#valois family drama

[12freddofrogs]

Post-canon oneshot; gen; a family discussion which does not end with any assassinations, which is potentially a new record

Tarvek dropped the pile of papers on top of Martellus’ desk, picking up the ink pot in the same gesture to avoid it spilling.

Martellus’s quill (because of course the man still used an actual feather quill; he was too theatrical to be practical and Tarvek couldn’t even mock him for it because Martellus absolutely knew about Tarvek’s own collection) paused in midair where he had been in the middle of working. “Good morning, cousin.”

“Good morning.”

“And what’s this?” Martellus took his ink pot back to rest his quill in it.

“You tell me.”

Martellus picked up the first page, flipped through the second, and then rolled his eyes. “Don’t be so suspicious.”

“I don’t know whether I’m more offended you thought a fake wall with such an obvious trigger was enough to keep it hidden, or that your newest plan to assassinate me involved framing Cousin Elias.”

“That shelf isn’t where I keep any actual secrets; it’s just meant to be a convenient place to keep things in reach.”

“Right, the real secret desk is attached to the third storeroom on the second level, with the switch at the eighth brick to the left.” Tarvek waved his hand dismissively, and was pleased to note the flicker of annoyance in Martellus’ face. Good. “That’s not my point. Elias is an idiot.”

“Which is why he makes an excellent scapegoat.”

“Hardly a believable one.”

“It’s not like I would want to sacrifice Uncle Kurt to the Heterodyne’s vengeance.” Martellus rolled his eyes and started rearranging his papers back into order. “I’m not currently planning to have you assassinated.”

Tarvek raised an eyebrow and gestured at the papers.

The thing was, Tarvek had willingly walked into the Refuge of Storms. He and Martellus needed to make some normal, ordinary negotiations about the current treaties, and Tarvek had agreed to go visit.  Martellus hadn’t actually tried anything in the year since they broke the time stop over Mechanicsburg, and although there had been the usual stream of assassins Tarvek was reasonably sure none had been from this specific cousin. They were almost getting along.

Well, the wine at dinner last night had been drugged, but to be fair Tarvek had also mixed his own poison into Martellus’s slice of an actually delightful cake. It would have been almost ruder not to have at least one poisoning. Neither had been a serious attempt.

Martellus sighed. “I’m concerned that you might have an actual accident one day.”

“Were you thinking an experiment gone wrong or perhaps a slip and fall down the stairs?”

“Either. Any. I’m not being euphemistic; I mean accident.”

Tarvek frowned. “What?”

“They happen sometimes.” Martellus spread his hands in exasperation. “Have you ever actually looked into Aunt Cathrin’s death?”

“Why bother? That was clearly Natalia’s —” Tarvek trailed off as he realised what Martellus was implying. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am.”

“You think her carriage genuinely just—”

“It has been known to happen.”

“But Natalia—”

“Genuinely mourned her.”

“You can mourn someone and still have them killed!” Tarvek protested. “She had the most to gain!”

“Firstly, the fact that someone else gained more doesn’t mean that the person with the second-most to gain couldn’t have done it,” Martellus said, infuriatingly condescending. “Or third, or just a petty grudge.”

“That I’ll concede, but—”

“And secondly, sometimes the carriage wheels are genuinely made badly, and a driver just happens to hit a pot hole at an unfortunate angle.”

It was indeed possible, but Tarvek was having trouble – although, Natalia had seemed genuinely distraught, and he remembered thinking at the time that he’d never considered her a good actress. Maybe he should send her a box of chocolates or something.

“But thank you for demonstrating my point so clearly.” Martellus tapped at the paper. “In our family honest accidents, as rare as they are, are not actually believed.”

“So you decided to frame my hypothetical, accidental death on Elias in order to—” Tarvek left the question open.

“I’m concerned that if you were to fall down the steps tomorrow, the Lady Heterodyne would methodically go through the family, one by one, removing organs and testing creative death rays, until she found someone she believed the culprit. And, unfortunately, I would be the top of the list.”

“Don’t be silly, cousin. It’s Wulfenbach who keeps torturers on his payroll, and unlike Agatha, his rooms remain in perfect working order,” Tarvek said, as if Agatha’s dungeons were not kept well prepared at all times. It wasn’t like she wanted it.

