Poor Unfortunate Souls! Ursula was granting wishes and taking payment during Ottawa’s Pop Expo. What payment do you think she demanded of me for nabbing this picture with the TARDIS?
Ciamon of Chymar – Part 2
Outside the Shaman’s tent Ciamon had been pacing since the moon was high in the sky. Now the sun was coming over the horizon and his father, leaving the tent, found him having worn a gash into the grass.
“She’s going to live, son,” his father told him. Ciamon held back tears of joy. He didn’t like crying in front of his father. He only nodded, not trusting his voice. Despite the good news, his father still looked sad. With a heavy sigh he said, “She needs medicine. The Shaman says there’s bleeding inside her head. I’m taking the hunting pack to get the medicine from Tamoran.” The trip between the village and the great city of the Tamoran Empire was dangerous and took a week each way. The city was outside the wall that encircled Chymar.
Putting his large paw on Ciamon’s shoulder, his father said, “I will make sure that she doesn’t become crystal.” Ciamon shuddered at the thought of seeing her turn to crystal, a process that happened to all six of the great races of Seidrheim. “You’re sixteen years old now and I expect that you’ll take care of our people.”
Never before had his father left him in charge. It was only ceremonial, as the Shaman would see to any important duties, but it was a show of respect and that his father saw him as a man. “I will do my best to honour you and our pack.”
“Enough of this, go see the girl. She asks for you.”
Walking quickly into the hut, Ciamon was worried that Aleenia would have changed. He had heard of seers going mad or forgetting things. “You found me.”
“Just like you knew I would,” he said stroking her arm. Her mother smiled at him and walked to another room in the hut. Neither of them wanted to talk about her illness and they spent hours speaking of everything else.
“Stop looking so worried,” she scolded him. “I have seen my death. It’s not in a bed and it’s certainly not so young. I have things to do.”
“You never remember that much detail. And sometimes you only see a metaphor not reality. You can’t truly know when you’re going to die. But thank you for trying to reassure me.”
Smiling she replied, “I know more than you think. I need you to remember something. Do you know the words to activate the tower?” The tower was a large pillar half way between the village and the ruins. Wizards from Tamoran had placed it there saying it could contact them if something came out of the ruins. Nothing ever had, but each shaman was told how to activate it.
“No, why?”
“I don’t know why, but you need to know. The words are, Haski Fra Utan.” She made him repeat them until he mastered the words. They were in a language he didn’t understand. She was very insistent that he not forget them.
Ciamon stayed with her until his father came to say goodbye. The two hugged and his father promised to be swift. He returned to her side as quickly as he could.
“Hello again,” she said looking at him. Her white eyes didn’t disconcert him the way they did others.
“Haski Fra Utan,” he replied, showing her he hadn’t forgotten.
“What does that mean?” She asked with a confused smile.
“You only ever told me the words, not what they mean…” he drifted off not sure what else to say.
“Oh, of course, yes. Just testing you.” She laughed awkwardly and changed the subject.
The following days he fell into a routine of waking up, dealing with village business as fast as he could, and then spending time with her before he had to teach the youngest pups how to hunt. The town business was normally small disputes or confusions.
Blush: Demi-sexual
The questions have been written and sent to the editors but if you’d like something answered on this blog feel free to ask us your anonymous questions!
Hello S. M. Carrière. Thank you for answering my questions today!
My pleasure!
For those who don’t know, what is demi-sexual?
A demi-sexual is someone on the asexual spectrum who requires a strong emotional bond with a prospective partner before there is any chance of sexual attraction. Which is to say, they don’t experience sexual attraction except in certain, quite particular, circumstances. I should note here that a strong bond doesn’t necessarily equate sexual attraction, either.
How did finding out that there was a name for your sexuality affect how you saw yourself?
Honestly, the fact that there was a name for my identity gave me such a sense of relief. I suddenly felt like I wasn’t a freak, after all. Enough people are like me that they have a name for it, and it describes my identity almost perfectly. It certainly has helped in giving me the language necessary to describe myself to others, and it’s a language that helps normalise my experiences. That’s huge. It’s helped me so much, especially in raising my self-confidence.
Are there any fictional characters you believe represent demi-sexuals in a positive way?
No, actually. I’ve been racking my brain to find a character who is explicitly demi-sexual that I am aware of. I can’t think of any at all. Asexuals of any stripe are wildly under-represented in media, it seems.
What kind of reaction do you like the most when people are told you are demi-sexual?
“Oh. Okay.”
