#Monarch Educational Services

[sandydgreen]

THE CONJUROR'S CURSE: A YA/Upper MG Book Review by Georgie Bartlett

REVIEW **The following repost is from Carol Baldwin’s wonderful blog where she discusses all things literary! Thank you, Carol, for letting me share Georgie Bartlett’s great reviews of THE CONJUROR’S CURSE: A YA/Upper MG Book! The Conjuror’s Curse (Monarch: 2022) by Stephanie Cotta is an epic fantasy set in the fictional world of Mestria. We follow seventeen-year-old Rowan as he struggles with…

[birinboom]

The Luck-Bringing Cat

Jing Yuan x Fem!Reader; a shy former imperial concubine

The Apothecary Diaries-esque AU (I am kinda-sorta stealing this plotline from ep. 3), arranged marriage, budding romance, domestic fluff, pet names (JY calls Reader my dear, my love), Reader is also referred to as ‘my lady’ 🌸 3.162 words

Jing Yuan, a famed general and childhood friend of the emperor, has yet to take a wife. The emperor decides to solve this by giving one of his least favorite concubines to his best friend. Even though Jing Yuan is against this practice, he can't help but fall head over heels in love once he meets you.

Thank you so much to @a11eya for beta-reading this for me!

Only one man had managed to stay at the emperor’s side through most of his life. Jing Yuan, the son of imperial scholars, made friends with the crown prince early in their lives, and they quickly became inseparable. As they aged, Jing Yuan became an asset to the newly crowned emperor; a seasoned warrior, an accomplished general, a brilliant strategist, and one of the few people who dared oppose the monarch when needed. 

The emperor loved him like a brother. And it worried him that Jing Yuan never seemed interested in taking a wife. The general was far from blind to the longing gazes of the women of the court, he accepted their offers on occasion but he never seemed to want more than one or two nights with any woman. The emperor did not see anything wrong with this as he himself split his time more or less equally between his favorite concubines. But any man who was less fortunate than the emperor should surely want something more stable, especially a man who was slowly getting through his best age.

When Jing Yuan was pressed about why he did not want to marry, he stated with a lazy smile that he had neither the time nor the energy for that kind of courtship. But the emperor saw the slight downturn of the corners of the general’s lips. He saw through the facade of his best and oldest friend. 

I have neither the time nor the energy for that kind of courtship. But I desperately wish I did.

The emperor thought deeply about this issue. Then he remembered someone in the inner court. A concubine who had fallen from his favor at their first meeting. He had never spent time with you after that. Why, he had barely thought about you in years. Still, you were a beautiful woman, well-educated, and, from what he had been told, quite quick-witted. You would make a good gift for his best friend.

Now he just needed to convince Jing Yuan that he would not take no for an answer.

Jing Yuan was still unable to fully understand how everything had come to this. He could not fathom why the emperor suddenly wanted to give him one of the imperial concubines as a wife. Giving an unfavored concubine to a newly appointed officer as a reward was far from an uncommon practice, Jing Yuan was well aware of that. But he had never expected it to happen to him, not after so many years in service of the emperor. He had been lucky to manage arranging a meeting with you before the wedding. 

This practice seemed so wholly unfair in his mind. Unfair to you and any other concubines affected by the custom. You had already been given as a gift to one man, now you were being given to another, neither of whom you had chosen for yourself. Jing Yuan knew there was little he could do about the situation, but he did not feel right accepting another human being as a gift.   

He continued towards the palace gardens which had been chosen as the meeting place, still in deep speculation about whether he had any chance of changing the emperor’s mind. 

Turning a corner, he was torn out of his thoughts when he came upon a small gathering of women, all of them wearing identical robes. One held a folded-up parasol. They were all calling out to someone in voices too hushed for Jing Yuan to discern any words. 

Ladies-in-waiting, he thought, paying them little mind. Then, his eyes fell on you.

The emperor had shown him a painting of you, commissioned shortly before you had begun your journey to the palace. Even if some years had passed since then, Jing Yuan still instantly recognized you.

You stood at the top of a small bridge crossing one of the many creeks in the garden, your face tilted up towards a nearby tree. The setting autumn sun fell upon you at an angle that made your skin and hair glow. Tearing his gaze away from you, Jing Yuan looked towards the tree as well, his trained ears picking up the song of finches. For a moment he wondered if it might be the same flock that visited the small garden of his own residence. Turning his eyes back to you, he watched as you lifted a hand, holding it up towards the tree. A finch took off from a branch and landed on one of your outstretched fingers.

Until now your face had been mostly devoid of emotion, eyes fixed on the tree. But when the finch landed on your hand, looking calmly at you with one black eye, your features softened, a fond smile gracing your face like the sun appearing from behind rain clouds. 

Jing Yuan watched you lift the bird closer to your face, whispering to it, your other hand coming up to gently scratch the top of its head. He unconsciously raised a hand to his lips in an attempt to hide the smile blooming there. If this was how you behaved with one of his beloved finches (and he was certain at this point that the bird was indeed from the flock he possessively thought of as his), if you acted so kind and loving towards the smallest of creatures with no prompting, then marrying you could quite possibly be one of the best things to ever happen to him. The thought of having you gifted to him still felt wrong, but… perhaps he did not need to dread it as much as he had at first.

Stepping forward, he cleared his throat, trying his best to school his features into a pleasant, if slightly detached, expression. 

You gasped, raising your arm to hide your face behind your long sleeve. The finch took off, frightened by your sudden movement, and the rest of the flock followed it. The flapping of their wings filled the air, drowning out your greeting as you and your ladies-in-waiting bowed to him.

Jing Yuan felt another smile tug at his lips. He managed to hide it behind his hair as he returned your bow.

Your ladies-in-waiting quickly moved to one side of the walkway, letting him pass. He looked at you as he ascended the bridge. The way you peeked shyly at him over your still-raised sleeve made his heart clench. He sent you what he hoped was a pleasant smile, and nodded towards the path on the opposite side.

“Shall we, my lady?”

The two of you strolled along the garden path for a while, Jing Yuan filling the air with what idle conversation he could think of, and you giving brief, shy answers.

Then, he heard the flap of wings and felt the touch of tiny claws digging into his hair, brushing against his scalp. Soon, he felt a small tug as the finch began to preen him. He could barely help but chuckle when another finch landed on his shoulder. He felt your gaze on him, then your eyes moved to the bird on his far shoulder.

“Oh!” you exhaled.

Raising his opposite hand, he gently encouraged the bird to hop onto one of his fingers, then moved the hand -with bird- closer to you.

“I have worked quite hard on taming them over the years,” he said. “The most recent brood is the tamest yet; they are the only ones so far to actively seek my presence. Though I suspect they only come to me in hopes of food. Would you like to hold it again?”

You looked away, your sleeve rising once more to hide your face. “Again…” you said, sounding very put on the spot.

Jing Yuan tried to quell his laughter. “I must admit that I was watching you for a moment before making my presence known. What I saw was very… endearing.” 

You were silent for a while, then you peeked at him over the top of your sleeve. “May I be frank with you, General?”

He nodded. “Please.”

Staying quiet for a few seconds, you then drew in a deep breath. “I was rather nervous about this meeting. I have heard quite a few rumors about you, about your excellence at anything you do. And I was worried that I might not be able to live up to the expectations of the august general. But… You handle these birds with such tenderness and care. They trust you. Maybe they can trust me too, in time.”

Looking off to the side, you finally lowered your sleeve, clasping your hands in front of you. “I am very fond of small animals. My family owned a couple of tame nightingales when I was a child; I used to love falling asleep while listening to their singing.”

He felt another smile tug at his lips. He too had pleasant memories of falling asleep to the sound of bird song as a child. Though in his case it had been the wild birds outside his windows lulling him to sleep. Sharing such a similar memory with you only made him feel delighted.

Briefly peeking at him, as if to judge his reaction to your words, you then continued, “I have always yearned for a cat too, but my parents would not allow it because of our birds. And I never mustered up the courage to request permission to keep a cat after I arrived at the inner court. Though I doubt the emperor would have indulged me.” You sighed ruefully. “I suppose even now, since birds are favored once again, a pet cat will be impossible. The birds will be enough.”

Jing Yuan looked at you for a moment, stroking his chin. “A cat is a pleasant idea. As the saying goes, ‘a cat well cared for may bring luck to its owner.’ Though if I had my way I should like a lion instead!” When he saw your eyes widen, your mouth starting to open in surprise, he could not stop himself from laughing once more. “I jest, I merely jest! A house cat will suffice! Perhaps we can teach it to leave the birds in peace, or keep it indoors at all times.”

The thought of keeping a cat locked inside, though he doubted it was truly achievable, brought his thoughts back to the way you had been hidden away in the inner court for years. His smile faltered. Would it be right for him to mention his hesitation? Would it assuage you to know that he was far from satisfied with how the situation was handled?

“If I may be so bold, my lady… You were not the only one who had a certain level of apprehension about this meeting.”

You shrank back a little, shoulders slumping. “I… see.”

Jing Yuan saw you raise your hand again, he could only assume to hide your face once more. Without fully realizing what he was doing, he reached out to take your hand in his.

“Please, do not misunderstand me, my dear! It is not because of you, it is the entire situation. I do not much like being given another person as a gift. And I find it wholly unfair to you to be given away once again.” 

He had so much more to say on this subject, so many points to make about how the former concubines nearly always came out as the losers in these circumstances. And yet he felt his mind go blank. He brushed his thumb over the back of your hand in an attempt to gather his thoughts. It had the opposite effect. Your hand was softer and more delicate than he could have ever imagined; so different from his own strong, calloused hands. It took every last shred of self control to not raise it to his lips. 

Releasing your hand with great reluctance, he forced himself to finish his thoughts. “I am loath to receive a wife under such circumstances, even if she is one I should have quite liked to court of my own volition, had I been allowed to. But in the end it is His Majesty’s decision. Even so, I can promise you this, my dear: No matter what may come, I will always do my utmost to ensure that we are both happy with this union.”

You grasped the hand he had held with your free hand, rubbing the skin, your head bowed enough that he could not see your expression.

“I-I…”

Then you raised your head again, a small smile tugging at your lips. “I must admit, I am quite relieved that you feel that way. That you understand the situation from my point of view too.”

Jing Yuan returned your smile. “As much as I am against this entire circumstance, I must admit… the more I get to know you, my dear, the more I am looking forward to you becoming my wife.”

The two of you talked for a while longer, then Jing Yuan escorted you and your ladies-in-waiting back to the inner court. Seeing the gate leading to the inner court left him with a sense of melancholy he could not quite place. Perhaps he had already grown so accustomed to your presence that the thought of being without you left him empty. It made him look forward to your wedding day even more.

