#oldest-serving royal consort

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Fast Facts: Prince Philip

CNN Editorial Research

September 13, 2022

Personal

Birth date: June 10, 1921

Death date: April 9, 2021

Birth place: Corfu, Greece

Birth name: Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark

Father: Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark

Mother: Princess Alice of Battenberg

Marriage: Queen Elizabeth II (20 November 1947- 9 April 2021, his death)

Children: Edward, Earl of Wessex (10 March 1964); Andrew, Duke of York (19 February 1960); Anne, Princess Royal (15 September 1950); King Charles III (14 November 1948)

Military: British Royal Navy, 1939-1953

Other Facts

Full title: HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, Knight of the Garter, Knight of the Thistle, Order of Merit, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire, Companion of the Order of Australia, Companion of The Queen’s Service Order, Privy Counsellor.

His ancestry is not Greek by blood, but English, Russian, German/Prussian, and Danish.

The youngest of five children and the only son.

A third cousin of his wife, the Queen, and like her, he is a great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria.

His interests were painting, environmental conservation, horses, flying, and sailing.

He has written books on birds, the environment, carriage driving, and other subjects.

After earning his RAF wings in 1953, Philip logged more than 5,900 hours in 59 different types of aircraft over the next 44 years.

Timeline

1922 - The overthrow of his brother, King Constantine I of Greece, causes Prince Andrew, Princess Alice and their five children to leave Greece and settle in Paris.

1930 - After his parents’ separation in 1930, Philip is sent to England and raised there by his maternal grandmother and uncle.

1940 - Serves as a midshipman, his first posting, on the HMS Ramillies of the Mediterranean Fleet.

1942 - Becomes a sub-lieutenant in the British Royal Navy.

July 1942 - Promoted to first lieutenant and executive officer aboard the HMS Wallace, a destroyer, and participates in the Allied landings in Sicily during World War II.

February 1947 - Becomes a naturalized British citizen and a commoner, using the surname Mountbatten, an English translation of his mother’s maiden name.

Prior to taking the British oath of citizenship, being sixth in line to the throne of Greece, he renounces all claims to titles in both Greece and Denmark.

July 10, 1947 - King George VI and Queen Elizabeth announce Elizabeth’s engagement to Philip.

November 19, 1947 - Invested as a Knight of the Order of the Garter and is given the titles of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich.

November 20, 1947 - Marries Princess Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey.

His name changes from Lt. Philip Mountbatten to His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

1948 - Appointed as a personal aide-de-camp to his father-in-law, King George VI.

1950 - Promoted to lieutenant-commander.

June 1952 - Promoted to commander, but his naval career ends with the death of King George VI and his wife’s ascension to the throne on February 6.

1953 - Appointed admiral of the fleet, field marshal of the Army and marshal of the Royal Air Force.

Designated regent presumptive by an act of parliament.

In the event of the Queen’s death or incapacitation, Philip would rule as regent for Prince Charles.

1956 - Launches the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which rewards children for achievements in personal development and community involvement.

1956-1970 - Serves as president of the Royal Yachting Association.

1957 - By Queen’s decree, is “granted style and titular dignity of a Prince of the United Kingdom.”

He is invested as a Grand Master and First or Principal Knight of the Order of the British Empire.

This decree restores his birth title of prince.

1961-1981 - First president of the World Wildlife Fund - UK.

1964-1986 - President of the International Equestrian Federation.

June 1968 - Awarded the Order of the Merit by the Queen, an honor bestowed to those of “great achievement in the fields of the arts, learning, literature, and science.”

Restricted to 24 members.

1975-1980 - Serves as president of the Royal Yachting Association for the second time.

1981-1996 - Serves as president of World Wildlife Fund International.

1996-present - President Emeritus of the World Wildlife Fund.

April 9, 2005 - Philip and the Queen are the only senior members of the royal family who do not attend Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles’ civil wedding ceremony. They do attend the dedication service.

November 10, 2005 - His 58th wedding anniversary makes him the longest-serving British consort, outliving the wife of King George III, Queen Charlotte.

October 23, 2006 - Inspects British forces in southern Iraq.

May 3-8, 2007 - Philip and the Queen visit the United States for the 400th anniversary of America’s first British settlement in Jamestown in 1607.

They attend the Kentucky Derby on May 5 and a state dinner at the White House on May 7.

April 1, 2009 - Along with the Queen, meets US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at Buckingham Palace.

June 10, 2011 - His 90th birthday makes him the oldest-serving royal consort.

December 23-27, 2011 - Undergoes treatment for a blocked coronary artery at Papworth Hospital.

June 4-9, 2012 - hospitalized for a bladder infection at King Edward VII Hospital in London.

He misses part of the Jubilee celebrations commemorating the Queen’s 60th anniversary on the throne.

August 15-20, 2012 - Treated at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for a bladder infection.

June 7-17, 2013 - A patient in London Clinic having been admitted for abdominal pain, he has exploratory surgery the following day and is released following his recuperation.

January 26, 2015 - Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott awards that nation’s top honor, Knight of the Order of Australia, to Philip for his life of service throughout the Queen’s reign.

May 4, 2017 - Buckingham Palace announces that Philip will step down from public life after August 2017.

August 2, 2017 - Attends a parade of the Royal Marines at Buckingham Palace, carrying out the last of his thousands of public appearances before stepping back from public life.

April 3, 2018 - Philip is admitted to a London hospital to undergo planned surgery on his hip.

January 17, 2019 - Involved in a traffic accident when his car collides with another vehicle carrying two women, aged 28 and 45, as well as a nine-month-old baby boy.

In a statement the following day, a spokesperson said the Duke of Edinburgh had a “precautionary check-up on doctor’s advice that confirmed Philip had no injuries of concern.”

It is later announced that he will not face any charges over the accident.

February 9, 2019 - Buckingham Palace announces that Philip has surrendered his driving license following his January traffic accident that left a female driver injured.

December 20, 2019 - Philip is admitted to the hospital over a “pre-existing” condition, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.

He leaves the hospital on December 24.

April 20, 2020 - Philip makes a rare public statement thanking those working across the UK to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

February 16, 2021 - Philip is taken to a London hospital after feeling unwell, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.

On March 3, he undergoes a medical procedure for a heart condition.

March 16, 2021 - Philip leaves King Edward VII’s Hospital where he was recovering and returns to Windsor Castle, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.

April 9, 2021 - Dies at the age of 99.

September 8, 2022 - Queen Elizabeth II dies, and Charles ascends to the throne.

🖤🤍🖤

[sopafa]

Camelot, the center of this story, is ruled by Jim Lake Jr., trollhunter and leader of both the magic and human realm. The round table, is full with knights and ladies, from all the distant lands, willing to defend the magic and fight for what is right. The queen of these lands, is Claire of the Lake, a shadowmancer. A witch. Who is able to not only control shadows, but fill Jim’s heart with pure love.

Aja Tarron, monarch of the land of Akiridion, who, despite being part of the round table, lives in her own kingdom, as opposed to her consort (the knight Palchuck) and her brother Krel (who serves as Ambassador to the lands of Camelot).

From other kingdoms, and distant lands, we have other rulers and monarchies, who have signed the peace treaty of the lands of Camelot, and follow the traditions of caring for, protecting and preserving magic, as well as magical creatures and beasts.

Rosas, an island kingdom with milk teeth, created by the King Magnífico, as a sanctuary for those who want to escape war, and leave in piece. Witches and wizards are often seen in the kingdom of Rosas, after all, it was the first kingdom to be formed with a monarch capable of manipulating magic.

Arendelle, The mountain kingdom, known for its proximity to fjords and ice magic. The world knows well the story of the so-called snow queen, and how the firstborn of the royal house of Arendelle was blessed with the kiss of ice magic, to protect her people, and prove herself worthy of the throne.

And of course, the kingdoms of the champions.

From cities, to islands. The legend says that the purest hearts come from anywhere and anywho.

No matter gold, or silver stone, what is really important is the soul.

Berk, The center of the archipelago, the land of Vikings and fierce dragons, where beasts and men live together as one. Be careful with teeth, fire and weapons, who knows, they say that the least dangerous thing in those lands are dragons. Not for nothing, Berk has no enemies.

Dumbroge, legend has it, that the oldest souls and magic itself, comes from these lands. That the richness of its power is so high that if you stand still, you can see magic itself take shape. Unfortunately, past prejudice and persecution of magical creatures in times past caused a mass migration, leaving witches and entities in short supply in this area.

Corona, the land of the sun, an island in the middle of the Mediterranean, which is said to be rich in trade, art, minerals, and above all, raw materials for magic spells. Some say that its power comes from the sun itself. Others are just lucky. The truth is that nobody knows.

[simshousewindsor]

The Royal House of Windsor: A Royal Look Back

Edward II, King of Windenburg and Brindleton Bay

REIGN: 1941 - 1992

Prince Edward Charles Arthur Windsor was the first child of Edward I and Queen Lara-Leigh. Prince Edward was born on 29 January 1917 at Buckingsim Palace and was baptized at Windsor Castle on 7 February by the Archbishop of Calgory.

Edward II is noted for creating the Most Noble Order of the Protea, a Brindleton Bay order of chivalry. The Order of the Protea, which pertains to Brindleton Bay, is the second most senior in precedence. Its equivalent in Windenburg, the Most Noble Order of the Garter, is the oldest documented order of chivalry in the United Kingdom. 

Edward I and Queen Lara-Leigh with their children (L to R) Prince Albert; Prince Edward (later Edward II); Princess Amelia, Buckingsim Palace, cir 1924

Edward was only ten months old when his sister, Princess Amelia, was born. The pair shared a close bond, and also shared a tutor until Prince Edward was age 14. Prince Albert was born four years after Amelia.

The trio lived during the glorious Edwardian reign of the monarchy, witnessing Windenburgs regal transformation by their parents. They were also the first royal children to be born in, and reside at, Buckingsim Palace.

Edward I with his children (L to R) Amelia, Princess Royal; Prince Albert, Duke of Hastings; Prince Edward, Duke of York (later Edward II), Buckingsim Palace, cir 1937

Edward served in the Royal Navy until the unexpected death of his younger brother, Albert, left him the sole male heir in line for the throne. After leaving the royal navy, His Royal Highness began royal duties, often accompanying his father. Prince Edward grew to resent his sister, who enjoyed the luxury of royal life while, as heir, he was required to take on more royal duties.

Due to a disagreement between the royal siblings, Princess Amelia’s husband was not bestowed a royal title or Dukedom upon their marriage, as was custom. When Princess Amelia’s son was born, he was 8th in the line of succession to the Windenburg throne, and the first legitimate grandchild of a monarch in more than 175 years to be born without a title or courtesy title. Princess Amelia had been bestowed the title Princess Royal by her father and held it until her death in 2014.

Edward I and Queen Larah-Leigh with heir, Prince Edward, Duke of York (later Edward II), Buckingsim Palace, cir 1939

As heir, Prince Edward inherited the dukedom of York and retained it until he ascended the throne in 1941. He was never invested as Prince of Brindleton Bay.

Engagement Portrait for, then, Prince Edward and Princess Zarah, Buckingsim Palace, cir 1940

His father, Edward I, met Princess Zarah during a State visit to Sulani in 1928, when she was age 11. Princess Zarah was the fifth child of Zelio, Emperor of Sulani. Zelio was also a grandson of Albert I and Queen consort Isabella. Upon returning to Windenburg, Prince Edward who was also 11, was betrothed to Princess Zarah. When Edward II turned 16, the two began writing each other.

On his 21st birthday, Princess Zarah travelled to Windenburg, the pair wed, and were created the Duke and Duchess of York. The royal couple had two children, Prince George (later George I), and Prince Louis, Duke of Kent.

His father, Edward I, passed away two years later and he ascended the throne as Edward II.

His Majesty never felt prepared for the throne and relied heavily on his mother, Queen Lara-Leigh. Their closeness caused jealousy between his mother and his wife, Zarah. The two Queens later became close friends, until the death of Queen Larah-Leigh in 1962.

The death of his mother depressed Edward II deeply.

Edward II and his heirs, The Duke of Kent and The Duke of York, cir 1989

Edward II's reign saw the rise of socialsimism, commusimism, and the Sulani independence movement, all of which radically changed the political landscape of the Windenburg Empire, which itself reached its territorial peak by the beginning of the 1960s.

