#duke bavlenka

[giulolosblackmail]

Willow's Bio

Though Willow is over a century old, he has still lived most of his life in Finsel and formed many meaningful relationships with the humans that live there. It is, perhaps, because of his love of individual humans that he despises humans as a whole. Around eighty years ago Willow came to know a boxer and his daughter living in the slums. The boxer’s daughter fell ill and they couldn’t afford to pay for her treatment, so the boxer began to gamble his life for a chance at saving his daughter, going up against opponents that were far larger and stronger than he was. Inevitably, he was beaten nearly to death and could no longer work. Willow, having not nearly enough money to help them himself, began writing poetry about the boxer and his daughter in a desperate attempt to bring attention to his friend’s situation. The poems became wildly popular among nobles, but the real-life inspirations behind the poems were ignored and died in poverty. Willow decided that humans don’t care about tragedy in the literal, only the theoretical where it serves as entertainment, and - finding the pen to be useless - turned to his much more reliable fists and fell into the Gang Territory. Willow’s worldview changed, and he came to believe that, “although the power of art leads to eternity, but to grasp the present, we must have force. Without the present, there would be no eternity.”

Taking his anger, grief, and frustration out on all those who stood before him by throwing himself recklessly into every fight he could find, Willow created a legend in the Gang Territory and amassed wealth and power. His symbol became the emerald studded brass knuckles that came to be known as the Legendary Seal of the Gang Territory, the weapon of the undefeated Champion of the Underground Arena. Legend has it that when the Gang Territory fell into a turf war fifty years ago, the battle raged for three days in what would later be called the Battle of Gang Territory. And from the chaos rose the victor, the Champion, the man with the ability to command wind and lightning, the strongest warrior in the Gang Territory. Willow won the right to rule, but found that it brought him no joy to amass power or wealth, and so he gave away his wealth freely and shied away from the spotlight; eventually the legend faded into obscurity after the Champion vanished, and now only rumors remain that that once great man has ended up working for a noble. There are many in the slums who remember the Champion not as a warrior, but as a man who gave away everything he owned to friends and strangers alike, who defended the weak with his own fists, bleeding for anyone who could not fight for themselves. It had never been his intention to help, only to find relief for himself. “I just thought they needed those things more than I did. Fighting made me happy enough.” Perhaps that is why he was eventually lured away from the Gang Territory.

A hollow life spent ever in fear of the next conflict and wounded from the last is difficult to maintain, who knows what the Duke Bavlenka of the time promised Willow to buy his loyalty, but Willow has been working under the Bavlenka Family ever since. He became something of a fancy pet, only ever seen draped in finery and singing sweetly for nobles at luxurious balls filled to the brim with wealth and excess. He lived well, but it was a life that made him sick. To cope, he spent all his free time sneaking away to the Slums to drink and fight to excess, even disguising himself to return to the Colosseum in secret. “Singing makes me feel less alone. And fighting, I feel as if I'm truly alive. When your life is almost eternal, time loses its meaning.” It was not until he met Magda Ellenstein that he began to find the dull routine of his life new and exciting again. Striking up a friendship, Willow found himself chasing after Miss Ellenstein as she caused trouble and shook Finsel by its roots, even going into battle during the climax of the Sulla War to help her. The Finsel that emerged from the rubble of war was changed, though it was unclear if it was for the better.

Whatever promise Willow had made with Duke Bavlenka all those years ago must have been somewhat shaken with the late Duke’s death, for Willow began to hide himself away from the new head of house, well enough that it took some time before Duke Gaelan Bavlenka learned of his existence. Willow seemed to hold a particular disdain for Gaelan Bavlenka, though was not alone in his dislike for the man attempting to navigate Finsel’s political landscape with entirely unearned confidence. It was not just Willow’s rebellion chipping away at the Bavlenka family’s united front and social prestige, though his was one of the first to be ended. Eventually Lou Bavlenka dragged him back to his duties, though Willow did not go gently. The first song he sang under the new Bavlenka head was the infamous Cursed Aria, a legendary song among the elves that had largely been lost to time, as no one wished to gamble their life just to perform it. Dedicating his performance to Lady Magda Ellenstein, Willow told her, "Once life loses its meaning, we must find a new one. I never cared about the future. It's unpredictable,” before confessing his love for her in no uncertain terms. It was his conviction and passionate love for Lady Ellenstein that weathered him through the song’s curse, and until his love for her fades, he can sing it as often as she will listen.

