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blues824 · 2 years ago

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💐Imagine female douma being isekai'd in the the word of the remarried empress but douma reader became royalty.

🌈She became royalty after the empress and emprorr adopted her because of a high priest told them that her parents died (like in the comic douma's mother killed her husband and mistresses after finding out her cheated of her then ended herself ) and the high priest believed that she was a child giftd by God so allowing her to become anything lower than a lady would be a insult to the gods.

💐Her being a manipulatieve girl who doesn't know emotions until she met navier then she became happy for the first time.

(This picture disribes douma pretty well)

💐(like they also grew up together with navier and sovieshu but had to wear a vail to cover up her face because the empress and emprorr believed she was a child giftd by God so she was only allowed to show her face after she became the empress but after a lot of asking navier was the only person who was alowd to see her face )

🌈Imagine after years she became a empress and was invited by navier to te new years party and navier and sovieshu seeing her after a long time and then rattrash trying to befriend her only to meet her worse nightmare a angry douma who hates mistresses because they are filthy and unworthy of her and navier.

💐(like the female douma was always being told she was a goddess but she knew it's not true but she just went with it and used it to her advantage )

🌈And burning the party where she tells navier she is alowd to take of her veil after the dress drama to get the negative attention away from navier because people get to see her face for the first time and after hearing rumours about her face and why she wore it now they understand why she got called a goddess.

💐(imagine navier and the douma reader dancing together 2 beautiful empress dancing together making people jealous about their beauty and status )

🌈Honestly douma's eyes are the most beautiful eyes and I know she can out drama rattrash because douma learnd to copy emotions she never had so imagine rattrash trying to use her crocodile tears again her but failing so hard because of douma's manipulatieve personality and her being able to figure out she was not really crying and because of sovieshu becoming a simp for douma him not beleving rattrash

And navier trovi is the best qween I have ever.

I showed my mom that picture and she said, “Oh hell no”.

As a preface, I’m changing up the request a bit. Reader was taken in by the High Priest, but since he is so busy the Imperial Family offered to raise her. She was raised alongside Sovieshu. We’re gonna forget that Krista exists and you were betrothed to King Wharton III (Heinrey’s brother).

Sovieshu was technically your adopted brother. His parents took you in because the High Priest asked, and who wouldn’t want to get on his good side? Plus, he said that you were a gift of the gods. If the Imperial Family had the chance to care for a child of the gods, they were going to take it.

He always knew that you were apathetic, what with not crying at funerals or rejoicing at weddings. No. Sure, he couldn’t see your expressions because of your veil, but he can read your body language just fine. He somewhat admired your ability to fake emotion through your body.

At some point, he developed a crush on you. You weren’t related at all, and you weren’t legally his sibling. The sad realization that you both were going to marry other people hit him like a truck. Someone else would be able to gaze upon your face, and it wasn’t going to be him.

When Navier invited you to the New Year’s Party, Sovieshu was excited. Sure, a lot has happened since you last saw each other, but surely you would be happy for him? Wrong. You, in fact, called him ‘a piece of trash for treating Navier like his father treated his mother’. He couldn’t even see your face, but he could feel the disgusted look you were giving him.

Speaking of tea being spilled, Sovieshu saw how you gracefully made your way to the dance floor. That is where you finally revealed your face. The Emperor watched as his wife walked up to you and asked for a dance. He had to admit that he was incredibly jealous that it wasn’t himself dancing with you.

Rashta has heard about you. It was hard not to. Your reputation precedes you as a ‘child of the gods’. Everyone knew about you, and everyone knew that you had never shown your face to the public. From the looks of it, you didn’t even show either the Emperor or Empress (the latter part wasn’t true, though).

She eavesdropped on one of Sovieshu’s and Navier’s supposed-to-be-private conversations and they were reminiscing about you. She was jealous because it seems as though the Emperor missed you the most. She quickly corrected herself because she didn’t want to offend the gods.

She asks around the palace to try and gather information about you. She is very curious, and most of the servants as well as visiting nobles seem to have good things to say about you. They really worshiped you as though you were a goddess yourself.

When she finds out that Navier invited you to the New Year’s Party, she was excited. What she did not expect was for you to be introduced as the Queen of the Western Empire or for you to completely ignore her and Sovieshu and go straight to Navier. In fact, when you did get introduced to each other, your first statement was ‘I know who you are’.

Rashta watched as you and Navier walked hand-in-hand to the dance floor. You both danced so beautifully. Then, the Empress gently lifted your veil. You smiled as everyone gasped. The young mistress was angry that all the attention was off of her and onto you. As you and Navier walked off the floor, you looked in Rashta’s direction, gave a little pout, and used a finger to signify a tear falling down your face.

Navier was introduced to you when she was handpicked by the Emperor to marry Sovieshu. Everyone has heard of the Imperial Family volunteering to care for the child that the High Priest deemed a ‘child of the gods’, so she was excited to meet you.

The four of you (you, Navier, Sovieshu, and Kosair) became close as children. You were betrothed to the (then) Crowned Prince of the Western Kingdom, Prince Wharton III. As a child, Navier was saddened at the prospect of you having to move such a long distance away. In private, you took off your veil and showed her as a seal to the promise that you both would remain close no matter what.

She knew about Sovieshu’s and Kosair’s crushes on you. She harbored no romantic interest in Sovieshu, so she was completely fine with it. In fact, she tried to push either one into confessing. No dice. At least you both stayed true to your promise and you wrote to each other quite frequently.

She always invited you to every New Year’s Party, but every single time your husband was sickly and you couldn’t attend. However, when you wrote to her saying you would be able to come, she was delighted. She sent a servant to tell her husband about the news as she got prepared for the party.

During said party, you noticed that the dress drama was getting to Navier, so you had a suggestion. You both would dance and she would lift your veil to reveal your face. The floor was cleared for the two of you, and you both danced gracefully. In the middle, Navier gently removed your veil as you smiled. She was shocked to see how much you had grown, but so glad she could see your beautiful eyes again.

Heinrey was your brother-in-law. You were betrothed to his older brother from a very young age, and when you both got married he noticed how you actually won the love of the people with hard work and dedication. You ruled with a stern fist, and he respected that about you.

He was aware that the marriage between you and his brother was one of convenience, but not of union. You weren’t a child of the Eastern Empire, so you couldn’t unite the two countries. However, it was more of an act of goodwill, what with you being a child of the gods.

You treated him like a younger brother, but there was no emotion behind any of your actions. You did what made sense, what was most logical. You told him stories of your childhood in the Eastern Empire and of Navier, Sovieshu, and Kosair. It was then that he grew a fascination towards the Empress.

You were both invited to the New Year’s Party, but the invitations were a cause of laughter between you, your husband, and Heinrey. You were invited on Navier’s behalf, Heinrey was invited on Sovieshu’s behalf. Once arrived, the Crowned Prince of the Western Kingdom just awkwardly stood there (simping over Navier) while you gave the Empress a hug. You didn’t even bother to acknowledge the Emperor or his mistress.

Later on in the evening, the dance floor was emptied. Heinrey watched as you and Navier walked step-by-step towards each other until you met in the middle. The way you danced was as graceful as flowing water in a peaceful river. In the middle of the dance, she lifted your veil to reveal your face. It was the first time the Prince saw your face at all, let alone seeing pure joy being expressed by you. Did his Queen have the same effect on you?