Martellus shook his head. “I’m sure between the two of them they would very successfully wipe out the entire Valois line.”

“Unlikely. Agatha likes Violetta.”

Martellus wrinkled his nose, probably irritated at the image of Violetta as the last surviving heir of the Storm King. Violetta would probably stab him for that, as if she also wouldn’t be horrified at the idea. Tarvek had once offered to help her figure out where she was in the line of inheritance, and she punched him enough times he’d burnt the calculations he’d already finished. Somewhere in the seven hundreds, although he hadn’t added the new children born since then.

The whole concept was amusing, but unrealistic. Despite everything Martellus had been around for, he’d never actually gotten to know Agatha – or maybe he understood she believed in justice, but Martellus himself didn’t fully understand what justice meant. If Tarvek died tomorrow, Agatha and Gil probably would go on a rampage to find who did it, but they wouldn’t kill anyone without proof.

He could explain that to Martellus, but Martellus having a vested interest in Tarvek staying alive was so much more useful.

“Don’t frame Elias. Aunt Henriette is a far more realistic choice.”

“Aunt Henriette has the subtlety of a rampaging construct with rayguns for arms; how is that more realistic?”

“Or, currently, the Countess of Mount Peuckert.”

“You can’t use this as an excuse to have your enemies dealt with post-mortem.”

“Why not? By definition my current enemies are the most likely to have me assassinated.” Tarvek smiled, mostly because he knew it would annoy Martellus, and turned to leave. “And I already sent a message to Agatha that you were planning to assassinate me and frame Cousin Elias, so I doubt he’s that believable anymore.”

“What?” Martellus stood up abruptly, barely catching his ink pot before it fell.

Tarvek plucked the quill from the desk for absolutely no reason other than Martellus couldn’t stop him. “I’ll go send her an update, shall I?”

“Yes. Now. Do that.”

Tarvek raised an eyebrow.

Martellus scowled. “Please.”

“Since you asked nicely.”

Martellus waited for Tarvek to leave the room before slamming his head against the back wall.

Tarvek, paused outside the door as was his usual habit, had to bite back the urge to laugh.

He really did need to write that letter. The Refuge of Storms was close to Mechanicsburg, and it would take no time at all for a horde of Jägermonsters to arrive. Tempting as it was to let them get close enough for Martellus to see, that seemed more likely to terrify the castle staff.  Not to mention it would waste Agatha’s time.

Although it was nice to consider that next time Martellus started testing the boundaries or generally being obnoxious, Tarvek merely needed to fake his own death. He’d tell Agatha and Gil first, of course, they’d never forgive him if he didn’t, but they would love the chance to act the avenger. Martellus would realise it soon enough, but the lie didn’t need to last to give Martellus nightmares. If Tarvek planned it well enough, he could probably get one of his spies in the same room when Martellus heard the rumour to get a picture. Maybe come up with some excuse for it to be Violetta, she deserved it. Though she might prefer to stay with Agatha so she could help with the potential threatening. Tarvek could workshop it later.

[leletha-jann]

Headcanon to no particular purpose:

Mechanicsburg loves its visual, musical, and performance arts about as much as it loves its explosions and monsters and mayhem (the former often involves the latter anyway).

IN THE FUTURE, Agatha makes it known that she is happy to commission new works for the entertainment of her people (monsters and all) - on one condition:

it may not involve her family in any way.

She is...nonspecific about exactly who this includes.

Her immediate family, of course. No half-disguised Triumvirate romance operas will be tolerated in Mechanicsburg, and certainly not paid for by the Lady.

THE family, almost certainly. No historical stage retrospectives about the Heterodynes (Mechanicsburg has their own).

But...where does it stop? Can they put on dramas about fictional characters during recent history? What if they don't mention the Wulfenbach Empire specifically? What about the Queens of Skifander? How many degrees removed from Tarvek do you have to get before you can mention the Valois dynasty - or any of the Fifty Families they're related to...which is all of them? Is this artist really really really sure their subject wasn't involved with the Heterodynes in some way?

...Agatha is also nonspecific about what the consequences will be, and is kind of looking forward to finding out.

Mechanicsburg becomes the place to be for sci-fi and fantasy.

Paris gets all the historical shows and political farces, and tends to be the first stop for performers traveling from elsewhere in the World.

