#Monarch of Sweden

[fumblingmusings]

Interesting how assorted royal/national mottos relating to the three GB brothers are A - In different languages (most of them not being the 'right' ones either) and B - Great encapsulations of their characterisations (to me)

England - God and My Right (FR: Dieu et mon droit)

Scotland - No One Provokes Me with Impunity (LA: Nemo me impune lacessit) or In My Defens God Me Defend (...self explanatory)

Wales - I Serve (DE: Ich dien) or Long Live Wales (CY: Cymru am byth)

Like arrogant, entitled, confident, secure vs defensive, guarded, threatening vs self-sacrificing, plain spoken and straightforward.

[rabbitcruiser]

Learn About Butterflies Day

In keeping with the spirit of Learn About Butterflies Day, celebrate by learning a little more about the wide range of butterflies. With over 20,000 types of butterflies worldwide today is the perfect day to learn about butterflies. Their wing spans can range from ½ inch to 11 inches. Did you know that in their adult stage butterflies can live from a week up to a year, depending on the species? Many butterflies migrate over long distances the most famous migrations are those of the Monarch butterfly from Mexico to the northern USA and southern Canada, a distance of about 2500 to 3000 miles. That’s a lot of air miles!

If you need some inspiration about how to celebrate, here are five ideas for you to try:

1. Start a butterfly garden.

One of the best ways to attract butterflies to your yard is to plant nectar-producing flowers that have red, yellow, orange, pink, or purple blossoms. Plant them in a sunny spot in a group so they grow in clusters.

2. Make a butterfly snack.

Fresh fruit is the perfect springtime snack, so use your imagination to whip up a fruity butterfly treat. You can also put a bit of fruit out in your garden for the butterflies to enjoy.

3. Learn something you didn’t know about butterflies.

Did you know that a butterfly can’t fly if its body temperature falls below 86°F? Or that they drink the tears of turtles? And they use their feet to taste?

4. Get crafty.

Grab some card, pipe cleaners and clothes peg and some pom-poms and here’s how you create your own butterfly:

Decorate some card with markers and then spray it with water to create its wings.

Once it dries, wrap a pipe cleaner around the middle of the card.

Glue pom-poms onto the clothespin and clip the clothespin to the cards.

Bend the pipe cleaner to make the antennae.

5. Visit your local zoo.

If in doubt learn from the experts. Heading to your local zoo and talking to the keepers that look after these amazing creatures from caterpillar to larvae and then to butterfly. They will be able to show you just how amazing these creatures are.

Source

Observed annually, March 14th is National Learn About Butterflies Day.  Spring and summer are just right around the corner, so it is a good time to take a few minutes and learn something new about butterflies and appreciate their beauty.

Butterflies need our help to survive as they rely on flowers and other natural sources for survival.  We can help them by planting more flowers.

There are more than 20,000 types of butterflies worldwide

Their wing spans can range from ½ inch to 11 inches.

Butterflies in their adult stage can live from a week to nearly a year, depending on the species.

Many butterflies migrate over long distances.  Particularly famous migrations are those of the Monarch butterfly from Mexico to the northern USA and southern Canada, a distance of about 2500 to 3000 miles.

Source

[royalty-nobility]

Charles XV of Sweden and Norway

Artist: W C Sondels

Charles XV or Carl (Carl Ludvig Eugen; Swedish and Norwegian officially: Karl; 3 May 1826 – 18 September 1872) was King of Sweden and Norway, there often referred to as Charles IV, from 8 July 1859 until his death in 1872. Charles was the third Swedish monarch from the House of Bernadotte. He was the first one to be born in Sweden, and the first to be raised from birth in the Lutheran faith.

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Guide to Thrones

The throne is probably one of the first images that pops into your head when you think of royalty. It is that enduring symbol that is just as much apart of the monarchy as the crowns and the ceremonies. But what do we need to know about thrones?

What are thrones?

A throne is a chair at the end of the day - or a bench, if you're economising. it is where the monarch sits. It is the monarch's chair. When speaking of the throne, it is only the monarch's seat you're talking about. Yes, a consort might sit next to the monarch on something that looks like a throne and it may be called a throne but it actual fact, it is a chair. This is confusing, isn't it? Think of it this way: a chair is a chair until it isn't. The throne is a ceremonial chair used in ceremonies. It can be used during audiences, during investitures, coronations of course and during ceremonies at court such as debuts.

Who gets a throne?

The throne is only occupied by the monarch. Like I said above, sometimes the consort sits next to the monarch but this is not really a throne. It does not have the same status as the throne next to it. There will be a throne for the consort at their coronation if they have one and one at the place. Princes and Princesses would not have their own throne but they might sit in one if they are sent out on a duty by the monarch. Think of the throne has the boss's desk. Nobody - nobody - should ever sit on the throne unless it is the monarch even jokingly.

How many thrones is too many thrones?

There are usually multiple thrones at the monarch's disposal. There is the throne they are crowned on, usually purely ceremonial and they never really sit on it again afterward like St Edward's Chair. Every palace would have a throne room, this is usually where the main events of the palace take place and there is usually a throne for the monarch to sit on while they preside over the event. There even maybe a throne at a governmental building where the monarch can sit during the proceedings. In fiction of course, you can play fast and loose with the rules around thrones but generally a monarch will have two or three thrones.

Designing a throne

These are not your run of the mill Ikea chairs bought off the shelf. These chairs are symbols and if your monarch is to make a statement, they need a fine ass seat to do it from. St Edward's Chair is battered and defaced but it's age and history speak for itself. The Takht-e Padeshah of Persia is the same story. The Silver Throne of Sweden is flashy. The Peacock throne is the height of luxury. The Takamikura and Chrysanthemum Throne are ancient and stand for tradition. Thrones are usually decked out with carved wood or moulded metal, there might be jewels or fine inlay or upholstered in the finest fabrics, embroidered with monograms or the royal crests or perhaps it is made of some fantastical element that is super rare and makes it even more special.

Throne Room

Like I said above, within the palace there is a room where the throne resides. This is where the most ceremonial events are held, where the monarch will meet dignitaries, visiting royals, hold royal audiences and oversee the debuts. The throne will sit on dais, which is a raised platform. It gives the monarch a little more lift so they can look down on what's going on. There may even be a canopy, an awning that hangs over the throne. In the throne room, the consort may also have a throne.

[the-words-we-sung]

I don't mind people disagreeing over Wille and Simon's future and if they can or cannot lead an 'ordinary' life but as the son of a Monarch, (so as a Prince) it's hard to call Wilhelm's life 'ordinary'. As op says, he will still live an incredibly privileged life and will still be linked to Royal life, because it'll still be his family (except if he decides to cut all ties with them but we have zero indication that he would ever wanna do that).

For my part, I don't believe they can live just a normal life anytime soon (also, not gonna lie, it's not something that I'm really interested in story-wise), if it ever happens, it will take them quite a while to get there because of the situation they're in at the end of season 3.

Even if we take into consideration that they are Swedish royals and not British royals (so have less of a following, less people interested in them as op and the addition both said), a lot of things still happened that made Wilhelm (and Simon) quite front and center in the public eye:

There was a sex tape uploaded of the Crown Prince and his boyfriend

The Crown Prince officially denied it was him in it

Then he made a speech to say it was actually him, and in the process came out as dating Simon, on television

These first points and their fallout in the show really highlight that people DO care about royals (or at least about the Crown Prince): lots of headlines in journals, lots and lots of online comments, people recognizing Simon in the street (supermarket scene for example or May Day), Simon's house getting attacked, etc. So they have a huge spotlight on them, the public is interested. And if we go on with the decision Wilhelm makes in the finale episode:

The Crown Prince is going to renounce his title

There is not official heir that people are aware of at that time

The Royal Court is gonna (try to) make August the next Crown Prince

Wilhelm's decision is gonna add even more of a spotlight on him and Simon! The whole country is gonna wonder what will happen to the monarchy, people are gonna wonder why Wilhelm is stepping down just after announcing to the world that he's in a relationship with another man. These things are not ordinary, they will be discussed everywhere. Sweden might not care about their royals the way Britain seems to, but these actions are unprecedented and are gonna have a lasting effect on the country.