One early morning, some six months later, Jing Yuan was found crouched over a rosebush in the small garden of his residence, pruning shears in hand. It was something he refused to give up, no matter how many people told him it was below his rank to tend to his own garden. Gardening was one of the few things that truly cleared his mind, one of the few still moments of the day that allowed him to relax. And today, he needed it.

He had already spent several hours lying awake, tossing and turning, his mind whirring, until finally giving up on sleep once he heard the first birds singing outside. Rolling over, he pressed a kiss against your bare shoulder, then left the bed to start his day.

The air outside was cold enough that his breath created little puffs of mist, the remnants of frost biting his cheeks. He paid it little mind; it helped clear his head. And so, he crouched over the few bushes that needed pruning this early in spring, settling into a calming rhythm as the world around him slowly grew from a milky gray to pink and orange.

His rhythm was disturbed as something brushed up against his knee. Looking down, he spotted the white kitten he had presented to you on your wedding day, just a few days before the new year began. You had been infatuated with the cat (as had he, as were both of you even now), and you had aptly named it Snowmoon in honor of the full moon hanging in the sky, casting lambent light over the snow-covered ground of the garden outside your windows.

The memory of that night still made him smile.

Snowmoon raised itself on its hind legs, the little bell on its collar jingling. It propped its front paws against his knee, and chirped imploringly. Jing Yuan could only assume that he had been so engrossed in his gardening that the sound of the bell had gone unnoticed.

How did you get out? he wondered as he picked up the kitten, holding it up in front of him. 

The kitten returned his gaze evenly with its brilliantly blue eyes and began to purr. Cradling it to his chest, he stood, intending to put the cat back inside. It had yet to learn that the birds of the garden were off-limits. And the birds had yet to learn what the sound of the bell signified.

But as he stood, he caught sight of another figure in the morning light. You were bundled up in several layers of clothing, seemingly ready to spend a while outside.

Jing Yuan frowned. “What are you doing out of bed, my love?” he asked. “It is still so early.”

You looked away, trying to hide the shy smile forming on your lips. You were still not used to the terms of endearment which he favored.

“I wanted to lend you a hand,” you said.

He appreciated the sentiment. But he found it difficult to imagine you crouching in the dirt like he had been. 

“There is no need, my dear, I am almost finished.”

Your mouth set in a stubborn line. “Then I will help with the last of it.”

The firmness in your voice made his heart flutter. He enjoyed all the work you put into getting to know him better. And he made sure to return it tenfold.

“Very well, my love. Let me just put this little rascal back inside.”

As he came outside once again, he found you crouched over the rosebush he had been working on, your long sleeves almost trailing in the dirt.

That will not do.

Jing Yuan pulled out the long ribbon holding his hair as he moved closer. Crouching behind you, he deftly wound it first underneath one sleeve, across your back, then underneath the other sleeve, tying it at your shoulder. His actions left your arms bare, sleeves far out of harm’s way. 

You shivered in the cold air, goosebumps forming on your newly exposed skin. 

Jing Yuan rubbed your arms, trying to get some warmth into your body. “You are still free to go inside.”

You huffed. “I will not.”

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to your temple.

Handing you the pruning shears, he showed you where to prune, guiding your hands. The two of you chatted idly about the roses for a while, when he expected them to bloom and what colors he had planted. Then the topic moved to the future as a whole.

“Tell me, my love,” Jing Yuan said, wrapping his arms around you, “I know you have only been with me for a few short months, but how do you like it so far?” 

You leaned back against him, nestling further into his embrace.

“I enjoy it so very much. I appreciate the freedom I have, compared to the inner court. And…” You turned enough to meet his gaze, raising a hand to caress his cheek. “I have grown quite fond of the master of this house.”

He felt a smile tugging at his lips. “Oh? Do I need to be jealous of this man?”

“Perhaps,” you said, a smile lingering on your own mouth. “He has been very kind to me.”

“I suppose I shall have to be even kinder, then,” he said, before leaning in to press a kiss to your lips.

Maybe there really was something to the saying of ‘a cat well cared for may bring luck to its owner.’ Jing Yuan was certainly feeling very fortunate at that moment.

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, comments, reblogs, and asks (on and off anon) are always greatly appreciated! If you like, you can check out my other works here. Love, Em 💖

[the-badger-mole]

What is your NUMBER ONE headcannon for each person in the Gaang (Katara, Zuko, Aang, Toph, Sokka, Suki [and Appa and Momo if you feel so inclined])

Katara: After the war, she goes back to the NWT to train with Yugoda and becomes a master healer as well as a master of the NWT fighting style. From there, she goes back to the Foggy Swamp Tribe and masters their bending style, too. With the help of Sokka, Zuko, and (in some headcanons) Hama, she also rediscovers SWT waterbending and not only masters it, but teaches it to the new benders in the SWT. By the time she leaves the SWT, there has been a school established where all bending styles are available for study. She's one of the few who actually has mastered them all, though.

Sokka: He is eager to return home after the war. He throws himself into infrastructure and policy revamps, and he almost singlehandedly staves off the soft colonization attempts of the NWT. Under his efforts, the SWT rebuilds and reestablishes parts of its culture that had been lost during the war. With the discovery of oil on SWT land, he is also instrumental in establishing eco minded extraction techniques, and in trade ties with the rest of the world (although he is very much helped by his sister's deep ties with the Fire Lord). It's a surprise to no one when he's chosen to lead the SWT after Hakoda retires.

Toph: She does not become a cop. Instead, she goes back home and takes over the Earth Rumble, taking it from an underground even to a world wide phenomenon. She eventually allows benders of other elements to join, and the Earth Rumble becomes pro bending. She does also establish a metal bending school. In the end, she is wealthier than her parents, but because she couldn't really care less about money, she keeps enough to live at the standard she wants, and gives the rest away to causes that interest her...like the guy who wanted to set the record for the biggest bao bun ever, and needed funding for an oven big enough to cook it. She also establishes a halfway house for runaway teens.

Zuko: During his tenure as Fire Lord, he establishes a robust social services program that includes subsidized healthcare, education, and housing for the lowest income families. Under his reign, the Fire Nation becomes home to some of the earliest pioneers of mental health. At his wife's advice, he also makes paid maternity leave standard across the nation, and includes several programs to help single parents stay afloat. Taking inspiration from the SWT, Zuko makes some changes to how his advisory staff is selected. Instead of choosing from among the nobility, Zuko has the different provinces elect a representative to speak on their behalf. A lot of the nobles hate this, blaming his wife's influence, but the people adore their monarchs and despite their best efforts, there's little the nobles can do except start campaigning in their home provinces. It's not a perfect system, but it does open the door for the Fire Nation to end the monarchy within a couple of generations.

Suki: She continues to lead the Kyoshi Warriors for a few years after the war. She also helps train troops around the world as they pivot from active war service to more local work. She helps establish something like the coast guards for several different countries. Eventually she retires from that to help her husband run the SWT. She and Sokka make a wonderful team as he handles the domestic policies and she handles foreign affairs. She often jokes with her sister in law, Fire Lady Katara that they ended up with the same job.

Aang: I'll go with my most optimistic headcanon for him. He's an okay Avatar. Not great. Not the worst. After the war, he tries to take part in rebuilding efforts around the world, but he finds his help isn't needed much. He turns his attention back to salvaging what's left of the Air Nomad legacy, and discovers that there are actually airbenders still around. A few of them are even interested in learning to live like the Air Nomads. Many of them aren't, though, and after learning how to actually use their powers, they go off and do their own thing. To Aang's shock and dismay, eating meat has no effect on the strength of their bending, He does learn to deal with it and enjoy his time with the air benders who embrace the Air Nomad culture. He does go on to have kids, and he still favors the benders over the nonbenders. Ultimately, his legacy as Avatar boils down to taking Ozai's bending, and that's it.

[whencyclopedia]

How to Become a Medieval Knight

In medieval society a knight enjoyed a position of high status and often wealth, they were feared on the battlefield and known for their chivalry off it, but it took a long time and a lot of training to get there. Trained in weapons handling and horse-riding from childhood, a young man could be made a knight by the local lord he served, through exceptional bravery on the battlefield, and, at least in later times when European monarchs desperately needed funds and men of skill for their armies, the position could even be bought. In any case, a knight underwent an elaborate initiation ceremony, after which they were expected to uphold the chivalric traditions of their rank and courageously face the best-equipped and most heavily armed opponents in battle, the knights of the enemy's army.

Although there was no fixed system, age ranges varied, and some youths never qualified for the next stage, the general steps to become a medieval knight were as follows:

Page - from age 7-10 to 13, become familiar with horses, hunting and the use of mock weapons by serving a local knight, baron, or royal court.

Squire - from age 14 to 18-21, assist a full-knight, learn to use the weapons and armour of war, and improve one's general education, especially the code of chivalry.

Dubbing - When aged 18-21, the ceremony of being made a knight performed by another knight.

Service - Act as a guard for a baron and his castle, fight in wars for one's sovereign and the Church, and perform in medieval tournaments.

Training 1 - Being a Page

Most knights were probably sons of knights, but there are records of the sons of a burgess or freeman being put forward for the necessary training, as well as wealthy merchants and government officials as those classes grew in the later Middle Ages. An ordinary soldier might also be made a knight for courage on the battlefield. As warfare grew ever bigger in scale and barons increasingly preferred to send knights to do service in their place, the social background of a knight became less important during wars when a sovereign needed all the armed men they could get. Generally, though, by the 13th century CE, the idea of noble lineage and preserving knighthood as a mark of a class with restricted access had taken hold across Europe. There were exceptions, notably in France and Germany and on a case by case basis, but in the main, only the son of a knight could become one.

A knight had to be accomplished in riding a horse while carrying a shield and lance, so he needed to practise guiding his steed using only the knees and feet. He must be capable of using a long and heavy sword for a sustained period of fighting and fit enough to move around with speed while wearing heavy metal armour. A proficiency with additional weapons such as a dagger, battleaxe, mace, bow, and crossbow might come in handy, too. Accordingly, a young boy earmarked by his parents or sponsor to one day become a knight had to start training young, typically as a page from the age of 10 (or even 7 in some cases), with mock weapons and basic riding skills. A young noble was likely sent to the royal court for such training while a youth from a more modest aristocratic family would be enrolled at the local castle or that of a relative to train with the knights and men-at-arms stationed there. There they would, along with other pages, serve at table, act as stable hands, perform menial tasks, and begin the education that was to continue in earnest as a teenager.

Continue reading...

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

"He was already doing that at age 15 in 1997 anyway."

Sorry if u have answered this before but what is this a reference to? Was there tension between William and Diana before her death? Between Charles and William? It's so hard to tell because William currently rarely talks about Diana (not even via "sources") and his relationship with Charles is so intermixed with that of Heir and King, it's hard to tell where one starts and the other ends. Do you know more about it?