(Elsewhere, Heterodyne shows like Master Payne's circus are still going strong and writing new plays as fast as they can keep up. But it's understood that bringing them to Mechanicsburg isn't worth the audience, which will stand up and argue with the actors in real time in defense of their Lady, her consorts, and the rest of her family.)

[ardenrosegarden]

Now that the Histories Ficathon is over I'm making good on my threat/promise... please assign the Lancasterlings (and their spouses, if you want) a prehistoric creature to go alongside Thomasaurus Rex.

yes...haha yes! 😈

this got long so under the cut:

Henry V:

Okay hear me out- we keep keep the swan theme and connection to Mary and her family as strong, tight throughline also I love the idea of Hal beating up people aggressive-swan-style. But- hear me out- bigger. So I'm thinking the giant Pleistocene swan Cygnus falconeri. It's a beautiful morning in France, and you are a horrible swan.

Artist: Sergio Gauci

Given Henry VI may have gotten his panther badge from his mom, may I also propose for Catherine de Valois the Eurasian extinct giant cheetah species Acinonyx pardinensis?

Artist: Velizar Simeonovski

Thomas, Duke of Clarence:

Obviously a T. rex, but I'm gonna stick this bit in from Brusatte's The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs to show how perfect that choice is 🤌✨

I admittedly know very little about Margaret Holland, but I was kind of compelled by how her children from her first marriage were kept in her and Thomas' household...that and Margaret wanting her book of hours to prepare her to "always be redy to dye," reminds me of the oviraptorid fossil that died and was preserved in position of protecting its eggs. Something about that as a parallel to her being buried alongside both her husbands too....

Artist: Zhao Chuang

John, Duke of Bedford:

Maybe it's because he himself seemed constantly stressed and running around doing some sort of assignment, and in the plays it's sometimes played as if he dies from sheer exhaustion, but I kind of like the idea of a beardog like Ischyrocyon or Amphicyon. The beardogs were famously generalists in hunting and in both of the above genera, it's hypothesized they may have been persistence hunters.

Also voting for Anne of Burgundy as an alvarezsauroid like Mononykus or Shuvuuia, which have been compared to nocturnal avian hunters like owls 🤎🤍

Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester:

So a guy having a pretty productive relationship to his family (not perfect, but pretty good compared to others I could name...) trying his best to be an actual protector of his relative's kid, having a lot of relationship drama, and also getting into spats with people reads as very ceratopsian to me lmao. To de-fang him a just a little, I'm going with Kosmoceratops. Those folded horns on the top edge of the frill and side-facing brow horns probably aren't going to help you that much at Agincourt, but I'm sure that pretty lady from Cobham thinks they're fire 👍

Artist: Lukas Panzarin

Speaking of: I like the idea of Eleanor of Cobham maybe being assigned with some sort of plesiosaur? Sort of bridging the siren to mermaid to modern creature of our mythical imagination Nessie pipeline :)

Artist: James Kuether

For Jacoba, Smilodon. They're smart and fierce so fitting. Also what she deserves ❤️‍🔥

Artist: Mehdi Nikbakhsh

Blanche:

Unfortunately I couldn't find a whole lot on her, but that sort of elusive energy kind of reminds me of Coelurus fragilis, a possible Jurassic relative of the tyrannosaurs, but not much is known about their evolution or ecology. That and it being a more gracile and swift-footed creature kind of has Blanche vibes to me 🤍

Artist: Nobu Tamura

Ludwig deserves nothing and gets nothing bye

Philippa, Queen of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway:

I know in the fic poor Philippa seems pretty freaked out by Thomasaurus' size, but I'm partial to her being a big death lizard too– maybe like those coming-of-age mermaid stories but she's...bigger and teeth-ier 😅. For a similar reason to seeing what Thomas would do at Baugé, I'd like to see Philippa defend Copenhagen as a Mosasaurus hoffmannii. Let's see the Hanseatic League try to get past THIS 🫡 min dronning 🫡

I like the idea of Erik also being associated with something aquatic though maybe not as intimidating as Philippa...maybe an early whale relative like Dorudon?

