-action 'The Little Mermaid' movie stars Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy. Make sure to keep on reading to learn where you can watch and stream it.
Folks, it's time to dive under the sea once again. Over the last few years, Disney has recreated their top animated musical films into live-action movies. The Little Mermaid is no different, and viewers can't wait to swim into theaters to catch a glimpse of how the movie will stand up against the original version.
Walt Disney Studios has established a remarkable trend of making live-action remakes of its classic stories. One after the other, all the fairytales of the past era are being brought to life by the studio in an attempt to tell the magical stories in a new light of living characters. With the live-action Peter Pan & Wendy due out in April, Disney will continue their string of live-action remakes a month later with The Little Mermaid.
Get ready to go "under the sea!" The latest of Disney's hugely successful line of live-action remakes, Ariel (Halle Bailey) is set to return to theaters for the first time in almost thirty-five years with The Little Mermaid (2023). The Walt Disney Company once again invites audiences to travel under the sea to see Princess Ariel's story unfold like never before. Featuring direction from veteran musical filmmaker Rob Marshall and other roles inhabited by major Hollywood stars like Melissa McCarthy as Ursula the Sea Witch and Javier Bardem as King Triton, the film is bound to be a bona fide hit at the box office.
Though the upcoming and highly anticipated film will have stiff competition against two stand-up comedians on the weekend it releases, The Little Mermaid is destined to show that life is better down where it's wetter under the sea this Summer movie season. To find showtimes and streaming information on Disney's latest big-budget reimagining of an animated classic, here is where you can watch The Little Mermaid.
Actress Halle Bailey as Ariel, the iconic mermaid princess who longs to be part of the the mysteriously world housed above the ocean floor. When she saves the handsome Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) from a shipwreck, she makes a deal with the sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) in order to gain human legs and go on land to impress him. But there's one catch to the transaction: Ariel must trade her voice in order for her to try and see the things she's after. But as fans of the original 1989 film know, this comes with a series of consequences that threaten both her existence and the lives of those she loves.
Before we ask if you're interested in seeing this, we know you are. But like us, you're probably wondering how to watch and stream The Little Mermaid online. Luckily, we have some clues and it's likely to land on a major streaming site very soon. So climb aboard, because here's where to watch and stream The Little Mermaid online.

What Is the Release Date for The Little Mermaid?

Ariel's quest to go from a mermaid into a human begins anew when The Little Mermaid premieres this Memorial Day Weekend on Friday, May 26th, 2023. The film will be going up against not one, but two stand-up comedians and their films that weekend, with Sebastian Maniscalco's About My Father and Bert Kreischer's The Machine premiering on the same day. That said, The Little Mermaid will almost certainly be the choice for younger audiences and families.
While some Disney films are heading straight to Disney+, The Little Mermaid will first be shown exclusively in theaters.

Where To Watch The Little Mermaid Online:

As of now, the only way to watch Fast X is to head out to a movie theater when it premieres on May 26, 2023. You can find a local showing on Fandango.
Watch Now: The Little Mermaid (2023) Movie Online Free
Otherwise, you’ll just have to wait for it to become available to rent or purchase on digital platforms like Amazon, Vudu, YouTube or Apple, or become available to stream on Disney+.

How to Watch The Little Mermaid

At the moment, you can watch The Little Mermaid at your local theater. But like most movies these days, it should hit a streaming website in the near future.
Like its predecessor, The Little Mermaid is a flick produced by multimedia conglomerate Disney. What's more, the production studio owns a number of other famous franchises, like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars. Titles made under these umbrellas have both hit Disney+ sometime after arriving at the box office. Fans may also know the original Little Mermaid is currently available to stream on the site as well. So, if the 2023 version follows the same pattern, folks will likely get to see The Little Mermaid on Disney+ later this year too.
As for an exact release date for The Little Mermaid, that's more complicated. Most movies produced by Disney often go to its streamer site within three months after debuting in theaters, like the most recent Marvel film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. If this is the case for The Little Mermaid, it will probably drop in late August 2023 or sometime near Labor Day in early September.
When the time comes for The Little Mermaid to splash onto Disney+ though, make sure you're all prepared to watch it. If you don't have access yet, you can opt into a 30-day free trial before choosing a plan that start at $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. After your account is all set, click on the title page on Disney+'s official website or the Disney+ app.
As you wait for The Little Mermaid to hit the streamer, why don't you watch the animated version and its sequel The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea? Or if you want to immerse yourself in another live-action version, click on the 2019 ABC TV special The Little Mermaid Live!. Enjoy!

Will The Little Mermaid Be in Theaters or on Streaming?

Unlike several of Disney's other live-action remakes such as Pinocchio and Peter Pan & Wendy, The Little Mermaid will be exclusively in movie theaters first with tickets available for pre-sale now.
After The Little Mermaid has completed its exclusive theatrical run, the film will be released on the Disney+ streaming service. Based on Disney's past release models, the film won't be made available to stream before 45 to 90 days after its theatrical release.

When will The Little Mermaid be streaming on Disney+?

The Little Mermaid Disney+ premiere date is tentatively estimated to be August 30, 2023.
While no official Little Mermaid streaming date has been confirmed by Disney, most of its major movie releases drop on Disney+ following a minimum 90-day period, and typically premiere on the platform on Wednesdays, making Wednesday, August 30 the most likely date for Disney’s The Little Mermaid live-action streaming release.

Will The Little Mermaid Be Streaming On Disney+?

The 2023 version of The Little Mermaid will only be in theaters initially. After The Little Mermaid has completed its exclusive theatrical run, it is likely to stream on Disney Plus. You can also watch the animated version of Hans Christian Andersen's 1837 fairy tale of Ariel on Disney Plus now.
While you will only be able to catch the new "The Little Mermaid" in theaters starting next Friday, you can still sign up for Disney+ now to refresh yourself on the characters, song, plot and magical fun from the highly anticipated film. The 1989 version of the movie was a catalyst for Disney's animation renaissance throughout the '90s and it still holds up today.
An ad-supported Disney+ subscription starts at $8 per month, but you can get an ad-free access to the service for $11 monthly or bundle the Disney streaming service with Hulu and ESPN+ starting at $13 per month. Disney+ boasts a huge collection of movies and television series, including Marvel and Star Wars content. If you add in Hulu and ESPN, you have nearly unlimited entertainment at your fingertips.

Is The Little Mermaid streaming on Netflix?

No, The Little Mermaid will not be on Netflix — at least not any time soon. In the meantime, you’ll just have to head out to a movie theater or wait for it to become available to stream on Disney+.

Will The Little Mermaid Be On HBO Max?

No, The Little Mermaid will not be on HBO Max since it’s not a Universal Pictures movie. Last year, the company released its films in theaters and on the streamer on the same day. However, they now allow a 45-day window between the theatrical release and the streaming release.

Is The Little Mermaid Available On Hulu?

Viewers are saying that they want to view the new animation movie The Little Mermaid on Hulu. Unfortunately, this is not possible since Hulu currently does not offer any of the free episodes of this series streaming at this time. It will be exclusive to the MTV channel, which you get by subscribing to cable or satellite TV services. You will not be able to watch it on Hulu or any other free streaming service.

How to Watch The Little Mermaid Online For Free?'

Most Viewed, Most Favorite, Top Rating, Top IMDb movies online. Here we can download and watch 123movies movies offline. 123Movies website is the best alternative to The Little Mermaid (2023) free online. We will recommend 123Movies is the best Solarmovie alternatives.
There are a few ways to watch The Little Mermaid online in the U.S. You can use a streaming service such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video. You can also rent or buy the movie on iTunes or Google Play. You can also watch it on-demand or on a streaming app available on your TV or streaming device if you have cable.

The Little Mermaid Cast and Characters

The Little Mermaid was written by David Magee and directed by Rob Marshall. It stars the following actors:

• Halle Bailey as Ariel
• Melissa McCarthy as Ursula
• Javier Bardem as King Triton
• Noma Dumezweni as Queen Selina
• Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric
• Daveed Diggs as Sebastian
• Awkwafina as Scuttle
• Jacob Tremblay as Flounder
• Art Malik as Sir Grimsby

What is The Little Mermaid About?

The official synopsis for The Little Mermaid by Walt Disney Studios read:
“The Little Mermaid” is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
There is not much mystery in The Little Mermaid's plot. As seen in Disney's many other live-action remakes, it is anticipated that the film's plot will largely stick to the original. With the well-known song "Part of Your World," in which Ariel sings about her wish to be a part of the world beyond the water, i.e., the human realm, the teaser already alluded to Ariel's fascination with the human world. Fans will get to see Ariel and Prince Eric's romance as they deal with the challenges posed by their differences.