Finding it difficult to conceive, the government put immense pressure on the new King and Queen to produce an heir. After 15 years, and multiple miscarriages, pressure was relieved in December 1962 with the birth of a son, Prince George Albert Edward (later King George I). The royal couple had another son, Prince Louis, Duke of Kent, four years later securing the throne.

Edward suffered from chronic bronchitis, and his heavy smoking exacerbated recurring breathing problems. In November 1990, he fell seriously ill with a bacterial infection and never fully recovered. On the evening of 20 April 1992, Edward took to his bedroom at Sumpterson House complaining of a cold; he remained in the room until his death eight days later. His son, Prince George ascended the throne as George I.

A Royal Look Back Collection

[givemadnessrp]

The House of Zahra

The pharaoh's immediate royal family is a very intricate set of individuals, ranging in personalities, passions, and beliefs. Their mother and younger siblings all play important roles, not only in the pharaoh's day to day life, but their policies and politics, their comfort, and their sense of security. They are the anchor in their every day life and they relies on all of them immensely. With that said, short of the pharaoh's privy council and the former pharaohs who all help advise the current family, these are the most influential and impactful people in the pharaoh's life and often are who they seek immediate council from on issues that they feels are very sensitive. 

As a former queen and royal princes and princesses, these individuals have tremendous sway and influence in the palace and out in the city. The house of Zahra is widely known and have resided in the land of Kemet for thousands of years, so make no mistake, each of these individuals are often under the microscope. Every action is watched a scrutinized, not just by the court courtiers, but also by the citizens of the city. So, it's hard to sometimes have privacy and be out of the public eye, which is why so many of the Zahra's reside in the palace and don't venture out into the city a lot. 

This is a family of sirens and the family members requested in this ad are only sirens. Please note that the princes and princesses often serve as political emissaries and travel in the place of the pharaohs when needed, so sometimes it's rare to see them all in the city together short of special occasions like religious events or things that the pharaohs need them all to be there for like coronations or special family events. 

We like to try and leave things open so you can build and create who you'd like without it being too structured and stifling, and unlike the other canons, these descriptions are loosely tailored to what we'd like to see incorporated into them, but we're open to discussions because we know not everything will jive with them. We've listed some potential face claims below for the siblings and the mother, but they're just suggestions. As this family directly impacts Setut played by 'Fia, we ask that if you're interested in one of these family canon spots, please reach out to 'Fia directly in order to discuss ideas and concepts so that everyone is on the same page.

FIRST ZAHRA, 600+, This is Mama Zahra aka the former queen-consort to the previous pharaoh before the current pharaohs. She's an older siren, not the oldest in the family, but notably older than the current pharaoh. She's a mother hen who has a hard time letting go, so most likely her and her husband, the former pharaoh are still very close by in palace keeping a wary eye on them, and the rest of their children. We picture her as strong, dedicated, and nurturing. Her age is open as well is first name and current occupation. We have an image of her as Angela Bassett but that's just a suggestion. Her face is open to your choice as well.

FIRST ZAHRA, 230-239, This is Net aka the pharaoh's next closest sibling. He's very close to his older siblings. He's next in line for the throne, the crown prince, and serves as the vizier on the privy council. We've left him very open other than the few details: (1) he tends to be more laid back than either of his older siblings, less serious and uptight about things, (2) he's well travelled like the pharaohs, and (3) he's very close to his family. His name, face, history (for the most part), occupation, and personality are entirely open to you. Note, the name Net is a placeholder and can be easily changed. Potential face claims: alfred enoch, anthony mackie, and david oyelowo. 

FIRST ZAHRA, 210-230, This is the fourth born child of the former pharaoh and queen-consort. They are easily acknowledged as the kindest soul of the Zahra children. They do have extensive military and self-defense training; however, that's probably why this prince or princesses became so gentle and kind after seeing some of the horrors of the world. He or she is considered well-liked and loved by the people due to their charitable works and their focus on the healing institutions of the city. This character has an open gender, face, name, history, personality, and occupation. 

FIRST ZAHRA, 210-230, This is the fifth born child of the former pharaoh and queen-consort. He or she's vastly different from the rest of the Zahra children. They are often described as cold, calculating, and dominating. He or she acts like a war general more than a prince or princess, and it's obvious that they disagree with the current pharaoh's stance on military incursions, but they never publicly contradict their older siblings. He or she acts as the military liaison between the royal family and the military, often partnering with the lycan senator to ensure that the military is being provided for. This character has an open gender, face, name, history, personality, and occupation. 

FIRST ZAHRA, 210-230, This is the sixth born child of the former pharaoh and queen-consort. He or she tends to be more of a free spirit, or the rebel without a cause in this family sect. They like to challenge the rules, both when their parents were ruling, and now that their older siblings are the pharaohs. Out of all of the siblings, this is the one who probably clashes the most with the pharaohs because they like to shirk their royal duties and prefer to do what they want when they want, regardless of the impending circumstances. This character has an open gender, face, name, history, personality, and occupation.

FIRST ZAHRA, 200-210, This is the seventh born child of the former pharaoh and queen-consort. He or she is the baby of the family and one of the more extroverted of the Zahra children. They tend to be infectious, feeding off of people's moods and enjoys being surrounded by people. They have also been described as a hedonist at times, seeking pleasure in the moments but failing to think of long-term happiness. While they don't shirk their royal duties and spend a lot of time working for the pharaosh and the family, they don't always give a 100%. This character has an open gender, face, name, history, personality, and occupation.

[premiumsportsnutrition]

The new monarch is known for speaking his mind and interfering in political matters. He is renowned for his compassion and charitable endeavours as well. Find out more about the next monarch of Britain here.

After Queen Elizabeth II's death on September 8, 2022, her eldest son Charles III took over as monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. For this position, Charles III had devoted almost his whole 73-year existence. A few days after the Queen passed away, he was crowned king. The date of his coronation is anticipated to be in 2023.  

Charles is now in charge of the Commonwealth nations, which include Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, in addition to the United Kingdom. Along with leading the military, judiciary, and Church of England, he also assumes leadership.

The new Queen Consort, King Charles, was formerly wed to the late Princess Diana and is now married to Camilla Parker Bowles. Prince Harry and Princess William were the couple's two children.

Charles is credited with a number of firsts and is the oldest monarch to ever ascend to the British throne. He was the first heir to attend school, the first to earn a degree from a university, and the first to experience extensive media attention as a result of his contentious marriage and divorce from Princess Diana. He stands for the modernization of the British monarchy.

Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth II welcomed Prince Charles Philip Arthur George into the world at Buckingham Palace on November 14, 1948. He was the couple's firstborn. Upon his mother's accession to the throne in 1952, the three-year-old was named the Duke of Cornwall. At the age of 20, Charles was crowned Prince of Wales.

The Prince acknowledged that at Gordonstoun, a Scottish boarding school renowned for character building via outdoor sports, he frequently encountered bullying from his peers. Charles was the first member of the British Royal Family to get a college degree in 1970 while studying history at Cambridge University's renowned Trinity College.

He served in the military for more than seven years after receiving his degree. He first obtained his pilot's licence in the Royal Air Force before transferring to the Royal Navy, where he honed his helicopter piloting skills. He left his position as the HMS Bronington's captain in 1976.

In 1981, Charles wed Diana. Due of his romance with Camilla and the couple's adulterous relationships, the marriage didn't endure very long. Diana passed away in an automobile accident a year after they divorced, in 1996, after they had separated in 1992. 

The turbulent relationship between Charles and Diana was often in the news. His acrimonious divorce alienated the British people. The incident led many individuals to doubt his suitability for the monarchy.

Forgiving the future king for cheating on his wife and "the people's princess," as Diana was affectionately known, took the British people more than ten years. After his 2005 marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles, there was finally a change in the perception of him in the public.

[drosera-nepenthes]

Of course, the great event of next week is the Royal wedding, the first celebrated at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, since the somewhat ill-fated marriage of Princess Christian's pretty and accomplished daughter, Princess Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, to Prince Aribert of Anhalt. Princess Alice of Albany is said to have selected the place where she is to become Princess Alexander of Teck on account of the fact that her much-loved parents were married there, and because she herself has such intimate and affectionate associations with Windsor Castle. On the occasion of the last Royal wedding there, the German Emperor and Empress – each of them a first cousin of the bride – were present, and on this occasion their Majesties guests will include a Crowned Head and his Consort – the King and Queen of Wurtemberg, whose connection with the royal bride is somewhat complicated, as the King is only her uncle owing to the fact that his first wife was her mother's sister.

As this is be essentially a “young” wedding by far the prettiest sight of all will be the two little bridesmaids, the “two Marys” the only daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales and the only daughter of the Duke of Teck. All five are to wear blue and silver costumes and wreaths of forget-me-nots – a scheme of colouring singularly becoming to the two Princesses of Connaught. Prince Alexander will be supported by his brother, Prince Francis, as best man, and though the bride will be given away by the King, she will also have a supporter in the person of her brother, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Princess Alice has received an extraordinary number of presents of a useful kind. She seems to have allowed it to become known that she does not wish to add greatly to her stock of jewels, and this would be indeed, unnecessary, as the bridegroom already possesses some very fine jewels, which belonged to his mother, and which he will, of course, give to his wife. The King and Queen set the example of giving the young couple a useful gift, their present being a fine service of silver plate – of more actual use than would appear at first sight, for even the most unostentatious of Royal persons is not unfrequently called upon to give a banquet. The engagement ring is a sapphire surrounded by fine diamonds and one fo the first and most appreciated gifts received by the bride-elect was a charming minature of her fiancé, painted to the order of the Duchess of Albany. As the Prince does not intend to give up his profession on his marriage, it is probably that the Princess will find herself quartered in South Africa ere long. It is said that she regards the prospect with great pleasure, though the thought must fill her mother, who has been so devoted to Princess Alice from infancy, with a good deal of apprehension.

Prince and Princess Alexander of Teck will begin their married life at Brocket Hall, and it is a sign of the times that a Royal couple should honeymoon in a mansion lent to them by one who began life as a herd boy in Scotland! But Lord Mount-Stephen is one of the most splendid and estimable members of the Upper House, and many will think that it is he who is conferring an honour on the young couple. Brocket Hall has many historic associations. It was a favourite home of two great statesmen, Lord Melbourne and Lord Palmerston, and Queen Victoria, not long after her marriage, spent there a few days, a splendid lunch being served in her honour in the Ball Room. Brocket is a fine, comfortable old house with a most delightful garden and park, through which meanders the River Lea. The Prince and Princess of Wales have stayed there.

The King has decided to hold a Chapter of the Order of the Garter on the eve of the Royal wedding. The ceremonial will take place in the Throne Room, and a unique feature will be the presence of our popular Queen as the one Lady of the Garter. The oldest member of the Order, the venerable Duke of Cambridge, will not, it is feared, be well enough to be present. After the Chapter, the King will entertain the Knights at a great banquet in St. George's Hall.

Black and White, Feb 6, 1904

[goodqueenaly]

@frootnarcissist​ replied to your post “Oh damn I just realized something else about the...”

I can’t help but wonder whether Queen Rhaenys, while officially named for Queen Rhaenys, wasn’t a jab at Princess Rhaenys being passed over for the throne

Funny you should mention - I was just thinking about this! And yes, I agree that there are very interesting implications for the name of that ship.

To be certain, it’s not clear who named the Queen Rhaenys - that is, whether this ship was christened by Alyn himself, or by Corlys before him, or even someone else within the Velaryon naval force (though I tend to doubt that). Nor do we know exactly why it bore the name “Queen Rhaenys”, although it’s probable that this was in fact the official reason - that is, in honor of the younger sister-wife of Aegon the Conqueror, a most proper namesake for a ship in the fleet of the Targaryens’ oldest and closest Valyrian-blooded supporters.