Artist: David Arruda Mourao

[christianlep]

Blog 12- 2/12

Reading Rose of Versailles was a fun experience, providing a dramatic and romanticized rendition of the historic account of Marie Antoinette through shōjo. There are many elements that make up this manga, but I believe the most intriguing was its commentary upon monarchical society and the harsh reality that it developed a zeitgeist of shallowness and lust for power, and that the “untouchable” people at the top were often only so simply because of their lineage, not their prowess, and were pretty much average people. We see that Marie Antoinette, married off at fourteen to Prince Louis, is bound to become the queen of France someday, but given that she's simply a child, doesn’t understand the gravity of her responsibilities. We see this throughout the Rose of Versailles, in which she quickly disregards what her mother tells her about her studies and instead is more interested with her reputation and having fun with her elevated status, such as worrying about conceding to Madame Dubarry and talking to her because she was a prostitute. Later when she becomes queen (at nineteen), she is quick to utilize her power out of ignorance and selfishness, promoting people left and right despite not knowing them, and spending money on lavish dresses and other projects, despite France’s tight economy at the time. This portrayal highlights the notion that those of nobility were oftentimes not fit to rule or hold positions of power, and that the abstract concept of certain lineages holding more intrinsic authority and capabilities than others was a flawed one.

We see that this system also bred a shallow society, in which people only thought of achieving a respectable status, as that meant more power and influence upon others without repercussions (Perfectly exemplified by the scene where the prince was able to shoot a little boy in front of everyone and still dine with the queen). There are numerous examples strewn in the Rose of Versailles, such as Jeanne Valois renouncing her family and even going as far as killing anyone (even her sister if she didn’t leave) in her way on her journey within the kingdom’s court. We also see that within the court, the discussions being had weren’t about the future of France or other important matters, but instead about the drama and gossip within the kingdom; who’s side people were on, affairs, etc. This shines a light on the fact that monarchies consisted of a lot of internal politics too, with many putting on facades and acting with their own interests and reputation in mind, rather than the interest of the nation. We can see that this influence trickled down into the general populace, with many of the women only dreaming that they could switch places with Marie Antoinette and have her lavish lifestyle, with many selling their own estate and assets to afford fancy dresses and jewelry to convey (emphasis on convey) status and influence aligned with that of the queen.

I’m writing a lot but I wanted to briefly mention that the other elements I noticed were discussions on the idea of masculinity and sexuality, obviously in reference to Oscar, in which she carries out her duties as a guard, which was associated strictly as a man’s role, and does a better job then men. Many also seemingly question their sexual identities as they interact with Oscar, who many view as a beautiful man, and are still enticed once finding out that she’s a female. Finally I think the overall aesthetics fit with this particular subject matter, in which the beauty and shininess of everything rules the page, playing on the historic recounts of nobility being portrayed as elegant, beautiful and decorated with lavish silk and jewelry, or on all accounts, perfect.

[dynastymusesarch]

now you're just a page torn from the story I'm building  

selective, mutuals only indie rp blog. i am over 25, so anyone under 21, i prefer not to interact with 

all I gave you is gone tumbled like it was stone

canon divergant pirate based colin bridgerton @pirtecolin edits blog @dynastymusesedits resources such as gifhunts, psds, and templates blog: @dynastymusesresources

thought we built a dynasty that heaven couldn't shake

as such all muses are over 18 (some have been aged up) 

thought we built a dynasty like nothing ever made

i am very open to crossovers, as well as oc’s, but plotting must be done.  if i am not following you, please do not send me in character memes. i am mutual only! 

thought we built a dynasty forever couldn't break up  

fandoms include: bridgerton, various period drama, star wars, lord of the rings/rings of power, wheel of time, shadow&bone/gisha verse. 

It all fell down, it all fell down, it all fell down 

all of my characters as of now (🍊 is high muse) (🌊muses i want plots for) (🧁new muses) starter calls

