#duchess adeleide of krona

[lizzybeth1986]

Really, Really Slow Thoughts on TRR Book 3, Chapter 3

• This QT took two days. Because my pace has been sluggish. Because my thoughts on this chapter have been sluggish.

• This chapter is the only time in the entire series that I was barely invested. That’s only ever happened to be at the beginning of Book 1, and only because I didn’t think it would amount to anything beyond a Cinderella story. I haven’t been in that space with a single chapter in this book since Book 1,Chapter 8. I’m just…bored.

• Title: Allies among Enemies. Sounds very Kenna and Luther, no? But I doubt Kenna ever had to sit and play marriage counselor to a squabbling couple.

•

Esther asking all the relevant questions.

I mean, sure, Bertrand, I get it: I need to make a tour and that involves visiting other duchies, Justin thinks Madeleine would make a bomb press secretary, and I have to play matchmaker for her parents –

Wait what. Why do I need to resolve a personal fight because Madeleine’s parents? I know it’s all about reaching out and getting allies and making connections but playing armchair therapist just sounds extremely silly.

• I like that they’re carrying over the “house colours” strategy from TCaTF. Kenna occasionally did this during alliances, especially when meeting with the Nevrakis family.

•

So I have a dress “as green as Madeleine’s envy towards me and black as her shrivelled heart” (bomb analogy, Maxwell!). Buuuut I’m taking part in a court event. A formal ball. Why is the dress style more like what I wore in the club for Madeleine’s bachelorette and Liam’s bachelor party???

• Also can you imagine how awkward waltzing would look in this dress? Ballroom dresses are long and flowy for a reason. Part of the beauty of your twirl comes from how your skirt flows when you’re turning, esp in a dance like the Cordonian Waltz where the twirl is the highlight.

• So I’m supposed to ensure Adeleide comes for the wedding. Loooogically the story should make this easier on me because I already did the hard work of winning her over the last book right? Wrong. Because the story doesn’t care. It doesn’t care which Liam I chose, whether I’ve ever worn pepto bismol in my life or not, whether I charmed the pants off Adeleide (not literally). Nope. I still have to start from scratch (wouldn’t be the first time tho. I won over Kiara and Penelope in Book 1 only for them to ditch me next book [even though Penelope knew it wasn’t my fault. You owe me big, sister]).

• Soooo Godfrey, Madeleine’s dad, is an English nobleman. His marriage to Adeleide was a political alliance and he doesn’t actually give a shit about Cordonia unless his daughter is the goddamn country’s queen.

• Hmm. So Madeleine is half Cordonian too. Jesus Christ for a country that doesn’t like foreigners very much, a lot of its major players seem to have at least one non-Cordonian parent: Liam (possibly), Madeleine, Drake, Hana…

• I was a little confused because Book 1 mentioned that Madeleine is “practically royalty” from her father’s side - but it’s possible that’s more a hint towards his English roots. I guess we can rule him out for who the enemy is rn because this dude genuinely doesn’t give a shit.

• So Liam, whose interactions with Godfrey have been few and far between and who admits he has never really met him in a social setting, is the one who provides us inputs on how to deal with the Duke. Turns out this advice is pretty helpful, coming from someone who barely knows the man.

•

Savour this moment, Liam stans. This - and the “we need to avoid this lack of crowd at our wedding” exchange, are the only times we will get to properly interact with him today.

• I know this decor looks like a piñata threw up over the ballroom but I love the purple and the soft lighting xD

• So the first event post Homecoming is super empty, which is quite dishearting. It’s enough to make even our resident bar-hopper Adeleide upset.

•

Is it just me or does “STOICISM RULEZ!!!” Regina sound like she gives zero fucks today? I mean sure it could just be her usual irritation around Adelaide but here even Constantine seems a little taken aback. And besides, it’s not the Krona duchy that needs anything from the Crown, it’s the Crown that needs something from them. Your arrogance doesn’t have any legs to stand on, Regina.

• Also idk but am I the only one getting a different vibe from Regina this book? In the debriefing meeting she wasn’t there at all, and this is someone who has been a part of every meeting we’ve seen in the books. Then she comes here, to an event where if anything SHE needs to be begging her cousin to come for her stepson’s/some random noblewoman’s wedding, and she’s busy making snappy comments about the appetizers (and let’s be honest, everyone else found their spread incredibly good. Even Drake. DRAKE)

• Madeleine’s dad is essentially Madeleine Sr.

• “Magic Friendship Dust” my ass.

• Madeleine’s reaction to this “be my press secretary” thing is “I told you so” followed by a resounding (implied) “fuck you”. What else were you expecting, Esther?

•

It’s great that they say this, but I would have preferred if they showed it. It really isn’t that hard. Show him talking independently to a noble or two (you don’t even have to show their faces) - winning some over and not managing to sway some others. The reason a lot of Liam fans are upset is that not only does the writing make weak excuses to keep him from working WITH the MC, we aren’t even given a proper glimpse of what he IS doing!

I’ll return to this point later, because I have a LOT to say 😠

• …cheeseburgers aren’t appetizers, Drake.

• I’d agree with you about the buffalo wings tho.