Again, sorry if you have answered this before.

With Diana, William was upset and angry at her that he asked her not to visit him at school anymore. (I think it’s related to the Panorama interview.) So because of that, we already know he was pulling away from her.

Some of the Diana experts around here can probably share more about how Diana and William’s relationship was collapsing in her later years, though it wasn’t totally severed.

With Charles, it’s a much more fraught relationship. We don’t know why specifically (for instance, like we do know that William was very upset with Diana for Panorama) but we can make a few educated assumptions such as:

Generational differences (Charles being born in 1948 meant he had a very different life/has a very different perspective than William born in 1981)

The usual heir issues (monarch/heir don’t get along because the heir is the executioner to the monarch’s vision - to put it metaphorically)

Personality differences or not having any mutual interests to bond over

Charles’s use of media vs William’s desire for privacy

Differences in their approach to work (for one - Charles is a workhorse who lives to work and, well, William isn’t; for another - different ideas on how to be of service, like Charles’ Terra Carta initiative vs William’s Earthshot initiative)

Popularity and treatment/preference by the public (William can probably get away with a lot more than Charles can nowadays because of his popularity)

What we do know about Charles and William’s relationship is that it appears to be getting better and they are getting closer. We know that Kate has pushed William to spend more time with Charles over gardening. We know that they’ve come closer together over Harry’s attacks. We know that they’ve come closer as King/Prince of Wales because it’s clear Charles relies on William for counsel.

Will we ever get a fuller picture of how William didn’t get along with his parents, the way we know how Charles didn’t get along with his parents and how Harry didn’t get along with Charles? No, I don’t think so, because William doesn’t air his grievances in public the way they do. (Charles’s comments about Elizabeth and Philip as parents were made in an interview and Harry’s comments were made in interviews as well.) The best hope we have for clarification on William’s “side” is probably a biography that’s still 30 or 40 years away from being published, when William is in his twilight years. If we’re lucky, we might get some insight after Charles passes when everyone published their biographies (the way we saw all these biographies of The Queen get published when she passed).

But for now, all we have the royal rota and their sources, and they’re the ones dropping these little stories and tidbits.

[skamenglishsubs]

Subtext and Culture, Young Royals, Lines of Succession

The one plot point that most viewers seem to have a problem with is the one with August and the line of succession. Common critique is that it doesn't make sense, that it's unrealistic, and that it either comes out of nowhere, or that everyone involved should have already known. I have no problems with it, but I also speculated that this was a possible season 2 plot point over a year ago: Heir Today - Gone Tomorrow. So here's my take on it, which hopefully will dispel a lot of confusion and answer common questions.

"Why August? Aren't there any other closer relatives?"

Above is a possible family tree that contains what we know from the show, gets the family connections right, gets the titles right, and makes it so that August comes after Wilhelm in the bloodline. This works as long as Kristina doesn't have any siblings, if August's grandmother was the oldest or only sibling of the previous king, and if August's dad was the oldest or only sibling in his family.

I don't think any of that is a stretch. Sure, the current king of Sweden has a bunch of children and grandchildren and there's no lack of eligible heirs, but throughout history there's lots of examples of royal lines that died out because of a lack of children. Shit happens. In Japan, for example, all hope rests on the 16-yo Prince Hisahito. If he dies in an accident or doesn't have kids, 1400 years of the unbroken line of House Yamato goes down the drain. Better be straight, kid. No pressure!

"Why is this a surprise to the characters? Doesn't everyone already know August is second in line?"

The UK for example has a very long line of succession that is indeed well-known, and all of Prince William's or Prince George's cousins and second cousins and more distant relatives have a known place in the line of succession, and you could spot this plot coming from miles away if things worked like that in the Young Royals universe.

But the UK is an outlier among European royal families. In Sweden, and in many other European monarchies, the line of succession is short, and usually limited to the current monarch and their children and grandchildren. Given what various characters say throughout the show, this seems to be the case in-universe. The line of succession in the show has only one name on it: Wilhelm.

"The Queen can't just move people into the line of succession as she likes!"

Indeed she cannot, and that's not what's happening either! August isn't in the line of succession at any point in the show, and has never been in it. But the Queen does have the power to promote members of the wider royal family, to showcase them, to include them in events for the royal family, and so on. The plan is to make August a "working royal", to have him perform royal duties, hold speeches, attend events, and engage in charities. In addition, they're cleaning up his public persona and setting him on the same path of education and military service that Erik was on, as if he was eligible to inherit the throne.

That way, if Wilhelm triggers a constitutional crisis by leaving the line of succession or abdicating or whatever - hopefully decades from now - they can present August as the easy alternative. Getting him into the actual line of succession would require a change to the constitution, which in turn requires a lot of political work and goodwill and popular support. But if August is popular with the people, if everyone already thinks of him as a member of the royal family, and if he's preferably married with children, then Parliament would only need to make a small change to the constitution to make him eligible, and keep the monarchy going, thus resolving the constitutional crisis once and for all.

"But the Queen knows what August did, can't she skip him over?"

Yes she does know, and she's making it clear he's not her first choice. But she has to choose him, because he is next in the bloodline. And the rules for the line of succession can't be arbitrary, they have to follow simple rules, it's all the heirs or nothing. If the rules are changed to widen eligibility one step further out, August's name would come up first because that's what the family tree looks like.

But if the Queen were to promote someone else in the extended family, someone who is more distantly related than August, everyone would start asking questions. Why not him? What's wrong with him? He'd be shoved into the spotlight, the press would start digging, and all the dirt would come out. This would tarnish the image of the royal family, and if Wilhelm causes a crisis and Parliament has to change the rules, a lot more people would be in favour of scrapping this monarchy thing. If the royal family doesn't have its shit together, why not switch to a republic and elect a president instead?

So if the Queen wants to preserve the monarchy, she has to choose August, and she has to clean up his public persona, and she has to rug-sweep the sex tape scandal, even though that hurt Wilhelm.

"Shouldn't August already have thought of this himself?"

Again, August isn't in the line of succession, and can't campaign on his own to be included in it. This scheme can only work with the full backing of the royal family and the royal court, he needs their entire PR machinery to do the work for him. If he even breathed this thought into words, everyone would laugh him out.

At the start of the show, both Erik and Wilhelm are alive, which means his chances are pretty much zero. At the end of season 1, he has leaked the sex tape and thinks he'll be in deep shit if the Queen finds out. We know she knows at that point, but August doesn't. In the beginning of season 2, he thinks they know, and is just waiting for them to punish him for it.

The only point in the show where he comes close to thinking this out loud is in S1E4 after the Society party, where he asks Wilhelm if he wants to trade places with him. That's as far as he dares push it, because this show isn't Game of Thrones where anyone with an army and a couple of dragons can press their claims.

"Yeah, well, the show doesn't explain any of this very well!"

Alright, that's fair enough, but this is why you should be reading my posts, explaining all of this! If you had read all of my old analysis posts, this wouldn't have come as a surprise to you! 😜

Because to me, all of this makes sense. I think it's plausible, the family tree works out, and the plan works out. It's still important to remember that this plan isn't a sure thing though. The Queen can only suggest to Parliament that they should make August eligible, and he needs to have a squeaky clean image. The whole thing can go sideways in a million ways...

Oh no, oh no, oh no no no no...

[vodika-vibes]

So, here's a random thought from me.

I think, if I lived in the Star Wars universe, I'd want to be a Cultural Anthropologist. Specifically for Naboo.

"But Vod'ika," You might be thinking, "Why Naboo? When there are so many other cultures out there!" Thank you for asking, let me explain.

Naboo elects child rulers. Padme was Queen by the time she was 14, and this is normal. It's accepted. Children are seen are unbiased, and so they can rule well. So this leads tot he question, how old was she when she decided to run for Queen? How much education did she have before hand? Did her parents get a stipend for their daughter becoming Queen? Or was she Emancipated?

Further, if a 14 year old can become Queen, what about the other 14 year old kids? Can little Tommy become a police officer at 14? Can Tricia join the military at 14? Are they full fledged citizens with all of the rights and responsibilities that come with it? Do you have teenagers sitting Jury Duty? Are teenagers charged as adults if they committed a crime?

And let's take the social aspect as well? If you're legally an adult at 14, does this mean you can go barhopping with your friends? Go and buy cigarettes? Can you go clubbing? Can you get married without your parents permission? Get tattoos? Piercings? Elective Surgery?

Also! Not only does Naboo elect child rulers, they also, apparently, attempt to assassinate said child rulers regularly enough that the Queen or King has decoys. Child Decoys who are both their bodyguards and body doubles. And these Decoys stay with their Monarch even after they're no longer ruling.

Does the Ruler select the Decoys? Or are they chosen from a massive group of children? Do they have to change their names? Are their parents given a stipend for the knowledge that their child might die in service to the crown? How long are they trained for?

Let's go even further. If your child is elected as the future ruler, and suddenly has five or six children trailing after them. Six children who carry themselves like your child. Talk like them. Eat like them. Write like them. Maybe even look like them. Do they become your children? Can they come and go from your home without question? Do you think of them with the same fondness as your own child? Or do you see them all as an extension of you child?

Okay, I think that's enough babbling for me now.

[adm-starblitzsteel-4305]

How long does it take ilene to get used to being called "queen of hallow earth"?

It was quite difficult for her to adjust as a new Queen of the Hollow Earth despite that she has a long service on Monarch, times that she almost lost out of focus her duties. Kong eventually helped her, plus Boots and Shimo.

She wasn't quite fond of the Great Apes calling her "Your Grace" and "Your Highness", but she gets used to it in any subject matters. Only Kong, Boots, and Shimo called her "Ilene" since they were very kind to her after crowning as a Queen.

Let's not forget that she still worked for Monarch, means that she did not quit her job. It's better to assist some of her comrades on office work, and even for Jia's special education for her better future. Boots and Shimo, or Kong, assist her on the surface work everytime, neither one of them argue back.

Ilene slowly adjusts her life on Hollow Earth with Kong and quickly got acquainted for the title.

[thee-horny-thicky]

For my first request, can you write a oneshot featuring Gojo and a woman reader in an Aladdin AU with gags and consensual servitude please? The reader is a princess and has a busy day of meetings but her lover Gojo wants to spend time with her during her meetings. She agrees but has him shackled, heavily cloth gagged and wearing a see through loincloth. You can decide on the intimate acts between them. What do you think?

Combining JJK and Aladdin never even crossed my mind prior to this request, but it intrigued me so much that I decided to give it a shot! It turned out to be more plot-heavy than I originally intended, and I did deviate a little from what was requested. I tried to add some historical accuracies based on when and where Aladdin is primarily based.

I decided to make her a Sultana as opposed to a princess, since she'd wield more power that way!

