#henry is not royalty

[starkbarnes-lovechild]

Might post this on AO3 at some point. Maybe. I feel like I need to. Lol.

Anyway, enjoy another Firstprince fic. :*

<3

Let yourself smile more. When you do, the world becomes brighter. At least mine does.

Henry bites his lower lip, trying to contain his smile despite what the note said. He can feel his cheeks warming up as he rereads the words.

He's been receiving these random notes for the past three months and the giddy feeling in his belly hasn't disappeared. Pez has been teasing him that this secret admirer may help him get over his little crush on Alex. It seemed unlikely at first but the more he receives these notes, the more hopeful he gets.

"Hey, Mr. Darcy!" Speak of the devil, Henry rolls his eyes, shoving the note into his pocket in the process. When he turns, he's bombarded with Alex's smile. His heart stutters at the sight, then mentally curses the stupid organ. How the fuck does the other teen still have this effect on him? "We're still on for Friday, right?"

"Yes, Alex. Our standing study session will still happen." He replies drily, his lips lifting on one side. In his periphery, he sees some of Alex's usual entourage frown in confusion.

"Cool. See you, Friday, Wilde." The asshole winks as he walks backward, likely on his way to lacrosse practice. Henry shakes his head in exasperation, watching as Alex and his clique turn the corner.

He pulls out the note from his pocket, smoothing out the paper. As he rereads the words, he can't help but smile at the short note.

<3

Sometimes I dream about kissing that mole on your upper lip. Is that creepy? Whatever. I love looking at those beauty marks. I want to trace them with my mouth and find out how you would react to my kisses.

Henry lays his palm on his chest, right over his widely beating heart. He's not sure if his secret admirer meant it to sound as sensual as it did but Henry's brain blue-screened. He has a lot of moles scattered all over his body and the idea of this person's mouth exploring his body is... doing things to his randy teenage brain.

He hears someone laugh and his eyes immediately find Alex, head thrown back with pure joy. The image of a faceless boy in his head turns into Alex's mischievous smirk as he explores Henry's body.

He doesn't know how he's still torn between painfully straight Alex and the secret admirer who clearly wants him.

<3

The way you tilt your chin up when you're trying to look tough makes me feel brave, too. I don't think you know just how inspiring you can be, sweetheart.

Henry can feel a sting in his eyes and he's not even sure why. His secret admirer didn't really say something that profound but at the same time, he did. Like any teen, Henry has a habit of comparing himself to his peers. Pez, his own best mate, has a way of lifting people up when they're down. Bea, when she was still attending the high school, formed a support group for teens turning to substance to cope. Alex got the lacrosse team to help prevent bullying by standing up for other people.

Henry does what he can, but he feels like he'll never leave a positive impact in the world. Knowing at least one person finds him inspiring is quite humbling.

<3

I love watching your face when you read Austen. You have the most beautiful expressions when you read about two people falling in love. Sometimes I wonder what your face will look like when you realize just how in love I am with you. PS. Meet me at the music room after class?

Henry swallows thickly, hands shaking as he rereads the note a few more times. The postscript is still the same. His secret admirer wants to meet him and Henry's not sure what he should do.

Part of him wants to meet this secret admirer after months of receiving these sweet notes. But another part of him is scared. What if he's wrong and the secret admirer is actually a girl? He knows most of the school is aware he's gay but some think they can turn him straight, while others are just painfully unaware.

But what if it's a boy and not he imagined him? What if he's disappointed his secret admirer isn't how he pictured? Does that make him shallow? He hates to admit it but even without trying, he's imagining Alex leaving him these little notes. It's a daft fantasy but he can't really help who he falls for.

The day crawls and Henry's patience is running thin. There's at least fifteen more minutes until the school day is over. It's the longest fifteen minutes of his life.

When the bell finally rings, Henry rushes out of his seat he's practically leaving dust in his wake. He knows the music room will be empty today. Clearly, his admirer knows it, too.

When he gets to the music room, the door is closed but he can hear someone strumming the guitar. He wonders if it's his secret admirer or someone else.

He takes a deep, fortifying breath and slowly releases it. When he enters, he doesn't immediately see who's occupying the room. The click of the door shutting behind him sounds loud in the sudden silence.

Henry doesn't move, just leans down against the closed door in case the other room occupant is not his secret admirer. He can hear the clock ticking, counting along with it; eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve. When he reaches thirteen, Alex's timid voice makes him flinch, "Hi."

"I'm supposed to meet someone here," Henry doesn't dare hope that Alex is the someone he's supposed to meet. It's simply not possible that the boy he's been halfway in love with may feel the same. But then Alex stands and makes his way to him, his brows raised in surprise. Henry can feel his heart pounding in his chest and he wonders if Alex can hear his heartbeat.

"Yeah," the other boy enunciates slowly, "me. You were meeting me."