So all of that to say that Wilhelm and Simon living an ordinary life might happen at some point, but clearly not before quite a long time. People will be interested. People will want to understand what happened. It'll take a lot of time before it all dies down.

(And them leaving to live and hide in another country is a nice idea but not what I would call ordinary. And would Simon really leave his whole family and his friends? I can see him not spending his entire life in his hometown of course, but leaving the country is still quite a big decision, and something they definitely won't do immediately since Simon is still 16 at the end of the show).

Thinking about ordinary.

Particularly in the context of 'Wille will never be able to lead an ordinary/normal life' (true) 'and therefore the ending doesn't work because abdicating doesn't actually solve his problems' (oof...I see where you're coming from but I've got to strongly disagree).

[Yes, I know it's not technically abdication, it's just a convenient shorthand!]

Wille will never be able to lead an ordinary life if by ordinary you mean a life like Simon would have led if they'd never met. He'll always be the son of a monarch, he'll always have been famous since birth, he'll always be ridiculously wealthy and privileged. But would he eventually be able to lead an 'ordinary' life by the standards of any privileged trust fund baby whose parent is a major public figure? Yeah, I think so.

There's a world of difference between being famous/wealthy/privileged but able to choose how to live your life - including the ability to choose a very private life if you want one - and being the literal head of state with absolutely no choice in the matter.

And yeah, I'm thinking about this because of all the footage of Harry and Meghan and their slightly odd pseudo-royal tour on the news. Which isn't a dig at H&M, I have no strong feelings about them one way or the other, but I've seen them used as a stick to beat the YR ending with ('it'll never work, look at Harry and Meghan'!). But Wille and Simon aren't Harry and Meghan.

And I don't just mean because they're fictional and H&M aren't, though actually you know what, that's important - it means that if I want to headcanon they can lead a fairly normal life once Wille's out of the line of succession then I can, nothing's stopping me. But also I cannot see Wilmon ever choosing to stay in the limelight by doing a tell-all Oprah interview, or a book or a podcast or a documentary, and I definitely can't see them doing a semi-royal tour where cameras follow them everywhere and where they sit in chairs(/thrones) and look awkward while people perform traditional dances for them. (Again, no shade! The circumstances and the people are very different, that's my point.)

I could see Wille going into academia or writing books about poetry, or maybe he owns a horse sanctuary and gets Sara to run it, or he co-owns a restaurant with Felice. Or all of the above, why not. He probably can't ever go and get a 'normal' job, but he won't need one - he'd have plenty of money to live on if he's living a fairly humble, non-extravagant lifestyle, and again, he's fictional, I can believe he'd happily do that with Simon if I want to.

Maybe they'd live abroad for a while to escape the attention - because with the best will in the world, the Scandinavian monarchies aren't worldwide famous in the way Diana and her children are, and Wille's video/speech/abdication would be a five minute wonder and probably quickly forgotten outside Sweden.

This is getting longer than I meant it to so I'll leave it there without going into Simon and how he fits into it all, because that's another three thousand words lol. Maybe I'll do a part 2. 😂

[celticcrossanon]

BRF Reading - 9th of May, 2025

This is speculation only

Cards Drawn on the 9th of May, 2025

Question: What is Prince William planning to do about the Harkles (when he has the power to do so)?

Note: I drew four cards for this reading, one for each area of website, HRH, Prince/Princess, and Duke/Duchess, and then there are two cards as a coda at the end.

Edited: I had the King of Wands the wrong way around in the image! He is properly reversed now. :)

Interpretation: Prince William plans to remove anything that could link Harry (and hence Meghan) to the working royals and 'The Firm'.

Underlying Energy: The Page of Swords in reverse

Pages are communication, messages. In reverse they are usually bad news. Swords relates to thoughts, communication, legal issues, medical issues, and the internet (Swords is the suit of Air and the Internet is very much an Air concept). As the underlying energy this tells me that what Prince William does to Harry will be seen as bad news, and it will be communicated everywhere by the Internet, so Harry and Meghan won't be able to hide from it or suborn it into their narrative. The news will be out there: this is what we have done and this is what it means.

Swords are sharp, so this will definitely be a cutting out of some sort. It will be cold and logical, and not swayed by emotion (Swords are all about logical thought).

The figure on the card is one of the Greek Gods of wind, and the wind reaches everywhere, so everyone will know about this.

The image that is coming to my mind is when the Royal House of Sweden rearranged their titles, or when the Danish Royal House removed titles from all but the direct line. It's going to be a rearrangement that is similar to those, I think - something that affects the entire royal family, so Harry and Meghan can't play the victim card.

So with that general energy behind the cards, let's look at the specifics.

Card One: The Website: 3 of Cups in reverse

The Three of Cups is a card of celebration, friendship, group events, community. In the reverse, it is not being part of the community, being cut out of the group, scandal, scandal, gossip, and isolation.

With respect to the website, this card says that It will be made very clear that Harry (and Meghan, as his wife) are not part of the BRF (the group/community), they are not friends with the BRF, they have no part in the BRF celebrations or group events. They are out. This could be done by taking them off the website, or by moving them to a separate page for people who left their jobs as working royals (they could put Prince Andrew on this page as well). However it is done, it will be made crystal clear that Harry and his wife are no longer part of the BRF.

The image on this card shows a wedding, and a wedding in reverse is a break up of a relationship, a divorce. I have two thoughts on this: First, being excluded like this may be the push that Harry needs and he will divorce Meghan in an attempt to get back in with the BRF (which in my opinion will not work - they may give him a place to live in exile but he will never be a working royal again), or second, that there will be some sort of scandal that comes out during their divorce that means they have to be taken off the website, no matter who the monarch is at that time (Charles or William).

Card Two: The HRH styles: Four of Swords

Note: Harry gets the HRH style because of his birth. Meghan gets it because she is married to Harry. Whatever happens to Harry will determine how Meghan can use the style. If he loses it, so does she. By Letters Patent that already exist, if they divorce, Meghan loses the HRH style. see https://www.tumblr.com/letterspatentbrf/181920603168/letters-patent-for-the-use-of-hrh-for-former-wives?source=share

The Four of Swords is a death card. Whatever happens to the HRH style, it is going to e seen as a death, a loss, by Harry and Meghan.

As well as being a death card, the Four of Swords is a card about retiring from the world to rest/recuperate/lick your wounds after a defeat. The HRH styles are supposed to be retired at the moment, but Harry and Meghan keep dragging them put and using them. Either the retirement of the styles will be strictly enforced or they will be removed forever. Either alternative fits the meaning of this card.

If Prince William is going for a 'reform the whole family' approach, instead of a 'single out Harry (and hence Meghan) approach, then whatever he does to Harry will eventually fall on Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis as they are not the heir to the throne. I can see Prince William wanted to annihilate Harry but at the same time not wanting to do that to his children, who have done nothing wrong. It's a question of being just and being fair, which are very much Sword suit issues. Prince William will also be concerned with the effects on family members who have served faithfully but who are now retired or close to being retired (for example The Duke and Duchess of Kent, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester).

The answer might be, instead of removing the HRH from everyone who is not a direct heir, to remove the use of it from everyone who is not a working royal and strictly enforce this somehow, so if people decide to become working royals (like Lady Louise) then they are HRH, if they are not working royals then they are not HRH. I don't know if that is what is going to happen, or whether the HRH will be taken from everyone except the heirs, or whether something else will be done. It will definitely be something that Harry and Meghan see as a death, but it may be a strictly enforced retirement rather than a complete removal.

Card Three: The Prince/Princess titles: The Ace of Pentacles

Note: Harry is the one who bears the Prince style because of his birth. Meghan can be called Princess Henry or Princess Harry because she is his wife. Whatever happens to Harry's title will be reflected in what title Meghan can use.

The Ace of Pentacles is about new beginnings - new financial opportunities, mew material things, and a new social status. It is a card of stability and security.

