gllded

[gllded]

dsappointments‌

being in the mere presence of madeline was enough to make kaia more nervous than she had any right to be, but painting her and making sure it was good enough for her standards? it was nearly impossible. even if she wasn’t shaky, the feat was too difficult for her. the fact that maddie herself seemed so concerned was enough to make her hide her face behind paint-stained hands. how was she supposed to do this? “i’m just… not normally like this, i’m not shy or quiet or anything like that.” she mutters, frustrated. her confession is silly, but she also doesn’t understand why she feels this way either. “it looks really bad, can we just scrap it?”

maddie had plenty of women become flustered by her, a testament that stroked her ego among other things, but whether kaia was actually just easy to make blush because that was her simple nature or because there was a possibility the princess was interested was neither here nor there. madeline flirted with whom she pleased but the instant the other person showed disinterest  ( or even disgust )  she backed off immediately.  ‘ oh are you --- ’  she starts,  ‘ is it me ? ’ madeline gets up from her seat to come see the piece the princess has begun.  ‘ i think it looks lovely. a little abstract, maybe impressionist, but still good. ’

[gllded]

dsappointments‌

relief pours into her at the other woman’s insistence that they have hot chocolate. kaia visibly relaxes in knowing that she isn’t being viewed as a child, something that she didn’t often mind but in the presence of madeline? it’s a different thing entirely. she gasps as she reenters with her clothes, already ready to deny such beautiful garments. that didn’t mean she couldn’t try them on, however. standing up, she easily slips into the proffered piece before spinning around in it and looking over her shoulder at maddie. “how do i look? prepared for the winter?”

madeline revels in the fact that the girl roughly the same height as she is, the coat falling right at her calves.  ‘ it’s certainly an improvement from your one long sleeve sweater and jeans, ’  she points out, coming close to fix the lapel a little bit. she circles her arms around kaia to take the belt and tie it around her waist snugly.  ‘ add some knee high boots and a few accessories and you’ll be golden, angel. ’  

[gllded]

cnfident‌

Noa watched as the door was opened to the main storeroom. This was something Noa had never done before, which was mainly the reason that she had bid on it to start with, plus she did love wine. “Why thank you,” she grinned, heading through the door but really unsure where to go after that, holding back to let Madeline take the lead. She grinned as she was complimented, “well I’d be pretty terrible at my job if I wasn’t,” she joked. 

‘ you’d be surprised how many stylists i’ve met that dress like plebs. like i understand drop-crotch sweats are “comfortable” -- ’  she made a point to actually make air quotes with her hands,  ‘ -- but the industry has evolved their normcore lookbooks and you can now be comfortable while actually looking good. ’  madeline turns her attention back to their tour guide who began to talk about the history of the wine cellar and how the family cultivated a grape that would give off the aroma of a pear.  ‘ wow, they really try to hammer in the pears everywhere they can, huh ? ’  she mumbles to noa. 

[gllded]

gliisteniing‌

@gllded​​​ X closed. — jodha. location: palace library of records    

Sabina’s fingers grazed against leather bound spines as she walked along the many shelves containing documents she’d been itching for years to read. Alfred had told her to meet there, but he seemed to be running unfashionable late. 

“I was beginning to think that–” she turned with a smile that quickly dissolved the moment she realized it wasn’t Alfred who’d joined her. 

There weren’t many ways she could explain why she was there without Alfred’s company, and if there was a reason (other than sneaking, that is) she could not think of it. What’s worse is that it was Jodha. A woman she’d long admired and envied.  

“Oh, hello.” She forgot herself, and how she was supposed to greet such royalty. “I was just admiring the room.”  

there was a history to be learned from records, especially that of a small country like genovia. she had borrowed a few on agriculture practices in the neighboring village, fascinated with their irrigation system she hoped to take back to her home country to improve on and adapt for their own use. her fingers tensed around the leather-bound book when she saw she wasn’t alone, eyeing the woman before her. 

she had heard whisperings about sabina, a lady of the night with clients in high places. there was something about that that jodha respected, after all she was standing in the presence of royalty and in the palace without accompaniment. clients in high places indeed, she muses. 

‘ oh don’t mind me, ’  she says nonchalantly, crossing the room to exchange the volume in her hand for another.  ‘ are you ... just admiring ? pardon me for insinuating, but i didn’t really peg you for one to admire a library. ’

[gllded]

-India.

[gllded]

@genoviastarters

‘ okay, i think PICKLED PEAR is just a taste i did not acquire, ’ she says through a twisted face.  ‘ thank you, though, for letting me try it. ’ 

[gllded]

lonestxrr‌:

@gllded​ X closed. — madeline. location: pear festival, tree lighting.

He’s had just enough mulled wine to keep him warm, bring some color to his face, and make him a little too sociable (as if he wasn’t already). He’d been dragged along to the village square for a promised tree lighting ceremony by a few of his coworkers, but all the standing around was beginning to bore him. 

He was looking at the crowd around him, smiling, when he came across a familiar face. 