--- Table of Contents ---
Autumn 4986, 16 Aoimoth
Shon and Nangran hobbled their horses at the base of a steep hill deep in the woods north of Hamerfoss. They'd left at fourth bell, before any of the other Squires had woken for their morning run, and it had still taken them hours of riding through narrow trails to reach this place. At least they hadn't run into any monsters. The snow that had dusted the landscape during the night lay thick here, crunching underfoot and occasionally flopping noisily to either side as it fell from the tall evergreen branches.
Shon adjusted the strap of his sword across his chest and reached his left hand back to brush shaking fingers over its hilt. He'd been glad when the Paladins insisted he take it with him. To them, it marked Shon as a representative of Hengist and the Temple. To Shon, it was a sign of his hard work and resolve. Having it was a comfort.
Nangran started up the hill, and Shon hurried to follow. The smith hadn’t spoken a word since they set out, not even to try and ease Shon’s anxiety, for which Shon was grateful. Master Daunas had tried to sound confident as Shon saddled his borrowed horse, and The Major General had offered him encouragement as they mounted. Neither realized how much that just drove home the desperation of the situation in Shon’s mind.
The smith pulled his heavy cloak tighter, and Shon looked away. He hadn’t bothered to wear his cloak. He'd never really felt chilled in the winter like others seemed to. Now that he knew why, he wished he had. Cold continued to swirl around him, enhanced by his worries. If he could just block those emotions, the power would never have been a problem to begin with.
The trees thinned the higher they climbed, disappearing almost entirely as they crested the top of the hill. The clearing looked over the treetops, offering an unimpeded view of the horizon. Forest all around, with flatland to the south and rocky mountain peaks to the north. Only a handful of small trees grew in the clearing, and in the middle stood a little ramshackle hut only slightly larger than an outhouse.
Nangran threw his arm out, stopping Shon from walking past him, "Don't touch anything. And don't be surprised if he says no right off."
Shon nodded, trying to swallow down his fear so it wouldn't be seen in his eyes. Dropping his hand, Nangran started forward again, finishing, "Be honest, but not insulting." The instructions, -or perhaps advice?- seemed like common courtesy, which made Shon wonder why quiet Nangran had bothered to say anything.
As they drew closer to the little shack, Shon could make out a sign on the door. He squinted to read it and had just made out 'No Soliciting' when the door swung open, banging against the wall and sending birds into flight. An old man, so thin he looked like a skeleton with yellow skin pulled tight across its bones, stormed out. Wearing nothing but a loincloth, he was shaking a thick stick at them that glinted with red rubies in the low autumn light.
"I already paid my dues for this decade! So you can take your request and shove it-" Shon’s hand instinctively reached for his sword, but Nangran just crossed his arms over his barrel chest. The old -virtually naked- man stopped yelling mid-rant and lifted one shriveled arm to shade his eyes as he squinted at them, "Eh? Flintchest, what’re you doing way out here with a blasted mage in tow?"
Rather than answer, Nangran started forward again, he didn't much care for talking, let alone shouting. Looking from Nangran to the loincloth man, Shon slowly lowered his arm, but still took position to the left and just behind the Smith as they approached the crazy man with the glittering club.
"No mage." Nangran said as he came right up to the strange old man, "Squire." he glanced over his shoulder at Shon and finished, "Sorcerer."
The old man spat on the ground and moved his squint to Shon. Running his eyes from the top of his black head to the tip of his polished boots and back, exaggerating the movement before he stopped at the Squire’s cold blue eyes.
He spat again, then barked "Where's your familiar?" scanning first the ground at Shon's feet then the sky above his head.
Shon blinked at him, furrowing his brow in confusion at the question. The mage snapped his fingers impatiently, "Your familiar! All Sorcerers have a familiar."
Nangran came to his rescue, "Just woke last night," he said shortly.
The mage spat again but didn't argue, "Well, come in then." Shon looked sideways at Nangran, but the Smith had already begun following the skinny old man into the shack. Shon hurried to catch up.
Inside, Shon's eyes were assaulted with a sparkling rainbow of colors. The room they'd entered was considerably larger than the outside would suggest, with plush carpet and a stuffed high-back armchair in front of a blazing fire in the opposite wall. Shelves full of exotic plants, glowing glass jars, and glittering stones filled every available space, reflecting off one another and setting streaks of light to dance on the floor and walls like sun rays through crystal.
There was too much to take in, so Shon focused on their host. The old man was slipping into a thick robe of deep purple velvet. He'd hung the club on the wall beside the door, which looked just as decrepit on this side as it had on the outside.
"Make a habit of greeting visitors half-naked and swinging an old fireball wand?" Nangran asked as he slipped out of his cloak.
"Keeps the conversations short." the old man replied tersely, tying his belt and turning to his guests. With boney knuckles on boney hips and glare firmly planted on his wrinkled face, he snapped, "Don't bother getting comfortable, Flintchest; you'll be leaving soon enough."
The Smith ignored him, hanging his cloak on the hook that had presumably held the mage's robe. "Got a favor to ask," he said, but the old man was already shaking his head,
"More like a favor to cash in. That's the only reason you're in here and not smoking in a hole outside."
Nangran ignored the threat and motioned from Shon to the old man and back. "Archmage Ivelm." The mage looked Shon up and down again as Nangran made the introductions, “Squire Shon.”
"Not much longer, I'd say." Ivelm said to Nangran as he finished his second examination, "It's to the Guild with this one. Too much magic." he turned his head and spat in a brass can by the door. It rang out with a loud ‘ting!' and Ivelm sniffed, looking down at Nangran again, "What do you want, Flintchest?"
"Need a seal. So the boy doesn't freeze Hamerfoss more than it already is." the smith crossed his arms, watching the mage and somehow still seeming completely at ease.
"Eh?!" Ivelm exclaimed, leaning far forward. Shon had to try hard not to crinkle his nose as the old man brought his face close enough that Shon could smell Ivelm's breath. Garlic, the mage ate a lot of garlic…
"So… you don't want to be a mage, do you?" he demanded, glaring down his nose at him. Shon shook his head and would have answered with a 'no ser.' except the mage continued, "Rather swing around some hunk of metal like a brute?"
Shon blinked stupidly, and Nangran cleared his throat, "Watch what you say about my swords, old man."
Ivelm ignored the smith as soundly as Nangran had ignored the Archmage, and continued to Shon, "The powers of the universe are at your fingertips. Blood blessed with the strength of the elements, and you wanna throw it all away," he threw his arms into the air, still uncomfortably close, "And for what? Some illusion of an honorable death by the sword?"
Shon didn't know what to say. He looked past the affronted mage's face, only an inch from his own, to Nangran. But the smith gave no sign he was going to help. Shon’s future depended on convincing this strange old man, this Archmage, to help…
Shon wasn't the type to try and convince anyone of anything, but the least he could do was explain himself. Shon stepped back from the mage to address him from a more comfortable distance. "I chose to dedicate my life to perfecting my art, and my art is martial combat," he said. Ivelm wrinkled his nose, his mouth twisting as if he were going to spit again, but Shon continued, "magic would be better served in the hands of someone who wants it badly enough to work for it. Like I've worked for my martial skills."
Ivelm leaned away from Shon, his eyebrows lifted into his frizzled gray hair. Shon looked to Nangran, hoping for some sign that this was a good response. The smith smiled from behind the mage.
"Soooo…" Ivelm drew the word out, "You think only those who dedicate themselves to strict study and practice should wield the power of the universe?" he leaned forward again, turning his head and fixing one eye on Shon like a bird. As if trying to catch him in a lie.
Shon nodded, confused, then asked, "Isn't that what it takes to effectively wield magic? Focused study?"
Ivelm didn't answer the question, instead turning his face to examine Shon with the other eye, scanning him up and down yet again. The old man had looked him up and down so much Shon wouldn't be surprised if the next question were about his hair or boots.
But Ivelm didn't ask another question. Instead, he stood straight and spat into the brass can with another ringing 'ting!' "I like this one," he said, turning his back on Shon and facing Nangran, "But it's too much." he shook his head, lifting his hands in helpless surrender, "Too much power, and ice at that. Stubborn element that one. And it's so finicky to block just elemental magic..."
Ivelm continued talking but Shon heard very little of it. A hole had opened in his gut, and it felt like his heart was racing his stomach to fall into it. But Nangran just rolled his eyes at the mage, interrupting, "Used to be the name in new magic items... made shackles to hold Archmages." he squinted at Ivelm, who had frozen mid-head shake, "Must've gotten rusty out…"
Ivelm snapped his fingers under the Smith's nose to stop him talking, "The mind does not rust, Flintchest!" he huffed, one bare foot tapping under his robe, "Not like your swords and shriveling muscles." Nangran just stared stubbornly, his thick, muscled arms still crossed over his broad chest.
The mage continued to tap his foot, his nose in the air. But as the silence stretched, Ivelm looked down at the smith, who continued to say nothing. The silent battle of wills ended when Ivelm threw his arms up in disgust and shook a finger under Nangran's nose, nearly hitting it, declaring, "I'll show you. I'll make a gem especially for this lad, and you'll see the mind only continues to grow sharper!"
He spun on his heel back to Shon, who had just made out the smith's returned smile from behind the mage when the old man snapped his fingers in Shon's face, making him jump. "Well, what are you waiting for? Come here so I can take some measurements!" Ivelm swung around again and marched across the room to a large workbench with plants and gems scattered across it. Shon scrambled after him, praying his thanks to Hengist and suddenly feeling light enough to float. His anxieties dropping away and melting like snow in summer.
***
It was already noon, and no one had come to see Her. She jumped up to grab the bars of Her window, pulling Herself up to peak out but seeing nothing but new snow and tree trunks. She was full to bursting with nervous energy, amplifying every sound and sensation. Footsteps sounded outside Her door, and She dropped from the window, sprinting across the room and resting Her ear on the wood.
“Ran, recheck the lab. Brom, with me.” Archmage Morndancer spoke with his strange alternation between draconic and common as he passed Her door without stopping. She could easily make out the swish of their robes on the stone hall leading away. Three people, Brom, Ran, and Archmage Morndancer. And yet the scurrying of too many feet to be only the two apprentices and Archmage Shaloon, sounded from the floor above. There were strangers in her tower again. Many strangers. Something was happening, something big…
She ran to Her window again, just for something to do, seeking some way to burn off some of the anxiety of not knowing what was going on around her.
A roar from down the hall, a roar of pain, sent ice washing through her veins. She slammed into the door at full speed. Pounding on the wood, She called out, “Brom?! Ran?!” Nothing. Then a yip cut short, followed by barking and yowling.
She shook the handle with both hands, rattling the door on its hinges, “BROM! RAN!” Something was happening to Her treasures, something terrible… The door handle began to glow, the metal warping and sagging as it melted. The knowledge that She would be in more trouble than She had ever been in before was nothing compared to Her terror. She wrenched the handle back with all Her might, splashing molten metal across Her bed, lighting fires that flared in her panic, and sending smoke to curl up to the ceiling.
She didn’t care. She shouldered the door open and ran.