This card tells me that Harry (and hence Meghan) is going to get either a new title or a changed status to go with his old title, and as per the underlying energy he and Meghan are not going to be happy about this. This change will bring security and stability to the BRF and it is not going to be changed back any time soon. It will be a permanent change, no matter how many temper tantrums Harry throws.

As to how this could be implemented, the most obvious way is to follow the Scandinavian example and have the direct heirs to the throne called Crown Prince or Crown Princess, and all other family members are simply Prince or Princess. That makes it quite clear who is going to be the monarch one day and who is not.

Alternatively, the title of Prince/Princess could be used by working royals and removed from non working royals, like how Lady Louise is entitled to be HRH Princess Louise but has chosen to continue with being Lady Louise, the title her parent s chose for her at her birth.

It could also be something entirely different.

Whatever route Prince William takes, there will be a change in the status of Harry (and thence Meghan), and given the underlying energy it will not be a good change.

Card Four: The Duke/Duchess of Sussex titles: King of Wands in reverse

Note: Harry is the one who was created The Duke of Sussex. Meghan gets to use the courtesy title of The Duchess of Sussex because she is his wife. Currently, if the divorce, Meghan can use the title Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, but there is nothing stopping the monarch from issuing a Letters Patent to change this.

The King of Wands is a fair sign person, especially a Leo. It is in the reverse, so this person is going to be reduced or overshadowed in some way, and given that this card is about the Duke/Duchess title, this means that someone will lose that title.

The energy I am getting from this card is Meghan. I think that Meghan is going to be stripped of the Duchess of Sussex title and it will be a huge blow to her ego. Whether this is because Harry loses his Duke of Sussex title or whether it is because they divorce, I don't know, although I am inclining slightly towards divorce. What I am getting from this card is a very upset Meghan raging about the loss of her status (Duchess title), so whatever happens with Harry, Meghan will be gone.

In the general sense, the King of Wands is a charismatic leader. In the reverse, that is taken away, and they become either a domineering bully and/or powerless to do anything. If Harry does lose his Duke of Sussex title, then I can see him becoming even more of a bully in his personal life while losing all the power that the title currently gives him in business deals. However, this is a minor energy, the main energy of this card - 99% - is a furious Meghan raging at the blow to her ego from the loss of her Duchess title.

Cards Five and Six: Coda: Hermit in reverse, Knight of Pentacles in reverse

These two cards show the end result of Prince William's actions. The both represent Harry - the Hermit is the major arcana card for Virgo and the Knight of Pentacles is the minor arcana card for Virgo, and Harry is a sun sign Virgo - and they are both in reverse. This tells me, very clearly, twice over, that in both his public life (Major Arcana) and his private life (Minor Arcana) Harry is going to be reduced, weakened, overshadowed, made powerless etc (cards in reverse). Whatever Prince William does to him is going to be both thorough and effective. Harry may react by being both lazy and grabbing at all the dodgy get-rich-quick schemes he can find (Knight of Pentacles in reverse) and/or by telling everyone how lonely he is, lashing out at the BRF in a fit of public rejection, or even having a complete (woo-woo drug fuelled) mental breakdown (Hermit in reverse), but he will be reduced in status and there will be no change from that. Prince William is not going to coddle him and he is not going to back down on this matter,

Conclusion:

It looks like Prince William will remove or demote Harry and Meghan on the website, remove their HRH or strictly enforce its non use, reduce their status around the Prince title, and remove the Duchess title from Meghan somehow (and possibly Harry as well, I don't know about him as Meghan's energy dominated this card). Whatever he does will leave Harry (and hence Meghan) permanently reduced in status. It will be made clear that these are not members of the BRF. That message - reduced status, not part of 'The Firm' - will be spread far and wide over the internet so Harry and Meghan can not refute it in any way, although of course they will try to twist things to claim their status back, which will not work.

[scribbles-and-sprinkles]

Do you do headcanons? Cause if so i'd like some yandere viking trio headcanons. 🤭

yandere! viking trio x reader - sweden

─── notes

➤ reader is implied to being in late teenager years / young adult + for ease of enjoyment -- ‘luna’ is placeholder for the reader’s name ;w; ➤ allusion to reader being on the aro/ace spectrum remain, however, this may be interpreted openly! ➤ long post ahead! rest of allies / viking trio should be coming in february!

─── warnings ➤ historically accurate characterisation (based upon estranged flowers of time) / manipulation / questionable power dynamics / darker sensuality / controlling behaviour / isolation.

björn bernwald oxenstierna / kingdom of sweden

Centuries may have passed across their lands; naturally, outside society following through radical shift of values & ideals – however, this could not be the case regarding any of the Nordics – especially ones, who grew up – breathed, represented old, fixed notions.

Any deviation from the norm would be betrayal to their forefathers, who brought their lands into existence. For centuries, millenia – viking traditions kept society afloat, proper, functioning.

He was not sure what sort of devil made mortals crawl backwards, in all possible manners into this reverse-role circus, but one thing was certain – he shall not entertain this personally, nor his own family would.

➤ Within their circle – for centuries, Bernwald carried the role of unspoken leader, steadfast pillar of the home, grounded provider – all of the roles blossoming as a matter of course across harsh, historical landscape. Who would protect his own brothers-in-arms during Kalmar Union, when Denmark – monarchs, leaders of the time – Mathias himself – in all possible ways yearned to imply utter loyalty by any cost over the rest of Scandinavia?

➤ This… young woman – Luna – within their home – brought in by kindness of his husband – Tino – piqued his curiosity in the softest manner – calculated, measured gaze slipping away from the ever-looming stack of Swedish military documents. The way bright, gentle laughter filled the space with such-needed positivity, or… the way holding their sons – came so naturally to her – realisation trickling throughout the course of several weeks.

This is the part their home was missing.

➤ In all honesty – ideal fixture of relationship within dream landscape – quiet, domestic life within marriage could not… be realised, however – it could be improvised to the best of his abilities.

➤ Shadow of the man, masquerading into… fixtures of ceilings, bleeding over shadows, dancing into hazy flickers on the walls followed – Luna merely brushing uneasiness creeping up over certain parts of the home just as a simple, mundane anxiety, while trying best to adjust after moving in – gratitude to the Mathias’ silver tongue, honey-sweet charm.

➤ At first, it started within tiny details – such as a cup of favourite tea lingering on the night-stand after a tedious study session; or a fascinating history guide about Swedish history conveniently placed close-by. Quiet, measured, gentle ways of affection – to see how his soon-wife-to-be would react to such advances.

➤ Luna was surprised… dainty fingers flickering across old pages – by sheer quality of the book – thick, velvet cover; incredibly detailed illustrations – golden motifs pressed intricately, all-around – it felt more of centuries old family testimony, than a simple edition. Little, seemingly inconvenient piece of paper slipped out, pointing at a very specific chapter – Oxenstierna.

➤ Neat, sharp - cursive – clearly Bernwald’s – he must have misplaced it.

Luna hesitated, a web of guilt snaring around hollows of the ribs for unclear reasons; a girl standing just inside the doorframe of the study – clutching the Swedish history guide until knuckles went white. She had only meant to return it — a seemingly simple task.

The study was quiet – the kind of calm, which carried an undercurrent of purpose, statement. The flickering of a single candle on the desk illuminated stacks of papers, open ledgers, and the unmistakable, heavy presence of Bernwald himself – him merely correcting another figure on the national budget draft. Pen moved with precision, and the soft scratch of ink against paper was the only sound echoing across vacant walls.

The soft rustling of documents across space was interrupted only by the occasional swirl of amber in his glass. Of course, by all means – he was not a man of virtues to indulge too often, but tonight… Tonight, it seemed necessary. The familiar burn down his throat was comforting, grounding from the plethora of thoughts that had been swirling in horizons of mind, long after the paperwork should have been finished.

Should have.

He leaned back in the chair, calloused fingertips ghosting above the edge of the glass, a deep breath escaping the note of heaviness anchored between lungs. It was just one of those nights where everything felt a bit heavier. The weight of leadership, responsibility… and perhaps something else. Something hidden beneath the layers of stoicism, a yearning that had always been with him.

Doors were opened with a smooth click, tuft of hair peeking through.

