#unfortunate romance Kristina

[raincitygirl76]

And great tags from @crownedwille including the fact that Kristina was probably rebellious once herself. She and Wilhelm seem to be very similar in their temperaments.

What we saw of Erik was that he was a “don’t rock the boat”, “let’s compromise so there’s no awkwardness” type like their dad Ludvig. Whereas Kristina and her younger son are both headstrong and determined.

I suspect the family dynamic prior to Erik’s death was Kristina and Wilhelm frequently butting heads, because they both have strong opinions, and Ludvig and Erik smoothing over their arguments. Pouring diplomatic oil on troubled waters because Erik and Ludvig are conflict-avoidant and want a quiet life.

Kristina is essentially who Wilhelm will be in thirty years or so if he lets the crushing weight of the royal court and the general public’s demands take over his life. Kristina has drunk the koolaid that preserving traditions and preserving the image of the monarchy are the sacred purpose of her entire life.

Wille hasn’t yet drunk that koolaid, although he tried hard to be the perfect Crown Prince in S1 by doing the lying media statement in 1.06, which led to him getting dumped by his boyfriend. But he had a lot of character growth in S2. After the jubilee speech in 2.06, I suspect Wille’s parents, the royal court, and the upper classes will have trouble trying to shove him back in the closet. Or drink the koolaid and truly believe, as his mom does, that tradition and secrecy are objectively good things.

YOUNG ROYALS S01E06 - “Episode 6″

[heartbreakprincewille]

Thinking about how funny it is that Kristina and the Royal Court probably thinks that Wille and Simon's relationship won't last long and it's just a "teenage high" Wille is chasing when these two teenagers have better communication skills and mutual trust than any royal since the inception of the Swedish monarchy-

[grapehyasynth]

Hmm what if after Kristina alludes to an unfortunate romance in her youth Wille starts to wonder if Ludvig hadn't been Erik's father... Was Erik Wille's half brother? Or maybe Wille wonders if Ludvig were even HIS father, if he and Erik came from a love his mother had to hide... He of course can't ask his parents, and he looks for evidence in everything, tries to see his parents beyond their facades, even though he knows he's probably building intrigue where it doesn't exist... He finds himself asking himself what he wants the truth to be, what kind of loyalty he feels to Ludvig. He and Simon talk about it, when they're together again, months later, and Simon admits he has at times wished to discover that Micke's not his biological father, and he always feels like shit about it, but he can't stop himself from thinking it

[young-royals-confessions]

I really hope we get to find out about Kristina's unfortunate romance. I think we will, and it will be a parallel to Wilmon (I am guessing she fell in love with a common boy as well), and some sort of bonding/humanising moment for her. I doubt the writers would have put it in otherwise. But ALSO I wanna find out more about her relationship with Ludvig. They seem so nonchalant (though cordial) towards each other, but are we gonna get some sort of redemptive "I married for politics and I live with Regret" thing for her, and it helps her built a better relationship with her son? *Clings to edge of seat*

[bluedalahorse]

What is this midnight sun bullshit???

(also hi :)

Hi friend! I have returned from Colorado.

Ooh, I’m glad you asked about this one.

So “what is this midnight sun bullshit” was a file started in the autumn of 2021, shortly after I’d posted Terrain Boundaries Territory to A03. Good lord, I wrote TBT before I learned how to punctuate poetry. I am much better at poems now. Also there’s just some really early show weirdness in it! Season 1 had just aired and we might have barely heard that season 2 was happening, but had minimal idea of what it would involve.

Anyway. Terrain Boundaries Territory is basically about Sara infiltrating the circle of elite kids to become August’s girlfriend so she can find out his dark secrets and get revenge on him for what he did to Simon. Of course, there is also some lingering attraction and horniness wrapped up in that angry plan. August falls in love with Sara when they’re together, and she realizes the best revenge she can get is thoroughly breaking his heart.

Now, I was writing this immediately post season 1. From my past fannish lurking, it seemed like most fans thought it impossible that August would ever fall in love with Sara, and fall in love with her hard and fast. However, I was convinced that he would fall in love with her in season 2, though I didn’t know exactly what that would look like. I could just feel it in my gut.

So I started writing this fic as August’s B-side to Terrain Boundaries Territory. I wanted to understand the process of him falling in love with Sara, and also just how his brain worked. The more I started writing in his POV the more I enjoyed it, even if it was a messed up, thorny place. Also, there was a whole subplot where August’s mother Louise was Kristina’s Unfortunate Romance during their teens.

I called the file “what is this midnight sun bullshit” as an allusion to the time Stephenie Meyer rewrote Twilight from Edward Cullen’s POV. Note: I have never read a Twilight book in my life. However, back when I could drink, I would sneak mini bottles of vodka into the movie theatre, dump them into a slushie, and drunkwatch the Twilight movies. Hence me using the reference.