Bonus: Kosair was introduced to you when Navier was handpicked by the Emperor to marry Sovieshu. All the noble families knew how the Imperial Family took you in and volunteered to raise you in place of the High Priest. Even though he already hated the Prince, he had to admit that he was excited to meet you.

He never noticed your apathetic personality because you were really good at faking your emotions through your voice and your body language. He wasn’t permitted to see your face, so he wasn’t able to see your expressions. However, he probably wouldn’t have noticed the fake smile you always wore.

You were a marvel to him. Even without seeing your face, you made him fall in love with you. When the news came that you were betrothed to the Crowned Prince of the Western Kingdom, he was devastated. Navier had to hold him back from doing anything that could tarnish the family’s reputation.

After the Imperial Family’s New Year’s Party, you had written to Kosair saying that you were in-town and would love to see him before you had to go back home. Once he had received the letter, he was in the palace the next day. He asked to be led to your chambers and you gave him a hug upon seeing him. You spent the majority of the day just catching up.

It was then where he confessed the feelings he had harbored for you for years. You, not really feeling anything, faked your sadness. You explained that if you had known sooner, you would have fought all you could so that you could marry him instead of your actual husband. Great job, Y/N. You made him mentally beat himself up even more.

Bonus: Grand Duke Kaufman was introduced to you formally while he visited the Western Kingdom. However, like everyone else, he has previously heard about you and your connection to the gods. It intrigued him, to say the least. It’s not like every Imperial Family raises a child for the High Priest.

He had also heard how you ruled your Kingdom with a string and firm hand, leading your subject with wisdom beyond your years. You often had to step in place of the King, and you did it well. When he visited to talk about negotiations between Luipt and the W.K., you knew his language. He was both shocked and not.

Your words were calculated and you evaluated every option and their consequences. You both had decided that it was smarter to wait and negotiate with the Eastern Empire than to make a decision presently. That was when the messenger came in with 3 invitations for you, Kaufman, and Heinrey to go to the New Year’s Party.

At said party, the Grand Duke was surprised at how you only paid attention to the Empress rather than greeting the Emperor. In fact, the latter was also shocked. You called both Sovieshu and his mistress the ‘lowest of the low’ and told them how they should be ashamed of themselves.

Later on in the evening, Kaufman noticed how everyone vacated the dance floor. The music changed to a nice waltz, and you and Navier were the only ones in the center of the room. As you both danced, the Empress gently lifted your veil. He had never seen someone so beautiful, and it made him a tinge jealous of your husband. No wonder you were said to be a deity.

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thereissomehope · 4 months ago

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unexpected

masterlist • archive of our own • pinterest chapter board

summary: Since a tender age, you have been raised to be the perfect noble lady. You yearned for a different life, to be free, but it wasn't possible, your destiny was to be married to the best suitor. Still, you could hope for something different. it could never happen to you, could it?

warnings: manwha/novel spoilers. unrealistic (and cute) bird behaviour.

Chapter 2 : Amity.

A few days had passed since you had brought your unexpected guest home.

“You are so cute, aren’t you? So lovely!”

The maids' voices mingled over each other, their high pitch echoing on the room's walls. All of them stood around a little table, surrounding it, and in the middle of the table stood the little bird, gazing at the maids while occasionally chirping.

You smiled at the scene, almost tempted to join the maids in their cooing.

A few days had passed since you had brought your unexpected guest home. The start had been rocky, but everything was going smoothly. The bird was now responsive, moving around their cage. When you let her out of it, she moved with what you would call curiosity, jumping from place to place, looking at you with her large black eyes. Her presence alone would lift your mood significantly, something which also applies to the home staff.

All of sudden, your room needed much more cleaning than usual, because in the little time the bird had been here, half of the maids had taken to “cleaning” your room. They spent most of their time fawning over your little guest rather than cleaning, though.

You sat back in your chair, hearing the maids discuss something animatedly, and looked back at the book in your lap.

After wondering for days, your question about the bird’s species was soon answered after a look through ‘The Birds of the Western Kingdom’. Even though the book might be a little old (judging by the word kingdom instead of empire on the cover) its contents were still reliable. The grayish-blue color of its feathers and plump, round body had already given you an idea, but now it was confirmed. The species of the bird was a bluebird, a fitting name for your small friend. Additionally, the book had also revealed that your little friend was, in fact, a little lady, something that had delighted you greatly.

The maids also seemed delighted in the company of the bird, constantly cooing over her. Things were going well, the peace and warmness in the house was something that you could get used to.

“My lady?” The voice of one of the maids interrupted your thinking. It was Elli. She had been in the service of the manor ever since you arrived in the capital, and you were more than used to her, even considering her a friend. She cleared her throat, clasping her hands in front of her.

“Well, my lady. The rest of the maids and I were wondering…” She trailed off slightly, looking to the side. “Have you thought of naming the bird?”

That got you off guard. In the time you had with the bluebird, you hadn’t thought of giving it a name. It surprised you hadn’t thought one, but you supposed that in your worry, it didn’t even cross your mind.

“Erm, not... really? I hadn't considered it,” you confessed, standing up from your chair. The maids looked at each other excitedly.

“Then, what if we name it now? I mean, if you approve, my lady!” Elli was quick to calm herself, but she seemed as excited as the rest of the maids. You smiled, and walked towards the group, while the maids giggled.

“Yes, that is a good idea.”

You stood between the maids, looking towards the little blue bird on the table. The bird looked back at you, moving its head to the side and back to the front.

“Um, I can’t think of anything…what do you have in mind?” You asked, looking at the group around you. The maids quickly sprang into action.

“Let’s name it Betty!”

“I think Marian it's sweet-sounding, perfect for such a cute bird!”

“Well, I think Blue could be a nice name!”

“Blue? Isn’t that a little obvious?”

“Could you think something better?”

“Hey!”

The voices of the maids sounded on top of each other while they discussed, the bickering growing louder and louder.

“Now, now, no need for that!” You tried calming the maids, but to no avail, since they continued arguing over names. “Hey, listen a second!... Please? Girls! HEY!” You clapped as loudly as you could, the sound echoing loudly in the room. All the maids stopped in the middle of their arguing and bowed their heads while apologizing.

“What am I going to do with you all?” you sighted, rubbing between your eyes. The maids continued apologizing while you did so, but one little voice made you raise your head.

“Excuse me, my lady?” From the back, one of the maids spoke up. The other ones stepped aside, revealing a young maid. She seemed nervous, shuffling in place. You gave her the chance to speak.

“Well, my lady, I was thinking…” she started, her freckled cheeks turning red with all the attention on her. “That, um, maybe we could call the bird.. er, Amity?

“Amity?” That name picked your interest, so you curiously asked her what she meant.

“Well, yes, it’s a word I learned the other day,” she smiled, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck. “I thought it would be nice fit, since, well… things have gotten better, my lady. And this bird is the representation of that, isn’t it? I mean, we could still name it anything else, it --“ She started rambling, obviously nervous.

“No, no! Don’t be sorry, I think is perfect,” you stopped her, sending a reassuring smile her way. The rest of the maids nodded, accepting the name as well. ” But most importantly… what do you think, Amity?”

You picked up the bird in your palm, holding it close. For a moment, the bird only watched you, but then it jumped, chirping loudly and dancing in your palm. The maids and you laughed at the reaction, caressing the little bird.

“Well, I think that means she likes it!”

The rest of the evening was spent cooing over Amity, with the number of maids eventually descending, until only you and a handful remained. You were putting books back on the shelf when Elli interrupted you.