Due to the nature of the plot, I obviously had to take some creative liberties. Being the product of the American education system means that I probably got some key details very wrong, which I apologize for.

Anyway, enjoy!  

Word Count: 5.5k

Your father was fascinated with foreigners. It was why half of his advisors were originally from far-flung nations that were allies of the Sultanate. It was why after your sister ran off with a street rat, he named the foreign girl he’d adopted his heir. And it was the entire reason you met Gojo Satoru, a foreign noble staying at your court.

The two of you quickly hit it off, and it wasn’t long before he was in your bed. Back when you still had the luxury of being a socialite who spent much of her time partying, the two of you didn’t bother hiding your affections for one another.

Now, The Sultan was dying, and as his heir, you could no longer be so blasé with how you were perceived. A poor reputation could mean disaster for a ruler. You would already be under more scrutiny due to being a foreign woman, so you had to be on your best behavior.

It was a change that you were struggling to adjust to, but you were adjusting. Unlike Gojo, who seemed to still think of you as the wanton party girl he’d met all those months ago.

That was the only explanation as to why he was pawing at you in the middle of funeral preparations with your advisors. Your father’s condition was worsening, and it wouldn’t be long before he left this world. You’d allowed Gojo to be present for emotional support, and apparently, the only way he could provide that was with his body.

“Stop it,” you hissed as Gojo’s hand trailed up your leg, covered by large, tulip-shaped trousers, the same shade of blue as your lover’s eyes. The court’s sense of modesty dictated that you cover as much skin as possible, but you expressed your personal style through bright colors and elaborate jewelry. “Now isn’t the time.”

You wished you could flaunt him as you once did, but you had new rules to abide by.

Gojo, who wore the traditional robes of his country, pouted at you. “I’m just trying to help.”

“Behaving would be a big help,” you snapped, forcing a smile on your face when Advisor Gakuganji snapped his head toward you.

He was one of your father’s eldest advisors, entering his service soon after the passing of your grandfather. He’d completely rejected his roots, fully embracing his adopted culture. To an extreme degree, in your option. He was hellbent on preserving traditions his ancestors didn’t help forge, and despite the conservative nature of the Sultanate, he still believed it too liberal. As one would imagine, he had little tolerance for you, disdaining you for being so…loose.

“Is all well, Sultana?” Advisor Yaga questioned with a cocked brow.

Sultana. No longer would you be a mere princess, but the monarch of Agrabah. Resentment flared in you at the fact, as you were never meant to hold the title of Sultana. No, it was supposed to be Jasmine, but she chose love over duty. She’d been the one prepped for the role, not you. As a result, you were unprepared for such a monumental task, even as your advisors were doing everything in their power to remedy that.

“Of course,” you said, straightening up and shoving Gojo’s hand away. “I’m merely trying to consider what my father would most want for his funeral.”

Gakuganji glared at Gojo. “I doubt he’d want his daughter with a foreign rogue.”

The two couldn’t stand one another, their vastly different personalities resulting in endless clashing.

Gojo opened his mouth to say something, but you held up a hand, silencing him. “My father is fully aware of my relationship with Gojo, and frankly, I’m offended you think I’d dishonor him by going behind his back.”

You suspected your father took such a liberal approach with you due to how things turned out with Jasmine. If he’d been a little less strict, perhaps she wouldn’t have run away.

“You dishonor him regardless, going with a man who flaunts his bastard around.”

Fucking hypocrite. He often helped your father select new women for his harem and wouldn’t bat an eye when they’d be seated around The Sultan during private meetings. Yet, the presence of your lover sent him into a tizzy.

At the disrespect of his adopted son, Gojo could no longer hold his tongue. “Megumi isn’t a bastard, old man, and if you call him that again I’l-”

“You’ll do nothing, because you can’t do anything to me,” Gakuganji boasted with a smug smirk, aware of the power he wielded at court.

“But I can, and I will,” you barked, aiming a glare his way. “You’re out of line, provoking a guest of the court by insulting his character and his son, who’s a fine young man. And if you’ve forgotten, I can order your tongue be removed from your mouth for questioning your ruler’s decision.”

“You have yet to be coronated, girl.”

Your mouth twisted into a sneer at the belittling name. “You forget your place, Gakuganji, and overestimate your importance. Just because my father tolerated your foolishness, doesn’t mean I will. And as a royal, I can have your tongue cut out regardless.”

A throat being cleared ended the back and forth, making all heads snap to the source of the sound.

“This is a difficult time for everyone, but we mustn’t lose our heads,” Yaga said before the old man could reply to you, saving you from talking to the wrinkled sack further. “Please, let’s take a moment to cool down.”

“You are correct, Advisor,” you agreed, giving him the privilege of addressing him by his title rather than name. If Gakuganji wanted the same honor, he’d have to advise you, not belittle you. “Today’s session will be adjourned.”

“Bu-” Gakuganji began, snapping his mouth shut when you glared at him.

“Of course, Sultana,” Yaga said, raising from his seat and forcing the other man to do the same.

Within a matter of minutes, the room was cleared out, leaving you and Gojo alone.

“Sorry,” Gojo murmured sheepishly.

You sighed. “Gakuganji would’ve found something to be upset about rather you were here or not.” You rose from your seat, positioned at the head of the table, too worked out to keep still. “He doesn’t want to see me become the monarch. It was bad enough when Jasmine was set to ascend, but at least she was related to The Sultan by blood.”

You ground your teeth together as your eyes began to water. The past several weeks had been so difficult, but as heir, you were expected to take it all in stride.

Gojo rose also, walking to you and placing his large hands on your shoulder. “It doesn’t matter what he thinks. I know for a fact you’ll make a fine ruler. Your father agreed, or else he wouldn’t have selected you.”

You scoffed at his words, but some of the tension did leave your body. “My father had no other options.”

“Your father is The Sultan. He could’ve selected anyone he pleased, yet he chose you.”

“I believe most would’ve preferred if he did.”

Gojo huffed and flicked your forehead, a gesture you would’ve had to punish him for if others were present. “If that ancient curmudgeon is making you doubt yourself so much, I’ll behead him myself.” He brought a hand to your cheek and gently stroked you. You leaned into his touch, snickering at his words. “I’ll even use my dullest knife, to make sure it hurts.”

“No, you’d need to be as quick as possible,” you said, momentarily considering the idea. A dead Gakuganji would solve a lot of your problems, and you could replace him with whomever you saw fit. “If anyone saw you it could be you who loses his head.”

“No, you’ll protect me.”

Your heart fluttered at his faith in you, and you nodded. “I would, yes.”

He offered you a small smile, then leaned down and brushed his lips over yours. “Let me take care of you,” he murmured against your lips. “Let me serve you.”

You gave a nod of confirmation, and he dropped to his knees, sliding your bottoms down to reveal your pussy. Your hands flew to snow-white strands as he buried his face in between your thighs.  Instantly, he attached himself to your clit, drawing a whine from you when he sucked on your feminine bud.

“You're doing such a good job,” you praised, whimpering when he lightly nibbled on your clit.

He guided a leg over his shoulder for better access, making it easier for him to slurp up your juices, his hands going to your waist. To stabilize yourself, your grip on his hair tightened, your standing leg quickly becoming useless as he continued to lick you.

A loud cry echoed around the chamber when he wiggled his tongue inside of you, thrusting the pink muscle in and out of your heat. The noises that filled the room were obscene, and if anyone were to catch you, you’d be disgraced. But the risk only aroused you further. 

If the two of you were caught, perhaps it’d force your council of advisors to allow you to enter an official relationship with Gojo. You knew it was unlikely, but a girl could dream.

“Don’t stop,” you moaned as the coil in your core began to unravel.

All it took was another gentle bite to come undone, your eyes rolling back into your head as your juices flooded his mouth. Your hands yanked at his soft white locks as your whole body shook, Gojo’s hands tightening to keep you from falling.

When you began to still, Gojo licked a stripe along your core and pressed kisses to your thighs, before helping to make you decent again and raising. Swiping a hand over his glistening mouth, he pecked your lips. He knew you weren’t a fan of tasting your own juices, so he kept it chaste.

“Feel better?” he asked as he pulled you into an embrace.

“For the time being, yes.”

He thumbed at your bottom lip. “When you feel stressed again, don’t hesitate to seek me out. I’m at your service, Sultana.”

The way he purred out your title made heat rush through you.

“Are you pledging your allegiance to me, Gojo Satoru?” you questioned, brushing your nose against his skin.

“You’ve had it from the moment I laid eyes on you,” he swore, sucking in a breath when you nipped at his neck.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Gojo.”

👑

True to his word, Gojo didn’t hesitate to please you at a moment’s notice. Often, you kept your trysts limited to your personal chambers, knowing you still had a reputation to uphold.

But, as your father’s condition began to steadily improve, you became a little more carefree. Yes, you were still reigning suo jure, but discussions began to arise about your father taking back control. Though you’d still be the heir, for the time being, you’d be demoted back to the title of princess.

Then, the season of pestilence rolled around, and his condition regressed. Against all odds, he managed to survive, but any hope of him retaking his throne was dashed. Thus, the funeral preparations resumed.

Going back to prepping for your father’s death threw you into a constant state of depression and stress, one you could only distract yourself with through pleasure that only Gojo could provide.

Because of that, you gave him permission to take you whenever and however he pleased, if no others were in the immediate vicinity.

That’s why he was trying to remove your clothes minutes before a meeting was supposed to start, silencing your protests with promises of being quick.

“We need to stop,” you panted, a moan escaping when he licked your neck’s pulse point. “They’ll be here any minute.”

You knew that sex before marriage was a sin, and if the two of you were caught sneaking around, you’d be in a world of trouble. Yet, you’d never subscribed to the religion followed by your father’s empire, instead choosing to place your faith in the magic you had tangible evidence of. You wish your advisors felt the same. If they did, you wouldn’t have to stress about hiding your affection for the man before you.

“We have time,” he murmured against your skin.

No, the two of you really didn’t have time. You should’ve pushed him off you, but the way he was massaging you over your clothes felt so good.

Of course, the opening of a door forced your hand, and you pushed him away with strength that you didn’t know you possessed.

Standing in the doorway was a very bewildered-looking Yaga, a blush creeping onto his face as he pieced together what was going on. “Sultana,” he greeted with a bow of the head, avoiding your gaze.

“Advisor,” you muttered, feeling like a child who was caught doing something you weren’t supposed to. You turned to face the culprit, the white-haired menace that got you into this embarrassing situation. His porcelain skin is flushed, but his expression wasn’t one of shame. “Gojo, you’re dismissed. Return to your rooms and I’ll consult you after the meeting.”

Amusement glinted in his sapphire eyes. “You’re giving me time out?”

“Be lucky I’m not having you bound and gagged,” you hissed, irritation surging through you.

Your lover or not, in front of others, your word was supposed to be law. For him to not make fun of an order given wasn’t tolerable.