• Nomnom that pasta looks good.

• I’d betray me for a plate of truffled penne too, Esther.

•

Back in the essay I wrote on the Balcony Scene, I spoke of how Liam’s mother’s story seemed like a mirror to the MC’s (I mentioned that she might be a foreigner, though, and given that Neville and Drake make the comparison between the MC and her, and that her son is customizable by ethnicity, I still think there are chances that is true). Called it! xD

• Neville is still as big a creep as he ever was and this scene was extremely ugly, especially with regards to Drake. But it was also extremely powerful because the group gets to rally around and protect him, and show Neville that Drake has people who will support him no matter what. It was a scene I felt was needed because it gives you a much better idea of what Drake has had to deal with in court. (also I know he’s taking the tour coz he wants a wife [good luck getting one with THAT level of creepy, asshole!] but I’m suspicious about him following ppl he doesn’t even like around).

• This is also amazing buildup to the dancing scene. The version of the scene I got was automatically platonic, which I loved, and I got more comfortable with this scene than I have ever felt with any non-Liam-LI scene so far (you know how you keep stressing about accidental romance points? That).

• In my playthrough, Esther keeps it professional, gives him encouragement, teaches him how to glide using a mental image. Drake points out he needs to give Liam adequate support and he will need to actually prove himself to other nobles for that. As a romantic scene, it really shines (and indeed it should, given that the Cordonian waltz is primarily romantic) but it works very well on a platonic level too.

• I also really, really loved the comparison Drake made between his situation and hers: that the MC is proof that he can hold on to who he is even if he becomes a part of the nobility/has endured this much from them. Drake’s character arc is built heavily on his fear that being part of the nobility can change people, based on very valid experiences. We’ve seen in this chapter how desperately some nobles cling to their titles, almost using it to make up for their lack of personality (I’m looking at you, Neville and Godfrey). But he has proof all around him too, that you don’t need to lose who you are through a title. In a lot of ways this plays really well into his “letting go” arc as well.

• Okay so I went with Godfrey first. He’s talking to Liam, who again makes a disappearing act (I don’t mind, because the MC specifically stated she wanted to speak to the Duke alone). I’m not surprised Liam wasn’t making much headway. This is the second dude to dump Madeleine after all, and worse still he’s brother to the first dude to dump her. No wonder Liam’s sticking to safe subjects like choice of scotch!

• YIKES @ Godfrey’s constant harping of successes and defeats. Why don’t we talk about what a failure YOU are as a dad, Duke Karlington, since you’re only ever there for Madeleine to tell her what a failure she is!

• I like the exchange they show us between Adeleide and Regina before the MC steps in. Regina’s care and concern for Madeleine has pretty much been there from the beginning and for what it’s worth, it has been genuine.

• Oh man. I want to give Adeleide a hug and some champagne. I mean I don’t exactly envision her winning the “best mother” award anytime soon, but she’s trying. Perhaps a little too pushy and a little too focused on her own coping mechanisms, but still, she cares enough about Madeleine to want to be there for her no matter what. Which is more than I can say for Godfrey, who thinks being a father means paying an annual visit to his goddamn FAMILY and judges people for failing when he’s perhaps the biggest failure in the room.

• Waltz time!

• Though between Esther not having a twirly skirt and Drake having an injured shoulder I’m not sure they even looked that good.

• WTF ESTHER WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU DOES THAT LOOK LIKE A MAN WHO IS IN ANY CONDITION TO MANAGE A LIFT

•

HE’S NOT JOHNY CASTLE AND THIS ISN’T DIRTY DANCING. STOP PUTTING DRAKE IN A CORNER.

• AT LEAST BABY DIDN’T MAKE JOHNY LIFT HER ON AN INJURED ARM. AND AT LEAST THEY AGREED TO DO IT TOGETHER NOT SPRUNG IT ON HIM LIKE A FUCKING JACK-IN-THE-BOX.

• “He winces at the pressure on his arm, but smiles through it”. …damn I’m angry at my own MC now.

• Drinking game time!!

• I’m not going to comment much on the scene because it’s going to be part of my group scenes essay, but I *will* say I’m so happy Hana gets her due in this one. She really shines in terms of character development in this scene and she gets the best line this whole chapter xD xD xD

•

• I think Hana has had this burn simmering in her pressure cooker ever since the bell-pepper episode in Shanghai 😂😂

• “You all know there’s more to me than liking whiskey, right?”

This is unfair and inaccurate, people. Of course there’s more. He likes cheeseburgers and pasta and greasy junk food too, cmon.

• I recall speaking not too long ago about how Madeleine and Hana had very different approaches to similar issues (family pressure, feeling like they are failures, broken engagements with men they didn’t love), and that Madeleine very possibly faced a lot of family pressure (I was wrong about the source being Adeleide, though). To me this forms part of why Hana can see Madeleine the way no one else can, and why it’s essential to have her around when Madeleine opens up.