“Shall I prepare a dress beforehand, my lady?” Elli stood close to the closet, already opening it and rummaging through the clothes.

“A dress?” You turned to face her, not understanding what she meant. She turned and looked at you, confused for a moment before answering.

“For the tea party tomorrow, my lady.”

Oh.

There was going to be a tea party in the palace, a reunion between noble ladies before the ball was held in some days. Lady Nevea had specially reserved a place within the palace to host it, so it would be rude of you to not attend. Amity seemed to be doing well enough as it was, and you had the help of the maids, so it wouldn’t be a bother. Besides, you could use the reunion to enjoy yourself, and being honest, eating the pastries was also high on your list of reasons to go.

“Yes, of course. Please get the dress ready for tomorrow Elli. Thanks.”

The tea party had been pleasant. The place had been decorated in beautiful white cloths that shone with the afternoon light. The mood at the place was warm and cheerful, with most of the nobles having a good time.

All kinds of delicacies were served at the tables, from puddings to cookies and cakes, and you had your fill. You met with your friends and chatted the evening away, laughing and enjoying the food. Everyone had enjoyed themselves so much that the party lasted until the sun had gone down.

By the time it was over, you were glad you had attended instead of staying home, even though your mind kept wandering to thoughts of Amity during the gathering.

You walked the halls, moving towards the entrance so you could go to your home. The afternoon sun had long since set, and the candles shone dimly in the dark hallway. You looked out of the window, watching the moon rise in the night sky. You were distracted, but the sound of another pair of footsteps made you turn.

At first glance, you didn’t realize who he was. Between the tiredness clouding your mind and the darkness, there was nothing you could pinpoint about them. You didn’t recognize the face of the man walking down the hall, mistaking him as just another noble who was going their way. But once you had gotten closer to him, you noticed.

The moonlight streaming from the windows enhanced his grayish hair and the golden-brown skin, his expression was firm and serious but what you noticed were those clear, sharp eyes posed straight ahead. Then, you realized that it was him, the man from days ago, the one you had – literally - run into.

The two of you were getting nearer with every step, and the increasing closeness only helped to increase your nerves. Did he recognize you? He didn’t seem to do so; he didn’t seem to have noticed you at all with the way his gaze was straight ahead. Ignoring him would be rude, but if he hadn’t noticed you, then apologizing wasn’t needed. If you just passed by and none of you interacted, it would be alright, maybe you wouldn’t have to---

His gaze was on you now.

This was it, there was no escaping. He was looking at you now and by how he was doing it you were sure he remembered you. You steeled yourself and tried to ignore the embarrassment you were beginning to feel, if you were quick then the shame you felt would be gone by the end of it and the incident with the stranger would be solved.

“Em, excuse me, sir?” You stopped yourself in front of him, cringing internally at the sound of your shaky voice. He had too stopped walking, staring firmly at you and that only served to make you hesitate.

“I’m not sure if you remember,” Your gaze moved to the floor on its own, unable to hold his gaze, but you forced yourself to look into his eyes once again. ”But the other day I accidentally ran into you … I just wanted to apologize properly for doing that…” You gave a bow. “I- I’m really sorry for doing that, sir. I hope it wasn’t an inconvenience for you,”

You waited for his reaction, half expecting him to be mad at you or mock you in some way, but unexpectedly, he didn’t say anything at all, all he did was stare at you for some incredibly long seconds. You thought your legs would give out in any second.

“It’s alright.”

He gave a slight nod, and just with those few words, he continued along his way until he turned a corner and disappeared from your view. You almost fainted right there, but instead, you turned around and continued on your way home.

Somehow, that had been even more embarrassing than crashing into him.

When you arrived home, you went straight to your room and threw yourself face-first into the pillows. You were sure that Amity was looking at you strangely from inside the cage.

The ball had been a day expected by most, a major holiday that most looked up to during the year. This had been barely your second attendance, and you had been just as excited.

You arrived at the palace in the dress you had prepared weeks prior, the color was a pretty shade, giving you confidence. You walk to one of the groups where your friends are and start talking. The themes were simple, talking about the dresses, which person was here and the plans some of the nobles had. You were chatting with a young countess, who talked animatedly about the trip she was to take soon. However, your chat was cut short by the sound of loud trumpets.

Everyone turned to the entrance of the room, where the Empress and Emperor were making their entrance. Both looked radiant together, their arms linked together with golden crowns in their heads. Empress Navier looked astonishing, her signature red enhancing her regal aura. They walked together to their thrones and once they sat down, the nobles returned to their talks. The murmur of the crowd returned.

The theme changed, the most recent affairs concerning the royals conquering your talk. The heirs were healthy and the empire was thriving, an era of peace seemed to have begun. The diplomatic relations were prospering as well, with the empire as head with various trading deals. You listened as the nobles praised the reign as if they hadn’t ever judged the emperor or empress in their lives.

You looked back towards the emperors, only to notice someone walking over to meet them. Walking up the stairs to where their seats were being none other than the man you had run into. He approached the pair, and after giving a bow, he talked with them. The talk was natural, flowing between them without the stiffness of pleasantries. You could have even said the empress looked pleased. They all seemed to know each other, and that surprised you greatly. Who was this man?

The countess followed your gaze to where the three of them chatted, and as if realizing your question, she began, “Grand Duke Kaufman is back in the Empire.” She watched the three of them. ”The trade agreement between Luipt and the empire seems to be going well, maybe he came to discuss that? Either way, their majesties and him are close, aren’t they?” She looked over to you, and you nodded. She turned back to the nobleman by her side and resumed talking, but you were still looking over the direction the three were at.

…Grand Duke Kaufman!?

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angel-tsugikuni-kamukura · 1 year ago

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Welcome back to your weekly dose of the remarried empress episode 166.

Heinry and grand Duke Kaufman making things good for navier and her being happy with her pregnancy

But for sovieshit he is like wait navier is pregnant so this is not my child.

Also Krista is dead rip

@blues824 @blues824reblogs @officials-isabella @instantthingmiracle @vanisagi27

#the remarried empress #remarried empress #the remarried empress x reader #remarried empress x reader #grand duke kaufman x reader #navier trovi #empress navier #heinrey alles lazlo #sovieshu #Grand Duke Kaufman

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dreamlight-violet · 1 year ago

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i don't understand how so many people seen Kaufman pouring his heart out to Navier, ready to risk it all to whisk her away and save her from Sovieshu's BS and went "BuT hEiNrEy Is ThE mL". i literally could not give two fucks, where is Grand Duke Kaufman's side story, bc you know he'd treat a girl right

HE IS THE ML TO ME

#remarried empress #grand duke kaufman #he's the ML to me

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randompersion · 1 year ago

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anyone else loves a character too much that you became so possessive of them and also being jealous that theres a fanart of them??

sorry if isnt worded too well😔

#random #random thoughts #welcome to demon school iruma kun #balam shichirou #marco the phoenix #Grand Duke Kaufman #Funny enough its those three for me #one piece #The remarried empress

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crazyyanderefangirlfan · 2 years ago

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Re-married Empress Oc

(In public)

(In private)

"I hope karma slaps you in the face before I do."

Name: Hecate Callista Astoria

Nicknames: Queen of the Witches, The Dark Lady, Grand Duke Kaufman's lover.

Role: Grand Princess of a small but powerful kingdom and Witch.

Age: 24

Gender: Female

Appearance: Hecate has beautiful oval face with obsidian black semi wavy mid-back hair with side bangs in an updo in public and loose in private, dark teal eyes and pale skin. She wear warm pink eyeshadow and light pink lipgloss, she has an hourglass figure and stands 165 cm.

