#ayden caedis

[bhaleesi]

Soldier, Poet, King by the Oh Hellos has been trending (again) so I decided to participate with my OCs from A Wolf Amongst Serpents! 

The Soldiers: known for their strength. Bathed in blood, surrounded by fire. They are always moving forward - no matter the cost, no matter where the road might lead. 

Arion Sylph, Esmerelda Caedis, Hyperion Tydus, Selene Caedis, Theron Lycan.

The Poets: known for their charisma. They have a vision for the world, and they create the path to get it. Their words hold power, and they will use it - for better or worse. 

Isabelle Tydus, Orion Livingstone, Quill Lycan, Reyna Tydus, Celestina Lycan

The Rulers: known for their duty. Heavy expectations have been placed on their shoulders. Though they might bend underneath the weight of their crowns, they do not break. 

Sakura Wolff, Lucien Caedis, Ayden Caedis, Lyra Livingstone, Corvus Livingstone

[bhaleesi]

Hey Bhaleesi, I was trying to draw the Demons of the East and just realised I knew nothing of Eurydicean fashion. I was imagining them in their late teens, so ofcourse the fashion was Briarean in my head, but I kinda just....😅😅😅😅 So did the Demons wear kurtas and all or did they don something more 'universal'? (Please tell me Ayden wears a crown prince circlet)

And Selene's hair is so wild!😭

Wow, I'm honored that you'd want to draw my characters! I'd love to see it if/when you're comfortable sharing!

Writing AWAS has made me envious of webtoon illustrators because there's so much fashion I want to show but words can only go so far 😭.

For Eurydicean fashion as a whole, I imagine it following patterns from the 1910s-1920s depending on the location. Briar's fashion inspirations are from South Asia and West Asia mostly (I imagine the cultures would've developed around a particular element, or no particular element in the case of magicless people). Earth and air lean more South Asian, so ... long story short Briar's fashion is inspired by South Asian (with a somewhat greater focus on Indian) fashion in the 1910s-1920s. There's also a lot more design freedom too, since AWAS is a fantasy story at the end of the day.

So Ayden, Selene, and Arion would've worn what teenaged nobles wear back then. They'd have worn clothes like saris, lehengas, sherwanis, kurtas, etc for both formal/royal events and everyday life. Ayden and Selene would also have worn universal and more-European style clothes since while they identify more strongly with Briar, both of them were born in Sanguis.

And yes, Ayden would have worn a crown or circlet to distinguish him as the crown prince. It would most likely have some measure of snake iconography, since the Caedises do love their serpents 

I searched around to find some pictures to give a better visual 😅

1st picture taken from here

2nd is of Anita Delgado, a Spanish woman that married a Maharaja

These are both of Princess Sudhira, daughter of the Maharaja of Cooch Behar. There are many others here. They are of her dressed in both Indian and Western styles, similar to how Selene would do

Male "Briarean" fashion was a bit harder to find, since a lot of younger upperclass men in that time would've dressed more Western because of British colonization. I did find these, however.

[bhaleesi]

Hello Bhaleesi! I divided my asks in two if you dont mind. The first one was getting long 😅😅

I noticed that Selena's cause of death is not concrete. So (hypothetically speaking) what if she was alive ryt now? Can the realm have 2 potentates at once? Emotionally, Selene has the upper hand whereas politically....Quill can't be removed. Sorry for the dumb question but I honestly adore both these potentates and I couldn't sleep last night thinking abt it😅😅😅😅😵 What abt Ayden though😬😬

Quill was tempted to trust the spymaster of the realm. She was more personable than her older brother, yet Quill remembered Isabelle including her on the short list of people to be wary of. He certainly was each time he saw Reyna and Ayden interact in an informal setting. It often left him … self-conscious.

And were Ayden and Reyna ever romantically involved? Reyna had still not given up on her hopes for Ayden that time I see😲😲 Does Reyna have something for Ayden other than her ambitions?🤔

I'm so sorry for the long asks but I'm obsessed with AWAS and want to dig into the characters. Love from me!!❤

P.S- I really wanna see Quill and the twins together!