Not to have your identity put under an aggressive cross-examination is refreshing, and I always feel less judged, less freakish, and less alone when the people I confess to aren’t really bothered about my sexual identity.
What kind of reaction do you dislike the most when people are told you are demi-sexual?
People can get ridiculously patronising when they find out, as if I couldn’t possibly understand my own identity as well as they understand me. There’s usually some variation of: “Oh sweetie, you just haven’t had good experiences.” It’s so frustrating and diminishing and, depending on who says it, quite upsetting.
I’ve also had the slimy: “Come home with me, I’ll change your mind.” My sexual identity is not a challenge to be overcome, and acting like a sleaze is generally not conducive to forming that bond I require before I even entertain the idea of sex with someone.
Honestly, I’m not entirely sure which is worse.
Why do you think people have such strange reactions?
Not a flipping clue. I understand not comprehending something outside of one’s experience, but acting as if asexuality and the various identities along the asexual spectrum don’t exist is really confusing to me. Lack of comprehension should prompt questions, not outright denial. I remain confused and bewildered by some of the reactions I’ve received.
Are there any attitudes or societal norms that are frustrating for demi-sexuals?
I cannot pretend to speak for all asexuals, but asexual erasure really bugs me. In a culture obsessed with sex, being someone who isn’t can make things tough. It’s tough relating to people a lot of the times. It’s worse when people outright disbelieve you, and try to come up with all kinds of psychological reasons, or other possible explanations for your sexuality. It’s a slap in the face, because it’s tantamount to being called a liar, or broken/wrong/somehow deficient, or that an integral part of what makes you you simply doesn’t exist.
Do you know other people in the demi- or asexual spectrum?
No, actually. At least, none that have openly identified as demi- or asexual.
Are there any communities and support groups (either in person or online) for people discovering themselves?
I’m a huge fan of The Trevor Project, which gives information on pretty much all sexualities. It’s where I first discovered that asexuality was a thing, and that it didn’t mean I was broken/wrong/somehow deficient. There are a couple of great YouTube channels that cover all kinds of stuff about sex and sexuality: lacigreen (Sex+) and Sexplanations. Watching those in the early stages of self-discovery really helped open my eyes and got me asking the right questions. Sexplanations led me to asexuality.org.
What is one question that you wish you could be asked about being demi-sexual?
Where can I learn more?
That would be nice. No arguments about whether or not my identity is a real thing (it is), no sleazy propositions trying to get me to change my mind, just, “I don’t get it, where can I learn about it?”
Born in 1983 and raised in various countries around the globe, S.M. Carrière has always felt drawn to epic tales of heroes and villains. An avid reader herself and despite always writing, she did not think of becoming an author until her final year of university, when she found herself compelled to the craft (when she ought to have been studying). She self-published her first title, The Dying God and Other Stories, in 2011 at the urging of a friend, and has not stopped since, publishing one book each consecutive year.
Ciamon of Chymar – Part 1
Hello my Imaginary Friends,
I’m neck deep in Editing, Formatting, and other deadlines, so you’re getting a story instead of my usual posts.
I wrote this story several years ago. It’s part of the same universe as The Little Dagger, and The Ruby Child.
Enjoy!
Three Queens
The Three Queens completely blew our minds! Stunning costumes, and super great cosplayers.
Dream Team
This is my ideal team. I cannot wait to see them fighting together on the big screen in May!! Fantastic cosplay, you two!!
Wargrave Island (Serial Story) Part 2
After Riko and Ethan put out the fire in the canoe there was little left to identify the body.
“Everyone get inside and let Riko do her job.” Zoe’s voice was shrill and betrayed how close to panic she was. Thankfully the crowd listened and started moving towards the hotel.
The exception was Abe, who was holding his cellphone as a flashlight. “I can help,” he said. When Riko gave him a questioning look he added, “I’m a doctor now.”
Both Ethan and Riko had trained with forensics, but not enough to compete with a doctor. Abe looked at the body and reached out for it. He stopped himself before touching the body. “I can’t tell anything in this light. We’ll have to bring it into the hotel.”
“It’s ok doc,” Ethan said, moving to the back of the canoe. “We’ll have forensics here in the morning. We’ll use one of the empty rooms to put the whole canoe.”
They took some pictures for evidence and carried the boat into the hotel. The music had been turned off and the only sounds were the faint hum of the florescent lights.
Taking the elevator was impossible; the boat was too big. Riko was happy they had taken the stairs once she smelled the body. It smelled of burnt flesh and hair. All three of them where gagging as they exited the empty room.