Supposing that it was Corlys himself who named the ship “Queen Rhaenys”, then I very much agree that this was a rather unsubtle way for Corlys to remind everyone of the succession rights of his wife. That Corlys had cherished ambitions to be Rhaenys’ prince/king consort and/or the father of a future king is very evident: Gyldayn notes that Corlys was “bitterly disappointed when Prince Aemon died and King Jaehaerys bypassed Aemon’s daughter, Rhaenys, in favor of his brother, Baelon the Spring Prince” (indeed, so much so that “he gave up his admiralty and his place on the small council and took his wife back to Driftmark”) and, together with his wife, “us[ed] the wealth and influence of House Velaryon to persuade the lords assembled [i.e. at Harrenhal for the Great Council of 101 AC] that their son, Laenor, should be recognized as heir to the Iron Throne”. Failing there (and in his attempt to get Viserys to marry his daughter Laena), Corlys may have channeled his furious disappointment into this ship’s name; as a major, if not the major, ship of the Velaryon fleet (grandiose enough to eventually serve as Alyn’s flagship, anyway), the Queen Rhaenys would serve as a public reminder that the powerful Velaryon fleet backed the rights of the “Queen Who Never Was”, Rhaenys Targaryen. Even if the ship was named after Rhenyra and Laenor married, its title might perhaps reflect Corlys’ unwillingness to accept any junior role in the partnership; his grandsons would be Velaryons, as he would proudly note at the outset of the Dance, whose claim came as much from their (purported) paternal grandmother as it did from their mother.

On the other hand, I find it just as interesting if the ship’s name was Alyn’s decision. After all, in 133 AC (that is, at the time of that engagement in the Stepstones) Alyn would have found himself in a position not dissimilar to that of his “grandfather”, in terms of marrying a would-be female royal heir. With Aegon III underage and obviously childless, and no living male heirs (to anyone’s knowledge at that time, anyway), Baela and Rhaena Targaryen were the two most obvious choices of successor to the young king. These princesses had a doubly strong argument to succeed, not only as the sole remaining children of the late Prince Daemon (again, the future Viserys II, then in Lys,  notwithstanding) but also as the sole remaining legitimate descendants of Princess Rhaenys herself; likewise, Alyn’s official backstory was that he was the legitimized son of Laenor, and so the only male-line grandson of Princess Rhaenys (putting aside the high probability that he was Corlys’ biological son). Any child of Baela and Alyn, in other words, would be twice over the heir of Princess Rhaenys, consummately royal enough to make a strong play for the throne should it become available. The name “Queen Rhaenys”, then, might have served to underline Alyn’s royal ambitions for himself and his future children by Baela; not only had the historical Queen Rhaenys been a strong female ruler (to counter, perhaps, the uncertainty of female rulership in the event of Aegon III’s death, an issue raised at the time of Baela’s marriage), but Princess Rhaenys had been a queen by right, and as such the throne should pass to her most senior descendants - which is to say, the children of Baela and Alyn.

[minervacasterly]

The role of a Queen Consort + she has to embody

"A queen had to be the embodiment of piety, beyond reproach morally, the guardian of the royal bloodline, a gentle and moderate mediator in the conflicts of men and a helpmeet to her husband. Her virtue was exemplified by her chastity and humility, her charity and her acts of mercy. People looked to her as “a kind mother, from whom no one goes away empty-handed.”1 A queen had to negotiate the political institution that was the court, which might mean subsuming her private loyalties to her duty to the King her husband. She was a fount of patronage to the Church and to scholars and artists. It was her duty to love her husband, and to play a subordinate role to him. She had to forge good relations with his relatives, his ministers and his household officers. Sometimes she had to be a regent, an administrator, a lawgiver and an intercessor."

- Queens of the Conquest (Chapter 12) by Alison Weir

For these and many other reasons Tudor history buffs are familiar with, Elizabeth of York was widely celebrated to the point of gaining cult status after her death. In her respective biographical works of EOY and her youngest son, Henry VIII's wives and mistresses, historian Amy Licence, emphasizes heavily on this by pointing out the similarities between Henry's calligraphy with that of her mother. Additionally, being the younger son, he and his sisters got to spend more time with the Queen. Carefully observing her behavior and the strong union between his parents, Henry came to idolize his mother. It was through these lens from which he judged most - if not all - of his wives.

The other Queen Consorts triumphed in some areas but missed in others. In Catherine of Aragon's case, it was the simple fact she couldn't give her husband a healthy male heir that could outlive his father. Jane probably wouldn't have excelled at the regency in the same calibre as Catherine and her mother, but with a healthy living son, this would have been overlooked in favor of the other virtues. Henry certainly didn't waste any time looking for a new wife, less than three years after her death. Despite quickly marrying and divorcing Anne of Cleves and then marrying Katherine Howard in less than a span of a year for the urgency of a second son, the urgency for a Consort to enhance the King's image became greater.

Catherine of Aragon's mother, Isabella I, was sovereign in Castilla but a Consort of Aragon due to the salic law and her husband being a King there. She embodied all the feminine virtues that Alison Weir informs the readers that people expected of royal consorts, in Aragon. She was seen as a strong and complimentary to Ferdinand's kingship.

The woman Henry VIII chose as his sixth and final consort was the twice widowed Catherine Parr. Named after Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Catherine of Aragon, Catherine Parr was as both her namesakes, a paragon of feminine virtue and religious matron. Albeit, Protestant, like Henry's Spanish Princess, Catherine Parr was a strong advocate of female education and the only other Consort besides Catherine of Aragon to serve as regent in her husband's absence. Given than she didn't belong to any foreign royal house, it was easy for her to cultivate a good relationship between her family and the Tudors. Since her second marriage, she had served as a motherly figure to younger women who are in need of good role models. Similarly, she became one for her youngest stepdaughter, Lady Elizabeth, a good surrogate mother for Prince Edward and a trusted friend to her oldest stepdaughter, Lady Mary.

The role of a Queen sovereign differed from that of a Consort. Given the powers a sovereign could wield, the role of a Queen Consort is often seen as less important or is altogether dismissed but as seen from these examples, this has never been the case.

[pheita]

Masterlist Shadow Play - Guild Hunter Sojan Alternative Universe

[Picture ID: A banner with a gray background of shadows from windows with a gray oval in the middle with the light gray writing “Shadow Play” in cursive with dark red shadow effects. End ID] Alternative Universe of “Guild Hunter Sojan” The kingdom of Wealzaryth is known for being the only land on Duwos to have royalty and for their bard school, but only few know the bard school also trains assassins. Lyran is such an assassin, serving as bard at the royal court and assassin of the crown at the same time. His next target: Sojan, the oldest son of Rahnirin Mahelgris, the head of one of the main merchant companies trading with the crown.  When the assassination fails, Lyran and Sojan get caught in the tangled web Queen Consort Asmolea spun since her days as lady in waiting for the late Queen Consort Simalin, using the grief of King Mendis for her own plans. Now forced to work together to protect themselves, their families, and the kingdom of Wealzaryth Lyran and Sojan face another challenge: How long can they withstand the other man before they lose their mind? And what happens when they fall for their desires? Warning: sex, weapons, mentions of murder, nudity, swearing  Additional warnings in each chapter.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29 Part 30 Part 31 Part 32 Part 33 Part 34 Part 35 Part 36 Epilogue

[wilted3sunflowers]

Khan and Min They’re made for @conquer-the-raven​ Fandorm khanzao 

Now in the dorm Shundain @briarrosescurse​

That’s it. thats just their whole dynamic

Khan Species: horse Beast folk Height: 6′5″ Favorite food: Rice paper spring rolls Hated Food: Pâté Fun fact: He has a journal for poetry, prose, and other short writings. year: 3rd age: 21 Class: 3-C (24) Best Subject: Stamina Training Club: Loving mountains Unique Magic: Charging thunder  It can essentially be boiled down to super speed, some say that you can hear his power from far away. The echoing charge sounding off like thunder to those close enough. 

Khan is the oldest of 6, all of which are being trained to protect the royal family to some degree or help. It’s always been his family's place to protect and serve the Longwei Family. He’s Mute and Min is usually the only one to know what he’s saying but it’s a bit funny seeing the one sided conversations deadpan and over emotive Min only saying his part of the conversation which can be quite silly sometimes. 

He was sent away to track and find the Longwei run away prince after a note from him in his room was there but no prince, claiming he had run off. Though some are still suspicious that there was a kidnapping, it truly doesn’t matter which it was to the family as they wanted their youngest prince back. Sending Khan off as one of their fastest footman and keeping it discreet. It’d be a shame if the royal family had a run away but also if it was a kidnapping they need to be careful. 

He has only seen the youngest prince a couple of times briefly in the palace and never actually spoken to him but he certainly kept his eyes on Min even if Min wouldn’t know it. It’s hard to ignore Min and Khan isn’t sure how anyone can ignore him...be it in a positive or negative light. 

He’s honestly surprised how much Min has changed and almost did succeed in taking him back. Leading to Khan and Min having a heart to heart with Min begging Khan to let him stay. A sight Khan would never have expected Min to do. So he gave in to him.  Now Khan is here in NRC watching making sure Min doesn’t go into too much trouble and actually does what he said he was here to do. Study and get better. No time for devilish games Min. He doesn’t have time for Min being a little shit. Hurry up and grow into a respectable person you bratty little prince. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Min  Mingyu Longwei Species: Dragon Height: 5′8″ Favorite Food: Fried and Soup dumplings He can’t choose between them! Hated Food: Century Eggs Fun fact: Drinks respect women juice  year: 3rd Age: 19 Class: 3-C (31) Best Subject: Magical pharmaceuticals Club: Board Game Unique Magic: The Great Dragon  He can show his giant dragon form but it’s incredibly taxing on him and his short stamina. He can barely keep it going in a giant form and sometimes if he tries to use it he just shows up as a tiny serpent dragon instead. He’s working on it so he can actually last as a massive and intimidating dragon for longer than a minute. 

The youngest of 13 children, however he’s second in line for the throne as he’s the kings actual wife’s second child. Unlike the other 12 being born from consorts of the King’s harem. 

Having been a sickly child he’s been considered the runt out of all the children but especially in comparison to his older brother. As he kept trying to prove himself and continually failing at showing anything of notability he was kind of thought of as a disappointment and honestly forgotten often in the mass of children even if he is second in line. He tries hard and tries even harder for attention that he can easily be obnoxious and just a nuisance barging in and getting in the way of things.  Min ran from the palace in the dead of night, leaving a note saying he was leaving with no other reasons or anything on there. He gathered up as much money and valuables he should carry so he can use money to get what he needs later and just book it as far as he can. He bribed and begged Crowley to allow him entrance. To Min he thought it was best getting into a school that had boarding and NRC could definitely help him in a lot of aspects. He actually had quite a bit of this planned out when he finally wrote the runaway letter, having planned everything in secret. He typically isn’t one to stop and plan but when he puts his mind to it he can be quiet good at formulating them and has only gotten better after going to NRC and being sorted into Khanzao dorm. Only Crowley, Di xin and Khan know of his royal heritage though its up in the air just how much besides being a prince Di Xin would know about him. 

Min can use heat to his advantage and has no trouble being in extreme cold climates and can be kept warm, almost like a traveling fire. He’s proficient in Blue flames and its only thanks to being in Khanzao dorm he’s even gotten able to control them and use them on command. 

[heroineimages]

Desert Elf Minis: The Sultanas’ Daughters

Because I love worldbuilding that involves taking elves out of their traditional woodlands and ivory cities, I’ve been working on a series of Desert Elf miniatures as the twelve D&D classes. And because my brain tends naturally to create stories from characters like this, I ended up creating a desert kingdom, it’s two sultanas, and their daughters.