No worries about dividing the asks - it makes it easier for me to give detailed answers to any questions you have! I enjoy answering your questions, too, so no need to feel like any of them are dumb! <3 

*******

Selene being alive would be ... uncomfortable to say the least. The realm can have two potentates in the sense that one is the “ruling” potentate (married to the current sovereign) and the other is a dowager potentate (married to the previous sovereign). In this hypothetical scenario, however, Quill and Selene would both be “ruling” potentates ... which the kingdom can’t have 😅. This is such a fun hypothetical because there’s so many ways it could go. 

1. You could make the argument that Selene being alive means that Quill’s marriage to Ayden isn’t legitimate. Depending on how the Grand Seer feels, an annulment of Quill and Ayden’s marriage could be arranged so that Selene takes her crown back. 

Which of course would immediately make Theron an enemy. One way I can think of to resolve that is to take away Quill’s crown and essentially give it to one of his younger siblings by having them marry Lucien. This of course opens up a tiny problem named Lyra Livingstone, who is going to be pissed because Corvus already has dibs on Lucien. So ... minimal bloodshed scenario is Viscardi or Luna marries Esme instead (to avoid messing with the Livingstones) and we hope that it’s good enough for Theron (it won’t be..)

2. Or we say that the Grand Seer decides not to annul the marriage and Quill’s claim is recognized. This will cause lots of unrest in the kingdom, since there will be people that prefer Selene (or at least just want Quill gone). There’s also the emotional component, where I think Ayden would be really conflicted. On one hand, it’s Selene. But also, on the other hand, Quill. Not to mention how the twins would feel. 

This one is definitely more unstable. The Annex and Coven are satisfied by the decision. Sanguis, parts of Ancient, and Briar will want Selene reinstated. The Seas won’t care either way. Stepes is a bit more variable. The newly-made Frontier will prefer Quill. 

Would this divide be enough to start a war? Probably not ... but it’ll make things incredibly tense in Eurydice. Selene will very much be the Catherine of Aragon to Quill’s Anne Boleyn (as in people view Selene as the real Potentate, no matter what the “head of the church” says). 

******

I’m always happy to talk about Reyna! 

I don’t think that she wants more from Ayden beyond the throne. Spending so many years around Ayden has made Reyna more fond of him, and she might even enjoy being married to a degree ... but she’d still show up in a stunning gown to his funeral after he dies a tragic and inexplicable death, leaving the kingdom in her hands 😅

Ayden and Reyna were never directly involved. Ayden wasn’t in a romantically receptive state when they met. This changed over the years, and he starts to develop a subconscious “crush” on her just before the story starts. Reyna is very good at learning what people like, and modifying her behavior to wrap them around her finger. Had it had another few months to develop, I could see Ayden start to consider courting Reyna. Quill shows up at the perfect time~ 

(and now Reyna is Orion’s problem lmao) 

******

I’ve actually got a fair amount of content planned for Quill and the twins in the upcoming chapters, so you’re in luck! 

Thank you for the ask! 

[bhaleesi]

Hey Bhaleesi! I made a drawing of the 'Three Demons of the East'. I hope you liked them!😊

Selene was quite easy to capture but it was Ayden that proved a problem. The pics of 1920 Indian fashion really helped so much! Though I wish I had not coloured them. They looked much better as a sketch😭

Selene really is sunshine!

Hey @theholyfollowerofdeath! 

Wow, it looks amazing! I really love how you captured the happiness/carefree attitude Ayden, Arion, and Selene would’ve had when they were younger. The poses you chose make it look like they’re enjoying an inside joke that only the three of them understand, which really encapsulates their dynamic. 

Briar and Briarean fashion are meant to be bright and vivid - the references that I sent in a previous post were black and white, so it really makes me happy to see how much color you incorporated into their clothes! I especially like Selene’s design. I feel like she’d love wearing pink, but I’ve never gotten a chance to explore it in the story. It’s really cool to physically envision her in that style! 

Thank you for drawing this ♥️♥️♥️

[bhaleesi]

The cupcakke remix lives in my head rent free

[bhaleesi]

Im so glad you liked my art! But I had very little material to work out their exact form of relationship. At first I had imagined Selene to be the dignified one, aka the 'One who keeps others in Line' but a rereading of the crypt scene with Selene goading Arion on showed that clearly wasnt the case🤣. Arion, the clown can't take that role so I was sure it had to be our Ayden. I drew Ayden with a prim and proper attire (with no wrinkles in sight), the disciplined one of the group.

