#gold = royalty & monarchy

[royalty-nobility]

Portrait of Mariana of Austria

Artist: Diego Velázquez (Spanish, 1599-1660)

Genre: Portrait

Depicted People: Mariana of Austria, Queen of Spain

Date: 1652–1653

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Collection: Museo del Prado, Madrid

Portrait of Mariana of Austria is a 1652–1653 oil-on-canvas painting by Diego Velázquez, the leading artist of the Spanish Golden Age, existing in a number of versions. Its subject, Doña Mariana (known as Maria Anna), was the daughter of Emperor Ferdinand III and Maria Anna of Spain. She was nineteen years old when the painting was completed. Although described as vivacious and fun-loving in life, she is given an unhappy expression in Velázquez's portrait. The portrait is painted in shades of black and red, and her face is heavily made up. Her right hand rests on the back of a chair, and she holds a lace handkerchief in her left hand. Her bodice is decorated with jewelry, including a gold necklace, bracelets and a large gold brooch. A clock rests on scarlet drapery behind her, signifying her status and discernment.

Mariana had been betrothed to her first cousin, Prince Baltasar Carlos. He died in 1646 aged sixteen, and in 1649 she married her uncle, Baltasar Carlos's father, Philip IV, who sought her hand so as to preserve the hegemony of the Habsburg dynasty.[A] She became queen consort on their marriage, and after her husband's death in September 1665, regent during the minority of her son, Charles II, until he came of age in 1675. Owing to Charles' inhibiting physical weaknesses, she dominated the political life in Spain until her death in 1696.

[npc-tess]

Flags for my PnP Campaign

Galantria's flags over the years:

Absolute Monarchy

Civil War

Constitutional Monarchy (the current one)

[johannestevans]

the time when i actually find royalty and monarchy sexy and most interesting is when like...

so historically a monarch was treated as a public body. 0 privacy. servants would be in their bedroom to ensure they were chaste or that they were fucking who they were supposed to

like. they'd have attendants that went with them to the bathroom. they MIGHT be permitted to pray alone, and they'd have some trusted attendants and/or their spouses they might be permitted to be alone with but like

they were constantly observed. scrutinised. surveilled.

and i don't mean in public like, on the city streets, i mean IN their castles, their palaces, their homes. a parade of doctors would examine their bodies in DETAIL, sometimes every day! their portraits were done to a political standard, not to reflect their bodies!

no personhood. no identity. your power was EXTREMELY limited by the interests and plays of your attendants, by members of your court, and by the public

now THAT shit is interesting. stop pretending monarchs were interesting heroes

like every english monarch has been a freak figurehead, they're all extremely traumatised by the weird gold cages they live in, they have no identity, they don't even know what they don't know. they're strange, twisted experiments of tug-of-war between political attendants

and if ppl played w that in fiction, ESP w like. how does a person like that even consent? how do they know what consent is, what it means? their body is not their own, and it never has been. what is and what isn't a violation to a person like that? how can they voice it?

don't get me wrong, the only good monarch is a dead one, and i'm in favour of dismantling all forms of monarchy as brutally as possible, BUT

if we're going to do monarchy shit, stop pretending these ppl can pretend to be normal. make them as weird as they are

[whimsicalwritingsandmore]

Aurorise | ateez x reader

Pairing: prince!ateez x dancer!reader

Genre: royalty, historical fiction, poly, adventure

Word Count: 1568 words

Summary: The story of how you, a dancer, upheaved an entire monarchy all by falling in love with eight princes.

a/n: from the poll, the next post will be college!ateez! :) Enjoy! <3

Aurorise - A kingdom where dawn's first light paints everyday masterpieces. (Reference: Kingdom Ideas)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As far as you recall, you weren't supposed to come back home. When you joined the travelling dance group, your plan entailed travelling from kingdom to kingdom and settling in whichever one promised a fruitful life.

The kingdom you grew up in, Aurorise, reigned with a dysfunctional monarchy and an impulsive King whose decisions were based on his emotions rather than logic, and this was often to the detriment of his kingdom. He had 16 sons, who formed their own groups consisting of 8 each. And his wives divided themselves similarly, in support of the ones in the line to succession. You had no business with how the royals lived their lives but their irresponsibility took a toll on the betterment of the village. The King’s decadent lifestyle was a clear symbol of the excesses of the ruling class.

Your family didn't want to leave. Your father, who had once been close friends with the King, was ready to lend support to the monarchy if needed like a true patriot as he saw himself, and your mom wanted to be by his side as a dutiful wife.

 However, she did urge you to pursue your life elsewhere because you deserved to live a good life that felt right for you. So much to the disappointment of your father, you ventured out into the world and became a world renown dancer alongside your trusted friend, Hoshi.

Together, the two of you along with some friends, established yourselves as an acclaimed dance group known as Lumiere - a radiant group, sparkling in gold ensembles with a gentle glow and performed with grand splendour and flamboyance. 

Until, one day, you received a letter from your cousin requesting your group’s presence and attendance in celebration of her alliance to Prince Chan, the Crown Prince and first in line to the throne.

Now you didn't dislike your cousin, rather, the two of you hardly ever exchanged conversations with one another. Because while you focused on seeing and touring the world, she focused on being selected as a possible betrothed to one of the princes. Her wish came true and you hardly ever saw her again. Your father urged you to do the same but you disagreed, not wanting a life bounded by strict rules and expectations.

At first you considered not going, but as you continued to read the letter, it felt as if there was a sense of urgency coming from your cousin’s message to attend and so, against your better judgement, you told Hoshi the circumstances.

Hoshi was more than happy to oblige and now, here you were, standing outside in front of the palace in the stupendous courtyard with the royal family just above you on the palace balcony and many guests gathered around.

In all honesty, you felt like a prey being watched from every angle and direction. While you waited patiently alongside him, Hoshi’s gaze was fixed on your cousin standing next to Prince Chan in the balcony. Sadness washed over his features as he looked on and realising the distant look in his eyes, you gave a reassuring nudge to ask if he was okay. He snapped out of daze and smiled at you, looking away to the other end of the courtyard.

This was one of the reasons you didn't want to come. Your cousin and Hoshi had a past history with each other, one that ended terribly for the latter. He loved her dearly and she possibly had feelings for him at one point but ultimately, their fates led them elsewhere, away from each other.

Hoshi never talked about it and he never spoke ill of your cousin or the monarchy. He continued to live his life, following his dreams and passions with a smile plastered on his face every time you saw him.

You were snapped out of your thoughts as it was announced that the King had arrived and behind him eight of his sons strolled in. You recognized this group instantly. They called themselves Ateez and were regarded as the rebellious group of princes. Prince Seonghwa, the oldest, is second in line to the throne and was the only one, perhaps besides Prince Yunho and Prince Jongho, who actually followed the rules of the court.

Prince Hongjoong and Prince Mingi didn't care; they did whatever they want when they felt like it. Meanwhile, Prince Yeosang was known to be sleeping most of the time while Prince San and Prince Wooyoung are a duo who revelled in causing chaos and mischief.

Their other eight brothers who addressed themselves as Stray Kids, tended to follow the rules a bit more because of Chan’s imminent succession to the throne, but would find themselves at times revelling in mischief and tricks like Prince San and Prince Wooyoung.

Knowing this made you become fully aware of the fact that Prince Chan might be the only saving grace for this kingdom, and perhaps Prince Seonghwa to some extent. The rest of the princes seemed iffy.

In the meantime, you wanted to go home. You preferred being at home while your mother prepared delicious treats than standing in the palace courtyard in the blistering hot sun with haughty nobles.

But then, when one of Her Highnesses began to chastise your cousin extremely loudly for everyone to hear and hurling spiteful comments at your cousin’s meek attempts to explain things, you found yourself clinking your anklets as a response to siding with your cousin.

The King found your retaliation amusing as no one dared to oppose any of his wives. He signalled you out of your group to the centre of the courtyard.

"What's your name?"

You bowed respectfully as you answered, "Y/L/N Y/N, Your Highness."

"Y/L/N?” he asked, the name felt familiar to him, “Are you Y/L/N's daughter?"

"Yes Your Highness." 

"Hm, you were not there for the selection for the bethorals though."

"I was not in the Kingdom at the time, Your Highness. My group and I were performing in another kingdom."

"Your group?” he watched your group at the side, “What's the name of your dance group?"

"Lumiere, Your Highness."

"Do you mean, the most renowned and currently talked about dance group?"