I had to really mix-and-match aesthetics, given the limits of Hero Forge’s selection. I ended up using a lot of Egyptian, Asian, African, Arabian, and even some Roman accessories, but hopefully it doesn’t look like I was trying too hard. @fuckyeahheroforgecreations​

The Sultana Anfalen III is a powerful battlemage who had to fight her way to the top against five siblings and dozens of cousins during an ugly succession war. Despite her reputation for ruthlessness, she’s quite pragmatic and most generous to those who serve her well. Anfalen adores her wife Adwarin and their twelve daughters and encourages love, understanding, and cooperation between them, hoping to avoid a future succession war like the one she survived, years ago. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13413367/)

Though her official title is Queen-Consort, Sultana Adwarin I is an equal partner to Anfalen as well as her top military advisor. A high-level fighter, she was Anfalen’s closest ally during the succession battles, and she fully supports her wife’s efforts to rebuild and maintain a lasting peace. Twice widowed, Anfalen had five daughters while Adwarin had seven with her late husband--one of Anfalen’s cousins--bringing together a family of twelve imperial princesses once they married. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13414171/)

Adwarin’s second daughter, Princess Arun trains to be a powerful warrior, like her mother and older sister. An officer in the Sultana’s light infantry, she’s a multi-purpose combatant, her units wearing down their foes with arrows before charging. A risk-taker who cares more about the lives of her soldiers than her own, Arun has had to be Resurrected by her stepsister Ravamaer four times so far. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13323314/)

Princess Sylhana is Adwarin’s fourth daughter. A charismatic soul with a lilting voice, Sylhana serves as ambassadress to the human pharaoh of a neighboring kingdom. Enraptured by her voice and charms, the pharaoh’s sister took Sylhana as her lover and gifted her an enchanted harp. Many within both kingdoms anticipate a future marriage alliance between them. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13323850/)

In addition to being a warrior priestess, Princess Ravamaer is an officer in the army’s medium infantry. Anfala’s oldest daughter, she takes her military responsibilities very seriously, buffing her fellow spear-warriors while fighting beside them on the front line. Like most of the infantry, Ravamaer is a multi-role fighter who can battle with bow-and-arrow or shield-and-spear with equal skill. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13324574/)

A lover of nature and always at home in the desert, Princess Shalendra is a scout and archer-officer for her mothers’ armies. Third of Anfala’s daughters, Shalendra met her fox friend Phizzie as a young girl. She’s deeply suspicious of the fact that he never seems to age, but she’s only ever gotten cheeky, sarcastic responses when inquiring about it. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13346884/)

Adwarin’s eldest, Princess Heiralei serves as a heavy-infantry officer, while being groomed to become her mother’s right-hand general. Always learning about military tactics, Heiralei volunteered to travel as an observer to study pike-and-halberd tactics in a dwarven kingdom across the sea. In her last letter, she confided to Ravamaer that she has a crush on one of the dwarf general’s daughters. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D26869041/)

One of two transgender princesses, Alea is Anfalin’s youngest and serves as a Royal Guardswoman and counter-spy instead of in the army. An expert in Gnoll stealth, ambushes, and counter-tactics, Alea also serves as a guerilla fighter when her mothers are on campaign. Currently, she is engaged to a half-orc princess of an allied maritime kingdom. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13405974/)

Anfalin’s fifth, Princess Lyrei is captain of the Royal Guard. An excellent warrior and archer but not great at subterfuge, Lyrei relies heavily on her youngest sister’s skills and subtelty to keep their mothers and sisters safe from assassins. Early in her career, Lyrei was nearly responsible for a palace coup, after being seduced for information by a courtesan who was working with assassins from a rival kingdom. To this day she holds herself responsible and strives to never let it happen again. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13408892/)

Adwarin’s youngest, Princess Aewynn is one of the best archers in the kingdom. Having studied archery and skirmishing tactics from her mothers’ Drow allies, Aewynn leads a heavy-archer contingent in their armies. Like Alea, Aewynn studied guerilla tactics from allied Gnoll tribes and helps incorporate them into her mother’s campaigns. Currently engaged to the daughter of a powerful Drow matron. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13409406/)

Sixth of Adwarin’s daughters, Princess Grena is a cavalry-archer captain and chief scout for their armies. While serving as ambassadress to an orc merchant-king, Grena learned the value of dire-wolves and worgs as desert scout cavalry and worked to incorporate them into the kingdom’s border patrols. Grena dislikes politics and palace life most among her sisters, and deliberately bucked tradition by marrying a lowly weaver’s daughter. Thankfully, her moms adore her wife and were pretty chill about the whole thing. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13409884/)

A battlemage like her mother, Princess Olomoira is second of Anfalin’s daughters. With little patience for military decorum, Olo serves as the army’s liaison officer to their mercenary auxiliaries and prefers to fight beside them while on campaign. Currently she’s dating a widowed moon-elf noblewoman. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13411163/)

Transgender like Alea, Princess Saphielle is Adwarin’s third. A battlemage with a sharp temperament, Saphie is the fist to admit that she’s not officer material and fights beside the heavy javelin-skirmishers instead of leading them. Burned by an enemy mage as an adolescent, Saphie lost her left eye and most of her hair on that side to the mage’s fireball during an attempted palace coup. Lyrei still feels guilty about that. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13411831/)

Anfalin’s fourth, Princess Chasianna is a gentle soul who prefers reading and arcane study over martial pursuits. Currently she is apprenticed to the kingdom’s top arcane advisor and is expected to take over for him when the doddering old bastard retires. A favorite among the palace courtesans and harem, Chasianna squeals and giggles a lot in bed, is known as an enthusiastic lover, and always tips her sex-workers generously. (Link: https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D13412412/)

[givemadnessrp]

Precedence

Precedence refers to the order and rank within the royal family and in the court that resides in Malqata Palace. While every Zahra pharaoh has brought something unique to the city, whether they like precedence or not, they have adhered to the traditions established by their forefathers and mothers. It is malleable to an extent, but traditionally it has always followed the set structure. It dictates who bows to who, the order the royal family enters a room or festival, and who is in charge. However, it is usually hard to remember with how large the Zahra family is and rarely do you see all of the large family together at any given point for long periods of time. That sight is usually reserved only for coronations of new pharaohs.

Pharaohs are always the highest ranked individual in the room and bow to no one. Everyone stands when they enter the room and doesn’t sit until they are seated and usually invite everyone else to do the same. They walk behind no one. Called either Pharaoh or his/her majesty.

Pharaoh consorts are the second highest ranked individual in the room. They only bow to the pharaoh, and in the absence of their partner are considered the highest ranked individual in the room. They usually walk a step behind the pharaoh unless invited to walk equal with their spouse. Called either king/queen or your grace.

Viziers are the third highest ranked royal, serving as the pharaohs second in command and their strong right hand. They are always the crown prince or princess, next in line to the throne. They learn to rule in this role with working with the pharaoh and their consorts, and the privy councillors that they head. They are always the next oldest sibling of the current pharaoh if the current pharaoh has no children. Called your grace.

The most recent previous Pharaoh and their consorts are the fourth highest ranked individuals in the court, usually being the parents of the current pharaoh and often have the titles of pharaoh father and pharaoh mother among the household. They are valued advisors to the current pharaohs and often have unrestricted access to the pharaohs and their private compound. Called pharaoh father or mother and king or queen father or mother.

Current Prince and Princesses of the realm are the fifth highest ranked members of courts, always walking in the order of their birth but always considered the children of the current pharaohs then followed by their uncles and aunts. Usually called your royal prince or princess.

Previous Pharaohs and their consorts are the sixth ranking members of the court and always organized in the order of their rule, leading back to the first Zahra pharaoh. While no longer pharaohs, they all serve important roles in the court, often acting as emissaries to other cities in Egypt, serving as Viceroys in Egyptian regions, and helping advise the current pharaohs on big topics. Often called Wise Pharaoh.

Former Prince and Princesses of the realm are the children of former pharaohs who never ruled or succeeded the throne. Their ranks vary depending on age and their rank of their parents. Often, by the time they are considered former prince and princesses, they are styled with the title “hereditary prince or princess of the realm” denoting that they are a Zahra and royal, however, not close enough in the line of succession to inherit the throne. Usually called your royal highness.

Privy Councillors are uniquely placed close to the throne, but never in line to inherit the throne save for the siren councillor who is also the Vizier. They are highly ranked at court and often receive bows and patronages from the people of the city, but they always follow at the back of the large and expansive royal family unless otherwise invited closer by the current pharaohs. They are usually called councillor or your excellency.

[dragonladdie]

Xeno-Hiraeth

Warning: The following document delves into topics such as (systemic)racism, classism, colonization, (implied)genocide, and slavery. This is not to promote, justify, humanize, or normalize these things in any way, shape or form, and, quite frankly, the opposite of the story's initial message.

The author does NOT approve of such things. If you think any of the above is justifiable in ANY manner, you can leave right now, thanks.

Lore

Xeno-Hiraeth was the first ever planet made by the Seraphs, a race of divine entities with the power to create entire galaxies with the simple flick of their wrist.

There are four sapient species on this ancient planet: The proud dragons, the reclusive lungs, the gentle sphinxes, and finally, the mageia, the first Beings, and made in the Seraph's image.

Not only is Xeno-Hiraeth the first world, it is by far the largest. It is infinitely larger than our Earth, and far more magical. It's teeming with wild magic and a myriad of magical and strange creatures. At its center is Cor Meum, seven continents surrounding the Heartland. The Heartland holds the Capitol, where the Queen resides.

As previously said, there are four sapient species of Xeno-Hiraeth. You would believe the mageia would rule the world, as they were the first Beings, and are made in the Seraph's image. You would be correct, but, millions of years ago, when all but one Seraph suddenly vanished from the cosmos, the mageia fell into chaos.

The mageia waged war on each other, dragging the other three races with them. This started the Cold Age. After thousands of years of distrust, chaos, and all-out war, the remaining Seraph could no longer speak to their people.

They ended up turning the world over to the dragons and lungs, giving them a secret gift that allowed them to reunite the world again. They were supposed to rule the land together in order to retain at least some form of unity. But, another thousand years later, after high tensions, the dragons and lungs turned on each other. The lungs ended up breaking from the dragons and went into hiding, making dragons the singular dominant species of Xeno-Hiraeth.

Sphinxes are a somewhat independent species, and try not to get involved with the other three species' affairs. They normally exist in one of twelve clans, but few unlucky sphinxes live their lives as personal servants and slaves to dragon nobility, and are treated as wealth statuses rather than individuals.

Geography of Notable Landmasses

Heartland

The Heartland is the central continent of Cor Meum. A vast valley surrounded by mountains, and at its center is the Capitol, the largest metropolis in the world. The Capitol is mostly inhabited by dragons, and is also where a good 60% of dragons in Xeno-Hiraeth live. The Heartstone Palace is both the tallest and largest built structure in Cor Meum as well, and it's tallest tower can be seen from miles in any direction. The Heartstone Palace is the home of the Queen and their family.

Makatu Valley

The continent just North of Heartland is a combination of floating isles and mountains. It's the home of the longmas' kingdom, Sahar. Mistiko, the capital city for Sahar is located between one of the two largest mountains on Cor Meum, known as the Twin Peaks. Instead of sitting at the foot of the two mountains, the city actually stands on the top of a huge floating aisle, just above their peaks. It's only accessible by airships and flying.

Rama Forests

The continent of Rama sits upon a rich iron mine that stretches down and out for miles. Even though they have a seemingly infinite amount of it, every scrap of metal is treated graciously, and no amount is wasted. On the surface are lush forests on the foot of a small mountain range. The capital city, Stonehill, sits on the base of said mountain range.

Taiao

The continent of Taiao is a combination of forest and open plain, perfect for the diverse population of Alam. Taiao has bountiful lands to raise crops, and thus there are countless farming villages across the continent. The "capital" of Alam is called the Thicket, which is a town surrounding a huge tree. Inside the tree is the High Sage and their council, made up of all sorts of backgrounds.

Vjetar Plateau

The Vjetar plateau is located at the furthest Northeast point in Cor Meum. The only way up is by flying, airships, or making your way up Zephyr's Road, a dangerous foot trail filled with predators and rogues. Atop the plateau is a flat, lush steppe occasionally dotted with rich forests. There is a small patch of frigid mountains to the north, and the west drops off into the sea. The soil is adequate for the nation's agricultural needs, and produce farms are the majority of what you will find when exploring the land. The capital city of Gisa stands in the middle of a windy meadow.

The Sear

The Sear is a scorching desert to the West of Cor Meum. The farther center you go, the hotter the sun beats, and the taller the sand dunes stand. But, smack in the middle of the desert, springs the Blessing Oasis. It's the largest oasis in the Sear, and most of the qilin population lives here.

The Wai Peninsula

The Wai peninsula is home to Ngaru, the native kingdom of the kelpies. To the Northern entrance to the peninsula are swamps, marshes, bogs, and mangroves. Then, there's the Iridescent Jungle. Though it's a gorgeous sight to behold, it's filled with dangerous animals and man-eating plants. Then, once you finally make it out of the jungle, you are rewarded with a calm, tropical paradise. The capital city is located on the shore, along with the Summer Palace. But, during the winter and fall months, the royal family retreats to the Underwater Palace. A secret entrance on the surface is provided for non-kelpie visitors.