Like many others, Willow found himself falling for the charming Miss Ellenstein soon after making her acquaintance, pledging to come whenever she called so that he could fight her battles for her, this being both something of a confession and an attempt to keep Miss Magda from getting into trouble in the Gang Territory. He could only fall for her more as he watched her monumentous rise to power, and would continue to be enthralled by her care for people and her stubborn drive to improve Finsel, bridging the gap between the nobility and the Slums. In an ultimate act of passionate love, Willow placed his life on the line to sing Lady Ellenstein the Cursed Aria, though when she could not find the words to respond, he instead asked her to listen as he kept singing for her and her alone. Regardless of the direction Lady Ellenstein’s heart will follow, Willow will continue to be inspired by her, striving to improve himself as a man and a singer, and go on to dedicate himself to improving the lives of elves in Finsel.

link to wiki page

[sugarrushsato]

More Helix Waltz stuff, of my absolute faves

[sofihatter545]

👏👏👏Putting Cynthia in her place

Also, shipping moment with Magda and new duke Bavlenka

[anime-severler]

Ellenstein should be strong as 4 families Eliza just resurrecting the dead person and 4 families be like "I'm stronger than you" "No I'm stronger than you my ancestors used arrow to kill snow queen" "My ancestors did bla bla"

[jellidile]

Black Hellebore (Duke Bavlenka)

Well here it is! My long-awaited Duke Balvenka fic! It is one sided(?) and also, a Hanahaki fic!! https://fanlore.org/wiki/Hanahaki_Disease There is a link which describes the premise fairly quickly! If there are mistakes please let me know!

One-sided love is never easy. Especially when you die at the end. Magda understands just how hard it is, though she finds solace, in her own way.

The Duke didn’t see joy in the balls of Finsel anymore. Each repeated song reminding him of his wife and the happy days spent with her. He’d lost any connection with Lou. Who, is his grief he’d forgotten to treat as his daughter. He could still remember his wife weakly yelling at him. She begged him not to spend Lou away. She wanted to see her when the time finally came. But in his misery at the thought of losing his wife he lost himself.

Now looking around the ball the newly reinstated Ellenstein family heir sat alone on a bench. The Duke scowled into himself. She looked identical to his wife, one of the main reasons he loathed to talk to her. Stealing another glance Nyx was sat beside her. She coughed into a handkerchief and held her head. She seemed much paler than usual. Nyx made sort motion to get her up, but, the Ellenstein stayed. Shaking her head and giving a smile. Later on the Duke himself sat down by the bench the Ellenstein girl had moved. But as he sighed looking to the floor something caught his eye. There between his feet was a black petal. He picked it up keeping it out of view from the other nobles. Everyone knew about the disease. How it would strike up just when you least expected it. And would fade the second the victim was happy in a relationship. How doctors had found a way to remove the plant growth in the lungs was beyond him, but he himself was appalled with the results. An inability to love, a removal of emotion. In extreme cases, total memory loss of a person’s affections. His eyes scanned the room and found her with a black bloom in her hair. She was talking to the only Sakan the Duke had an ounce of respect for. He huffed, surely her disease was cured now, if it was even there at all? But as he watched them speak, she began to hack into her handkerchief again. A petal the same colour as the one in the Duke’s hand fluttered into the air. And he watched as she plucked it from the air and rushed out the door. He sighed. Surely the girl’s mother wouldn’t let this continue for much longer. But there was a pang of pity, he was appalled with the results of forcefully curing the disease, he would never wish such pain on a person so naive as her. Guilt, covered his shoulders too. She looked just as frail as his own wife right before she died.