Clothing: Hecate usually wear dresses that show off her figure, her favorite is a black dress with slit sleeves, gold fasteners hold it together and a sweetheart neckline with gold leaves embroidered and lace up black block heel sandals . She usually wears a gold collar necklace and gold laurel wreath crown.

Personality: She carries herself with royal demeanor and resembles a clean freak in many ways. She also exhibits a certain level of contempt for those who take carelessness with their looks. Hecate disapproves of the concept of wishing for something to happen since she thinks that achieving one's goals can only be attained by genuine effort.

Hecate is a brilliant thinker who is also incredibly clever and humorous. She appears to be examining everyone she is staring at with her cold, analytical eyes. She loves learning as sometimes seen having deep conversations especially with mages.

Hecate is exceedingly stubborn and strong-willed, as well as incredibly determined and courageous. She has demonstrated a great deal of boldness, courage, and fearlessness.

Although Hecate has a very kind heart, she can be quite harsh and judgemental when she meets new people. However, once they have won her favor, Hecate is exceedingly loyal.

Hecate is known for her bluntness and her lack of filter. She doesn't mind annoying or insulting those who disagree with her or find her annoying. Rashta and Sovieshu are prime examples as Hecate calls them "the perfect match for stupidity."

Powers and abilities: She's a highly powerful witch who's known for her potions and her overwhelming power. Her presence makes the area she is in engulfed by magic.

Her know abilities are:

Mystiokinesis: Hecate is a prodigy in magic.

Potion creation: Hecate's potions are highly powerful and sought after. Some potions come in different forms of liquid, such as jelly, stew, brew, or even soup. They can also be made into solid form, often pills, powder, candy, and possibly drugs.

Prophecy: She can see multiple futures that could happen and predict prophecies.

Mist Control: Hecate has absolute control over the Mist. A swirling column of pure white Mist surrounds her when she is present. She can teleport people, summon Mistforms, and create illusions.

Umbrakinesis: Hecate can control and manipulate darkness and shadows

Necromancy: Hecate can control and manipulate the dead, however it takes more of her power.

Familiar summoning: Hecate can summon her familiars when she needs them.

#the remarried empress #grand duke kaufman #duke kaufman #hecate astoria

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pruneunfair · 5 months ago

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The Remarried empress fandom is practically a cult.

If it isn't the very pro-monarchy storyline that gets me, its the fans and how they idolize its protagonist and everyone else who supports her, this normally wouldn't be an issue if it didn't reach the point of condoning literal slavery.

The way the fans of this comic act is straight up disturbing, part of me thinks remarried empress might even be propaganda to push imperialism and monarchies. The characters you're supposed to root for are all horrible people such as a slave owner who is regarded as a cute fangirl, the ML who is a king with an annoying uwu persona that also steals from mages and kills innocent people, a grand duke is so obsessed with Navier he becomes a creep who goes around passing date-rape love potions like candy, and a brother who violates another woman's autonomy by slipping her abortion drugs but they never face consequences and if they do, its portrayed as something unfair caused by the evil women who get in Navier's way.

speaking of which lets talk about how any other woman in this story who is powerful and above Navier in some way is immediately villainized. the mistress Rashta is a former slave who was sold by her father, abused by her masters, one of them sexually assaults her as well (the narrative tries to say Rashta consented even though a slave can't say no to someone who owns them) and ends up severely traumatized after her baby is taken away and replaced with a dead one. Already off to a rough start for someone we are supposed to see as a one dimensional villain.

in the beginning chapters, Navier's ladies in waiting are already ridiculing Rashta before she even did anything all for being a slave who dared to become the Emperors mistress and hurt the feelings of their perfect empress, how could that slave not worship our empress!? What a wench!. later the narrative justifies making a slave the ultimate evil by making her into someone who "seduced" the Emperor and is ultimately written as a evil moron who is the true villain using her body to charm the poor little noblemen. (Ugh..) In the end her character is basically to be a punching bag for Navier to girl boss back into place and she dies alone in a prison cell as the most evil empress in history.

Then there's Krista, a queen dowager who didn't really like Navier but never went as far beyond snubbing her and letting rumors spread, bad but nothing too horrible, and when she sends a gift one of Navier's ladies in waiting gets all upset and asks if she can toss the gift out, its played off as a joke but it becomes clear it's supposed to tell readers that Krista is a mean mean woman for not adoring the MC.

Then when Krista is becoming too independent for the authors liking they begin to ruin her character by having pine after Heinrey, weird as hell but it could've worked if she was actually utilized as a villain and not a bug that needs to be squashed, she then gets blamed for letting Heinrey rest on her lap even though Kaufman was the one who drugged Heinrey while Krista didn't know, she's disgraced and later killed off while Heinrey proceeds to make the rest of her family suffer in the long run as well. And yet fans practically celebrated her death.

The comments are honestly the worst part, nothing but "Trashta has nothing on our queen! 😍" and "Navier is such a true girlboss! go away Trashta! 🤢" there are chapters where characters like Heinrey literally say that he'll torture people who don't like Navier and the comments are all just "Awww he's such an upgrade from Sovieshit, what a soft boy he is!" ffs it honestly feels like a cult where Navier is the god and all her supporters are her apostles.

The message is clear: you MUST like Navier! If you don't then it makes you a bad guy worthy of death row, and it doesn't take much either, all you need to do if talk a little shit about Navier and boom, her hubby has your mouth with rocks and sewn shut (yes this actually happened and it's never talked about again) if Rashta did something like that she'd be getting flamed, I'm even willing to bet if it was Heinrey who mutilated Delice the comments would either be full of cheap excuses for him or they just would give him a slap on the wrist.

I really wanted to like Remarried empress but I honestly can't anymore with the hypocrisy. Navier isn't even very likeable anymore since all she does now is react to everything and either condone what people do in her name or just not caring, so much for an empress who loves her subjects.

#the remarried empress #rashta #remarried empress #empress navier #heinrey alles lazlo #anti Heinrey #the remarried empress critical #webtoon

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pastamansta · 2 years ago

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A List of Stop-Motion Feature-Length Films You Probably Haven't Tried.

If you’re anything like me, stop-motion animation is something that you’re sick of hearing about, because it’s always the same fucking recommendations. I took the time to browse over Wikipedia’s “List of stop-motion films” and do what I could to create a list of stop-motion feature-length films that might be worth a watch and that you haven’t constantly heard animation brats cream themselves over. Obviously, this list is not perfect, it’s mostly based off of the films I was able to find generally high reviews for on Letterboxd, but this list will contain nothing from Aardman, nothing from Laika, nothing from Wes Anderson, Tim Burton, or Henry Selick, but will contain at least a handful of things you haven't heard constant chatter about. These films are also fully stop-motion, so nothing from Ray Harryhausen or Jan Švankmajer either. Oh, and no shorts or television, obviously.

I will go ahead and put the following eight as films that aren't as frequently referenced in "best stop-motion films of all time" articles, but will find their ways into conversations about stop-motion without much difficulty;

René Laloux's "Fantastic Planet" (1973)

Will Vinton's "The Adventures of Mark Twain" (1985)

Adam Elliot's "Mary and Max" (2009)

Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson "Anomalisa" (2015)

Claude Barras's "My Life as a Zucchini" (2016) [French]

Phil Tippett's "Mad God" (2021)

Dean Fleischer Camp's "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On" (2021)

Guillermo del Toro's "Pinocchio" (2022)

If you haven't seen those eight, I'd take care of that first. Now, we hit other stuff.