• This doesn’t really change my opinion of Madeleine, though. It makes sense of some things, but in my mind nothing can really justify the sick pleasure Madeleine gets out of breaking people. She makes excuses for herself by calling it “not tiptoeing on other people’s fragile feelings”, but that would imply she was just being honest and not actively working towards making people feel like shit. In both Hana and Penelope’s cases she was actively working on making them feel like they were beneath her, and enjoying doing that. To me what she did, especially to Hana, was emotional abuse. Speaking ecstatically about “breaking” a human being who has harmed you in no way, is abusive. No more, no less.

• Please don’t tell me a Madeleine and Hana ship will be a thing now. No. Eww. I’d rather not pair Hana with someone who was actively trying to break her. I don’t care how much of a “crush” Madeleine seems to have.

• No matter how misguided Adeleide’s attempts to parent Madeleine are, to me she clearly wins the parenting stakes hands down. She may have made Madeleine feel like she couldn’t mourn what happened to her, but at least she views her daughter as more of a human being than a prize horse.

•

Didn’t lie to get her way? Was saying “I’m allergic to chocolate and you could have killed me” just a figment of my imagination then???

•

• You have to be fucking kidding me. The MC is a duchess now. The Beaumonts are supposed to be helping her. These three should be at the top of their itinerary right now, not throwing things together at the last minute every chapter. Isn’t this Unity Tour supposed to be about knowing your allies and enemies, and preparing accordingly? Being unprepared (somehow, barely) made sense to some extent in the first two books, but things are different now.

• Penelope next week! That woman owes us big time.

General Thoughts on this Chapter:

• Things I feel might come up in Penelope’s estate:

1. Penelope’s anxiety and her parents’ fears about sending her back to court

2. Personal issues within the family maybe? Perhaps Penelope’s desire to take up pet couture designing and her mother’s disapproval of the same might feature.

3. At some point there may be some sort of redemption arc for her where she gets reminded of her involvement in what happened to the MC earlier. Penelope clearly owes the MC a great debt for letting her off the hook so easily.

4. I’ll be damned if I have to play therapist for these people too 😠

• This whole idea of “meddling” is stupid. These people are adults. Grown people, who should be expected to know how to handle their own lives and talk to each other. The royalty/the MC shouldn’t be expected to babysit them. That’s not what we came here for.

• It stings even more when you take into account that the common public is feeling pretty terrified at the moment, and having their own, and here we are busy resolving the family squabbles of rich people.

• It highlights even more strongly what’s wrong with the whole idea of a Unity Tour. I’m hoping this “resolving-aristocrat-issues” thing won’t become a pattern because it’s beginning to look ridiculous.

• @ladynevrakis mentions in her excellent write-up on this week’s chapter that this chapter is a lot better if you’re a non-Liam shipper, and extremely frustrating if you are.

Correct on both counts. As the MC you’re just starting out as a noblewoman, and you will need all the support you can get. If you’re with Drake (especially Drake), Hana or Maxwell, you get plenty opportunities for support from all of them. With Liam, you barely get a few lines here and there before he’s completely MIA. There is no opportunity for Liam or his fiancee to talk properly, or work together as a team. And this house is unquestionably the toughest one, so why does the writing not give Liam any chance to truly be there for her when she needs it???

• I can understand why he wasn’t there for the most part. In the Neville sequence he isn’t there precisely because the writers need to highlight how people treat Drake when Liam isn’t around (and to show what people say about Liam behind his back), and there is no way you could have Liam around in either the group scene or the final scene with the family without making things worse (daughter’s former fiancè, hello?). Plus if the MC is not engaged to him, it would look weird for him to be present at some of these conversations.

STILL, there were a whole range of ways you could write him without him actually being involved in the patch-up, and still do justice to his character:

1. Eat with the group: The group eating scene could have been a perfect time to have Liam come, speak about his progress with convincing ppl, bond with the group over the delicious spread, and leave before Neville enters.

2. Check in periodically: Liam is my MC’s fiancè. They are here together on their first tour as a couple. They’re doing this tour for his people and his country. She is a newcomer and it is essential he has her back. It wouldn’t have hurt to have him come in on occasion and ask her how she is holding up. It wouldn’t have taken more than a scene or two, really, and it could have worked perfectly both on a neutral and romantic level. If you’re going to make Drake such a huge presence in this chapter that you’d go the extra mile and write him two ways, you can very well do the same for Liam. It’s even more essential in his case because he is the King of Cordonia and pretty damn invested in making this tour work.

3. Have the MC notice what Liam was doing independent of her: The writing team is no stranger to writing conversations that don’t involve the MC’s presence at all. We know Liam was spending time speaking to the few nobles in attendance, but we’re never shown how he does this or whether he succeeds. I know he’s as hard at work as the MC is, but I don’t see what he’s doing. Could you really blame readers for thinking he is less involved, then?

4. The Little Things: A gentle touch here, a smile there if he’s your fiancè. Things you would do with your partner when you don’t have much time together but still want to show them they care.

It’s not like the writers don’t know how to involve Liam. They’ve done a really good job of this in the past. The entire social season saw Liam working behind the scenes to ensure the MC was protected and cared for, even when he couldn’t be involved. The engagement tour had him pitching in to help whenever it didn’t seem too suspicious to. In all these instances they kept in mind Liam’s role and limitations, and STILL managed to make him proactive.