“Red?!” She passed the first open door but couldn’t stop as Ran called out to Her. Reaching Her treasures' room, She tried to stop but slipped, slamming into the ground with a sticky splash. A final whining bark started a buzzing in Her ears as She stared, transfixed, at Her hands. They were painted red. Warm and sticky. The overpowering stench of iron nearly made Her gag as She looked up to see Morndancer toss aside a glittering golden wolf pup, the body flopping limply over the corpse of its mother and siblings.
Her world went red.
***
The last sample was taken care of, but something roared with enough ferocity to shatter glass.
Morndancer's head snapped around in time for him to fall back, shielding his face with his hands as the Firewyrm exploded. White-hot fire engulfed Her and spread out to the stone floor and walls. His robes began to smoke, the new fire protection spells woven into them being overpowered by the sheer ferocity of the blaze.
Brom had no such spells, and he had only managed a single step towards the girl before he fell to the ground, writhing for only a moment before lying still. The Archmage heard Ran scream from the hall before the journeyman stumbled past the door, flailing wildly. Barely discernible as human inside the flames.
The Firewyrm moved towards him, stepping through Brom’s head, turned to ash, and blown up to dance in the air on the same heatwaves causing the girl's hair to wave wildly about Her. She didn't seem to notice, Her face was expressionless and her eyes glowed as red as the scales across Her cheek. Morndancer tried to snap his fingers, but the golden collar around Her neck melted, Her clothes burning off and leaving Her naked and terrible in the flames.
His robe was burning now, and only the pain of that could pull his eyes from the Firewyrm as he pointlessly tried to beat the fires off. He fell back, hitting the wall, which drooped, sagging and dripping molten stone onto his head and face. Then he fell further back, into a gate that opened behind him.
Shaloon pulled him through the portal and into the library three stories up. The Firewyrm roared again and the tower walls shook with the force of it. The gate closed, but Morndancer continued to burn. He could hear screaming. Was it him? Was he screaming? Fire burst up the spiral stairs in the middle of the room, and apprentices, both their own and many sent from the central and western Talon, scrambled about in a panic, some even leaping from the windows.
Shaloon cursed, holding out her hand and summoning her sword again. She had to draw the circle five times before a second gate finally formed, and she dove through it, pulling Morndancer along with her as it quickly closed. An apprentice reached through, and his arm fell at Morndancer’s feet, miles away in the sitting room of his manor back in Smildna.
He laughed. Shaloon slapped him, and he laughed. Ronni, his daughter, burst through the door, her own daughter, only a year old, perched on her hip, and still, he laughed. “What’s wrong?! What happened to him?!” he barely registered his daughter's words and continued to laugh, rolling around on the ground in mirthful madness.
“The Firewyrm She…” Shaloon started, but Morndancer yelled over her in draconic,
“She is true! She is pure! She is rage! The children will come and raise the grandchildren! We have only to await the coming of those Chosen!” the room faded around him, becoming washed out and gray then finally black as he continued to laugh and shout, “They take those who slew them and use them to raise themselves anew…”
He couldn’t feel his burns or the hands trying to settle him. He saw only darkness and stars. And the eyes of his Master boring into his soul from the outer planes.
***
Shon couldn't remember ever feeling so drained in his life. He'd been tired before, exhausted even, but it had never felt quite like this. The eccentric Archmage Ivelm had ordered him to 'empty his energy' into stone after stone. Measuring the weight, color, and temperature of each. Making notes in chalk directly on his table and talking to himself. Shon was shocked the first time he saw the smooth rock handed to him change from a translucent white to an onyx as black as his hair, but by the time they'd gone through the twentieth stone, Shon had decided to stop counting.
Ivelm, however, seemed to get more and more excited with each one. Giving Shon reason to suspect the mage may be taking the energy for himself. After what felt like hours, Ivelm finally stoppered the potion he'd mixed with the most recent jewel, glowing a soft pale blue, and stepped back from the workbench, bony hands on bony hips.
"It can be done." Ivelm swiveled to face Nangran, "He's strong, I don’t know how he managed not to manifest until now, but it's all focused in one elemental direction." he rubbed his chin and looked at the ceiling, completely ignoring Shon's arched eyebrow. "It has a bit of divine flavor as well. But I suppose that shouldn't be surprising for a training Paladin." The mage stopped musing and glared down his nose at Nangran, who had made himself comfortable in the oversized wingback chair by the fire, "It will have to be a lot bigger than a piece of jewelry would allow."
The smith just hummed and sipped at his mug. When had he gotten a mug? Shon looked from one old man to the other. It was apparent Ivelm wanted Nangran to ask him for details, but the ever stoic smith said nothing.
Shon was tired. His limbs felt heavy, and the weight of his simple uniform felt more like platemail. He was just about to ask what the Archmage meant, to hurry them along, when Ivelm threw his hands in the air and said, "You'll need to find somewhere to put it. I would recommend that." he pointed at the hilt of Shon's sword over his shoulder, continuing, "If the lad is insisting on swinging a metal stick around instead of harnessing the ultimate powers of the universe then that same stick might as well sap the power literally as well as figuratively." Shon arched an incredulous eyebrow but Ivelm wasn't paying attention, finishing, "I can get it down to about an inch and a half orb. At the smallest. If you want something different, say so now."
Nangran set his mug on the ground and stood with a grunt and a groan. Shon just wanted to go home and sleep for a week, so when the smith reached for the hilt of his sword for a closer look Shon hardly noticed, until the squat smith jerked it down to eye level. Shon swung his arms like a drowning man and stepped wide to prevent himself from falling over.
"Quit wigglin'," Nangran grumbled, studying the sword's pommel with a professional eye. "One and a half'll do, preferably in a tear…"
The mage snorted and continued to ignore the struggling half crouched Shon, his voice dripping sarcasm as he addressed the smith, "Shall I wrap it in silk for you as well?"
"Na." Nangran let go of the sword, and Shon stood straight, lifting his leg to shake out the knee. "Drop it off when you’re done." the Mage snorted again but didn't counter.
None of them were interested in extending the visit, so Nangran grabbed his heavy cloak and shrugged it on while Shon waited by the door. "It will be at least a fortnight," Ivelm called from his position by the workbench, not about to walk them out.
Nangran grunted his confirmation and opened the battered and decrepit door, letting the wind and early autumn snow blow in on their way out. Shon followed numbly, his eyes unfocused as he walked, and ran right into the much shorter man. Nangran hardly moved as Shon bounced off of him. He was squinting into the distance, one large hand shading his eyes. Shon stared at Nangran for a moment before following the direction of his gaze over the tree line.
Smoke. A LOT of smoke. The black clouds billowed violently into the sky, occasionally lit from below by sparks shot high into the air.
"Elm!" Nangran shouted. Shon had never heard the man call so loudly. The Archmage must have also been shocked because the door to his hut swung open and he stuck his head out to look to either side, eyes wide.
"Flintchest, what?" but he soon saw what, "But, that's the old chemist's tower… What?" he stood in shocked confusion for a heartbeat before turning back into the hut. Shon looked from the shack to Nangran, but before he could say anything, the mage was back, struggling with two long rods, one blue with what looked like waves painted all around, the other black and studded with diamonds.
"Don't just stand there!" Ivelm snapped at the two as he finally managed to slip the blue rod into a sheath at his side. He then pointed the diamond rod at the space between two close-growing trees. Shon heard him say something unintelligible, and one of the diamonds shot out of the tip of the rod to hover between the trees before expanding into a portal.
Beyond the magical gate, Shon could hear the fire roar. It sounded how he imagined the burning hells might sound, but as he followed the two men through, he realized his imagination was tame by comparison.
The smell of burning flesh and hair choked him as they stepped clear of the gate's magic. The heat smashed into them like a wall, and all three brought their arms up to shield their faces. Around them were the charred remains of what looked like humans, their faces buried in the mud as if they'd been trying to run from the blaze. Shon had to swallow the bile that rose in his throat and focused instead on the fire Ivelm had said was a tower.
It was completely engulfed in bright flames of all colors. Squinting through the light, he could see the stone walls melting like wax. The arch of the doorway sagged in the middle, and Shon's eyes went wide. Someone was in there.
He would've had to shout over the roar of the flames, but it didn’t matter; Ivelm was already raising the blue wand, jerking his fingers in strange ways and mouthing words impossible to hear. Water shot out the tip of the wand with the force of a ballista and hissed against the glowing stones.
It wasn't possible. It must be a trick of the flickering flames. But the figure turned its face to them, long hair whipping about as it took steps in their direction.
"Don't just stand there, boy!" Ivelm screamed. "They must have a fire-resist spell; those things don't last forever!"
Nangran grabbed Shon’s upper arm, pulling him a step closer to the fire and down so he could shout in his ear, "Freeze a path."
Shon swallowed. He was so tired, literally drained. He didn't know what to do or how to do it. But the figure in the fire reached out to them only to pull away from a drop of molten rock. Shon fell to his knees, placing his hands on the ground and pleading silently to Hengist. He didn’t know what to do, didn’t know how to control the power. He tried picturing a path of snow between himself and the tower base, concentrating on it until the mental image overlaid the real world, as he did when imagining phantom fighters during practice.
Ice snaked its way from Shon's fingers towards the burning tower along his mental path, powered by the fear that he wouldn't be fast enough to save the person inside. The water from Ivelm's wand helped carve the way, and Shon grunted physically as he struggled to push mentally. His breathing came heavy and ragged. He could feel the fire melting the edges of the ice as if it were a part of him. Still, he fought back and forced it to continue to form into solid sheets moving closer and closer to the figure still trapped in the tower.
Wherever the ice formed solid, it stayed. The fire drawing back from it until, finally, it reached the doorway. He urged the ice to climb up the doorframe, to hold it in place and keep it from falling, from moving at all.
Shon was seeing double. He struggled to focus on the figure and flinched as they stepped onto the frozen path. The ice hissed and melted under their bare unsteady feet, he could feel it... feel them, their heat, on his ice.
It was a young woman. Or an older girl. She was naked; her clothes burned away by the fire. Her long hair was being blown forward by the heat of the burning tower, obscuring her face. As she moved closer, Shon could make out strange red stripes snaking around her body, standing in stark relief against her pale skin.
Ivelm stepped in front of him then, throwing Nangran's cloak around her shoulders as she crumpled to the ground. Nangran himself knelt beside Shon, resting one massive hand on the Squire's back. "You can stop, lad…" his voice trailed off, and Shon felt an emptiness open in his chest. No one could have survived that, not if they hadn't already made it to the entrance like the girl. As if to punctuate the thought, Shon managed to focus his eyes only to see the tower's entrance wall fold and collapse in on itself, the stones flowing like soft wax.
--- Table of Contents ---
Sorry for the double post today. I wanted to keep Ch 14 & 15 together.
Thanks for making it this far, you are the real MVP