"It’s late’ – he merely gestured; shifting the stack of the documents, setting them aside – a shimmering glass of whiskey nearby.

‘I��m sorry, but I was about to return… this’ – she replied, holding up the guide as a sort-of peace offering, a sheepish smile blossoming across soft features, as if adding sincerity to an already awkward situation.

Book found its way, gliding across the wooden surface with a soft thud; him fixating on the cover, which carried centuries of family’s heritage, atmosphere… shifting into something darker – albeit, maybe exactly noticeable at first; hold lingering… on the glass a little too long, liquid oozing down his throat as a mere distraction from plethora of thoughts,

‘Stay’ – tone crackled with unwanted notes of vulnerability, expression shifting into something between contempt, mixed with… restraint.

Phrases shifted into hazy words, tangled concepts, intricate web of lies – neat paperwork scattering in fluidity of motion – threats blossoming naturally, as a mere part of the dialogue.

"You’ve c’me so far’ – fingertips gently tracing the edge of fabric, ghosting above softness of the hip – making it seem as though it were an extension of their shared life.

"Do you rem’mber how I pulled yer out of that mount’in of student debt? How I m’de sure yer had the opp’rtunity to att’nd the finest university in St’ckholm? You w’uld have n’ver had the ch’nce to b’ild a fut’re on your own with’t that’

"Bernwald, I—"

In the kindest way – she had never would have dared to entertain this thought – it was utter opposite of the values Nordics cherished – naturally, had always viewed his help as kindness, warm hospitality, even love.

Within soft gesture – fingers tenderly, too tenderly – cupped edge of jawline, ever-so-tense, digging in just enough to elicit sharp breath, tilting head up to meet his gaze. Sweetness swirling behind intention was soft, almost too soft - in retrospective.

'Don’t mis’nderst’nd me, älskade // beloved //. I don’t wish to h’rt you. But I think.. . . you und’rst’nd what I’m saying. Your succ’ss, your comf’rt—it all comes from me. I am the pr’vider, the one who ensures you have ev’r’thin’ you c’uld ev’r need. You know, bett’r than anyone, that this life you’ve c’me to enjoy c’uld slip away just as eas’ly as it was giv’n’

"You don’t have to pr’ve anythin’ to me, Luna’ –

‘J’st accept the life I’ve giv’n you. ‘ccept the fut’re I’m offerin’. It’s all yours… l’ng as you stay wit’ me, as l’ng as yer honour the roles we’ve est’blished. The contr’ct is simply a refl’ction of that — nothin’ more’

Details of the study bled into hazy hues; familiar sounds seemingly so far away – muffled – Luna could not register pen between ridges of hand, or neat cursive unraveling her name on the form.

‘Mm… v’ry well’ – whisper sounded rougher than intended, with blended out notes of whiskey, but it was still so undeniably… commanding. Calloused, heavy palms dug slightly into beige fabric, drawing shapes over softness of hips as such affection – would anchor heaviness of thought.

Bernwald merely tilted head slightly, scanning down the entirety of the situation – albeit, more slowly – deliberately – lips brushing against the nook of the shoulder.

[skamenglishsubs]

Subtext and Culture, Young Royals, Season 3, Episode 1

Season 3 picks up a short while after the jubilee speech by Wilhelm. Both Wilhelm and Sara have been absent from school for a noticeable amount of time, so maybe a week or two later? The show isn't very diligent in ensuring a perfect timeline, but this would put us in early March perhaps? Anyway, we're off to the castle for a meeting to deal with the fallout of Wilhelm's speech and Sara reporting the video to the police.

Subtext: The Queen is so pissed she's not even looking at her son, a reversal from the opening to season 2, when Wilhelm was pretty pissed at his mom.

Subtext: This is probably the first time that Wilhelm gets a hint that the Queen is seriously ill.

Cinematography: Same procedure as last season! Every season opens with a fourth wall break where Wilhelm stares in to the camera during the opening titles, defiant as ever.

Culture: For practical reasons the end of season 2 was filmed in April 2022, while the beginning of season 3 was filmed in February 2023. That said, the spring in Sweden can be pretty fickle, and it's not uncommon to have surprise snowfall as late as April. If you want a cinematographic interpretation of this scene, it's supposed to show how cold and unwelcome Simon feels arriving at the royal palace.

Cinematography: In reality, the monarch would be the last one entering a meeting after everyone else has arrived, but having Simon arrive like this makes it look more like he's entering a court of justice or some kind of disciplinary meeting. It's of course not a coincidence that the royal family represented by Jan-Olof is all on one side of the table, while everyone who has been causing them problems is on the other side.

Subtext: Jan-Olof is trying to minimize the video, by using "so-called", and by calling it an intimate video and not a porn video. However, for something to fall under the definition of "revenge porn", it's enough to depict people in an intimate situation, it doesn't have to meet the much higher threshold for when it's considered actual pornography, so he's at least admitting that it was an illegal video.

Culture: Nordiska Motståndsrörelsen is unfortunately a real organization of actual neo-nazi white supremacists in Sweden, with offshoots in neighbouring countries.

Lost in translation: The subtitles are struggling here, it's "piss person" in one, and "shitty person" in the other. The former is literally what they're saying in Swedish, but the latter is probably the better expression in English.

Also, we've been told that August's stepdad, Rickard, is one of Sweden's best lawyers. What that means is that he is probably a well-known criminal defence lawyer, and has probably been handling the defence in high-profile cases, and if you're defending obviously guilty criminals, you tend to get a lot of shit from the media and people in general, even though what you're doing is necessary for a fair justice system. This sounds like his way of dealing with that.

Culture: It's a pet peeve of mine that no-one seems to know that the name of the Swedish currency in English is kronor, not crowns. Simon is getting 1.2 million kronor, which amounts to about 105,000€ or $115,000.

Subtext: Linda isn't wrong, they're being strong-armed here. They have some sort of legal counsel, and they wouldn't have to pay any trial costs even if they don't win, but they can't afford to match the resources that August's stepdad can bring, and might get nothing in the end.

Culture: We don't know what Årnäs looks like or how large the estate is, but a quick check shows that you can buy a typical manor house and some farmland in Sweden for tens of millions of kronor. However, the amount of land that some of the other guys were boasting about at the Society party in season 1 would be worth several hundreds of millions of kronor, so it's unlikely that Årnäs is as large as that, because August would have a lot more options if his total net worth was in that ballpark.

Culture: Realistically, Simon isn't wrong. Even if August was convicted on all points, he wouldn't be sentenced harshly because of his age, because he's a first-time offender, and because it's a non-violent crime. He would most likely just be fined a large amount of money and ordered to pay damages, so settling isn't that bad.

Cinematography: The low winter sun creates some lovely golden light, so we know we're in for some sweet love between the boys. Another detail is the difference in how they're dressed and how they're carrying themselves. Wilhelm is tall and proud, he's at home, he's in a suit, he's sure of himself, while Simon is the guest, the intruder, and is almost shrinking away in his oversized purple shirt and jeans. Yes, yes, colour theory, I know.

Subtext: A nice little flashback to season 1 when Wilhelm said the same thing when he visited Simon's place.

Lost in translation: Simon is actually saying "Var det såhär i din dröm?" - "Was it like this in your dream?", which is a reference to the rather steamy dream Wilhelm had at the start of season 2, when he was lying in this exact bed.

Subtext: Absolutely no-one is fooled, everyone knows our two idiot boys were sucking each other's face a minute ago.

Subtext: Both Linda and the Queen are hearing about their sons' awful behaviour for the first time at this meeting. Linda had no idea Simon had been dealing drugs, and Kristina had no idea Wilhelm threatened August with a gun.

Culture: I have no idea here. There's no real-world example for this in Sweden, you can't put someone into the line of succession by giving them a title. The show is just hand-waving this. Alright. Ok. Fine.

Culture: All adults in the line of succession can be called upon to be acting Head of State, if the monarch is indisposed or on vacation or something. This means that once Wilhelm is 18, he would occasionally have to step in and do the job, even though he's not king yet. If there are no royals available for this, the duty falls to the speaker of the house, Riksdagens Talman.