The writers had plenty opportunity this chapter to have Liam be there for her in small ways, but hardly bothered to involve him. I appreciate wanting to make his interactions as neutral as possible but that doesn’t mean you don’t put any effort into writing him at all.

To add insult to serious injury, this chapter follows another one where the MC practically takes over Liam’s speech (post the video), leaving Liam with little space to do anything besides agreeing with her. It’s essential - now more than ever - to portray Liam as decisive and proactive, yet the writing has him take 10 steps backwards in terms of character development. The MC is his fiancèe/close friend now. She should be able to see him properly as a politician and a leader at this point. If that doesn’t get resolved soon, we’re in danger of screwing up an interesting character who has a lot of potential.

• I’m still holding out on this book, because it’s still early and I believe they can turn things around and ensure there is a fair balance between the LIs. They are taking what we say into consideration and they have worked hard to make our other LIs’ interactions with us as safe and platonic as possible. I think this is a matter of balance, and I still think they can manage to do a good job of it once they ensure there is a balance.

• But this chapter? I’m not going pretend I’m happy.

[lizzybeth1986]

Quick Thoughts on TRR Book 2, Chapter 14

• We’re back in the hometown fam!

• “Back to the Big Apple”. Nice title, but inaccurate.

• I have an even better title on offer for this chapter, Pixelberry. What about “The Ultimate Fucking Sausage Fest”? 😠

• I could down a drink for every time a woman appeared this chapter and I still won’t be anything but 100% sober. And I’m a lightweight so that’s saying something.

• “Cordonia may be home now, but I will never forget my roots”. I think that no matter what her future holds, Cordonia will still be where she belongs.

•

Madeleine. What’s more important: a wedding shower that practically no one will remember anyway, or a ring that you’re gonna wear for the rest of your life.

• Something is seriously sketch here. All these disappearing acts she’s been doing in the last few chapters are pointing to something, I don’t know what. We’re in the last few days of the engagement tour. Their wedding is going to happen in a few days. Shouldn’t she be even more by Liam’s side than ever? (I mean, I’m not complaining lol. It just seems suspicious). Something’s up with that woman.

• At this stage she should be climbing the Liam tree like a monkey on a sugar high, at least in public, but she’s…actually barely there. Whatchya upto, Countess of Fydelia?

•

Maxwell. Boi. Give it a few minutes xD Pixelberry is going to make you uniquely qualified TO BE AN LI THIS CHAPTER 🎊🎉🎉🎇🎇

• Pixelberry did us dirty by not showing us the Maxwell-riding-King-Kong drawing 😂

• …now I really want to see Liam in a pirate costume.

•

OMFG HAHAHAHAHA MADELEINE TOTALLY NICKED THAT RING OFF DEAN FROM RoE 😂😂😂

• Liam wedding gift shopping time!

• ���Do you really want to make a puppy live with Madeleine?” Touche, Esther. Touche.

• The Cordonian throne is not ergonomical at all, or so Drake tells us. How did you know that, Drake? 😂

• Lol @ the MC suggesting Olivia as a potential bride for Drake xD

•

In Cordonian wedding shopping today, Madeleine gets Dean’s engagement ring, and Drake gifts Liam Jess’ compass. Loooong after Hana has given Esther the RoE MC’s wedding bouquet to impress some minister in Italy 😆

•

I think this is by far one of my favourite scenes in this chapter. I thought the analogy of the compass was beautiful - both to illustrate the nature of the Liam x Drake friendship (and it ties in pretty well with Liam’s camping story about him getting lost and Drake finding him), and who Liam is as a man and a ruler.

• Between this and the Central Park scene where the MC compares Liam to the park itself, I think this chapter subtly hints at how they will write him as a King and a statesman. I personally think he can stand to be shown as craftier and more strategic, but if he plays his cards correctly his style of ruling can definitely work.

•

Yes, Justin. Except we hardly saw any today.

• So…Fydelia is a county within Krona, Madeleine manages the county, Adeleide holds power over the larger duchy. Adeleide has more power, up until Madeleine becomes queen. No wonder she’s so desperate!

• “Successorizing” 😂😂😂 You may not be Cordonia’s Next Top Model, Maxwell, but you could definitely be their answer to Tyra Banks.

• “…it was a spectacular night.” Oh Liam you charmer you xD

•

It’s all those crosses that’s confusing him.

• I see Adeleide! One woman! *downs a shot*

• Yadda yadda drinks yadda yadda chug chug chug yadda yadda compliments on diamond options yadda yadda court gossip yadda yadda Tariq related clue yadda yadda…oh okay vague Madeleine factoid that doesn’t really tell us anything.

• According to Adeleide, winning Liam’s hand becoming Queen will do Madeleine more harm than good. Hmm. Does this have anything to do with what she’s told us before about Regina?

• “What’s happening with House Beaumont, that’s on me and Bertrand to fix. Not you.” I love the quiet simplicity with which Maxwell says this.

