#im sorry im not properly online my sisters over so im sort of just diving on doing a lil writing / comms then dipping c.c

[floscaedis]

sylvestre's insecurity.

and annabella playing on it -

despite his absolute confidence and steadfast attitude ( as well as his time as a ruler & the things done in his name ) - i see sylvestre as an effeminate, softer sort of man. behind closed doors - he's all gentle touches and a low voice; he's delicate with his sons, with his lovers & underlings. he could be described as 'nice' behind closed doors. compassionate and sweet. thoughtful, even.

on the outside - as emperor - he is powerful, stern. a man with a commanding tone and stoic expression. this isn't necessarily a lie, it's more of a 'work face' that he puts on. someone like dion, for example, knows him for the man he is in private - not the incarnation of greagor that sits atop the throne. ( one could even argue the two to be two different personas )

where does annabella come into this headcanon - and why?

well; immediately upon meeting annabella, sylvestre was attracted to her. he saw this beautiful blonde, her expression - icy cold, her strength - a quiet sort. and he liked what he saw. she absolutely played on this; she charmed him in private, and he - thought - he was charming her. the two began their affair, began to scheme. the two did what they did -

after the events ending with his marriage to annabella - she would continue to whisper thoughts unto him. 'don't you think that you're a little...soft' - 'perhaps you're too kind to your boys. a boy like olivier will grow weak when his father is so soft on him'. 'would greagor be so frail in the face of other nations?' , 'you know as well as i how beneath us bearers are-'

i don't want to pile everything on annabella. this is all headcanon & speculation. the point that i am trying to make is that i think that she played on already growing insecurities. in truth, sylvestre knew how 'nice' he could be. he knew how soft he was - how kind he'd been to his sons. to have somebody contiously whisper in your ear that it's perhaps not 'fine form' to be so 'weak' in front of ones sons, certainly started to play on his mind. it started to hurt, it started to rouse anger and insecurity -

she easily manipulated him by using a good trait of his against him - and more-so, convincing him it were a bad thing. as well as this;

sylvestre's closeness with the wyvern tails perhaps played a part in descent but, that's a headcanon for another day~