#social status young royals

[raincitygirl76]

Reblogging both for OP @bluedalahorse ‘s post about Felice and the addition by @heliza24

YRS3 Fandom Writers Room Challenge: Round #1!

Let’s pretend we’re in the writer’s room for season 3 together.

This is not a predictions post. Nor is it fully a wish list, at least not in the conventional sense. In fact, I want to pause a moment move away from trying to predict what’s going to happen in season 3 exactly, and instead think about ways that it could be written. The wish fulfillment part is that you get to be the writer. You may have an idea you think Lisa herself is unlikely to include in the story, but you’ve thought of a way it would work well in the show. Or you have an idea you’re pretty sure is going to happen, but you have IDEAS about how it could play out onscreen and you want to explain those.

I thought we could spend the next few weeks considering a character or two at a time, and sharing out about what those characters’ arcs could be, if we were the writers. For now I’m planning to leave out Simon, Wilhelm, and August, just because I see a lot of thoughts going around about them already. I may reconsider later.

I will be using the tag “yrs3 fandom writers room” for these posts.

Ground Rules

Dream big, have fun, and share your ideas!

Try to stay in a writer’s mindset rather than an audience member’s mindset. We’re not trying to find secret messages in foreshadowing so much as using it to build a new part of the story that we are pretending we have control over.

Don’t feel like your thoughts have to be complete or perfect. We’re in the fandom writer’s room together, so you can leave some questions open and invite others to weigh in.

Comment on what you like about others’ ideas. If you want to build on someone’s idea, be collaborative rather than combative. Ask questions!

If one of your storyline ideas involves a character encountering or dealing with something triggering (as sometimes happens in the YR universe) please tag appropriately or give a heads up about what’s coming next.

If you’re not a fan of the character(s) of the week and your opinion is that they shouldn’t get any screentime in season 3 at all, this challenge may not be for you. Scroll on by and let other folks participate.

The first Character of the Week is… our wonderful fave Felice!

This Week’s Prompt: Imagine you’re on the writing team for season 3 and you’re deciding how Felice’s arc is going to play out this season. What do you want to do with her character arc? Where do you want her to start and end the season? How do your ideas build on what came before? How can her story interact with the stories of other characters on the show, and deepen the themes of Young Royals?

Think about your answer, and then reblog and respond. You can just write your ideas out, you can make a fun slide show, or you can write a drabble series or whatever, you can come up with a few songs you want played for Felice’s part of the storyline—it’s your choice how you want to respond.

I’m putting my response below the cut. Can’t wait to hear everyone else’s thoughts too!

My thoughts for Felice’s arc:

Heads up for discussions of bullying and conflict in friendship groups.

Sadly, I don’t have any cute graphics this week, or any fanworks. But I do have thoughts.

My writerly thoughts for season 3 are that Felice should be driven by a desire for true, authentic, passionate friendships.

I’ve been reflecting on how in season 2, Felice decides that she’s going to attend the school dance with her Manor House friends group, and prioritize platonic friendships over romantic relationships with boys. At the end of season 2, however, we can see that her friend group is in the middle of a schism. Fredrika and Stella are attacking Sara, and Maddie is nowhere to be found. While Felice is pretty angry at Sara herself, and I imagine she’ll spend the beginning of season 3 not really wanting to take her back as a friend, I wonder if it could perhaps haunt her afterward to see how quickly Fredrika and Stella turned on Sara without having the full story of what happened.

After Wilhelm’s speech, the school will be under scrutiny, and I imagine the general mood at Hillerska is going to grow even more tense. I also imagine this could make students act out more, and for Fredrika and Stella, this could mean power plays and using their gossip powers for evil. Maybe they’re continuing to spread rumors about Sara that have no basis in reality—but really they could be gossiping about anyone. Felice feels increasingly more uncomfortable with it and tries to get them to stop, but either Stella or Fredrika is subtly trying to usurp her role as the group’s “leader” and the group’s power dynamic is shifting. Perhaps by midseason they go as far as turning on her and kicking her out of the friend group entirely.

Felice lets some of this slip to her mother over the phone, and her mother makes an offhand remark about being bullied by her own friend group back when she was at Hillerska. Mamma Ehrencrona quickly tries to laugh off her remark like it’s no big deal, but Felice can sense her mother is bothered by these memories, and realizes that part of her mother’s meddling in her own life stems from unprocessed traumas.  Felice’s mother is a bullied person who became a bully. It doesn’t really lead to a full-on reconciliation between Felice and her mom—there’s not enough time for that in six episodes, and Mamma Ehrencrona probably doesn’t need that redemption arc—it’s more a revelation that makes Felice see some of her mother’s behavior in context.

Meanwhile, Wilhelm and Simon are publicly together now. Naturally they’re spending a lot of time with one another, meaning Felice can’t hang out with Wilhelm as much, and when she does hang out with them, she feels a bit like a third wheel. The choir’s spreading rumors about how Wilhelm “dumped” Felice for Simon, which adds another layer of awkwardness. Initially I thought, perhaps Felice is frustrated that she can’t get Wilhelm alone so she can open up to him about the struggles in her Manor House friend group, but I feel like that might repeat some season 2 dynamics with Wille being a dumbass who doesn’t take Felice’s feelings into account. So I wonder if instead she could be trying to actively avoid telling him about the conflicts in her friend group, so as not to disrupt Wilhelm’s newfound couple bliss with Simon. This could lead to a midseason moment between Wilhelm and Felice where Wilhelm finds out how Felice’s friends are treating her and he’s like, “dude that’s fucked up, and next time someone treats you that way, tell me and don’t keep it to yourself, because I’m your friend and I want to do what I can to make things okay for you.” 

Alternately, Simon could be the one who discovers Felice’s friend struggles and is there for her, and this leads to a deepening of their friendship. (Perhaps they can also bond as students of color in a predominantly white school—we’ve seen moments where both have experienced microagressions, but I don’t know if we’ve seen characters of color discuss something like that openly yet.)

If I were on the YR writing team, I would also use this as a springboard for Felice questioning if she might be aromantic asexual. Six episodes isn’t really enough for her to have an entire coming out journey, but perhaps she’s reading up on LGBTQIA+ issues throughout the season so she can be more of an ally to Wilhelm. Maybe we get one scene toward the end of the season where she comes across the terms aromantic and asexual and reads about how the aspec communities value friendship, and something about that clicks with her. She’s like, I think I might be one or both of these. I’m going to read more about it. This might be a slight retcon of Felice’s feelings toward Wille, but eh. This idea could also use some workshopping, too, since right now it’s feeling a little Heartstopper. Any ideas on how to make it more YR-flavored?

I do feel strongly, though, that if I were writing Felice and she wasn’t going to end up with a love interest in season 3, that I’d want it to be because she is aroace. There is a repeated trend in television of Black characters as the people who don’t get to be reciprocated love interests (Princess Weekes has a video about it and you should definitely check it out!) and if Felice remains alloallo, she becomes part of that trend, regardless of how well-written she is. On the other hand, there’s also not a lot of Black aspec rep in media right now, so Felice being aroace would at least kind of push back at that trend a little bit.

Overall, I’d like Felice to begin the season worried about her friendships, and ends the season in a place where she can be more confident and knows who a few of her real friends are.

One final thought: Now that Felice has given up riding, I’d like her to either devote herself to choir more fully, or try out a new hobby each episode. (For the latter idea, this doesn’t always need to be a series of in-depth scenes, but something we can see her doing in her scenes with other characters. Like in one scene she’s learning to knit as she chats with Wille and Simon, in another scene she’s doing food photography at lunch, etc.) If Felice gets more into choir, this can be something that deepens her bond with Simon. Maybe they get to do a duet!

Some questions I have for the other writers in the writers room are: I’m not sure how I want Felice and Sara to reconcile yet, but I know I want it to happen. Are there ways Sara’s arc can complement this one? I also want Fredrika and Stella’s arcs to end in a place where they aren’t total villains—I don’t want them to be flattened into basic mean girls, and I think ending them in a space where we understand them would be good. I think we can work out a solution but what do you think it should be? Also, any ways we can use Maddie? She’s always the wild card of that friend group.

Let’s hear your thoughts! Chat with me, fandom writer’s room. Let’s write a season of TV together.

[greatwyrmgold]

So there's something I noticed about the character designs of Lilisa Suzunomiya and Otoha Kurogane. I'm not sure how obvious this is to other people, but I can't stop thinking about it.

Lilisa's hair looks like it's a variation on what TV Tropes calls "Ojou Ringlets," commonly called some variation of "drill hair". Take a look:

Pictured: Mami Tomoe of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Isuzu Emi of Tenjho Tenge, Erika Shindou of Gonna Be the Twin-Tail!!. Found through TV Tropes Image Links.

It's not always this long or bulky (a lot of the examples on TV Tropes were just a few curled strands), but being long and bulky exaggerates its association with wealth and class: It's impractical. Getting otherwise-straight hair to curl in big ringlets like that takes time and effort, both for initial curling and to keep it clean and neat. It's exclusive to women who can afford to spend lots of time on their hair and know it won't get ruined by bad weather or a work accident or sweat.

As a tangent, ringlets aren't exactly a native Japanese hairstyle. Their historical roots lead not to Kyoto or even somewhere in mainland Asia, but to Rome. (This will be on the test.) But it's still a popular signifier of wealth and class in Japanese media, because it looks cool.

Anyways. Lilisa's hair.

Lilisa's hair is less dense than many examples, but it's twisted enough to evoke ojou ringlets. And it's big, too big to be called ringlets. Lilisa can't walk through a door without both rings smacking against the wall.

It's almost like Lilisa is trying to show that she belongs in the upper class by adopting an over-the-top version of an upper-class hairstyle, even more ostentatious and impractical than the other ojous at school. Which, y'know, is what she's doing.

Contrast these ringlets with Otoha's hime cut.

The hime cut is another haircut associated with elegant upper-class ladies in Japanese media. I'm sure it takes effort to maintain, but it's less ostentatious than most ojou ringlets (especially oversized ones like Lilisa's). It's classy, but subtle. Effortlessly noble, for a young lady whose place in society has never been questioned.

Also: Unlike ringlets, the hime cut is traditionally Japanese, strongly associated with royal courts from the Heian Period to the Meiji Revolution. An appropriate character design choice for someone born into the modern Japanese aristocracy.

Lilisa and Otoha's hairstyles both communicate their status as Proper Ladies to the world around them, but they do so in contrasting ways, fitting their contrasting relationships to the social class they share.

[city-of-ladies]

Licoricia of Winchester (c. 1220–1277) was an exceptionally successful financier and businesswoman who acted as a leader for her community and frequently dealt with royalty.

Licoricia and her time

Little is known about Licoricia’s early life. Like many Jewish women of her time, she was likely highly educated. By 1200, England’s Jewish population numbered between 4,000 and 5,000. Marginalized and subjected to widespread antisemitism, Jewish communities faced fluctuating tolerance—often depending on their financial usefulness to the crown.

Licoricia first appears in records in 1234 as a young widow running a prosperous business. She had three children with her first husband: Benedict, Cokerel, and Lumbard.

Jewish women were not uncommon in the world of finance. Around 10% of loans recorded in the English king’s rolls at the time were made by Jewish women. Names like Henna of York, Mirabelle of Gloucester, Belia of Bedford, Chera of Winchester, and Abigail of London stand out among the many successful female Jewish financiers.

These women acted as independent moneylenders, traveling on horseback or by cart—often with armed escorts—appearing in court on their own behalf, dressing richly, owning estates, and lending money to men from various social ranks.

Licoricia’s business ventures

Well-connected and influential, Licoricia lent money to a wide range of clients—from farmers and local barons to the aristocracy and the church. Among her borrowers were King Henry III and his brother-in-law, Simon de Montfort. She also rented homes to Christian women and conducted business across southern England.

In 1242, Licoricia married David of Oxford, another prominent financier with whom she had a son, Asher. Their union faced obstacles as David’s first wife, Muriel, refused to consent to a divorce. It was only through royal intervention that the marriage was permitted.

Despite her marriage, Licoricia continued to manage her business independently. When David died in 1244, Licoricia was imprisoned in the Tower of London to prevent her from interfering while royal accountants assessed his estate. To reclaim David’s debts, she was forced to pay a sum of 5,000 marks—part of which was used to fund a new shrine to Edward the Confessor at Westminster Abbey.

After her release, Licoricia expanded her late husband’s business. Thanks to her access to the king, Licoricia was often called upon by other Jews to intervene on their behalf.

Though highly successful, she was not without controversy. In 1253, a man sued her for charging excessive interest on a loan that allegedly forced his father to sell his estate and forge documents. She defended herself by accusing the plaintiff of murder and forgery. With royal intervention, she managed to settle the case with only a small fine.

Unsolved murder

In 1277, Licoricia was found stabbed to death in her Winchester home, alongside her devoted Christian servant, Alice. Her coffers, strongboxes, and goods were stolen, suggesting the crime was motivated by greed. The culprit was never found.

Her legacy endured through her sons, who continued to refer to themselves as the “sons of Licoricia.” Asher, in particular, became a successful financier. However, just 13 years after her death, Edward I expelled the Jewish population from England.

Today, a statue of Licoricia stands in Winchester, bearing the message “Love Thy Neighbour as Thyself” at its base.

If you enjoy this blog, consider supporting me on Ko-fi!

Further reading

Bartlet Suzanne, Tallan Cheryl, “Licoricia of Winchester”

Berman Brown Reva, McCartney Sean, “David of Oxford and Licoricia of Winchester: glimpses into a Jewish family in thirteenth-century England”

“Licoricia of Winchester project”

Waterman Hillary, “Licoricia of Winchester, Jewish Widow and Medieval Financier”

Williams-Boyarin Adrienne, “Anglo-Jewish women at court”, in: Kervy-Fulton Kathryn,   Bugyis Katie Ann-Marie, van Engen John (eds.), Women intellectuals and leaders in the Middle Ages

[theheartoftheheir-if]

The Heart of the Heir

DEMO // CHARACTER INTROS // BLOG INFO

status: currently writing & coding

To the Members of the Ton,

It is so nice to be able to come to you for another social season. I can already hear the air buzzing with anticipation on the new couples and the everlasting ties that they will bring to our strong community. People are already parading around like gallivant horses to impress the masses as well as the royal family. It is truly a sight to behold. However this year, my fellow Ton, the tides have changed. This year, instead of the members of high society fighting out in the field for love and marriage opportunities, the King and Queen are announcing their child, the new heir to the throne, to be the one whose hand is up for marriage.