Kahore Mountains

Nihil, the native kingdom of the nix, is based underground and in the mountains of Kahore. The entirety of the continent is just mountains that stretch almost completely off the Eastern coast of Cor Meum. The capital city of Covert lays below the surface of Titan's Maw Summit, the largest mountain in the world.

Ledas

A combination of icy plain and taiga to the north of Cor Meum. It is mostly unexplored by the other Beings, and is occupied by the Fa and Noh sphinx clans.

The Barrier Mountains

Several oceanic mountain ranges that erupt from the water, and surround Cor Meum. There is presumably nothing past these mountains, only open ocean. However, all voyages that set out past these mountains never return. Rumor has it that beyond these mountains lies the secret home of the lungs.

Additional landmasses

Within the Barrier Mountains are several other small islands, whether they humbly sit on the water or float above it. None of them are big enough to be marked fully as continents, however, and most of them are colonized by dragon villages.

General Society

The Queen is a hereditary, gender-neutral title worn by the ruling dragon. It's passed on from parent to oldest child, but it's not unheard of for the crown to go to one of the Queen's spouses, siblings, or even a trusted Council member if either they believe their children aren't cut out for the job or die before they have any.

The King is the first spouse of the Queen(the King is also a gender-neutral title). The King acts as an advisor to the Queen as well as a companion, and is incredibly influential. Consorts hold no political power, but may hold certain influence as well, depending on their background/actions outside of the palace walls.

The current Queen is Nefriah, and her heir is her first son, Valo. She has one spouse, King Solan. Their other children are Naika, Naseem, Kasigo, and Vanja.

That being said, there are no gender roles in Xeno-Hiraeth! Gender identity and expression is something that is a personal preference, and is figured out during childhood(all children are referred to with they/them pronouns at first, unless they choose differently later on). Androgyny is the dominant gender expression, and no individual would be made fun of, judged, or barred from certain tasks/jobs for their gender identity and/or expression, or lack thereof.

While the Queen rules over both dragons and mageia(and to some extent, the sphinxes), it's the Omnis-Sovereign who carries out the laws to the mageia. The Omnis-Sovereign is typically a longma mageia who not only rules their own kingdom, but the other kingdoms as well. While all kingdoms have their individual leader or leaders, they all answer to the Omnis-Sovereign, and the Omnis-Sovereign answers to the Queen. The current Omnis-Sovereign is Jerome.

The Prophet is the religious leader of Cor Meum, and secondary advisor to the Queen. Their job(supposedly) is to make sure the will of the Seraph is followed. They also are responsible for keeping the Queen in check. They are hand-picked by the Queen themself, and serve until death. The current Prophet is Rek'yen.

The Queen's council consists of the King, Prophet, General, Treasurer, High Mage, Archive Keeper, Charter, and High Judge. King Solan currently doubles as the High Mage.

There is an unspoken racial hierarchy amongst the mageia, in order of preference of the dragons; the longmas, the re'em, the dryads, the perytons, the qilins, the kelpies, and then the nixes.

Disabilities are not usually an issue in Xeno-Hiraeth. Non-verbal and/or deaf beings are taught some form of sign language, or given a slate to write your thoughts down. Blind individuals are taught to use their other senses to make their way around, and/or given a guide(whether they be a Being or familiar), or a cane to feel around with as you step. For those with lost limbs, there's a number of different prosthetics to choose from, and there are special prosthetics for different jobs and activities(including wings!).

In regards to technology, think steampunk-esque. Tech such as robotic prosthetics, arcane-powered machines, airships, explosives, and simple firearms such as pistols, bayonets, and shotguns are craftable items.

Tharcanas are enchanted items, all with differing abilities. Some examples would be a piece of jewelry that immediately returns to the owner of it's ever stolen, a small orb that gives off light when needed, a flute that puts listeners to sleep, bracers that give the wearer super strength, etc.

Being Biology & Info

Dragons and Lungs

Dragons and Lungs have a rather… chaotic biology, to say the least. While they can't be classified into several distinct races, almost every dragon or lung family has something unique about their pedigree. For example, some families may be able to grow plant life on themselves, or breathe fire, or have insect-like wings, etc.

Curiously enough, some dragons and lungs have similar features, such as some dragons having manes down their topline, and lungs having small, vestigial wings.

No matter what their features are, dragons are the largest species, standing at around 7-8 ½ feet at the shoulder. They are typically scaled, with at least one pair of wings, and at least one horn.

Lungs, on the other hand, are only slightly taller than the average mageia, but have long, snake-like bodies. They have fur and/or scales, with a mane down their topline/around their head like a lion. They usually have at least one horn.

Mageia

Mageia are huge creatures(the average mageia is about 6 ½ feet at the shoulder) with a canine-like head filled with sharp teeth, front paws(or claws, or talons) back hooves(can be one toed or cloven) a horse-like mane, and a lionel tail.

The mageia have seven races, each with their own unique features:

Longma biology

Pure longmas are mageia who share a common ancestor who was half dragon. All Longmas have at least one horn and draconic wings.

Pure longmas always have:

draconic wings

at least one horn

Longmas can have:

scales somewhere other than the topline, wings, and tail

scales along their topline

serpentine tails

draconic fins

Additional info

Famously pompous and devoted to individualism, Longmas are proud, innovative, and fiercely passionate.

Traditionally classist, recent years have seen the ladder to success grow more accessible, but the line between nobility and commoners remains distinct and nearly impossible to cross.

Longmas consider themselves the ideal and dismiss other mageia as uncultured, barbaric entities.

The gap between Sahar's civilian classes is significant, with the nobility sitting comfortably at the top of the ladder. The Nobility are revered, or at the very least begrudgingly respected, by the lower classes. Their political significance is rivaled only by their implied wealth, which may or may not be as grand as an individual noble claims. Nobles are the only longmas who have surnames, portrayed by their House. While there is some wiggle room for wealthy commoners to rub shoulders with the elite, they are unlikely to be accepted as an equal.

Re'em biology

Re'em are readily identified by their horns, which range from the traditional single spiral to jagged monstrosities, sometimes made of gemstone and metal.

Pure re'em always have:

horn(s), typically on the head.

Pure re'em can have:

Horns made of minerals such as precious gemstones, metals, glass or rock

Gemstone/metal attributes

Additional info

The re'em of Lux are proud people, known for their prowess in battle. Thus, friendly sparring is a common pastime for young re'em, though older re'em enjoy the activity as well.

When a re'em dies, a replica of their horn is carved and shaped from the same gemstone/metal that their real horn was made from. Simply painting a clay sculpture is an alternative to those with simple keratin horns.

Although the re'em have a reputation in other kingdoms as being uneducated, simplistic brutes, intellectual prowess is lauded, and complex, strategy-based games are enjoyed in households.

A single back hoof stomp is a more "aggressive" greeting, and thus is conducted by soldiers and rowdy adolescents, the harder/louder the more impressive.

Dryad biology

A pureblooded dryad is identified by the plant or animal life that thrives from their body. Plant life usually goes through seasonal changes or stagnates at full bloom, but there are always anomalies. A depressed or sick dryad usually suffers from wilted, or even withered growth.

Pure Dryads always have:

plantlife (or plant-esque, such as coral, bark, rocks/minerals/gemstones, etc.) growing from their body

Dryads can have:

extra hair (such as an extended mane down their top line).

antlers.

gemstones.

bark or rock like texture on their body.

Additional info

When hunting and farming, no part of the plant or animal goes to waste. Anything one does not eat is made into jewelry, tools, or simply fertilizer for the next batch of crops.

Outsiders are welcomed, but watched carefully. The dryads of Alam are hospitable and friendly to all, but won't hesitate to give you the boot if you choose violence.

The native mageia of Taiao live in peace with the environment, never taking more than what they need. Wastefulness, in any capacity, is not tolerated. What you take from the land is a blessing, and should be treated as such.

The High Sage is the religious leader of Alam. They interpret signs seemingly sent by the Seraph themself, predict the success of the next year/harvest, and make sure traditions are followed, and outdated ones are updated. The Council are the political leaders, and do most of the paperwork, overseeing official events, recounting population, distributing resources, etc.

Peryton biology

All pureblooded perytons will have at least one set of wings. Feathered wings are the most common, but there are plenty of individuals who sport wings reminiscent of bats, and rarer still are the individuals who grow insect-like wings.

Pure perytons always have:

at least one set of wings(wings can be feathered, bat-like, or insect based)

Perytons can have:

feathering on the body.

feathers in place of a mane or tail.

more than one set of wings.

Additional info:

The perytons are proud, loyal, and cunning, and reside in a nation shrouded in mystery. While often misunderstood, they have a rich history and culture that defines them.

There is so much freestanding land in Vjetar that it is commonplace just to petition for a small plot to build on, and more often than not, it will be granted.

Most families in Sirocco are rather large, as couples generally have anywhere from three to seven children.

The Divine is the kingdom's spiritual leader, acting as the conduit through which the last Seraph makes their will known, while the clerics act as the kingdom's clergy and healers. While the Divine rarely leaves the Holy Temple of the Seraph, and never leaves the great city of Gisa, Clerics live all throughout the nation and assist where the Divine can not.

Qilin biology

The Qilin is immediately recognizable by the presence of body scales and antlers. This race is almost entirely resilient to heat.

Pure qilins always have:

at least one antler, though typically two.

scaling somewhere on their body.

Qilins can have:

antlers that resemble various different deeror antelope.

Additional info

Qilins of Hariq are hardy survivors, a family of mostly nomadic individuals joined together by their mutual love and respect for every member of the Sear.

Humble, accepting, and naive, these gentle mageia are trusting of others to a sometimes dangerous fault. Though they make up the smallest population, they are not to be trifled with: every member has received some form of combat training, and their desert home is a frightful place to wage war.

The traditional qilin would die for their virtues and the safety of another.

Deeply spiritual and fixated on being one with and coexisting with the world, the qilin ways are mystical and rooted in their religion.

Kelpie biology

Kelpies will always possess two forms that they are able to shift between: a land form for traversing terrain, and a water form that allows them to swim and breathe underwater. The aquatic half of a kelpie can be based on fish, cetaceans, octopi, seals, or any other marine creature.

Pure kelpies always have:

a land form.

a water form.

Kelpies can have (in both forms):

fins and scales.

a fishtail.

stingers, tentacles, barbels - anything that correlates to their aquatic animal(s) really.

bioluminescence.

Additional info

Kelpies are famously the most accepting of outsiders, and thus hybrids are not a rare sight in Ngaru.

They are skilled soldiers, fishers, and sailors, but extremely superstitious. Angering the last Seraph is said enough to damn you and your family for generations.

While they are accepting of outside races, they stay as distant as they possibly can from the other nations, and try not to get mixed up in their politics.

As a collective community, Ngaru generally works together to keep themselves in check to prevent interference from the dragons.

Nix biology

Though they lack the fantastical features of their counterparts, there is beauty in simplicity. Rare genetic mutations can give this race additional eyes or even visible auras.

Additional info

Since nixes lack any interesting features, they're seen as boring, tasteless individuals, which is far from the truth.

They're secretive and selective on who they let into the Underground, and fewer ever get to see the capitol city.

The nation is built on a sense of community, and secrets rarely stay hidden for long.

A lot of nixes travel the continents of Cor Meum in hopes of finding wealth elsewhere, and it isn't uncommon to find a travelling Nix merchant setting up shop in the streets in a completely different continent than their own.

Hybrids

Opinions on hybrids vary from kingdom to kingdom. In Sahar, Lux, Sirocco, and Nihil, hybrids are frowned upon or at the very least judged, but in Alam, Hariq, and Ngaru, it's not as much of a big deal. Still, most hybrids are vagabonds, finding their place elsewhere, outside the binary kingdoms.

There is a rumor floating around that off the shore of the Wai Peninsula is a floating isle that is a safe haven for hybrids and wayward beings of the like, conducted by a longma with strange abilities and a gun-slinging nix. They're referred to as the Devil's Duo. Urban legend says that they're a pair of adopted siblings who took control of a ship that once hauled kidnapped sphinxes to slavery. Now, they recruit runaways and misfits, looting and raiding unsuspecting ships, whether they be in the water or the air. This group of misfits is called the Vindicators. The Duo's true names are unknown to all but this group.