Bridgerton Verse

anthony bridgerton 🍊

benedict bridgerton 🌊

colin bridgerton🍊

daphne bridgerton🌊

francesca bridgerton🌊

gregory bridgerton🍊

penelope featherington🍊🌊

philip crane🍊🌊

michael sterling🍊

brimsley🌊🧁

sophie beckett🌊

kate sharma🍊

gareth st.clair🍊

prince freidrich hohenzollern🍊🌊

king george freidrick 🍊

lady agatha danbury🌊🧁

queen charlotte of mecklenburg-strelitz 🍊🌊🧁

felicity featherington🌊🧁

posy reiling🌊🧁

shadow&bone/grishaverse

alina starkov 🍊🌊

kaz brekker🍊🌊

inej ghafa🌊

nina zenik🌊

wylan van eck🌊

genya safin🌊🧁

nikolai lanstov🌊

tolya yul bataar🌊🧁

matthais helvar🌊

lord of the rings/rings of power

galadriel🍊

elrond🌊🧁

bronwyn🌊🧁

aragorn🌊🧁

samwise gamgee🌊🧁

wheel of time

rand al’thor🍊🌊

lan mandragoran🍊🌊

siuan sanche🍊

egwene al'vere🍊

elayne trakand🍊

Star Wars

luke skywalker🍊🌊

qui gon jinn🌊

obi wan kenobi🍊🌊

padme amidala🍊🌊

finn🌊

poe dameron🌊🧁

han solo🌊

the musketeers

d’artagnan 🍊

athos

aramis

queen anne of austria🌊

Marvel

Yelena Belova

Kate Bishop

Tandy bowen

Karolina Dean 🍊

Marcos Diaz 🍊

Esme Frost 🍊

John Proudstar🌊

Chase Stein 🍊

Scott Summers 🍊

Charles Xavier🌊

Jennifer Walters

Sersi 🍊

DCEU

Barry Allen 🍊

Beth Chapel🌊

Barbara Gordon 🍊

Dick Grayson🍊

Mary Hamliton 🍊

Virgil Hawkins 🍊

Pamela "Poisin Ivy" Isley 🍊

Kate Kane🌊

Clark Kent 🍊

jenny kord🌊🧁

Selina Kyle 🍊

Dinah Lance 🍊

Gar Logan🍊

M'gann M'orroz 🍊

Tommy Merlyn🌊

Sophie Moore🌊

Yolanda Montez

James Olsen 🍊

Anissa Pierce🌊

milagro reyes🌊🧁

Donna Troy 🍊🧁

Bruce Wayne🍊

Courtney whitmore  🌊

Jinx🌊

Komand'r🌊

TVD Verse

Marcel Gerald 🍊

Elena Gilbert 🍊

Jeremy Gilbert🌊

Tyler Lockwood🌊

Elijah Mikealson 🍊

Hope Mikealson🌊

Lizzie Saltzman 🍊🌊

Shadowhunters

Magnus Bane 🍊🌊

Clary Fray 🍊🌊

Simon Lewis🌊🧁

Alec Lightwood🌊

Fate:The Winx Saga

Terra Harvey🌊

Bloom Peters 🍊🌊

Flora🌊

Musa🌊

Riven🌊

Sky🌊

Stella🌊

Narnia

Edmund Pevensie 🍊🌊

Lucy Pevensie🍊🌊

Peter Pevensie🌊🧁

Jill Pole🌊

Eustance Clarence Scrubb🌊

the umbrella acaddemy

Deigo Hargreeves🌊

Five Hargreeves 🍊🌊

Klaus Hargreeves 🌊

Sloane Hargreeves 🍊🌊

Lila Pitts🌊

one tree hill

Julian Baker

Jake Jagelski

Nathan Scott 🍊

Clay Evans

Degrassi

Sav Bhandari 🌊

Fiona Coyne🌊

Clare Edwards 🍊🌊

Jake Martin🌊

Drew Torres🌊

Wednesday/Addams Family

Wednesday Addams🌊

Enid Sinclair

what we do in the shadows

colin robinson 🌊🧁

Guillermo de la Cruz🌊🧁

nadja of antipaxos🌊🧁

lazslo cravensworth 🌊🧁

nandor the relentless 🌊 🧁

the boys/gen v

hughie campbell🌊🧁

annie january / starlight 🌊🧁

other period drama muses

francis valois (reign with some historical influences) 🍊

Sebastian de poitiers (reign)

charlotte heywood (sanditon)🌊

lord babington (sanditon)🌊

young stringer (sandtiton)🌊

tom jones (tom jones 2023)🌊

henry tudor (7th) (the white queen/the white princess/the spainsh princess with some historical influences) 🍊

richard plantagent  (the white queen with some historical influences)🍊

elizabeth woodville (the white queen/the white princess with some historical influences)

anne shirley cuthbert (anne with an e) 

marie antoinette( marie antoinette (itv/pbs 2023) with some historical influences) 🍊