But what kind of relationship did Ayden and Selene exactly have (Is Aylene a good couple name🤔)? That was something I kept pondering on. Selene wouldn't have taking Ayden's constant hogging of all her work and she has quite a strong personality. But I cant imagine these people not constantly clashing. Selene would have been the free one with the children whereas Ayden the responsible parent. And what kind of mom was Selene to the twins?

Arion and Persephone seem pretty cool compared to the clashing couple above!

[P.S- Can I know more abt Aylene's wedding ceremony? I wanna draw them! (If you don't mind that is)]

"At first I had imagined Selene to be the dignified one" I snorted at this because Selene most definitely was *not* the dignified one of the group. None of them were quite "dignified" until adulthood, but I'd say the best match for that description would've been Ayden. A summary of their dynamic is:

Selene wants to do something wild and crazy

Arion supports her, the two of them cackling as they plan their latest scheme

Depending on the scheme, Ayden will either cautiously join in (while keeping an eye out for trouble) or will be like "nooo stop".

If Ayden says no, Selene and Arion will do it anyway and Ayden will get them out of trouble once they get caught 🤣

An example is from when they were in their mid-teens in Briar. Lady Fiona isn't a big fan of animals, but Selene found and secretly kept a cat in Briarlight. Selene and Arion would take turns hiding it in their rooms and feeding it so that Fiona wouldn't find it. Ayden also fed it, but he was a lot less enthused and was stressed every time it was his "turn" to dodge Fiona.

But then the cat would purr and he'd forgive Selene and Arion for dragging him into the mess

Aylene is such a pretty couple name! Honestly even as a proper name it's really lovely

I might jot it down and give it to a character one day...

Now I'm wondering what Quill and Ayden would be. Qayden? Aydill?? Quillden?? Not as pretty as Aylene, that's for sure

But what kind of relationship did Ayden and Selene exactly have (Is Aylene a good couple name🤔)? That was something I kept pondering on. Selene wouldn't have taking Ayden's constant hogging of all her work and she has quite a strong personality. But I cant imagine these people not constantly clashing.

You're on the right track with your analysis! They had a great relationship overall, and loved each other very much. They were on the same wavelength politically, since they grew up around each other. When Selene was first crowned, however, she was not a fan of the more ... tedious parts of ruling. That left Ayden free to hog her share while Selene contributed to the war effort.

“Selene was the fighter between us, the one better at inspiring the troops. She always said that,” Ayden’s voice rose, “a ruler is needed on the battlefield, and it should be me. The queen has more freedom than the king does on a chessboard.” He returned to his normal tones. “I know for a fact that she simply did not want to do paperwork.” (From the chapter West of West)

This arrangement works out great for both of them, because Ayden is free to be the micromanaging workaholic that he is and Selene isn't weighed down by things she dislikes. Periodically they'd switch - with Ayden being on the battlefield and Selene sitting the throne - but for the most part they kept to their niches. Selene didn't ignore her duties - she just wasn't at her happiest when dealing with them. So Selene wouldn't have complained if Ayden took over a boring meeting or two.

Towards the last years of her life, Selene takes a more active interest in the throne. This immediately causes her to clash with Ayden, who has repeatedly demonstrated that he doesn't share power very well. Plus, Selene started favoring a less aggressive approach to the war, putting her in opposition to Ayden. Thus they clash, Selene leaves to end the war herself, and ... yeah :(

Selene would have been the free one with the children whereas Ayden the responsible parent. And what kind of mom was Selene to the twins?

It's like you're reading my mind because the next chapter of AWAS will focus on that exact question!

Selene was the more relaxed parent between her and Ayden. Ayden isn't particularly strict himself, but being Sovereign didn't allow him to be as close to them as he would've liked just because he would've been so busy when they were young. While Ayden would be stuck in meetings all week, Selene would hang out with the twins, build a swing for Esme, play piano with Lucien, take them out on the river, etc.