My love life is a mess and I've never really been able to open up to anyone about my relationship situation and how it's played out, so here it is.
I apologize beforehand for the rambling mess this is going to be. But I so desperately want to get this out into the world and, well, off my chest. Buckle in, it's a long one.
I've(27F) known N(26NB) since high school and always been allured by them, but we were never available at the same time or around each other more than the occasional friendly gathering. I went away to college and had issues with my then BF, N was my confidant in so many ways when I was away and isolated from my family on an internship and N had been keeping in contact better than BF at the time had been. We got too close then, BF at the time became uncomfortable, I had crossed a line with intimate messages. I had no idea at the time how much N felt towards me. Because of my error my college BF banned me from speaking with N or being alone with them. Reasonable, or at least I thought so at the time. Almost two years later I broke up with my college BF, that's when things really started getting complicated.
Because of the previous conflict and other circumstances N wasn't really in my life at the time. I fell in love with G(27m). G and I were and are two peas in a pod. They pushed me to work on my mental health, to chase my career goals, to strive towards a family. G had a son from a previous relationship that led me to tackle my fear of parenting and children and made me realize that I did want a family.
Then G's mother passed. I had never been good with understanding grieving, and G had never had to grieve in that way before. I was raised in a family that had the mentality of "People die, get over it, move on." Words I regretfully told G in one of our final fights as we broke up. See, G's mother was sick and dying when we started dating, her death had been looming on the horizon the entire time I was with G, she got two more years than the doctors predicted. I was by G's side through it all. Stepping up to take care of his son and being the parent I had previously been terrified of being. G saw me struggling and knew they were too emotionally unavailable to make me happy, so they posited that I should get closer with N, whom I had recently reconnected with.
See, over the course of mine and G's four year relationship we had experimented and begun to practice polyamory. It fit well with our lifestyle for the most part, and we had the communication skills to follow through with it. Previous to me seeing N it had been mostly casually dating people for a few months here and there. But this time it was different. See, I had reconnected with N and all of the chemistry we had always had was back full force. We were highschool sweethearts who were caught in a honeymoon phase. G tried to be patient, wait out the honeymoon phase, but they needed me. I was falling deeper and deeper in love with N while G was losing my interest more and more.
For a while things were okay. Communication was good, I spent time with both partners and everyone felt fulfilled, myself included. But as issues arose I was growing further and further from G and I was getting closer and closer to N. Don't get me wrong. G knew where I was and what was going on. He consented to it. I know polyamory gets frowned upon often, but it really did work for us previous to this instance. The difference was N wasn't someone I wanted to put second. I loved them a lot. We had great chemistry, they listened to me when G wouldn't. They hyped up my personal hobbies when G actively told me he didn't care about them. They championed my mental health when G had pushed it aside. G began to resent the time I was spending with N, I began to resent G for not allowing me time with N without calls or texts, or constant badgering on when I'd be home or when was N going to leave. I started lying about how long i'd be, or when i'd be home. I'd stay up late to talk with N as G went to bed alone. I started stonewalling G, distancing myself, sleeping on the couch, pushing them away. I still can't believe the things I did and said to them, someone I loved then and still love now.
A big issue was that I felt like I had the whole world on my shoulders when I came home at night. At age 24 I put a roof over our head, I paid for my own health insurance while he was still getting it for free, I did the cooking, grocery shopping, farmed full time as the manager of a cattle herd that required me to basically be on call 24/7. I was raising a toddler that wasn't mine because he was too exhausted after work. I made less money than G, but paid half the bills and was reprimanded when i had no fun money to go do things with him. He'd often buy himself new tools and accessories for his hobbies, he bought a three wheeler for a large chunk of change and then talked about how he couldn't afford an engagement ring. I felt neglected and taken for granted. Then to top it off I had to step up to be a therapist to my partner who had lost all meaning to his life when his mother died.
G handled me roughly with his words and physicality, told me he didn't know how to be romantic. His pet name for me was "dumb bitch" it started as a joke, I didn't mind at first but then it became the normal. He didn't allow me to have time to myself because he needed me to sit and look at tiktoks with him for an hour, but they couldn't even be bothered to give me a kiss when they got home from work, he just plopped down in his recliner and asked me to take his boots off. I felt like a roommate at the end. Or even worse, a mother. To top it off, G had a 'mommy kink' which I usually wouldn't judge, i've always been extremely open minded in the bedroom but it was fairly jarring considering the circumstances.
I ended up breaking things off with N after a fight between G and I where he threatened to leave me if things didn't change. Our communication was non-existent. We fought all of the time and I resented him. It was harvest season on the farm, a time that comes with massive amounts of stress, and I had no support system. My family had no real idea what was happening because I didn't feel safe talking to them. (Lots of childhood trauma and very judgemental parents that have a bit too much control in my life because they sign my paychecks.) Up to this point my main support had been N and I had pushed them away in a feeble attempt to fix things with G. I knew in the back of my head that things were ending. I was scared of being alone, scared of being financially incapable of taking care of myself. I went through with it though. I told G I was done and wanted him out. He put the thoughts in my head when he gave me the aforementioned ultimatum of "things need to change" it's really when I started losing hope and he's admitted his regret for those words since then as well.
It takes six weeks for him to move out and back in with his father. In the meantime I live in the basement spare bedroom and office. I felt like a prisoner in my own home. Anytime I was caught upstairs in the main living areas hed corner me, try to goad emotional talks out of me, try to beg for attention. I was cold. I was tired. All I had wanted was space and he continued to smother me for his own needs while completely ignoring my own. Sometimes I wonder what would've happened if I would've caved and just went to bed with him at night for a week or so. If I wouldn't have stonewalled him. If I would've given him a second chance would he have changed for me? I ask myself that a lot.
After he moved out I started talking to N again. I was bad at being alone, and so was N. They missed me. I tried to keep my distance and stay single, heal, and become a better more independent individual. But in the back of my mind I couldn't help but question if I had left G for myself, or if I had left him for N. I still wonder about it to this day, and I truly don't have an answer.
N and I weren't really officially dating. We acted like partners but we had never really made it public or announced it. Our mutual friends had a rough idea of what was going on. They supported the two of us together, thought we were a perfect match, thought we were great for each other. But it still wasn't official. Mainly because it felt like it was too soon. I thought that N was the one though, that given some time and self improvement we'd be perfect for eachother. A wrench was thrown in that plan when G came back into my life after very little contact. We worked for a seasonal business together, we were civil and professional enough that we didn't think there would be any issues.
At a big seasonal event (a week long business convention) G and I reconnected. We aired out some things needed for closure. We talked through a lot of hurts and how just in a few months we had both grown so much. We had been separated maybe four months at this point. My feelings hit me like a freight train. I carried a lot of guilt for how fast I had moved with N after the breakup, and for the shitty things I had done and said to G during the breakup when I was highly emotional. I realized how quickly I had pushed this person to whom I had wanted to get married and have a family with away. I saw how much better he was doing after some more time to grieve his mother's death and get himself back on his feet. He had changed jobs to something with more manageable hours that still paid well and he had reclaimed some of his hobbies that he had let go to the wayside due to stress and depression. He was doing so good for himself and I suddenly regretted everything. I remember venting to him about all of my insecurities at the time, and my concerns for life, and for a change, he actually listened and comforted me. Something he hadn't done since the first few years of our relationship.
Fast forward to after the business convention, I tell N that I need space. I realize that, as much as I love them, I have a lot to figure out, and honestly I missed G. A lot. I still wasn't over them, and there was a part of me that wanted to be better and try to get them to take me back. G told me that it was a slim chance, a very very slim chance. He told me that even though the odds looked tough, if i needed to hang onto that small chance to challenge myself to be better, then to do it. So I tried. Tried being independant, more social, better at house keeping for myself. I got closer with G again, but still spoke daily with N. There was a lot of emotional turmoil in my life but I had them both in my daily life again, and I was so happy for it. I got physical with G a few times in the span of a couple weeks. We weren't serious, it was more-so that we missed each others intimacy. I enjoyed the way they taunted me, and the things they did to me, it was like the beginning of our relationship again. But better because we knew each other better.
It didn't last long. G started talking to another girl, we stayed close friends, but he started making attempts at moving on. It hurt like hell. I made myself be okay with it though, and I made friends with the new girl because I didn't want to lose him again. I went back to N at that point. I was lonely, and i missed their uplifting affection. Things got more and more serious and G got more serious with his partner as well. Soon enough N and I were officially dating.
Honestly, at this point, life was great. N and I had so much chemistry physically, there were some things I missed about G and certain aspects of my previously polyamorous lifestyle, but I gained a lot of new things with N. They were so much more caring and thoughtful and gentle. They could satisfy me better. Almost a full year went by, N was basically living with me, I had some hiccups where I needed space, but we worked through them. But, then it started happening again. G came back. He was struggling with his relationship and venting to me about it. I hurt for him, I knew he deserved better. I wanted to be that for him despite my own relationship. I told myself that G and I couldn't work out, I told everyone that would listen that we were like oil and water. All the while we were each-others confidants. I lied to myself even. Tried to convince myself that I didn't have feelings like that for him anymore.
I began having issues of discontentment with my relationship with N. I craved a partner with the independence and social extroversion that G had grown to have, meanwhile N was very dependant on me for many things, and was extremely introverted. I truly did love them how they were, but the grass is always greener I guess. I hate myself even now for the things I thought and the way I felt about it all. I tried my best to communicate my problems, even going as far as admitting to N that I was still in love with G. It hurt them, but it wasn't a surprise. G and I had been hanging out as friends more and more, he had left his gf and was now single. N let me spend time with G with no fuss, they didn't want to deprive me of someone they knew I cared about. But being around G made me start to lose patience with N. It was history repeating itself opposite. N saw it happening, they started to get clingier, they were insecure. I can't blame them. They'd been on the opposite side of the situation before. They knew how I could be emotionally.
A giant moment was when G was telling me about his vasectomy consultation. As he was describing the process and how it would go I started tearing up out of nowhere. I didn't know why, it was then that I realized I wanted a family. Up until this point N had been very adamant about being child free. G had been the only person i'd ever considered having kids with, and that was about to be gone completely. G point blank asked me if I wanted him to freeze some, just in case the future went that way. That he didn't have to tell anyone and it would be our secret. It sent me into sobs. I didn't realize how strongly I had felt about it until then. At this point things just kept getting more complicated.
I tried to stay invested in my relationship with N. But it was getting more and more difficult. We had some trips planned, we had conversations about wanting a family, and our future. Possible career changes for them, they wanted to face some of their big anxieties so that they could be more independent. They even discussed the idea of having a kid someday and why they had been averse to it previously and how they felt it might be different with me. They constantly showed that they wanted to be a better person for me and were willing to put in the work.
I sit here typing this, knowing I still love them, knowing they were doing so much for me, and I wish I wouldn't have been so blind to it then. Instead of embracing their betterment, I told them I wanted to be single again. That I wanted to try to better myself alone and find my independence, the same things I told G when I left him. See, I had convinced myself that I wanted to get G back. That he was the person I was meant to be with. But every passing day my resolve waned. A week and a half after the breakup I ended up in G's bed again. He's confessed his feelings for me, how he wants to hash out old wounds and try again. At first I was all in. But now I just feel hollow. To top it off, I've kept in contact with N as well and we've been intimate since the break up. I have such strong feelings for the both of them and I don't know what to do about it. I could continue to try and go back to G, but he's dubious about having another kid, and marriage and all of the things that are important to me. I don't blame him. I broke his trust the first time we were together and I left him. I never gave him a chance to get better and I often feel genuinely evil for the way I acted while he was mourning the death of his mother. I was selfish and narrow minded.
But on the flip side, N is still right here comforting me, encouraging me, wanting me to succeed and be happy in life even without them, even though i know it kills them to see me go off and do things by myself or with G. It weighs on my mind all the time, the way they've professed undying love to me and told me that there is no one else for them. Because of their history and personality, it's hard not to believe it. They've always been so purely honest with me. I know that they'd take me back in a heartbeat, I don't feel worthy of their love.
What hurts the most and makes myself question everything is that through all this turmoil, being able to physically and emotionally interact with both of them at once is when I'm at my happiest and most fulfilled, but that's an impossible option. The idea of moving on from both and finding someone new is also an impossible option. They're both so much a part of me, and I live a lifestyle with a fair amount of isolation. I don't meet new people often at all, and I live a lifestyle that would require a partner to give up their life to join me, which means the older I get the less likely I am to find someone who is willing to do that. I don't think I can handle being alone forever and all I want is to move on to the next stage of my life. I'm pushing 30 and I feel like a 19 year old all over again.
This has been long and rambling and might not make much sense. To those who stuck through it and read it, thank you. To anyone who wants to weigh in, be it comments, advice, or criticism, I'll gladly accept it.
So Tl;Dr: I'm deeply in love with two people, have broken up with both of them seperate times to go to the other, but now I'm with neither and I question which one is the one for me or if I should just give up and be alone, knowing that one of the two will never move on from me and that I may never find as compatible partners because of my lifestyle.