Sphinxes

The Sphinxes are felines about the size of an Earth horse, with wings and talons like birds. They naturally belong to one of twelve clans, and usually communicate in a series of both feline and bird-like sounds(such as, but not limited to: chirps, hisses, meowing, cawing, roars, etc). This language is referred to as Dimali colloquially amongst the Sphinxes.

The Sa Clan

The vast desert sand dunes are occupied by the Sa, the smallest of all the clans. The Sa sphinxes closely resemble sand cats, but with a more slim face. They have longer fur that sprouts between their toes to protect their feet from the hot surface sand. Sa culture surrounds on how precious water is, treating water wells as sacred locations. The Sa worship snake spirits, and have elaborate hunting rituals for the rare giant serpents of the Sear.

The Ri Clan

The Ri are a very reclusive clan, preferring to hide deep in their forests surrounded by ancient trees and spirits. They are typically much smaller than the average sphinx, and display dark colors with rich reds on their fur. They have small, "kitten-like" faces with mildly fluffy tails. The Ri are adept with magic, often hoarding their secrets from outsiders. It is said that they have a close connection with the lungs, which is where they derive their magical knowledge.

The Tas Clan

The Tas live in the tropical rainforests of the Wai peninsula. They're the most colorful and vibrant of the sphinxes, with an endless range of fur colors and patterns. Their wings are similar to cockatoos. These sphinxes have a special fondness for feather and fur dyes, and can produce every conceivable color(including UV reactive and glowing dyes).

The Fa Clan

They occupy Ledas, the snow covered isle to the north of Cor Meum. This clan is nomadic, wandering their large territory to hunt and sustain themselves. They're the only sphinxes that hunt whales, more specifically the ivory B'Eshuul whales. These sphinxes have long, white fur and are similar to Norwegian Forest cats. They are so similar physiologically to their slightly southern neighbors, the Noh, that they might be considered a subgroup of them.

The Noh Clan

To the southern part of the Ledas are the vast pine forests, the home of the Noh Clan. Like the Fa, they have long fur and resemble Norwegian Forest cats, only their fur is more darkly colored. Both are also large, tough, and cold-resistant. With dark colors, keen instincts, and incredible strength, they make excellent hunters and warriors.

The Wen Clan

The sphinxes of the Wen occupy an island southwest of Cor Meum dominated by ancient red trees and volcanic activity. While they tend to be more disconnected from the other clans, it's not entirely by choice. There are many rumors about the Wen that make even dragons fear them. From their close connection to volcanism, to the idea they are spirit possessed, or possibly immortal. Tall and graceful, the sphinxes of this clan bear pale fur and sleek, noble eyes. They also have unique feather arrangements and tufted ears, which adds to their exotic profile. They have a knack for creating delicate and beautifully crafted jewelry and adornments.

The Fen Clan

The Fen sphinxes occupy the coastal cliffs of the Vjetar plateau and the islands surrounding it. Characterized by their bright orange colorization, they are shipbuilders and explorers. Having mastered the art of navigation, they bring goods and news from distant islands that are untouched by any of the four Beings. Sphinxes of Fen have more narrow, elongated wings similar to seabirds. This clan has close ties to the Noc, who have provided star charts to them for generations.

The Noc Clan

The Noc are loosely based in the mountains around the continent, mostly nomadic and nocturnal. The sphinxes of this clan are very owl-like, with large eyes and wings built for stealth. They are known to be great astronomers. They are often traders of secrets and information.

The Pel Clan

The clan of Pel occupy a large swath of land between the Sear and Taiao. Tricksters at heart, they are fond of poisons, venoms, and weaving. Mythology for the Pel surrounds storms and lightning, and the most impressive thunderstorms can be found in their territory. Though they're tricksters at heart, their elixirs are mainly used for medicine crafting. They are excellent runners for their species as well, mastering the art of long distance travel.

The Ku Clan

The Ku Clan make their homes in the northernmost point in the Sear, and their territory is a mix between red canyons and pine forests. They tend towards a rusty red color in the canyons, but to the north their coat coloring is grey and ticked. The typical Ku home is an elaborate, carved out chamber in the canyon walls, often with multiple chambers. After many generations of the practice, masonry and stonework are common skills. The Ku territory is rich with salt deposits, which is mined and sold to generate some of the greatest wealth amongst all the sphinx clans of the continents.

The Mal Clan

The sphinxes of Mal inhabit the dense mangrove and marshes between Wai and Taiao. They're the largest clan next to the Fa and Noh, with short fur in different shades of brown, and large, webbed wings. These sphinxes have the unusual ability to breathe underwater, and have developed fins on their topline, webbed talons, and a fish-like tail. Even though they're big clunky, these fins make them surprisingly aerodynamic, making them some of the best fliers amongst the sphinxes. They worship fish and water serpent spirits, and have a deep connection to the winged snakes of the swamps called amphipteres.

The Lin Clan

A mysterious, secretive clan who dwells in perpetual darkness beneath the surface of Cor Meum. They are very much bat-like, with large, beady eyes, huge ears, and bat-like wings that have finger-like appendages at the top to help them grip the cave walls. Their patron spirit is the Iron Root Spirit, also called the Mirror Tree. On the surface, it looks like a normal tree, but its roots take form to grow another tree seemingly growing from the cavern ceiling. Stories say that it talks to all of those able to listen, and will sometimes bestow the iron legs of their ancestor, Diersha. Rumored to be extinct, the Lin Clan spends their days mining and crafting prosthetics, unbothered by the world above… and blissfully ignorant of its current state.

Enslaved Sphinxes

Sphinxes that are owned by dragon nobility. Most are born into slavery, while others are clan sphinxes kidnapped by slave traders. Those who are born into slavery do not typically have any specific features to any one clan, but rather a cluster of hybrids of sick, selective "breeding" over generations. Many have grown accustomed to this life, and keep their heads low in order to survive. The existence of these slaves are exactly the reason why most sphinx clans keep far away from the other Beings.

[prankprincess123]

You know, theres nothing in either Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure or Frozen 2 that contradicts the theory of Rapunzel being Anna and Elsa's cousin. The only part of that theory contradicted is that Agnarr and Iduna weren't going to Corona when their ship went down, and that it would for sure have to be Agnarr and Arianna (and Willow) that are siblings (which was already the theory I supported more), with Agnarr as presumably the oldest given that he became king immediately at 14yo.

I'm picturing 14yo Iduna dragging Agnarr out of the forest and back to the castle, where he wakes up to his two younger sisters hovering worriedly over him. And he has to tell them that their father died, that they're orphans now, and a like 12yo Arianna pointing out that that means he's now the king. And Arianna does her best to help her older brother with his duties as king, in the process learning more than everything she needs to know to eventually be Queen Consort of Corona. And Willow is probably still pretty little (I'm picturing about 8ish) so her siblings likely hire someone young to babysit/play with her so she's not being raised purely by stuffy old royal tutors. And maybe that's how Iduna gets dragged into the castle and maybe Willow decides she wants Iduna to be her sister too and tries her hand at playing matchmaker.

So Arianna becomes the perfect hostess and lady of court, and eventually falls for a young neighbouring king who comes to visit for some diplomatic function she's undoubtedly hosting. While Willow spends her days enraptured by stories of magic and idolizing this older girl who grew up in the woods. And Agnarr begins to fall hard for the girl he hired to let his youngest sister be a child, unaware of the fact that she's also the girl who saved his life. And eventually Willow goes off on her own to have adventures, as Arianna moves to Corona to marry Frederic, and Agnarr and Iduna get married as well. And for a while all five young royals think they've found their Happily Ever After's especially as both couples are expecting babies soon, and Willow is ecstatic about getting to be an aunt.

And then Arianna gets insanely sick during her pregnancy, and between Iduna and Willow it gets suggested that there might be a magical cure to save her and the baby. And there is, and it works, and even though Rapunzel is born a few months early she's a perfectly healthy and happy little girl. And then she's kidnapped for her magical connection almost instantly.

And when Elsa is born sneezing snowflakes mere months later, of course Agnarr is terrified. Magic killed his father, almost killed him, and just barely got his newborn niece abducted, throwing his sister and brother-in-law into a deep depression. He is understandably terrified. But magic also saved his sister's life, and he has faint fragments of memory telling him that magic can be fun and beautiful, so combined with his wife's insistence that their daughter's powers are a blessing, and the fact that he can't bring himself to do anything less than adore his tiny child, he is cautiously optimistic.

And so for eight years Willow splits her time between her journeys - which now serve a dual purpose of trying to help find her oldest niece - and visiting her siblings, regailing her two non-missing nieces with tales of magic and adventure, and trying to bring a smile back to her older sister's face. And Anna and Elsa adore their aunt, hanging on every word of her stories the same way she listened to their mother's stories as a child.

And then suddenly the castle in Arendelle is closed off completely. No more visits from Willow in between adventures. No more summers spent in Corona with Arianna and Frederic. They barely even exchange letters. And the family that raised eachother while ruling a kingdom begins to fall apart. And Willow tries to keep up visiting her sister, but with Iduna having asked her to help them figure out Elsa's powers while simultaneously staying away, eventually two months between visits becomes six months, then a year, and then several. And then eventually, almost a decade after the family has had regular contact Rapunzel is found. And Arianna practically begs for at least one of her siblings to come meet her daughter and be there for the official court welcome.

But Elsa's fear of her powers has gotten to the point where she hasn't even left her room in months, and nothing Agnarr and Iduna do is helping. So they're already planning on their trip to Ahtohollan and decide that they'll make a detour to Corona on their way home, using this invite to justify their trip to their daughters and advisors. And Anna desperately wants to come with them, to meet her cousin, and to interact with anyone close to her age more than merely a once-in-a-blue-moon family dinner that Elsa practically flees from as soon as possible. But with the primary reason for their trip Agnarr and Iduna deny her request, promising that she can go on the next trip to Corona.

And then they never show up in Corona, despite the letter saying they'd be there by this date, and a few weeks later word comes that their ship was lost. And Arianna probably blames herself to some degree for inviting them, and undoubtedly feels guilty that her nieces lost their parents right as she regained her daughter. So she tries to reach out, but in the panic that accompanies Elsa's greif is pushed away.

And then all the craziness that is RTA/TTS happens and in the midst of that Arianna and Willow reconnect with off screen tears for their brother and sister-in-law, and promises of more frequent letters and visits both. And then suddenly before they even notice three years have passed, and Rapunzel and Eugine are married - and no one was really surprised when Elsa turned down the wedding invitation, though Anna was kinda mad at her for doing so - and then the first invite into Arendelle in thirteen years arrives. And only Rapunzel and Eugene go, because Arianna is worried that Anna and Elsa blame her for their parents deaths. And then the snowstorm hits.

And it's been so long that Arianna and Frederic had completely forgotten about Elsa's powers - not that they saw them much in the first place, just little accidental flurries, out of fear that they might blame all magic for Rapunzel disappearance - and she especially is kinda cursing herself for not considering that factor and instead just being mad at her brother and feeling that he was abandoning her. And in the aftermath, Anna and Elsa not only get eachother and their little hodgepodge found family and eventually their mother's tribe, and Rapunzel doesn't just get her parents and Eugene and their mess of a claimed family, but they also get eachother.

And a kinda crazy aunt who spent an overlapping 18y looking for one niece and 13y looking for a way to help the other two while on her adventures, and is kinda baffled at how bad their family got in regards to communicating and keeping secrets.

*EDIT: Also this would mean that there are at least 3 sets of sisters (possibly 4 if Iduna has a sister in Northuldra) in this family where one of them is in a castle dealing with royal duties, while the other runs around a forest going on adventures, and I find this hysterical.

[deathsmallcaps]

June’s Story

My fourteenth Win a Commission is The Twelve Dancing Princesses! If you’d like to see my illustrations and read the chapter, please 

Once upon a time there was a king who had twelve daughters, each one more beautiful than the last. They slept together in one room, where their beds stood next to each other. At night when they were lying there, the king closed their door and barred it. However, when he opened it the next morning he saw that their shoes had been danced to pieces, their socks threadbare, their feet more callused than ever. No one could determine how it had happened, as their rooms were as silent as a tomb every night. 

So the king proclaimed that whoever could discover where they went dancing each night could choose one of them for his wife and become prince consort after his death. However, anyone who attempted this, but failed to make the discovery after three days and nights, would forfeit his life. The king had only proclaimed that so no one could put on a disguise and try again, and that no one unworthy would try. After all, this would all be solved soon! Little did he know, that his assumptions were gravely wrong.