I also feel like Selene might've had a slightly deeper bond with Lucien. Being Crown Prince isn't a role that Lucien is fond of, and sometimes wishes he wasn't. Selene would've understand that reluctance a lot better than Ayden, so she'd put a lot of energy into helping Lucien grow at his own pace and finding his feet with all the expectations people put on him. Whereas Esme is a bit of a social prodigy and so would've preferred to be with Ayden. Esme is also pretty adventurous and mischievous, so for sure Selene would've encouraged that aspect of her daughter.

Arion and Persephone seem pretty cool compared to the clashing couple above!

Arion and Persephone are a fun couple to write whenever they're in a scene together! It makes me happy just how much Arion loves his wife 🤣 It's also part of the reason why Arion wants to take a step back from being Suzerain and focus more on Briar~

[P.S- Can I know more abt Aylene's wedding ceremony? I wanna draw them! (If you don't mind that is)]

Sure! If someone is willing to use their time to create art based on my content, I’ll always be thrilled ♥️♥️

Ayden and Selene's wedding was fairly simple, as far as royal weddings can go. Ayden's father would have died not long beforehand, so the mood was generally somber. The war was at an all-time high, so it wouldn't have been a good look to be spending lavish amounts of money when the crown loyalists were technically losing. On top of that, Ayden's advisors would've cared more about Ayden having heirs and the wedding was just a step they had to take so the whole thing would've been organized quickly.

That being said, the style of the wedding would've been overall Eurydicean, not Briarean. Ayden and Selene spent more time outside of Ancient, so the Ironhillers would've partially viewed them as foreign. In order to settle into life in the capital must faster, they would've followed Ancienti customs. So the wedding would've been more Western in its inspiration, with a bit of Briarean influence as a nod to their former home.

The left image is a colorized picture of Tsarina Alexandra of Russia from 1908, to give you an idea of what Selene might’ve worn. The right is Tsar Nicholas II, her husband. Ayden and Selene got married in the equivalent of the 1900s, so you can play around with any particular designs from around that era!

[bhaleesi]

“So, are you His Majesty now?” Orion asked. “Or His Highness? His Royal Highness?”

“His Grace,” Isabelle supplied for him. Quill waved a hand vaguely in agreement.

“That’s not as impressive as ‘majesty’,” Orion said, looking disappointed on Quill’s behalf, “but alas. Does that also make you … Quill Caedis?”

Quill wrinkled his nose at the proposed name. It sounded odd. “No, I’m still Quill Lycan. Non-royals can’t take the royal name. It’s only permitted if you’re marrying into the branch family.”

Ares furrowed his brow. “How come Potentate Selene did, then? She was a Lazarus before.”

“Who knows? I don’t intend to change my name, in any case.”

I am re reading AWAS from the beginning !!! There are like so many characters and so many things I missed the first time!

Why didn't Quill take Caedis' surname? Unlike Selene? Like, is it not important in Eurydice or amongst royalty?Then why are brach members supposed to do that? I kind of felt that perhaps it was Ayden's love for Selene that factored in?

Also, what's the difference bw your majesty, your grace and your highness?😭😭😭We dont have any royalty in this country so I kinda wondered? I thought Quill would be 'Your Majesty'?

First of all - wow! AWAS is not a short short story by any means, so I’m impressed that you’re rereading it from the start. I’m also really happy that you enjoy it enough to read it multiple times!! 

With regards to surnames - upper royals in Eurydice don’t change their name when they marry, and their spouses usually don’t take the royal name either. The kingdom views the royal name as something you’re born with, and it isn’t something to give away lightly. Hence most people who marry upper royals keep their maiden names (e.g. Ayden’s mother is known as Lilith von Drake), and royals who marry out of the family don’t change their names (unless they’re okay with losing the social prestige that comes with having a royal surname). 

Eurydice doesn’t have a law that prevents spouses from taking the royal name, however. You tend to only really see it in couples who had a very strong relationship. So you’re absolutely right - Selene changed her name because she and Ayden were very close. Quill keeps his name because he and Ayden, while they get closer over the course of the story, aren’t quite on that level yet. 

(and also because I didn’t like the sound of Quill Caedis. It doesn’t roll off the tongue as nicely)

In real life, “Majesty” refers to the reigning monarch (king or queen regnant) as well as their spouse (often a queen consort). “Highness/Royal Highness” is for princes and princesses, and “Grace” is usually used for dukes/duchesses. 