If you’re wondering about the origins of the beloved Dutch Crunch Bread, I’d like to offer you a detailed recounting of its rich history:
First, lets roll the clock back to Denmark in 1940. Operation Weserübung had just started under the command of General Nikolaus von Falkenhorst. Unbeknownst to the Dutch citizens, Der Fürher himself visited the front lines himself. Of course, Adolph was accompanied by his closest SS officers and the best bodyguards stolen gold could buy.
Hitler and his beloved General Falkenhorst would watch their Panzer tanks run over the bodies of fallen Dutch enemies from afar through binoculars. Even though they were a ways away from the action, they could hear the sounds of the Danish bones snapping underneath the tank treads.
One day Hitler was having himself a lite lunch atop a hill overlooking the massacre and had a revelation as he bit into his sandwich at the very moment a tank crushed another body. One of his closest guards gave this account later during the Nuremberg Trials:
“Der Fürher bit into the pastrami sandwich and exclaimed ‘Unt Mein Got! Get me the best baker in Düsseldorf!”
The famous baker, who would remain unnamed, arrived on the front lines with his crew of the best culinary experts of the Third Reich. It was there where he and Hitler himself designed what would later become the Dutch Crunch bread. The leader of The Fatherland wanted to give his people a fun and delicious remembrance of their victory over the Danish resistance fighters. The bread had to be crunchy, and crunchy it was!
As they engineered the most famous loaf of the Wehrmacht, the culinary experts used the natural surroundings of the battlefield to influence its design. One day a bread expert tripped over something while walking through the Danish wastelands. It appeared to be a civilian who was flattened by a tank tread. The unique design across what used to be their back and midsection would be used as inspiration for the Dutch Crunch’s signature crust. The bread itself visually imitated the appearance of a body after getting crushed by a Panzer. It was a big hit with the Rhinelanders.
There was only one problem, it was too big of a hit. It’s popularity caused a huge demand; which the Nazi Bakers couldn’t keep up with. This is when the famous Düsseldorf baker came up with a wonderful idea. He knew where there was plenty of large ovens and free labor to operate them. The Sachsenhausen labor camp was chosen as the headquarters of the Dutch Crunch bakery. It is said that some of the residual human remains could be tasted upon the sweet, crunchy top of the bread. It wasn’t planned to be this way, but those ovens were too hard to clean. Especially when your labor force is so skinny and malnourished. Food critics all throughout the Axis of Evil approved of the sweet crust, even speculating that cremated human remains still retain a sweetness in the ash and fat drippings.
Throughout the remainder of the second Great War, the denizens of The Fatherland would enjoy this new crunchy loaf. Its story was nearly lost to history until two unlikely students attending Northern Michigan University found an old book full of German recipes in the library in 1964. The discovery of the Dutch Crunch bread caused a spark of inspiration.
They would later become the founders of Togo’s Great Sandwiches. Tom Neumann and Gordon Reed were known sympathizers of the struggles of National Socialism, and attended many of their rallies throughout the US. They even provided catering in the form of sandwich platters. They were such a big hit with the Neo-Nazis of America, they were gifted a crate of stolen Jewish gold, which came from an unknown person somewhere in the jungles of South America. This would help finance the expansion of the Togos brand, making it the popular sandwich shop franchise it is today!
So, now every time you take a bite out of a large number nine hot pastrami on the Dutch Crunch bread—savor it! The ovens might be different and the labor force now wears T shirts instead of torn potato sacks… But! the lunchtime experience Adolph Hitler created all those years ago still lives on—inside every loaf!