"But..." Henry tries to grasp at words that would make a coherent sentence. "You're straight?"

"Henry," Alex says with exasperation. The smile on his face softens the blow, though. "I dated Liam for like, a month, maybe a bit longer." He's sure the younger boy is laughing at him.

"Oh." He certainly never knew that. "When?" His voice is hesitant, uncertain. He truly does not remember Alex and Liam ever dating. It had always been Liam and Spencer.

Alex's lips twitch, as if he's fighting a smile, "Fall of freshman year. We broke up because we both realized we wanted someone else."

Alex is now standing in front of him, just a foot or so of distance between them. If he raises his arm, he can take hold of the shorter man's waist. If wants, he can pull Alex into his arms and give in to the desire to kiss the other boy.

Then again, Alex is Alex and beats him to the punch.

Alex cups Henry's face, his touch is so gentle yet firm. He nuzzles the other boy's palm, swaying forward. It's hard not to get pulled in by Alex's gravity.

Henry sees the question in those brown orbs. He looks down at Alex's lips, then back to his eyes. A silent request.

When their lips finally meet, Henry finally understands what people mean when their world narrows down to a single person.

<3

Got my acceptance letter from NYU. We're moving to New York, baby! -XOXO Alex

[sarahsartistportfolio]

when we talk about knights like I completely agree with the whole "yes yes the protection, devotion, unwavering loyalty the immense bond and sexiness of I am your weapon use me as you see fit" is hot and good and all

but also consider in addition to that the unbelievable connection & love that is,

your knight always being there. He's always there around you, somewhere in your space. He has learned every little detail about you, weather that be intentionally or just from habit from being around you from sun up to sun down. He knows more about you than you do yourself sometimes. Its a love language. Like! Like!

Your knight is one of the first faces you see when you wake. Excluding your maids or ladies. He is the first man you see in the morning. He knows what you look like in your wrinkled chemise, hair a mess, fresh eye bags and cranky mood because you do not want to leave your comfy bed to entertain the snooty neighboring diplomats. He is one of the very rare people who see you without your heavy gowns and bare face. He sees you like this at the crack of dawn, and he still loves you, as he looks at you with adoration in his eyes and asks what your schedule looks like for the day.

and still, he is absolutely the last person you see before you sleep.(He makes sure of it) Even after your ladies have dressed you down and made you comfortable. He still finds you, checks up on you. Asks if your alright. As he cheekily kisses your hand and tells you to sleep soundly as "I'm right next door so get some rest my grace"

Your knight learns what time you wake up and how long it takes for you to fall asleep.

What wines and teas you prefer, as he watches you at a grand dinner ask the servants for your favorite.

He quickly learns to distinguish your handwriting(because what if someone tries to forage a letter to him saying its from his queen)

He learns how to touch you and much you like to be touched. He learns that it really makes you blush when you link arms with him so the teasing bastard keeps offering his arm to you just to see you flustered. He learns where to grab you and how much pressure to apply when he must pull you out of harms way. He must learn this. You're the crown. The one thing he's sworn his life to. If you flinch away from him, or don't trust him? If you don't feel safe around him? Then he is failing his job.

He learns what secretive, secluded spot you go to in the castle, to hide away from everyone when you want to be left alone. He knows where to find you when no one else can. But he never bothers you. When he sees the lonely distant look in your eyes, as you gaze out the window to your busying court below. He stands back, keeping himself unknown, watching you at a safe distance. He knows you need this time alone.

He learns how absolutely beautiful you look when genuinely happy and laughing. He watches you play another round of cards with your most trusted ladies, outside on a warm summer's day, surrounded by the wealth that the palace can afford, colorful blooming flowers and luxurious furniture. He tries to hold back a smile but fails, seeing you relaxed around your friends, no pressure of keeping up a facade for the court. Just hearing you freely laugh. He's thankful he's here to protect that.

He's also so so thankful that he's learned to pick up when your many suitors make you uncomfortable. The way your hand hesitates as another prince offers to dance with you. How you lean and press your body away from a distinguished war general bragging to you. How your polite and formal "No thank you" to the elderly king proposing you meet him at his chambers tonight, how your polite rejection hides the disgust and distain for this dance you must do. Your knight learns you must greet and entertain the proposals of these men. Or else you risk displeasing your family or coming off as inhospitably to a foreign nation.

But this means your poor knight also knows when you're completely at ease. So this means one day, when his majesty the queen, is having lunch with another prince, and your knight is standing a few feet away enough to give you privacy but still close enough to peer into your conversation. When he sees that your shoulders relax, and you giggle at one of the prince's little quips, and this time you keep all your focus on the other royal, instead of occasionally glancing over to your knight. Its then your precious knight feels anxiety building up in his chest. This time, he learns he just might lose you.

holy shit I got so side tracked with this one, it meant to just be a short blurb but I ended up fantasizing about my own princessXknight characters from Audrey The Bride of Prosperity.