A prince soon presented himself, offering to undertake the venture. He was well received, and that evening was taken to a bed next to all of theirs. He was told to watch where they went and danced. So they would not be able to do anything in secret, or go out to some other place, the door to their room was left open. However, the prince's eyes felt as heavy as lead, and he fell asleep. When he awoke the next morning, the twelve had been dancing, for their shoes all had holes in their soles. The same thing happened the second and the third evenings, and his head was chopped off without mercy. Many others came to try this risky venture, but they too all lost their lives.

Now it happened that a poor soldier named Walter, who was an amputee and could no longer serve in the army, was making his way to the city where the king lived, hoping to find work. His soul seemed restless, wanting to move and never stop, but he needed shelter, and rest. He had once dreamed of being an cartographer, mapping the wastes and strange lands surrounding the kingdom. He had thought joining the army would give him the freedom and money to visit other lands. However, the recent civil war had squished out his dreams and left his soul flapping almost untethered, like a flag in a storm. He had to keep moving. It was winter, the wind howling into his face and across the plains, scraping off the bare skin on anything alive and uncovered. And since there was no shelter, the only thing he had left was to keep going. Going. Going. 

On the way there, shivering and miserable, but unable to stop, he met an old woman going the other way. She only wore a threadbare dress, ecloak, a single shoe and an empty water skin. She was old enough to be his mother, but at the sight of her something, perhaps unpleasant and perhaps not, stirred in half of his heart, something that hadn’t been touched in a long, long time. Despite the odd feeling, the soldier, a kind and honorable man, stopped and offered the last of his meager food and water supply, and one of his shoes (he only needed the one, for he had lost his other foot). He ignored the strange flickers, and thought only After all, my destination is closer than hers, and I can use my crutches to make sure my foot does not touch the ground. The next town in the direction she was going was miles and miles away, and his was finally visible. 

Grateful, the woman made conversation despite the bitter chill. “So you’re going to the capital?”. Her high and rough voice seemed to be like a slightly more mellow version of the wind’s. He merely nodded. She queried, “Why?”

"I'm not exactly sure myself," he said, then jokingly added, "But I would like to discover where the princesses are dancing their shoes to pieces, and then become king."

"Good luck," said the old woman. 

The soldier smiled and thought, Perhaps I will go to the palace. They will be honor-bound to accept me as a contender and give me food and shelter, and it IS my only chance at survival during such a storm. By the time that I could find a family willing to put up a stranger for a night, I might well be dead. I will certainly die if I stay out here. Out loud, he thanked the woman, and said, “Are you sure you do not want to come back to the city? I’m sure if I said you were my mother, the palace would also put you up for a couple nights. My name is Private Walter Johnson, ma’am. You can be Mary Johnson. That was my mother’s name, bless her heart, and I don’t think she’d mind if you impersonate her. She’d probably want someone alive because of it rather than dead like her.”

The old woman smiled back, her face crinkling in ways it seemed it wasn’t accustomed to, and replied, “No, but thank you. I’ll be going now.” 

They made their goodbyes, and as the soldier turned his back to the woman, he felt her hands grasp his shoulders. 

The sudden contact made him freeze up, not in fear, oh no. He was not being triggered. Something - someone - was holding him in place. A cold sensation traveled his spine. The old woman’s voice, suddenly youthful, but still rough, breathed into his left ear, “Not many would show such kindness to the North Wind. You are fortunate that you did. Here is some advice: Do not drink the wine that they will bring you in the evening.” Then she clasped a cloak onto his shirt and said, "When you put this on you will become invisible, and you can follow the twelve girls."

The contact on his shoulders suddenly disappeared, whatever holding him in place gone. He whirled around, and all he heard was a cackle as he saw a white burst of snow in the silhouette of a beautiful lady dissipate in the wind. 

Having received this good advice while feeling cold and quite scared, Walter carefully placed the mysterious cloak (it didn’t warm him - in fact, it seemed to make him colder) into his bag, became serious, took heart, went to the king, and announced himself as a suitor. He, like the others, was well received, and was given royal clothes to wear. 

Walter tried on the cloak after a bath. It was still cold, but no longer unpleasantly so, and when he held it over his hand, all he could see was the floor underneath. When he covered himself in it (it was quite a long cloak) and looked toward a mirror, he had no reflection. Ecstatic that he might actually win, he whooped for joy and went to eat with the king. 

That evening he was escorted to the bedroom. Just as Walter was going to bed, the oldest princess brought him a goblet of wine. However, he had tied a sponge that he had borrowed from the bathroom beneath his chin and let the wine run into it, drinking not a single drop himself. He lay down, and after a little while began to snore as if he were in the deepest sleep. The twelve princesses heard him and laughed. The oldest one said, "Poor cripple! He could have spared his life as well!"

Then they got up, opened their wardrobes, chests, and closets, took out their best clothes, and made themselves beautiful in front of their mirrors, all the time jumping about in anticipation of the dance. Only the youngest one said, "I'm not sure. You are all very happy, but I'm afraid that something bad is going to happen!"

"You goose," said the oldest one. "You are always afraid! Have you forgotten how many princes have been here for nothing? I wouldn't even have had to give this soldier a sleeping potion. He fell asleep deeper and faster than any of the others."

When they were ready, they first approached Walter, but he did not move at all, and as soon as they thought it was safe, the oldest one went to her bed and knocked on it. It immediately sank beneath the floor, and they all climbed down through the opening, one after the other, the oldest one leading the way. The soldier saw everything, and without hesitating he put on the cloak and followed after the youngest one. Halfway down the stairs one of his crutches caught on her dress. Frightened, she called out, "Who's there? Who is holding my dress?"

"Don't be so stupid," said the oldest one. "You just caught yourself on a splinter."

They continued until they came to a warm, magnificent walkway between rows of trees. Their leaves were all made of silver, and they shone and glistened. 

The other half of his heart stirred, and Walter realized this was what he had been missing all his life. Magic. He thought to himself, "You'd better take some proof," and he broke off a twig.

A loud cracking sound came from the tree. The youngest one called out again, "It's not right. Didn't you hear that sound?"

The oldest one said, "That is just a joyful salute that they are firing because soon we will have our princes."

Then they came to a walkway where the trees were all made of gold, and finally to a third one, where they were made of clear diamonds. He broke a twig from each of these. The cracking sound frightened the youngest one each time, but the oldest one insisted that it was only the sounds of joyful salutes of guns. They continued on until they came to a large body of water. Twelve boats were there, and in each boat there sat a handsome prince waiting for them. Each prince took a princess into his boat.

Walter sat next to the youngest princess, and her prince said, "I don't know why the boat is so much heavier today. I have to row with all my strength in order to make it go."

"It must be the cold weather," said the youngest princess. "It's too cold for me as well."

On the other side of the water there was a beautiful, brightly illuminated castle. Joyful music, kettle drums, and trumpets sounded forth. They rowed over and went inside. Each prince danced with his princess. The invisible soldier danced (as best he could) along as well, and whenever the youngest princess held up a goblet of water, he drank it empty as she lifted it to her mouth. This always frightened the youngest one, but the oldest one silenced her every time. They danced there until three o'clock the next morning when their shoes were danced to pieces and they had to stop. The princes rowed them back across the water. This time Walter took a seat next to the oldest princess in the lead boat. They took leave from their princes on the bank and promised to come back the next night.

When they were on the steps Walter went quickly ahead and got into bed. When the twelve tired princesses came in slowly, he was again snoring so loudly that they all could hear him halfway up the steps. "We are safe from him," they said. Then they took off their beautiful clothes behind folding screens and put them away, placed their worn out shoes under their beds, and went to bed, the magic of the party making them not need much sleep.

The next morning the soldier said nothing, for he wanted to see the amazing cave once again. He went along the second and third nights, and everything happened as before. Each time they danced until their shoes were in pieces.

The hour came when he was to give his answer, and he brought the three twigs under his cloak. The twelve princesses stood behind the door and listened to what he had to say. The king asked, "Where did my daughters dance their shoes to pieces?"

Walter answered, "In an underground castle with twelve princes." Then he told the whole story and brought forth the pieces of evidence. The king summoned his daughters and asked them if Walter had told the truth. Seeing that they had been betrayed, and that their denials did no good, they had to admit everything.

Then the king asked him which one he wanted for a wife. He answered, "I wish to not pursue any of your daughters, begging your pardon your majesty. All of them are already in relationships, and I wish to pursue someone else. So with your permission, sir, I would like to lead a well-funded and comfortable expedition up North. 

The King, shrugging, agreed. The twelve dancing princesses were punished, for all the lives of the men that had died for their dancing. They were made to work for 3 years, their hands becoming as callused as their feet and hearts. All but the youngest sister hated and complained about the work, for only she understood the punishment and knew she owed those who lost their lives. The King made her his heir, recognizing her penitence and intelligence, and banished the rest to lonely castles at the edges of his country. The magical princes were never seen again. 

Walter headed North. 

He gave every person in need he met a meal and a chance to tell their story, despite his rapidly depleting resources, mapping out the lands as he went. He at first gave food, and then money, and then his warm clothes, giving and giving, happy to just be living his life and dream, his soul almost complete.

Eventually, Walter made it to a solemn, lonely palace, more north than anything else in the world, starving and thirsty, his money gone, his clothes almost in the same condition as that fateful day on the road. He knocked on the door.

It swung open. The North Wind stood just inside the hall. “Hello,” Walter greeted. 

“Hello,” said the North Wind, and let him in.

THE END

My Notes

I don’t know if you noticed, but I sure did change some aspects of the story!

When I picked this story, it was past midnight in Fall 2017 and I was TIRED. Also, my friend had me briefly hooked on a show called Sherlock. Somehow, my man the soldier, became named Walter Johnson because that is the kind of opposite of John Watson. I don’t exactly remember my thought process behind that, but I’ve thought it was funny ever since.

I’ve fleshed out Walter’s character as well. He is an amputee, I have given him more lines and motivations, and he is a trans man. I don’t think you could tell, as it is not the point of the story, but I realized that I was sorely lacking LGBT+ characters in my coloring books. So yes, I realize this is kind of a Word of God addition, but I think it works! I liked the idea of him being a kind, helpful wanderer, and I especially liked the idea that he found a home with the North Wind. 

I have also fleshed out the ‘hag’ character. Originally, she was just a random magical hag. But I love the idea of the Snow Queen/North Wind (she comes back later) so I decided that she is both the cause of the cold weather which drives Walter to the castle with the tools to save himself (thus resolving the kingdom’s deadly vow situation) and the reason he leaves the castle.  

Ok! Now onto the art explanations.

You cannot understand the temptation I had to just make the North Wind look like Elsa. But after I saw Frozen II, I had the idea that I could make her look like the Sámi people (who the Northuldra people were based off of). So that’s why she has that really cool, complicated hat! It’s part of their traditional attire. She has wind swirls because she’s disappearing.

Walter has a wicked scar. I just wanted him to look super cool. Combined with his little earring, I think he looks kind of like an adventurer. So I think he looks super appropriate for his personality. If he was a modern dude, he’d wear a leather jacket with bright colored inner lining and cool pins on the outside.

Originally, I kind of wanted to draw the pretty forest, but then I realized I would have to draw a bunch of humans, branches, leaves AND even more details. That was intimidating. Instead, I drew the passageway down - and that got a little hard too! Spirals are hard, dude! Less hard than a forest, but still! It even has a spiderweb!

I figure a stairway on one leg, while trying to hide your crutches and yourself under one cloak, all while trying to be quiet (it isn’t a cloak of indetectability after all), would be totally exhausting. So that’s while Walter is chilling for a bit on the stairs. His stump is poking out a bit in the picture. 

The dotted line for the invisibility is a pretty traditional display. I think the earliest example I’ve come across is a Fantastic Four comic (Marvel superheroes) where the Invisible Girl is represented by the dotted lines.  

The third picture made me realize I had no clue what I wanted the princesses to look like. So I just watched some TV and drew two characters I saw there lol. 

As for the title, I just wanted to get geometric about it. You may have noticed all the names in the petals - I just wanted to think of a bunch of pretty names, lol. I’ve been drawing a lot of flowers lately. 

I hope you had fun coloring!