This comes as a bittersweet surprise. After the recent and devastating passing of the King and Queen's first child, the high society’s dazzling Emerald, it would have seemed that the line to the Crown was at stake. To lose a precious jewel is a true defeat. But with every wondrous heir, there will be a spare to fill in the shoes of our perfect Crowned Royal. Our Emerald’s younger sibling will finally have a place to shine in the Sun.

This is a change that no one expected. The Royal Family doesn’t deal with the social season to this caliber. Instead of watching from the sidelines, they will be front and center. It will be interesting to watch and see if our new heir is the right pick for the Crown and the high society that we have all built. Will this new heir be our diamond in the rough or will this be an example of a stone with none of the shimmer and shine that is needed to sit in the throne?

Throughout the season, there will be thoughts and gossip to gather, and I will be your humble servant in the collection and distribution of any and all information I can get. My darling members of the Ton, everything I know, you will know. That’s a promise. Enjoy this season, and to the heir, remember to shine like the gemstones of the past, or you will sink like a pebble in the Thames.

Until we meet again,

The Royal Record Holder

Inspired by Bridgerton and The Pride and Prejudice, the interactive story The Heart of the Heir, is a historical romance that takes place in the Regency Era. You, a young royal and the second and younger child of the King and Queen, unexpectedly become the next in line for the throne when your older sibling passes away. Without the knowledge your elder sibling has gotten, you are trusted into the world of high society and must navigate through the social season. Besides the expectations of being a future ruler, you are expected to find a suitor by the end of the season to lead by your side. You, the heir, must balance the future responsibilities of your nation while staying true to your heart. Will you be what the kingdom expects of you or will you lead by example and break away from tradition that was planned for you?

The Heart of the Heir is an +18 interactive fiction that includes topics of death and grief, race and sexuality, substance use (drugs and alcohol), topics of mental health, and skippable sexually explicit scenes. This is a romance book, romance will be the focal point. If that isn’t your cup of tea, you have been warned!

A customizable main character including gender, pronouns, sexuality, physical appearance, a skill fit for a royal, your sibling’s gender, family dynamics, and basic morals for your character to start on.

Decide on what type of ruler you want to be: do you lead with compassion and the knowledge that your kingdom comes first? Do you march to the beat of your own drum? Do you wish that you didn’t want the responsibility of the crown?

Navigate the tight community that comes with the Ton. Don’t lose yourself in the hushed secrets that hide behind cups of tea, the art of conversing via fan, and the walk around the lake.

Get courted by one of the four romance options: your royal match, your childhood best friend, the mysterious newcomer, or the lover who lost it all?

Romance Options:

The Royal (Duke/Duchess Edward/Edwina Drake of Exeter): In the eyes of your parents and the Ton, they are the picture perfect suitor for your hand. E was born and bred to be a royal, your partner. Extremely smart, poise, dedicated to their country, E fits the bill and still has amazing qualities. They’re perfect through the rose tinted glasses. But just like you, they have baggage. The expectations to be the best and to prove themselves worthy of their title and their name. The phrase heavy is the head that wears the crown rings true for both of you. The level of perfection that weighs on both of you, could break and destroy the hardest of stones, and to leave them in a disarray. But if you both were there to burden the stress and build each other up, it wouldn’t be all that bad. If you two crumble, at least it will be together.

Trope: Marriage by Convenience.

The Widow (Victor/Violet Clarke): The one that lost a love too. Planned to marry your older sibling, you’ve always seen V as someone respectable and honest. You’ve watched how their and your sibling’s love has blossomed and how their mutual love and understanding for each other stood rival to only your parents. So when someone you both loved died, pieces of your sibling, and their love, died with them. No one can understand the loss like you do. To lose your best friend, your sibling, or your better half, your lover is a level of pain no one should endure. Navigating the hardships of death and grief can be a lonely time, but thankfully you have each other. A budding companionship is on the horizon, or is there a tie of romance that bounds these two mourning souls?

Trope: Second Chance at Love.

The Knight (Helena/Henry Barnes): From birth, it always seemed like you and H were destined to be with each other in some way. H’s father served under yours, and now H serves under you as your right hand, protector and best friend. They’re the most active person in your life, besides your parents. H has always been supportive and protective of you, both as a requirement to the Crown and because no one knows them the way you know them. H knows your next move, your witty comments, and all the minute details even your parents couldn’t pick up. When you look at them, you see yourself in someone like you: dedicated to the role they were given. When they look at you, there’s a great level of fondness, respect and admiration. But is that all, or is there something deeper behind the gazes they give you?

Trope: Childhood Friends to Lovers.

The Outsider (Sayyid/Safiya Bashar): A sponsorship. Since the Viscount and Viscountess Beaumont have no heirs to their name, they decided to send word to an old friend to sponsor for the season. As the new arrival to the Ton, S made a name for themselves as the new and allusive candidate for your hand in marriage. The only issue is, you don’t like S. They don’t follow the customs you’re used to, and have no need to fit in. Their forward thinking and bold personality clashes with you, and you’d be damned to have someone mess up your new reputation. S always itches at your patience, and seems to get a rise out of you. It’s infuriating, annoying. They’re like a gnat. Then why do they challenge you to the point where they swarm your mind? Is the level of combativeness something you seek? Is this what you want?

Trope: One-sided Enemies/Rivals to Lovers.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Hello, hoping you are well I would like to ask you for an order on how to write an arranged marriage or something like that.(If you already have something of this nature, you can ignore my request).

Writing Notes: Arranged Marriage

Arranged Marriage - a social practice where parents or relatives select a spouse for an individual.

It is commonly found in collectivist cultures such as those in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Sri Lanka, and China.

This practice is rooted in the belief that parents, who better understand their children's needs and complexities, are more suited to choose an appropriate partner.

Arranged marriages differ from love marriages, where partners choose each other based on mutual affection and prior relationship.

However, partners in arranged marriages frequently do fall in love.

Historically, arranged marriages have served various purposes, including: forming political alliances and maintaining familial lineage, a tradition that dates back to ancient civilizations such as Egypt and Rome.

While arranged marriages are often characterized by lower divorce rates compared to love marriages, they are not without criticism.

Concerns about forced marriages, especially involving young individuals, highlight significant human rights issues.

Proponents argue that arranged marriages can foster stability and compatibility based on shared values and social status, while

opponents emphasize the loss of personal agency in choosing a life partner.

Another disadvantage is the possibility that love will not grow between partners and the union will turn out to be disastrous.

A major advantage of arranged marriages is that they are usually built on a set of moral values and a similar belief system.

Arranged marriages produce a workable equality of educational, financial, and world outlook, even if gender equality is skewed.

Both partners tend to be of equal stature.

Some people argue that arranged marriages relieve a lot of pressure because a pre-selected husband or wife frees people from the constraints of dating and allows them to be themselves.

Despite these complexities, arranged marriages continue to be a prevalent and culturally significant practice in many societies today.

Background

Since ancient times, arranged marriages have been an important part of the cultural foundation in many countries, with people entering into such unions for political, social, and economic reasons.

In ancient Egypt, one of the goals of arranged marriage was to keep bloodlines pure.

Toward that end, many Egyptian kings and queens, such as Akhenaten, married their sisters and brothers. 

King Tutankhamun himself married his half sister to preserve royal bloodlines, as did Cleopatra more than a thousand years later.

The Romans also practiced arranged marriage because daughters were considered currency that could be used to form strategic alliances and strengthen the family’s military and political positions.

The European monarchs used their royal princesses as the same kind of collateral well into the 19th century.

In many cases, parents arranged the marriages when their daughters were babies; often the marriages were performed when the princesses were still children, and they remained at home with their families until they reached a more suitable age.

Young princesses and noblewomen were frequently married to older men who lived in distant countries.

Queen Maria Theresa of Austria-Hungary arranged the marriage of her daughter Marie Antoinette, who traveled to France in May 1770, to marry the crown prince of France who later became King Louis XVI.

If a woman’s husband died, the husband’s family often remarried her to another useful man.

Arranged marriages have been part of India’s culture since the 4th century CE when they were used as a method of uniting and maintaining upper caste families.

Eventually, lower caste families adopted and used the system for the same purpose, and marriage was considered an alliance between two families instead of a union between two people.

In Marriage, the Family and Women in India, Rao Prakasa states that some of the benefits of arranged marriages include helping maintain social satisfaction in society, giving parents control of the family, preserving and continuing ancestral lineage, and facilitating the consolidation and extension of family property.

The practical considerations of arranged marriages in India differ between Hindus and Muslims.

Forced Marriage vs. Arranged Marriage

For adults who are getting married, arranged marriages and forced marriages are different.

Forced marriage is where one or both people do not agree or cannot consent to the marriage and pressure or abuse is used to force them to marry.

Arranged marriage is when the family choose the marriage partner. But the people can choose if they want to marry.

As a Literary Trope

"Arranged Marriage" Trope - The two spouses do not choose each other. Instead, others, usually their parents or guardians, make the selection and arrange the date and any other conditions that might apply, such as the dowry, for them.

The way an arranged marriage is treated by the plot depends on place and time.

For most of human history, arranged marriages were the norm because "marriage" was less about the union of two souls and more about the union of two families.

The rise of the "Marry for Love" ideal didn't really start in Western culture until the 16th century, and there are places on Earth where arranged marriages continue to be the norm.

Additionally, the "Marriage Before Romance" trope often goes hand-in-hand with arranged marriages.

While the priority firmly is the union of two families, that union is dependent on the stability and comfort of the two people getting married, so the two families do try their best to come up with a Perfectly Arranged Marriage.

The couple's happiness just isn't the main goal the way it is in cultures where marriage follows from love.

However, the one thing that is almost always present in an arranged marriage trope is tension.

Most people don't really want to marry a total stranger (much less have sex with them), and if that total stranger turns out to be a complete rogue and a cad, it may be necessary for the heroes to spring into action and rescue the hapless member of their group who is being forced to walk down the aisle.

Sometimes, the person in the arranged marriage takes matters into their own hands and becomes a Runaway Fiancé.

The "aggrieved" party may claim Breach of Promise of Marriage in response, as arranged marriages tend to be viewed as legally binding commitments by those who initiate it.

Alternately, there's a Love Triangle.

The character of the suitor is less likely to be important in those cases, but they generally won't look kindly on the outsider's interference.

It's worth noting that historically, an arranged marriage would not usually be to a complete stranger as far as most people were concerned.

Most marriages took place between families that knew each other well—perhaps as vassal and liege, business partners, or (for the vast majority of the people that weren't merchants or noblemen) simply neighbors and friends.

At least in the context of Europe, prospective spouses would have opportunities to interact socially and form an opinion of each other, and their feelings would naturally factor into their parents' thinking on the matter.

The modern stereotype did, however, often apply to the political marriages of the royalty and high nobility, where the spouses might not even speak the same language in extreme cases.

Conversely, an Arranged Marriage trope can be used to lock the hero and heroine together so that their disputes can not end with one of them washing their hands of the other.

A common tactic is for the child of a wealthy but common family to be matched with the child of an impoverished family with a title: Nobility Marries Money.

Families may even pledge infant children in marriage pacts that cannot be concluded until many years later.

Both in fiction and in Real Life, royal children (sons as well as daughters) were used as pawns in the political game cementing alliances and peace treaties with their marriages. 

Examples

Anna Karenina plays with this trope. It, much like the Jane Austen books, was written during a period in which the wealthy were moving from arranged marriages to marriages by choice. It dedicates a chapter to the confusion this creates for Kitty's poor mother, as it's unfashionable to flat-out arrange a marriage, but it's lower class to allow her daughter to choose on her own. She has no idea what her role is, and while her situation is Played for Laughs (much like that of Pride and Prejudice's Mrs. Bennett), it's at least given some thought.

The clash between the old and new attitudes towards this trope is best shown in Mansfield Park: Maria Bertram's aunt arranges a marriage for her with the rich but ditzy Mr. Rushworth. Her father, although satisfied with the match himself, later offers to break it off in the engagement phase because he can see she doesn't love him; Maria chooses to go through with the loveless arranged marriage. The tragic irony is that Sir Thomas Bertram later (unsuccessfully) tries to convince the heroine, his niece Fanny Price, to marry a man she doesn't love.

Roman style is described by Pliny in one of his letters. He's been asked to look for a suitable husband for a friend's daughter and lists his candidate's qualifications in this order: family background; personal character; career prospects, appearance, and finally fortune which is probably placed last out of piety rather than its real importance. The physical description, interestingly, is clearly included for the girl's benefit.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

Hi, hope you're doing well yourself. Here are some references you can use. You can find more information and examples in the sources. All the best with your writing!

[thezombieprostitute]

The sheriff likes how you always got a pie baking in your window. He likes that every time he sees you, you got your apron on. He likes that you smile and wave at his cruiser. He likes all the way you make him shift in his seat.

The only thing he doesn't like, is that you're not waiting at home for him.

Summary: Lee has regrets to deal with and decisions to make.

Warnings: Alcohol consumption, Depression, Thoughts of cheating, Unhappy marriage. Please let me know if I missed any!

Lee's made a lot of decisions in his life that he regrets. He'll swear up and down that he had only the best of intentions when he signed up for the police force. When he decided to become sheriff. But no one knows better than him how far his morals have fallen.

But not being your man was the biggest regret of his life.

To become sheriff, he needed financial and social support. The kind he could get from her family. He courted her, got on her father's good side, eventually marrying her. He honestly thought that's all love was, that that was the purpose of a marriage. Now he's got all the resources he needs to keep his position, barring his sister royally fucking things up for him.

But then he met you.

Him and his little family were making an appearance at the local auction to raise money for the church. People brought a bunch of homemade goods and foods. Sometimes it was simply pine cone crafts that really did look pretty. Other times it was Granny Russell's special chicken livers. Lee always thought only an idiot would turn down that specialty.

But then you showed up, with a stack of pies.

You were something to look at, Lee was sure no one could deny that. But you were also so sweet. He was certain your kindness, patience, couldn't be real. No one was that sweet all the time. You were too new to the town for him to really know well, but given how the people who did know you reacted, he could imagine you were worth knowing. He made sure to buy one of the pies you'd brought, intent to use it as an ice breaker. He'd figure out your angle, how you could play so nice.

But when he looked into your eyes, he was a goner.

He's never seen such beautiful, kind eyes. He swears they were sparkling. For the first time in his life, Lee was tongue-tied. His wife had to subtly elbow him in the ribs to stop his staring. He definitely got an earful that night before sleeping on the couch. The entire time you were talking to his wife, his kids, he felt at a loss. Like there was something more to life than status. His wife set him straight, though.

But he kept seeing you around town and the feelings kept coming back.

You were always busy with your baking. Always kind to everyone. Always waving at him and smiling. He feels in his bones that you should be his. That you could give him the actual warmth that storybooks about love had promised. Not the performative care that he and his wife did for each other. You'd genuinely enjoy spending time with him, with the kids. Not complaining about a "life wasted" like his wife.