Lotte Reiniger's "The Adventures of Prince Achmed" (1926) [German]

Wladyslaw Starewicz & Irene Starewicz "The Tale of the Fox" (1937) [French]

Ivo Caprino's "The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix" (1975) [Norwegian]

Piotr Kamler's "Chronopolis" (1982) [French]

Chris Taylor & Mark Hall's "The Wind in the Willows" (1983)

Dave Borthwick's "The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb" (1993)

Stanislav M. Sokolov & Derek W. Hayes's "The Miracle Maker" (2000)

Christiane Cegavske's "Blood Tea and Red String" (2006)

Jan Balej's "One Night in One City" (2007) [Czech]

Stéphane Aubier & Vincent Patar's "A Town Called Panic" (2009) [French]

Fernando Cortizo's "The Apostle" (2012) [Spanish]

Chris Sullivan's "Consuming Spirits" (2012)

Paul Cowan & Amer Shomali "The Wanted 18" (2014)

Jan Balej's "Little from the Fish Shop" (2015) [Czech]

Takahide Hori's "Junk Head" (2017) [Japanese]

Michael Mort's "Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires" (2018)

Cristóbal León & Joaquín Cociña's "The Wolf House" (2018) [Spanish]

Paloma Baeza Niki, Lindroth von Bahr, Emma De Swaef, & Marc James Roels's "The House" (2022)

That's what I've got for the time being. If you can recommend a feature-length, majority stop-motion film that's not Aardman, Laika, Wes, Burton, or Selick, I'd be more than happy to look it over and see about adding it to the list. Enjoy.

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lxdymoon0357 · 1 year ago

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Hopefully it's not too late for a rasheinrey (Rashta x Heinrey) request 🤭

rashta and heinrey fake dating au where everyone thought these two are the penpals. Thank you sooo much !!

(Rashta and Heinrey are two creepy sociopaths whom I love, with my whole heart!!! Rashta is Sovieshu's adopted sister, not concubine and Sovieshu is in love with Kaufman while my aro/ace hcs of Navier prove she hates sappy shit, but sse's a funny, goofy and nice sister. not proofread. )

Fog of the heart..

It was a chilly morning the moment Rashta opened her window as she read the tiny piece of letter again and again, she got from this golden bird with purple eyes, she just caused during the breakfast banquet when she declared she was Heinrey’s pen pal because she knew her sister (Navier) didn’t like him and he was being pushy and being annoying…

As she read it gain, “Listen, if you butt in my business again, you won’t realize where it hit you.” Snickering to herself at this man being so dumb, she crumpled the paper and looked at the golden bird with purple eyes who seemed very angry before she stroked him and whispered to it, “If your owner doesn’t stop misbehaving with Rashta’s sister and Rashta herself, his kingdom will be removed off the map and cartographers will have to create a new map with more of Eastern Empire territory, got it?!” Rashta whispered to the bird with anger in her voice, the bird seemed shaken up before Rashta pulled out a tiny paper, writing an insult to him and tying it on the bird’s legs before Rashta went to Sovieshu’s room, walking through the many hallways and greeting those she saw on her way to Sovieshu’s office and as she reached there she saw Navier, her face pale and it looked as though she was about to throw up.

Worried for her as always Rashta ran up to her and asked in a worried tone, “Sister, are you okay? What happened?” Rashta asked rubbing Navier’s back before snapping her fingers and ordering a maid to bring Navier a glass of water the maid ran back and got a glass of chill water before Rashta handed it to Navier who gulped the glass down in a matter of seconds, before pointing towards Sovieshu’s office.

Thinking Sovieshu did something Rashta angrily turned towards the door before bursting through and what GOD nobody could prepare her for the sight he was about to see , Sovieshu and Kaufman making-out…though the sight did make Rashta coo on the inside she was still mad at the fact that it made her sister sick, so she yelled loudly, “EWWWW! STOP EATING EACH-OTHER’S LIPS!” Sovieshu and Kaufman both jerked away from each other while pulling away flinching while look at a fuming Rashta and a pouting Navier who still had a pale face and a few maids who were giggling at the banter. Looking at them Kaufman apologized profusely and blushingly , while Sovieshu only scolded them….

This banter was the usual of the household and it was something that occurred on a regular basis, and while Heinrey watched this, he learned that day that maybe there was more to royal family then he thought of them to be…Sovieshu taking in Rashta as his mistress and poor Navier being side casted, but actually Sovieshu took in Rashta as his sister and Navier was absolutely happy being single and having fun with the gals, and Sovieshu was a simp for the grand duke and the strong mage of Luipt kingdom…Rashta then cleared her throat before saying,

“Actually we have to get ready for the banquet today, I was the one who decorated it and yes, I did not go above and beyond like last time I assure you, but before the banquet, we have dinner with Sir Heinrey, Ergi, Kaufman and other guests…”

Rashta says assuring them with a sheepishly smile before mentioning Heinrey and Ergi with venom and anger lacing her voice…As everyone nodded and went to get ready for the evening….

…

The tense atmosphere during the banquet dinner was not making anyone comfortable enough to break the painful silence, especially with Rashta and Heinrey glaring at each other while giving backhanded compliments, “You know…Here Rashta thought were a cruel tyrant, but in reality you’re just a prince from Western Kingdom….So adorable!” Rashta said with a smirk on her lips and anger in her eyes as she stared down at Heinrey, who was dressed up specially and was looking more handsome than usual with his hair slicked back and wearing an expensive suit, Rashta wouldn’t lie, Heinrey was an extremely handsome man but if not for the fact that he had feelings for Navier and would constantly send her things to make her reciprocate her feelings, he could have earn the favor of many ladies in the palace, maybe even including Rashta’s.

Heinrey laughed back fakily and said as he glared at Rashta who was just as dressed up as Navier, but in all honesty if anyone were to ask who was more pretty, most people would say Rashta due to her angelic beauty, yet she was also the most narcissistic and self-absorbed person Heinrey had ever seen, “Well at-least our Kingdom knows how to handle its nobles from butting into other people’s business~ No?” Heinrey replied back with same amount of anger and fakeness laced in it, Rashta was about to flip the table and stab him if not for Navier and Sovieshu holding her both of her hands with one of theirs and stroking it to calm her down as Navier ate 8th slice of cake while Sovieshu gulped down glass after glass of alcohol to drown themselves away from this horrible atmosphere of the dinner, while Mckenna was also trying to calm down Heinrey as to not cause a massacre…

The banquet started right after the dinner where Navier was dancing with Sovieshu and then Navier danced with Kosair while Sovieshu left the banquet to meet Kaufman, leaving Rashta to fend for her own self in a social gathering…So she left for the balcony to breathe out for some time, as she entered, she probably didn’t realize someone else was there until someone spoke up, “Uhm…Lady Rashta are you okay?” Rashta held her head as she looked up at Mckenna looking at her worriedly, putting her defense up Rashta angrily speaks out a reply, “Yeah, of-course Rashta is okay!” she says as Mckenna smiles,

“That’s nice, why are you out here?”, “To breathe for some time, why are you here?” Rashta asks suspiciously

This apparently hit something in Mckenna as he says, “Ah, nothing just a fight with my lover and Heinrey…so here to calm myself down..” As Mckenna says this, Rashta notices his red eyes, nose and red ears and splotchy cheeks, she immediately took out a napkin and handed it to him to which Mckenna smiled and thanked her as he wiped his cheeks as Rashta walked beside him to the railing and looking out at the scenery of the huge moon and a gorgeous view of the empire from the palace…

Soon, Rashta didn’t know what it was, but she started talking with Mckenna and on the fight he had with his lover, just some little disagreement as she gave him some advices on how to handle these types of argument out,

“Lady Rashta, do you like someone?” Mckenna asked with a smile, Rashta never really thought about it as she looked ahead and thought for a while, at the mention of liking someone, for some reason, Heinrey came to her mind as she remembered how handsome he looked today, he was shitty but he was looking extremely handsome today….After a moment Rashta shook her head which made Mckenna very surprised for some reason, “What?! You don’t like anyone at the moment, what about Heinrey?!” Mckenna asked as Rashta jerked and asked,

“What about him?” Rashta asked as she looked at Mckenna with a strange look on her face as Mckenna said, “I thought you both were courting each other, because how much he talked about you!”