“Shoooooot.” Casey gave a long whistle. “I know you. Yer that gal on the internet, ain’t you? What do they call that, again?” He stops to think. “An influencer! I seen you on there with all those promos. Good for you, gal.”  

if she was going to be spending the holiday season in genovia instead of someplace warm like bali or costa rica, she might as well generate some content with it. maddie navigates her way through the crowd to where people gathered to take pictures in front of the lit up tree in the town square. a feat done all over the world in every way possible way, it’s still an easy way for her to get likes on her instagram page. #festive. #christmas. 

she has a kind stranger she’s agreed to exchange picture-taking services line up the shot she’s carefully planned only to be interrupted by a loud whistle. she squints at him, always nice to meet a fan, but not particularly one that borderline CAT CALLS her in public.  

‘ thank you, sir, ’  madeline replies with a plastered on smile before turning back to the photographer she’s picked up. 

[gllded]

gldenthorns‌

of course. he let out a low chuckle, as though he should have been expecting the answer before even asking it. how easy it seemed for her to just… walk away from everything. edward simply doesn’t understand, doesn’t get how she can just — do that to them, to the life that he was so ready to build for the two of them. it was clear to him that she just… no longer cares. and that just made all of this so much worse.

“ yeah. yeah figures. ” he lets the silence between them settle into an uncomfortable mess created just by the mere presence of her. something that would have never happened all of those years ago. “ it’s fine jodha. forget it. ” the remark came out bitter, the anger that he held for her — for what she did, seemed to slip through. 

and despite that, despite the anger that was slowly bubbling back up, edward still offered his helped, “ if you need anything, just let me know. ” it was as if that was on autopilot — and maybe he still needs it. “ i hope you’re stay at the castle goes by smoothly. ” and with that last formal remark, edward turned to walk away. at least this time, it was his turn to disappear.

his words come unexpectedly, a stinging feeling spreading in her chest like salt in a wound. she’s hurt by his terse words, maybe not visibly so, but it’s enough for her to reach out and grab him by the arm to stop him. she does it without thinking, feeling warm muscle underneath her palm.  ‘ edward, wait. ’  

but what could she say now that would absolve her of this feeling of -- of guilt, of regret, of validation ? jodha couldn’t tell him why she really left, nor could she tell him what she’s been up to since. she knows she can’t tell him any of this, yet she still yearns for his forgiveness. how can he forgive her when he doesn’t even know what she’s sorry for ? 

the time after she’s reached for him has stretched on too long for comfort, too long to say absolutely nothing. so she releases her hold on him, each finger relaxing like another step back until she’s completely let go, letting her hand drop back to her side. she mutters another apology and watches him leave. 

[gllded]

rcsula‌:

( starter called by @gllded )

          if he wasn’t outside smoking a cigarette & he wasn’t at the gym practicing his boxing or capoeira, sunwoo could more times than most be found in the palace’s kitchen - eating everything & anything he could find with a book in hand. it’s when sunwoo looks up from his plate of fish & chips that he recognizes the person that stepped into the kitchen.  “   매들린. 당신은 내가 평화롭게 먹을 수 있다고 생각합니까 ?   ”  the sentence seemed to just roll off his tongue but he was definitely in no mood to argue.

madeline had come to be known around the winter palace despite not actually formally living there. perks of having friends in high places, she appoints, sauntering about the corridors with her various royal acquaintances. she stops by the kitchens on her own to collect a little afternoon snack, surprised to find a face she’s all too familiar with. well not so surprised, her mother did tell her members of the royal family were coming to genovia, but that didn’t prevent the look of disgust spread across her features as she watches sunwoo eat.  ‘ not everything is about you, sunwoo-yah, ’  she stresses the lack of honorifics as she walks past him and into the fridge to grab some grapes.  ‘ shouldn’t you be off picking a fight with everyone on the streets ? isn’t there a statue you can beat up or something ? ’

[gllded]

ofcrwns‌

honora gave her a look and hid a pristine smile behind a gloved hand. “i believe we’re all tired of the pear wine, my dear. it’s like–  pick another fruit, right?” she leaned on the bar. “what have you been up to?”

‘ ugh, ’  she props her chin with the heel of her hand and sighs dramatically,  ‘ or at least diversify. don’t just use pears, use apples or strawberries or literally any other fruit ! ’  she sighs dramatically,  ‘ although pear sherbet has wormed its way into my heart. ’  madeline accepts her drink from the bartender and immediately takes a sip, relishing in the non-pear, non-wine drink.  ‘ me ? oh you know, same old immersing myself into the festivities set by the LOVELY princess midge --- and i’m working my way through the boutiques in the village. ’

[gllded]

[gllded]

wtffionn‌

“no need to be rude here” he berated, completely unaware, or simply unbothered by, the fact that he was intact the rude one in this situation. his own self absorption making him completely oblivious to situations in which he is in the wrong. “maybe if you had the sense not to stand in the way of everyone this wouldn’t happen”

she scoffed, looking briefly away to see if anyone else was witnessing the pure AUDACITY of this man to pin this on her.  ‘ me ? i ! am ! the ! VICTIM ! here, i was, literally minding my own fucking business when you barreled into me like the MAN you are. ’

