Rome, AD 191. When a mercenary from the provinces travels to the heart of the Empire in search of something lost to him, he finds more than he bargained for. Gaizaz, a sword-for-hire used to the solitary life, is out of his depth in the bustling urban landscape of Rome, and feels even more so when he realises that some of the Empire's most powerful individuals are at play, standing between him and his quest. With help from unlikely allies, found in the forms of an actor and a gladiatrix, Gaizaz must navigate both Rome's turbulent aristocracy and the trials of the heart in order to retrieve something lost to him many years ago... --- Updates regularly! • @HistoricalFiction "Ancient World" Reading List --- This story is rated Mature. Under 18's are strongly encouraged NOT to read. CW: Strong language, graphic depictions of violence, explicit sexual content, sexual assault (non-graphic), referenced/implied abuse. If you like historical accuracy, this is the story for you! I am a Classics student dedicated to making my writing as accurate to the time it's set in as I can. To help you out when reading, Latin words are unaccented while Classical Greek words are transliterated and accented. Proto-Norse names and words have also been transliterated. If you have any questions on the languages, feel free to comment! Creative liberties have been taken with the characterisation of minor historical figures.

Antinous is destined to die. Envied by the gods and despised by his rivals, the Greek youth from Bithynia is the most beautiful boy in the Roman Empire, summoned to the Eternal City where the emperor, Hadrian, makes him his lover. Just when Antinous thinks he has outrun destiny, he meets Leonides, a bold young soldier who conquers his heart. He desires the soldier but belongs to the emperor. If he gives in to temptation it may cost them their lives. His rivals are always talking and the gods always watching.

"GOD SAVE ANYONE WHO STANDS IN HER WAY." Even the painters couldn't capture the kind of darkness with which she made an empire bow. • winner of thefaefolk's book of the month • © sianna okaat 2017 • 284 in fantasy • 5 in #tarot •

𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙧𝙖 • 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟗-𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟎 "...𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯'. 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘙𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘺?" 𝘈 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘰𝘴 𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴' 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘬𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳. 2022. 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘫_ ©

Everyone knows the band Zenith, but nobody knows how they managed to rock Zerkovkia's youth into starting a revolution... until now. Tolya Viktov is coming of age in the 1980s to the tune of spinning records, cheap liquor, and Zerkovkia's nine year war with neighboring Blivdova. The perms and denim jackets are hip, but it's the underground music he's most excited about. By the time he enters university, his lyrics and his talent have helped him break through on the student musician scene. Tolya, a duo of genius guitarists, and a bandless drummer soon come together when a producer realizes the key to achieving radical change in Zerkovkia is getting them to make music. What happens next is the stuff of legend and a whole lot of love, revolution, and rock and roll. Honors/Awards: ONC 2023 Honorable Mention ONC 2023 Ambassadors' Pick (Round One) "VIKTOV LIVES!" is featured on @music's "mighty drumset" reading list @storiesundiscovered's "feast on fiction" reading list @flexiblebookexchange's "read these gems!" reading list @opennovellacontest's "2023 honorable mentions" and "2023 ambassadors' picks" lists Copyright © 2023 Elle Chaika Open Novella Contest VI (2023) | Prompt No. 44

𝐀 𝐏𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐌 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐒͟𝐀͟𝐍͟𝐀͟𝐄͟ ! © 𝙼𝙸𝙰 𝙶𝙾𝙻𝙳𝚂 ❝ the beauty in melancholy... ❞ - ❪ 101318 ❫ 𝑰𝒏 this inspired narrative echoing Shakespeare's 'Romeo & Juliet,' witness the captivating journey of Mekhi, transcending stereotypes as he seeks redemption from his turbulent past. Raised amid dysfunction and crime, Mekhi's pursuit of a college education collides with the ethereal Sanaé Adu, an enchanting beauty from uptown. Together, they navigate the contrasts of their worlds, discovering the beauty of rap, love poetry, and the poignant reality of heartbreak. In their harmonious connection, Mekhi composes ' 𝑨 𝑷𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒎 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒆 ,' a testament to the transformative power of love, weaving a poignant tale of redemption and resilience. ☑︎ 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒 ╱ 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗨𝗘𝗗 𝗥͟𝗘͟𝗨͟𝗣͟𝗟͟𝗢͟𝗔͟𝗗!

#1 in Mythology 9/9/2021. #1 in Fantasy-Romance 9/15/2021. A young princess of Atlantis is born under the cloud of a curse. Two curses, in fact. She's both beautiful and intelligent, two traits that most people don't think go together. As she grows up, she's envied, pitied, and bullied by her older sisters. Then, when she comes of age, she's told that in order to save her beloved homeland from destruction, she must marry a monster. She agrees and embarks on a journey that will take her from the highest peaks of Mt. Olympus to the depths of hell and into the arms of a young man that doesn't seem like a monster.

A 2019 Watty Winner. For fans of Allison Pataki and Philippa Gregory, THE NYMPH OF VERSAILLES is based on the true story of Madame Montespan's rise and fall at the court of King Louis XIV. Being the Sun King's mistress is a coveted position in a court full of greedy courtiers vying for power and Athénaïs de Montespan won't let anything stand in the way of her stealing the king's heart-not even poison. When the king's interest in his mistress Louise begins to wane, Montespan sees the position as a possible escape from her husband's mounting debts and loveless marriage. Her strained friendship with Louise doesn't stop her from charming the king. However keeping his heart is tricky in a court full of plotting beauties eager to have him for themselves, especially with her jealous husband bent on ending her seduction. Then her children's governess becomes an unexpected rival for the king's heart and the only woman who can contend with Montespan. With the court swirling with rumors of poison, Montespan finds herself caught in the web of accusations. Her position with the king begins to crumble as she fights to hold on to the life she's built. Without the king's love, she fears she will lose everything as she falls from grace.

About a girl Who thought That beauty Only came in Eurocentric Features #peopleofsociety All rights reserved © 2016 bllurry

[FEATURED] on Wattpad's #featured list. "We cannot be sure of having something to live for unless we are willing to die for it." Cuba. 1955. A time of darkness and strife. The dictator, Batista, is holding onto power with a vice grip. Violence and corruption rule the streets with any opposition subjected to the barrel of a gun. A young man, Dario Ruiz, is caught amidst these troubled times and sinks to the depths of despair. He seeks refuge among a band of revolutionaries, where his heart is captured by a fiery and passionate fighter, Juanita. A long journey awaits him, with love, triumph, failure, and betrayal all part of the arduous march to freedom. "The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall." ==================== *Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the story, please vote! I welcome all comments, be it positive or critical.* *Cover Illustration by @MayTijssen *Cover stock photo credit goes to Jason Aaron Baca