"Yes Your Highness."

"The most well-known dance group is from this kingdom and there has never been a performance!" The King suddenly bellowed.

No one muttered a word as the King looked around, waiting for someone to answer.

“Well!?” he yelled

You responded gracefully, "We tried to perform at the Kingdom's banquets a few times, Your Highness. But we were rejected every time. We left afterwards and began performing in other kingdoms."

"Hm,” he grumbled, “Well you will perform now."

"Excuse me Your Highness," one of Her Highnesses interrupted, the one who ridiculed your cousin, "But this insolent girl was rude to me. She needs to be punished!"

"I said, they will perform now." The King reprimanded.

Her Highness pursed her lips and stayed quiet, seething with anger and eyed you with contempt.

"You may begin." The King announced.

You glanced at Hoshi who gave an encouraging smile.

"Hoshi-ya." You sang.

"Yes ma'am?" He sang cheerily.

"Shall we dance?"

You clinked your anklets as a sign for the drummer to begin playing, and he followed the rhythm of your anklets to the beat of the drum. The two of you began your performance that enthralled the entire crowd. 

Your performance was a riot of colours, as you twirled, your skirt flared around like a fiery halo and you were a whirlwind of energy with your feet almost barely touching the floor while your body bent and moved to the rhythm of the music. As the melody played, you and Hoshi moved in sync, each twirl and step in perfect harmony with each other. The performance was an expression of opulence and exuberance. All eyes were transfixed on your group with complete awe and fascination.

Little did you know, eight pairs of those eyes were that of the eight princes. You had caught their attention, bewitched and enchanted them with your talent and they watched with enthusiasm and attentiveness. Surprisingly, they also felt a twinge of jealousy as Hoshi grabbed you by the waist gently and spun you around gracefully.

Your performance ended with you sitting on the ground and your gaze to the floor. The applause was thunderous but you did not know about the princes' interest until, a red veil was thrown from the balcony and landed on top of you, covering you completely.

Your eyes widened in shock. In your culture, red veils are for brides and brides-to-be. Brides-to-be would be gifted a red veil that was selected by their future husband to wear on the wedding day, signifying the union between the two. As a result, a gesture like this would have your people whispering and talking.

You grabbed the hems of the veil with shaky hands and lifted it slowly to see who was bold enough to do something like this. The applause had died down and silence filled the courtyard.

Looking up, you saw the culprit leaning over the balcony with a smile on his face, making sure it was known that he was the one who did it. Behind him, stood the rest of his brothers looking at you expectantly.

You couldn't believe it.

Prince Choi San beamed radiantly, looking at you with adoring eyes.

[inchidentally]

@vastappenen LISTEN okay so this is the full spin-off of the Charlos part of my Prince Lando AU post

I cannot write real fic so this is just like me doing a retelling of what's gone on in my mind lol - and this is the post of Charles in White that's screencapped above

(side note my friend was listening to this haunting music while I wrote this so it might help set the scene - it's called "Fancy on a Bach Air" by Yo-Yo Ma)

this gets a bit NSFW toward the end so fair warning!

ok so to start, this is what was in my original post

Unfortunately the royal courts of Europe were shaken by a quick series of upsets: His Serene Highness Lorenzo of Monaco abdicated the throne in search of a quieter life - his heart had never been in it since his father, the former Sovereign Prince, had become ill and abdicated. This left Lorenzo’s unwed brother Charles to be hastily crowned Prince Regent at the tender age of 22 (too young to be crowned Sovereign Prince bc modern monarchy rules I’m inventing). As a result Charles suffered the loss of his long-time suitor, nobleman Sebastian Vettel, who couldn’t bear the thought of being Sovereign Prince let alone of a land that wasn’t even his own.

Enter the Sainz Vázquez de Castro elders seizing the opportunity and negotiating a deal with Monaco in private conclave with the Papal State (??) to wed their son Carlos to the Prince Regent. Carlos is ashamed at giving in to the temptation… to not just be Prince Consort but to be Sovereign Prince, to rule over the vast wealth of Monaco and by extension the Holy See, to have the coveted beauty Charles in his bed. So he agrees to be spirited away to Monaco and the ugly business of dissolving his betrothal to Lando is left to members of church and state.

But Carlos experiences a complete conversion when Charles is on his knees in the cathedral - looking up at him with docile green eyes as Carlos’ fingertips touch the warm red roses of Charles’ lips as he holds the chalice of holy wine for Charles to drink. Carlos was almost hard beneath the ermine and velvet robes in a house of God when the crown was on his head and Charles next to him - and slightly below - smiling up at him with filaments of gold hanging from pendants on his chaplet, framing his achingly beautiful face. If Carlos feels his immense happiness and prosperity darken whenever he sees Lando’s picture or encounters him at one of the courts then no one need know.

ok so I've removed this from the narrative to of course be charlos true happiness endgame and removed Seb entirely, or he can just be called a close confidante and possible candidate to marry Charles but not very serious.

I imagine young Carlos Jr. moving through the royal courts as a child and teen and seeing the royal children of Monaco sometimes. in my weird version of royalty I have it that Lorenzo is the natural successor to the throne and therefore has always been allowed to dress and be seen "normally". as a second child, Charles was always the rightful property of whichever alliance would maintain Monaco's independence. he was raised mostly in the Prince's Palace and when playing or venturing to where he could be seen he's attended by a retinue of guards each carrying a gonfalon to conceal the young prince from view. on the rare occasions that the prince will be around those not within his immediate family or private staff, he is carefully wrapped in embroidered, jeweled white silks or cottons (depending on the climate) with only his eyes visible. the only color allowed being a scarlet silk girdle around his hips. until he reaches maturity or is married he wears a ferronnière with a single white diamond at his forehead. (I imagine the wrapping as looking like fancy white fireproofs that cover the hands as well and a long, flowy tunic over the top with smart little white renaissance boots (that Charles hates).

Prince Charles is also not permitted to speak outside of his family circle/staff but he is taught multiple languages and fond rumors spread that the prince has a charming lilting accent that comes from a little of everywhere. he is also taught the piano and there is a place on the shore that only locals know of where fairy echoes of his playing can be heard. they call it his 'lone voice' because the mood inside the palace can be judged by the prince's choice of music. childish and jolly for a while, then more challenging pieces, until his eighteenth birthday and an unknown dirge for his godfather who had perished during a racing tourney that summer. the prince's music would change over the years but it would never be joyful again.

I imagine many instances over the years of Carlos Jr. being coaxed by a conniving Carlos Sr. into bowing low to the small, mummified-looking creature that everyone assures him is a prince. the eyes and vague suggestion of white-clad hands and feet are the only indications that this is true, but the big green eyes are very expressive and seem to smile whenever they meet Carlos' own big brown eyes. Prince Lorenzo has a kind smile and would be a good playmate but solemnly maintains his position by his parents' side. Prince Arthur comes along in a bundle of energy and mischief - being blessed with a birthright to total freedom so long as his elder siblings are alive. he enjoys being swung around and thrown in the air by Carlos Jr. which helps pass the tedium of royal engagements. Arthur is clearly the favorite of Charles who rather mothers him - especially when the Sovereign Prince falls ill and hushed preparations are made behind palace walls for Lorenzo to take the throne. Charles is so deep in mourning for his godfather and soon his own father that his presentation at court is delayed indefinitely as it would be cruel to open him up to marriage bids that would inevitably take him from his home.

in the meantime, Carlos Jr. has grown into his large features and promises to inherit all his father's looks and daring. at his father's encouragement - "by the time you wed a virgin, you will need to know everything there is to know about pleasing them" - Carlos enjoys countless conquests across every continent on the globe. he's a seasoned bachelor by the age of 20 and has been given his own estate outside of Madrid to party, race expensive cars and drink expensive wine. but even as he wakes between the thighs of this or that beautiful boy or girl, his mind recalls the hours spent at court in Monaco trying to discern the subtlest lines of Prince Charles' body beneath the absurd layers of drapery. he knows for sure that the prince is slim but not scrawny. that his posture is upright and proud and stands about the same height as Carlos. at times when he scoops Arthur up to hold on one hip, Carlos can discern the fine dip of a small waist - probably small enough for Carlos' big hands to meet around. what a gift-wrapped present for whoever got to marry him!

but by the time they next meet, news has traveled all over of the Sovereign Prince's health and plans for the reluctant Prince Lorenzo to be hastily crowned. during their first visit after this news, Carlos Jr. makes his usual low bow to Prince Charles but when he looks up he sees tears clouding the prince's green eyes. it twists Carlos' heart and he boldly takes the prince's hand and presses a hurried kiss to the silk and at the same time trying to speak with his eyes how sorry he is for the prince. the small noise Charles makes at Carlos' boldness is a precious secret Carlos holds like a tangible thing against the breast of his tailcoat as he hurries down the steps before any of the other royals can notice what he's done.