But cheating or worse, a divorce, would kill his election odds.

Every day he can't be with you hurts him. He takes up drinking to try to ease his misery until his wife dumps all of his bottles, citing the upcoming election. The people aren't gonna vote for an angry drunk. Lee thanks her, honestly thanks her, and it catches her off guard. If he can't have you, he's gonna try to do better by his own wife. Maybe it'll help ease the pain of not having you and your natural sweetness in his life.

But then Hal Carter comes to town.

He's a tramp, everyone knows it. He's a drifter working in different towns as he tries getting to some friends of his further south. He claims to have a college degree but Lee doesn't want to believe it. Hal is young, strong and, according to all the old ladies at the church, very helpful. Everything Lee is not. Hal hasn't stopped showering you with attention, attention Lee knows you deserve.

But it should be Lee making you happy.

Holy wah, that got away from me! This was not supposed to go on so long!

Tagging: @alicedopey; @delicatebarness; @icefrozendeadlyqueen; @ronearoundblindly

[isolatedrose]

A Knight's Oath (Part I)

Part II

Part I

Pairing: Knight Javier Escuella x Princess Reader

Summary: You are the princess of a kingdom. Javier wins a sword competition and becomes your personal knight.

Warnings: Explicit Content, NSFW, Unprotected Smut

Word Count: 4k AO3 Link

The princess without a face. That’s what they called you amongst the many corridors and chambers of the palace. Nobles, knights, and common servants alike all whispered about you, circulating rumors that perhaps the princess was horribly grotesque, giving reason for the king to postpone your coming of age ceremony. Or terribly ill, and thus you were not physically fit to make your social debut. You were already well above the age requirement to host the grand event, but for some unknown reason, the royal family hesitated to introduce you to court. Only the king’s closest confidants, and the princess’ most immediate servants have laid their eyes upon your face.

So imagine their surprise when they announced your long awaited coming of age ceremony to both the royal court and knights. No doubt whispers echoed between the two parties, both surprised and yet also curious to finally be introduced to the infamous royal highness. 

The knight commander was ordered by his majesty himself to deploy the highest security to take place. “My daughter’s safety and wellbeing will be your top priority.” He commands. The leader of the royal knights obeys without question, calling forth squadrons of soldiers to guarantee not even a strand your hair is sullied. 

“I heard once the princess’ ceremony is over, she’ll be in need of a personal knight.” A young squire notes at the training grounds. 

“Is she so precious that she must be kept hidden for so long?” A knight speaks this time but snark streaks his tone. “Perhaps they’ve been housing an ogre this entire time. She won’t be in much need of a protector then.” The squadron of soldiers all chime in with bellows and laughter. 

“What say you, Javier?” He calls out to his peer, a fellow knight of equal status but of even greater skill, Javier Escuella. 

He looks up at the mention of his name. He is dressed in a tunic and trousers, his well-kept black hair undone and loose on his shoulders. The man with the handsome visage gives an easy smile and stows his sword away in its sheath, approaching the men with a friendly air.

“I say once the nobles and gentry have their fill, we partake in the wine that remains.” Javier pats the squires on the back. “And if there is any left then you all will have your share too.”

Soldiers whether knight or squire alike all cheered in response and continued with their duties and training. While everyone was curious about the mysterious princess, Javier could be less concerned about the royal. They were all the same to him. They were cold, detached, and indifferent to the common folk besides the taxes they paid to the kingdom. He remembered when he was on special assignment to protect one of the young princes on their voyage to a nearby dukedom. The king sent him in good faith to help his son “mature” and “practice diplomacy” he called it. As Javier remained close to the young prince, he unwillingly had to witness the boy’s temper tantrum at the dining hall due to his steak not being seared to his exact liking. Diplomacy indeed, Javier thought.

And to him, the princess would be no different. Imagine his surprise when he first laid eyes on you. And not just you, but everyone in court with eyes of astonishment at the reveal of the princess without a face.

----------

“Your highness, the bath we have drawn for you is ready.” Lydia, your most trusted and immediate maid motioned you towards the steaming bathtub. You as the princess in question were preparing for your coming of age ceremony.

“Lydia, I have the most superb idea.” You say with a twinkle in your eye as the other servants assist in undressing you for the bath, the sleeves of your night garments slipping off of your shoulders. For as long as your maid had been by your side, your “ideas” were not necessarily superb in the least.

“Yes, your highness.”

“Well, do you want to hear it?”

“I always end up hearing your ideas, your highness.” Your maid speaks plainly. You settle into the tub, allowing the warm water to settle just above your shoulders. You glance at your outspoken servant out of the corner of your eye.

“Cheeky, aren’t you?”

“I am humbled by your praise, your highness”

You flick a soap sud towards her. “I was thinking for my coming of age ceremony, we put my little brother in a dress and powdered wig and announce it is me. We are of a particular likeness, are we not?” 

“Yes. I believe that is a trademark characteristic of siblings to share similar features.”

“Precisely, you agree, which is why I believe we should follow through with this plan.”

“I would suggest against it, your highness. His majesty would be beside himself if he were to witness the young prince in such a state as you envision.” 

“I beg to differ. At father’s old age, I hear humor is the cure to good health. Think of his face.” You laugh as you imagine the scene was right in front of you. You lather soap across your skin while Lydia massages shampoo into your hair. “I rather think my little brother would look striking in a woman’s gown.”

“I would prefer the gown to be worn by you, your highness.” The maid insists. “Please tell me you are saying this in jest. Your coming of age ceremony is today .” Lydia begs, exasperated by your eccentrics.

You wave your hand dismissively, an easy smile on your face. “Was I not always?” You raise yourself up from the tub and allow the servants to help dry your body and dress yourself in a bathrobe. They decorated your body with the finest perfumes and oils to give a pleasant scent to your skin. “Don’t worry. I won’t let father’s investment go to waste.” Your voice was even and steady, even at the mention of the bitter word.

At this, your maid remained silent, as did the other servants. The reason as to why your ceremony was postponed until now was due to the king’s perfectly curated plan of marrying you off to one of the neighboring kingdoms, a crown prince specifically. His majesty did not throw your coming of age ceremony at the typical age for a high ranking lady. For the reason of possible pressures from other noble families seeking to have royal blood marry into their bloodline. You knew this plan was in place since your infancy, and your childhood consisted of receiving the highest degree of etiquette suitable for a princess. 

Thus, your face remained obscure in the palace and throughout the royal court. Only your closest servants were allowed near you, and not even a single knight has come across your existence. You were no sooner labeled as the princess without a face, a familiar nickname to you now that it has taken popularity with many.

You faced the mirror as your maid and servants began their preparations and swathed you in your royal attire. They dressed you in a deep carnelian red gown lined with lace trim, the fabric sewn of the highest quality velvet. Your maid lays the finishing touches by hooking a decorative girdle embellished with precious gemstones around your waist. 

Once you were dressed in all of your fine regalia, you turned to look at your female retainers and gave them a twirl to admire their work. You smiled reassuringly at them, feeling apologetic for the forlorn atmosphere.

“Phenomenal job, as always.” You winked, hoping to lift the mood. The tension in the room momentarily subsided at that, with your loyal servants just happy to see your smile.

“Shall we go?” You ask. “I’ve heard it’ll be quite a bash.” You say with a knowing look in your eye. The ceremony was to take place in the Grand Hall, followed by plentiful food and festivities to celebrate the occasion. By now you knew the venue was filled with nobles, diplomats, and knights alike awaiting for you, the guest of honor. 

You took the lead through the castle hallways to make your debut with your handlers falling in line behind you. As you drew nearer, you could hear the animated noises of the guests from the Great Hall. No doubt, your father arranged for an extravagant event to transpire once you made your official debut. 

You approached the grand doors of the chamber. You drew your head high with your hands clasped in front of you. You resisted the urge to pick at your fingernails as a way to calm your nerves. You knew that the nobles would pounce at every opportunity to deter your poised demeanor. A sign of weakness left cracks in their wake for them to break through. Such was the nature of the royal court. You closed your eyes and silently prayed your etiquette training would be put to good use. 

You then heard the clinking of silver goblets, signaling the attention of the guests. Conversations turned to hushed whispers as the king spoke. 

“Honored guests.” You heard your father’s authoritative voice boom throughout the grand room. “Today, we celebrate a very special occasion. The debut of my daughter, the royal princess.”

At that signal, the massive doors swung open with a flourish to reveal yourself to the crowd. Your lips immediately lift to a measured smile, your eyes lay steely and resolved. You took your first step past the doorway and continued down the catwalk to the front of the Great Hall. 

All eyes laid transfixed upon your form. You were a princess without a face no longer. Mouths were agape and nobles turned to whisper to one another out of your peripheral vision. “Who was the one who claimed she was an ogre?” The gentry were astonished to find out that most of the rumors were falsehoods.

Despite the chatter, your eyes were set on the dais at the end of the room. Your dress trailed behind as you crossed the steps onto the platform, and you took the king’s outstretched hand to turn to face the crowd. 

“I bid her welcome to court.” He raised your joined hands. 

The room erupted in cheers, applause, and clinking of glasses. You were curious as to whether or not your future betrothed that your father arranged was also attending the ceremony. As your eyes scanned the room, they briefly met another, but this time, the dark brown eyes of a knight. You didn’t mean for your eyes to linger long, but you were startled to meet the intensity of his gaze. 

The fringe of his black hair carefully framed his face, and his eyes were wide, mouth slightly agape. He had an expression mixed with surprise, awe, and something else… 

It unnerved you. You quickly broke eye contact before your royal facade could falter. You briefly wondered what family the knight was from before you went to greet all of the high profile guests at the event. You would smile and nod agreeably with all of the guests, your etiquette training being put to good use. You aptly maneuvered through each of their questions as they hoped they could gain favor with you or push you in a corner. Each one was met with a composed smile. With every offer of wine, you were able to make practiced moves to drink, but the liquid never touched your lips. Each goblet was discretely handed over to your maid, Lydia. 

At one point, you were able to excuse yourself for some fresh air, and you made your way to the rose gardens of the castle grounds. The night was already growing late, and you knew that you could use this opportunity to sneak back to your quarters. By now, the guests were having their fill of wine to the point of intoxication. Your eyes were already growing weary, and your energy was low. 

But your half-lidded eyes flew open when you were alerted to the sound of footsteps on the paved, stone path behind you. You spun around and once again met the eyes of the same dark haired knight at the Great Hall. 

“Forgive me, princess.” He dropped his head low in a bow. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” He holds out his hand with his other resting on the hilt of his sword, as if he was trying to calm down a frightened horse. 

You pressed your hand against your chest, hoping to ease your pounding heart. You forgot that your father arranged for tight security during the ceremony, and most likely, the knights were instructed to follow your every move. A moment of solace for you wasn’t allowed to be solitary.

You gathered yourself and gave him a small, reassuring smile. You shook your head. “Don’t apologize. I should’ve known father would have knights sent after me. What is your name, sir?” You inquired. 

“Sir Javier Escuella, princess” 

You clapped your hands together, your eyes lighting up with recognition. “You escorted my little brother to the duke’s territory, did you not?”

“Yes, that is correct. I was privileged to be granted the opportunity.” He spoke respectfully with all of the courtesy that an upstanding knight should have.

You grinned, a glint of mischief in your eye. “You speak well, sir. Privilege indeed. My brother is of delightful temperament, which I’m sure you are very familiar with.” You knew full well Javier had been dealt a bad hand with the young prince. 

It was his turn to be surprised as he looked to be trying to find the correct words. “I hope my words did not come across as malicious, your highness.”

“They did not. I am merely teasing you.” You waved off his anxiety. “Don’t worry. You won’t need to be on an assignment like that any longer.” Your eyes wandered off to the roses, not looking anywhere in particular. 

He lowered his head again and stepped aside, extending his hand back towards the castle to make way for you. “If your highness is willing to grant me the honor, I can escort you back to your quarters.” 

You gave him a small smile. “Why, I accept this generous offer.” You walked ahead of Javier, and he kept close behind you as the two of you left the rose garden. Not wanting to continue in silence, you hoped to engage the knight in conversation.

“How long have you worked for the royal family?” You ask.

Javier responds promptly with ease and eloquence. “It has not been eight years since I have been of service, princess.” 

“For that long? And you have not advanced to Knight Captain?”

“Out of my own choice. I find myself more useful following orders rather than giving them.”

“Well, you are an invaluable asset to the kingdom either way.” 

“Your words are wasted on me, princess.”

The two of you reached the door of your quarters. Just as you were about to dismiss him, he met your gaze fully this time, just as he did back at your coming of age ceremony. The look in his eyes made you restless, your heart picking up speed at every second that passed. 

“May I be so bold as to ask something of your highness?” He speaks slowly. 

You nodded earnestly. “Please, go ahead.” You gestured for him to continue. 

There is a brief pause before he speaks again. “Will you be attending the upcoming sword tournament?”

You blinked, slightly taken aback by his question. The king did require you to be present for the tournament as a part of your royal duties now that you have made your social debut. However, this requirement was merely for the sake of appearances. Swordplay was completely out of your repertoire.

“Yes, I will be crowning the winner.” You spoke matter-of-factly.

His lips quirk up into a knowing smile, his eyes seemed to be shining with secrets. Was there something about the tournament he knew but you didn’t? 

“If I may…” He extended his hand out to you. You momentarily hesitated before placing your hand in his. Slow and deliberate, he lowered his head to brush his lips against your knuckles. Tingles traveled down your spine at the contact. You withdrew your hand to your side before he could drop it, and you tried to keep your expression even, hoping he wasn’t aware of the effect he was having on you. 

You strode to the door of your room, standing halfway behind the doorway with your fingers grasping the frame. “I bid you goodnight, sir.” You nodded curtly to him, and shut the door with a boom that resonated through the castle hallways.

Your hands were behind your back as you rested against the door frame, your eyes staring unfocused in your room. Your eyes fluttered close as you lifted the very same hand that Javier kissed up to your own lips.

----------

As expected, the art of sword fighting remained a mystery to you. You observed the matches from the royal stands overlooking the arena, where participants ranged from a variety of people including squires, knights, nobles, and the common folk. The reason for the diverse pool of candidates was because of the reward promised for the final winner. This individual would be granted any wish that can be bestowed by his majesty himself. It was no wonder everyone wanted a hand in the competition. 

You sat in your designated seat with the royal family and your personal maid standing close behind. Your eyes fixated on the dueling grounds but focused on nothing in particular. Once the sound of clashing metal would cease, you made sure to clap your hands with the audience in moderate applause. Despite your lack of attention, Lydia nevertheless took to informing you the name and house of origin of each duelist, and you would nod absently in return.