Magda barely managed to make it home through all the coughing. The pain in her chest had gotten worse and she could barely breathe. Her mother was at the table when she burst in and fled to her room. She knew she’d left petals on the floor but she had to go. She had to pull out the flowers in her throat. Closing her door she sucked in a small breath before putting her hand as far as it could go down her throat. She gagged as she grasped around the stems. She wanted to scream at the pain when she pulled. A sickening snap brought several inches and blooms out. She cough and cried throwing them across the room. He mother told her not to fall in love. But she didn’t listen. She didn’t listen and was going to die for it. He mother pounded on the door as she coughed,

“Magda! Magda are you alright?” An entire flower fluttered from her mouth. It was all too graceful for the pain she was in. Her mother opened the door and openly sobbed,

“Oh sweet child… How long?” Magda fell into her mother’s arms,

“Months.” Her mother shook her violently,

“You can’t stay like this Magda! We have to remove them!” Magda could do nothing but cry,

“Please don’t mother. I can’t live like that. At least I’ll have flowers when I go like this.” Her mother shook her again,

“You’ll have to live with it! I will not let you die Magda! Not when our dreams are coming true.” Magda feeling another fit coming on hoarsely screamed at her mother shoving her out of her room,

“Perhaps we don’t have the same dreams mother!” she slammed her door and locked it. Then collapsed onto the ground hacking. It was too late for her, but she had to do one thing first.

Perhaps it was the way he radiated loneliness to her. Or how his stance wasn’t as proud as it could been. When everyone else said anger but she could only see regret. The Grand Duke always seemed just the tiniest bit reserved, yet everyone else said he was stern. When Magda first saw the Duke, she couldn’t help but want to see him. When he shooed her away she only felt her resolve grow stronger. When Nyx spoke glowingly about her father Magda wished she could see his smile. When Lou spoke of his harsh exterior being put in place after the death of his wife. She found herself wishing to comfort him as it seemed no one else would. She didn’t know when her feelings turned towards love. But sometimes she’d find herself blushing at the thought of his voice. Other nights she’d wonder what it would be like to be wrapped up in his cloak on a cold night. The stinging pain in her chest did not alarm her. She thought it was only because her heart was beating to fast for her body. The constant tickle in her throat was a common cold. The petals on her pillow were gifts from the maid. All could be explained until she spoke to Gonzalo one evening,

“Hello Gonzalo how are you?” he looked grim,

“Hello Magda.” He looked pale and thin. Seeming to rely on his cane,

“Are you alright you don’t look well… Should we sit down?” Gonzalo nodded. As they sat he began to hack, and she was horrified, as a petal slowly flew through the air. Gonzalo gasped and bowed his head as Magda caught it in her hands. She recognized it. She’d seen the striking blue petals in the Jorcastle garden. A blue hydrangea. She stared up at Gonzalo worry eating at her core,

“Are you okay?” Her world seemed to stop then. As Gonzalo explained the symptoms and their dramatic conclusion. How it stemmed from unrequited love. How being cured was more miserable than dying with flowers in your lungs. How the earliest signs were a harsh stinging in your chest. Gonzalo confessed his love for Alan. Much like the flowers, his love was heartfelt and strong. He was content with dying. He’d accepted it when the petals began to pour. Magda felt a tickle in her throat and when she coughed up a singular petal all her fears welled up inside her. She’d never felt closer to Gonzalo as a friend that night. That night when she coughed up the first petal, and Gonzalo whisked her away to the garden. That night when, through tears, she confessed her love for the Duke to an unbiased ear. That night when she felt more understood and cared for than she’d ever felt when Gonzalo asked if they could leave together when the time came. Gonzalo’s condition worsened slowly. While Magda’s spread too fast for her liking. She often visited Gonzalo in an attempt to distract her worried mind but it always drifted back to the sad eyes of the Duke. Many thought it was her trying to seduce him, but no one dared retort when Lynna began calling people out for their rumours.

How shocking it all was when Lynna walked in on Magda’s visit to find her crying a coughing flower petals. It must’ve been shocking for Lynna too, seeing as her brother was doing the same thing. Magda sat uneasy as Gonzalo explained. Begging Lynna to keep it a secret from Tilla. Lynna too, had become like a friend to Magda. Not outright showing it, but little things like keeping nosy nobles from hounding her when she needed to cough. Or distracting dukes and duchesses when Magda truly needed to leave because of her condition.