Cinematography: We're returning to Hillerska after the episode intro at the royal palace, so we're treated to a little montage of what those gosh darn rich kids have been up to in the meanwhile, so here's a horse to remind us that some of them are still riding! This is the only horse we'll be seeing this season, because the show really isn't about Rousseau after all.

Subtext: Madison is doing Tarot, and she's got Three of Wands reversed and Four of Wands reversed. The first one represents obstacles and lack of progress, and the second one represents home conflict, instability, and lack of support. A bit on the nose, don't you think?

Subtext: It's true, but the show is also calling out itself for the somewhat inconsistent weather we've been seeing due to actual shooting schedules.

Culture: Graduating gymnasiet in Sweden has a bunch of elements that are the same pretty much across the country, and then there are regional differences and individual school differences. I recognize only a few of the things Fredrika rattles off, but it makes sense that a place like Hillerska has a ton of traditions.

Subtext: All the girls have noticed that Felice isn't doing too great, but Madison appears to be the only one that actually cares. Fredrika still hasn't stopped talking about all the crap the third-years are gonna do, because that's apparently more exciting. However, the trucks she's talking about are pretty common, this is what we in Sweden call a Studentflak.

@hanna-kin wrote a long post on Swedish graduation traditions, and I reblogged and added some stuff here: https://www.tumblr.com/skamenglishsubs/684659770007961600/its-that-time-of-the-year-again-and-if-season-2

Culture: It seems Minou isn't the head of PR for the royal court anymore, this is Farima, and we've actually seen her all the way back in season 1 when she was instructing Wilhelm to smile more in the photographs. Either way, it seems like she's got a promotion, and she's probably not wrong in her assessment. A bunch of old farts would balk at the idea of the monarch being in a same-sex relationship, but a lot of others would see it is proof that the monarchy can change with the times. There were quite a lot of fans in Team Monarchy after all. 👑🌈

Lost in translation: Linda actually says "Du har utegångsförbud", which means curfew. Grounding kids isn't really a thing in Sweden, to us it's some kind of weird thing that only happens in American teen shows, along with detention. What the fuck even is that?

Subtext: Unlike in season 1, Simon now consistently speaks Swedish at home to his mom, further showing us how distant he is from her, and from himself to some extent.

Lost in translation: Linda actually calls Sara a "hemmasittare", which is a Swedish term used for kids who simply refuse to attend school, typically for mental health reasons. What to do about the problem is a hotly debated political issue, and let's leave it at that.

Subtext: This is how the culture of secrecy and solidarity against outsiders work at schools like this. Everyone is abused, everyone participates in abusing younger students, and everyone is told to shut up about it. Every house guards their "secret" initiations to outsiders, to foster loyalty to each other, to your house, and to the school. It's cult behaviour 101.

Cinematography: The show does it's usual trick with the sound design where all outside noise disappears as Simon and Wilhelm retreat into their little bubble, but there are still people in the frame this time, even though we can't hear them, because this time they're snogging in public. Oh, and everyone needs to update their colour theory, new colours dropped, pink and orange, what does it all mean??!?

Blink and you miss it: The list of activities for the point hunt includes:

Tattoo "Hillerska 4-life" on your arm.

Take a selfie at the back of a police car.

Give someone a buzz cut.

Dance the balloon dance in public.

Sext a teacher.

Get a piercing somewhere.

Blink and you miss it: I love Vincent so much, he's just the worst. Oh, and it looks like he's wearing a $2000 Valentino sweater, but I'm not 100% certain.

Subtext: Neither Ayub nor Rosh agrees with Simon when he says he's gonna reply to idiots online, but unfortunately they're not telling him off, because that would lead to less drama in the season.

Blink and you miss it: Ayub and Rosh are talking about going on a hike to Talludden with their school, Marieberg, which is why we're gonna encounter them out in the woods in the next episode. Spoiler alert!

Subtext: Wilhelm puts up the first stanza of a poem by Karin Boye called The Shield Maiden. In English, the poem goes: I dreamed about swords last night. I dreamed about battle last night. I dreamed I fought by your side armoured and strong, last night.

Blink and you miss it: Wilhelm's desk has a ton of stuff, but he's also kept the broken frog prince snowglobe, and he's still got Erik's lighter and cigarette case from season 2.

Lost in translation: The comment in Swedish uses the word "bögar", which isn't quite as offensive as "fags". However, it's more offensive than "gays", so I understand why the subtitles went with this choice. It's one of those words that is offensive or not depending on context, and it's certainly offensive in this one.

Subtext: The soundtrack is on point as usual, highlighting the animosity between Wilhelm and August.

Blink and you miss it: Someone ordered a Horse Girl Desk™ from the props department, and they sure delivered all the horsey things! The book is the Swedish edition of Not on a White Horse by Nancy Springer:

From the day twelve-year-old Rhiannon spots a lost white Arabian gelding in the woods near her small Pennsylvania mining town, her life finds a focus as she learns to deal with family problems and decides the direction her life will take.

As you do.

Subtext: As a throwback to season 1, this time it's Sara's turn to make a surprise visit at their dad's. He is surprised and starts cleaning up his place, but he seems to be in better shape than when Simon originally turned up. His place is just messy, there are no signs of drinking and smoking unlike last time we saw him.

Culture: Who goes to New York to suntan? No-one sane, but sun-starved Scandinavians get a bit of cabin fever after a long dark winter.

Culture: Fake IDs aren't really a thing in Sweden, you're allowed to legally drink at 18, and underage kids are much more likely to have an older friend or sibling or alcoholic parent buy them some booze for a private party instead. Sure, they exist, but equipping your friend group with a bunch of fake IDs to go clubbing is not how it's done.

Subtext: Simon drew a heart on Wilhelm's hand and suggested he get that as a tattoo. Wilhelm objected because he's "not allowed to" as a royal, but here he is, redrawing it on himself, almost as if he's toying with the thought, defying the rules.

Subtext: Simon doesn't know anything about the initiations since he's a lowly external student, and even though they're boyfriends, Wilhelm automatically tries to play it down. He knows it's true though, he doesn't question that, he just doesn't want Simon to know about it because it's humiliating to talk about it.

Cinematography: A++ Main Villain Entry Walk.

Culture: The Swedish Schools Inspectorate is a very real government agency that has the very real power to shut down schools that are mismanaged in any way, either academically, or socially.

Culture: Just a quick reminder that every single third-year student is 18 or 19 years old at this point in time, and therefore they are legal adults, which means the school has less authority over them. However, since it's a boarding school, they can enact and enforce regulations for boarders, and kick them out from their houses if they disobey the rules, which effectively kicks them out of the school while technically not doing that.

Cinematography: I love the camera angle here where we just about see Vincent giving Wilhelm the evil eye for indirectly causing this.

As a closing note, this season felt a lot less subtexty to me, compared to previous seasons. On the other hand, a recurring theme now is the airing of secrets, of exposing the systems that create toxic environments like this, so in line with the theme, a lot of characters are voicing things that were left unsaid in previous seasons.

[queerasfact]

Ace awareness week: Christina of Sweden

We're celebrating ace awareness week this week with some snippets of ace history! This is Christina of Sweden, a Swedish monarch born in 1626.

Christina was assigned female at birth, but throughout their life they rejected aspects femininity, cutting their hair short, often wearing a mix of masculine and feminine clothing, and at times experimenting with male names.

In their late 20s, Christina converted from Lutheranism to Catholicism, citing the Catholic value placed on celibacy as a major factor in their conversion. They later thanked God for giving them "the strength … to resist the pleasures of love."

As with many aspects of queer history, it can be difficult to pin down ace historical figures with any certainty, because we're more often looking for snippets like these parts of Christina's life which hint at their orientation than definitive statements of identity that mirror our modern understandings. Nonetheless, Christina may be one example of an ace historical figure!

Check out our podcast if you'd like to learn more about Christina.