“I’m not opposed to that,” he said, then sighed. “But I’ll take my leave, Sultana.”

With that, he sauntered out of the room, sparing Yaga a nod.

“Sultana…be lucky that it was I that caught you and not one of the others.”

A fact you were thankful for. Gakuganji would’ve had more fuel for his campaign to strip your throne away.

“I am grateful, Advisor, truly. Gojo and I…”

“Were just caught in the moment. I understand, I was young before, trust me,” he finished for you, shaking his head with a chuckle.

You couldn’t help but laugh with him, the idea of him being youthful amusing. For as long as he’s been at court, his appearance had been that of a man in the middle of his life. 

“I trust you won’t tell the others?”

Your voice sounded nervous, even to your own ears, and you cringed. Strength was necessary as a monarch, and especially as an unmarried woman who hadn’t even been crowned in front of the public.

“I will not, Sultana,” he confirmed, making you breathe a sigh of relief. “But when you ‘consult’ with Gojo, ensure that you talk to him about today. As unfair as it is, you cannot be as brazen as your father was with his lovers.”

And that filled you with ire. Even as Sultana, you weren’t exempt from double standards. No, you were expected to uphold them, expected to be a pillar of the morals you were raised on.

 “I understand, Advisor.”

“And as it’s my job to guide you, I recommend giving Gojo a harsher punishment next time he challenges your orders.”

“I will talk to him. If this happens again, I won’t be so lenient,” you promised, praying Gojo would heed your warning, so you didn’t have to do anything drastic.

👑

For the first few weeks, Gojo listened to you and cut back on his rampant displays of affection. You had increasingly less time to spare socializing, resulting in you seeing your entourage sparsely. This, unfortunately, included your lover. If you didn’t arrange to have him snuck into your sleeping quarters, you barely saw him outside of the meetings.

As death fought to obtain The Sultan, no longer did your duties end when your assemblies did. Instead, you’d be swept away to oversee your father’s medicinal treatments, something you insisted upon when you discovered the out-of-date methods his previous doctors had been using.

Gojo, surprisingly, took it all in stride. At least, he had been, before the advisors began speaking of marrying you to an allying prince. Even though you rejected such talks, the words had stuck in Gojo’s mind all the same.

“Gojo, you may take your leave,” you ground out as his hand crept a little too far up your thigh, his body leaning a tad too close to yours.

“Bu-”

“Leave,” you practically snarled, not needing him to challenge your authority on top of disobeying an order you’d given him weeks ago.

A grin spread across Gojo’s face, a mischievous glint entering his eyes, one that put you on edge. “Yes, Sultana.”

Without further protest, he stood from his seat. But, instead of walking directly to the door, he leaned down and placed a kiss on your cheek, ensuring that it’d be seen and heard by all in the room. Your body froze as an audible gasp echoed throughout the room, and you knew he couldn’t get away with this.

“Guards,” you yelled before Gojo could step away from you. Instantly, The Royal Guards swarmed him, flanking either of his sides and taking hold of his arms. “Have him bound and gagged until I have time to deal with him.”

“Yes, Sultana,” they echoed, before doing as you told.

Gojo looked at you with wide eyes, clearly not having expected such a reaction. You weren’t sure of the rules set in his native court, but in Agrabah, such blasé behavior wasn’t allowed. And going against a royal order was a guaranteed way to get punished. He should count himself lucky that he wasn’t being cut down from where he stood, having the offending body part removed from him.

No, you cared too much for him to do something so drastic, but he still needed to face repercussions.

He tried to speak through his gag, but it was too tight for any legible sentences to be formed. With a withering glare from you, he went silent.

“That’s all your doing to him?” Gakuganji questioned in disgust. “He should be beaten for dishonoring you.”

“An eye for an eye, Gakuganji. He humiliated me; therefore, he’ll get the same treatment.”

“Hmmmthm mmm?” Gojo muttered, his tone sounding outraged despite his words not being understandable.

Still, you knew him well enough to know that he took offense to your sentence.

“Tied up in a meeting where he holds no power, how humiliating,” the old man sneered.

You offered him a sickly-sweet smile. “Would you like to join him? Then you could give me a proper opinion on how shameful the punishment is.”

 You intended to have the guards parade Gojo around the court while in his current state, but you weren’t going to do anything to please that cranky traditionalist.

Gakuganji clenched his jaw but shook his head. “No, Sultana, I would not.”

“Then stop questioning me, because I will not be so lenient with you if you don’t heed this warning.” You turned to face the burly men standing over Gojo, deciding their presence was no longer needed. “Guards, see to it that Gojo is brought back to his room, then return to your stations. Do not untie him.”

“Yes Sultana,” they echoed before quickly dragging a mumbling Gojo out of the room.

“You, come here,” you called to one of the guards lagging behind, an idea popping into your head.

If Gojo liked the idea of being bound and gagged so much, why not take it up a notch?

“Yes, Sultana?” he questioned, his shaky voice giving away his nerves.

He was younger and scrawnier than most of the other guards, leading you to believe he hadn’t been in the Royal Guard for very long.

You beckoned him to step closer, and with a tense posture, he did so. “See to it that Gojo is wearing nothing but a loincloth by the time my meeting ends. Do it, and I’ll reward you handsomely. Speak of this to anyone, and I’ll have you executed for slandering your monarch. Understood?”

He gulped and quickly nodded. “Yes, Sultana. I’ll see to it that Sir Gojo is in your desired state.”

“Excellent! You’re dismissed now,” you said with a wave of your hand, rolling your eyes when he nearly tripped over himself to get away.

Regardless of what he did, you wouldn’t have him executed. But if he disobeyed your orders, you would see to it that he’d never guard an important person ever again. However, it was nice to know how easily you could inspire fear, as that was a necessary component of being a ruler. Especially being the Sultana. As a woman, you needed to appear more ruthless than the men around you, because otherwise, they’d undermine your authority.

Once the last of The Royal Guards had cleared out, you faced your advisors again, allowing your forced smile to remain in place. “Now, where were we?”

👑

“What the hell were you thinking?” you snarled as you stormed into Gojo’s room. As requested, he lay in the middle of the mattress, clad in only a see-through loincloth. The sheer material did make you raise a brow, but you weren’t complaining. Storming to him, you yank his gag down, cringing when you felt that it was dampened by his spit. “Speak!”

“You know, as fun as this is, I think it may be a little of an overreaction,” Gojo quipped.

Based on his half-hard cock and dilating pupils, you knew he was enjoying this, because he was just twisted like that.

“I didn’t ask for your opinion, I asked what you were thinking when you embarrassed me! You were so out of line!”

You were fuming, unable to even admire your lover’s lean body, perfectly toned from the years he spent training in various forms of fighting. You knew from his boasting that he was above reproach in his homeland, but here, that wasn’t the case. He’d made the decision to travel to Agrabah, so he had to follow the rules set.

“I was thinking how nice it would be to kiss you on the cheek, and how I couldn’t wait to conjoin with you later,” he purred out, his length now fully erect. “You know, seeing you be commanding really does something to me.”

“And I enjoy you being obedient, but it’s nearly impossible to obtain from you. Gakuganji is already calling for your blood to be spilled, and if you continue to act out, I’d be forced to listen to him.”

“Over a kiss?”

“Women of my status are supposed to be chaste. It’s bad enough that I have you by my side without us being married, but public displays of affection are asking for trouble.”

It was funny, really. You wielded a level of power many men dreamed of, yet you’d never felt so restricted. Every day, you understood more and more why Jasmine chose to run.

“You’re sovereign,” he said as if you weren’t aware of your title. “You should be able to do whatever you please.”

“I should but I can’t. If talks of my marrying are what set you off, you should know I don’t plan to do so soon.”

Truth be told, you couldn’t envision yourself with anyone but him, and he was a safe option. He was a foreigner from a faraway land, meaning he’d have little claim to your throne. Yet, your choice would need to be approved by your council, and the way he conducted himself would make the mere suggestion bring about a sea of issues.

Mainly, because of Gakuganji and his supporters. The man was supposed to advise you, but he’d done nothing but make your life difficult.

“But you do plan to eventually marry?” he asked bitterly.

“I plan to do what’s best for the Sultanate, and if that’s marrying, then I will.”

You knew your answer wasn’t what he wanted to hear, but you weren’t a liar. And, chances are, you’d remain unwed like the many female monarchs that came before you, as adding a powerful man to the equation would only make your claim to the throne shakier.

“Do not give me that look,” you snapped, hating the jealous pain in his big blue eyes. “I’ve never deceived you before, and I won’t start now.”

He huffed out a breath, then nodded. “Understood. Now, can you please tell me why I’m in a loincloth?”

You knew this wouldn’t be the end of this discussion, but for now, you were thankful for the subject change.

“I do recall saying you’d like to be gagged and bound,” you said innocently, the corners of your lips quirking up. “Have changed your mind?”

Based on his hard cock, you knew that still rang true. As you waited for him to confirm what you already knew, you began to disrobe. Typically, your maids assisted you in the task, but the clothing you wore was simple to remove.

His eyes trailed up your nude form, and he swallowed coarsely, before shaking his head. “No, I haven’t.”

“Good,” you said, putting the gag back in place. “Because I intend to keep you like this all night long.”

You reached under his loincloth and grazed the slit of his cock, gathering the precum oozing from it and spreading it around the base. He moaned at the contact and bucked his hips upward. You slowly stroked his cock, grabbing his balls with your other hand. A copious amount of pre leaked from the tip, and you knew it wouldn’t be long until he came. But you couldn’t have that. It was supposed to be a punishment, after all. So, as his core began to tremble and his hips bucked more furiously, you stopped, causing him to whine.

You knew it wasn’t the smartest decision to use a sex-based punishment for such a carnal person, but you didn’t want to do anything to seriously harm him.

You tsked. “It isn’t going to be that easy tonight, my love.”

Another whine emerged from him, but you ignored it as you began to stroke his cock again. The tip began to turn an angry pink color, and you knew he needed to cum to relieve his growing discomfort.  Still, you weren’t going to let him.

You continue to edge him to the point of tears, at which point you decide to up the ante and wrap your lips around his cockhead. He whimpered as you licked the slit, tears streaming down his pretty face.

“There, there,” you whispered in faux sympathy, though you were delighted in how pathetic he looked. “You’ll get to cum soon.”

With that, you retook the head into your mouth, swirling your tongue around the tip before you swallow his entire shaft. You fought your gag reflex as his length filled your throat, his loud cries incentivizing you. You deepthroat him for as long as you could, but the need for air and his violent shaking forced you to come up. You pull back until just the tip of his dick is in your mouth, giving it a gentle suck before removing it completely.

He lets out a noise of frustration at another stolen orgasm, glaring at you with glistening eyes.