It all came crashing down when she received a letter from Lynna only weeks before. Gonzalo’s condition was critical. He could breathe and talk but he could barely move. Every twist and stretch of his chest had him doubled over in pain. There were very specific instructions for Magda, when she was in the same boat. Tears in her eyes she went to visit him. She swore she would follow through.

Things had only gotten worse. Without Gonzalo at the balls Magda couldn’t help but feel alone. She constantly needed to cough but couldn’t for fear of looking bad. Her mother was pressuring her to maintain appearances as she had just put the family name back on the map again. The patron demanded intel from her. The balls demanded grace. Through all of that her love for the Duke grew stronger. Especially when, while being hounded by nobles, he appeared. Sternly he told them to leave her alone and when he commanded her to talk to Lou, she noticed the regret in his eyes. She shouldn’t have asked but,

“Of course Grand Duke. If I may, are you alright? You seem exhausted.” He didn’t glare. With a shake of his head and a firm head tilt the conversation was over. Still she knew the sadness that plagued him felt like a constant weight. A heavy cloak to even the strongest men. She knew all too well the weight he must’ve felt constantly.

Magda sobbed into her hands as she wrote. She wrote down her feelings into her diary and she’d just finished writing two very important letters. Opening her window, light rain dotted her arms. The soft pitter patter almost eased the pain in her chest as she called for the maid. Slipping the letters under the door she spoke clear instructions,

“The letter addressed to the Jorcastle’s must arrive there within the hour. The letter to the Bavlenka’s need only arrive.” She could barely stand as the stems tickled her throat. They were growing faster now. An another full bloom fell from her mouth and Magda sighed. The flower was apparently called a Black Hellebore. They were flowers thought to clear away evil when displayed in a vase. And they were poisonous. Magda assumed that’s why she was falling ill so much faster than Gonzalo. He’d confessed he’d been suffering for close to a year or so. Whereas Magda had only been sick a handful of months. Though it pained her to, she walked to her closet and began looking through all of her dresses. She wanted to look serene when her mother found her in the morning. Slipping on her black dress adorned with stars on the bottom, she found black socks, long black gloves and her favourite necklace. Stumbling back to her bed she lied down and after she coughed them out, Magda put a few of the Hellebore blooms into her hair. On her bedside table laid a small amber vial. She hastily wrote one last letter. Staring at the amber glass, she shivered. But with the light rain outside her window, and the thought that she wouldn’t be alone tonight, she popped the cork and drank. Blowing out her candle. Magda fell asleep.

In the morning Finsel was quiet. There was nothing but the shrieks of two horrified mothers. The Duke sighed. He knew two nobles had died last night but no one would tell him who. It wasn’t until Zoe appeared on his doorstep, shaken,

“If you’d be so kind Zoe, I’d like to know who passed on.” Duke Olineaux shook his head,

“Give me a moment, so I can find the words. The news still shocks me.” It was a few tense moments. That were interrupted by Nyx’s scream. Bavlenka was up in an instant as his young daughter burst into the reading room in hysterics. She latched onto her father and sobbed loudly,

“It’s not fair father! I don’t understand, it’s not fair!” the Duke rubbed her back awkwardly. Looking to Zoe, the other man looked grim. Nyx provided half an answer,

“Haven’t you heard? Magda is dead! She was so bright! I, I wish I hadn’t left her. If only-” the Duke recognized the words. Crouching down he grabbed Nyx’s shoulders and stared into her eyes

,“Do not speak like that Nyx. Thoughts like that only lead to endless regret. You did all that you could. Her decisions were her’s and fate’s alone.” Nyx sniffled and nodded as her father escorted her out of the room. He would be with her in a moment. Harson walked up to the Duke and placed a letter in his hands,

“From the… Ellenstein’s.” He stiffly walked away. The Duke hummed to himself, why would the old Ellenstein send him a letter? Looking back to Zoe, he finally got the second half of an answer,

“Gonzalo.”

“What?” Zoe huffed,

“Gonzalo Jorcastle also died last night.” the Duke felt he already had the answer,

“What of?”“Hondo people call it Hanahaki. It’s the…” He made a gesture of coughing up something. Bavlenka nodded in understanding. Not many words passed between the two men, except,

“Open the letter.” Zoe was monotone. The Duke huffed,

“Why?”