[Image source]

[maturemenoftvandfilms]

The King and I

Chapter Five: The Monarch of Sweden

Featuring King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden

During an official visit to IEA headquarters, King Carl XVI Gustaf led a high-level delegation of officials, academics and business leaders taking part in a roundtable meeting on the emerging global energy crisis and the importance of clean energy technologies with myself and other senior figures from the Agency. The day before the visit, my boss came to talk to me, wanting me to work my magic and get this proposal through. She knows I’d do what even it takes to get the deal done, even sleep with clients.

I'm a 29-year-old man, blonde-haired with supermodel looks. My athletic body with my tight ass, 8' cock, a smile that could light up a room and seductive eyes, I could make just about any man mine. 

But the married, 77-year-old monarchy in Sweden?  

Well, I wasn't sure of that. But I just didn't know how to say "no thank you" to this lady. She knows how to nudge people into doing things her way.

By the next day, all I was thinking about was King Carl. I was picturing him with his multiple castles, gleaming medals, and plenty of wealth, looking down on the common folks. I hoped that was not the case, but suddenly, I wasn't too excited about my assignment. Yet that afternoon, I knocked on the conference room door where the king waited.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty. I'm James Avery, I'll be presenting the company's proposal."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Avery. How nice to meet you. Do please get started." Said the very imposing man sitting at the conference table.

He looked handsome. Silver hair with a receding hairline and a slender build. His eyes were friendly and warm yet enigmatic. Like there was more to him than he was willing to reveal. I was getting interested in him again, until I remembered he was straight. I endeavored in vain with the plan, going over our proposal to the impeccably groomed, white-haired man who now looked intently at me.

It almost felt like he was checking me out, I thought to myself. I tried to keep myself from smiling as I was entertaining that idea. Just then, I decided that I might just have some fun with him. I always had a thing for older guys.

I dropped some of my paperwork and I made sure to bend down with ass in his direction so he could notice it. I peeked behind and yep, he was staring dead at it. He even smiled at me as he settled into his leather chair.

I could almost see the gears in his head. Was I flirting with him or was it all in his head? I decided to press on, "Your Majesty, I'm glad I was able to speak to you. I can't stress how important it is to have a back door… I mean an open-door policy."

I watched carefully as I "mistakenly" said, "back door" and saw all I needed to see as he turned slightly in his chair, and I saw his bulge. I had him right where I wanted him as he sat there, not knowing what to do next.

I walked over to him and asked, "Is there something I can do to ease your concerns on our proposal?"

His face turned red and just shook his head as if there was nothing I could do. But I knew what was going on in his head. He's debating on wanting to fuck me or not.

We sat there for an awkward minute as he had his internal struggle, so I chose to take things to next level.

"When was the last time you had your cock sucked, Your Majesty?" He didn't budge as I caught him off guard. His lower lip seemed to quiver a bit as if words were trying to be formed, but my now sexual presence was suffocating them.

"Does your wife take good care of you, Your Majesty? Does she suck your cock every night? Does she make you feel good?" I whispered, looking into his eyes.

He slowly shook his head no as I kneeled in front of him.

"May I Your Majesty?" I asked licking my lips.

With his lips still quivering, he nodded yes as I slid my hands up and down his legs. Putting on my most sincere face, I thanked him while unbuckling his belt so I could undo his slacks. Reaching into his underwear, I was rewarded with a nice cock. It was about 8 inches, thick, veiny, and most importantly, hard. I licked from the bottom of his shaft to the tip, taking in his musky smell as he shuddered in pleasure. It felt so erotic.

His Majesty gripped the arms of his leather chair as I slid my lips over his manhood and went to work. I could feel the veins on his cock as my lips glided up and down. Looking up to see his glazed over eyes told me everything I needed to know. I had him right where I wanted him. He's going to agree with the deal.

I was going to milk this old king and leave him wanting more, sucking him off for everything it was worth. My head bobbed as his moans got louder and louder. Eventually, he built enough courage to lay a hand on my shoulder as my hands slipped under his ass so I could take him deeper.

Next thing I knew, he grabbed me behind the head, pulling my face toward his crotch, and forcing his cock down my throat. I managed to take inch after inch of his thick dick down my throat until my lips were pressed against his pubic hairs. I let his cock hit the back of my throat a couple times before I released his cock from my mouth with a gasp and I jerked him off so I could catch my breath.

I was feeling really slutty, with one thought on my mind as I let his cock free of my mouth again and spat on it to lube it more. I’ve never been fucked by a king, and I wanted Carl to fuck me.

“Fuck me!” I told him, but not waiting for his answer as I stood up and jerked my pants and boxer shorts down, bent over the conference table, jetting my butt in his direction.

His Majesty didn’t answer, he just looked at his cock and then over at me. I guess the sight of my ass overcame me not being a woman because the old king got behind me, pausing for a moment to spit in his hand.  

A moment later I felt his slippery dick head pressing against my asshole. I relaxed as best as I could and gasped as the head pushed past the ring of muscle and into me, working the whole 8" into me till his hips pressed against my ass. I was in heaven having my hole stretched by a hard cock, feeling his heartbeat inside me though his pulsing manhood.

“You got a nice tight asshole.” The old king said almost angrily as he gripped my hips firmly and began to stroke in and out of me, slowly at first. He’d pull out till the head almost slipped out then thrust it smoothly back in, each entry into me I gasped out loud.

Eventually, his rhythm began to pick up speed and he grunted with pleasure. The smell of musk and sex filled my senses, and it was intoxicating.

As if knowing someone would come in soon or wanting to blow his load, His Majesty pumped into me faster and harder forcing more moans and gasps from me.

"GOD YES! Fuck me Your Majesty, Fuck me!"

That spurred him on as he thrust fully into me digging his fingers into my hips and grunted holding himself deep in me.

He began spraying my insides with his hot royal seed. I could feel it in me and knowing that I was being breed by the king of Sweden had me cumming on the floor. Carl was panting as if he'd just ran a marathon as quickly put himself away.

Later, the king and his delegation agreed with our proposal, helping us deal with global energy crisis and make up a lot of money in the process. And King Carl gave his personal number to keep him up to date with our progress.  

I wondered if he even still had sex with his wife. Oh well, it didn't matter. It would be much better if they didn't. I've found that men will do almost anything for sex. Especially really good sex.

As they left, I secretly told His Majesty, "I’ll personally keep you updated Yor Majesty…"

With that, he left smiling. Another satisfied customer.

[demigodsanswer]

In Vino Veritas/ Royal AU

Modern royals au

~

Percy tapped his foot nervously as his father stared at him. It was never a great sign when his dad needed to speak with him. Percy was not, by any means, an important part of the Spanish monarchy: fourth son of the king's brother. He was basically a socialite with a funny social media presence, handsome face, and a memorable ocean-themed back tattoo.

His father continued to stare at him, and Percy was sure the strength of his gaze was only making his hangover worse. Annabeth had dared him to steal a bottle of scotch from the event's bar last night, and he'd stolen an even fancier one on principle. When they woke up, too much of it was gone.

"Did you," his father finally said, "have sex with the heir to the Swedish throne last night?"

Percy laughed. "What? No, of course not."

Oh he had, he so had. Scotch or not, he couldn't forget that. His clothes still smelled like her. His dad didn't need to know that though. Whatever someone thought they saw, or whatever hotel room they thought he went into last night, they could just deny. Who gave a shit about the Spanish or Swedish monarchies anyway? Percy was barely even a Spanish citizen. He'd gone to Yale for fucks sake. He had a loft in New York.

"I'll ask again," his dad said, turning his computer around so the screen faced Percy. "Did you have sex with Annabeth Chase, against a window in a Paris hotel room last night?"

The Sun had posted a large, but blurry photo of two people pressed against a window. The blonde woman was looking out, most of her body covered by the man, who's back was against the glass. There was another one, one where the woman's face, and more notably her jewels (literally, not her breasts. Her gown was still on) was visible. The man's shirt was off.

It was the first time Percy regretted his back tattoos. And those were certainly some famous heirloom jewels from Sweden. And that was certainly Annabeth's gorgeous, gorgeous face, blurry as it was.

Percy sunk down in the chair. His phone started to buzz.