[this is when the above section from my AU comes in and Carlos is attempted to be married off to Prince Lando, Lorenzo abdicates, Charles can only be named Prince Regent bc of his status etc and a hasty arrangement is made for him to marry Carlos]

at their wedding I imagine Charles' veil/headdress to be much lighter and tied in a simple knot at the base of his head. the only time Charles is called to speak is to swear fealty to the crown, to his country, and to his husband (it's also the first time Charles' voice has been heard by almost everyone in the Cathedral including Carlos. it sounds like joyous music, dipping deep and rich one moment and high and sweet the next - with a little bubble of laughter at the end. Carlos wants to hear him talk forever.) when the priest finishes his blessing, Carlos put a hand beneath Charles' chin and guides him to stand. he moves closer to Charles than he has ever been permitted and circles his arms around his neck to untie the knot. the veil falls away and a collective gasp rises up from the cathedral through the clouds of incense. Carlos doesn't gasp so much as suck in a triumphant breath through his nostrils and lifts his chin in triumph. Charles is not just the chaste ideal of beauty that the court and citizens of Monaco had whispered about for years, he is the vision of temptation itself: a delicate brush-spatter of freckles beneath a flush on finely molded cheekbones, a straight French nose that was the final word on French noses, and perfectly smooth lips in the shape of a patriotic 'M' and the exact red of Monaco's flag. the prince's hair and brows have all the shades of a glossy hazelnut and a thick fan of lashes surrounded the green eyes - all that Carlos had known of him until now. but soon, he would know everything about Charles and in a way no one else ever had or would.

Carlos is supposed to buss a small, ceremonial barely-there kiss to Charles' lips to please the court but of course he can't help himself and, holding Charles' face in his big hands, presses a fiercely possessive (thankfully still close-mouthed) kiss that nearly makes Charles collapse. murmurs go around the cathedral of "well, those Spaniards, you know".

when they are crowned, my version of royalty has the priest setting the heavy gold crown on Carlos' head but Carlos in turn places the chaplet of gold leaves and gemstone pendants on Charles. Carlos is flying as high as mortal can when he can finally lead Charles out to the balcony and show him off to the waiting public. Carlos wonders if there's a man on earth who possesses more wealth than he does at that moment.

but there's one more thing he doesn't yet have! oh you bet the bedding ceremony is weird and fucked up and poor Charles is using the short time they have alone as they move through the halls (merely flanked by guards) to nervously and apologetically explain to Carlos what they will need to do. something about protocol for regents who found it difficult to "perform" under such circumstances etc. Carlos just puts a big warm hand to Charles' lips as they are rushed along, leaning into to whisper that he'd take Charles' virginity in front of his own grandmother if that's what was required and his desire still wouldn't be dampened.

the chamber is small and has one purpose. the clergy stand behind wrought iron mullioned screens but Charles can see their eyes clearly and has known many of them all his life. he'd probably faint dead away from nerves if Carlos didn't pull him close and kiss him so deep and dirty it should've turned Charles' white gown red with lust. Carlos tells him to look only into his eyes, that he'll take good care of him. there's a whole intense sexy element to Carlos unwrapping Charles the rest of the way, just like the birthday present he'd imagined when he was a teenager. he probably spends WAY too much time on foreplay considering the witnesses are only there to see one thing and then leave but Carlos knows that Charles deserves this. by the time they've reached the point where Carlos can reach a hand between them and literally 'come' up with the goods to hold up and be viewed, Charles' moans are reaching up to the rafters. there's a rustle and murmured blessings as the priests finally withdraw.

Carlos is like FINALLY and decides to give Charles every bit of the benefit of his vast experience and looks smug as hell when Charles' attendants have to physically carry Charles to his own bed bc Carlos fucked him senseless lmao

agfalsgfsla this was so weird and detailed and I do not know WHERE it came from but if an actual writer sees this and wants to write it properly PLEASE tag me or message me!!!

EDIT: these are great photo references for adult Charles and Carlos in this AU

source

[rynfiles]

prince choso !

✎ᝰ — hcs on prince choso, the quiet boy who is part of the royal family

★ — genre + warnings: fluff + royalty au (obvi), choso isn't really a fan of the monarchy, yuji cameo, choso is set to be a young adult (19-23)

yeah yeah yeah rockstar choso, emo choso, skater boy choso, they’re cool and all. trust me I know but what about prince choso?

prince choso was never ever a fan of his lifestyle and always wanted a simple life. the glitz and glamor of the whole world at your hands only ‘cause of your bloodline. why would he want to involve himself in that?

prince choso didn’t rebel (per se) against the monarchy of his land but would have his way of showing that he doesn’t care for it. placing his own opinion of how a country should run but being shut down immediately by his parents; venturing off into a nearby forest when it was time for his studies or extracurricular activities; rather caring for the opinions of the people in his land than ever his staff or parents

but also, prince choso who, from time to time, would be dressed in a heavy white suit, one that shows purity and stands on the cleanliness of his family’s ruling. the suit is accessorized with gold that dances on him with every step he takes and small jewelry to add to the appearance of being greatly wealthy

prince choso who tends to fidget with his small jewelry during dinner or during an important party. he’d rather stay quiet and slide his watch across his forearm or even twist his rings in a certain way. he also does this when the weight of being prince becomes too much to handle for him

prince choso who is often seen with his hair down. deeply dark roots, mahogany shaded, that lay flat on his shoulders and flow lightly as he walks among the castle. he finds this style to be fussy and would rather have his hair pinned up

prince choso spends his days hiding among the commoners, with his hair tied into ponytails or dressing lazily. he walks around the plaza with a small smile and a quiet hello as he explores. as he explores, he listens in on the people’s conversations and takes mental notes on what’s being said about the kingdom

prince choso who attends to the kids who are playing soccer in a little corner, teaching them techniques to help them in their small game. he takes glimpses of the beautiful women but doesn’t look too long, only to shy away when they wave at him. also helps the store owners from time to time, helping them set up for the day or put away things as they’re getting ready to close

prince choso who groans at the idea of becoming a suitor and the king of his land. while many young men would find joy in being next in line for the throne and finding a beautiful wife, choso does not. he would rather spend his days being youthful and finding his true purpose

prince choso who would rather stay up in the late hours with his brother, yuji, than focus on his studies. he would talk to his brother about his genuine feelings about being a prince rather than even spend an inkling reading another dusty history book

prince choso, who is seen as quiet, reserved, oftentimes bashful around women, and respectful. but also can be defiant (depending on who’s asking), stubborn, and purposefully misplaceful of his duties. but again, that depends on who you ask

★ genuinely don’t know where this idea came from honestly 🧍🏽‍♀️

★ this is my first time writing a royalty au ! any feedback for it would be great actually

© 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟥 𝗋𝗒𝗇𝖿𝗂𝗅𝖾𝗌. 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗌 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗏𝖾𝖽

[ravenwilds]

Merthur fic recs for my @merlinbingo square H2 'enemies to lovers'

This is one of my favourite tropes and I have loved re-reading some of these fics while putting these recs together. My recs are all smutty, some very smutty, but I guess that's kinda what I love about this trope :))

World Enough and Time by alicephantomwise

Explicit; 19K; posted 2021; modern au

This is one of my very favourite Merlin fics. They are both expert assassins on opposite sides, with a slight age difference - the dynamic between them is so perfect and Arthur is so besotted with Merlin and the angst is so gorgeous. Can't recommend this enough. The summary and tags don't really sell it but it is so worth reading!

Arthur had had it all figured out. And then Merlin shot him in Beijing.

six months, four days by merelydovely

Explicit; 5.5K; posted 2021; modern with magic

This was gifted to me for the 2021 Glompfest and I love it so much! So much story and world building, great characterisation, very very hot! Merlin is a leader of the magical resistance tasked with seducing Arthur to enable one of their plans

“As long as it’s not my idiot brother,” says Morgana, making a face. “I dunno,” says Merlin, eyeing the headshot labeled 'Arthur Pendragon'. “Magic-hater or not, he’s quite fit.” The Resistance movement needs an in with a member of an elite anti-magic task force. Merlin ends up far more entangled than he'd planned.