“Because Eliza sent you a letter the night of her daughter’s death. You owe it to her to read it.” there was a begrudging grumble as the Duke opened the letter. First of all, although he usually never did, he looked at who’d given the salutation. It was not Eliza,

“It’s from the girl…”

“What?”

“You heard me Zoe.”

“I did, but what does it say?”

“Dear, Duke Bavlenka. I write you in hopes that I can die with a clear conscience. So that I may die, without regrets. I have no doubts you will write off my death as a girl foolishly in love with someone she’d only met once. You wouldn’t be wrong. But I was a girl who fell in love with someone who so desperately looked like they needed a shoulder to cry on. I know not if it is fair, or right to tell you, but I was in love with you. I fully understood the consequences of my feelings but I hoped that even if you could never love me I might see your eyes clear of pain and regret. I always saw a hidden pain within you. A hopeful fool thought I could at least have made you smile. When Lady Nyx would speak of your laugh I yearned to hear it. What fun balls would be if only you could see the fun in them too. But my feelings grew past a childish wish into something more intimate. I wondered what it would be like to be held in your arms. But you needn’t know anymore, those are dreams only my heart can know.

I dreamt Grand Duke of things never to happen, and yet only one wish prevailed. I wished you could be happy again. I saw how dull your eyes were and it saddened me so. Perhaps you have been told this before, but, the sky is always brighter when the rainstorm passes by. It seems you always keep a rain cloud at arm’s length. I implore you, abandon that rain cloud and your regrets and look up to the sky. A new day is waiting for you if you would only go out to see it.

Finally, though it is up to you, please take care of my mother. I fear for her as I write this alone, with only candlelight by me. My eyes are full of tears and I can barely see the words I write. The clock is chiming now. Gonzalo will be waiting for me. Sincerely,

“Magda Ellenstein.” The room was silent between the two dukes. Zoe bowed his head. Where Bavlenka could only stare in disbelief. She was blunt to say the least. The words of her letter hitting him hard. They echoed the words of his wife, how much she reminded him of her. He sighed placing down the letter in front of him. Speechless was one word to describe him. As he sat thinking about the small girl he could only sigh. He stared outside, mainly to the sky. And for once the sky seemed to be a brighter blue than usual. Deep and dark, yet light and pure.

And in the back of his throat, there was the smallest tickle.

[randomshenaniganery]

You know if Magda was really smart she’d be casually mentioning to the duke about how her eyes are blue but her family’s are usually green and how it’s just so odd her father died when she was young just to torment the Grand Duke a little. Because honestly the have the same fucking eye color man and she could say it in a non-concerned way that way she’s not really stating anything but she is giving ideas to a bunch of people and just cause utter chaos while Eliza face palms in the background

(this is if the grand duke has no idea i wouldn’t know since I’m still early in)

[dngrs-untld-hrshps-unnmbrd]

I laugh every time I see this “maintenance over” graphic and some of the others because usually otome advertising is implicitly “look at these hot characters you can romance,” but because this is Helix Waltz, the truth is actually

GAY

MARRIED

HATES YOU

IN LOVE WITH AN ELF

[iwritelikeimrunningoutoftime]

"The Seven Dwarves"

The descriptions of the Seven Dwarves dolls are fucking gold.

Magda is a 9 on the Sakan family scale, homegirl doesn't need that luck lol. No shrine for you, Juven.

"NO HAMMER, NO LASER EYES." THEY FUCKING KNOW ABOUT THE MEME!!!

Thank fuck no laser eyes.

Is that a reference to Balfey falling off his horse??? Why would I want a change or refund, HE'S SO CUTE!!!!