• So. Lemme get this straight. This is an event swarming with diplomats and dignitaries. A place for all the members of the court. A chance for all the ladies of the court to excel and participate. Yet all we have to show for it is a short appearance by Adeleide and a mention of Kiara that leads up to the Maxwell diamond scene. No Penelope bonding with Maxwell over failing to impress stuffy dignitaries? No Olivia probably picking up where the MC left off and showing Adeleide how to have a truly good time, ending with an invitation to Lythikos where EVERYTHING tastes great? Most importantly, no Hana blowing every other noble in that room out of the water with her particular brand of awesome??? WTF??? The opportunities to showcase the women were endless but instead we see an continual stream of men.

• What the HELL was the use of last week’s champagne scene with Hana? I mean sure, they might give us a Hana-rich chapter next week but that doesn’t at all justify them ignoring her completely this chapter. She wasn’t seen, she wasn’t mentioned, not even an acknowledgement of gratitude for actually helping the MC get Adeleide the champagne. Tell me which other LI in the series gets treated this way. Drake had featured in every single chapter post Chapter 2 (except if you don’t choose the group diamond scene at the bachelorette). Liam does not feature in the same chapter, for good reason, but besides that he does appear occasionally. Maxwell is a constant. But Hana? She’s saddled often with lackluster diamond scenes, gets less screentime for her story in her own home than a side-character like Savannah gets in Paris, her most recent scene was more about NYC than about her and she doesn’t even merit a MENTION this chapter??? And this, given the possibility that she might not even end up featuring in LA? I’m happy that Maxwell is an LI but it gets me even more worried that Hana will be pushed to the sidelines even further.

• Sniff. The Maxwell diamond scene was gawjuss. The elephant smoking a pipe constellation, the conversation about how things have changed but Maxwell hasn’t, not much, and even if you don’t choose the romance option, the platonic option is equally sweet and very typical Maxwell ft. MC.

• Congrats Maxwell stans!! I hope you get plenty diamond and non diamond romantic interactions in all the chapters to come!

•

A casual tee is a good look on you, Liam 😍😍😍 But babe….those pants. THOSE PANTS. Wouldn’t a lovely, dark-blue, fitting-like a second-skin pair of jeans have gone better? Much better?

• Also, Pixelberry, how nice of you to print Hana’s name on Liam’s tee! How in the world would we remember she exists otherwise!

• There’s going to be so much Daniel-Henney-in-a-tee-and-jeans spam when this post is done OMG

• Somehow I knew the apple jokes were coming 😂

• I’m confused. Leo tells us that the Cordonian Ruby is a little bitter. Liam tells us it’s sweet. Bertrand tells us it’s intense and it has a honeyed caramel taste. WHAT IS IT. (@ladynevrakis answer: It’s probably a good baking apple)

• This diamond scene is giving me serious Applewood hedge maze vibes.

• No more about this scene. I’ve already said too much!

• HELLO BERTRAND I MISSED YOU. Also, it’s classic Bertrand to say nothing at all and steer the conversation onto the next task haha. Also thank you for the jet, Liam!

• Finally face to face with Tariq next week! I hope.

• OK fam I'm off to french kiss Teja now seeya!! XD XD XD

[lizzybeth1986]

Quick Thoughts on TRR Book 3, Chapter 7

• Compulsory Warning: This is going to be a long post, and it's going to show up in full on your dash. I've put a read more, but lately Tumblr (mobile, at least) has begun to apply the "read more" only to reblogs.

• I liked this chapter. Last chapter was amazing IMO, this chapter was keeping up that momentum to an extent.

• Title: Haute Culture. Until now I didn't realise this was an actual term 🙈 Google tells me it means "cultural activities or items that achieve the highest standards" and that "although initially used as an offshoot of haute couture, it really seeks to define anything that is unique and exclusive in the cultural world (as opposed to the fashion one)".

• That kind of fits what we're helping Hakim do - attempting to get Cordonia entered into the International Artists Association so we can convince him to come to the wedding. But it's also about the MC beginning to understand Cordonian culture and how its ways of living differ from location to location (esp if you take the diamond scene with Liam).

• Alternate title: Kiara Whomst? No kidding. Homegirl is practically a non-entity in a story revolving around her fucking home. Her agreement to come for the wedding happens in, like, less than a minute (I counted), and we're way busier exploring the problems of her newly-introduced brother than anything involving her. I will speak later on why I - personally - find this a little problematic.

• So Hakim is both a Duke and a diplomat, and Joelle uses her art connections to "solidify alliances for Cordonia". (Joelle was also briefly mentioned (but not by name) in Book 2, as being friends with Ana de Luca, which was why Kiara was able to arrange a photoshoot at such short notice).

• So far we have seen only two Dukes so far who have been heirs to their ducal estates: Hakim, who owns Castelsarreillan, and Bertrand who owns Ramsford. There's also Neville and Rashad but both are in line for inheriting Cormery Isle and Domvallier, respectively, not Dukes yet.

• A lot of the heirs we have met so far have been women. Krona is Adeleide's, not Godfrey's (and Madeleine's by inheritence, until which time she is Countess of Fydelia). Portavira has been in Emmeline's family for generations (and will pass on to Penelope). Olivia is the duchess of Lythikos and its sole surviving heir. I find the way these women take charge and choose what matters to them (committment to the duchy for Emmeline, a good time for Adeleide, vengeance and support to the Crown for Olivia, serving Cordonia for Madeleine) quite intriguing.