“It’s okay,” you cooed as you climbed on top of him, grabbing his cock and dragging it along your slit. “I’m going to take care of you.”

You sink down on his length, and a gasp left you when he bucked his hips and bottomed out in one hard thrust. All your teasing had worked you up, too, and your cunt clenched at finally being filled. He filled you up so well, as if your walls were made for him, and never failed to hit every spot that had you seeing stars.

You moved along his shaft in a back-and-forth motion, planting your hands on his chest to balance you. His cum-filled balls rested against your ass, the sound of skin-hitting skin filling his lavish chambers. Thank God the walls of the palace were thick.

Gojo’s head lolled against his pile of ornate pillows, drool escaping his mouth even with the gag, eyes closed in absolute bliss. You knew he wouldn’t last much longer, but you continued to move your hips in a set rhythm, deciding he’d suffered enough.

Besides, what better place to finish that inside of you? It’d feel heavenly, you’d wager, and if his seed took, the council would have no choice but to approve the match. A child out of wedlock would be far more disgraceful than taking an unruly foreigner as a husband.

“Cum inside me, my love,” you moaned.

Your words must’ve been too erotic for Gojo, because a second later, he came with a muffled scream. Hot ropes of cum shoot into you and painted your walls white, the very amount that entered you almost guaranteeing you’d fall pregnant. Never had he finished inside of you, always pulling out at the last minute. You cussed him for robbing you of such pleasure, as the feeling of his warm seed was divine.

Seconds later, your orgasm washed over you, and you loudly whined as your movements grew sloppy. You didn’t stop moving, though, wanting to fuck his cum deeper into you. Only when the aftershocks of your orgasm died down did you still, and only when Gojo’s dick started to deflate to you get from him. What wasn’t gobbled up by your pussy started to leak from you, trailing down your thighs.

You needed to clean yourself off before it cooled, but first, you needed to unbind Gojo. You knew he hid several weapons around the room, so you reached under his pillow and pulled out his tanto, using it to slice away at the rope. Then, you pulled the gag down, deciding to let him undo the knot.

He allowed it to stay settled around his neck, instead pulling you down on top of him. The action took you aback, making your hold on the knife slip.

“Am I forgiven, Sultana?”

You nuzzled the crook of his neck, your nipples rubbing against his chest. “I believe so, yes.”

You two silently basked in each other’s company for several minutes, Gojo’s hands stoking your side.

"You let me come inside," he stated, breaking the quietness.

“I did, yes.”

“What if you get pregnant?”

“Then we wed,” you said without a second thought, making him still.

You knew it wouldn’t be as easy as you were making it out to sound, but you’d work out the kinks of your plan another time.

 “What about the council? The old one would surely be opposed to this.”

You looked up at him, noting the shock, joy, and concern swarming in his eyes. “It’s either allowing me to marry the man I care for or allowing their Sultana to have a child out of wedlock. I’d bet every penny of my fortune they’d prefer the former.” You began to trace patterns on his chest, relaxing him. “As for Gakuganji, you did say you’d take care of him at my request…”

He grinned down at you, delight shining in his eyes. “Is this you sanctioning his execution?”

“His assassination,” you corrected. “Execution implies that it’d be a public affair when I plan to have it be discreet.”

“Why the change of heart, if I may ask?”

“If I do fall pregnant,” you began, certain that you would. If it didn’t happen this time, you’d just have to try again until your monthly bleeding ceased. “I wouldn’t want any threats to my family present. Gakuganji is the biggest one.” 

“Give him a week, and I’m sure he’ll die naturally. The man’s too old to be here much longer,” he joked, making you laugh.

You desperately wished that’d be the case, as you wanted him dispatched before your coronation, whenever that’d be. Your father’s condition wasn’t improving, and you needed to have everything in place by the time you were publicly named Sultana.

“That’s a lovely thought, but death likes to grant long lives to cruel individuals. But if you’d prefer to take that chance…”

“No, I’ll happily end his miserable life.”  

“Excellent. He enjoys nightly strolls around the palace if that helps.”

“It does, my devious Sultana.”

“You rolled your eyes. “I’m eliminating threats, and you have two and a half weeks to get rid of this one.”

You wanted it done by the time you were due to bleed again. They came regularly, so if you missed it, you’d know if you were with a child.

He planted a kiss on the top of your head, huffing out a laugh and holding you a little tighter. “Yes, Sultana.”

👑

A/N: I know this has some differences from what was requested, but I hope you enjoyed it regardless!

[bridgeportbritt]

Diana's Voice: You are recieving this correspondence because as a Senior Members of the Royal Family, your duty to your country is very important. The significance your role plays within this family and beyond does not go unnoticed.

Diana's Voice: As your Queen, my duty is to ensure we are reaching our full potential to do our part for SimDonia and it's citizens. Which is why I'm implementing new guidelines for all members of the SimDonian Royal Family. Please see the following.

Diana's Voice: The security of our family is of the utmost importance. We will be increasing the number of security guards for all members of the family. No one is permitted to waive security detail at this time.

Diana's Voice: There is now a minimum requirement on number of engagements. Each member will be assigned a number to strive for. This number will be set by the Soverign Office and Monarch Advisory Board.

Diana's Voice: Each year, every member must attend at least two Parliament sessions for their State. Attending these sessions do not fulfill engagement requirements.

Diana's Voice: It's critical that our family shows a committment to our Faith. As Head of the Jacoban Church, I'm expecting every member to attend services at least twice a month. This does not fulfill engagement requirements.

Diana's Voice: A proper education is essential for young family members as they learn how to continue the family legacy. A new and more robust Regal Excellency Curriculum has been put in place. New highly-quailified tutors will be assigned to all families with school-aged children replacing previous tutors and curriculums.

Diana's Voice: As for young family members, we want them to enter, not only the family, but the Institution that upholds our legacy. To do so, new parents will be required to present the new baby to the Monarch at Willington Palace. A small ceremony including the Trilogy of Praise will be anointed onto the child by an Eye of Jacob. The child's Watcher's Guides may also be present.

Diana's Voice: Before I continue, I believe it's important for me to inform you that enforcement of these new procedures will be strict. Violations will result in a fine to your Duchy's treasury which is public record. This is not to be seen as a punishment, but incentive to do your part for your family and country.

Diana's Voice - Each family will meet quarterly with the Monarch Advisor, Lydia Johnston. Lydia is well-versed in not only our monarchy's history, but monarchies across the simverse. Her role is to ensure the SimDonia Monarchy operates to the best of its ability.

Diana's Voice: As you all know, appearance plays a major role in our work, especially for female members. We are officially implementing a formal dress code and each family will be assigned a stylist to help everyone adhere to the new code.

Diana's Voice: Being a healthy and strong Royal Family sends a message to the world. To ensure every member is in good health, regular health screenings and evaluations will begin taking place.

Diana's Voice: I trust that everyone will see this as a new beginning to a long and bright future for our family and the country we love and serve. One SimDonia United.

[sandydgreen]

Sandy Green's Interview by Author Michelle Nangle

Michelle Nangle, or as she’s known by her author name Shelly Mack, is a fellow Monarch author who writes YA and picture books. She graciously interviewed me on her blog in early December 2023. Here is the interview: Meet the Author: Monarch Showcase One of the loveliest parts of my journey is connecting with writers. When Monarch decided to publish Landis, I was introduced to a team of authors…

[coochiequeens]

This guy is in the news again........

By Eva Kurilova. December 21, 2023

Canadian women are expressing outrage after a trans-identified male who campaigned to defund a rape crisis shelter was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada. Morgane Oger, a trans activist from Vancouver, was honored at a ceremony in Ottawa last week.

On December 16, Oger took to X (formerly Twitter) to boast of his receipt of the award, claiming he had been selected because of his work with “2SLGBTQ+ persons” and trans rights.

“Feeling so grateful, recieving [sic] the Meritorious Service Medal from Governor General of Canada Mary Simon last week for supporting 2SLGBTQ+ persons and furthering the legal protections of Transgender Canadians.”

In Canada, the Governor General is the federal representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III. According to the website for the Governor General of Canada, the Meritorious Service Medal is a civil award that recognizes “great Canadians for exceptional deeds” such as tackling poverty or improving educational opportunities for children.

In the list of recipients for the awards that were distributed on December 7, Oger is described as a “champion of diversity who has changed perceptions around 2SLGBTQI+ rights and has worked tirelessly to see those rights enshrined in law.”

Continuing, the office of the Governor General states that Oger has “forged alliances across party lines that propelled changes to provincial and federal legislation protecting individuals against discrimination based on gender identity or expression.” The short biography concludes by lauding Oger for his “courage, vision and perseverance have helped redefine the fundamental issue of equality and have advanced inclusiveness for gender-diverse Canadians.”

But the news of Oger’s top-level commendation did not sit well with Canadian women’s rights advocates, who noted that Oger has a long and disturbing history of actively fighting against women’s rights.

Canadian journalist and Feminist Current founder Meghan Murphy called out the Governor General, writing that Oger had once stalked her through her neighborhood in apparent retaliation for her views on gender ideology.

“Morgane Oger, whose career has involved harassing and vilifying feminists who defend women-only spaces, including fighting to defund Canada’s longest-standing rape crisis centre and transition house, @VanRapeRelief, stalked me around my neighborhood one day. Just one more reason I left Vancouver,” Murphy wrote. “Are these the ‘exceptional deeds’ bringing honor to Canada, @GGCanada? Making women feel unsafe and ensuring that when they are targeted by male violence they have nowhere safe to go?”

Murphy, like many others, was calling attention to an incident in 2019 where Oger successfully campaigned to strip Canada’s oldest rape crisis center, Vancouver Rape Relief & Women’s Shelter, of its city funding due to its female-only policy. In comments made before the city committee meeting, Oger called the shelter “non-compliant with Canadian law.

Prior to losing its city funding, Vancouver Rape Relief had been through a 12-year legal battle where its policies of only serving females and only allowing female peer rape counselors had been tested and held up in court. The Supreme Court of British Columbia and the British Columbia Court of Appeal both ruled that the facility was allowed to maintain a female-only space.

But despite the legal precedent, the City of Vancouver agreed with Oger and pulled the funding it had previously provided the shelter for its educational outreach programs despite the fact that the outreach programs were accessible to all, even transgender people.

While in the throes of defending its funding, Vancouver Rape Relief was targeted by a sickening harassment campaign from trans activists. Dead rats were nailed to the door and messages like “KILL TERFS” and “trans women are women” were written on the windows of its charity storefront.

Oger dismissed the abuse the rape shelter was receiving in a blasé statement he gave to press at the time.

“Sometimes, unfortunately, when Vancouver Rape Relief’s policies hit mainstream media and when their discriminatory conduct hits the light of day some people overreact,” he said of the vandalism and threats.