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Address: E-75, 2nd Floor, Sector-63, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India - 201301. Phone: 08048733800 Email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
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--- Table of Contents ---
Autumn 4986, 15 Aoimoth
“Slow down, Squire!” Master Daunas walked around the sixteen Squires. They were all going through the basic motions of knife fighting together, but Shon knew the Weaponsmaster was talking to him specifically. He'd fallen into the rhythm of steel clanging off steel as the eight pairs of Squires went through the practiced strikes of a rehearsed fight. His partner was keeping up, but just barely. If Shon sped up, the boy would fumble, and Shon could disarm him. But that wasn’t the point of this exercise. It wasn’t a sparring match; it was a two man kata. Shon let out a long exhale and slowed down, matching his partner’s pace.
“Sorry,” Kefir, muttered to Shon, “You should try and get Zihler next time. He won’t slow you down.”
Shon arched an eyebrow at Kefir as the two pivoted in unison, spinning but staying together, so they switched places and continued without breaking rhythm. Or that was what was supposed to happen. Kefir stumbled just a little. He still wasn’t very good at quick pivots like that, and knife forms were full of them. Shon slowed down to wait for him to recover, matching his thrust with a counter as rehearsed.
“Don’t give me that look. I know you want to go faster. Zihler’s the most likely to keep... up...” Kefir had to space the last two words as they dodged each other again. More twists and turns he tended to overshoot.
He wasn’t wrong. Shon did want to go faster, wanted to push himself to his limits, and always just a little beyond, but “Speed isn’t the point of this exercise.” Shon said, and Kefir’s brow furrowed. Though if concentrating on Shon’s words or the continued form Shon didn’t know, “It's precision and practice. Keep partnering with Rerves, who's even worse, and you won't improve.”
They slammed together, the hilts of their daggers locking together as they sidestepped in tight circles. Shon could see at least ten different ways he could end a match right here. His left hand was free, as this was a single dagger exercise, and his opponents hardly ever paid attention to his feet. But that wasn’t the point, and Kefir would learn nothing from Shon downing him now, even if it was.
“Thanks,” Kefir spat sarcastically. Shon gave him a purposefully deadpan look in response, and he continued, “You’re the same, though. You won’t get better if you pick the weakest partners.” the two disengaged, jumping back and falling into a ready stance in one motion. Kefir took a heartbeat longer than some of the other boys but didn’t stumble at this speed as he had the last three times they went through the drill.
“I’m better than Zihler…” Shon said, not in pride or arrogance but in truth. When they had first started knife fighting weeks ago, he had partnered with those who seemed to be at the same level as himself or higher. Pushing himself to reach their level and surpass it. Add to that the fact that he often used his free time for more practice, and Shon had jumped to the top of the class as usual only a week into this new weapon.
Shon brought the topic back around to his point, “Practice is practice no matter how fast I go, as long as I have precision.” and, as if to prove his point, the form reached the culminating move, where Shon and Kefir needed to thrust at each other while turning just enough for the blade to pass by their chests. Shon slowed his thrust only at the end, just enough for Kefir to finish his dodge. Adjusting speed in the middle of a strike without pulling it completely wasn't easy, and they both knew it.
That was the end of the kata, and they both stepped back. Kefir looked down at his knife, sighing, “I suck at this, give me a shield or a hammer, and you wouldn’t have to hold yourself back.” he glanced up at Shon and forced a smile he obviously didn’t feel, “Then maybe I could teach you a thing or two…”
Shon nodded, perfectly serious, and when Kefir didn’t seem to understand, he added, “Exactly.”
The bell rang and the other Squires started heading for the weapons rack to return their knives, but Shon held Kefir in place with his eyes. He looked confused, his expression asking the question before his words could, so Shon explained, “You're better at armor and shields than me.”
That actually got a genuine smile from Kefir, “Everyone is better with armor and shields than you, Shon.” Shon humphed but couldn't argue, and Kefir laughed, “You know, if you spent your extra time actually practicing with the stuff you need practice in, instead of the things you're already the best at, you would get better.”
Shon ran his fingers through sweaty hair. It was only two finger widths long but still needed to be cut. He wanted to argue that practicing with the heavy weapons without armor in his free time was the only reason he was still the top in those as well. But instead, he nodded in acquiescence to Kefir’s observation.
“Hey,” Kefir stepped forward and poked Shon with the hilt of his dagger. Even with his thicker winter uniform on, they avoided touching him, “I get what you’re saying. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses. Thank you for trying to help me with mine.” The thanks was genuine this time, now that the frustration of the practice was over, and Shon nodded. Kefir continued, “Why don’t we make a deal? I’ll let you help me catch up to you in this if you let me help you with armor work. Master Daunas wants to get you in plate, but if you can’t even move in banded mail, you’ll never make it in the heavier stuff.”
Shon let his head fall back in frustration but nodded. Kefir laughed and the two returned their daggers without further words. Shon split from the rest of the stragglers in the courtyard, moving towards the bench beside the wall and the barrel for catching rainwater beside it. This deep into autumn, the water was sometimes frozen in the mornings, but Shon preferred it that way. Reaching in, he splashed handfuls of it on the back of his neck. The others would be heading for the hot showers, but with sixteen of them and only ten shower heads, Shon would wait until they were all done before washing properly.
“I’ll meet you after study time!” Kefir called as he walked by to try and reach the showers with the first group. Shon waved without turning around. He knew Kefir was right. He should focus his extra time on improving his weaknesses. But that didn’t mean he had to like it.
***
The mess hall where they had their meals had one long table set in the middle with enough space for fifteen Squires on each side. Around it were set smaller circular tables for the Paladins stationed in Hamerfoss and one larger near the door for the officers. Against one wall was another long table with plates, bowls, and food where they would each gather their meal before finding their seats.
The seats weren’t assigned, but Shon always sat at the farthest end of the Squire’s table, with his left facing the walkway so he wouldn’t bump anyone with his elbow as he ate. No one ever took the spot. It was an unspoken consensus amongst the Squires that that was Shon’s seat. The rest tended to congregate in the middle, talking and poking friendly fun at each other, extending their break into the dinner meal.
Shon took his place and started eating without joining in. They didn’t try to include him most of the time, and he was content to just listen. “Hey, Shon,” Rerves called from down the table, and Shon looked up from his plate to show he was listening, “I hear Kefir’s going to help you with armor tonight. Can I come?” Shon shrugged, turning back to his meal. Rerves went back to his conversation, and dinner continued as usual. The Squires ignoring Shon.
They filtered out of the mess hall as they each finished their dinner at their own pace, some heading to the chapel for prayer and others to the library for study. Shon made his way to the library, pausing in the doorway and debating with himself. If he joined the others at the larger table, they would try and talk to him. They seemed to think it was their duty to include him if he was there. But if he sat alone at the two-man table by the window, they would leave him alone. It meant he wouldn’t be able to ask them questions if one came up, but it also meant they wouldn’t bother him with pointless asides…
Tonight, he joined the study group. The subject they'd started a few weeks ago wasn’t one he had taken to easily, an in-depth history of Gasha province, so he wanted to be able to talk when needed.
It started as soon as he finished the first page, “So Shon, when do you think Master Veon-Zih will be back?”
“Winter Solstice,” Shon answered shortly, rereading the sentence. The others whispered around him about Master Veon-Zih, something about if he would dance with the pretty baker again this year…
“Hey Shon, do you know if Monks train in dancing too?”
Shon placed his finger over the paragraph he'd reached, knowing he would have to reread it after the interruption. He shook his head. When they continued to look at him, he sighed, glaring up at them. This was supposed to be study time… “He learned how after he left the Monastery.”
He reread his paragraph and managed to finish the chapter before running his hand through his hair in frustration at the text. Looking up, he said, “We’ve read about the war between Gasha and Swailand, but this doesn’t say anything about why they went to war in the first place.”
“Fishing rights, I think?” Thom answered, flipping through his own book, “Knowing those Horsa Bast…” he cut off before finishing the curse, glancing at the Paladin acting as librarian, before continuing, “I bet they wanted to extend their fishing to the area around Gasha, and they are just as likely to fight each other as us.”
Rehlien slid a new book Shon’s way, “Here, read this one next. It gets into the justification a little more than that one.” Shon nodded his thanks, taking the book and placing it under the one he was still finishing.
But his question had opened the door to more derailing chatter, “You really like to know the why of things, don’t you, Shon?”
Shon nodded, hoping this talk would at least be relevant, but “You’re like that in etiquette too. That’s probably why you struggle so much.” Shon shrugged. Etiquette didn’t seem to have a point, but that wasn’t what they were supposed to be studying now, “I find some things ‘just are’ because of tradition…” the boy trailed off as Shon glared at him, his words freezing in his throat. When silence had returned, Shon went back to his book. He should've just sat alone.
***
Kefir and Rerves were already waiting in the sparring ring by the time Shon showed up dressed in his banded mail. The armor rubbed uncomfortably around his neck and the thick gambeson underneath bunched at his joints, limiting his range of motion by at least a few inches. It also weighed him down, which he'd managed to convince himself was good for strength training, but was incredibly frustrated by for sparring.
Kefir already had his sword and shield and held an extra bastard sword for him, so Shon went right for the ring, stifling a frustrated sigh as he took the proffered weapon.
Rerves grinned at the look on Shon’s face, saying, “We figured you'd be miserable enough in the armor alone, that we should channel some of Soleil's compassion and let you use your best weapon instead of the hammer.” to which Shon was grateful. Making him practice in the armor with a weapon he still hadn’t mastered would've been adding salt to the wound.
“Let’s do some stretches and warm-ups first.” Kefir started, “Your problem isn’t being afraid to take a hit with the armor,” Rerves laughed out loud, but Kefir continued with only a grin, “It’s in having to adjust your mobility. So let's re-imprint that before we try any sparring.”
They went through stretches, the two of them seeming to match Shon in flexibility only because he was hampered by the armor, then moved on to solo sword forms. Even though the armor was only about thirty-five pounds evenly distributed, Shon still felt sluggish. When they moved on to sparring, Rerves beat him soundly while Kefir watched, tilting his head back and forth like Master Daunas and trying to give advice that didn’t help. Shon could fight, he knew the proper blocks and parries better than they did, but too often he would either not make up for his lack of speed or would overcompensate and swing too hard.
Kefir took his turn, lifting his shield and watching Shon raise his sword to the ready, “Honestly, Shon, I don’t know what to do besides have you practice more and just get used to it.”
“Sometimes that’s all you can do,” Rerves said from the side as he slipped off his helmet. Shon knew they were right in some regards but couldn’t entirely dismiss his frustration at the thought that he was missing something that he needed to learn and not just have beaten into him. He was grateful for his companion’s help but annoyed at their inability to teach.
Rerves gave the order to "Lay on!" and Shon and Kefir engaged. Shon could predict Kefir's moves, could practically see them in his mind's eye, but barely reacted in time, his arm not bending as far or fast as he wanted it to. He gritted his teeth, glaring at the other Squire, trying to sidestep around but moving too slow compared to Kefir, who just needed to turn in place. Shon took a step back and planted his feet. If he could force Kefir to make the larger motions, then perhaps he could focus on redirecting the boy’s attacks.
Kefir hesitated. Shon was most dangerous when he stood his ground, and they both knew it. The hesitation just gave Shon more time to try and strategize. Not that it had helped at all before. Maybe if he could somehow slow Kefir down, or focus on trapping his weapon, then it wouldn’t matter that Shon wasn’t as fast as he would be without the damn armor. Kefir tested Shon’s guard with a few half-hearted attacks that Shon deflected, waiting. When the other Squire finally committed fully, Shon let go of his sword with his left hand, twisted to dodge, and grabbed Kefir’s sword arm.