Imagine your surprise when Lydia bends down once more to murmur in your ear, informing you of the next challengers.

“Javier Escuella, your highness. He hails from a low ranking family of a viscount.”

Your head perks up at the sound of his name, your eyes already searching for his figure. “Sir Javier?”

Lydia looks at you. “Do you know of him, princess?”

You clear your throat. “No, I-” You were interrupted just in time by the announcement of the two competitors as they made their entrance into the gravelly arena. The glaze in your eyes from observing the previous matches clears once you lay your gaze on him. You see him tread purposely towards the center, armed in more casual training gear not meant for real battle. He stands poised with sword in hand. Suddenly, the art of dueling becomes very interesting to you.

“I hear he is an excellent swordsman. The knight commander has attempted to promote him, but he has always refused.” Lydia continues.

“Then perhaps he is very… humble?” You offer to define his character as you watch the clash of blades begin between Javier and his competition. 

She hums in response. “Humble he may be as a knight, but royal court speaks otherwise.”

“How do you mean?” You ask.

“His reputation with the noble ladies precedes him. He has a habit of philandering within court.”

You’re surprised by the information that your maid is feeding to you. “Really?” Your voice drops to a whisper. “He didn’t give that impression at all…” You looked in awe at Javier easily taking down his opponent. He continues on to the next duel. 

“Pardon, princess?” 

“Nothing.” You witness Javier undertaking a multitude of fights with utmost grace and skill, up until he reached his final competitor. The event enters an intermission to prepare for the final match, both men taking time to sharpen their swords and adjust their gear. 

Lydia takes another moment to disclose more morsels of information circulating throughout the castle and its inhabitants. “It is rare for Sir Escuella to participate in a tournament such as this. He typically stays his hand from them.”

“Is that so?” You were growing even more curious about him.

“Yes.” Your maid nods. “I suppose the chance to have his wish granted from the king is enticing to him now.”

“Well you’re well-versed in the art of reconnaissance aren’t you?” You smiled playfully at her.

“I do my utmost, princess.” Lydia bows her head.

As you observe Javier prepare for the final, you see him tilt his head upwards towards the stands, his eyes searching for something in particular. He continues to survey the audience until his gaze sets upon you. His face breaks out into a warm smile as he meets your eyes directly, making you slightly flush at the cheeks. He gives you a small nod before striding over to the stage for the final battle to meet his opponent. 

His forwardness made you uneasy, but deep down, you felt a sense of interest and wonder towards him. What was his angle? What did he want from you? You were scared to find out. The metal of the blades clang and ring once again as they collide. You watched as Javier fought his opponent, using skills displaying his years of mastery in sword fighting. It was mesmerizing to watch. 

His competitor’s sword clattering to the ground signaled the end of the battle, and indicated Javier as the final winner of the sword tournament. The audience cheered and clapped at his win, excited to see such a display of skill. At the event’s conclusion, Javier is then guided by the event officers to the foot of the king’s pseudo throne in the stands. He kneels down on one knee immediately with his head lowered, showing respect to his majesty. 

“Tell me, Sir Javier Escuella. What wish would you have me grant for being crowned our champion?” The king enquiries. The winners of the annual sword tournament typically ask for land or other symbols of wealth. Perhaps he would ask for a neighboring territory and be named regent of the area. 

You remained in your seat with your other royal family members. They all waited for Javier’s response with mild interest and curiosity, as well as the other nobles in the audience. You, on the other hand, were much more keen to learn more about the knight. You leaned forward as you grasped the armrests of your chair. A closer look, that’s all you wanted. 

Despite the temptation of an entire territory, it seemed that Javier had other ideas. “Your majesty. I ask to be your daughter’s personal knight from here on.” 

A collective gasp reverberates throughout stands. The king’s brows raise in surprise, and you as the recipient of this request stare at Javier open-mouthed. Even Lydia is taken aback and glances quickly at you. 

His majesty turns his head to briefly look at you, and you quickly close your mouth to even it to a neutral expression. “That is a wish that can be most easily granted. I have been looking to appoint a protector for the princess.” The king nods approvingly, realizing how this will benefit the royal family. “Very well. You will be transferred from the knights’ quarters to the west annex of the castle.”

He keeps his head bowed, but his voice holds firm. “With pleasure, your majesty.” 

“Princess.” Your maid whispers to you. You blink, finally registering you needed to crown the winner. She holds a cushion with a glistening laurel wreath signaling the one responsibility you possessed for this event. You rise from your seat and make your way to stand in front of Javier, your maid following after you. As he remains kneeling, you hold the wreath in your hands and place it atop of his bowed head. Your fingertips grazed his dark hair, and you had this wild thought of trailing your hand down the shape of face. Your fingers under his chin to tip his eyes towards you. A closer look, a thought echoes through your mind. 

As if hearing your thoughts, Javier's eyes rise to yours beneath his lowered lashes. He gives you a small smile before bringing his gaze back to your feet. You take a step back, and an applause breaks out amongst the viewers.

[minniesmutt]

Hiii, I saw your post about the 1k event!!! CONGRATS btw 😱😱 could u do a prince Hyunjin/maid afab 🥹🥹 prompt 7!!

☾ ━━━ PAIRING: HYUNJIN X READER ☾ ━━━ PROMPT: 7 “I’m not jealous! it's just… you’re mine!” ☾ ━━━ CONTENT: PRINCE!HYUNJIN, MAID!GN!READER, JEALOUSY, POSSESSIVE SEX, THEY NEEDY, BRIEF MENTION OF FINGERING, MARKING, UNPROTECTED SEX, CREAMPIE, AFTERCARE ☾ ━━━ WC: 0.9K ☾ ━━━ 18+ work!! minors and ageless/blank blogs DNI! you will be blocked, put an indicator on your blog somewhere that you are 18+ before interacting with this work/blog

     “What are you doing?” Hyunjin asked as he stopped behind them

     “My job, your highness,” Y/n told him

     “You’re job is to attend to me. Not the guests.”

     “Your Highness, for the large parties I attend to everyone. You made that clear to me yourself.”

     Hyunjin huffed, they were right. He did say that. He watched as Y/n excused themself from his presence. Hyunjin huffed and looked around the room. It was another fancy royal party he was honestly not the biggest fan of. Especially with how his Y/n was being flirted with. He genuinely hated it. They had been one of his personal attendants since they had joined the castle but he never saw them as just a maid. 

     He knew full well that they couldn’t be together status-wise. But that didn’t stop the young prince from thinking about them all day and night, painting them, dragging them along with them to everything. This event was not his favorite thing. It was too many people now and he was socially drained for the night. 

     He watched them move around the room before disappearing into one of the servant’s tunnels. He made his way to the same tunnel. It was easy to slip away when all his guests were drunk. Y/n saw him immediately and looked at him questioningly.

     “You’re done working for the night,” Hyunjin stated

     “I most certainly am not. I’m not done till everyone leaves and the castle is clean,” Y/n argued

     “No, you’re done for the night,” Hyunjin said again

     “Does this have to do with you being jealous?”

     “I’m not jealous!” Hyunjin asserted. “It’s just… you’re mine!” 

     “You’re highness…”

     “No. No more of this status stuff…”

     “You’re drunk. Let me get you to your room.”

     It was easy for Y/n to lead him through the servant areas to his room. Far from the party. Y/n got him cleaned up and changed before making him get in bed.

     “Y/n,” Hyunjin caught their arm as they were pulling the sheets over him

     “You’ll feel better in the morning. Get some rest.”

     “I’m not drunk.”

     “Your—”

     “Why won’t you return my feelings?”

     Y/n sighed. “Please, tell me what I can do.” Hyunjin pleaded

     “There’s nothing you can do, Hyunjin. Even if I accepted you’re advances, the kingdom would have my head…”

     “I’d keep you safe. Nothing would ever happen to you.” Hyunjin sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Pulling them between his legs, “Please Y/n. Just let me prove myself?”

     “You don’t need to prove yourself,” Y/n gave in, grabbing his face and resting their forehead against his

     “Then be mine. Once I’m king, we’ll wed and you won’t have to worry. I promise,” Hyunjin held onto their hips.

     “Hyun…”

     “Stay with me tonight. I’ve already said you’re done working,” the prince smiled, leaning back and pulling them onto him as he went down

     “If the castle—”

     “No one is going to find out. I promise you that.”

     Y/n knew he was sincere, he never would go back on his words. Y/n gave in and pressed their lips to his. Hyunjin wrapped his arms around them and turned them over, now on top and caging them to the bed. Y/n moaned into his mouth as they wrapped their arms around him

     “May I?” Hyunjin asked as he played with the fabric of their clothes

     “Please.”

     Hyunjin didn’t waste another second stripping them of their uniform as quickly as he could while Y/n pulled off the clothing they had just helped him dress into. Everything happened quickly till it was just a pile on the ground and Hyunjin was spreading their legs open, long fingers pumping in and out of them. Prepping them as he kissed along their neck, claiming what was his. 

     “Hyunjin,” Y/n quietly moaned 

     “Don’t hide. I want the whole castle to know you’re mine. Only I can make you sound like this.”

     Hyunjin pulled his fingers out of them and brought them to his lips. Looking them in the eye, licking his fingers clean, and watched them get flustered. Y/n swallowed the lump in their throat as he lined himself up and gently pushed into them

     “Hyunjin,” Y/n moaned

     “I’ve got you,” the prince assured them before slowly rocking into them. Holding them as close as he could while peppering their body with kisses. Planting them anywhere he could reach till they pulled him to their lips. Using his mouth to drown out any noise that they were making. 

     Y/n wrapped their legs around his hips. Pulling him closer as his pace picked up. Hips meeting theirs in the otherwise silent room. 

     “Hyun,” Y/n whined

     “Close darling?”

     “Yes.”

     “Go ahead. Let me have it,” Hyunjin said. 

     Y/n couldn’t keep it in much longer. They moaned a little too loud for their taste as their orgasm hit. Arcing off the bed as they roomed through the euphoria of the high. Hyunjin fucked then through it before his own took over. Burying himself inside them and painting their insides.

     It took both of them some time to come back to reality. Both covered in sweat and catching their breaths. Hyunjin pecked their lips before standing straight and pulling out. Y/n whined as he slipped out of them. 

     Hyunjin walked to the bathroom before coming back and cleaning them up. “Let me—“

      “No,” Hyunjin stopped them from sitting up and taking over. He cleaned them up and tossed the fabric to the side. The prince tucked them into his sheets and laid down with them. 

     “Hyun…”

     “You’re staying with me tonight. No questions.”

     Hyunjin wrapped his arms around them and fell into slumber, dreaming of the day they could be together with the difference in status.

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[goodqueenaly]

Considering the public version of Baelish and Sansa's situation, as in him being a doting father to his only child, albeit illegitimate, does it raise some perplexity among the Vale nobility that he wouldn't ask for a legitimisation? Alayne is his only child, he's unmarried at the moment, and any male heir he could have in the future would preceed her anyway. Or is legitimisation done exclusively in cases of emergency, aka when literally no other legitimate heir is available?

It’s worth emphasizing that legitimization is a relatively pretty rare process: of the dozens of acknowledged bastards we know of in the history of Westeros, only two (outside the blanket legitimization issued by Aegon IV on his deathbed) have ever been formally legitimized (three if you count Jon Snow, who was all but certainly legitimized by Robb’s will but whose legitimized status is not yet widely known in-universe). Importantly, in each of those cases - Ramsay Snow, the sons of Marilda of Hull, and Jon Snow - the legitimization came about specifically because the lord or king in question had no surviving legitimate son to inherit after him (at least officially - I very much believe Mushroom’s assertion that Corlys was the biological l father of Addam and Alyn of Hull). (Again, Aegon IV is the exception here - I don’t even think he was really trying to push Daemon as his alternative heir - but I believe Aegon’s move was a sort of final “fuck you” to the future King Daeron II, a last petty stab at the son he hated rather than a genuine politico-dynastic decision by the dying king.) Likewise, only Aegon IV ever chose to legitimize a daughter (and again, only in the context of a blanket legitimization); even Oberyn Martell, for example, who held out each of his daughters as his own far earlier than Littlefinger was supposed to have done for “Alayne” (and indeed, lived with the mother of his four youngest daughters as effectively a married couple in a nuclear family), never apparently sought to legitimize any of them. Nor indeed should it be forgotten how serious a process legitimization is: only a king can legitimize a bastardborn Westerosi, and once so legitimized, both that person and his (or her) descendants would be legitimate forever.

So far from the assembled aristocracy of the Vale finding it odd that Littlefinger would not be pressing for Sansa-as-Alayne to be legitimized, I think these aristocrats would be surprised, even shocked if Littlefinger tried to make his “daughter” legitimate by royal decree. After all, the public narrative about “Alayne Stone” is that Littlefinger didn’t even know of her existence until very recently - when “at [her] flowering [“Alayne”] decided [she] did not wish to be a septa and wrote to [Littlefinger]”. While Littlefinger might have publicly recognized Sansa-as-Alayne as his daughter, and treated her relatively well by Westerosi standards (remember, this is a world where Lord Hewett made his own extramarital daughter a house servant to his wife and their children), Alayne’s social position is at best a liminal one - able to act in some ways as the lady of the Arryn household, but in other ways (as Littlefinger, Myranda Royce, and Harry Hardyng all remind her) very much considered the inferior of her blue-blood neighbors. Moreover, I think many in the Vale would anticipate that Littlefinger - now Lord of Harrenhal in addition to being Lord Protector of the Vale and the richest thief man in Westeros - would marry and produce legitimate (male) heirs of his own; indeed, Myranda teases Sansa-as-Alayne on this point, remarking that Littlefinger “needs a pretty young wife to wash away his grief” and that he “could have his pick of half the noble maidens in the Vale” (including, as she later jokes to Sansa-as-Alayne in TWOW, Myranda herself). In turn, the idea that Littlefinger, having such standing, would choose to go through the significant effort of petitioning the king to elevate a bastard teenage girl as his heiress, when he himself could marry a suitably aristocratic bride and have a legitimate son of his body to succeed him, would so grossly contrast with the patriarchal and classist socio-political expectations of Westerosi aristocracy that I think the move would cause nothing but muttering and suspicion.