Sweet Retribution by SPowell

Explicit; 30K; posted 2012; modern au; dub-con

The whole premise of this fic is non-con/dub-con - Arthur is contracted to Merlin by Uther in order to save his business. In that context the fic is actually very sweet overall (but not sweet at all in places) and both characters go on a huge emotional journey, especially Merlin, and the shift in how Merlin thinks about himself and Arthur over time is brilliantly written. Features a great Merlin and Will friendship too. It may be too dark for some and it doesn't have many tags so if you want to know more about it before trying it feel free to DM me

Merlin hates the wealthy. A perfect opportunity to purge himself of his feelings of helplessness against them comes in the form of the young Arthur Pendragon.

Excalibur Hotel and Casino by rubyjayne

Mature; 3.2K; posted 2021; modern au

The hottest kiss on AO3 - big claim I know but it lives up to it. Such excellent 1:1 vibes with Merlin being a little shit and Arthur full of arrogant swagger *fans self*

“You just coughed, deliberately.” The man clenches his jaw, a look of genuine irritation on his face, and Merlin can’t help but roll his eyes. “Admit it.”  “Bravo, jackass, you caught me,” Merlin deadpans, slightly pissed now. “No fooling you, huh?” The iconic 5x12 tavern scene, but Merlin meets Arthur at a casino in Las Vegas.

My Significant Bother by Leandra

Explicit; 96K; posted 2021; modern royal au

I love all Leandra's fics and this one is a modern royalty au with such good snark and friction turning to feelings and affection between Merlin and Arthur - the fake boyfriends with benefits phase is so hot

Merlin's job as PR junior on the royal account isn't as glamorous as people believe: Most nights, he's saving Arthur, Duke of York and black sheep of the family, from possibly committing monarchy-shattering shenanigans... Roped into posing as Arthur's fake boyfriend, he's supposed to make Arthur's popularity levels rise with his steadfast and relatable presence and elevate him from scandalous rake to romantic figure...

This Is Not What I Came for (It's Better) by GeekLover

Explicit; 56K; posted 2016; modern sports au

An Olympics AU is perfect for enemies to lovers, right? In this one they are both gymnasts who do not like each other. Until they do ;-) Gaius is the unsung hero of this fic, trying to deal with them both

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Great Britain's men's gymnastics is ready to work together to win gold, except two members can't get along. When Merlin & Arthur get caught on camera fighting like idiots, Gaius comes up with a solution to knock some sense into them. Merlin and Arthur have to share a room and decide if what they have in common outweighs their major differences.

Just Can't Get Enough by Ravenwilds

Explicit; 1.7k; posted 2024; mob/mafia au

And a bonus self-rec - it's a hate sex mob/mafia AU and more enemies to fuck-buddies than enemies to lovers but I was happy with how it turned out

“There’s no need to be pissy. I’ll go if you want me to.” Arthur paused. “If that is what you really want.” “Yes, it's what I want,” Merlin spat back. “Or do you want my knee in your balls again?” “I want your face in my balls and you fucking want it there too, sweetheart,” Arthur replied.

[shiori42art]

Royalty AU! AU summary below! ✨

(Royalty AU + Omegaverse + a bit Furry)

Mondstadt. Kingdom of crops, large meadows and good wine. Most of its inhabitants are winged beings (For example Jean is an eagle, Kaeya a peacock. But there are other animals like Diluc who is a lion or Klee a bunny!)

It is ruled by Decarabian (Alpha, bluish black wings) and his wife Istaroth (Omega, white wings) Their heirs are the Bard (Who I call Dorian in my AUs until Mihoyo gives me his damn name) (Beta, tan wings) and Venti (Omega, white wings with turquoise accents) they are twins!

Decarabian was unfaithful, her lover was Amos which caused Istaroth to execute her and leave the kingdom, leaving Deca as a single father, LOL. He totally invested in his little children. Super protective father.

Dorian being the oldest for a few minutes and a Beta was chosen to occupy the throne when Decarabian passes the command or is no longer there. He was raised to be the next king, although he hates the word "rule" he prefers to say that he took care of Mondstadt.

But two years ago Dorian contracted the terrible disease of eleazar, he was on the verge of death then but he survived. He now has to rest a lot, suffers from fatigue and muscle pain, sometimes black scales grow on his body causing numbness.

Decarabian searched for the best doctor specialized in the disease, who turned out to be the Fenec Tighnari (Omega) of Sumeru, where this disease is somewhat more common there. Tighnari travels from time to time to treat Dorian.

When the scales cover a certain amount of his body they must be removed, this is very painful and Dorian spends a lot of time in bed, although when he feels better he usually plays music in the garden.

His personal guard the Red Knight (A lion Alpha, I called him Brend because I don't have his name either) has been in charge of his care since he contracted the disease and spending so much time together sparked the spark of love!!

A secret love, of course, only Venti and some gossips like Kaeya (Omega, Captain of the cavalry and Venti's best friend) know about it.

All this made Dorian unable to govern properly, there is no cure for his disease and they know that if it worsens he will not live much longer. So Decarabian, much to his regret, had to pass on to his second son, Venti.

But since we're in a dumb old monarchy, an omega can't rule by itself! So Deca must make an arranged marriage for his precious omega son (Imagine Decarabian raging here, no one touches his child)

And of the 6 kingdoms that remain, what better than to ally with the beautiful neighboring kingdom? Liyue! A huge kingdom, full of mountains and a booming economy with its huge port. The Liyue royals have money, trade, good relations with the other kingdoms, they are perfect.

Liyue is ruled under the harsh dynasty of Osial (Alpha Blue Dragon) his wife Beisht (Quillin Omega) his eldest son and heir Zhongli (Alpha Dragon-Quilin) his middle sister Ninnguang (Alpha white and gold Dragon) and little sister Ganyu ( Quilin Omega)

Zhongli has a complex because he is the only one who is a mix, he is embarrassed by the soft golden hair on his tail, and his father does not hide his disgust.

So Osial does not hesitate to accept the neighboring kingdom's offer, it is his chance to gain territory and get his son out of sight, leaving his favorite daughter Ningguang in control of the port.

In order not to look bad in front of the other nations, Decarabian throws one of his famous parties, this time with the theme of courting his son. Although he has a contract prepared for Liyue.

At the party Venti is very upset to find out about this whole thing, but he meets Zhongli and they hit it off right away! Despite being a dragon he is not scary like the Kitsune that Ianzuma rules (Ei is here, sent by Makoto, her courtship fails even though she was not interested lol)

Still things are awkward and embarrassing between them! They dance, and Venti is fascinated by the sparkling jewels that decorate Zhongli's horns (He likes things that sparkle, he's a bird) Zhongli gives him one of his chains, making a small bracelet as a courtship gift.

They are cute! Meanwhile Osial only examines Venti with disgust, but approves of his wide hips which will be useful for egg-laying, the contract calls for an heir after all.

After the dance, the next day it is announced that Zhongli was the winner of the courtship and the arranged marriage is official!

Venti wants to run away from all this, and refuse marriage, at least leave it for a few years to really meet Zhongli. But Osial threatens that if they don't get married now, Dorian will have to marry Ganyu.

Zhongli is horrified because his sister is still very young, and Venti does not intend to destroy the life of his brother who is in love with his knight, besides that stress could worsen his illness.

So Venti accepts the marriage.

There is a lot of drama and many more characters here! But maybe one day I'll be encouraged to write fic! For the moment I will continue roleplaying happily with my homie and making silly drawings of this

Thank you for reading!

[channieskies]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈: 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝

Pairing: Prince Hyunjin x Reader (AFAB)

Genre: Historical|Au, Fantasy|Au, Strangers to Lovers, Royalty|Au, Angst, Smut (Eventual), NSFW tags are below.

Synopsis: The kingdom of Volantis is in disarray; the monarch rules with an iron fist. The times of hope, harmony, and kindness were buried with the queen who passed many years ago. The people are praying for a savior, but who will be their light at the end of this dark tunnel?

Authors Note: Please reblog or leave a comment to let me know how you feel. I'd love a little feedback. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. As per usual, this hasn't been proofread.

Word Count: [Reading Time: 10 Mins]

Disclaimer: This story does not reflect the real lives or personalities of Stray Kids. I do not know them personally. This is purely a work of fiction.