• Madeleine is...spectacularly bad at her job. I mean spectacularly. She's great at handling the media and holding press conferences but her people skills...eek. To say she has none is being kind.

• Like look, I appreciate the work that goes into these dossiers and note cards, but what's the point of passing them down to the MC at the very last minute? To "peruse at leisure"! Where the fuck is she going to find time for "leisure" when your summarized information itself is so vague that she and her friends have to run around to do sluething so they can make sense of any of it? We had to butter up Penelope to find out what should have taken two seconds for Madeleine to guess (if it hadn't been for her mammoth ego), and here we need to sleuth on our own to figure out how to convince Ezekiel. Bertrand, Justin and Maxwell would tell us stuff in the last minute too but at least they'd ensure we went there prepared. Sorry but I really am not impressed.

• So here's our outfit for the day:

...eh? What is this.

• I like that owl armlet tho. Interestingly enough, Kiara and Olivia seem to have very similar house colours! I'm wondering is Lythikos and Castelsarreillan are part of the larger historical Abanthus duchy? But that would only make sense if Castelsarreillan and Lythikos is close to each other, and if Lythikos is the next logical stop. Which I doubt it is, because I think Olivia's duchy will be one of the last few to visit.

• MY MANS IS BACK HE JUST COMPLIMENTED MY OUTFIT. HE ALSO GIVES TINY KISSES ON THE CHEEK LIKE HE USED TO.

•

The last time my dude spoke French it was to call me the love of his life 😍😍😍

• I highly doubt anything happened between Drake and Kiara beyond a harmless crush from her side. Wasn't he the one maintaining that women always preferred Liam and didn't bother much with him? I highly doubt he'd have even guessed Kiara's feelings until the MC explicitly pointed it out to him (tea party), and I don't think they'd have any LI cheat on the MC while they're still romancing her (Nope. That particular badge of assholery is reserved for the MC in Book 2 lol).

• I mean even if she isn't likeable for whatever reasons, that doesn't warrant the kind of vitriol she gets in this fandom sometimes. All she's done is some harmless flirting. It's not a crime to have a crush on someone.

• Ooh I like Zeke! And I like the relationship he shares with his sister (Kiki, tho? Seriously?). Kiara isn't shown having very close relationships with people (and tends to operate based on alliances and advantage, which is normal considering her background and interests) but she has interesting relationships with the people she does love. With both Penelope and Ezekiel she tends to employ a lot of 'tough love'. She cares for them and is fiercely protective of them, even though she scolds them and tells Penelope she needs to toughen up. Her admonishions are hardly helpful, but they do come from a place of concern.

• Ooh. Ezekiel seems enthusiastic and joyful around Penelope's dogs, but can't let it show. Interesting.

• Wow we finally remember Constantine has terminal cancer.

• Drake why are you so insistent on seeing flags in Kiara's home 😂

•

CALLED IT

• "It is [international news] for those with an interest in Cordonian politics". Hmm. Francesco does have ties to the country - his wife is Cordonian and he has had old friends there (namely Hakim and Liam's mother) - but this does have the possibility of meaning more...or being a red herring (if we're connecting him with Sons of Earth and they turn out to be red herrings themselves, that is).

• Aw man I feel sad for Hakim. Esp considering they'd been friends in college and once Constantine became king it became so one-sided with Hakim trying to keep the bond alive and Constantine being so focused on his kingdom that he barely visits. I feel like this is meant to be a bit of a contrast to Liam, who keeps his friends close and ensures they know he's there for them as Liam, their friend, and not the King. Running a kingdom is important, yes, but these friends are the ones that ground you and allow you to remember that you are a human being who needs human connections, after all. Somewhere along the line, I think Constantine missed out on that.

• Would perhaps someone like Hakim have held Constantine back and prevented him from going down the destructive path he tread during the last few months of his life? Would a Hakim have maybe knocked some sense into him, told him "look, you asshole, orchestrating sexual assault is never okay"? Was Constantine so knee-deep in his own mess because he left behind the connections that would have grounded him? Is this where Liam seems to have a clearer perspective of his balance between being a man and being King?

• So far, both Hakim/Joelle and Landon/Emmeline have actually been pretty good in terms of showing respect to all their guests, especially Drake. Penelope's parents seem confused by some of the things Drake tries to do but seemed pretty alright with him otherwise (and he has confessed to looking up to them as examples of what he wants to be as a Duke), and Hakim openly admires Drake for what he has done for Cordonia (if Kiara turns out to be Drake's alternate LI, this might mean he may not have too much trouble getting along with her father).

• Hakim seems like a caring and indulgent parent to Ezekiel, even though they're vastly different, but doesn't seem to adequately understand to what his son wants.

• Kiara tells us this rather than Hakim (diplomat that he is), but the trip to Switzerland is more out of the stress and worry that comes with having your child become collateral damage in an attack against the Crown. Honestly...I understand that. The events of the Homecoming Ball are bound to be a lot more personal to Kiara's family than to most of the nobles.