Now this made Rashta surprised as well, as she felt her cheeks warm up as she said, “WE’RE NOT COURTING EAHC OTHER!!”

“Well you might as well, Lady Rashta, the way he talks about you, it sounds as though he’s seriously in love with you but he hides his feelings using hatred…” Mckenna said with a smirk on his lips as Rashta shook her head denying everything.

As Mckenna sighed, Ergi came in and looked at Rashta in surprise, as he bowed before saying, “Dear….shall we?” Ergi asked Mckenna with his usual grin offering his forearm, to which Mckenna nodded and dug through his blazer pocket before pulling out a tiny box and shushing Rashta as to say this box held secrets to which Rashta nodded her head , as he handed it to Rashta and bowed, to which Rashta held it in one hand and bowed as well, holding her skirt with her other hand as she waved Mckenna goodbye who walked away hand in hand with Ergi..

As she suddenly opened the box and saw many tiny letters, she randomly picked one up before opening it and reading,

“Dear Navier, I like you, but I want to ask….Is Miss Rashta single?” it was written in Heinrey’s writing with a “yes” from Navier at the bottom, Rashta scoffed thinking, ‘Why does this bastard care if Rashta’s single or not?’

Before picking another up and reading,

“Mckenna maybe I should stop chasing Queen…” in Heinrey’s writing with an answer from Mckenna, “You were desperate for her, what happened?” to which Heinrey wrote another answer,

“I fell for queen’s sister….”

“Ew….you’re weird, she doesn’t want you..”

“SHUT UP!”

And the letter ended, as Rashta looked at it with anger in her eyes, he fell out of love with Navier and feel for her instead?! WHAT TYPE OF WOMANIZER WAS HE BEING?!

She put the letter back in the box before closing it and getting back to the ballroom, which was still filled with people as she subtly looked over at Heinrey from the corner of her eye as he was staring at her intently, ignoring it she slowly walked to Navier and told her she was retiring for the night, to which Navier nodded and Rashta waked to her room…

Changing quickly, Rashta laid on her stomach on her bed as she again opened the box and picked another letter which read in Heinrey’s writing,

“Rashta looked pretty today, with her pink dress, and sunflowers in her gorgeous, long, blonde nearly white hair with the cute pink flower necklace and earring, with pretty yellow lace on her skirt…Her grey eyes looked adorable, she was pretty today and I was an asshole again today….” And after it was Mckenna and Heinrey’s message,

“Why are you an asshole to her?”

“……Don’t know, actually…”

Before the letter ended. She folded it again and picked another letter before reading it, which was apparently written on the first day Heinrey came to the imperial palace and was sent to Mckenna,

“The empress is very pretty, but I think the emperor’s mistress is prettier, with her long wavy hair, her soft looking eyes and her cute and childish self, heard she was a slave, but ….I think she’s still very pretty…Her name is Rashta…”

“Yeah, she was pretty!”

Rashta read through it before feeling her cheeks heat up, refusing to acknowledge the fact that she was feeling happy that Heinrey thought she was prettier than Navier whom Rashta thought was the prettiest lady to ever exist…Also why did Heinrey think she was Sovieshu’s mistress….Folding the letter she picked letter after letter with conversations between Heinrey, Ergi and Mckenna,

Heinrey:- “Rashta was being feisty today, she suddenly announced I was her penpal….That was hot, but why???? Doesn’t she already have the emperor as her husband?”

Mckenna:- “Calm down…I’ll see what we can do..”

Heinrey:- “I just found out, she is Emperor’s sister not his mistress….I have a chance, but she literally hates me…..Let me die..”

Mckenna:-“You were literally an asshole to her and reminded her of her slave root…That’s your fault..”

Heinrey:- “Please help me..”

As Rashta finished a few other letters, all of which described her beauty in great detail by Heinrey as Rashta was slowly accepting the fact that Heinrey was good at flattering her and seemed genuine with his feelings for once as she read through them when suddenly there was scratching on her window, Rashta peeped up to see it was blue bird which had an angry face, she stood up and opened her balcony door, to let the bird in which perched upon the chair in her room, Rashta slowly opened the letter room it’s legs, she rolled it open in which Heinrey’s writing said,

“I know you have seen the letters just burn those and forget this ever happened…Got it? And if not, please just don’t ever tell anyone about this, I know I’m shitty, but please, this can ruin me and I only have this going on for me..” the letter had wet spots on it as though it was written while he was crying…seeing this Rashta got a tad bit concerned..

She slowly put her palms around the bird and picked it up, the bird was seemingly calm but was trying to escape her hands as though. Rashta quickly walked out of her room, and let it go in the hallway and ran through the hallways behind the bird to find Heinrey’s room… running up and down the smooth marble floors at the middle of the night to find Heinrey of all people was something definitely not on Rashta’s list today, but here she was standing outside his room, panting and breathing as the bird settled on Rashta’s shoulder seemingly also taking a break, as Rashta took a few deep breathes…before she knocked on the door and brushed her dress to maybe see the face of the men who created a fog in not only his heart but her heart as well, the fog of love…

#navi⌗writes⌗#remarried empress sovieshu #remarried empress rashta #remarried empress webtoon #the remarried empress #remarried empress #remarried empress navier #remarried empress x reader #navier #rashta #rashta x heinrey #rasheinrey #remarried empress fanfic #remarried empress scenario #remarried empress imagines #remarried empress ships

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hunn1e-bunn1e · 2 years ago

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Remarried 👑 Empress

🍷Sovieshu Vict ➳

Imperial Gardener's Advice (os) ♂️ 💞

🍺Kosiar Trovi ➳

...

🥂Prince Heinrey Lazlo ➳

...

🥃Lord Mckenna

...

🍸Duke Ergi Claude ➳

🍹Grand Duke Kaufman ➳

If Navier Won't Take This Precious Man, I Will! 💩

🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.•°•.🐇.

Back to the Masterlist Hub?

#masterlist #masterpost #the remarried empress #remarried empress #male reader #gender neutral reader #gn reader #remarried empress masterlist #the remarried empress masterlist #remarried empress x reader #remarried empress x male reader #remarried empress x gender neutral reader #remarried empress x gn reader

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blues824 · 2 years ago

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Gotta request before the deadline

Could I request Duke Kaufman from Remarried Empress with a fem!alhaitham!s/o?

Happy Birthday @the-dumber-scaramouche!!! This came out a bit angsty and I’m so sorry 😭

Grand Duke Kaufman

He was introduced to you through the academy because you were a teacher who was simultaneously trying to find the reason as to why so many mages have been losing their magic. Kaufman was also asked to help, and he visited the school.