Looking for another chapter? Click here: 🇸‌🇹‌🇴‌🇷‌🇾‌ 🇮‌🇳‌🇩‌🇪‌🇽‌

Warning: This chapter contains mentions of violence, mentions of death, slight description of bodily harm.

Venia froze in place. No one here knew her by that name. She went by an alias, so that anyone looking for her wouldn’t find her there. Her instincts kicked in, and she quickly covered the prince with her body, stretching her arms out in front of him protectively. “How do you know that name? Who sent you?” The young woman stepped back, pulling her identification from her pocket. All nobles, high born, and royals were given metal plated id’s that let people know their status by color. Gold and jade for the monarchy, Silver and often encrusted for high borns, bronze for nobles that aren’t of high born blood, and painted wood for workers and low born.

The class system of Volantis was pretty simple. Those who were Royalty were the highest ranked, given that they were a part of the monarchy of the country. High borns were next, they were usually distantly related to royalty in some form or fashion, or they were of the first settlers in this land. Both of your parents' families were of the first men, making your i.d silver and encrusted with rubies. Usually trade workers had colorfully painted wood i.d’s, the color usually corresponded with whatever occupation they were in. Low born had plain wood badges to indicate their status. 

You were a high born citizen with family records that predated the ones of the royal family. “I’m Y/n, daughter of Ermias Orev of the king's high council.” Hyunjin reached for your i.d checking to see what one looked like. He’d seen his identification once. It was being thrown at him through the window of the coach as he was being exiled. Even then he didn’t get a good look at it, as it was being chucked at his head. Yours had intricate little shapes on it, but one in particular stood out; the apple shaped ruby at the top of it. What did it mean?

Venia’s mind started to race. If you were here, that means that something may have happened to your father, why else would he send you in his stead? Without Ermias how could she keep the prince safe? “Your father? What of him?” She grabbed both your shoulders, panic once again written on her face. You smiled, hoping to reassure her, but she was too far gone with assuming the worst.

“Due to my fathers injury and health, I volunteered to escort the prince back into the kingdom. My father will meet us once we reach the castle city of Solaris. He knows a way in, since we obviously can’t waltz right in the front door.” Venia’s face visibly relaxed. Her hands dropped to her sides. 

“I take it you are the eldest of his girls?” She looked around the room, “And what of the young man your father took in? If you are here, he shouldn’t be too far.” You chuckled. She wasn’t wrong, Minho was usually right by your side, no matter where you went. He was both a brother and an overprotective bodyguard.

“He’s here. He’s actually the one who spotted ....” You nodded your head towards the prince, not wanting to out his status. That would make transporting him to Solaris an even more arduous task than it already was. “How- how should I address him?” You leaned into Venia, so only she could hear.

“By his name for now. There is no use of titles here, milady.” You gave her a look of confusion since her words didn’t match her addressing you as ‘milady’. “Forgive me, it’s out of habit. Y/n.” She corrected herself, “I guess I should formally introduce the two of you.” She grabbed Hyunjin’s arm and pulled him forward, like your mother would do whenever she’d introduce you to her new friends. “Hyunjin, this is Ermias’ eldest daughter, Y/n. She’s to be your escort to Solaris.” His head snapped to his mother figure in shock, not because of you or your parentage, but because of the destination.

“Solaris? Wait, are you sure about this?” He loudly whispered more to her than you. “I thought I couldn’t go back?” All these years he was under the assumption that he could never be seen in the castle walls again. He missed seeing his mothers picture that hung above the fireplace in the great hall. Missed the sweet smell of roses that bloomed in her garden. Missed the plush mattress that he once slept on. Even after all these years, that was still the place he called home.

“Your Hig-” You cleared your throat before you made the mistake of calling him by his title. “Hyunjin. It is my understanding that right now is as good as any. Truthfully, this might be the most opportune time to go. There are people that are looking to dismantle everything in place right now, and we need you to strengthen the… erm, you know. Father has been keeping an eye on anyone he thinks is conspiring against you and your family, and sadly there are quite a few that wish to see change.” He stared. It wasn’t something he was doing on purpose, he was just trying to figure out where he’d seen your face before. But your words weren’t being ignored or missed, he understood very well the treachery that that crown faced. He’d read about that, he liked educating himself on all of the fallen kingdoms of yesteryear.

You assumed he was intensely gaping at you because of your wounds and felt scrutinized under his gaze. You placed a hand over your arm to try and draw his attention elsewhere. Venia cleared her throat, sensing the awkward tension that was building. “Did you have a lot of trouble getting this far, my child?” She gently placed her hand over your own, pulling it away from the wound. “We should take care of this, yeah?” She had a very sweet smile, one like a mothers. She led you to a backroom, one you assumed she often had dealing in.  “How did you get so badly beaten, my child?” She sat you on a lone wooden chair by the large window. You could see the mountain where the villagers got the metals from in the distance.

“We were attacked by bandits. But one… he just didn’t seem human. He was the tallest man I’ve ever seen, Taller than my father by a long shot. He had talons for nails and a concerning amount of strength. But the most unsettling part about it all was the mask he wore….” You paused, not wanting to scare her with the details, but she nodded for you to continue. Hyunjin stepped into the room, leaning against the doorframe. A shiver went down his spin as you described the man who attacked you. How anyone could have the audacity to raise a hand to you completely astounded him. “It was a mask made up of other people's faces, sewn together to make it look like one person's face. But the different skin tones were a dead give away aside from the very obvious seams.” Venia halted her tending of your wounds, mouth agape. She’d heard about the bandits from this area, but she’d never encountered them herself, thankfully.

They were known to be incredibly savage. Where most bandits would steal food here and there, maybe rob a passerby. There were two groups one in the south, Vipers crew, and one here in the north, Tigran the lunatic and his band of crazies. She knew the guy you fought wasn’t Tigran, he was known to be notoriously short. Most figured that was where his hate for other humans stemmed from. “What happened to the bandits? Did they follow you?” Your eyes locked with Minho who stood watch in the halls. You both were quiet after the incident, not really talking to one another until he spotted Hyunjin. You didn’t know if it was his first time taking a life, since he did it with such ease and didn’t really seem phased by it. But you were uncomfortably unsettled with what you had done.

“They… they're dead.” You jumped to your feet, ready to defend your inexorable actions. “We had no choice. It was their lives or ours-”

“Dear,” Venia grabbed your trembling hand. “I’m glad you made it here. That you and Minho are alive and well.” She smiled, and it soothed some of your incertitude. “Now, let's sit and get you all patched up.” You didn’t object. Venia was much like your mother in the way that you couldn’t refuse her. It was something in the way that they talked that made you feel they were serious in what they meant, but it was said in a claiming tone that made you want to do what they asked of you. “This looks like it’s headed toward an infection. But it happened today… how..” She spoke of the four large gashes on your arm, “Minho, tell the barkeep to give me the highest proof alcohol they have.” He gave a single nod before heading off.

Hyunjin sat idly, watching silently as Venia commanded the room. He couldn’t understand how people moved when she asked them with little to no resistance. She was never aggressive or mean with her actions, you did what she asked because she asked nicely.  She looked like a person of royal heritage while he felt like a fish out of water. It was clear he was the only one who didn't have many interactions with people. He was awkwardly perched in the corner, sweaty hands clasped together in hopes of finding the courage to join the conversation. He wanted to offer a witty quip or good advice, but his conversation starting skills were limited to art or thing's he'd read in books. He had no real life experience unfortunately. Where it seemed like Venia, you, and Minho were the exact opposite of him and he envied that.

Hyunjin had limited interactions with people, especially outside of the ones that were laboring in the castle. Even as a child, other princes and princesses were known to have a companion. Hyunjin did not. Sure, he’d met plenty of other royal children, even a few nobel ones. But being able to have a lasting relationship was never in the cards for him. His father seemed to sabotage almost every bit of happiness the child had. Almost every child from a different kingdom that he’d met had subsequently been conquered by his father and his army. And for what? His mother’s name? Because he loved her so much that he wanted to scorch the earth in her name? Though he didn’t get the chance to properly meet her, from what he’d been told and what he’d read, she wasn’t that type of woman. She was kind, goodhearted, and wanted to uplift the people of Volantis. She didn’t want her people to suffer.