What Littlefinger wants to avoid most of all with Sansa-as-Alayne is undue attention being cast on her, at least until Littlefinger himself feels ready to reveal her as Sansa Stark. Indeed, this was the entire purpose of choosing a bastard disguise for Sansa in the first place: when Sansa suggests that she could portray herself as “the trueborn daughter of some knight in [his] service”, Littlefinger reminds her that “[s]uch a tale would draw unwanted questions”, while then noting that “[i]t is rude to pry into the origins of a man's natural children”. Therefore, Littlefinger’s treatment of Sansa has to fit within the socio-political expectations of Westerosi and specifically Vale aristocratic life - which is to say, not promoting bastards above their station (again, according to the rules imposed by the elites in this society). No one, I think, would expect, much less encourage, the rich and powerfully landed widower Littlefinger to hold out his bastardborn “daughter” as his heiress, still less to go through the process of legitimizing her; better, for Littlefinger’s scheme at least, to leave her as a recognized but still illegitimate child, and trust in polite society’s reluctance to pry further, rather than foster speculation by taking the unorthodox move of pressing for her legitimization.

[alex-rewrites-hellaverse]

The Goetias

The Goetias are a long line of once fallen angels but now considered high ranked hellborn, being there when hell began and keeping an iron grip on their power, in all subjects and forms. With being around so long many families fall under the category of Goetia, not all related to one another. Each family has their own relationship to the deadly sins, and within those the members have their own thoughts.

Paimon

A powerful member of the Ars Goetia he is one of the higher ranking, with magical abilities that truly make him worthy of the title. He's one of the few close to the Magne family in any capacity, called on to assist Lucifer and his family for any number of things, and due to that stays near their castle in his own home, ready to be called upon whenever they need.

One of these was a favor to the prince of the Magne family, who'd been friends with the previous Stolas- a title rather than a name- to care for the egg that the prince's friend was no longer alive to care for. As Paimon had for centuries he took the favor with no question, though once the chick hatched he quickly regretted his choice, leaving the child to the care of his staff instead, in the familial home his parents had left him.

To secure the family's future, as this was not the first Stolas to die young, he arranges a marriage for the prince to give him a cautionary heir, a fact he keeps from the child for many years.

Stolas

Named after his title by a parental figure who he never got to know well, Stolas was already starting his life off roughly. Having a whole manor to himself and the staff also had him growing up mostly separated from the royal life aside from when Goustav, the imp who raised him more than Paimon ever did, made him leave the house in attempts to get him to socialize with others of his status.

His main contact to another Goetia was his bride-to-be, Stella Darvon, and neither ever really cared for the other, though did try to get along for the most part. He taught her what her parents refused to, annoyed at how little they determined she'd need to know as an adult. Up until they had to say their I dos they were going ok, then cracks began to form as the pressure for an heir was truly on them. In this time they began to pull apart from one another, and Stolas found comfort in liquor at this time. By the time Octavia hatched the couple were in their own wings of the manor, both attempting to keep their child in the dark about how deep the issues go, brushing their separate rooms as just wanting their own spaces.

Both know nothing on raising a child but Stolas is insistent that Octavia is to not be raised as either of them were, hating how it had left both of them. He tries to give Octavia all of his attention any time of day, let them live as a child not an heir, however it does lead to them being unprepared for what they'll have to do once of age, but he isn't facing that, as he does most issues.

Stella

From hatching through her childhood only one aspect of her was ever appreciated, her beauty. It was the only thing her family cared for about her, dozens of paintings around their home being of just her dressed in the nice dresses her mother bought her, the makeup applied in delicate strokes that would easily be smudged, the fans she learned the language of, things of the like. Things for her beauty and for her future husband were all she was really taught by her parents, her brother always reassuring her that this would be for the best, that it was what she was born to do!

When she finally met her groom she felt.. nothing about him. Not that spark her family was saying she'd get, she didn't care for him. Though she was grateful when nearing their wedding he caught her up on several things her family failed to teach her, reading, writing, tasks of the similar nature. Despite the good he did, and how her family kept claiming he was perfect for her, she never agreed.

During their attempts to conceive, and his apathy of the whole thing she could only let it grow more and more, like a plant trying to eat her like a fly. So, she turned her focus elsewhere, establishing herself amongst the Goetia she was now of rank with, making friends, throwing parties both large and small to entertain, hook herself in her rank as a safety net. After Octavia hatched she and him grew to an understanding, they'd raise their child unlike their parents, find a way to keep her happy. She didn't go about it as Stolas did, showing her affections in more material ways, getting her clothes she liked, shopping with her, getting into the physical hobbies she had to try to understand her, though that did mean for the first years Stolas was the closer parent. That was fine, she was making her place now.

Octavia

They were never quite like the other children, they'd always known that. Not just in the gender sense, but in their family dynamic, a core memory is coming home from a friend's house the first time and asking their parents why they didn't share a room when their friends' parents did. The lie of them just having very different likes didn't hold up as they grew, but they didn't think about it much. They tried to never really think about it, how weird their family was compared to their friends'.

That was only their parents too, their extended ones ere just as odd. Their grandfather lived far away, almost with the Magne family. heir other grandparents weren't allowed around them, but if their uncle was anything to go by it was for the best. He's always talking about their mother's beauty, and their own, something that ruffled their feathers enough for them to avoid him on his visits. He's grown more mellow, they find they like him much more now.

They'd learned, through overhearing calls and conversations, that they were to be the next Stolas some day. They still don't know all that entails, their father not telling them, but they try to practice for what they do know it involves, the Grimoire, and their magic. Their father takes a liking to their starry magic, though they are much more drawn to the gemstones involved. They've begun adding gems to their clothing since finding this love, though let the sapphires stay as their father's gem.

Andrealphus

Without much coloration and stuck at the level of a marquis he wasn't made to get very far in the ranks, leaving him only to give an heir to carry on the family line, which leads to his preferences in a partner to not matter. He doesn't let it affect him on the outside, keeping his head held high and doing what he can to socially bring himself up the ranks, teaching his younger sister some tricks for her own life.

He still makes odd comments to her, but those are due to how they were raised. Her job is to be beautiful, and a good wife, he compliments her on those things as they're all he notices to. He does care for his sister, not in a regular way of course, but he shows that he does in a handful of ways, from the compliments, to keeping secrets for her from their family, and allowing her to his palace to vent her frustrations.

The last one has a secondary motive however. A part of his domain is astrology, just like the prince his sister has married, and that is the one thing that has truly ruffled his feathers. All he has is ice powers, mathmatics, and astrology and a fucking prince has one of those and so much more. He tries to keep his thoughts to only those close to him, barely keeping his temper when he does visit Stella and her heir. Every single bit of dirt he can get on Stolas he keeps, waiting for when to begin those rumors, though they never truly get far.

[miraraeblog]

MiraRae's Royal Tropes & Legacy Challenge (aka The Royalty Challenge)

You can find the video where I go over the challenge and share images from my own attempt at the challenge here.

Here’s the overview, general rules, and cultural suggestions for your 10-generation Sims 4 royalty challenge. This challenge focuses on celebrating different cultures while allowing flexibility based on available packs and gameplay preferences.

Sims 4 Royalty Challenge Rules and Overview

Overview

No CC or mods required

This 10-generation challenge builds a diverse and culturally inspired royal legacy. Starting with Windenburg (or another world of your choosing), each generation introduces a new royal family and unique storyline, encouraging players to explore different cultures within The Sims 4. Packs are recommended to enrich gameplay but are adaptable based on availability.

Required and Optional Packs

Required: Get Famous and Get Together for fame, Windenburg, and the club system.

Optional (Choose at least 3-4 for added cultural depth):

Island Living (Sulani, Hawaiian-inspired)

Snowy Escape (Mt. Komorebi, East Asian-inspired)

High School Years (Copperdale, Native American-inspired) or Horse Ranch (Chestnut Ridge, Native American-inspired)

Wedding Stories (Tartosa, Spanish/Portuguese-inspired)

For Rent (Tomarang, Southeast Asian-inspired)

Love Struck (Enamorada, Latin American-inspired)

Life and Death (Ravenwood, Romania-inspired)

Note: If certain packs aren’t available, substitute suggested cultures/worlds with other packs/worlds you have available. You can also

Click here for a list of suggested cultural traditions and events for each kingdom

General Rules

Starting Funds: Each family begins with 1 million simoleons to simulate royal wealth. (type "money 0" then "money 1000000" in the cheats bar)

Weekly Stipend: The primary royal family receives $100K every Sunday (type "money 100000" in the cheats bar), symbolizing royal taxes or revenue. During the financial hardship generation, this stipend is suspended.

Fame Requirements: Each main family’s heir should ideally achieve "Global Superstar" fame before they take the throne, marking them as worthy in the eyes of their royal peers. If an heir ascends to the throne without this status, they face skepticism from other royals, who may question their worthiness. Use Mean interactions from other royals, such as Mock Celebrity Level or Insult, to show this tension.

Succession: If the reigning monarch dies, the heir immediately ascends the throne, regardless of whether they’ve reached "Global Superstar" or completed other personal goals. If this happens, the new monarch can still work to achieve "Global Superstar" while ruling but must endure the added challenge of earning respect from other kingdoms.

Marriage Dowries: Royal marriages bring in $200K, noble marriages bring in $100K (nobles must be descendants of other royal families), and no dowry is given for commoner marriages.

Interactions: Use Mean, Friendly, or Romance interactions as directed by each generation’s storyline to build relationships, rivalries, and romantic conflicts.

Click here for suggested titles by culture.

Generation Rules and Assigned Tropes with Clear Heir and Monarch Roles

Generation 1: Founding the Royal Line

Aspiration: Successful Lineage for the Windenburg king.

Trope: Establish alliances through arranged marriages.

Setup:

Create the Windenburg Royal Family: Start with a king and their spouse (either a queen, prince consort, or sovereign consort). Both should be young adults or adults. Assign the Successful Lineage aspiration to the king.

Enter Live Mode: Have the Windenburg royal couple conceive or adopt at least two children.

Raising the Heir:

Raise the children until they reach the child stage, focusing on building skills and preparing the heir for their future role.

Begin involving the children in clubs or other social events to start developing their social networks.

Introducing the Willow Creek Royal Family:

Once the Windenburg children reach the child stage, create a Willow Creek royal family with similarly-aged children. Set up a king and their spouse (either a queen, prince consort, or sovereign consort), who should also be young adults or adults. Assign the Successful Lineage aspiration to the Willow Creek king.

Arrange Friendships: Have the Windenburg and Willow Creek monarchs meet and develop a high friendship level to foster diplomatic trust.

Betrothal Arrangements:

Betroth the Windenburg heir to the second eldest Willow Creek child.

Betroth the younger Windenburg child to the Willow Creek heir, creating a dual alliance between the families.

Life Span and Succession:

Life Span: Playing on a short lifespan is recommended to help move the story along and set up future generations.

Succession: The Windenburg heir will ascend to the throne upon the current monarch’s death. To speed up this process, you may use cheats to arrange an early death for the monarch, allowing the heir to take over once the marriage alliances are secure.

Transition to Next Generation: The Windenburg heir becomes the new monarch after the current monarch’s death, with the Successful Lineage aspiration complete. This begins Generation 2.

Generation 2: The First Female Monarch

Aspiration: Renaissance Sim for the female heir, focusing on skill-building.

Trope: A female heir breaks tradition to rule.

New Royal Families: Create an Oasis Springs royal family with a supportive female or non-binary ruler.

Setup:

Heir Requirement: The current monarch from Generation 1 should only have daughters, or the oldest child should be a girl. If there are older boys, arrange accidental deaths when they are infants or toddlers using cheats so that the female heir is next in line.

Societal Challenge: Other royals and commoners, particularly from Willow Creek, may treat the female heir with less respect, creating added challenges. This represents societal resistance to a female ruler.

Heir’s Goals Before Ascending:

Alliance with Oasis Springs: Develop a strong relationship with her betrothed from the Oasis Springs royal family, whose monarch is supportive of a female heir.

Skill Development: Reach "Global Superstar" fame and max out three skills (suggested: Charisma, Logic, and Writing).

Proving Worth: Complete the Renaissance Sim aspiration to showcase her abilities. Unlike previous heirs, she does not need to maintain positive relationships widely, as her success is based on accomplishments rather than likability.

Monarch’s Goals:

Establish the female heir as a capable and skilled leader, respected for her talents rather than societal approval.

Transition to Next Generation: Once the heir becomes monarch, having completed her aspiration and skill goals, move on to Generation 3.

Generation 3: Sibling Rivalry

Aspiration: Leader of the Pack for both the eldest (heir) and younger sibling.

Trope: Sibling rivalry challenges succession.

New Royal Families: Add a Sulani royal family if Island Living is available.

Setup:

Family Requirement: The current monarch (from Generation 2) should have at least two children. The firstborn is designated as the heir.

Life Span: Play on short lifespan until the oldest child reaches their teen birthday, then switch to normal lifespan.

Sibling Rivalry:

From childhood, the younger sibling initiates Mean interactions with the heir to create rivalry and tension.

The younger sibling tries to gain favor with the monarch, using Friendly interactions to turn the monarch’s opinion against the heir.

Heir’s Goals Before Ascending:

Club Leadership: Both the heir and younger sibling should pursue the Leader of the Pack aspiration by forming a club with other royals. The heir must work to become the respected leader of this club, gaining influence and support.

Romantic Alliance: As teens, the heir must develop a romantic relationship with a royal from Sulani and secure a betrothal.

Proving Worthiness: Build friendships with the monarchs of Sulani, Oasis Springs, and Willow Creek to prove the heir’s diplomatic abilities.

Fame Requirement: The heir must reach "Global Superstar" fame before becoming a young adult to secure their position.

Monarch’s Goals:

Encourage unity among siblings while assessing their skills and alliances. The monarch will ultimately decide which child is worthy based on their accomplishments and relationships.

Consequences of Success or Failure:

If the heir completes all goals before reaching young adulthood, they ascend as monarch, while the younger sibling becomes a low-ranking noble or commoner.

If the heir fails, the younger sibling is appointed as the new heir, and the eldest becomes a low-ranking noble or non-royal.

Transition to Next Generation: The designated heir ascends the throne after their mother dies and completion of the Leader of the Pack aspiration, beginning Generation 4.

Generation 4: Forbidden Love

Aspiration: Soulmate for the heir.

Trope: The heir defies tradition by falling for a commoner.

New Royal Families: Add a Mt. Komorebi royal family if Snowy Escape is available.

Setup:

Family Dynamics: The monarch from the prior generation could only conceive one child, increasing the stakes for the heir’s choice of partner.

Life Span: Play on a short lifespan until the heir reaches their teen years, as this is when the storyline begins.

Heir’s Goals Before Ascending:

Forbidden Romance: Develop a relationship with a commoner through Romance interactions, defying the monarch’s arranged match with a Mt. Komorebi royal.

Commoner’s Challenge: The commoner must work to max out their Charisma, achieve "Global Superstar" fame, and attain a pristine reputation before reaching young adulthood. If they fail, the heir will be forced to marry the Mt. Komorebi royal.