•

Can we just talk about how immensely brave Kiara must be for agreeing to go back to the place where she was wounded without too much prodding? (I have my problems with this, but more on that later). She'd been stabbed at Homecoming Ball, yet when the MC points out what it would mean for Cordonia if she didn't come, she accepts in a heartbeat. And can we also talk about how no one seems to appreciate her for being able to take this decision under these circumstances? No one in the books, and so far as I can see very few in the fandom.

• Joelle is from the Loire Valley, which is super super famous for its vineyards. It's also celebrated as being home to France's longest river, as being one of the places St. Joan of Arc liberated from the English during The Hundred Years' War and where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years. Pretty fitting that the story makes her a painter from Loire then!

•

I feel like Joelle's painting being that of an apple is going to gain some importance in Chapter 8. Esp considering that we've just come off the destruction of the orchard at Applewood and this festival is meant to ensure Cordonia gains recognition on the world map. We see her just once this chapter, but that painting seems important. I think it's planned to be just an exhibit, but winds up as a centrepiece, thereby getting Joelle to agree to attending the wedding. Maybe there will be a larger story about her art and its connection to Cordonia specifically next week, IDK.

• If you make the MC say "I don't really 'get' art" ("I mean, is it a pipe or is it a metaphor?"), she makes a René Magritte reference xD Particularly to his famous La Trahison des Images painting:

• They're laying it pretty thick with the clues for Zeke's love for animals. First his brief happiness on seeing Merlin and Morgana, his instant connection with Penelope, his insistence on watching a documentary on "custom canine orthotics" when Joelle asks him to entertain the guests. He also makes references to Binet and Pavlov with specific reference to dogs.

• Also I think Penelope telling him no one has understood why dogs matter to her the way he does is one of the sweetest moments this chapter.

• Lol @ Zeke completely forgetting the human beings he's supposed to be hosting while talking about how sad it would be to make the poodles watch the humans drink wine 😂

• Zeke is also a wine connoisseur: something he brushes off as a result of having a vineyard for a backyard. When you're so familiar with a particular area of knowledge that has been part of your childhood, it makes sense that you will not see it as a big deal the way others will.

•

Ugh. I'm not very comfortable with today's Olivia - Drake exchange, ya know? It's obvious she asked Drake that question on purpose. It's obvious that she wanted him to embarrass himself. I usually like their exchanges in the books because the two usually give to each other as good as they get. But here you can tell Olivia had the upper hand in this conversation, and she was merciless about using it. It's a good thing that Zeke attempted to smooth things over by letting Drake know he had some sort of a kindred spirit in him, but it doesn't exactly make it better.

• There's a moment in this book I'm fond of, but I will not discuss it in detail over here (I'll leave that for Liam's group scenes essay). It's this one:

That's a lovely moment because Drake half-teases half-calls Liam out on his privilege, and Liam admits he's wrong and learns from it. You guys see why I love this guy? 😍 (I think it also emerges out of a slight bit of tension from Drake's side - considering he is uncomfortable with this conversation on wine altogether and is a little on edge from the exchange earlier with Olivia, one which played into all his insecurities).

• I feel a little weird about Drake calling Liam "Your Highness" tho lol.

• The rest of this scene is pretty good. It allows you to choose your wine for the wedding (with Hana doing her version of a wine personality test xD), prepares you for the next scene with Zeke, and allows your LI to highlight their "major crisis point" to you.

• All the LIs get to air out their issues to you...all except one. Drake tells you about his struggle with fitting in with nobility. Hana fears she's nothing but a collection of skills. Maxwell worries not being as "special" as the rest of the group, and Liam? Liam remembers the past and what it took for them to get to this point, and states he wants to buy a hundred bottles of the MC's favourite wine to commemorate this moment. This confirms for me that Liam's biggest hurdle is his own reluctance to share what troubles him.

•

I really, really liked this bit in the diamond scene.

• Both Madeleine's chapter and Kiara's chapter deal with family issues, and the group's attempts to resolve them. But I think it feels a lot more natural and much less forced here. Kiara's family is one that's trying to support each other as much as they can, but needs just that little push. With Madeleine's we were doing most of the heavy work of getting them to reunite, and it was exhausting.

•

No you wouldn't.

• I'm particularly interested in how they will show Zeke handle both the estate and his studies, if that's the path they might take with his story. I like that he has some measure of support from Kiara, who he states has been encouraging him for a long time to follow his dreams. She appears to be the only one who pays attention to that side of him, and possibly in next week's chapter she might actually have his back when he finally tells Hakim the truth.

• Can I say I LOVED the dinner diplomacy scene??? LOVED. I love food, and I love exploring how it is a signifier for cultural identity and marker of home. It's why my absolute favourite book genre is that of the food memoir, because it allows us to see how it shapes a person, a community. (Story Time!) A great example of this is one of my favourite memoirs (not a food memoir per se, but I love the bits where they do talk about food) - Ghada Karmi's In Search of Fatima - where she speaks of the sense of displacement her Palestinian family felt in England (they were forced to flee from their home in Jerusalem in 1948) through food. Below is a passage that involves the first time Karmi and her mother tasted the English crumpet:

I like them to this day, but my mother, whose tastes never deviated far from our native Arab cuisine, clearly did not. Later, she adapted the English crumpet into something more fitting for the Arabic palate. The crumpet was fried in butter, then soaked in syrup and then finally topped with a large dollop of thick cream [...] When English visitors came to our house and were served this dish by our mother, they had no idea that what they were eating was a homely English crumpet.