But just prior to the incident with the shelter, Oger had already attracted the ire of Canadian women’s rights advocates for his initial support of vexatious litigant Jonathan “Jessica” Yaniv.

Yaniv, a trans-identified male, made international headlines after filing a series of complaints with the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal against female aestheticians who refused to perform waxing services on his male genitals. During a lengthy proceeding, it was alleged that Yaniv had deliberately targeted salon workers who were Sikh or Muslim in an effort to force women with religious restrictions on male-female contact to serve him.

On X (then known as Twitter) Oger referred to the women’s refusal to touch genitals on demand as “prohibited discrimination” and said that there was “no entitlement in Canada to refuse the performing of a service” on the basis of gender identity.

“Estheticians should take this up with their training providers. It wasn’t that long ago some service providers ‘weren’t trained’ to work on Black women or serve foreigners, either,” he said. “The law’s changed. Move on, get the training you need.”

When asked directly about his personal involvement with Yaniv, Oger was non-committal in his comments but admitted that he had spoken to Yaniv on the phone and that he had previously encouraged “trans women” to “complain to their human rights tribunal about prohibited discrimination.”

Eventually, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal ruled that estheticians were, in fact, able to refuse services that they were not trained to perform, such as waxing a scrotum.

This is not the first time Oger has received a Meritorious Service Medal. In 2018, he was given the award by then-Governor General Julie Payette for, according to City News, “her [sic] work advocating for LGBTQ rights.”

Speaking to Reduxx, journalist Meghan Murphy condemned the Governor General for providing Oger one of the most respected civilian awards in the country.

“Morgane Oger’s legacy is fighting against women’s rights, safety, and free speech,” she said. “Anyone who focuses so much effort on defunding one of the few rape crisis lines and transition houses in Canada is not someone who deserves to be celebrated.”

Murphy continued by noting that Oger had made her feel “unsafe” in her own home, prompting her to file a police report on him in 2020.

“This is a man who has gone out of his way to ensure that women don’t have safe places to go when escaping male violence. That the Canadian government has supported and celebrated him in these efforts is horrendous and shameful.”

[malkaleh]

I asked @theladyelizabeth about this but thinking about some OT3 verse in universe history things*

There’s actually not a debate about the extent of Cromwell’s role in government even pre reveal of the OT3 but there is debate about his closeness to the royal family - like is this a friendship and a governing partnership? It does seem to be but on the other hand, it might just be that he’s so very useful and good at his job. On the other hand, the monarchs (and their children’s) very adamant defence of the man.

I do know there is discussion over whose idea X Legislation/Policy is - also that Anne took an active role in ruling (attended Privy Council meetings, endowed universities, schools and hospitals, had buildings built under her own name, corresponded with other royals and scholars) but there’s a ‘was she only focused on the female sphere/female education etc’ (In this world, like Hurrem Sultan Anne endows schools for girls, including universities). People tend to see the Duke of Essex (aka Cromwell) as focusing on infrastructure and the foundations of what will become the social welfare system/UBI and Henry far more on things like endowing buildings but one thing that Maya’s discovery proves is that their work really is a joint effort.

(For example of the above - the laws against child abuse are actually Anne and Henry’s work for Thomas, but a lot of the ideas are his - as is the legal framework, the formation of what is universal healthcare access is Henry’s passion project (historically he actually proposed something like that). The development of a merit based civil service has a lot to do with all three of them, as does the genuine religious pluralism (though a lot of that is Anne).

It’s remarked on how unusual (though not unprecedented - there have been royal families who keep their children with them) it is that Anne and Henry are very hands on with all their children.

*Obviously this is a very different world but also some frameworks are the same.

Also would people like to be tagged in Tudors OT3 posts? Let me know if that is the case.(reply or like this post)

[whencyclopedia]

Roger Williams

Roger Williams (l. 1603-1683 CE) was a Puritan separatist minister best known for his conflict with both the Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1633-1635 CE, resulting in his banishment and founding of the colony of Providence, Rhode Island. Williams believed that the clergy of both Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay were corrupt in continuing to adhere to the concept of one's deeds as an important aspect of spiritual salvation rather than acknowledging the biblical precept that only God's grace grants salvation (Romans 8:32, Ephesians 2:8). Further, he claimed, these churches were still aligned with the basic policies of the Anglican Church they had supposedly rejected.

Williams is also well-known as an advocate for the separation of church and state (claiming that politics poisoned religious practice and belief), complete religious freedom, the abolition of slavery in the colonies of North America, and respect for Native Americans. One of his criticisms of the colonies of New England was that they felt free to take land from the Native Americans without payment. When he founded Providence, he paid the Narragansett tribe a fair price for the land.

Providence became the first successful liberal colony in New England which was not informed by Puritan ideals and theology. Anyone of any religion or ethnicity was welcome to settle there as long as they recognized the fundamental human right of what Williams called the "liberty of conscience" – the freedom to express one's self - especially in religious matters, without fear of persecution or reprisal. Providence was scorned by the Massachusetts Bay Colony, especially, as populated by riffraff, lunatics, and heretics but became one of the fastest-growing settlements in the region under Williams' vision and guidance. In the modern day, parks, schools, and memorials around Rhode Island are named in his honor.

Early Life & Migration

Roger Williams was born, probably in London, England, in 1603 CE, the son of a merchant, James Williams, and wife Alice. Records of his early life were lost in the Great Fire of London in 1666 CE. As a young man, he was educated first at Charterhouse School and then Cambridge University's Pembroke College where he mastered a number of languages including Dutch, French, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. He was intensely interested in religious matters from a young age and studied to become an Anglican cleric. At Cambridge, however, he was drawn to Puritan theology and practice which would later set him at odds with the Anglican Church.

The Anglican Church, although founded in opposition to Catholicism, still retained a number of Catholic aspects in its organization, worship service, and beliefs. The Puritans were Anglicans who objected to any Catholic influences or observances in the Church and wished to 'purify' it, bringing it in line with the simple practices and beliefs of the first Christian community as depicted in the biblical Book of Acts. The more radical Puritans were known as separatists – those who felt the Anglican Church was wholly corrupted by Catholic influences and separated themselves from it completely – and, in time, Williams aligned himself with this theology and belief.

During his years at Cambridge, Williams was apprenticed to the famous jurist Sir Edward Coke (l. 1552-1634 CE), an independent and courageous thinker whose insistence on the concept of equality before the law brought him into conflict with the monarchy. Coke's unwavering stand for justice, as well as his practice of regularly speaking out against policies or even laws he considered unjust or inequitable, significantly influenced Williams' outlook and later actions.

The Anglican Church had replaced the pope with the English monarch as its head and so any criticism of the Church was considered treason against the crown. Throughout the reign of James I of England (1603-1625 CE), Puritans who voiced dissent were persecuted, fined, and jailed, some even executed, and under Charles I of England (r. 1625-1649 CE), these persecutions continued. Recognizing that England was no longer safe for an outspoken Puritan separatist, Williams left with his wife Mary in 1630 CE.

Continue reading...

[theowlgoesmoo]

Well I wrote a bunch of headcanons and whatnot for the human setting, so how about some headcanons for my setting for the bugs in general?

GENERAL INFO / SETTING 

The colony is named Amberhive. This name typically refers to the colony itself, its people, and even the island it’s built on at times, though the island is more commonly known as Ant Island. Especially by its inhabitants..

The name comes from its trademark good. In addition to the bountiful food that goes on the island, Amberhive also harvests amber from the tree, gathering sap and letting it harden to create “soft amber”, though true amber can be found in the deepest tunnels. Both the royal crowns have a piece embedded in them.

Amberhive is a very, very old colony, “A hundred generations” is the generally given age, though no one knows for sure. It used to be fairly prosperous, being a trading hub for passing merchant caravans. That all ended when Hopper took a liking to the place

The ants are omnivorous. They will eat feral bugs, especially aphids and treehoppers which they raise much like chickens. Some do get kept as pets, including by Queen Thora herself who grew fond of one that managed to escape his pen and made himself in the throne room. They serve as a reliable food source over the winter, as they're one of the few things the ants eat that the grasshoppers won't accept in their offering.

Most forms of cloth and clothing are made from leaf fibers, treated and spun until they become something very similar to cotton. The fibers can also be treated to make a tougher, thicker, leather-like material, often referred to as “leafther”. 

Amberhive is a monarchy, but is highly meritocratic. Anyone can step up to a higher station by proving themselves. Only the monarchy is hereditary.   

Ants are extremely social, and openly affectionate. They need to be around other insects, and will generally bond quickly with other species if their own kind aren’t around. This affection can often surprise outsiders, leading to some culture shock if they find themselves in the colony.

Ants also have a very… strong scent. Not necessarily an unpleasant smell, generally a woody, earthy scent, but it’s something other insects have a hard time getting used to, especially if they enter the Colony itself. Although overwhelming to other bugs, the ants themselves find it both pleasant and reassuring - a reminder that they are surrounded by other ants.

Amberhive is divided into a hierarchy with four different tiers. At the bottom are the Workers - the vast majority of the Colony, consisting of harvesters, miners, and construction. Every ant (save those in the royal family) starts out here, even those apprentice to one of the five Departments. And up next are those in the Departments themselves: Agricultural, Medical, Engineering, Educational, and Palace Staff. Working in these departments only comes about when an ant earns “merit”, done so by doing some extraordinary service to the Colony, or being noticed as being exceptionally skilled in some area. They are then promoted from Worker to Department Staff. Above them are the Council, the heads of each Department, and advisors to the monarchy. At the very top is the monarch themself. Theirs is the sole role that is hereditary in Amberhive. The crown Prince or Princess is made head of the Palace staff once the ruling monarch  they are ready to assume an actual position of authority. If there are other heirs, they are not grunted any particular role, but most will end up in some high position In one of the departments, if not a council member. 

AGES

Flik: 26 years

Princess Atta: 25 years

Princess Dot: 6 years (*)

Hopper: 52 Years (**)

Molt: 47 Years

Thumper: 55 Years

Queen Thora: 76 Years

Foreman Thorny:45 Years

Dr. Flora:43 Years

Minister Cornelius: 81 Years

Mr. Soil: 41 Years

(*) -  Presumed. Dot’s exact biological age is unknown, but Dr. Flora estimated she was around a year old when she was found, and her “birthday” is celebrated on the anniversary of her rescue.

(**) -  Fun fact, grasshoppers have up to three times the average lifespan of ants IRL. Hopper and his crew could be hanging around for a long, long time

FLIK

Flik was raised by his grandparents, both of whom worked in the medical center. His grandfather in particular gave him an extensive knowledge of basic medical knowledge, something he's put to use in the past. Parents died when he was very young, young enough that he really doesn’t remember them.