Just stop. Stop long enough for me to hit you… Kefir tried to pull away but couldn’t. Despite the poor grip Shon had with the thick gloves that were part of the armor, the two Squires seemed lashed together. Kefir twisted his shoulders so he could lift his shield to deflect Shon’s oncoming attack, but his feet didn’t move. His eyes went wide, and his shield came up barely in time to hit Shon’s sword, the tip still reaching over to clang off Kefir’s helm with a glancing blow.
Kefir fell backward and Shon, still clinging to his arm, was pulled on top of him. The boy yelled, and Shon rolled, letting go of Kefir and hearing something like glass breaking over the clanging of armor and screaming of his fellow. Shon rolled to absorb the shock of the fall and twisted to find Kefir on his back, his knees still straight and his boots stuck to the ground. Encased in ice.
The ice climbed up his boots to his shins, but Kefir was gripping his arm, trying to pull more ice from where Shon had been holding him. It continued to grow, soon encasing his hand and sword hilt. Rerves rushed forward, trying to help pry the sword free while the ice on his legs grew past his boots and under his greaves. Kefir screamed again, in pain and fear.
The Paladins on the wall began yelling, their leader taking command, sending some to help the boys and others to run for the fortress. Shon watched in horror as Kefir’s legs and arm were slowly encased in ice, his lips trembling and turning blue. He would be covered soon, Shon knew it, could picture it happening, like a waking nightmare. It would trap his brother Squire and anyone else touching it…
The ice started clawing at Rerves fingers, trying to gain hold and freeze him too.
“What in all the hells?!” Master Daunas showed up with a gaggle of Paladins and the Cleric, who all fell around the boys. Some took out their belt knives and tried to break the ice apart; others began to chant spells to either melt the ice or keep Kefir warm.
Master Daunas searched above the throng for answers and, finding Shon, cursed. He ran around the larger group, grabbing Shon by the arm and wrenching him away, practically dragging him across the courtyard towards the fortress proper. Someone called out in triumph as Shon reached the fortress door and Daunas forced him through it.
What had happened? Had they freed Kefir? Would he be alright? What happened?!
Daunas was still cursing as he slammed the door and spun on Shon, who stared blankly through the Weaponmaster. Panic, he was trying so hard not to panic. Was trying to figure out what had happened, trying to play through the entire thing again, picturing it from outside his body. Was the ice what had allowed him to hold on to Kefir? Was it still climbing up Kefir's legs? Was that why the older Squire wasn’t able to pull back and block properly? Had Shon...
“Calm down, boy.” Daunas reached for Shon’s shoulders but pulled back a moment later, shaking his hands and cursing as they reddened from the cold, “Breathe, boy. Look at me, think warm thoughts.”
Think warm thoughts? What did that even mean? Shon found Daunas’s eyes and saw the Weaponmaster scared for the first time, “Breathe, slow and steady, like old man V taught you. You need to control your energy…” his lips were pale and trembling, his breath coming out in a cloud before him. had it been that cold outside? Shon couldn’t feel it...
Shon closed his eyes and breathed. Control his energy… He pulled himself in, finding his center and gathering around it, “That’s it, boy, like that.” Shon breathed in his energy, his ki, holding it in his gut, storing it for later when he could use it to focus a strike and give it more power, just like Master Veon-Zih had taught him. And just like Master had taught him, he tried to let go of his worries, to clear his mind, if only for now.
Kefir would be alright, almost every adult here could cast healing spells, and at least half of them were with him now. It was okay. Shon could relax, let go, calm down… Suddenly exhausted, Shon nearly collapsed right there in the hallway. Daunas caught him, slowly lowering him to the stones.
Shon could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness, but not fast enough to miss Master Daunas’s last curse, “Damn it, boy, why did you have to be a Sorcerer?”
***
“He has to go to the Mages Guild.” Major General Davies Selibra, Paladin head of Hamerfoss, stated to those gathered in his office. It was a simple room containing two sets of closed cabinets on either side of a large desk facing the door with two seats positioned in front of it. Shon sat in one of those seats, his head hanging and fists clenched tightly in his lap.
Master Daunas slammed his palm down on the desk. He seemed too agitated to sit, or perhaps he just didn’t want to sit next to Shon, who was radiating cold like a fire radiated heat, “We can’t, Selibra! He’s the most promising fighter I’ve ever trained. He’ll lose too much time.” the Weaponmaster's words puffed out as white fog from his lips.
Major General Selibra sat behind his desk and rubbed his temples, “It’s the law Daunas, he either needs to get a clearance or be sealed.”
“Can’t be a Paladin with the tattoo…” Smith Nangran muttered from his position leaning on the door. Shon was too focused on his predicament to wonder why the Smith was even here. A thin layer of ice began to form at his feet.
“It’s the law…” Selibra said again, weary, “If he had awakened sooner, he might have been able to get his clearance before training, but…”
Daunas threw his hands into the air, bellowing, “It takes years to get a clearance. If they even let him. Those Mages would rather just mark the boy up and be done with it!”
A sealing tattoo. They would want to block the magic. Seal it away in his body where it couldn’t hurt anyone. Kefir had suffered severe frostbite as well as a broken ankle. Lucky for him, he was surrounded by divine conduits and was fine, but what if Shon lost control again? Who would the ice entomb? Master Veon-Zih? Innocent citizens he was supposed to protect? Shon’s nails dug furrows into his palms as he clenched his fists tighter. The ice crawled up the legs of his chair and crystalized on the backs of his hands.
The adults continued to talk around him, “The law is clear, Daunas. The magic either needs to be trained or sealed. There are no exceptions.” The law never made exceptions. It’s what kept everything running at top proficiency. Shon admired that… and understood it, as even now he couldn't control the sorcerous ice.
Shon tried to slow his breathing, relax his hands. The ice cracked over his fingers as he forced them out of their fists. It was responding to his emotions, his fear, and horror at what he'd done. What he was. If he could just pull it in, stifle the emotions feeding it, then the magic wouldn't be able to control him…
Ice continued to inch up the chair, and Selibra rubbed his hands together to warm them. They'd been pointedly and purposely ignoring the winter-like cold since bringing Shon to the office.
“Tattoos aren’t the only way to seal magic…” Nangran stated from the door. Daunas and Selibra stopped arguing, and Shon’s head shot up. He turned slowly to watch the Smith who combed absently at his beard, “Law says sorcerer magic needs to be trained or sealed, doesn’t say how.”
“I know the law Nangran,” Selibra still sounded defeated. “A council of Mages, including one of the rank Archmage, must determine if a Sorcerer is capable of controlling his or her power. If they determine the power is too great a risk to the kingdom, then said power will be made unable to manifest. Sealed.” the Major General recited, most likely for Shon’s benefit. Shon's heart pounded in his chest, and the fires that lit the room dimmed.
“What are you suggesting?” Daunas asked Nangran curiously. The smith only talked when necessary, using grunts and nods instead of words whenever possible. That was probably why Shon liked him so much. It also meant he wouldn’t have contradicted Selibra unless he had a reason.
“Know a guy. Used to make sealing items for the guild…” Nangran said with a shrug, as though Shon’s future didn’t hinge on his point, “Owes me a favor…”
“You’re not talking about that mad hermit who comes barging in here once or twice a year, are you?” Daunas asked, looking stunned.
Nangran nodded with a confirming hum. “Still Archmage in good standing…”
The Weaponmaster looked ecstatic, shouting, “Nangran, you’re a genius!” he slammed his hands down on the desk again, breath puffing out in thick clouds as his excitement grew. Nangran grunted.
Daunas turned back to the Major General, who actually looked intrigued. Shon’s heart tried to beat its way out of his chest. “This is it, Selibra! This Archmage can make the boy a sealing item. I’m sure the Temple will vouch for him. He’s our top Squire.” Shon was still too terrified to feel proud of the compliment and watched Major General Selibra with wide desperate eyes. Ice started forming on his hands again, looking like clawed talons.
“The Mages Guild hasn’t given out sealing stones for generations…” Selibra hummed, and Shon barely stopped the desperate whine before it could escape, his fingernails drawing blood on his palms as he balled them into fists again, breaking the ice claws. “but we can at least try.” Selibra finished, focusing on Shon, his brown eyes still looking sad, “Are you sure you want this, Shon? As a Paladin, you won’t be able to train with your elemental magic unti-”
“Yes, Sir!” Shon shouted, leaning forward in his seat and breaking the ice off its legs. He fell back a moment later, embarrassed by his outburst. More quietly, he said again, “Yes, Sir. I don’t want this magic. I want to be a Paladin.” more than anything in his entire life, he'd wanted to be a Paladin…
“Very well,” Major General Selibra stood, resting his fingertips on his desk. Speaking as if to himself, he muttered, “Perhaps this is a sign from Hengist.” looking up, he addressed Nangran, “Tomorrow you will take Squire Shon to this Archmage friend of yours. Gods willing, he will be able to seal the sorcerer magic without hindering his divine capabilities.” he failed to hide a shiver from the cold.
***
Her candles burned hot and bright, flickering wildly as She paced around Her little room. Something was happening in Her tower. There were far too many people with strangers' voices out Her window and beyond Her door.
Brom and Ran continued to visit, but they wouldn’t answer Her questions, wouldn’t take Her for samples, or to see Her treasures. The first made Her angry, the second gave Her energy, and the last scared Her enough to stop asking questions. What if they took Her books again? They hadn’t given Her a reason She couldn’t see Her treasures, so maybe they would soon… maybe tomorrow...
***
“Tomorrow,” Morndancer stated as Shaloon let herself into his room. The transfer preparations had taken months. MONTHS! They were Mages. No. Greater than Mages. They were Warlocks. And yet, everything still took far too long. They could instantly communicate with allies across the kingdom but still had to spend time making the proper arrangements. They could travel miles in a blink but still had to painstakingly pack every book and file, disassemble and disenchant the golems guarding the tower over days and even weeks. If it had been a true emergency -if they'd been found- they could've destroyed everything, vanishing all evidence of their presence and research. But the Master Archmages had forbidden it in this case.
“The western Talon is ready to receive us,” Shaloon confirmed, “What of the subjects? Archmage Yarna has no interest in animal husbandry..."
“The Firewyrm is all she is interested in. It is the only reason she agreed to take us.” Morndancer sat on his bed and stared at the pseudodragon perched on his desk, its leathery wings half furled and its tail twitching over the side of the desk, “I will handle the animal subjects tomorrow. Just make sure you are ready to open the portal out when I am done.” she could only open one portal a day, sometimes two but it would leave her incapacitated for at least a day after.
“Tomorrow then,” Shaloon confirmed, leaving him alone with his running mind and the little pretend dragon, that seemed to stare through his skin and into his soul.
***
Shon couldn’t sleep. Once again, his entire future hung on what would happen tomorrow. And just like the divine test and the road to Hamerfoss, there was nothing he could do to speed up the process. It was out of his hands. Out of his control. Just like the ice now clouding the window and the frost freezing the blankets to the mattress.
He tapped the blank page of his open journal with his pencil. The images running through his mind were the last he wanted to solidify on paper. He tried drawing something else… Kefir smiling warmly at him for the second thank you. Rerves leaning forward and shouting to him across the dinner table. The study group conversing in whispers instead of studying…
He wrote about it all between the drawings but everything that happened after pushed at his mind, the scenes forming in his vision. Shon drew Kefir again, lying on his back and tugging at the ice forming on his sword arm. Then a group scene with the Paladins falling around him, their faces focused, and hands glowing with spells to try and save him… Master Daunas’s scared eyes as he ordered Shon to ‘think warm thoughts...'
With two pages full of various sketches and commentary, Shon dropped his pencil and rested his head on his desk. Why? Was this why he was so cold to the touch? Sorcerers were rare; those with ice power were the rarest even amongst them. Should they have noticed something was wrong sooner? Would Hengist really accept someone like him? Chose a Sorcerer to be one of his extensions in Daanlin?
Shon closed his eyes, breathing slowly and trying not to cry. If they forced him to go to the Mages Guild, he would never be able to fight again. He was sure of it. All his hard work and dedication. All those years of disciplined practice, gone in one instance where he lost control. Where he almost killed a friend.
Everything he was, everything he would be, hinged on the following day. “Tomorrow…” Shon whispered into the dark, his candle finally flickering to die in the cold.
--- Table of Contents ---
Thanks for making it this far, you are the real MVP