This was a woman who actively implemented plans to help the less fortunate in this realm and volunteered her time to make sure that these things went on without a hitch. Scorch the earth for what? His father was just angry with no direction to it. He couldn’t pinpoint the source of his anger, so he blamed any and everybody else instead of learning to deal with it. Truthfully, he hoped that his step-mother didn’t feel slighted because of his fathers choices. Hyunjin couldn’t imagine not being able to live up to a ghost. But in a way, he guessed he did have to deal with that. His father hated him. He’d repeatedly told him that the death of his mother was his fault and he should not have allowed him to live. It was just verbal abuse at first. It hurt, but being a happy and optimistic child helped him to get over that or at least to not let it cut him too deep.

He thought at first that maybe this was just how king’s were. That they were rough on their prince’s, mean. That was until he saw the bond between the Kingdom of Perth’s king and his eldest son, Christopher. Hyunjin was merely eight when his heart broke for the first time. The vision of this father that was so affectionate with his son, who spoke words of encouragement to him, was heartbreaking. He knew then that his and his fathers relationship was far from normal. He guessed his father felt it too, because the physical abuse started after the ball that night. He stated that families should be happy and whole and that Hyunjin ruined his chances of that by killing Aeri. His lashings after were sporadic, he’d often take out his frustrations on the boy after a hard day of things not going his way. Those were the only times he’d see his son outside of public events where the monarchy needed to be seen together. 

On Hyunjin’s tenth birthday, he awoke to the sounds of his clothes being stuffed into beautifully ornate chests. His eyes were barely adjusted to the light of the early morning, his eyes immediately fixing on the woman sitting at his bedside. “Venia, are father and I finally traveling together?” She’d tried to keep her face calm, afraid he’d read the sadness that crowded her heart if she did not. “I’ve never been on a trip with my father before. What do you think we’ll do?”  He sat up excitedly, throwing the covers off his little legs. She hated that she was left with the task of telling the boy what his fathers intentions were. She sighed heavily, her head finally falling. 

“You aren’t going on a trip, your highness. Your father is sending you away.” The boy’s head titled. Her words were plain and simple, but yet, he still couldn’t understand what she meant. It was evident that his father didn’t like him, but Hyunjin understood that it was because of his mothers passing. But to think that he disliked him enough to send him away was ludacris. His father would never, or so he thought.

“I’m going on vacation by myself?” She shook her head, confirming the small thoughts that were floating in his. “I’m being banished..” The way his voice fell made Venia’s heart break. To be so young and to understand the ways of the world and not have the opportunity to be a child, was one of the things hated the most about the monarchy. The same thing happened to the Queen. She was married off at fifteen and though they tried to get pregnant starting the night of their wedding, it took years of stillbirths and miscarriages before she gave birth to the prince. No one that young should have to deal with that type of mental and physical torture.

“I’m going with you. I told your mother I’d stay by your side, and that's a promise I plan on keeping.” She wiped the tears that started to flow from his eyes. “We will always have each other, Hyunjin.” She whispered his name, the rest of the staff didn’t need to know of their special relationship. She cared for the boy as if he were her own, and little did she know, he felt the same exact way. He hugged Venia, her warmth being the exact comfort he needed.

Once their coach was packed with all of their belongings, she said farewell to her friends that she'd known since her arrival at the castle some twenty odd years before. It was a sad goodbye, but she knew she was doing the right thing by being the support that Hyunjin needed during this time. She didn’t want to see the last living piece of her dear friend parrish, because his father was too blinded by his own rage to see how much of an asset the boy was. Just as Aeri did all those years before, Venia felt that Hyunjin could bring peace to the realm once again, if he was given the tools to do so. She’d make sure that he would succeed whenever that time came. For now, working around being exiled was her first task.

They were settled in their coach, the coachman was ready to go as well but they stayed in place just long enough for the castle doors to be forced open. No one alerted them that the king was coming to see the prince off. Judging by the angry look on his face, Venia knew nothing good was going to come from this farewell. He snatched the door open and threw something right at Hyunjin’s head. Venia quickly moved to protect the boy, bringing his head to her chest and clasping a hand over his ear so he wouldn’t have to hear the foul things that were about to be spewed from his fathers mouth. “If you ever bring him back here. I’ll kill him myself.” He spat the vile words with poisonous disdain dripping from his tongue.

That was sadly the final image Hyunjin would remember of his home and of his father. Thankfully the words that came from his mouth were muffled and he couldn’t make them out, thanks to Venia. But he would never forget how he felt in the last moments outside the castle of Solaris.

A.N: Please reblog or leave a comment to let me know how you feel. I'd love a little feedback. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it.

[Rewrites, Reposts, and Translations are Prohibited]

[respectthepetty]

Hello Petty, not sure if you've already talked about this but what is your dream color pairing if you have one?

Anon, I have never talked about this because nobody has ever asked (and I'll get creepy about it).

TLWR: Wandee Goodday is about to be my new god.

Yellow is my favorite color, so my ideal pair has to include a true Yellow Yal NOT a Yellow/Orange Oddity, which is really hard to come by. I have only tracked one of them, Daisy from Secret Crush on You, and if I'm feeling generous, Porsche from KinnPorsche.

Yellow Yals are optimistic yet cautious. They are also egotistical but energetic and warm. They can be regal if they veer on the side of gold. So they are the perfect balance for a Black Brooder.

Black Brooders are arrogant, so a Yellow Yal's ego wouldn't cater to them. Black Brooders are more pessimistic, which Yellow Yals need since they are too optimistic. Black Brooders are closed off, so Yellow Yals bring out their softer side with their warmth. Both like materialistic items but Yellow Yals like the creativity and aesthetic of materials, while Black Brooders like the elegance and longevity of materials. I haven't gotten one yet, but that hasn't stopped me from also rooting for my second ideal pair.

Yellow Yal and Purple Person!

They are complementary colors on the color wheel, meaning they are opposites yet work well together. Red x Green, and Blue x Orange are also complementary colors, but we commonly see them together unlike Yellow x Purple.

Yellow x Purple are usually saved for themes regarding royalty, but once again, we get a Yellow/Orange Oddity, and purple isn't a person, but the entire monarchy.

So this is why I'm so excited about Wandee Goodday

They are both creative, inspiring, and cautious. Purple People are prideful, and Yellow Yals are egotistical, so it's very Pride & Prejudice, but they get along amazingly well once they get past the initial "hump."

If Golf & Co finally deliver me this color-coded pair of my dreams, I will be the happiest color demon to ever exist on this earthly plane.

Don't disappoint me, GMMTV. Give me my Power Couple.

Give me my Yellow Yal x Purple Person!

[royalty-nobility]

Portrait of Caterina Cornaro, Queen of Cyprus

Artist: Manner of Titian (Italian, 1490–1576)

Genre: Portrait

Date: Between 1500 and 1600

Medium: Oil on Panel

Collection: National Trust

Catherine Cornaro (25 November 1454 – 10 July 1510) was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Cyprus, also holding the titles of Queen of Jerusalem and Queen of Armenia. She became queen consort of Cyprus by marriage to James II of Cyprus, and then regent of Cyprus during the minority of her son James III of Cyprus in 1473–1474, and finally queen regnant of Cyprus upon his death. She reigned from 26 August 1474 to 26 February 1489 and was declared a "Daughter of Saint Mark" in order that the Republic of Venice could claim control of Cyprus after the death of her husband.

[forgedroyalseal]

I know, you think that what makes a king, is gold, a palace, and diamond rings

Two nights before the wedding, Horace found himself sneaking out of the palace and into the gardens. He was grateful, not for the first time, that his confusing status as both a lowborn knight and the soon to be Prince Consort had allowed him some flexibility when it came to having an escort. Once he married Cassandra and his role in the Araluen monarchy was cemented, he’d be followed by, at a minimum, a manservant, if not several members of the royal guard. But for the moment, he was blessedly alone. He walked until the torches of the guard stationed atop the castle’s wall became little flickers of orange light. Looking up at the clear midnight sky, he connected the constellations in his mind. Baron Arald had always held an affinity for constellations and the legends behind them. If the nights were mild enough, he drag the ward children out to the gardens and point out each star to them and tell the tale behind their name. Horace had always found it extraordinarily boring and used the time to taunt Will or try to sneak back off to bed. Now however, he was beginning to understand Arald’s interest in the sky. He understood the peace that it could provide, the comfort in understanding just how vast the universe is, that even if you falter, the stars will still twinkle and the moon will still glow.

“That’s Ursula Major, isn’t it?” Cassandra’s voice pulls Horace’s gaze down from the heavens. She’s alone, wrapped up in a heavy blush and burgundy quilt that Horace recognized as the one Lady Sandra had sent as an engagement gift.