He was inspired to take up engineering as a kid, when he was super into racing leaf boats. The “sport” consisted of taking scraps of leaves, sticking them in the stream, and watching them race down the current. Flik figured out that if you folded the leaves in certain ways, they'd go faster and sail smoother, earning him the win every time. This resulted in the other kids accusing him of “cheating”, but mad him realize that he could actually change things with a little ingenuity and a willingness to try. 

He's a very sensitive soul, being very intune with others emotions and able to get them to open up. He's easy to be around and talk to. 

Being so sensitive does have its downsides, however. He takes losing and criticism very poorly, often sulking and beating himself up about it.

He can be pretty salty about losing arguments too, pouting rather childishly at times.

He is absolutely fantastic with actual children however, especially Dot, who he tends to treat like a little sister or favorite niece. Or even daughter, if he’s honest with himself. She nearly was, and likely would have been if not for her wings. Still, he’s been allowed to be a part of her life ever since, and both are grateful for that.

He was promoted from a simple worker to the medical wing after proving his merit to the colony.

This lasted approximately six months, where after screwup after screwup - finally culminating in something  referred to only as “the aloe vera incident”, which finally got him demoted back to worker.

The shame of earning a promotion - a rare thing in and of itself - only to then lose it made him a laughstock, and stuck him with a reputation for being a screwup. It still stings to this day.

While he crushed on Princess Atta practically for as long as he could remember, the two really never knew each other. The Atta he crushed on in his fantasies was a far, far different ant than the actual princess. Eventually, as adults, the two did come to get to properly know each other, and while any romantic feelings they might have shared had since turned to others, they still did grow very close. 

PRINCESS ATTA

Secretly has a dirty sense of humor. Not to the point of telling jokes herself (usually, unless dandelion wine is involved), but absolutely cracks up at them

Gigglesnorts when she laughs too hard. Don’t mention this to her. You’ll make her adorably embarrassed

She's treated with kid gloves by the rest of the council, as they've all known her since she was an egg. As most of them are nearly twice her age - if not more - she is often treated like a child by them, much to her displeasure. 

Has a very playful side to her, but one that rarely comes out as her stress, perfectionism, and overwhelming pressure often keep it from emerging. 

She's a massive history nerd, as it was one of the few pleasures she was allowed to indulge in unrestricted while growing up.

She's under an enormous amount of stress. Practically her entire life she's been the sole heir to the throne, and has always felt that pressure. She might still be, as Dot may not be accepted as a legitimate heir. 

Something of a wine snob. She doesn’t indulge often, but when she does, she believes in quality over quantity, and this is the one thing which she will openly speak her mind on, unafraid and unabashed.

As a child, she used to hide atop the massive lumashroom in the council chamber and listen in on meetings, taking “notes” as she did so. Granted she was less stealthy than she thought she was, and her mother knew full well she was up there. 

She's a control freak, even for a ruler. A little voice in the back of her head constantly tells her that if anything goes wrong at all, it's her fault. She has an incredibly hard time delegating anything or trusting others to do things right. 

This controlling attitude unfortunately extends to her personal relationships too. She often acts more like a mother than a sister to Dot, causing friction between them.

This can also be attributed to how she was raised. She was treated in much the same, controlling manner by her tutors and caretakers, and feels like she must do the same to her little sister. 

Atta had few chances to properly mingle with other ants her age growing up, often kept separated from the test of the colony (“for safety”). Dot has no such restrictions, and Atta can view her as spoiled. If she's honest with herself, Atta is a bit jealous of her younger sister’s seemingly carefree childhood.

Despite all this, the two do love each other to pieces and would die for the other. It's just that their relationship can be… rocky. 

She lost her father at a young age when he tried to back out of the “deal” Amberhive had made with Hopper’s gang, and was forced to watch as he was publicly executed by the tyrant via Thumper. It’s left her deeply afraid of Hopper. 

The murder of her father (and Hopper’s subsequent threat against the young princess) turned both her mother's and the council's protectiveness of her to eleven. she Became far more anxious and skittish, her caretakers pressing the many dangers of the world upon her, and instilling an attitude that keeping herself safe was her duty to the kingdom. 

PRINCESS DOT

Adopted into the royal family as a baby when she was rescued in a storm. She’s a harvester ant, rather than a leafcutter like the people of Amberhive. As such, she was born with a stinger, something that she's terrified of hurting someone with, and something that's caught the attention of some far less pleasant members of the Colony.

Not actually named Dot. No one knows her real name, not even her. Any and all traces of her original colony were washed away in the river and the rain. Flik named her that by accident while playing with her in the nursery, talking about all her “little dots”. He didn’t realize the queen was watching him, and both she and the baby princess took a liking to the name.

She's smaller than most other ants her age, mostly due to being a different species. It hasn't done her many favors however, and she's often mistaken for being younger than she actually is, to her perpetual annoyance.

Her wings were bent when she was a baby, and while they've healed, they're taking longer than usual to grow in enough to be functional. Dot grows more and more impatient each day, especially when she learned she should have been flying months ago.

Unlike her big sister, she is not the least bit afraid of speaking her mind, to anyone and everyone. She's sure to let people know EXACTLY what she thinks of them.

Also unlike her big sister, she was allowed to mingle with her peers, especially the Blueberry Scouts. She had the chance to feel like just a normal kid among them, not sticking out any more than anyone else in the troop. As such, she's extremely dedicated to both her fellow scouts and the troop itself.

Insanely ticklish. Just looking at her hard enough is liable to make her break out into giggles.

She rarely cries, usually getting mad when she's upset about something instead of teary eyed.

She's had more than her fair share of being bullied, usually on account of her stinger and outsider status. Even being a member of the royal family only protects you so much.

She's not that fond of being a princess. Sure, she loves her adopted family, but she hates the extra attention and scrutiny her position gets, making her stick out all the more. Also having to constantly attend (and worse, dress up) for the many dinners, parties, visits, and other formal occasions the royal family host doesn’t make her any more fond of her position.

HOPPER

“Hopper” is his surname. His full name is Aloysius Reynold Hopper. No one is allowed to call him that, save his late mother.

A firm believer that “might makes right”. To Hopper, there are three types of people: those who know their place, those who need to be taught their place, and threats that need to be taken out. 

Psychopath. Doesn't have a shred of love or empathy in his body. Can be sickening charismatic and artificially charming when he wants to be. 

Hair-trigger temper. Anything can set him off, but it's not always obvious he's been enraged. His fury can be both ice cold and burning hot.

Came from a mid-sized rural town named Barleyfell. Was an absolute terror to it in his teens, forming a gang of hooligans to harass and steal from other farmers, taking food, booze, money, and whatever else they fancied. They were eventually finally driven out when Hopper was 19, taking his gang and his younger brother with him.

His father was a rather small, meek man, much like Molt. Docile and perhaps a little bit of a dope. His mother was much more forceful. She was never cruel, however, and unfortunately could never reign her older son in. As such, Hopper went on to do as he pleased. And what he pleased was to steal and bully and terrorize.

His mother was the only person he ever sort of respected. Not loved, no, but she did have his admiration, and perhaps even a little fear. She was large, imposing, and had a habit of getting her way. It was just what he wanted to be. Unlike him though, she didn’t use her gifts to bully others into giving her what she wanted, but to get them to do as they should. That, unfortunately, was something Hopper didn’t take after her.

This respect was the only reason he kept his promise to her to not kill Molt.

Absolutely obsessed with blackberries. Demands a high toll from his tributaries, especially Amberhive as the ones they grow are especially delicious. The toll is so high that, even though the berries are plentiful on the island, they’re a rare treat for the ants themselves. 

OTHERS/MISC

While he comes off as a sourpuss with a stick up his thorax, Thorny really only loses his cool to those who (At least in his eyes) deserve it. Namely Cornelius and Flik. Anyone else he can, potentially, be quite pleasant around, if always blunt. He’s even got a bit of a soft spot for Atta. She’s a good kid in his book, she’s gonna do fine.

Molt isn’t as dumb as he lets on. Hopper has gaslit him into thinking he’s stupid, and eventually Molt believed it. It means less competition for Hopper.

[emblematicemblazer]

Worldbuilding and Theories of Engage.

The Society of Lythos

Due to the elevated nature of Lythos and the vast green spaces, the population is not dense. People live in and around Lythos castle in monastery buildings and servant quarters. A large proportion of the population can be described as clergy who directly perform religious duties and service the Divine Dragon Monarch and her offspring in some way. Framme, Clanne and Vander are examples of the clergy. The clergy also served a military role, protecting the Divine Dragon and providing assistance to allies. Most people live in sects dedicated to training members to serve particular roles. The most important function of the sects is to reach the importance of devotion. There are lay folk / common people who perform manual tasks and farm. Lythos is not an isolated kingdom. They trade with the surrounding kingdoms, they are happy to receive visitors, Lumera even invited the royalty of Elusia to come and visit. We learn about this through Ivy's waking conversations, and accept foreign tradespeople as demonstrated by the plaza stalls in the Somniel.

Lythos is happy to accept refugees. Zelestia, Gregory, Veyle Mauvier, Nel, Nil and Madeline are examples of people who have sought sanctuary in Lythos.

Lythos is ruled by the Divine Dragon Monarch whose position as emperor is inherited by their offspring or passed on to a personally approved successor or someone with similar capabilities (Xenologue Alear passes the position to Nel.)

The people of Lythos worship the Divine Dragon. Vander is surprised by the racus nature of Pandreo's religious parties. This support conversation suggests that religious services in Lythos are solemn affairs. The Emblems are figures of legend and many do not know whether they really exist. Emblems are revered as formidable warriors and protectors who grant special abilities to chosen ones.

People offer prayer to dragons. It gives them hope and motivation. Some people are deterred from the Divine Dragon by unanswered prayers, war, plagues and personal tragedy. In Pandreo's and Alear's support line it is mentioned that Alear's long slumber and awakening inspired people and filled them with hope and belief. The story of Alear's slumber inspired and helped Ivy through the difficulty of a corrupt court.

People are educated through their sects and the church. Some skills are passed down through sects and family lines.

Over a thousand years ago Sombron declared war which engulfed the entire continent. Lumera lost her kin. During the events of the war she adopted Alear. The pair longed to be a family. Alear slew her father but was injured before he was confined in slumber. Lumera poured her love and power into Alear to restore them and give them divine capabilities to work with their fell powers. Alear is an example of perfect balance between life and death, spirit and the flesh and as above, so below. Gradlon was 'chained' beneath the ocean by power imbued into three pillars. The three pillar idea is inspired by the three pillars the Metereo Monastery complex stands upon.

Alear being able to S support all genders is very important to the main theme of the game.

'Whoever you were born as, and wherever you were born, if you live your life as the person you want to be, your dream will come true.' (Intelligent Systems)

If you fall in love and want to be with that person then your dream may come true.