ANYWAY. I am including an excerpt of the midnight sun bullshit in question below, so you can get a sense of the generally angry-horny-angsty vibes that dominated this fic.

Shortly before this scene, August got hit in the face and learned a little bit about Sara having been bullied by kids at Marieberg. He also learned that Rosh and Ayub are Simon’s friends, but that Sara thinks they’re only nice to her because of Simon, and wouldn’t like her otherwise.

Now, Sara and August are hiding away in August’s room. Simon and Felice happen to be away on a choir trip, and have just posted a selfie of the two of them together.

—

Sara swipes up, then down, before an image stops her. Simon and Felice side by side in their Hillerska uniforms—on their way back from the choral festival, probably. Simon’s got his elbows on the table like no parent’s ever told him off for it, and Felice has left behind her pizza crusts on her plate. They’re laughing together. Friendly. Friends?

Sara draws a ripped-apart-heart curve around the edge of the picture of Simon and Felice. She presses her lips together, tight.

“What are you thinking?” August asks her.

“Only that I’m so angry,” Sara answers. “All the time.”

“I know.” Now August leans closer. “Me too.”

He kisses her, like really kisses her, like for once it isn’t to say notice me but instead I understand. Sara is the only mirror August can stand to look at right now, if he can call her that, and part of him wants to drown in all of her—their—fucked up emotions. She’s kissing him back as many times as he kisses her, giggles in the gaps between. Then Sara dips down, presses her mouth to his neck, does something with her lips and teeth that will leave a mark, the way he’s only done to girls before. August’s breath catches. Things are even more fucked now because he didn’t even know he was into that, or what it means that he’s into that. He wraps his hands around Sara’s, coaxing her phone out from between her fingers. Pulls away.

The phone is already lighting up with another text from Felice, so August sets it face down on his nightstand. He opens the nightstand drawer and takes out a box of condoms, glances sideways at his window and checks to make sure he closed the curtains.

He looks back at Sara, reminds himself how much she hates euphemisms. Asks if she wants to have sex.

“Okay. We can do that.” Sara scoots closer and pinches the hem of his shirt. “As long as your face doesn’t hurt too much.”

“I’m fine.” What August actually means is, I really don’t care about my face right now, and that’s rare enough that it might translate to fine.

Sara kisses him again, which gives way to touching skin and tangling arms and legs and everything else together. The physical release of being with her should be enough. Should be, except. After everything, when Sara’s noticed the time, and after August has watched her pull her clothes back on and arrange her hair, and long after she’s gone back to the working class house she can’t stand, and after lights out has been called in the Hillerska dorms—after all that, August can’t bring himself to sleep in the center of his mattress. Awake, with his back pressed against the cold wall, he observes the space where he wishes Sara still was. He doesn’t even dare smooth down the wrinkles she left behind on the bedsheets.

[hillerska-official]

Unhinged idea: Ludvig is just a puppet, a facade, Jan-Olof and Kristina are in fact lovers. J-O was her unfortunate romance (he is not of noble birth), and instead of feeling sympathy for Wilhelm and Simon, he is jealous. And trying to block their relationship. Kristina doesn't realise this and thinks she has the best of both worlds.

I have to be honest when I first opened this I thought you meant puppet literally and I was honestly so ready to accept Ludvig as a secret muppet 😂

What are your fake unhinged yr3 predictions?

[gulliblelemon]

Hi ! Here are some asks if you want : 16, 25 and 28.

Have a nice day 💜

I do want! Thank you for the ask! (I’d already answered one so I’ve snuck another in there 😉)

16. a fanfic that hadn’t been updated for a looong time but you’re hoping for it (no pressure on the writer !)

I’ve already answered this here.

17. the most reread fic of your year

I’m not a big re reader (yet! I absolutely am for normal fiction, this is just because we have so much good new content), BUT I have reread Ex by @stretchoutfics, say a prayer for me in the dark by witchjeons (@pleuvian), and both Fuck The Monarchy and I love the way you lie by itsme_hi_imtheproblem (@iwouldnevergetintofanfic) this year.

25. a fight scene (verbal.. or not ?)

Definitely the scene in the jewellery shop in chapter 9 (I think) of Like Because, Love Despite by cali-chan (@girls-are-weird). It’s so emotional and feels really raw like their canon arguments.

28. Kristina favorite fanfic

I recently read Queen of Duty by itsme_hi_imtheproblem (@iwouldnevergetintofanfic), it’s a really good look at what Kristina might have been like at Wille’s age (and a look at her ‘unfortunate romance’ and how she dealt with it).