Aspiration Completion: Complete the Soulmate aspiration by strengthening the relationship between the heir and the commoner, focusing on emotional depth and commitment.

Family and Political Obstacles:

Monarch’s Disapproval: The monarch discovers the relationship and expresses their disapproval with Mean interactions toward both the heir and the commoner.

Rivalry with Mt. Komorebi Royal: The Mt. Komorebi royal (or a substitute family from another available world) becomes a rival, using Mean interactions and spreading rumors about the commoner to complicate their relationship with the heir.

Transition to Next Generation: The heir ascends as monarch after securing their chosen relationship and completing their goals, beginning Generation 5.

Generation 5: Financial Hardship

Aspiration: Assign Fabulously Wealthy to the heir (the one who experienced forbidden love in the previous generation) only after they become monarch and the financial hardship begins.

Trope: The royal family faces financial struggles.

New Royal Families: If High School Years or Horse Ranch is available, add a Native American-inspired family in Copperdale or Chestnut Ridge.

Setup:

Marriage Alliance: When the monarch's heir is a teen or young adult, arrange a marriage with a royal from Copperdale, Chestnut Ridge, or another available kingdom to support future alliances.

Financial Hardship Begins:

Depletion of Wealth: Once the sim who experienced forbidden love in the last generation becomes monarch, reduce household funds to $50K (type "money 0" then "money 50000" in the cheats bar), simulating an economic depression.

Aspiration Activation: Assign the Fabulously Wealthy aspiration to the new monarch as they begin the struggle to restore financial stability.

Sunday Income Suspension: The family no longer receives the weekly $100K income, making them rely solely on career earnings, marriage dowries, and resourcefulness.

Monarch’s Goals:

Career and Earnings: Family members, including the monarch, must join careers and earn money. They may also sell off valuable items from the castle.

Marriage Dowries: Marry off children strategically to nobles or royals, bringing in dowries to aid household finances.

Wealth Restoration: Complete the Fabulously Wealthy aspiration by reaching a total of 1 million simoleons to ensure a stable future for the next generation.

Consequences for Failing to Restore Wealth:

If the family fails to reach 1 million simoleons by the monarch’s death, they will forfeit the weekly stipend for the rest of the challenge, adding difficulty for subsequent generations.

Transition to Next Generation: Progress to Generation 6 once the monarch has died and the family’s wealth has been restored, securing the legacy for future heirs.

Generation 6: Tragic Loss

Aspiration: Friend of the World for the heir (motivated by the tragic loss of their elder sibling).

Trope: A tragic loss leads to an unexpected succession.

New Royal Families: If Wedding Stories is available, introduce a Tartosa royal family.

Setup:

Sibling Bond: The eldest sibling and second eldest (now heir) are best friends, making the sudden loss more difficult to bear.

Unexpected Tragedy: The eldest sibling dies as a teenager, and the suggested causes could be a fire or accidental death from extreme heat, cold, or anger (symbolizing a sudden heart condition).

Heir’s Journey Before Ascending:

Personality Shift: Before the tragedy, the second eldest was cheerful and lighthearted, likely in a relationship with a noble or minor royal, as their betrothal was not a high priority.

Transformation after Loss: After the sibling’s death, the heir adopts the Gloomy trait, reflecting a sorrowful and serious new outlook on life. They lose their lightheartedness, straining their relationship with their former sweetheart, who struggles to understand their new disposition.

New Betrothal: The heir is betrothed to a Tartosa royal who was possibly intended for their late sibling. This new match brings empathy and companionship that resonates with the heir’s grief.

Heir’s Goals:

Aspiration and Friendships: Complete the Friend of the World aspiration by building meaningful friendships as a way to honor their late sibling’s memory.

Skill and Fame: Catch up on skills and achieve "Global Superstar" fame, reflecting their dedication to fulfilling the role their sibling left behind.

Monarch’s Goals:

As monarch, focus on building alliances and nurturing friendships, creating a legacy of compassion and unity inspired by the bond with their lost sibling.

Transition to Next Generation: The heir becomes monarch after completing the aspiration and building a strong support network, leading into Generation 7.

Generation 7: Betrayal and Unity

Aspiration: Assign Neighborhood Confidant to the heir only after they become monarch; Chief of Mischief for the betrayer (optional).

Trope: Attempting to unify kingdoms while facing betrayal from within.

New Royal Families: Add a Del Sol Valley royal family (Middle Eastern-inspired) or another available kingdom.

Setup:

Life Span: Play on short lifespan while the heir ages up, as most of the storyline occurs once they become monarch.

Betrothal: Arrange a betrothal between the heir and a royal from Del Sol Valley (or another available kingdom) to promote unity among kingdoms.

Heir’s Journey as Monarch:

Goal of Unity: Upon becoming monarch, the heir is assigned the Neighborhood Confidant aspiration with the goal of uniting the kingdoms through diplomacy, trust-building, and alliances.

The Betrayer: Create a royal advisor as the betrayer (alternatively, a sibling or member of the spouse’s family can be chosen). Play as the betrayer occasionally to sabotage the monarch’s reputation using Mischief interactions, Gossip, and Spread Rumors.

Betrayer’s Motivation: The betrayer might fear unification, have personal ambitions, or oppose the monarch’s influence. They work to undermine the monarch’s mission by sowing distrust and spreading rumors.

Monarch’s Goals:

Repair Reputation: Switch to the monarch’s perspective to counter the betrayer’s efforts, completing the Neighborhood Confidant aspiration by assisting others and winning back trust.

Reputation Requirement: The monarch must achieve and maintain a good or pristine reputation by the end of their reign. If they die with a poor reputation, their heir will inherit a negative reputation (use cheats if necessary).

Transition to Next Generation: Move to Generation 8 after the monarch’s death, with alliances and reputation intact or damaged, setting the stage for the next generation’s challenges.

Generation 8: Enemies to Lovers (or Friends)

Aspiration: Serial Romantic for the heir (switch to Soulmate or Friend of the World after completion).

Trope: Rivals in an arranged marriage who eventually develop a deep, genuine romance or friendship.

New Royal Families: Add either Tomarang (Southeast Asian-inspired) or Enamorada (Latin American-inspired).

Setup:

Life Span: Play on short lifespan until the heir becomes a teen, as the main storyline begins with their arranged marriage as young adults.

Arranged Betrothal: The heir is arranged to marry a royal from Tomarang or Enamorada, creating a union meant to strengthen alliances but marked by initial rivalry and tension.

Heir’s Journey Before Ascending:

Establishing the Rivalry: Use Mean interactions between the heir and their betrothed to create genuine resentment or frustration, establishing a rivalry rooted in clashing personalities.

Serial Romantic Aspiration: While still at odds with their betrothed, complete the Serial Romantic aspiration, pursuing other romantic interests to heighten the complexity of the arranged marriage dynamic.

Bastard Child: The heir should have a child with one of their romantic interests outside of the arranged marriage. This will setup for the next generation.

Character Growth and Friendship: After completing the Serial Romantic aspiration, work on building a strong friendship with their betrothed using Friendly interactions. This should create a foundation of trust and understanding before any romantic developments, if they choose that path.

Developing a Lasting Bond: After establishing a solid friendship, the heir can either pursue a romance by switching to the Soulmate aspiration or cultivate a supportive platonic bond by switching to Friend of the World. This bond, whether romantic or platonic, represents growth and mutual respect.

Monarch’s Goals:

If the heir becomes monarch before the “enemies to lovers” or friendship arc resolves, they should focus on presenting their relationship—whether romantic or platonic—as a symbol of harmony and unity for their kingdom.

Transition to Next Generation: Move to Generation 9 after the heir embraces their role as monarch and completes either the Soulmate or Friend of the World aspiration, establishing their relationship as a symbol of unity, through love or friendship, despite their turbulent beginning.

Generation 9: The Dark Monarch

Aspiration: Public Enemy for the dark monarch, driven by ambition, manipulation, and resentment.

Trope: A ruler with sinister ambitions and dubious alliances.

New Royal Families: If Life and Death is available, add a Ravenwood royal family (Romania-inspired), or substitute with another mysterious, gothic family.

Overview: The bastard child from Generation 8 ascends to the throne under controversial circumstances, using cunning and manipulation to establish their rule and assert a place in a family that once excluded them.

Setup:

Starting Role: Have the current heir marry into the Ravenwood royal family. Upon their marriage, shift focus to the illegitimate child who takes the throne.

Ambitions and Dark Interests: The new ruler harbors a fascination with hidden lore, arcane knowledge, or crypts. If Life and Death is available, they may have the Macabre trait, which fuels a desire to access Ravenwood’s hidden tomes and ancient secrets.

Pregnancy: Ensure the banished royal has a child during their exile, laying the foundation for the drama and redemption of Generation 10.

Heir’s Goals as Monarch:

Manipulative Relationships: Use Mean and Mischief interactions to destabilize alliances and assert dominance, ruling through fear and underhanded tactics.

Public Enemy Aspiration: Complete the Public Enemy aspiration by creating conflicts among allies, sowing distrust, and displaying a complete disregard for ethical rule.

Legacy of Fear and Exile: Establish a reputation of dominance and intimidation. To consolidate power, the dark monarch banishes the rightful heir and their family (including the former consort) to a distant world like Newcrest. This exile creates resentment and a desire for revenge among those banished.

Transition to Next Generation:

This setup leads to Generation 10, where the rightful heir’s descendants, now growing up in exile, seek to reclaim the throne and redeem the family’s reputation. Generation 10’s story will focus on taking back the kingdom and dismantling the dark legacy established by the previous ruler.

Generation 10: Restoration and Unity

Aspiration: Party Animal for the heir, reflecting their efforts to bring people together and restore the family’s reputation through gatherings and celebrations.

Trope: The rightful heir returns to repair the darkness introduced by the previous ruler, creating unity and peace across the kingdoms.

New Royal Families: Add any royal family not yet introduced from the list of optional kingdoms.

Overview: The exiled rightful heir returns with the support of an ally, using events, diplomacy, and celebrations to regain the throne and repair the family’s reputation.

Setup:

Would-Be Heir’s Background: Begin by playing as the rightful heir, raised in exile and determined to reclaim their family’s place. They develop a friendship and romance with a royal from a new or existing family, who helps them gain the support needed to reclaim the throne.

Alliance and Support: The romantic interest becomes a critical ally, leveraging their own influence to help the heir gain supporters across the kingdoms.

Heir’s Goals:

Gathering Support and Building Alliances: Use Friendly and Charisma interactions to build alliances and sway others to support the heir’s return.

Reclaiming the Throne: Rally allies, turn family members against the current ruler, and work to secure the throne peacefully or through a coup.

Restoration of Unity: Host frequent gatherings, celebrations, and diplomatic events to promote unity, rebuild alliances, and complete the Party Animal aspiration.

Symbolic Celebration: Host a final, grand celebration that brings all allied royals together, symbolizing the restoration of peace and trust across the kingdoms.

Monarch’s Goals:

As monarch, the heir continues to prioritize unity, ensuring the legacy of restoration and harmony is secure for future generations.

Challenge Conclusion:

The challenge concludes with the rightful heir fulfilling the Party Animal aspiration and hosting a unifying event that repairs the family’s reputation, securing a legacy of harmony and peace.

Optional Heir Training Requirements for Kids

These skills help develop the heir’s personality and abilities. Completing each skill offers unique benefits, while neglecting them may lead to challenges when the heir becomes monarch.

Toddler Skills (Foundation for Royal Training)

Benefits of Toddler Skills: Toddlers who excel in Communication, Imagination, Thinking, and Movement build strong foundations for future skills, improving confidence and early social connections, making them more adaptable and expressive as they grow.

School Performance for Heir Children

Grade A: Demonstrates discipline and intelligence. An "A" student is seen as a capable future leader, gaining confidence and public respect.

Grade B: Shows responsibility and diligence. A "B" student maintains a solid reputation, though not as outstanding as an “A” student.

Grade C or Lower: Indicates a lack of focus or rebelliousness, leading to doubts about the heir’s abilities. A "C" student may struggle with confidence and need to work harder to build a positive reputation as monarch.

Child Skills for Heirs

Core Skills

Creativity

Benefit: Enhances cultural sophistication. High Creativity allows the heir to host or attend artistic events confidently, boosting their public image.

Consequence: Low Creativity makes the heir appear out of touch with the arts, leading to lower public favor, especially among cultural allies.

Logic

Benefit: Essential for strategic thinking and decision-making, a high Logic skill ensures a capable and respected leader.

Consequence: Low Logic can make the heir appear impulsive or easily manipulated, weakening alliances and trust among advisors.

Charisma

Benefit: High Charisma makes the heir a persuasive speaker and well-liked by allies and subjects.

Consequence: Low Charisma results in awkward public appearances and difficulty gaining allies, leading to potential diplomatic challenges.

Secondary Skills (Choose 2-3)

Piano, Violin, or Pipe Organ (Choose One)

Benefit: Proficiency in an instrument adds elegance and discipline, helping the heir impress at royal gatherings.

Consequence: Lack of musical skill may lead to perceptions of the heir as rigid or less cultured.

Horseback Riding (Requires Horse Ranch)

Benefit: Represents physical fitness, courage, and a connection to tradition. Skilled riders gain favor with allies who value athleticism.

Consequence: Lack of riding skill may portray the heir as unadventurous, causing potential friction with more traditional or outdoorsy allies.

Singing

Benefit: Provides an entertaining and charismatic presence, enhancing public opinion and adding warmth to the heir’s image.

Consequence: Lack of singing skill may make the heir seem less approachable or expressive, affecting connections with commoners and allies.

Cross-Stitch or Knitting

Benefit: Demonstrates patience and creativity, appealing to those who value craftsmanship and dedication.

Consequence: No skill in these areas may make the heir seem impatient or uninterested in detailed work, affecting perceptions of their dedication.

Mischief

Benefit: A mischievous heir can navigate court politics and handle potential threats with ease, adding charm and cunning to their personality.

Consequence: Low Mischief skill makes the heir vulnerable to manipulation and may lead to difficulties in handling rivals or potential threats.

These skills allow heirs to grow with unique strengths and weaknesses, influencing their journey to become monarch based on their well-roundedness and adaptability.

[flusteredfools]

takin a small break from writing their final chapter to doodle them.. so far the chapter is over 9.5k words and maybe 3/4 of the scene I planned for it. I could end it where it is, but it doesn't feel as satisfying... so I'm trying to decide if it'll just be a super long chapter or if I should try to break it up again like I did for the last one. OTZ

so while I puzzle for that enjoy some doodles and rambles? XD (semi close ups and more character info under the cut!)