[illustratus]

John Dee performing an experiment before Queen Elizabeth I by Henry Gillard Glindoni

[empiredesimparte]

Official portrait of the Regency Council at the Château de Versailles

From left to right: HIH, Prince Imperial Henri, HIM, Empress-Regent Charlotte, HIM, King Phillippe of the Ionian Union (@funkyllama).

The photo was taken on the day the Regency was established.

⚜ Portrait officiel du Conseil de Régence au Château de Versailles

De gauche à droite : Son Altesse Impériale, le Prince Impérial Henri, Sa Majesté Impériale, l'Impératrice-Régente Charlotte, Son Illustre Majesté, le Roi Philippe de l'Union-Ionienne.

Le cliché a été pris le jour de l'instauration de la Régence.

[world-of-wales]

The Prince of Wales chats with Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg during the official re-opening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris | 7 DECEMBER 2024

[trexalicious]

Never forgive, never forget...

[sieglinde-freud]

let it be known that i love prince inigo with my whole soul. however sometimes it is SO much fun to think about owain and his two most loyal-est knights you ever seen: worst guy in the world #1 and worst guy in the world #2. i love retainer inigo and severa so much. retainers who bully you and make fun of you and trash on you but they’d leave behind everyone and everything they ever knew to follow you and protect you in a whole new universe. they love you so much that they’d swear allegiance to total strangers but that loyalty pales in comparison to what they’d do for you. and they were all lovers!!!!!!!

[binogirlatx]

The Paris Love Scene❤️🥰

[roses-of-the-romanovs]

The Hessian siblings and the Romanov siblings in Darmstadt, 1910.

[thedemonofcat]

The last thing Jaskier remembered before being knocked unconscious was the chaos of the raid at Bleobheris—the clash of swords, the whistling of arrows. Amidst the turmoil, someone addressed him as "Your Highness" and dragged him to safety, but not before a poisoned arrow found its mark in his chest.

The arrow didn’t kill him, but it plunged Jaskier into a coma that lasted several months. When he finally awoke, he learned that his survival was thanks to the elven blood running through his veins.

Jaskier discovered that he was the last living descendant of an ancient elven royal line, a bloodline that remained purely elven regardless of human intermingling.

For his protection, the world was led to believe that Jaskier had died during his coma—a loss that Geralt had been silently mourning.

[historyonthespectrum]

I understand they’re sisters, but I still think they look very very similar in these portraits! 🤸‍♀️

★⋆ ★⋆ ★⋆ ★⋆ ★⋆ ★⋆ ★⋆ ★⋆ ★⋆ ★⋆ ★⋆ ★⋆ ★⋆ ★⋆

[annabolinas]

May 19, 1536 - Anne Boleyn is Beheaded

"Good Christian people, I have come here to die. For according to the law, and by the law, I am judged to die and therefore, I will speak nothing against it. I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak of that whereof I am accused and condemned to die. But I pray God save the King and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never. And to me he was ever a good, a gentle, and sovereign lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord, have mercy on me. To God, I commend my soul.' And then she knelt down, saying, 'To Christ I commend my soul, Jesu receive my soul', divers times, till that her head was stricken off with the sword.” - Anne's execution, as reported in Hall's Chronicle (1548)

""On a scaffold made there for the said execution, the said Queen Anne said thus: 'Masters, I here humbly submit me to the law, as the law hath judged me. And as for mine offenses, I here accuse no man; God knoweth them. I remit them to God, beseeching him to have mercy on my soul. And I beseech Jesu, save my sovereign and master, the King - the most godly, noble, and gentle prince that is, and long to reign over you.' Which words were spoken with a goodly smiling countenance. And this done, she knelt down on her knees and said: "To Jesu Christ, I commend my soul'. And suddenly, the hangman smote off her head at a stroke with a sword." - Anne's execution, as reported in Wriothesley's Chronicle (1559)

"And so she went to the place of her ordeal

To obey the will of justice,

Still showing a serene countenance,

As if she did not grieve for this world in any way;

For her coloring and face were such

That never before did she seem so beautiful ...

There was no one who does not have firm hope

That her spirit will not be in agony,

Given her great faith and wise patience,

Which rose above womanly courage.

Everyone, on the basis of her mightily steady end,

Judges her life to have been prudent

And believes they have committed a great offense

In having thought so ill of her." - Lancelot de Carle's The Story of the Fall of Anne Boleyn (1536, trans. Joann Dellaneva)

"Anne, the late Queen, suffered with sword this day within the Tower upon a new scaffold and died boldly. Jesu take them [i.e. Anne and the five men] to His mercy if it be His will." - John Husee to Lord Lisle, May 19, 1536

[illustratus]

Katherine of Aragon Denounced Before King Henry VIII and His Council

by Laslett John Pott

[empiredesimparte]

⚜ Le Cabinet Noir | N°29 | Francesim, Château de Versailles, 16 Fructidor An 230

In the majestic Congress Chamber at Versailles, the Empress Charlotte solemnly opens the doors to Parliament. On this historic day, the Regency makes its reappearance in Francesim, for a duration of one year.