Riko dialed 911 on her cellphone as they walked back to the lobby. It didn’t connect. The phone said she had full bars but she couldn’t call out. “I’m not getting through. Can you?” she asked Ethan.
He creased his brow in concentration as he tapped the phone. She knew he hated using it. “Not getting anything.” Shaking his head, he added, “I’ll look at reception.”
They left Ethan at reception and headed to the dance hall. It was quiet and those in it seemed mostly sullen or scared. Jonathan had a glass of something amber and was nursing it in the corner near the bar. Someone had turned off the music.
When the three of them walking into the room, everyone turned and stood up. Someone asked, “Who was it?”
“We’re not sure who was in the boat. The body was too badly burned. Is anyone’s cell able to call out?”
“Nope,” slurred Jonathan, “Wifi’s down too. It’s like 1996 in here.” His laughter bordered hysterical.
“Does anyone have a satellite phone?” It was a long shot and everyone shook their head. “Ok, who’s here and who’s missing?”
Zoe stood up straighter and started pointing people out, “Well there’s Jonny, me, Abe, Arun, you, we all came on the second boat. Then there’s Sandrine, Missy, and Kate. They were on the first boat with Zane, Blane, and James.” Sandrine, Missy and Kate were in the room but the other three weren’t.
“What about Allison?” Sandrine asked. She had barely changed since the last time Riko had seen her; all scorn and muscle. She and James had been an unstoppable bully team in high school. Riko shuddered at the memories. They’d loved calling her stupid names like Flied Lice, Eggroll, and Riko the Hun.
“No one’s seen her. Right?” asked the Zoe. Riko was starting to suspect that the woman’s perkiness increased with stress. “Oh my god, she must be the body!” Zoe looked ready to faint or do a somersault, it was hard to tell.
“There’s no way to know that for sure. There’s still the plus ones right?” Riko looked around the room and was shocked to see everyone shake their heads. “No one brought someone?”
“My husband’s with the kids, our babysitter cancelled at the last minute,” Kate smiled apologetically. She’d been their class’s star athlete until a drunk driver had hit her while she was jogging in their senior year. Riko reconnected with the feisty redhead when her sister had needed a wedding planner. She and Riko had been training together for marathons.
Looking anxiously from her phone to Riko, Missy said, “I was going to bring my sister; she had a big crush on Arun, but she had to work at the last minute.” The nervous glances at her phone told Riko that Missy didn’t like being off the grid. She’d seen Missy on the news a few times, especially during the elections. Missy had run and won in their old riding for the provincial conservative party.
All their stories were similar. Each of those that had planned to bring someone, that person had canceled at the last minute.
Sighing at the odd coincidence, Riko tried to be as calm as possible as she said, “There are four people missing. I’m going to wait until my partner gets back and then we’re going to search the hotel to find them.” She wished the hotel had staff instead of being a giant rental. The idea behind the hotel was complete privacy. It was self-contained and fully stocked. When rented, the client could bring their own staff or not. It looked like Allison had decided not.
“Riko,” Ethan didn’t look happy as he walked it. Whispering he said, “All the phones are voice over IP and not working.” She’d guessed that, it wasn’t easy getting a landline to an island.
He gulped and she knew there was something else going on. “What?” she asked a little too impatiently.
“I found another body,” he said it too loud and Zoe screamed.
“Abe come with us, everyone else stay here,” she ordered.
Ethan pointed inside the elevator and once again the three of them were staring at a dead body. It was James; although he’d lost a lot of weight, his beady brown eyes were the same. He’d been hung with a long USB cable.
South Korea themed cafes
Heading to South Korea? After seeing all these awesome little cafes, I just might go soon! Here are a few that I found that looked interesting to me!
Harry Potter
The newest is Hogsmeade; a Harry Potter themed bar. It’s in North Gyeongsang Province, on the East coast of South Korea.
They have all sorts of Harry Potter-themed treats, including butterbeer and chocolate frogs, and if you haven’t gotten your house robes yet, you can buy them here, no matter which house you’re in. (As a Hufflepuff, I always find it difficult to get merch with my house, although stores are getting better!) The interior is stunningly decorated, and you might forget that you’re not actually in Hogsmeade!
Sherlock
221B is a very classy and elegant cafe in Seoul, with great attention to detail in the decor – check out the picture of the bathroom wallpaper! They have Sherlockian coffee and food items, including eggs Benedict. 😉 There’s a TV screen that shows the episodes on constant repeat. I wonder if they had a viewing party when the new episodes came out this year?