They did what to Taggert? After years of speculation, the writers finally cut off Taggert's family ties when Trina's paternity test revealed that Curtis is her biological father. Sure DNA isn't everything, just ask Michael why he's feuding with a guy he calls "Dad" when he could call him "the guy who killed Dad" and choose to have nothing to do with him.
The cherry on top is that Curtis is not displaying many redeemable features these days. Does Trina know she went from legacy to a leg up or over? Curtis was playing Jordan by leading her to believe they might have a second chance while at the same time moving back into the beach house with Portia. Detective Jordan figured it out and said she was getting on with her life. Humbly, I say, I've said that to Jordan since she recovered from her kidney transplant. Can we please find someone new for Jordan? By new, I mean not related to Curtis or Portia.
As for Trina, she dragged her billionaire boyfriend out of the pool and forced him to go to the bank because his rich uncle died and left him all his - I want to say marshmallows, but that's wrong. Thankfully, for Trina's reputation, Victor did not leave Spencer gold, but instead, evidence of Esme drugging both Trina and bartendephone dealewannabe environmental law attorney Oz Haggerty. Victor said it was something to "safeguard his family." He placed the key to the safe deposit box under the turtle dove earrings that Spencer bought for Trina when she was with Rory. Apparently, Esme is now the biggest threat to Spencer's family. But what will they do with this proverbial smoking gun?
Michael gave Carly the smoking gun video of Sonny helping an international illegal arms dealer. The plan is to trade Sonny to the feds to get them off her back. Carly is adamant that Michael destroy the tape. Michael can be slow on the uptake but it's loony for him to think that he has the skills to play Sonny and Carly against one another.
Victor's will be done. Get it? The reading is over and he has set traps for a bunch of them to do what he wants. Anyway, he gave Ava a picture of a gargoyle saying it was her first true love. Ava, of course, is most interested in what people will learn of her last love, Nikolas. As a reminder, Ava has no clue what happened to Nikolas. Last she knew, she killed him by hitting him over the head. She stuffed his body in a closet. When she looked again, his body was gone. I have no idea what is going through this woman's mind. Someone should clue her in that human bodies don't disappear. Yeah, sure, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, but typically that takes more than a few days.
In his video, Victor does not hint that he knows what happened to Nikolas. He acknowledges that he left town, but that's it. He left Nikolas a deed to a house in Chechnya. Laura decided she has to go there because she in incomplete without her son. You know that old saying, when your ears are burning (feeling warm) that means someone is talking about you, Lucky's ears are nice and cool.
Laura tells Valentin she has to go to Chechnya to find out if Nikolas is hiding out there. He insists on going along to help her. Ava thinks it is a bad idea. Austin thinks that it will take Laura and Valentin a long time to plan the trip. Austin dear, in the time since we've last seen you, Laura and Valentin have been to Greenland and back. They've deciphered and stopped Victor's plot to release a deadly pathogen that would have killed untold millions of people around the world. As a bonus, Laura prevented the latest version of the Cassadine weather machine from turning Port Charles into an igloo factory. I think they can manage a trip to Russia.
Victor gave Alexis some antique nesting dolls to represent her and her daughters. She thought that was nice. He also gave her a deck of Tarot cards for Sam, to one day make herself "lucky in love for once." Alexis thought that was mean, but you know what they say, the truth hurts. The only thing we have to worry about is if Lucky does come back to town that he'll hook back up with Sam.
Victor gave Valentin a literal finger. Anna received a more figurative one when Victor released information about her doubleagent activities with the DVX back in the day. The new Director of the WSB who replaced Frisco opts to fire Anna to save the agency from embarrassing questions and answers. With the demise of any formidable Cassadines and Anna losing her agent status, maybe it is time finally to say goodbye to the 80s. Problem is they don't have anything to replace it with. Dex and Spence sizing each other up in saunas and poolside is something, but hardly the stuff of legends.
I know you have only read this far to find out the most important thing happening in Port Charles. Even though this was a short week because of the Memorial Day Holiday on Monday, each day was fraught with tension. Enough with the filler, here is the real information. I won't drag it out and act as if everything hinges on this answer. Every character does not have to be motivated to achieve one unitary outcome. They don't have to be, they want to be. I write this, you read this all because you want to know the answer to the eternal question: How is Willow doing? Tune in next week...
... Willow is now will still be alive.