Article 17 of the Regency Title, senatus consultum of November 2001. The oath taken by the empress-regent or the regent is worded as follows:

‘I swear loyalty to the emperor; I swear to govern in accordance with the Constitution, the senatus consulta, and the laws of the Empire; to uphold the integrity of the rights of the nation and those of imperial dignity; to consult only my devotion to the emperor and to Francesim in the exercise of my authority.’

A record of this oath is drawn up by the Prime Minister. This record is sent to the Senate and filed in its archives. The document is signed by the empress-regent, by the princes of the imperial family, by the members of the Regency Council, by the ministers, and by the presidents of the Senate, the Legislative Corps, and the Council of State.

Beginning ▬ Previous ▬ Next

⚜ Traduction française

À la majestueuse salle du Congrès à Versailles, l'impératrice ouvre solennellement les portes au Parlement. En ce jour historique, la Régence fait sa réapparition en Francesim, pour une durée d’un an.

Article 17 du Titre de la Régence, sénatus-consulte de novembre 2001. Le serment prêté par l'impératrice-régente ou le régent est conçu en ces termes :

« Je jure fidélité à l'empereur ; je jure de gouverner conformément à la Constitution, aux sénatus-consultes et aux lois de l'Empire ; de maintenir dans leur intégrité les droits de la nation et ceux de la dignité impériale ; de ne consulter, dans l'emploi de mon autorité, que mon dévouement pour l'empereur et pour la Francesim. »

Procès-verbal de cette prestation de serment est dressé par le Premier Ministre. Ce procès-verbal est adressé au Sénat et déposé dans ses archives. L'acte est signé par l'impératrice-régente, par les princes de la famille impériale, par les membres du Conseil de régence, par les ministres et par les présidents du Sénat, du Corps législatif et du Conseil d'État.

[world-of-wales]

The Prince of Wales with (L-R) Prince Albert of Monaco, Queen Mathilde & King Philippe of Belgium and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa & Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg as he attends the official re-opening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris | 7 DECEMBER 2024

[theroyalthornoliachronicles]

Le Cabinet du Roi, Palais de Thornolie: 01 Juin 1850, 12:30

Le Roi Gaspard: Tell me—what precautions have been taken? I trust preparations for everything is in place?

Comte de Connier: Fleurieux has confirmed more guards will be placed at every entrance as instructed, but... he's in agreement that the sheer number of guests, masked and hidden, presents a danger that cannot be overlooked. I fear we may not have done enough.

Duc de Clèrisseau: En effet, la mascarade's charm lies in its anonymity, but therein lies the threat. Arabella has seen to it to employ additional servants to manage the night, but it would be prudent to ensure their loyalty.

Le Roi Gaspard: New faces, even those in service, must be scrutinized. Have we verified their identities thoroughly?

Comte de Connier: We have, Monsieur, but even then I am uneasy. The palace itself will be vulnerable. So many faces, hidden behind masks...la mascarade provides the perfect veil for those who may wish you harm.

Duc de Clèrisseau: And let us not forget—the announcement of le Monseigneur's engagement will draw even more eyes. There are those who may seek to exploit this moment.

Le Roi Gaspard: [Sighs] For tonight, we’ve done as much as we can. On such short notice, there is only so much preparation we could manage.

Duc de Clèrisseau: Gaspard, I must be frank. La mascarade is the perfect opportunity for them to strike. They could strike without warning.

Le Roi Gaspard: We cannot stop la mascarade now. Not with it being mere hours away.

Comte de Connier: Even still, we mustn't let our guard down. With the death of the messenger—there are too many questions which remain unanswered.

Le Roi Gaspard: The messenger... are their any updates? Have we retrieved the letter he carried?

Comte de Connier: Non, Monsieur. The trail has gone cold. Whoever killed him and took the letter seems to have vanished.

Duc de Clèrisseau: We’ve yet to find any evidence which could help us find his assailant. Whoever did this knew exactly how to keep their identity a secret.

Comte de Connier: We don’t know who sent the message, or what it contained. But it means we must be even more cautious. Especially with le Monseigneur's engagement announcement tonight—it’s all at stake.

Duc de Clèrisseau: Then we must ensure nothing happens. But we must also act with subtlety. Too many guards, too much suspicion, and we risk unraveling everything.

Le Roi Gaspard: We'll carry on as planned, but we shall be prepared for anything. After tonight, we will know where we stand—and hopefully uncover where our enemies hide.

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