I like fics that have Kristina as a bad guy, but with complex motives. Like August. In canon I think Kristina is a bad parent who makes poor choices for Wille, but I don’t think she’s necessarily evil, just dangerously misguided.

I liked her portrayal in The road not taken looks real good now by @stretchoutfics. A look at what she might be like when she’s older and with less power. And when Wilhelm has more experience dealing with her.

[frogprincesnowglobe]

Ultimate Young Royals Character Tournament

Jan Olof Vs Queen Kristina of Sweden

Jan Olof: He's a royal advisor or something. Works with Queen Kristina. Always telling Wille what to do. One time Simon wrote this totally romantic song about Wille for the Jubilee and Jan Olof was like "nope, not happening". He always looks like he's smelled something rotten. Has a weird habit of calling August when he's partially or fully naked, what's up with that? Also: Not a romantic at heart.

Queen Kristina of Sweden: Queen Kristina. Wille's Mother. Married to Ludvig. Once had an unfortunate romance. Definitely does not think her son knows what he's doing. She's a Queen, a mother, Kristina. She's definitely tired of hearing about Simon too. One time her son had this totally awesome thing going with Simon but his second cousin August ruined it in the worst way, and Queen Kristina knew it was August all along and just...casually did not impart this info. Once had to deal with her Crown Prince son threatening to abdicate because Simon was on a date with another guy. Once had to hear about how Jan Olof won't let Simon sing his song. Also is totally tired of hearing about Simon.

[heartbreakprincewille]

I've seen some people say that August becoming the Crown Prince isn't really a punishment for a person like him and he basically got everything he wanted.

And it IS true on some fronts. He will be holding the title of King, his name will go down the history, he will be wealthy and will be the pinnacle of class and privilege and everything he believes in AND he will be good at his duties.

But he won't be happy.

Throughout the seasons, we see his shell break, little by little. He is not a changed person by the end, but we get to see more of where he comes from and how he feels about everything that happens around him. He does not become a selfless, remorseful and redeemed person- he still sees the world from his self-obsessed lens. But that lens shifts from almost-evil narcissism to a sort of awareness- that he is a person who can love, and can be loved, a person who can be truly happy. But then Sara leaves him for good- and he has no reason to hold onto this hope. What is he supposed to do with this awareness, when he has no one to reinforce it back to him?

And now he will be the Crown Prince. The eventual King. His circle will be extremely restricted, his life will be controlled by a whole institution. Unlike Wilhelm, August is more of a pleaser when it comes to authority figures- how can he ever find a way to find happiness for himself when he will be too busy people-pleasing?

He will be living the ultimate Cishet Man-Alpha Male Life- a life full of power, status and he will enjoy aspects of it, there's no denying- after all, he is a believer in class and heirarchies. But he will also shrivel in his shell- he will be giving himself away to an institution which leeches onto anyone who is willing to step into its shoes, the Individual Person behind that title be damned.

Whenever I think about what his life will be like as a Royal, I remember that scene from S3 E5- a drunk August gulping down wine after wine, the life of the party, the "crowned" Bad Boy of his class, seemingly having the time of his life. But then he steps out of the room for some air, and he throws away the title of "Bad Boy"- a title based on how people perceive him, but he no longer identifies with it. He is relieved only when he sees Sara- a person who showed him a part of himself he does identify with. But now, he no longer has access to that part of himself.

In my mind, August will be a true successor to Kristina- carrying the legacy of an institution forward even if it costs them their relationships and their mental peace, with an unfortunate romance locked somewhere in their hearts. But his journey to accept this role would be harder than it was for Wilhelm- after all, August was the spare of a spare. How could he ever know what was coming for him?

I think that is why an open ending works for his character- we can imagine him extremely smug to win the lottery ticket, but we can also imagine him realizing that he willingly stepped into a trap he can never free himself from.

[grapehyasynth]

what are your most unhinged theories about kristina's unfortunate romance

[young-royals-confessions]

As a qaf(US version) fan, I think we were kind of in an "endgame or not" situation?

In the end of that show B&J called off the wedding and separated in two different cities, but still some believed they would find their way back to each other somehow(I was one of those). Saw some predictions on X about s3 of yr, and I feel the school shutdown theory kind of fits the qaf ending, wilmon might need to deal with a long-distance relationship and we might be left with an open ending.

I didn't like the ending of qaf when I was younger, because I wanted them to be together so bad and didn't want them to repeat the on-and-off pattern that has been seen several times in the show(it was a long ass show).

But I reconciled with it years later, after a few painful break-ups. I started to get the idea that even if a relationship does not work out in the end, it doesn't mean the love is not genuine; life is just complicated. And it's fictional after all, so you can always interpret it as you want. Just make yourself happy.