@boopboopboopbadoop​ 

[swimmingnewsie]

Gone Home

Link to AO3

---

The sun shone brightly in the fields of the Northuldra camp. Winter was quickly approaching, apparent by the snow left from the evening before. It soon would be melt, but Elsa didn’t mind. She was home. 

It had been ten years since she abdicated her throne, leaving her sister in charge of Arendelle and its people. The journey here was scary. But once Elsa had accepted her role amongst the spirits, things changed for the better. Her powers grew day by day, and with that growth, her control did as well. With her powers under control, she was finally able to see the other parts of life that her sister had dreamed of when they were children. Things of love and marriage. 

A family.

As time passed, Elsa and Honeymaren discovered they held a bond for each other that neither could imagine. The Northuldra believed love could happen between any two souls, different from what Elsa had learned as a young girl. Honeymaren had taken a chance, and Elsa had fallen head over heels. 

They married during Elsa’s third winter with the tribe. It was a simple ceremony, far smaller than she would have endured in Arendelle. It was a dream better than she could ever imagine.

More time passed. Elsa thrived in the forest, bringing peace to nature in her elements. Anna thrived in Arendelle, leading to prosperous years of happiness and wealth. They had less time now, but there was always time for each other. Anna now had the large family she had always wanted, and Elsa was more than elated to be a part of it. Especially as it meant being Auntie Elsa to her four wonderful children. Add in Honeymaren’s family as well as Kristoff’s and there was more than enough love to go around. There were no more closed doors.

Elsa smiled at the baby girl in her arms. Laila had come to them unexpectedly. Four months ago, a new mother in the tribe passed shortly after childbirth, while the father was an Arendeillian soldier who previously sacrificed his life protecting Anna from an assassination attempt. Yelena had asked if they would take her in, and Elsa didn’t give it a second thought. 

Laila opened her little eyes and gazed at her mama. 

“Good morning, ladybug,” Elsa whispered, conjuring a few snowflakes above the baby’s head. “Did you have a nice nap?” Laila cooed, opening her mouth to catch the falling pieces. 

“I bet you did. You looked so peaceful.” She twirled a little curl on her daughter’s head. She had the same dark Northuldran hair her mother and Honeymaren had had. If only her mother could see them now. Elsa, a mother herself. She never thought this would be her life. 

Elsa gave her daughter small kisses to the head. “We’re going to go see your Auntie Anna and Uncle Kristoff and all your cousins tomorrow. I can’t wait to show you the castle. Show you where Auntie Anna and I grew up.”  Since the birth of Laila, Elsa hadn’t been back to Arendelle. Nokk wasn’t the easiest creature for a newborn to ride on afterall. And even though Anna and Kristoff came and visited their niece, it wasn’t the same going herself. Homesick, Elsa and Honeymaren had arranged for a sleigh to take them home tomorrow.

Laila cooed and gurgled up at her mama once again. Elsa simply smiled, tickling her young daughter’s belly, when a wind brushed by feverishly.

“Hello, Gale!”

The wind spirit wasn’t their happy relaxed self, however. Gale was erratic, causing far more movement than they ever had before. They carried a note. Sensing something was wrong, Elsa settled Laila onto her side and reached out to read the note.

Elsa,

Anna is sick. Very sick. I’m scared. I don’t want to worry the kids. Please help.

Kristoff

Before even reading the second sentence, Elsa was up tucking Laila into her pouch. “We’re leaving a little earlier than I expected, ladybug."

“I’m coming, Anna.”

----

A half-hour later, Elsa was barging through the Arendellian gates on Nokk, Laila held tight to her chest. Elsa couldn’t delay this trip until tomorrow. She needed to get to Anna. She needed to get to Anna now.

When she entered the corridor to Anna’s chambers, there was a shell of a man sitting outside her door. His eyes were tired, hair messy, and face puffy with tears. “Elsa?” he asked with disbelief.

“Where’s Anna? I need to see her.”

Kristoff stood, dusting himself off. “She’s sleeping in our bed. I wouldn’t go in there yet-”

But before he could finish his sentence, Elsa had bolted into the room. 

The sight crushed her soul. She hadn’t seen Anna this sickly since they were children. All the color was gone from her face; she was breathing heavy and wheezing. What had happened?

“Anna?’ she whispered quietly, touching her sister’s burning forehead. Tears dripped down her face and snow began to fall around her. She would have stayed there forever if it weren’t for Laila’s cries. Not wanting to wake her sister, Elsa left the room bouncing her infant.

“Kristoff, you have five minutes to explain what happened to my sister in there,” she said with the regal authority she hadn’t had in years. 

Kristoff sighed, trying to settle himself. "Leif came home from lessons with a bad flu a few weeks ago. And you know how Anna is. She'll give anything for the boys. So instead of delegating her tasks to everyone else, she served as Queen and doting mother." Elsa nodded. She herself had done that when Anna was ill. "Well, it was fine when it was just Leif. But then Leif gave it to Eli who gave it to the twins. Four sick kids and royal duties didn't go over well.

"We both knew we would be at the receiving end of this illness, but I didn't know how bad it would get." Kristoff wiped at his eyes trying to keep composure. "She had the same symptoms as the boys, and so did I. But I got better and well... You've seen."

Elsa looked at her brother-in-law with anger. “You mean to tell me, my sister has been sick for God knows how long, and you’re just now telling me about it?” 

Kristoff shook his head. “You have Laila. She doesn’t need to be anywhere near this. The twins are three, and they’re still recovering two weeks later. There’s no telling what would happen if she caught it. We thought it would resolve itself. But obviously it didn’t.”

Elsa bit her lip and heaved a sigh. He was right. She was putting her daughter at risk having her near Anna. “You still should have told me.” Elsa gave a deep breath, focusing her energy inward. “I need to send a message to Honeymaren. I’m not leaving until this is settled.”

Kristoff nodded again, sighing. “I didn’t think you would.”

---

"I drew you a bath." Honeymaren wrapped her arms around Elsa, bringing her out of her thoughts. "You need to unwind for a little, my sweet."

Elsa shook her head again, not giving into her wife's comfort. It had only been hours since she returned to Arendelle but it felt as though it had been days. "There's too many things to be done. Trade agreements need to be read, I need to get Leif ready for this briefing, we need to put Laila to bed-"

Honeymaren stopped her wife with a kiss. "It's late. Laila is in one of the boys’ old cradles. Kristoff and I put the other kids to bed, including your young student, and those agreements can wait until morning." A little more forcefully, she tugged at Elsa's sleeves. "Bathtub. Now."

Elsa sighed. There was no point in arguing with her. It was late and after today, a bath sounded wonderful. "Okay, bumblebee. Bath time." She could see the look of glee on Honey's face, making her less remorseful of lost working hours.

Gently, Honey helped her wife out of her gowns and into the bath. Elsa visibly relaxed at the heat. Hot springs in the mountains were nice, but a bath in her old home couldn't be beat. "Aren't you going to join me?" she asked slyly.

Maren gave a small chuckle. "In a minute, love." Her hands wandered to the various soaps and oils at her disposal. She poured a small amount into her hands and began working through Elsa's hair. 

"Let me take care of you for a while."

Elsa laid back letting her wife massage her scalp. Her hair was far shorter than it had been in her youth but the sensation was still wonderful. It took her mind off of all that had happened that day. 

Anna. Her sweet sister was dancing with death. Watching her lie there riddled with pain was a sight she had never hoped to see. 

As if that were not bad enough, she was in charge of helping Anna's oldest son Leif navigate royal affairs. Kristoff had learned plenty in his nine years as prince consort. But no one else knew ruling Arendelle like Elsa. And thus Elsa was teaching him how to be the prince regent, far earlier than he should have. It was a cursed parallel of fate; but, cursed or not, they needed to be prepared.

Elsa was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Honeymaren crawl in beside her. Her wife wiped away a stray tear from her cheek, and that's all it took for Elsa to break. The temperature dropped drastically; the water around them crackling as small bits froze. She couldn’t even bring herself to apologize for her magic. The tears kept falling, and all Honeymaren could do was hold her wife tight until she had exhausted herself.

What else could she do?

---

Elsa slipped back into the monarchy routine almost as if she hadn't left ten years ago. Meetings with Leif, though numerous, were manageable. As an advisor, she helped him navigate agreements that Anna had been working on before she fell sick. She helped him hold court, allowing the villagers to bring their complaints. She even helped him prepare the month's budget report. For being so young, he was doing quite well.

Her days were packed full, loud and bustling as she navigated royal duties and helping care for Anna's children and Laila. Though there was more stacked on her plate, the balance was easier now than when she reigned. 

But the best part of her days was when Honeymaren would take Laila for a walk to help settle her down, and Kristoff was tucking his own lot into bed. Elsa was able to go and sit by Anna's bedside. Sometimes she would read. Sometimes she would talk. Sometimes she would just sit. 

Anna's condition was serious, but stable. She was fighting hard everyday, but the illness rendered her unconscious most of the time. If she was awake for four hours a day it was a lot. The way Elsa saw it though, if she was sleeping, then her body would recover.

"Good evening, Anna," Elsa said, her voice quiet. She placed a frosty hand to Anna's forehead in an attempt at relieving her from the relentless fever. For now though, her sister was resting soundly; and the way she saw it, if she was sleeping, her body would recover faster. "Are you having a good sleep?"

Anna muttered in her sleep, picking at her bedsheets. She had been doing that a lot lately. It made Elsa wonder what she was dreaming about. 

"I'm going to read to you, okay?" Elsa reached out and held her sister's limp hand. She gave it a quick squeeze and began to read through the novel. "Now where did we leave off?"

She read softly for a while, letting herself get lost in the moment. It was nice. Not as nice as the times when Anna was awake, but Elsa was glad to bring her sister some comfort in her sleep. As she read, Anna broke out into harsh painful coughs. Panic had spread across her face.

"Elsà!" she managed, clutching at her chest.

Elsa dropped the book like a hot coal, rushing to help her sister sit up. "It's okay. You're okay." She rubbed circles in her back, trying to help her get the coughs up. 

"Can't- can't breathe!" Anna shouted, voice raspy. "Help!" Her coughs wracking through her body.

Elsa could feel her own panic rise. "I'm here, Anna. I'm here. Can you drink some water for me?" She shakily handed her sister a glass, hopeful to alleviate the coughs. But Anna could barely stop long enough to swallow, worrying Elsa even more. 

The wind around Elsa moved briskly, Gale making themselves known. "Gale, I need you to get the physician. Now." And as quickly as they had made themselves present, they were gone.

"I've got you, Anna. I've got you..."

Magic flowed through her fingers. She couldn't let this fever take her sister. Not now. The ice froze over her fingertips. She put one hand on Anna's back and another on the back of her neck. She prayed to the spirits beyond to let her ice pass through and heal.

Anna’s breathing slowed, her eyes looking far tamer. “Feels good, ‘sa,” she choked out. 

Elsa shushed her sister. “Save your strength and let me help.” Her ice works slowly down Anna’s body, attempting to cool her from the inside out. “Can you feel it in your chest?” Anna nodded, able to relax slightly. She gave a productive cough and another. Elsa could feel her sister’s relief as her shoulders dropped. “Just let it out. You’re getting there.”

Soon Anna’s breathing had regulated, her exhaustion evident. “Thank you, Elsie,” she said, tears prickling from her eyes. “Feel cool.” She gave a small smile. Elsa quickly took the hand off her neck and pressed it to Anna’s forehead.

The fever had broken.

---

“It was your magic wasn’t it?”

Days later, Anna was sitting up in bed sipping on hot tea. She was still quite weak from the weeks of illness, but she was certainly on the mend.

Elsa sipped at her own tea, gaze fixed on the window. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Your ice broke my fever,” she stated bluntly. “There’s no other way. Not with- not with how it felt before.”

Elsa sighed, finding no reason to keep up the charade. “I didn’t know if it would work. But I had to do something, Anna. You were in so much pain.” 

Anna set aside her tea and reached to embrace her sister. Elsa could feel the wet drip of tears fall on her shoulder. “I was going to die, and you- you saved me.” Tears fell freely.

Elsa returned the warm embrace. “And I would do it all again in a heartbeat.”

She would do it again and again and again. For as long as she could, Elsa had sworn to protect all she could: the woods, Atohallan, Arendelle. But spiritual oath or not, she would go to the ends of the Earth for Anna. They did this together, and would continue to do it together. Nothing was going to stop that, and certainly not today.