Cursed Royal Y/N for this fic I've been trying so very hard to keep neutral and not lean too far either way but I imagine them with wavy hair that goes a bit past their shoulders (long hair was a sign of status, specially if well kept) and I think they'd be pudgy from always being able to eat lots and eat well with minimal active lifestyle. Though while dressed they have to wear a corset to help show the "proper" shape expected from royals. But in the fic I try to not over describe anything so the reader can fill in their own blanks. Always aware of their position, (though they have no interest in the throne regardless of being last in line for it) they stay mindful of their words and actions; wanting to show kindness to all, human, animatronic, animals, creatures, etc. Every living thing deserves to be treated with kindness and fairness.

Royal Guards Moon & Sun (They won't stay nakey forever I just wanted to get an idea of how their bodies work/look-even though I'm sure this isn't at all accurate to real robotics sorry) Sun and Moon started off as small servant bots for a smaller noble family, they were treated poorly (abused and often broken) then sold off and put up for auction. No one wanted the beat up bots so they were left discarded in the slums. They managed to find ways to patch themselves up, learning how to survive and defend themselves and became mercenaries as a way to earn money to properly live and repair themselves. A war broke out and started to threaten the Royal Capital; wanting to help prevent as many casualties as possible, Sun and Moon offered up their abilities. While there was some hostility from the capital soldiers, but the youngest of the King's Children spoke up on their behalf, on all animatronics behalf, that anyone wanting to help save lives, wanting a chance to make a difference should be allowed it and always treated as equals despite what they're made of. The duo proved themselves time and time again, capturing the enemy's soldiers to gather more intel as well as helping defend the camps from ambushes. To honor their heroic deeds, they were officially Knighted and offered to join the Royal Army; they accepted the rise of their status and a more reliable lifestyle for themselves. Once the youngest royal became of age to start socializing out in public, the two knights volunteered to be their guards; having heard about how much the young royal tries to promote peace and equality.

[baji-sideblog]

Fairytale Yans

A knight’s beginning

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Some are just born unlucky but for Arthur he’s always felt hopeless in a sense. Like the gods overlooked him entirely. He was an accidental pregnancy, born the youngest of seven siblings in a struggling household of nobles trying to hold onto their status and whatever money they had with an iron grip. He was forgotten quite often for his much older siblings that had more potential. They had more promise to help their family keep their struggling power. Arthur’s parents didn’t know what to do with him whenever they noticed him.

His siblings weren’t much better either, but he could never blamed them, even at a young age Arthur could see how much stress was they were under. How drained and tired they were he wanted to help but he didn’t know what he could do since he was still a child. Though it never erased the loneliness, since he didn’t have any friends his age nor was he given the attention he needed. One day a higher ranking noble offered his parents a deal to take Arthur he’d even pay for him. His parents took the deal.

Arthur was terrified he was scared of the worse and cried for the whole ride back to the noble’s home. He was just 10 and he felt like he was going to die, the noble did not bat an eye. Once they got to his home the noble handed him a sword and told him to fight. Of course he was absolutely demolished in the fight by the much older man. He was left bleeding from his eyebrow his hands shaking from how heavy the sword was. The man walked over to the crying boy and spoke sternly.

“You will learn how to fight. And you will fight well for that is your purpose”

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Days, weeks, months, to years that was just his life fighting and training. He’d get injured and cry, but have to get up and fight through the pain anyways. Scars grew on his body especially his hands though he didn’t mind the life to much. The noble that trained him Lance was like a parent in a way to him he definitely gave him more attention then his bio parents did. And he latched onto it even if the treatment and training was rough and harsh he still appreciated his makeshift dad.

Lance doesn’t say a lot to him but Arthur thrived off any positive attention even if Lance didn’t show it much through facial expressions. Every time he looked at Arthur with a little surprised durning fights he got excited, since it means he did good. He wanted approval, he wanted praise, he wanted to feel wanted.

Soon enough when he was deemed ready Arthur was given to the royal family as a guard for Prince Caspian when they were both the age of 17. He wasn’t surprised it happened Lance never hid anything from him there wasn’t a point to. But it still hurt Arthur he felt like he was abandoned all over again. He just wanted to curl up in a little ball and give up, but he couldn’t he had a job to do now. That’s the only reason he existed for after all it was his purpose.

In a blink of the eyes he was 24 and being handed a new mission to look after you. A person cursed to be a swan. Arthur couldn’t lie he was a nervous wreck he was taught only to fight not really how socialize. But he saw your fear, your uncertainty, he sympathized with you having felt that for so long. You weren’t too scary to talk to which Arthur was relieved about he was a major crybaby and socializing was hard. It was hard to please people with words.

Showing you around the castle was nice actually especially when he got to introduce you to his horse. You were nice. And the way you stuck close to him made him happy he felt needed in a good way. Not like some tool, but like a protector. Arthur wanted to be that for you he felt selfish thinking of satisfying his own insecurities by using you, but he reason it’s ok he can be selfish just this once plus he’d take care of you! That’s fair right? He’d watch over and protect you and you make him feel good a fair trade right?

He looked down at your swan form as you slept next to him and gently pet your head.

“Maybe this is my destiny to be by you, I mean you’re the only one that’s smiled at me heh…. I won’t lose you, and you won’t abandoned me no you’re too sweet for that right? Right? Yeah you won’t you won’t..”

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[keylimeart]

truly thought no one would care for the space regency,,, I see now that I was wrong-

I’m not sure when I’m going to draw next, so I’m answering some questions en masse under the cut

I lost the ask but it was about the Mandalorians in medieval armor, and I see this vision and I like this vision but it is not my vision. I’m thinking full Jane Austen and Bridgerton s1 & 2 vibes just with space ships instead of carriages, so the Mandalorians are more like people who live out in the countryside. They are wealthy from beskar trade and have status, but they don’t really socialize outside of their planet so they are a bit off-putting (especially Bo-Katan). I also think it is interesting to explore how Din would use the rules of society as armor to hide behind! The scandal of a layman with a son becoming the Duke of Mandalore; Din would have to adapt quickly and learn how to use his words and actions as weapons.

Padmé and the handmaidens: Padmé got voted in as Duchess at 14 because of her work with her father building homes for the poor on Naboo. She was the kind of person who cared a lot about each person they did work for and made an effort to try and improve their lives as much as she could. Her handmaidens stick to the original 5, but also go by their original names (ie Sabé is Tsabin, Rabé is Rabene, etc). They aren’t trained in defense, but they are Padmé’s closest friends as being suddenly placed as Duchess of an entire planet is very isolating. Tsabin could switch places with Padmé when they were younger, and at the beginning of her rule did at Particularly boring parties, but eventually gave it up when Padmé’s passion for the job outweighed her hesitations.

Alderaan and the Organas: Leia mainly grew up on Alderaan. Bail Organa was Padmé’s first supporter in the House of Lords, and they’re very close. Breha spends a lot of time on Alderaan learning from and supporting her people, which Padmé greatly admires and she wants to give Leia a better political education than herself and trusts Bail and Breha. Leia goes to Alderaan sort of like boarding school, but it’s a one-on-one sort of thing with her and the Organas. When Leia entered society she moved back to Naboo full time to learn about her own people and their needs.

When does Luke enlist? Well, he doesn’t. I think the sort of isolation that we see cannon Luke have in BOBF/sequels comes from him being the Only Jedi, but that wouldn’t really still work if there’s a royal funded army all his life. I think of Luke in this au as someone fully aware that he isn’t heir to the duchy, he’s not even a spare. He kinda fills the role of “woman who must marry” in that way. He’s extremely well-bred, knows all the rules of polite society, speaks multiple languages, etc etc but he has no real political power. His best trait, as society sees it, is giving someone the ability to marry into a family with wealth and very good connections. If Din had to learn quickly how to use the rules of society as weapons, Luke’s been doing it all his life. They make good sparring partners as conversationalists.

Which, while we’re talking about being enlisted, Anakin is dismissed from the Royal Galactic Army when the queen learns he’s engaged to Padmé. It is unbecoming of a gentleman in such a position to be a soldier. But on the bright side, Anakin never felt comfortable or wanted to be in the Army, he just did it because he felt indebted to Qui-Gonn. He does actually really enjoy being at home with the twins when they are so young, and when Leia starts visiting Alderaan on long trips Anakin splits his time between doing woodwork and construction with Ruwee in Theed and visiting Tattooine with Luke.

What is Han like in this au? Han is Han, which is to say he’s a pilot. He’s specifically a cargo pilot looking into entering the trade world, which is why he is initially interested in making acquaintance with the twins. They are very close with their Uncle Obi-Wan who owns a very profitable kyber mine but doesn’t have much time to run it (smth Luke helps out with when he’s older) and wouldn’t that be just the perfect place for a nobody like Han to get his foot in the door? Transporting expensive crystals, be a shame if someone were to skim some for their own sales, especially someone courting Leia. It would be quite the scandal don’t you think?

By the time we get to the “sequels”, the lineage is: Padmé has passed and Leia is Duchess of Naboo. She has one son, Ben, and Han has left the picture (he still loves Leia, he just couldn’t do the whole society thing. He didn’t realize what a bad spot socially that put Leia and all of Naboo in) Din is Duke of Mandalore, and Luke is the Duke Consort of Mandalore. They have three children, Grogu, Finn and Rey (all adopted, and in space regency that’s legitimate). I kind of imagine the prequels, ot, and sequels of this au as like different tv seasons, so the main plot of “season 3” is that Rey is the only female relative of Leia, and the Queen decides that she is to take on the Duchy of Naboo when Leia passes. This makes Ben Very Angry, and he starts stirring up political trouble (as if Naboo wasn’t already having a hard enough time). Luke is also displeased with the decision to make Rey next in line because he and Din raised their children not to be politicians but to have good lives. Finn started studying politics simply because he had interest in it, and it was sort of an open secret that once he was ready Din would give him the Broach (stand in for dark saber) so like all this Rey stuff throws a wrench in their plans for Rey’s life. Plus that’s his baby!!! His youngest!! He doesn’t want her to go :( I’m only halfway through the book but “season 3” has Emma by Jane Austen vibes in my mind.

That all took like an hour to write up I don’t know how fic writers do it. I hope that all makes sense?? I’m happy to yap more if anyone wants, and I have some ideas to draw so we will see if I end up actually posting. Thanks if you read all this way!! I’m gonna use the tag “keylime space regency” to organize this stuff so if I post more of this au that’ll be the place to go :)

[starrihan]

HEYIII STARRI.

As I wanted to say in my ask about Taesan a while ago, I also have thoughts about Beomgyu. By the way, I really liked it when you 'expanded my ideas' about Taesan. If I could, I'd kiss your brain (or steal it *evil laugh)

Beomgyu was born into a wealthy family, he had everything he wanted. Since he was little, he never lacked anything. Your status in his house is the butler's daughter who grew up together with him. Since childhood, you played together with him, He doesn't mind always sharing many things with you, even trying to 'equalize' what he has and what you have. his parents never forbade him to be friends with you even though you were only the butler's daughter. As you guys became teenagers, you slowly started to distance yourself from him. Moreover, your father always reminded you that there was a 'line' between you and Beomgyu. Your father doesn't want you to fall in love with someone you can't possibly have because of a difference in status. Ever since you started middle school, you've been very aware that you and Beomgyu are different. Moreover, his social circles are starting to become 'sharp' (Oh of course, he went to an international school while you only went to a public school). Without you knowing, he actually hates that you are distancing yourself from him, realizing the differences that you two have. He hates losing what he has, but he chooses to remain silent, trying to understand your position as well. While at home, you were really like a servant to your master. Not even calling him "Gyunie" anymore, you would call him "Young Master," and it sometimes made him sick. Until one day, he ran out of patience. You and he came home from high school at the same time. He saw you being dropped off by your male friend on a motorbike right in front of his house gate when he was about to put his car in the front yard. He will drag you in and actually insult your friend. "He doesn't even have a good vehicle, but he dares to touch what belongs to me! I don't want what is mine to be touched by that lower class, dammit!" He will give you a FUCKING HUGEEEEEE punishment + indirectly says that only he can give you 'happiness' not anyone else. "

I talk too much like Beomgyu... Hope you don't get a headache reading it, hehe 😭💔

_🦄_

→ Pairing: Rich boy! Beomgyu x Lower class! Reader

→ Genre: angst, smut, kinda toxic beomgyu and reader, dom! beomgyu, mean beomgyu, spitting, oral (m receiving), teasing, use of nicknames ('young master/ master,' 'babydoll'), mirror sex, wealth gap/ class gap

→ Warnings: manipulation (kind of?)

→ Word Count: 3,160

→ Notes: For age purposes I’m gonna say they’re both in college but other than that I love this!! Royal AU’s are lowkey becoming my thing and I’m living for it I adore royal/ renaissance/ wealthy power imbalance AUs! Also I kinda lost the plot on this one a little it’s a lot more angst than I wanted it to be… and a lot longer than I thought it would be

→ Here's a link to all my other masterlists!

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Beomgyu didn't know why or when the shift happened. You were once his best friend, but you barely acted like it anymore. He didn't care that you were their butler's daughter, it meant nothing to him. So why did it suddenly mean something to you?

At the time, you didn't care either, always playing with him and interacting with him like there was no social status wall between you two. You had never alluded to feeling inferior to him at all, especially when you used to constantly tease him, saying that he has no manners and that you'd be better off in his position. He never took it to heart, but would always act dramatic about it whenever you teased him, but that's just how your friendship was.

When you learned that Beomgyu would be going to an international school for his middle and high school careers, you were bummed. So much so that you cried by yourself the day he left, not knowing what you'd do without the friend you grew up with. You were always aware that you were only living in his house because of your dad's job, and his inability to be able to provide a home for you both, but him leaving really put that into perspective for you.

The way you were treated in the house changed a little, no longer being able to cause trouble now that Beomgyu was gone. You had retreated back into the shell you arrived at his house with, no longer being able to rely on him to bring you out of it. You were always quiet, even in school. Up until now, you had been in almost all the same classes as Beomgyu. You never worried about making friends when you had him. Especially when he was so out there, making friends with anyone that would walk by, something you didn't have the ability to do without him.

You would see the difference in your guys' social status more whenever he'd come home for holiday. The first couple times he came back, for winter and summer break, it was like you two had never been separated. Talking for hours into the late night hours until his servants would tell you to go to sleep. You had noticed how he would always tell stories of different people, how amazing and talented they were, about how much money they all had.

Of course you were happy to hear him talk so fondly about a school he loves, but it was like he was forgetting about you, even though you were right there. He called sometimes, but those calls became less frequent the longer he stayed away. It wasn't until one year during high school, his junior year, that he asked to stay for the duration of summer break. It broke your heart, thinking you had officially lost your best friend.