Annabeth

"I'll assume that's the princess," his father said. "We'll talk later about how we're going to clean up this mess."

~

They'd seen each other at some fancy event at the Louvre. With her blonde curls pinned in an elaborate up-do, the back of her neck was exposed.

Percy had mostly been raised in New York by his mother. The man he considered basically his older brother, Luke, had taught him a thing or two about the thrills of stealing. Luke was American old money, probably a Kennedy somewhere down the line, and he'd taught him how to oh so carefully --

Percy slipped the clasp on Annabeth's necklace.

"Oh!" She gasped, reaching for her neck, but missing it before it fell. Percy swooped around and caught it before the jewels hit the ground.

"You dropped this," he said. "May I?"

Annabeth didn't look entertained. She was giving him the I'm so scary look. But after four years on rival mock trial teams (Yale won Nationals almost every year, fuck you Harvard), he was used to it.

"May I?" He offered.

"You may not," she said, handing him her Champaign flute, before taking her necklace back and re-clasping it herself.

"Be careful with that, smart ass," he said, "you know what they do to monarchs in France."

She took her glass back, and her face softened. "It's good to see you again, Percy. Are you still in New York?"

"Most of the time," he said. "I see you've been busy entertaining men in Sweden. Looking for a royal husband?"

"Why? Do you want your name added to my list?" She asked, stepping closer to him. "I'm allowed to marry non-Royals now. My dad changed the rules."

"I'm in the line of succession," Percy protested.

"Barely," she pushed back.

"Well, I'm sorry I'm not a cousin or uncle or something," Percy said.

"Inbreeding jokes from someone in the Spanish royal family?" She asked. Percy tried not to let her know he'd been trumped. It was a dumb move. She ran a hand over his jaw. "You do have a strong chin. How much Hapsburg is left in your line?"

"Very funny, Princess," he said. She always blushed when he called her that.

The deserts were wheeled out. "Should I let you eat cake?" She asked.

"After you," he said.

~

The event dragged on, but he and Annabeth only got more bubbly on glass after glass of Champaign. When she dared him to steal the bottle of scotch, she leaned in close, her hand on his thigh under the table, running up until the princess was groping him in public.

"If I do --" he started.

"We'll go back to my room and share it," she said.

"How drunk are you?" He asked. He was decently tipsy himself. He'd probably feel drunker the moment he stood up.

"Sober enough to know I want to do this, drunk enough to act on it," she said.

"Well that's the perfect amount," he said, before standing quickly before she could get him noticeably hard.

Stealing the bottle was easy. Keeping his hands off of her until they were back at her hotel was the real challenge.

And he failed.

Miserably. She rolled up the partition as his hand slid under her dark blue gown for the first, but not last, time that night.

~

"So, what, do we need to get married now or ..." Percy asked.

Annabeth laughed on the other side of the call. "Don't be ridiculous. This is barely a sex scandal."

"Really? Because my dad seems to think the Swedes are about to invade Spain for what I did."

"What we did," she corrected. "I called because my team is going to run a press release, mostly about the gross invasion of privacy that this was," Percy was glad he decided to have her keep the dress on for their first round. It kept the world from seeing her totally naked. "But then they are going to confirm that we were friends in college."

"No, we were rivals, and I will never forgive you for getting the number one attorney award at ORCS. It should have been me, and you know it."

"You shouldn't have let your witness do a Swedish accent if they couldn't speak Swedish," she shot back. "But, does your team want to sign off on it?" She asked, getting back on track.

"Send it over," Percy said. "I'm sure it's fine, but I have a feeling no one here is going to trust my judgement in the near future."

"Sorry," she said.

"Don't be," Percy insisted. "Are you still in Paris?" He asked.

"Yes. They haven't cut my head off yet," Annabeth said.

"And thank god, because your head is incredible," he teased. She scoffed on the other line. "Since we are such good friends from college," he started, "would you want to get dinner tonight?"

"Is this a PR stunt?" She asked.

"This is a take-Annabeth-out stunt," Percy said. "It's earnest. It has nothing to do with paparazzi."

"I don't know. The paparazzi are there no matter what, and bad things happen to blonde princesses and their lovers in Paris," Annabeth said.

"Well then, why don't you just come here, and I'll cook for you," he suggested. "There's better security anyway."

There was a long pause before: "Okay, send me the details."

[rabbitcruiser]

National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day

National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day celebrates these small, flying beings, and is for appreciating them, learning about them, spreading awareness about them, and viewing them in person.

There are about 20,000 species of butterflies—some sources say there are 17,500, while some say there are as many 24,000.  There are about 750 species found in the United States, where the white cabbage butterfly is the most prevalent. The life cycle of a butterfly begins when eggs are laid on leaves, which hatch into larvae known as caterpillars. They eat the leaves and flowers of the plant they are on, and grow in size while shedding their skin multiple times. They then turn into a pupa, or chrysalis, and then into a butterfly.

When they come out of their cocoon to a new world as a butterfly, they have to pump fluid into the veins in their wings in order to expand them.  They then have to rest for a few hours before taking flight for the first time. Butterflies are cold blooded, and the air around them affects their ability to function. If the air temperature gets below 55 degrees, their body temperature may drop too low to be able to fly. To remedy this, they may warm up their muscles by shivering or by lounging in the sun. They fly best in air temperatures between 82 and 100 degrees and are most comfortable when their body temperature is at about 85 degrees.

Their wings have thousands of scales that reflect light, giving them color. But underneath their scales, their wings are actually transparent. To protect themselves from predators, some butterflies fold their wings in to help camouflage themselves, or, conversely, some have bright colors that reveal to others their presence. Some predators are aware that many bright-colored insects are toxic when eaten, so they avoid these butterflies, even though, unbeknownst to them, they aren't poisonous. The common buckeye butterfly uses its colors to scare off birds.

Butterflies have receptors on their feet, which help them find host plants and food. Female butterflies tap on leaves until juices come out, and chemoreceptors on their legs tell them if the plants have the right type of chemicals to lay eggs on. Butterflies also step on their food to taste it. Adult butterflies only eat liquid, which is usually nectar, although they occasionally drink from mud puddles as well, to gain minerals and salts. They eat with a proboscis, which is like a straw; it is curled up under their chins and unfurls when they eat.

Butterflies generally have short lives, with most only living for two to four weeks, during which they mainly eat and mate. Some butterflies only live a few days, while some that migrate, like monarchs and morning cloaks, may live about nine months. Monarchs may travel over 2,500 miles to find warmth during the colder months.

The second flying creature celebrated today is the hummingbird.   There are about 325 species of hummingbirds, but only eight of them regularly breed in the United States. Although, up to two dozen species can be found there at various times. Most species of hummingbirds can be found in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean, and there are no hummingbirds outside of the Western Hemisphere. Many species can breed together, which creates hybrid species.

Hummingbirds are very small—many weigh less than the weight of a nickel. The calliope hummingbird is 3 inches long, and the bee hummingbird, native to Cuba, is the smallest bird species in the world, at 2.25 inches in length. Hummingbirds have such small feet that they can't walk or hop properly. They can shuffle a bit, though, but their feet are mainly used for preening. The small size of their feet also allows them to fly quicker. They can fly up to 30 miles per hour when going forward, and up to 60 miles per hour when diving.

Each species of hummingbird makes a different humming sound because the wings of each species beats at a different rate. Generally, a hummingbird's wings beat somewhere between 50 and 200 times a second. Wings aren't the only things that beat quickly when it comes to hummingbirds: their hearts beat more than 1,200 times a minute. They also take a breath about 250 times a minute, and that number is even higher when they are flying.

Like butterflies, hummingbirds may fly hundreds or even thousands of miles to migrate. They mainly eat nectar, but also eat small insects, spiders, tree sap, and juice from fruit. Their lifespan ranges from 3 to 12 years and is contingent on factors such as their species, habitat, and vulnerability due to predators and other threats. On National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day, we remember and celebrate both of these animals.

National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day is being observed today! It has always been observed annually on October 3rd.