Honestly, your physical appearance wasn’t what he fell in love with. It was your unique way of thinking. You thought logically rather than using any emotions. And that’s why you love him in return: he contributed to your thoughts and gave you different perspectives that you would have never considered before.

He also noticed how you considered everyone as equal, just having different occupations. The more that he thought about it, the more that he realized that you were right. Everyone was just trying to make it through life the best that they could.

However, you were working for the academy just out of pure will. You were actually the royal scribe of Navier and Sovieshu, and you had gotten permission to take all the records of Evalie and other students who used to thrive in their magic. Kaufman appreciated how resourceful you were.

Unfortunately, when he proposed the idea of a possible courtship with you, you turned him down saying that your position along with his wouldn’t work out. That’s one heck of a way to shatter his heart into a million pieces. He understood, though. It could ruin the reputation of His and Her Imperial Majesty, as well as the Academy and Luipt.

That didn’t stop the two of you from continuously meeting up in secret. Kaufman felt like he was an immature boy, but he didn’t care because he got to see you with a smile on your face as he pressed a kiss on the back of your hand.

#the remarried empress x reader #remarried empress x reader #remarried empress #the remarried empress #grand duke kaufman #grand duke kaufman x reader #duke kaufman #duke kaufman x reader

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lasisgood · 10 months ago

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I finished book 3 of the remarried empress

Oh Rashta she's just- I don't like her. She really thinks-

It's not gonna happen. It's just not. My girl my queen is lonely cause all her friends are slowly gone and I'm like I need her to be okay. I need the empress to be okay. I love her. I love how stoic she is. But she's actually not. She's good at hiding her real emotions in place of duty and I really admire that cause I relate. She's so cute she likes cake

I want a fanfic of her falling for grand Duke Kaufman and her running away with him to his country. That would be really cute. They'd be a power couple

I now need to go to the next town over and get the next book.

#it's basically a diary now lolol #the remarried empress

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angel-tsugikuni-kamukura · 11 months ago

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Welcome back to your weekly dose of the remarried empress episode 172.

3/3Navier being smart as she is figures out heinley was behind her mages losing magic in her precious empire and now used asking him why.

(it's mostly because no ruler wants to be weaker and so he did it because the eastern empire has the most mages and before he fell for navier )

@blues824 @blues824reblogs @officials-isabella @instantthingmiracle @vanisagi27

#the remarried empress #remarried empress #the remarried empress x reader #remarried empress x reader #navier trovi #empress navier #navier x reader #navier trovi x reader #heinrey alles lazlo #grand duke kaufman #sovieshu vict

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thereissomehope · 2 years ago

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Unexpected

grand duke Kaufman x reader

masterlist (TBA) • archive of our own • pinterest chapter board

notes: uploading this in tumblr. i didn't like Kaufman's ending in the novel (no hate to the autor tho) so I'm going to write something different. this is an sort of AU where the whole whitemond/princess Charlotte thing didn't happen.

warnings: manwha/novel spoilers

Chapter One: Garden

From outside the room, you could hear the quiet mumble of the voices of the maids, their dainty steps against the floors. You could also hear the chirping of birds, and the voices from the staff outside the manor. All were indicators that the day had indeed begun, but you wouldn’t open your eyes yet. Choosing instead to bask in your peace, hoping to be able to savor those few moments where you were no one and the world couldn’t bother you.

The sunlight streamed through the windows, the rays of the sun streaming inside the manor, filling it with the golden haze that comes with the sun, basking in golden the lavish furniture and the marble floors.

The curtain from the bed was pushed to the side, the sunlight from the windows streamed through the opening, hitting your face and making you open your eyes. You squeezed them while rising, resting on your elbows and turning to the side.

“Good morning, my lady.” The maid by the side of the bed bowed, the ones behind her did the same. “It is time to wake up.”

Elli, one of the maids, grabbed a towel, basking it in a basin full of water before helping you clean your face. Other maids helped you stand up, bringing trays with food and drink. They helped you undress, getting the nightgown off of you and dressing you back into new clothing for the day. They brushed your hair and helped you get ready for the day.

This was how most of your days would begin. The maids would come in, rising you from your slumber and back to the routine that was your day-to-day life.

You were used to it, to the routine. To the way, most events would repeat themselves through the week, and once again happen the next, and the next one after that. It was part of your life, of who you were. You still couldn’t help but wonder about more and yearn.

- What dress will you wear today, my lady? Will you like the blue one? - The weather is lovely, it's sure to be sunny for the rest of the day - what do you wish to eat today? I will notice the chef immediately. – The marquis sent a letter, my Lady. They said they will be back in a few weeks. - The voices of the maids surrounded you while they dressed you. One tied the blue lace of the dress while the other talked, and you were in the middle of their swarm.

Before long, you were parting from the manor. You told the butler your indications for the day and got on the carriage for your leave.

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

“Did you hear that Lord Kosair is in a relationship? I’m so jealous!”

A group of noble ladies chattered in one of the gardens of the palace. The young women talked, waving their fans and giggling under their flowery sunhats. The long winter had finally faded, and everyone wanted to rejoice in the so waited spring. The young ladies were no exception.

“Ugh, yes, I heard that. There go any of my chances with him,” said one of the ladies, getting her blonde hair out of her face before continuing talking. “I guess I will have to find myself some company in the ball next week.”

“Some company? Why not better one pretender?”

“One?”

The ladies laughed loudly, covering their smiles behind hands and fans. They continued laughing and joking about noblemen while you listened, laughing occasionally.

You enjoyed talking with the ladies during your free days. Their company was amusing, a welcomed change to the usual quietness of the manor and the boredom of most of your days. It was a nice way to spend the sunny days of spring.

You were deep in thought when someone called your name.

“What about you? Are you going to go hunting in the ball, too?” the blonde smiled at you, the other ladies also watching with expecting smiles in their faces.

“Um, no, no.” you smiled sheepishly, “I don’t think I will… It is not my kind of thing, I guess,” you laughed at that, albeit a little awkwardly.

“Oh, well, I guess that means more for us. Isn’t that right, ladies?” the blonde asked, a flirtatious smirk appearing on her face. The ladies giggled at that, looking mischievously at each other.

“Well, do not forget to wear your best dresses. I’m sure that it is going to be a fruitful night for us.”

“Oh, yes, I heard that foreign visitors would be attending.”

“Is that so? Pray tell, who are they?”

“Well, there is...”

The chatter continued for some time after that. With all the ladies sharing their excitement over the ball and discussing their dressings. Before long, you were all splitting up, each continuing with your day before the sun set.

You looked around the palace as you walked. You didn’t have any urgent matters to attend to today, so you could surely take a rest before returning home. With that in mind, you walked towards your destination.

The garden was a quiet place, as always. The leaves of the trees were greener than you had seen them, the flowers bloomed and the daffodils danced to the gentle sways of the wind.

It was a beautiful day. The sky was lively, with some white clouds dispersed across the blue. The sun shone in the endless sky, shining brightly giving you blissful warmth from above. You sighted upon feeling the welcomed warmth on your skin and looked around.

The gardens of the palace were of your favorite places. Filled with stunning greenery that made you feel like you were in a forest, the garden was like a paradise for you. The plants and the flowers transmitted calmness to you, and you would constantly seek solace there.