(I have a similar story about how my mom and I once followed the recipe for the French dish chicken a la king, only to discover that it was too mild for our spicy Indian palates. In a panic Mum and I tossed in some turmeric, chili powder, coriander and garam masala. "Your father will burst a blood vessel if we ever tried to serve him this," my mother said, "I'm never making a French dish again ever".)

My point is, this scene isn't just about how to behave at the dinner table. It's an education in Cordonian culture. It captures the myriad identities and sensibilities of its people, from different regions, climates, backgrounds, in the form of food. The MC needs to understand her people and their histories, and Liam is serving her this information on a platter. Literally.

• Liam's been referring to their wedding night quite a bit these days. I'm telling ya, that man has something up his sleeve 😂

• Uh oh. Francesco tells us in the morning that there's been "a disaster" at the art gallery, but we'll have to wait till next week to figure out what it is. This could go three ways:

1. There's some random issue, which may get quickly resolved and allows the MC and her group of friends to save the day somehow. Joelle's painting may be involved in a larger way that they'd planned.

2. The attackers - irked by the way the MC, Liam and their group managed to uplift spirits at Applewood - make the gallery their next target and destroy it. This looks like it would lower morale, force Francesco to cancel and Hakim to consider the trip to Switzerland as final when BAM! the group saves the day. Joelle's painting will definitely be involved.

3. If Francesco is involved in Possibility 2 somehow, then there is a chance they might show clues. But I still have my doubts.

These are the things I feel we might tackle next chapter:

1. Joelle's issues. There surely must be more going on and I'm confident that painting of hers might feature in a large, patriotic way next week.

2. Hakim's worries and fears. He is worried about Kiara (perhaps more than she is about herself!), disappointed in Constantine, and altogether reluctant to have anything to do with the Crown. There may be a chance he will discover the truth behind why Constantine couldn't make it, be confronted with what Ezekiel wants, and an opportunity to help him move past his very legitimate fears. A combination of some or all of these will eventually factor in with his agreement to make it to the wedding.

3. Francesco. If there are connections he has to Sons of Man, now is the time to show it. However, I feel we still might have a chance to extract information about Liam's mother. Remember how the Cordonian history scene mentioned we would get an advantage later? One possibility is that it might unlock an extra scene with Francesco about Liam's mom next chapter. Let's see.

• Overall I really liked this chapter and I thought there were plenty going on. Ezekiel x Penelope was sweet (it broke my heart a little to not have Maxwell x Penelope, but that's okay), Kiara's family overall was nice, the diamond scenes were amazing...buuuuut Kiara was barely there 😑

• I have a bit of a problem with this. Kiara is the only courtly lady mentioned who was injured in the attack at Homecoming Ball. She's the only other person besides Drake and Justin to physically suffer from it. She was wounded. With a knife. As a member of the Cordonian court. You can't tell me that won't affect a person in a significant way. Yet there is so much more focus on her older brother than there is on how the current climate must have made her feel. My other problem is complete lack of screenspace in her own home. Let me elaborate:

• Convincing Madeleine to join the tour? A whole freaking chapter plus a diamond scene. Along with an exploration of her family, her issues with her parents, and what she has gone through to get to this point.

Convincing Penelope to join the tour? A whole freaking chapter plus a diamond scene (which I didn't mind, actually). Along with an exploration of her anxiety issues, her closeness to her support animals and how Madeleine's behaviour has affected the way she looks at court.

Convincing Kiara to join the tour? Takes less than a minute. I'm serious. The entire scene - her recommendation of Zeke showing them the estate included - clocks around 58 seconds from beginning to end. And her own brother (who I love, he's amazing, but who we've never heard of until today) has way more importance in her story at the moment than she does.

• I'm hoping there will be more of her tomorrow, but I highly doubt it. There's already way too much going on, and Kiara has already agreed to make it to the wedding. I loved her drive and determination to do something for Cordonia in that scene, but I feel she deserved more than that.

• I feel like a broken tape recorder saying this - but when was the last time Maxwell had anything substantial to do? He and Bertrand have barely there, and Maxwell is supposed to be an LI. So far Liam has had 3 individual scenes, Drake 2, and Hana 1. Why hasn't Maxwell gotten one yet???

• I feel like next chapter we won't get a Liam scene, and that's more than okay. He's gotten two major scenes in two consecutive weeks, it's time for the rest to get some attention now.

• Next chapter is Chapter 8! In Books 1 and 2 these chapters ended up being the one where all the LIs got a diamond scene each (hot-tub/piano/cellar at Lythikos, and runway/Eiffel Tower/meeting Savannah in Paris). There's a chance that might happen, except maybe the scenes may be given to Hana, Maxwell (I hope!) and Drake. That is...if the writers remember Maxwell is an LI and deserves individual scenes 😒