So I guess I would be okay with an open ending where they have stuff to figure out and there's room for therapeutic fanfics, but a la la land ending would be disappointing (where they end up with someone else and the whole thing is just like Kristina said 'an unfortunate romance').

(in response to my question here)

[bluedalahorse]

Maybe I’ve said this before, I don’t know, but I know I discussed it with a lot of people in DMs…

When Kristina talks about having an Unfortunate Romance, I feel like the first place people’s brains go is that they want to see something directly parallel to Wilhelm and Simon—like a same-sex relationship, or a relationship with a working class person, or both. Which are both interesting angles! But there’s a lot of ways “Unfortunate” could go, even among guys who are slightly more her social class. Maybe the guy didn’t care for her and just wanted to be king, maybe he was a controlling jerk, maybe he was in university and took advantage of her being in high school, maybe it was a more casual romance that led to Kristina getting pregnant and needing an abortion that Kristina’s royal parents definitely didn’t want the press hearing about.

There’s honestly so much potential in each version of the story that it would make a good 5 + 1 fic. If only I had endless time to write such things…

[altruistic-meme]

Hope you haven't already got too many of these haha - but my (wrong) season 3 prediction is that seeing Wille and Simons relationship reminds Kristina of her unfortunate romance, she happens to run into them, has romcom style encounter and she ends up rekindling that relationship, has an affair, and divorces Ludvig leaving the monarchy in an even more perilous state.

i will never have too many of these dear sweet anon. im thriving. this is the best thing ive ever been a part of.

GIVE KRISTINA A FUNCTIONING HUSBAND 2K23 KSDHFKSDHFK

also what a character redemption, truly joining her son in "abolish the monarchy" and learning that true love is worth it!!!

[ young royals s3 predictions - wrong answers only ]

[levok]

do you it was august's dad who kristina have her unfortunate romance with...? she said she was close to him. or are they like related lol

Ehhh it would be very on brand with some cousincest in the royals family 💀💀 because to have august as the next in line, his dad must have been Kristina’s cousin.

[raincitygirl76]

Such a relatable moment from Kristina. I still don’t like her, or how she treats her son. But that “uh….okay” was comedy gold. She’s having a late meeting with her senior leadership team about Serious Matters, and suddenly her sixteen year old is ranting because his ex-boyfriend is on a date with a third party.

Although realistically, she should’ve braced herself for some kind of friction ahead when she answered Wilhelm’s call. He didn’t speak to her at all during Christmas break, and since returning to school, he’s been ignoring all her calls. If he’s phoning her all of a sudden, it’s probably not to suddenly forgive her and initiate a pleasant mother/son chat.

Nonetheless, her “Uh…okay” is hilarious. Braced for friction or not, she wasn’t expecting Wilhelm to open with that particular line. Also, there’s really nothing she can do to fix the situation. Even if she wanted to, which she doesn’t. Simon moving on with someone else is a good thing, from Kristina’s POV. Makes it more likely Wilhelm will lose interest in this “unfortunate romance” himself, and stop fighting royal expectations.

sorry this sent me

[frogprincesnowglobe]

Ultimate Young Royals Character Tournament Bonus Poll

August Horn of Årnäs vs Queen Kristina of Sweden

Poll idea from @atdawnweryd

What if Kristina and August had been paired in the main tournament?

August Horn of Årnäs: Third year student in Forest Ridge house at Hillerska boarding school. Second cousin to Wille and Erik. His dad Carl Johan Horn of Årnas was Queen Kristina's cousin. Very high strung. Grieving. Looks good in turtlenecks. Addicted to ADHD meds. Anxious. Exercises too much. Once ate a whole leaf of kale. He has his eye on the prize and that prize is climbing many rungs higher on the social ladder. Currently backup to Crown Prince Wilhelm. Was prefect but isn't now. Was Captain of the rowing team, also isn't now. Currently avoiding Crown Prince Wilhelm. Gets soft around Sara. Once patted a horse's nose. Once promised his loyalty to the crown and then took and leaked an explicit video of the Crown Prince and his boyfriend that he took through a window without their knowledge.

Queen Kristina of Sweden: Queen Kristina. Wille's Mother. Married to Ludvig. Once had an unfortunate romance. Definitely does not think her son knows what he's doing. She's a Queen, a mother, Kristina. One time her son had this totally awesome thing going with Simon but his second cousin August ruined it in the worst way, and Queen Kristina knew it was August all along and just...casually did not impart this info before encouraging her son to deny it was him in the video. Once had to deal with her Crown Prince son threatening to abdicate because Simon was on a date with another guy. Once had to hear about how Jan Olof won't let Simon sing his song. Also is totally tired of hearing about Simon.