[gllded]

rcsula‌

          dark hues had been caught staring for a little too long & soon enough it seemed that the other noticed.  “   shoot ! i’m sorry. i’m not judging you or anything.   ”  nolan is quick to try & reassure her & finds himself taking a seat.  “   i’m jealous of the fact that you’re eating a sundae.   ”  he smiles,  “   i’d love one but i’ll have to pass. what do you have on yours ?   ”

she sets the bowl back down on the counter and sticks another spoon into her mouth, speaking around it in an unladylike manner.  ‘ why not ? ’  she eyes him up and down,  ‘ are you a gremlin or something ? you can’t eat past midnight ? ’  she considers him again, brow arching at how young he seems to be.  ‘ wait --- how old are you ? is it past your bedtime ? where are your parents ? ’

[gllded]

dsappointments‌

in any other situation, rhys likely would have laughed at the sight of madeline baek taking a seat on the ground. but he was far too lost in his own thoughts, his own mind where a dangerous mixture of how he felt about himself and the words that others that uttered about him plagued him. he hadn’t realized everything that had piled up in there until that very moment and he brings his long legs up to lean his head against his knees. he wants to make himself as small as possible, a nearly impossible feat for someone who stood at a whopping six foot five. “i’m not even sure if what i did was the right thing, i just knew i couldn’t let him hurt oliver like he hurt me.” he expresses, pain bleeding into his words. he doesn’t want to think about his childhood, the neglect and the dismissals because he had never been good enough. maddie’s hand in his offers little comfort, but he gives it a squeeze anyhow. “how am i supposed to help him when i can’t even help myself? all i do is press more of it down until it becomes this part of me that i’m afraid to tell anyone about.”

it truly is amazing how small rhys is able to make himself despite his stature. it reminds her of how young he actually is, a boy that’s just scared of making all the wrong decisions with the scrutiny of the world and especially the people back in wales watching him.  ‘ even if it’s not the right thing in the long run, it’s the right thing for you now. you can always fix it later when you want to, but, i agree, you don’t have to have him in oliver’s life if you don’t want to. you need support right now, not judgement. ’  she tells him this despite not thinking rhys is in the right headspace to take on such responsibility.  ‘ well you’ve been talking to me, ’  she stresses with a little smile,  ‘ and you know i’d be more than happy to recommend you a therapist when you’re ready to talk to someone else about it too. i’m sure you’ll know what to do when the time comes. give yourself a little more credit. ’

[gllded]

dsappointments‌

kaia takes her hand without question, quickly falling in line with whatever the other wanted. her place is a welcome relief as she enters, the temperature just perfect as it drew her in. the next thing she knows, she’s blinking in surprise at madeline’s voice as she takes a look around her bedroom. she hardly knows where to sit, opting for the edge of the bed as she quietly tries to remember how she got herself into this situation again. “oh, i’d love a hot chocolate.” she states just loud enough for her to hear, before remembering that she’s supposed to be an adult. “i mean, a coffee!”

she pokes her head out of the closet to smile at the girl.  ‘ you can have a hot chocolate if you want --- in fact, that sounds really good. MEL, ’  she calls out to the attendant,  ‘ can you bring two hot chocolates with extra marshmallows on the side ? thank you. ’  madeline ducks back in to pull a few pieces off from the rack, including a wool blend longline coat, a light down-feather padding jacket, and a fur-lined double breasted trench.  ‘ here, try these, ’  she comes back out and dumps the clothes onto the bed beside kaia.  ‘ the key to looking stylish while staying warm is layering. ’  she grabs one of the garments and holds it up for kaia to slide into. 

[gllded]

dsappointments‌:

@gllded​, the art studio // where kaia had once found solace and peace in painting, this was certainly not the case while madeline was around. her strokes were shaky at best, compromising her work of art as she continually sighs. it wasn’t that she was cold, though that was the excuse that she would definitely provide if asked. she didn’t know why she was so nervous, only that the other girl made her feel some kind of way that she couldn’t place. “this is ridiculous,” she murmurs under her breath, setting down her paint brush to peer over at maddie. she shouldn’t have advertised painting if she was going to be so bad at it tonight. “i’m so sorry, i just don’t feel like myself today.”

being a renaissance woman in her own right, madeline had hardly the need for painting lessons but when the opportunity to spend some time with kaia arose, her interest piqued at the prospect of making the pretty young princess blush in that way maddie found so endearing. seeing as kaia gave the option to paint a portrait of madeline, the older had no qualms about dressing down until her shirt was unbuttoned enough to show off her collarbone and the slope of her shoulder. she sat up from where she was sprawled out on the chaise in a dramatic fashion complete with the phrase paint me like one of your french girls to meet kaia with a concerned gaze.  ‘ how so ? ’

[gllded]

@cnfident || auction date 

with a flourish of her hand, madeline signals their attendant and guide to open the door to the main storeroom. she turns to face noa with a cordial smile on her face,  ‘ after you, babe. afterall you’re my honored guest of the evening. ’  she follows her in,  ‘ and i must say, if anyone were to be my date i’m grateful to be with one as impeccably dressed as you. ’