But Beomgyu always thought so fondly of you, constantly thinking about you but always being too busy. He had asked to stay that summer because he got an internship, information that was never relayed to you, in hopes that you would finally come to the realization that you couldn't always be with him.

Your father had always told you to be aware of the difference in class between you two, but you didn't care when you were younger. You realized now it was for reasons like this; in fear of you getting too attached or reliant on his friendship and his ability to get whatever he wants. You tried your best to stop thinking about him, and it worked, eventually forgetting about him a majority of the time when you were outside of the house. It wasn't until one day when he announced that he would be back home for a week, his college having given them time off. You didn't know when he was coming back, not really caring after he essentially ghosted you in favor of his rich friends at his college abroad.

You had been talking to this guy, Yeonjun, for a bit, taking things slow to see if you were a good match. You were able to go to a wealthy college nearby, since you still lived in Beomgyu's house, but he didn't care that you weren't wealthy yourself, actually empathizing with your situation. He had offered to drive you home on days that you stayed later studying or doing club activities and today just so happened to be one of those days.

Beomgyu watched through the window in the door as a motorcycle, nothing like his family's fancy vehicles, pulls up to the front of the house. You stepped out, white flowy skirt and a cute baby blue top sitting nicely on your body. His eyes followed your movements, watching as you bent down to grab your backpack out of the little bucket on the side, captivated by the way your hand flew to the back of your skirt so the wind couldn't pick it up. He was biting the inside of his cheek, silently seething at the way you smiled and giggled at whatever he said. He couldn't hear your conversation but your voice was etched into his brain, one he could never forget. He moved out of sight when he noticed you turn around, preoccupied by the phone in your hand to see him.

Upon opening the door, you notice him standing there, arms folded over each other, almost like a disappointed parent. You’re shocked, after having not seen him in almost a year. He looked different. Bigger build, blonde hair, and not to mention the fact that he grew to be a lot taller than you thought he would. Remembering the conversation you had with your father, you quickly bowed down to him.

“Hello, Young Master, I apologize for not bowing sooner.”

You hated saying it just as much as you knew he hated hearing it, but it’s what you had to do to keep your distance. He only quirks an eyebrow at you, scoffing as he looks away from you.

“Really? You’re calling me that bullshit after not seeing me for a year?You and I both know that it sounds wrong coming out of your mouth, so don’t say it again.”

You roll your eyes. You might have to address him as young master but you weren’t going to treat him like one.

“Whose horrendous motorcycle was out there disgracing my driveway?”

He didn’t think he sounded harsh or entitled, but your expression gave it away.

“If you must know, it’s my friend, Yeonjun’s motorcycle. He drops me back here when I miss the bus. But his motorcycle is fine. Of course you would say that, you’re so rich and spoiled, always getting everything you wanted.”

“Is that what you think of me? Rich and spoiled?”

“Is it not the truth? You are. You took daddy’s money and ran to an international school and never looked back.”

“Oh. So that’s what this whole, ‘Young Master’ thing is about. You’re upset because I left you all by yourself?”

He didn’t mean to sound condescending, but your combative tone put him on the offense. It’s like he couldn’t control the way he needed to make sure he wasn’t the problem. You scoff, pushing him out of the way and making your way towards your room, putting down your bag and taking off your shoes. Of course he followed you, waiting by your doorframe just like he did when you were kids.

“You’re so condescending. You never once thought about the people you were leaving?”

He did. He missed you so much, all the time. Countless nights he’d stay up, wanting to text you, to call you, but he never did. In his defense, you never did either, but he was the one that left you not the other way around. You loathed the idea that he had forgotten about you, that he had moved on to better, richer people who could actually enjoy a similar life to what he lived. But you couldn't be farther from the truth. And he wanted to explain it all, but some things can't be fixed with money, like his attitude.

"You don't think I wanted to talk to you? When I would come back before, you kept your distance and continued to distance yourself even more after every time I came back. You could've come to me and told me what was going on but you didn't."

"And you couldn't do the same? I only ever heard you talk about your friends and your cool lifestyle over at whatever-the-fuck school you went to. You never asked about me but you were always so willing to run your mouth."

The amount of anger that was boiling up between the two of you would've been strong enough to cause a full blown eruption. You couldn’t even tell if what you were saying was part of your argument or if it just stemmed from all the hurt you held in your heart.

“So what? Now you go to this Yeonjun guy to replace me? As if he’s not running his mouth too?”

“At least he talks to me about me unlike you! It’s like you don’t even care about me! You just say whatever you want, do whatever you want, and get whatever you want! You suck!”

He was fully taken aback by your thoughts, not expecting you to actually blow up on him like that. You hadn’t noticed how close he had gotten over the span of your argument, standing directly in front of you as you shouted in his face.

“Oh yeah? Do you like him because he pretends to care about you, or do you like him because you think he’s rich? Well, not that rich, he doesn’t even have a good vehicle but, when you come from nothing that doesn’t really matter, right? Any money is good money to you, right?”

“Fuck you.”

You spit back at him. How dare he accuse you of being a gold digger, only caring about someone’s wealth? You weren’t that shallow.

“I mean, think about it, really. You live in my house, using my parent’s money, even though you could at least get a job. Maybe pay for some of your own stuff instead using my family’s money? But you choose to live here, rent free, expense free, and you don’t even have the courtesy of at least trying to find a job? Sounds like you’re the spoiled one to me.”

He’s dangerously close, practically towering over you as you try your best to find a response. Your breath is caught in your throat, tears threatening to spill out of your eyes, scared of the next words that are coming out of your mouth.

“I fucking hate you, Choi Beomgyu…”

“I fucking love you, Y/N.”

Swiftly, with one hand on your waist and the other on the back of your head, he brings you close, capturing your lips with his. You don’t object, kissing him back with the same strength and vigor as your emotions convey. You never thought you’d find yourself here, kissing your childhood best friend in the bedroom you had in his home, after he left you for so many years. Words couldn’t describe the way you felt, emotions you didn’t even know you harbored for the boy pouring out of your mouth and into his.

Beomgyu knew his feelings for you for so long, but he never said anything. He left to an international school to forget those feelings he had for you, but nothing could ever change the way he felt about you. But now that he knew that you felt the same, he wasn’t going to let this opportunity go. He always got what he wanted, right?

He pulled away, keeping you close as he trailed kisses across your face, down your jaw and up to your ear. He sucked and nibbled on the outside of it, almost growling into your ear.

“You wouldn’t let that poor scumbag Yeonjun kiss you like this, would you? You know he couldn’t replace me, right?”

His urge, his need to possess you, like you were his only was taking over. Something he desperately wanted to avoid in fear that you wouldn’t feel the same, want the same. But your compliance leaves him shocked, a whimper leaving your throat at his words.

“As your Young Master, I think it’s only fair for me to punish you, don’t you think? For talking back to me and worrying me that you’re out with lower class guys? I mean, he couldn’t take care of you like how I could, right?”

His never ending questions, the way he said them with so much condescension, so much possession, it left you needier than you could ever imagine. His tone like was like a venom that you couldn’t fight, succumbing to your wants and his words.

“He could never…”

“He could never, what, babydoll?”

"He could never take care of me like you can..."

You can feel him smirk against your neck before he attaches his lips to the skin there, lightly nipping.

"Gyunie..."

The nickname that you always used to call him that would make him blush. Only you ever used that name for him, and only you were allowed to say it. But instead of the usual cute way you’d call him, this context was much darker, dirtier than you’d ever imagined using his name. And it sent his blood rushing straight down.  

He didn’t hesitate to throw you onto the bed, fingers digging into your waist as he kissed you harder this time, tongue invading your mouth. Your hands tugged at his hair, pulling harshly as you tried your best to breath through his kisses, letting his tongue dominate your mouth. His hands travel underneath your shirt and bra, pinching at your nipples as you moan into his mouth, arching your back into his touch. 

He plays with them for a bit, loving your little whimpers. He fully gropes one, squeezing hard while his other hand travels up your skirt, smirking when he feels the wet spot lining your slit over your panties. 

“Naughty girl, you really like the idea of being punished by your master, huh?”

You’re clenching around nothing, his words having that much of an affect on you. He stops kissing you, moving to pull your skirt down. You instinctively close your legs, needing any sort of friction. But his big hands separate them, delivering a harsh slap to your clit to which you mewl. 

“You don’t get to do anything I don’t tell you to, got it?”

You nod your head slowly which earns you another slap. 

“Use your words babydoll, while I’m being nice.”

“I-I understand…”

He licks your clit over your panties, laughing as you try your hardest not to close your legs over his head. He holds them apart, continuing to pleasure you through your panties, admiring the way the wet patch on them grows bigger by the second. Your hips involuntarily buck up into his mouth, Beomgyu immediately stopping his actions. 

“I didn’t say you could do that. Get on your knees, now.”

You gulp hard, whining at the loss of contact between your thighs but following his commands. He has you kneeling on the bed as he stands, pulling his pants and boxers down to reveal his aching length. He caresses your face, placing his thumb in your mouth and pushing down on it. 

“Such a pretty mouth. I can’t wait to see it wrapped around my cock.”

He forced your mouth open, holding your jaw up and spitting into your mouth before guiding his cock into it. You’re taken aback by the sudden weight on your tongue, trying your best to avoid grazing your teeth against him. You grip his hips, slowly bobbing your head around his length, running your tongue around him as best as you can, smiling when you lick up a particular vein that has him pushing himself further into your mouth. His hand grabs a fistful of your hair, gripping gently as he guides your head as far it can go without you choking.

“Fuck babydoll… your mouth is so fucking good…”

He has to actively stop himself from cumming so soon, pulling you off of his length before making you face the other way. You weren’t aware of your state until you looked into the mirror in front of you, hair disheveled and shirt half up, sweat pooling around your forehead and neck as you watch Beomgyu through the mirror. His fingers running up and down your slit through your panties once again, more moans spilling past your lips. 

You feel his fingers creeping up the side of your panties, moving them to the side as he places his hard cock between the material and your folds, rocking back and forth along your slit. You throw your head back, arching your back as he grabs your face, eyes flying open to watch him. 

“You’re gonna take my cock like a good girl right? Watch yourself as I ruin you? Keep your eyes open if you want to cum.”

You nod frantically, needing to feel him inside you. He laughs, lining himself up with your hole and pushing in roughly, barely giving you any time to feel the stretch as he bottoms out almost immediately. You practically scream out his name, the sharp pain being quickly replaced by need. You keep your eyes on him, making eye contact through the mirror as he starts thrusting in and out. You catch yourself screwing your eyes shut, quickly opening them back up and hoping that Beomgyu doesn’t notice. But of course he does, slowing down his set pace for harsher, deeper thrusts. 

His grunts filled your eyes, moans escaping your mouth at every thrust. He was teasing you, driving you closer to your release but stopping for just long enough between thrusts to keep you on edge. You were going crazy, the need to cum overwhelming. 

“Please master! Please let me cum!”

You knew you sounded pathetic, begging for him when you knew it would go to his head and only fuel his cockiness, but you also knew he couldn’t resist giving in to you. Literally. He nods, not able to say much himself as he was also on the brink of cumming. His fingers dig harder into the flesh of your hips, a hard smack sounding throughout the room as your ass turns red from his hand print. 

“If you want to cum so badly, then do it.”

And you do, releasing all around him, thighs shaking hard against his hips. He comes very soon after, filling you up to brim. He carefully pulls out, pulling your panties back over you to keep his cum inside of you. 

“Keep this in you until after dinner, unless you want a worse punishment later.”

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[gwenllian-in-the-abbey]

What are your tought's on the whole : "Rhaenyra and Daemon had an open marriage so he didn't REALLY cheat on her with Mysaria" thing? Because to me it smells like a bullshit excuse to salvage this ship already shaky relationship status

Hi anon! Sorry for being so late in answering this! So, before I get into my answer, just to be clear, I don't have a problem with people headcanoning Daemon and Rhaenyra as having an open relationship, or depicting the relationship this way in fanfic. Fics and headcanons exist for a reason. I assume you're talking about people who use these arguments when discussing the book and/or show canon, or insist this interpretation is the only correct interpretation. In which case, I agree that's mostly an attempt to smooth away the rough edges of those relationships.

First, I think it's important to recognize that the very concept of "open marriage," as we understand it, that is, a mutually consensual agreement to be non-monogamous, with clearly negotiated terms and boundaries, is very modern. I think applying the term "open marriage" to Daemon and Rhaenyra softens what is going on with them a way that is meant to make criticism of the relationship seem socially regressive. I could say similar things about how the relationship between Laenor, Rhaenyra, and Harwin is often characterized by fans as being a completely happy consensual "family of choice" dynamic in which Laenor is usually depicted not as depressed and checked out, as he's shown to be in both the book and the show, but as an eager and involved father who has entered into a sort of surrogate father arrangement with Harwin and Rhaenyra, or the supposed happy "dragonstone polycule" that fans insist existed between Laena/Daemon and Rhaenyra/Harwin/Laenor. It's fine if fans want to imagine happier versions of these relationships-- fans do this all the time, especially in fic or in art, I do it myself-- but do I think that's what's on the page, textually or even subtextually? No.

That said, I don't think Daemon's off and on again relationship with Mysaria was a big issue for Rhaenyra, not because they had an "open relationship," per se, but because Rhaenyra did not perceive Mysaria as a threat to her marriage. Rhaenyra clearly did have a problem with Daemon's relationship with Nettles, for instance, which suggests to me that the relationship was not an open relationship or a polyamorous relationship. Rather, it's more likely that Rhaenyra was like most other Westerosi noblewomen in that she tolerated her husband visiting brothels and prostitutes as this was considered, at the time, a socially acceptable way for a husband to step outside the marriage. While Mysaria was Daemon's long standing paramour, and I think there was likely some sort of emotional attachment there, if Daemon was going to cast aside Rhaenyra in favor of Mysaria he would have done that long ago. Mysaria was not only an aging prostitute, she was a known entity, someone Rhaenyra was aware of before she ever married Daemon. Not only that, but there was clearly some sort of trust (and perhaps more?) between Rhaenyra and Mysaria, as Mysaria was the one who apparently convinced Rhaenyra to send her final letter to Daemon demanding he turn over Nettles. I think it's fair to say that Rhaenyra knew Daemon's tastes and despite her (rather racist) protests that Daemon would never lie with someone like Nettles and that it had to be sorcery, Nettles was a young dragonrider, bold and daring, just the sort of person Daemon has been attracted to in the past.

So I suppose the short answer is no, it's not an open marriage in any meaningful sense. Even in a hypothetical situation in which a couple had a sort of "you do your thing I'll do mine," type agreement, medieval marriage was such an coercive institution as a whole, dynastic royal marriage particularly so, that I don't think there's much utility, in terms of analysis, in viewing it through that lens.