Monster Movies
Monster Cupcakes in Seoul has sweet treats based on classic monsters. They haven’t posted any pictures on their Facebook page since 2012, but hopefully they’re still around!
Doctor Who
Although not a cafe, the Doctor Who Pub & Grill in Anyang is a cute little place with subtle (and some not-so-subtle) nods to the British TV show, mostly through the decor. The food is not themed, or at least it wasn’t at the time of the article that I linked you to (April 2015). We can only hope they’ve added Whovian related foods to their menu now that it’s been around for a while.
Charlie Brown
There’s a cute little cafe called the Charlie Brown Cafe in Oebalsan-dong, Incheon Airport. The food, especially the pastries, is absolutely adorable, with images of the characters included in the edibles. You can also buy merchandise. The decor is mainly why I want to go here.
Hello Kitty
Of course there is a Hello Kitty Cafe. Actually, there are several throughout South Korea. The decor is adorable, the food is themed, and you can buy merchandise.
I hope you enjoyed this quick run-through of the themed cafes in South Korea! There are more that I didn’t talk about here.
If you’d like help booking a trip to South Korea.Jen has retired from working as a travel agent. Hope you’ve enjoyed Fandom Travel.
Wargrave Island (Serial Story) List of Characters
Part 1| Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11
Sergeant Ethan Avalon
The only person who came as a plus one he is Riko’s police partner of six years. In his mid-thirties with a casual surfer look he’s often mistaken as innocent or non-threatening. He’s always been supportive of Riko and she has a huge crush on him that she won’t admit to herself.
Inspector Riko Dulac
Youngest Inspector in Ottawa Police history, she was the quiet geeky student who was often teased for being the only Asian in her class.
Abe Harker
He was an outcast in high school due to his high intellect and inability to understand the other students. His cape and obsession with old monster movies didn’t help. The same qualities that made him an outcast game him the tools to be a great surgeon. He still loves old horror movies.
Kate Irondale
The perfect sports person, she won all the awards Arun didn’t. She had a huge crush on him until her accident. She was hit by a car and lost the use of her legs. She and Arun didn’t speak much after.
She went on to compete in multiple sporting events in her chair and is considered one of Canada’s best wheelchair racers. She’s a wedding planner and has been happily married for five years. She’s the only one on the island to have children.
James Grant
Sandrine’s best friend and toady; he was known as Fat Jeff in high school. After getting caught in university selling drugs for Sandrine, he spent some time in jail. He spent his five years in prison learning all he could about writing screenplays and moved to L.A. where he had minor success writing and met his wife; Rani Grant, a famous Bollywood actress trying to make it in Hollywood.
Zoe Green
Online video personality and psychologist, was one of the first vloggers. She used her show in high school as a way of dealing with the stress and transitioned it into an educational program about mental health and fashion.
Zane and Blane Gunn-Gonzalez
Zane and Blane were inseparable throughout high school. When Zane came out as gay everyone expected Blane to stop hanging out with him but he kept saying he didn’t care. In senior year Blane came out as Zane-sexual, as he called it. The two have been happily married for eight years and are trying to adopt.
Arun Lazenby
Won almost every sports trophy in high school and was one of the most popular kids. He and Zoe were voted prom king and queen but he competed and hung out with Kate most of the time. Drafted into the NHL and played for two seasons before a leg injury ended his career. He did a few commercials before becoming a male model.
Jonathan Mayor
A recently divorced professional, he was known as the class clown and partier. He us convinced the he ran over Kate while drunk in high school but drove away before anyone knew. The guilt feeds his alcoholism and false bravado.
Sandrine Morin
The terror of her high school, she was the perfect bully. Her bullying helped to hide some of her less legal activities. She was known to be able to get anything, for a price.
She graduated and went on to run her own construction business as a front for a burgeoning criminal empire.
Allison Rickards
A tech billionaire she found a way of using small portions of users computers to solve scientific and technological problems. TorrentSolve gave everyone who’s machine helped, a portion of the proceeds. Within one year of operations it had solved multiple issues and made Allison a billionaire.
In high school she was the quiet girl that everyone forgot was in the room. She spent most of her time reading non-fiction historical novels and playing with hardware and software.
Melisa “Missy” Quinn
Student body president and the schools biggest gossip Missy was efficient and ruthless. No one was surprised when she went into politics and became an MP. Intense by nature but always fair.