Alan in a skirt Alan in a skirt ALAN IN A SKIRT yes please

You will take your hits BG AND YOU'LL TAKE IT LIKE A MAN 💪👊

when have you ever worked a day in your life and no, plotting does not count

-runs away with the doll- NEEEEEEEEVVVVVVEEEEEERRRRR

[dance-it-out-my-dudes]

Alternative version;

"DUKE BAVLENKA I STOLE YOUR ELF"

Magda, bursting through the door, Willow in hand: “MOM I STOLE YOUR MAN”

Mom: “Wh-what? I never-”

Magda: “YEAH THAT’S RIGHT YOU NEVER”

[giulolosblackmail]

i'm so mad i didn't think of this theory sooner

ok so y'all remember the theories floating around about how gdb chose nyx bc he wanted her to replace the saint? it never quite fit, and in the end nyx wasn't involved in the ritual gdb was using to steal the saint's power, in fact he was going to give it to himself, lou was the one he was using as a pawn to take power in the spiral spire, leslie was his personal guard, and harson served faithfully in both managing the household and gathering intel, all of them did these things despite their own personal feelings and grievances about the matter

nyx was the only one that was just kind of... there? in the background? and it always stood out because edward leopold bavlenka uses people, in fact, the only person we can say for certain he's ever loved is eliza

and that got me thinking, there's the one deity event where magda gets thrown into an alternate finsel where gdb staged a successful coup very early on, took the throne, married eliza, and had a daughter, a blue eyed blonde haired daughter

i know that it's that way because magda needs to be involved in the story, but it's also not unusual for grand duke bavlenka who has blue eyes and eliza ellenstein who has blonde hair, to have a child with those characteristics, and after seeing how desperately obsessed with eliza he was, even manipulated and power hungry as he was, i don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that he went through the other bavlenka family branches, picked the kid that most looked like what he thought his and eliza's daughter would look like, and adopted her, he certainly treats her better than his actual daughter that he had with his actual wife

it's just kind of sad since the au event showed us what a doting edward would have looked like, and the closest you get to that in the main timeline is how he treats nyx, like in both cases he is still overbearing and judgemental, but i'm just thinking about how the only thing he ever demanded of nyx was that she married well to secure her position in finsel

[hunkjasontodd]

“Lou walks a dark path, filled with loneliness and high expectations.” 

-

A collaborative effort between @cakequakers and I, it was really fun to write and explore the different dynamics between the characters. Though it could have been expanded a little more, I feel like this work is one of my best! 

Please do leave us a comment and tell us your thoughts after reading through it!

[anime-severler]

[jellidile]

(Mirrorverse Bavlenka) Learn to Smile

Barris is such a dick in this AU like good looooord (fic under the cut)

Maybe it was because he knew the boy when he remembered how to to smile. Or perhaps because he felt indebted to his mother but the Grand Duke wanted to see the Minister smile. It was a lovely thing. Fitting the man much better than the ugly scowl he always wore. Some days it seemed hopeless, but then he would get a stiff stare before Barris would walk away huffing. His wife’s advice echoed in his mind,

“The saddest souls usually scowl the most. So work hard to show them that the sun is shining once again today, just as it will tomorrow.” Seeing the Minister again the Grand Duke approached as usual. His friendly smile meeting ice cold eyes,

“Minister Sakan! How are you my dear boy?” Barris clicked his tongue, glaring,

“I am no boy Grand Duke. Have you come to chat about your frivolous trips into the slums?” The Grand Duke almost sighed,

“You’ll always be a boy in my eyes Barris. The same boy hiding behind his mother because the tall scary Duke came over.” The Minister’s eyes narrowed. The Duke knew full well how touchy a topic it was. But if it would get this boy to let at least one thought slip, it would be a big enough crack for the Duke,

“Enough. She’s dead. I have no one to hide behind now because I don’t need to hide, Grand Duke. Perhaps you should let go of your wife and bring back the, scary Duke, you used to be. It fits your image much better.” Instead it was the Duke who found his armour cracking. Barris glared his law book closed,

“What’s the matter Grand Duke Bavlenka? Sakan got your tongue?” With that the pale man walked away. Leaving the Duke disappointed. He knew too well the path of misery. He didn’t wish such a thing on anyone, but it seemed that it was the only path anyone was willing to walk.

When he arrived home the large painting of his family stared down at him. Mostly he focussed on his wife. Forget her? No. As long as he lived he would remember the woman who taught him to smile. Lou smiled walking up to her father the Grand Duke pulled her into a side hug,

“Remember my dear, a smile can open even the most ancient locks.” Lou smiled holding out a letter,

“Harson wanted me to give this to you.” the Duke recognized the seal. Pink roses. Heading into his office he found the fireplace roaring. As he opened the letter, he found two sentences,

Your smiles are weak, what do you think you can accomplish? Holding onto the dead is foolish, heed my advice, forget them and you will reach greater heights.