Even though the gardens were beautiful, they were quite lonely. There were other open gardens, much bigger and with splendid views, those were much more visited. This one had turned into a secondary one, almost forgotten, with visits being either lonely people who wished to enjoy their solitude, or couples that looked for privacy for their affections. You were one of the former, the quietness allowed you to think in peace. You would always go there to clear your mind and appreciate the view.

You walked along the path and observed. This was a favorite part of yours, with tall trees and bushes, some flowers were speckled here and there too, with yellows, pinks, and reds dancing in your periphery. There were little sounds apart from the distant cries of birds and the whispers of the wind between the branches.

You stopped walking past some bushes when you heard it. A quiet, pitiful sound that would have been imperceptible if not for the silence. You turned, contemplating the sound before walking towards the bush. You peeked, if ever so slowly, and discovered a blue spot among the sea of daffodils.

A little bird was writhing on the ground; the poor thing was the source of the pitiful cries. Its wings were sprawled, moving when it jerked and turned. You walked some steps closer, beyond the bush, and kneeled. Dirt stained your dress, and the daffodils protested your movements. Still, you moved closer, lowering your hands, and with the most care you could, grabbed it and raised it from the ground. The bird shrieked at first but calmed after a few seconds. You took the chance to inspect it closely.

At first glance, it looked fine. If it was just based on its looks, its healthy blue feathers and plump body may have fooled you. Yet, a closer look revealed the problem, you saw how one of its wings rested lower, languidly.

Its wing was broken. That alone could prove to be fatal. A bird with a broken wing was helpless against predators and unable to feed itself, simply helpless. Even, if it had hit one of the windows or walls nearby and fallen down the hit could have caused internal damage. Leaving it here meant a guaranteed death. The only way for the bird to make was for it to go with you.

But, did you know how to treat it? You had some knowledge of birds, but one thing was reading about it and another doing it. It felt more pressuring knowing that what you did would have a consequence on an actual living thing.

But the thing was, the bird had no other options besides you. It needed your help, and it needed it now. There was no time to hesitate, you would have to act now. There would be plenty of time to doubt yourself later.

With a newfound resolve, you stood up with the bird in your arms. You could run towards one of the carriages, and once you were home you would be able to start helping. So you turned around and started sprinting, looking down at the bird and checking on it. You were about to raise your head when you crashed, hitting your head harshly, giving some backward steps before you lose your footing and started falling. A solid, firm wall had appeared on your way, from where you didn’t know, but it didn’t matter now. You really hoped your dress would soften the fall, it would really--

You hadn’t hit the ground yet.

Instead of the cold, harsh ground, you felt warmth enveloping you, holding you in place. You slowly opened your eyes, and what you weren’t expecting was a pair of clear eyes greeting your own. The confusion quickly turned to realization.

You didn’t hit a wall – oh, no - you hit the chest of a man. A tall one at that. A tall man that was holding you in place, holding you pretty close to him.

You forgot how to breathe, you didn’t move, you didn’t even think because you didn’t know how to function anymore. Time had seemed to stop in that instant.

Your eyes were set in those clear ones, – silver, you realized – and you couldn’t move your gaze. His eyes looked right back at you, seemingly looking so deep they might as well be seeing your soul. You couldn’t look away, you didn’t wa ---

There was rustling against your chest and your gaze was directed to it. When you looked at it, you snapped out of the daze.

'The bird!'

Thoughts came back to you and with them, the awareness of your… position. You pushed yourself quickly out of his hold.

“I’m…I’m so sorry! I-I didn’t mean to hit you!” You gave a quick bow to show you were sorry and hoped that the stranger understood your clumsiness. Yet, the man stared at you with an expression of surprise and heat rose to your cheeks. You could only hope your face wasn’t as red as you felt it was. You gave another hasty bow and passed the man, rushing to the nearest carriage you could find.

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

Thankfully, your arrived quickly at your home and started attending to the poor bird.

With care, you cleaned the bird, looking for injuries. You were lucky because apart from its wing, nothing else seemed to have problems. You checked the bird as one of the books suggested, and everything was well. Its eyes were normal, nothing was bleeding and apart from the shock, everything hinted that she was well.

You wrapped a cloth around her wing and body, immobilizing the injured wing, and placed it on a cushion on your bed. It hadn’t moved yet, and wouldn’t do so in some hours, so for the moment, it was alright to leave it alone. You still had to search for a place to accommodate her, and you had the right thing in mind.

You rummaged through your room, looking inside your closet and under tables until you stopped in front of your bed. You knelt down and placed your arm under the bed, moving your arm left and right until you felt the iron bars in your hand. Once you had grabbed it, you pulled it out, small clouds of dust rising with it. Even though it had been there for a long time, the cage looked in good shape.

When you were much younger than now, you had gotten this cage with the intention to start raising a bird of your own. You had read more than a dozen books about birds in your preparation for raising one. You were incredibly excited about it and waited for the day you could get one. You thought that if you had a little companion with you, your days at the manor would be a little less lonely.

Your parents were quick to put the notion away. You still remembered what they had said. They couldn’t have you distracted from your studies by some ‘pesky, parasite-ridden beast'.

So the idea of ever having a bird, (or even a pet of any other kind) was thrown away.

You cried profoundly after that, not even the maids were able to comfort you, and you felt down for the next month or so. But maybe it was for the better. Your younger self, no matter how enthusiastic, wouldn’t have been able to care for a bird. Thinking that didn't push the bitterness of the memory away, though.

You interrupted the memory by calling a maid, asking her for some old newspapers. You watched the cage again, smiling faintly.

Even after the harsh denial, you had kept the hope that one day you could have a feathery companion. You had kept the cage for many years and even brought it with you after moving from the march almost two years ago. It seemed that it was worth keeping the hope because you had one now. Even though it wasn’t under the best of circumstances.

When the maid came in with the newspapers, you thanked her and asked her to prepare you a bath. You put the papers on the bottom of the cage, and with care, placed the bird on the center of it. You moved the cage to the warmest spot in the room, one that was close to the window. You put a cloth over the cage, hoping that it would help with the bird’s shock.

The maid came back at that moment to tell you that your bath was ready. You checked for the last time that the bird was fine, and walked to the bathroom. You took off your clothes and gave them to the maid, and once you were alone, entered the bathtub.

You submerged yourself in the warm water. The smell of the essences allowed your body to relax and you rested your head against the tub. A sigh escaped your mouth, and you started to clean yourself.

The water swayed with your movements, and your mind started to relax, as well. Your thoughts wandered over to the preparations of today. You weren’t particularly excited about the party. But an opportunity to expand your social circle was something it was better to take advantage of. Getting to talk with people you usually didn’t sounded good, as well. Maybe you could see some new faces in there.

Thinking about new faces, you remembered the stranger you met today. Or more like, the one you crashed against.

‘He was so handsome.'

Blood rushed to your cheeks, what were you even thinking? You splashed some water into your face, embarrassed at your own thoughts. You tried to remember if you knew of any noble with the stranger's appearance, but none seemed to match. Besides, you were sure you could not forget eyes like those.

You submerged your face in the water, that should help the heat in your cheeks.

You stepped out of the tub and once you had dried yourself, dressed in more comfortable clothing. You got back to your room and checked the little bird. It seemed to be resting on the center of the cage, its breathing was calm and even.

You looked at a chair that was by the window, it looked very cozy, so you grabbed a book nearby and sat down. You read through the pages until your gaze wandered to the window nearby. The sky was a lively shade of blue, and you watched some birds in the distance, flying high under the shining sun. You smiled to yourself, it was a beautiful day.

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