“You shouldn’t be wandering out here alone. Where’s your guard?” Horace checked behind his fiancée for her royal guard Raul, but besides the stars and the towering oak trees, they were alone.

“Probably still standing outside my door. I snuck out the window.” She grinned at him and for a moment, Horace felt a wave of sympathy for the king. Cassandra had never once been a girl who could be contained or controlled.

“Anyway,” She continued, “I knew with you out here, I’d have nothing to worry about.” She leaned against him and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her. Summer had rolled in slowly this year, and despite it already being mid June, the night air still carried a bit of spring chill.

“Why are you even awake? It’s late and you’ve got a busy day ahead of you.” He said.

Cassandra scrunched her nose. “A day of picking out ribbons and flowers, and confirming choices I made months ago.” She sighed, ”But it’s almost over. Soon I won’t have to climb down ivy covered stone in the middle of the night to see you, I’ll simply have to turn over.”

Horace smiled, but his heartbeat began to race again, just as it had back in his chambers before he escaped into the gardens.

Cassandra had obviously picked up on the change as well, because she pulled her head back to look up at him. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” He lied, “I’m about to marry my best friend, what could possibly be wrong?”

“Ok, first of all, don’t let Will catch you calling me your best friend or he’ll be walking down that aisle himself just to prove a point. Second, I’ve known you since we were sixteen Horace, I know when you are lying to me.” Her words weren’t accusing or insulted, she said it as if she was simply stating a fact.

He sighed heavily, “It’s dumb. I’m just,” he waves a hand in the space around his head, “stuck in here, I guess.”

“Can I help get you unstuck?”

He bit his lip, “It’s not something you’ll… understand.”

Cassandra rose an eyebrow at him, “Try me.”

“I don’t think I can be royalty.”

She laughs, but stops when she sees his guilty and serious expression in the moonlight. “Horace, that’s crazy. Of course you can.”

He steps back from her and shakes his head, “See, I knew you wouldn’t get it! Cassie, you were literally born for this kind of life. But, I wasn’t. I-I have nothing to offer the Crown. There’s no political advantage to you marrying me, no strategic benefit, certainly no financial gain.”

“Horace-“

“Everyone thinks it Cass! I see it the moment I walk into a room. Everyone at court is thinking the same thing, “Why him?” And I get it! Because since the moment we started this whole thing, that question has been echoing in my mind nonstop.” Horace’s breaths were heavy and he felt his heart racing in his chest.

“Do you really not know?” Cassandra’s voice was small and timid, two things it so rarely was. Horace’s shoulders shrugged on their own and Cassandra’s face fell at the response.

“Darling,” She grasped both his hands in hers, “I didn’t accept your proposal because I saw you as some sort of pawn, an asset to the kingdom. I accepted because I love you. Because I can’t imagine a life without you at my side.” She reached up and placed a gentle hand on his cheek, “Besides, haven’t you been paying any attention to the history lessons you’ve been taking? A good king isn’t measured by his wealth, or the number of his alliances. He’s measured by the strength of his heart, his love for his people. And by that standard, you’d make the very best of kings.”

Horace blinked up at Ursula Major, willing the tears that were being to form away. “I love you so much.” He felt her arms squeeze around him.

“I love you too. Now come on, we should head back before Raul realizes he’s lost me again.”

__________________________

Will was waiting outside of his suite, folded against the door half asleep. Horace lightly kicked at his leg, even though he knew Will had noticed his approach the moment he entered the corridor.

“Dude, why are you sleeping against my door? Alyss get bored of you already?”

Will grinned up at him, “Not yet, thank god.” He yawned and Horace rolled his eyes before reaching down and pulling Will up to his feet.

“Thanks. I saw you sneak out. I was going to check on you, but then I saw Cassandra disappear after you and figured that was a party I wasn’t invited to.” He said with a wink.

Horace shoved him, “It wasn’t like that. I just, I don’t know. Was caught in my head.”

“Cold feet?”

“No. Maybe lukewarm feet, but everything is sorted now.”

“Good. Because as the best man, getting you down the aisle is literally my only job. And it’s a lot easier if you go willingly.”

Horace clapped Will on the shoulder, “No need to worry brother, there’s nothing I want more than to marry Cassie.”

[bridgeportbritt]

Creeksbrey Palace | Umbrage, SimDonia

Voice echos: Bria Wu Won't Do!

Voice echos: Gold Digger. Not Royal. Trash. Bimbo.

Voice echoes: Duke Emmitt marries Simerican Socialite, Bria Wu. Let's see if this one lasts!

Voice echoes: Weird. Annoying.

Voice echos: Your Royal Highness.... Your Royal Highness?

Emmitt mumbles: Leave... leave my wife alone...

???: Sir?!

Emmitt startled: Ah! What? What is it? What time is it?

Lawyer: Sorry to bother you, sir.

Emmitt: No, it's alright. I must have dozed off. What time is it?

Lawyer: It's morning. We've been working around the clock, sir.

Emmitt: Wow, really? Time sure flew. Thank you all for working this late.

Lawyer: Of course, sir. We actually have some good news.

Emmitt: You do?

Laywer: Yes, sir. I believe we may have found a solution.

Later....

Emmitt running: This is great! Thank you all! I have to see to my wife, but please draw up your conclusions and invoice our finance team for your services. Job well done!

Emmitt: Bria? Bria?

Maid: Hello, Your Royal Highness.

Emmitt: Hi, have you seen the Grand Duchess?

Maid: Yes, sir. She left early this morning for KBE. It seems like there was important business to attend to.

Emmitt: Really?

Maid: Yes, sir.

Emmitt: Thank you...

Bria Wu Won't Do

Side Bar: Hi! I'm Morgan and I am firmly against fame hungry simerican socialite Bria Wu joining the royal fam! She is not is representation of SimDonia at all! If you're againt her like me, be sure to give me a follow and sign my petition to keep Bria out!!!!

Blog: Is THIS your Duchess??????? All you Bria fans out there, is this what you're rooting for? Girl can't find decent clothes to save her live and how is she gonna live of a life of duty when she only knows how to party and get wasted???

Simstagram

Caption: SimDonia Royals - Duke Emmitt weds Bria Wu at the Winston Royal Jacoban Church

Notafan2445 She is nowehere near royalty. The Duke should be ashamed of himself bringing TRASH into the Royal Fam.

annatime No Tiara? I wonder why...

simdoniaroyalobsessed very beautiful bride and wedding! #leaveBriaalone

levelup10 who cares?

jess.weller I'm sorry but she looks like a plastic surgery tatted up bimbo. Queen Ophelia is turning in her grave.

nomoremonarchs Waste of money. Clearly the monarchy isn't taking the royal family seriously. #abolish

bratwu #golddigger

Simtube

Title: Why Bria Wu Will Not Make it Long in The Royal Family

Thumbnail: Divorce. Affair with ex? Sad Duchess. Broke! Baby Mama Drama!

Simter

ForevaJewlz: Bria's short hair in the new KBE ads is weird #notbuyingbke

MermaidQueen Yeah let me take fashion advice from this woman lmaoooo report on these fashion crimes!!!

RealKing124 Do people actually wear KBE?? I feel like I've never seen a single person support that brand but supposedly it's so popular.

PinkieHere I watched a good 3 sec of the style report and turned it right off. I tried but I just find that woman so annoying.

Trending: #LeaveBriaAlone. SimDoniaSoccer. Grand Duchess. Plight of the Pendites.