The Duke tossed the letter in the fire. He tried thinking of any time Barris was even close to smiling… None came to mind. As the letter faded into the flames the Duke sat at his chair, he sighed wiping some dust off the picture of his wife. He wondered what she would do. He had been stubborn, but… she never gave up. Barris was different, he wasn’t stubborn he was adamant,

“Perhaps it is not I who can melt the ice surrounding him…”

[randomshenaniganery]

that one time in chapter twelve (i think)

Grand Duke Bavlenka (what even is his first name): Hey Eliza I-

Eliza: FUCK OFFFF

[dngrs-untld-hrshps-unnmbrd]

I have won over many a tsundere asshole and I assure you you’re next, dukey baby 💅

[iwritelikeimrunningoutoftime]

Helix Waltz: The Four Family Crests

So, since I haven't seen any pictures of the crests up close anywhere, here are the crests (sigils?) of the Four Families, as well as all familial members (those baring the family name) and some analysis and brief family history.

Sakan:

The rose red color of the Sakan family, it plays homage to the family's archer bloodline with three roses as arrows ready to go flying (perhaps a reference to the fact that the Sakan line has born many a poet?). The family consists of Duke Langwon Sakan; his brother, Barris Sakan, the Minister of Justice of Finsel; Juven Sakan, the Duke's son and heir, Viscount of the estate in his father's absence; and Barbara Sakan, the Duke's only daughter and the beloved sister of the Viscount with a brother complex, whoo boy.

Olineaux:

The Olineaux family sigil is green (ironically, it is the family color of the Jorcastles). The Knight family, their sigil doesn't show anything to reflect it, other than the laurel encasing the the plant inside (a reference to the possible fertility of the family? Or just a fun reference to the fact that Duchess Christie is fond of gardening and horticulture?). They occupy the position of Colonel of the Knight regiment of Finsel. The family consists of Duke Zoe Olineaux; Duchess Christie, formally known as the Lady Knight Christie; Balfey, the eldest son and heir; Hugh, the younger son and head of the Amber Knights; and Vicky, the Duke's niece and a damn fine sommelier and mixologist.

Jorcastle:

The mage family who ironically doesn't have any mages in the current generation! The only family headed by a female, the Jorcastle sigil is that of a horse, though it sort of looks like the horse is spewing fire??? might be a call to the their mage line, seeing as mages can conjure fire. The Jorcastle family consists of Duchess Tilla Jorcastle, the widow of the Duke, Dame of the estate; Gonzalo, the heir and fashionista of Finsel who may or may not have a cute crush on Alan, Captain of the Guardsmen; and Lynna, the Duke's illegitimate daughter, adopted into the family by the Duke's dying wish girl has an inferiority complex the size of Africa.

Bavlenka:

The Bavlenka family is currently considered the most powerful and influential in Finsel. The Four Families tend to rotate in terms of power (the Jorcastles are currently headed by a woman and one not of Jorcastle blood, the Sakans have a Head of Family who is never home and constantly roaming, and the Olineauxs... Actually, I don't know why they're not currently at the top....). Anyway, the Bavlenkas are of the warrior line of Finsel. They're the family with the largest private army and most mages under their employ. The sword, with it's lion detail, implies the family's prowness in battle, as the proverbial Kings. The family consists of the Grand Duke, a presumed war veteran; Lou, the Duke's eldest daughter and his only by blood, she is removed from the succession due to being mage; Nyx, the beloved and doted on youngest daughter, she was born in a collateral branch of the family and adopted by the Duke into the main family for reasons unknown; and Leslie, who saved the Duke from an assassination attempt and as a reward for his bravery, was granted the name Bavlenka.

And there we have it! If I missed anything, let me know! Hope it's helpful for art reasons or fic reasons, and that my personal commentary wasn't too off putting ^^.

EDIT: For some reason Tumblr won't let me change what I initially wrote but an anon pointed out that Gonzalo Jorcastle is a mage, but he's more about using his magic to enchant his clothes than using it for combat (we stan a legend). Tilla is the inheritor of the ancient family magic secrets, but it is unknown if she herself is a mage.