So you’re correct in that Quill should really be “Majesty” instead of “Grace”, but I liked the idea of Sovereigns and Potentates having different titles to showcase the differences in their political station. Since dukes/duchesses aren’t a huge staple of Eurydicean nobility ... I stole their title lol 

Plus, European monarchs (I loosely base my rankings on European peerage) previously used “Your Grace” until showboating kings decided to flaunt their impressiveness and upgrade to “Majesty”. Thus, “Grace” seemed like a suitable alternative to “Majesty” for the purposes of this story 

Thank you for the ask! 

[bhaleesi]

Ayden Caedis (top) and Orion Livingstone (below) from A Wolf Amongst Serpents, made using artbreeder. I’m really happy with how Ayden turned out. Orion looks like he’s planning his next series of bad decisions, and I respect that.

I still remember the point during the development of AWAS where Orion was the main character. Simpler times.

[bhaleesi]

Hey Bhaleesi! After reading the recent chps, I'm so scared for Quill. Everyone, even the most unimportant characters seem to be in motion😵😵😵. The pieces are all assembling and falling into their positions and yet, Quill being the protagonist, has been stagnant all this while😣😣. I'm really interested to see his character develop cuz he's the least prepared if the enemies strike. Will he be Dany, Cersei....the next Dadia Stareyes? OMG, I can't imagine him alone without Ayden😭😭. So Bhaleesi, will he be off on a power grasping journey? Or will he choose some other path?

I can’t imagine Quill without Ayden either 🥺

Act 3 so far has been laying the pieces. There’s one more chapter of “piece-laying”, and then the real game will begin. I won’t spoil anything, but I will say this: Quill and Ayden are currently dealing with the political conflict in western Stepes that has been hinted at throughout the story. Western Stepes ... which has been ruled by Insurgent werewolves for decades. Western Stepes ... which has seen Ayden (and the Caedises) as an enemy for decades. Makes you think that Ayden might not be the best monarch to handle this, doesn’t it? I wonder who might be 🤔

[bhaleesi]

Ayden Caedis, A Wolf Amongst Serpents 

“This will make a fine companion to Legionnaire,” Ayden mused. He looked at Quill, who was watching him neutrally. “Celeste Caedis named her own golden sword Sun Strike. Mine shall be called Eclipse.” For when the moon outshines the sun.

[bhaleesi]

Though he still wore the diadem, Quill had exchanged his pure whites for a daring black number. The top hugged his slender form, thin straps ending just along his collarbones. It cinched at his waist, before billowing out extravagantly towards the bottom. Pale gold jewels lined his arms, contrasting rather pleasantly with his olive skin. The dark lining around his eyes almost made them glow in the electrical lighting.

Ayden’s attention, however, was drawn to what was behind his outfit. It was incredibly revealing. Quill’s entire back was on display. A large golden snake ran down the length of his frame, several chains holding his ensemble together. They criss-crossed the farther down one looked, finally linking up at the small of his back.

“That’s … provocative,” Ayden breathed. He wiped the dumbstruck expression from his face as Quill descended the stairs.

“Are you provoked?” Arion smirked.

Quill was pretty, Ayden admitted. He wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous or anything; people wouldn’t fall in love with him at first sight. He was pretty. A bit pouty, but it somehow worked for his lips. Right now, though - walking through the crowd as they parted for him, risqué attire contradicting the nervous blush on his face – Ayden thought that he was absolutely divine.

A snippet from ‘Eclipse’ in my original work, A Wolf Amongst Serpents.

[bhaleesi]

Lucien and Esmerelda Caedis, A Wolf Amongst Serpents

“What did I just say?” Ayden sighed. He seized his children’s wrists, easily overpowering them. “Did I not tell you less than five minutes ago to keep the swords safe?”

“Yes,” Esme smiled, “the swords. You never said anything about keeping Lucy safe.”

“Same goes for you, Esmerelda,” Lucien taunted.

Esme bellowed, attempting to break free of her father. Ayden spun them both around, dragging them into a tight hug. Esme returned it after she’d gotten her bearings, but Lucien struggled to break free. Ayden laughed at his futile efforts, voice deep and smooth.

“It’s been an honor to be your father,” he whispered, “but please stop growing up.”