[dangerliesbeforeyou]

tag game~

tagged by the amazing @coquelicoq to list 5 topics i can talk on for an hour without preparing any material! thanksss <3 <3

this is honestly a really difficult one for me cos as much as i love to ramble, the prospect of having to do a talk for an hour about anything would a) make me INCREDIBLY anxious and 2) i would promptly forget everything i know about said subject literally the second i have to do the talk pfft.... wait... the prompt doesnt say i have to do the talk in front of people so hmm... maybe i'd be ok lol

anyway topics time lol (these aren't really in any order btw just writing them as i think of them)!

art history ofc... i could equally talk as much about art i love as much as art i HATE lol (duchamp's goddamn toilet fountain you're going fucking DOWN bitch)... can't promise my hour speech won't just be a list of fun art-y facts lol (like uh in medieval paintings that used gold leaf, artists would put down this red gesso/glue like mixture (called something like boll?) because the red gave the gold a warmer glow than just sticking it onto the plain wooden panel lol) or that it won't be me massively misremembering parts of my degree pfft...

history of the british monarchy lol! ok so i may not currently like the monarchy, but i am a MASSIVE fan of the history of the royals lol... especially the tudor era! a lot of my talk would be me trying to remember the order of the monarchs from william the conqueror until now (which would mean me singing the horrible histories monarchy song lol sorry not sorry)... i would also spend the time being like 'yeh so this one had allegations of being gay, as did this one, and THIS one had several male favourites who he was definitely in relationships with' lol

kpop lol... not really sure what i would talk about? maybe specific groups (exo would be in contention for sure, they have a very interesting history tbh), or just the wider cultural phenomenon and history of kpop? or just like talk about niche kpop groups that basically no one remembers pfft (like that group that jackie chan made lol! already mentioned it on my kpop haveyouheard blog but people in the notes were like 'wait jackie chan did WHAT???' lol...) like i definitely don't know a lot of stuff, but i know more than the average joe so like... it might be fun idk??

queer films lol... i'd also say films in general, but i definitely feel like i have more niche and interesting knowledge specifically of queer films so.... i DEFINITELY could talk for well over an hour about that lol! this would also definitely include me complaining about films like call me by your name and blue is the warmest colour lol... (i actually was speaking to myself the other day about both films and how perceptions of both have changed SO much over the years since they came out lol...) but i'd mainly want to talk about the amazing queer films i've watched over the years!!... i'd also throw in some talk of asian queer media here since i've been watching it for literally 6 or so years at this point lol...

back to history, this time ancient egypt! returning to my childhood roots with this one lol i know a lot of random things about ancient egypt that i could potentially string into an hour long talk? actually recently went to an exhibition at the place where they film downton abbey (it's not called that btw lol) where it had a whole thing about the discovery of tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 which had a lot of interesting info tbh! dont come to this talk if u dont want to hear me talk about all the incest that went on in ancient egyptian royalty pfft... (like...historians believe that tut's mother was also his aunt, and his sister was also his wife, which kinda explain why none of their children survived... royals of all eras really were like 'we have to intermarry to keep the bloodline pure' and it's like (breaking bad bald guy meme) jesse NO that's what's KILLING you!!!!!!!!!!)

for most of these i'd basically say something and then immediately be like 'don't fact check me on that though' because chances are i remembered the thing wrong pfft...

tagging (no pressure to do it ofc!): @abnerkrill @asoftspotforangels @sylvasa @dollopheadsandclotpoles @zelvuska @micamicster & whoever else wants to do it!!

[royalfamily-of-windemburg]

Tiaras and Crowns Moment at the New Year's Eve Celebration

Last night, the Royal Family of Windemburg celebrated its traditional New Year's Eve banquet, an event full of elegance, glitter and majestic jewels, where not only members of the royalty were present, but also important leaders, politicians and renowned businessmen of the country.

Queen Isabella was, as usual, the centre of attention. Her Majesty wore the iconic Windemburg Red Flower Tiara. Accompanying this spectacular tiara, the Queen wore an elegant red dress with a large bow, which highlighted her stature and sophistication. At her side, Prince Consort Phillipe impressed with the famous Aurora Borealis Crown, known for its interchangeable rubies that shone with special intensity during the evening. Both radiated majesty and were, without a doubt, the most admired personalities of the evening.

For her part, the Queen Mother, always imposing, chose for the occasion the impressive Forest Emerald Tiara, a jewel with enormous emeralds that reflected her status and experience as a key member of the monarchy. Princess Francesca, the Queen's younger sister, also wore a dazzling tiara with floral motifs, known as the Dawn Lily Tiara.

Among the renowned guests were the Duke and Duchess of St. Sequoia. The Duke wore the St. Sequoia Crown, a piece of gold and pearls with more than a hundred years of history. The Duchess, for her part, surprised the public with a small pearl tiara never seen before, a rumor that quickly spread among the attendees indicates that this delicate piece was a personal gift from her husband on her last birthday,

The Duke and Duchess of St. Sequoia’s children also made an appearance alongside their parents. Prince Liam, newly active in his royal duties, and his younger brother Prince Uriel posed proudly at the entrance to the event, drawing admiring glances for their poise and presence.

The newlyweds, the Countess and the Earl of Simton, showed off their union with a photograph in which the Countess shined in the same tiara she wore on her wedding day, the Simton Tiara. Finally, Princess Victoria, mother of Countess Viviane, surprised with a silver dress that stood out for its sophistication.

The event, as every year, was a display of tradition, richness and elegance, marking not only the end of a year, but also the firm legacy of the Windemburg monarchy in history. Tell us in the comments, which was your favorite look?

Comments section:

RoyalFanatic12: Queen Isabella was radiant! That floral tiara is simply spectacular. What a way to end the year!

SophiaBlossoms: I love it, every member of the family looks so iconic. I can't pick a favorite!

AntiRoyalty: It's a waste of public money!

MichelleGit1: Prince Henrik giving his wife a tiara for her birthday, how nice that they are still so in love!

[spite-and-waffles]

You did a little explanation on how rich the Wayne’s are right here: https://at.tumblr.com/spite-and-waffles/i-always-wonder-whether-batfam-fans-really-get/0ctrzj4qhiww

Now I was wondering if you could do a part 2 explaining how rich the Al Ghuls are, it’s be amazing 🤩 to see how everyone reacts to Dami being an Al Ghul which is essentially royalty, and Damian being idk the prince of Nada Parbat and the Batfam’s reactions to it please

The discussion on that post went a lot into how rich Ra's might be, and whether he was richer than Bruce. (I made an edit about it, which I later moved into reblogs, which is why you'll see it in different places in the reblog chains.)

@rasalghul777 made a more involved post about Ra's in this reblog. It's a very well considered response, and I'm not very economically literate, but I didn't agree about the gold. Gold prices crash all the time, being subject to the same supply and demand as other goods. It's supposed to be a safe haven in times of inflation and economic downturn, but it's gone down 20% these days.

And I think the bit about counting income in expenses didn't account for purchasing power parity, which means that a basket of essential goods can be exponentially cheaper in the Global South. Especially if you're buying them, even weapons, at grate price.

This reblog goes into the comparisons between the cumulative wealth of individual billionaires vs. foreign debt of entire countries (the results will make you want to start killing people yourself). I think Ra's wealth in maintaining his assassins would function like a feudal economy, and I wanted to research that a little more before I responded, but then I...forgot. Lol.

As for the Al Ghuls being "royalty" – no. They're warlords with delusions of grandeur. Well, Ra's is. Both Nyssa and Talia just wanted out, and Dami is just parrotting what he's been made to believe. Nanda Parbat is the headquarters of a cult, that functions as a citadel. Royalty entails control of a country, that interacts with other rulers and nations. Ra's's idea of interaction is probably keeping a whole bunch of blackmail on everyone in his back pocket and culling favours by bribing and terrorizing them from the shadows. He's had centuries to build up his mystique, Illuminati-style, and rich and powerful people tend to be superstitious, especially in Asia and Africa. A myth is always more powerful than a man. The trouble with Ra's is that he buys his own hype, which always an Achilles heel. (And just tacky, tbh. But then so is royalty.)

Damian has been raised on all of Ra's's delusions about himself and his place in the world, and probably thinks of himself as a prince, because he's still a child. However, between his grandfather and his father, he can leverage the kind of power and influence that actual modern-day royalty can only dream of, because today's monarchies are answerable to their parliaments and the international community. (Granted, the complete lack of oversight and accountability checks around the Bats in general is a consistent cause for fridge horror). In terms of money, he stands to inherit one-fifth of Bruce's estate (one-sixth now? What's Duke's adoption status again?) as well as Ra's's fortune, so his personal wealth would be on par with or higher than the richest monarchs today (the current richest monarch in the world, King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand, is worth $43 - $30 billion). But like I said, royalty are the representatives and political leaders/ figureheads of a country, that existed either in the present or the past. The Al Ghuls aren't. So they're no more royalty than Bruce is. You could make the case that the Al Ghuls and Waynes are "aristocrats", the criteria for which is fuzzier but has something to do with noblesse oblige.

(Opinions have possibly been coloured by writer's extreme distaste for royalty and rich people, even in fiction. 😂 Dami will hopefully grow to share it. I mean, his favourite person is a carnie boy, and his Batgirl a working class girl and queen of dollar store scrunchies. His first friend was disabled orphanage child Colin Wilkes. Children are so much more than moulds their forebears want to cram them into.)