Source

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

There was an agreement and an announcement under Elizabeth II. They can't go on as if they respect her memory if they use the HRH. No leaks, no assumptions. It's a clear statement not allowing to use HRH in all terms not just for commercial purposes. I don't think BRF will do anything now, since today that is William and Catherine 's anniversary until the USA visit in August/September. We might get some royal sources but that's all.

Suxs surely playing with the fire. I don't know when exactly if it will be under Charles or William but they will lose it, both HRH and Princess titles, her and her children. They might thinking who this change affect cause it won't be just an announcement but a new letter pattern. Besides neither of them was born with this to say it's a birth right but even if they were born Sweden and Denmark showed that you can lose that too. Nothing happens to Queen's cousins. I don't know about Eugenie, Beatrice and Harry. If he loses it they lose it too but I can see all 3 of them not using it. Nevertheless I'm pretty sure they will still use it private and demand people to address them this way, as I'm more than certain they do it with their stuff, just like Wallis. The timing of the change has to do with Charles health. He still gets therapy but if he ends it soon and be in remission like Catherine, then it happens. But if things aren't good for him and he knows it nothing will happen. Unless if he wants to take this from William but if he does it, it will a bit before ....yk. Nevertheless I don't think it will be bad for William's inage to be seen as the one protecting the monarchy from grifters.

Lastly, once again it's evident how much this woman hates and envies Catherine. It's clear she calculated the dates of her podcast to be on W&C anniversary and coronation anniversary and from all the episodes she has she chose this Tuesday as the one to do the interview. Well her podcast flops and she needed something. It's definitely not the first time she has signed as HRH but she want it to be on the news again. She did the same with Archetypes, after 2-3 episodes there wasn't any interest and she "stop" out of respect for Queen 🙄 the same Queen she had blackmailed few days before. For me the more this woman speaks the more she shows her true self and why nobody likes her.

I think you might need to double check your sources because there is no US visit planned for 2025. The US visit will be in 2026 as part of our semisesquincentennial/250th birthday.

Also there are ways to take Harry’s titles without affecting Beatrice and Eugenie. It depends on how the order is written. For instance, if the order specifies Harry by name, then the Yorkies keep theirs. If the order requires permanent residency (not domicile, but physical residency) in the UK to use the titles, then Harry and Eugenie lose it but Beatrice gets to keep it. If the order says “male children” or some variation of sex-based language like that, then Harry loses it but Beatrice and Eugenie keep theirs. So it can be done - I know you’re thinking about how Fergie lost her HRH when Diana gave hers back, but that’s not the same thing that’s happening here.

And BTW, Louise and James are also HRH Princess/Prince too. They just don’t use it but it is theirs pursuant to the 1917 LP because they were once grandchildren of the reigning monarch.

The legal precedent is set by the Titles Deprivation Act of 1917, which revoked specific British peerage and titles from specific people/families for their support of Germany during WW1.

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Guide to Constitutional Monarchy

As there are many breeds of government, there are equally as many species of monarchy. Today, we will be learning about the concept of constitutional monarchy and how we can write them within our WIPs.

What is a Constitutional Monarchy?

Constitutional Monarchy is a monarchy that is bound by a country's constitution, where the monarch doesn't rule but they reign. The government acts and runs in the monarch's name, at their pleasure and owes their allegiance to the Crown but they are the decision-makers.

The Power and the Glory

The monarch doesn't have the power to rule but as Head of State, they still retain certain powers and responsibilities.

The monarch has the right to:

Warn a Prime Minister/Chancellor against a decision.

Be consulted about all state matters, crisis and news.

Advise and encourage.

The monarch has the responsibility to:

Be impartial, no matter their true feelings

Support the Prime Minister/Chancellor in their efforts to lead the country

The monarch usually retains power in the form of the Head of the Armed Forces (though most can't declare war), has the power to dissolve a sitting government, has the power to sign bills and legislation into law, by the opening of Parliament and recieves diplomats and ambassadors.

Why a Constitutional Monarchy?

You might be asking, why would a monarch agree to all these rules and limits? They are the King/Queen, no? Shouldn't they have all the power? Easy answer, they want to maintain both their power and their heads. Most modern monarchies have ceded to be bound by constitution because autocracies come with as many dangers as they come with benefits. A constitutional monarchy is often chosen to protect the monarchy, ensure it's longevity, appease the public and modernise to fit with changing opinions. The monarchy that doesn't adapt, doesn't survive. If a monarch truly believes in the role of monarchy and their duty, they would do well to consider how much they are willing to sacrifice in its name. It also provides a unifying figure for the country to look up to without the divide of political opinion and creed.

Constitutional Monarchies Across the World

The UK: The monarch's role is ceremonial, they open Parliament, grant Royal approval to bills and meet with the Prime Minister to be informed of the government's doings.

Sweden: The Swedish monarchy is symbolic only.

Japan: The Emperor of Japan has no governing powers, he recieves foreign dignitaries, participates in traditional events and rituals.

Spain: The Spanish monarchy has the power to dissolve government, summon government and appoint the Prime Minister.

Norway: Norway's monarchy is heavily symbolic but the monarch resides over the Council of State, signs official documents and undertakes state visits.

Belgium: The Belgian monarchy is also ceremonial but has the power to appoint the formateur who leads coalition negotiations, signs laws but these acts must require the signature of a government minister.

The Netherlands: The Dutch monarch has a ceremonial role, with the Prime Minister and Parliament holding political power. The monarch’s duties include signing bills into law and representing the country at official events

Thailand: The Thai monarch has a cultural and ceremonial role but politics is the business of the elected government.

Monaco: The Principality of Monaco is an exceptional version of a constitutional monarchy. While the Prince is bound by the constitution, he had the power to appoint the Minister of State and the Government Council. These bodies are directly accountable to the Prince. The Prince has the right to propose laws to the National Council, veto laws and formally enacts the laws approved by the National Council.

Denmark: The monarch appoints the Prime Minister who leads Folketing, they sign all acts passed by the government which must be countersigned by a Cabinet Minister and participates in state ceremonies.

Lesotho: This monarchy is ceremonial too but the King has the power to appoint the Prime Minister and other officials (on governmental advice).

[charlotte-of-wales]

Happy 85th birthday to Queen Margrethe Il of Denmark!

Born on April 16th 1940, Margrethe Alexandrine Pórhildur Ingrid, reigned as Queen of Denmark from 14 January 1972 until her abdication on 14 January 2024. Having reigned for exactly 52 years, she was the second-longest reigning Danish monarch after Christian IV.

Margrethe is the eldest child of Frederick IX of Denmark and Ingrid of Sweden and became heir presumptive to her father in 1953, when a constitutional amendment allowed women to inherit the throne. On her accession, she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margrethe I, ruler of the Scandinavian kingdoms in 1376-1412.

In 1967, she married Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, with whom she had two sons: Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim. She also has 8 grandchildren.

In her annual live broadcast New Year's Eve address on 31 December 2023, Margrethe announced her abdication, which took place on 14 January 2024, the 52nd anniversary of her accession to the throne. She was succeeded by her elder son, Frederik, as King Frederik X.

[royalty-nobility]

Portrait of Sigismund III Vasa in Coronation Robes

Artist: Pieter Soutman (Dutch, c. 1593/1601–1657)

Date: c. 1624

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Staatsgalerie Neuburg, Neuburg an der Donau, Germany

Sigismund III Vasa

Sigismund III Vasa (20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632 N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King of Sweden from 1592 to 1599. He was the first Polish sovereign from the House of Vasa. Religiously zealous, he imposed Catholicism across the vast realm, and his crusades against neighbouring states marked Poland's largest territorial expansion. As an enlightened despot, he presided over an era of prosperity and achievement, further distinguished by the transfer of the country's capital from Kraków to Warsaw.

Sigismund was the son of King John III of Sweden and his first wife, Catherine Jagiellon, daughter of King Sigismund I of Poland. Elected monarch of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1587, he sought to unify Poland and Sweden under one Catholic kingdom, and when he succeeded his deceased father in 1592 the Polish–Swedish union was created. Opposition in Protestant Sweden caused a war against Sigismund headed by Sigismund's uncle Charles IX, who deposed him in 1599.