(king) louis bourbon (16th) ( marie antoinette (itv/pbs 2023) with some historical influences) 🍊

captain henry ossroy  (mr malcom’s list)🌊

selina dalton  (mr malcom’s list)🌊

dido elizabeth belle (belle 2013)🌊🧁

camlia dunne (daisy jones&the six) 🌊🧁

tim laughlin (fellow travelers) 🌊🧁

Other Scifi/Fantasy

Lucy Caryle- Lockwood&Co🌊

Anthony Lockwood-Lockwood&Co🌊

Wendy Darling-Peter Pan/Disney 🍊🌊

Elinor Fairmont-First Kill🌊🧁

Juliette Fairmont-First Kill🌊

Kat Harvey-Casper🌊

Harvey Kinkle-Sabrina The Teenage Witch/Archie comics🌊

Wyatt Logan-Timeless🌊

Arthur Pendragon-Merlin🌊

Scott mccall-teen wolf 🌊

david nolan/prince charming-once upon a time 🌊🧁

graham humbert/the huntsman-once upon a time 🌊🧁

mary margret blanchard/snow white-once upon a time 🌊🧁

other medias

Alexander Clearmond Diaz-red, white, & royal🌊

Clare Devlin-Derry Girls🌊

Gregory Eddie-Abbott Elementary🌊

Jim Halpert-The Office🌊

Ben Wyatt-Parks and Recreation 🌊

Lacey Porter-Twisted🌊

Janine Teagues-Abbott Elementary🌊

Henry Stuart Fox -red, white, & royal🌊

Glimmer-She Ra🌊

Rapunzel (various media)🌊🧁

Haley Dunphy (modern family)🌊🧁

Alex Dunphy (modern family) 🌊🧁

original characters

elisabeth barlowe 🍊🌊🧁

jacquetta covington 🍊🌊🧁

maxwell danbury 🍊🌊🧁

[allerod]

watching succession with my mother like this has Nothing on valois family drama 😒

[tigermousse]

The Confines of Crown

genres: otome, romance, drama, mystery, fantasy

Romance, intrigue, action…and sparkles?

When I first played this game almost 10 years ago, it was called A Royal Trap. Then, I loved it, but at that time there weren't so many good visual novels in English. So I decided to check if I would like it so much now, after dozens of novels I've read since then. I've re-read it again - and I still think that it is one of my favorite otome visual novels!

The storytelling is great, there is enough court intrigue, drama and romance to keep you entertained through every route. Also I like that the longer boxes of text and battle is presented in NVL boxes, so it is much easier to read or skip if you have seen this text in other routes. Even the soundtrack is memorable.

First four chapters are the same for every characters and after this path is branching on four different possible route if you succeeded in building trust with one of the suitors. Each path is about 2-2,5 hours long.

The game takes part in the made-up kingdom of Gwellinor, there is no actual fantasy, except some brief mentioning. It is mostly about mystery, court intrigue, building alliances, learning secrets, and romance your allies.

The game starts as Prince Oscar and his companion Madeline Valois (MC) arrive to the palace of Gwellinor for the celebration of 18th birthday of sweet Princess Cassidy. Princess Cassidy's parents are overprotective, so the life of princess was pretty sheltered. She wasn't allowed even to play with her brother Callum, let alone to meet other men. But now she is ready to met the first bunch of her suitors and maybe find true love.

But after the first dance on the Ball, it appears that the princess is missing - and Oscar was the last one to be seen with her.

CHARACTERS:

MC Madeline Valois

Madeline Valois is a youngest daughter of a noble family, therefore her destiny since birth should have been in the shadow of the older sister, but in early childhood she befriended younger Prince Oscar and became his valet and a close friend. Now Oscar is 18 and soon may be engaged and wedded, so Maddie has to contemplate other options for her future.

Madeline is truly wonderful protagonist: she is strong, clever, funny, independent, resourceful, sensible, and still very passionate. She loves to be right in every situation. This young woman is skillful both with her blades and with her tongue. She is loyal to her prince and trained to protect him and his reputation by all means. Despite her circumstances, she doesn't fall behind the men, but takes part in every plan and moving the story.

My rating: 5/5 [one of the best otome MCs]

Alliances (MINOR SPOILERS):

Each route reveals part of the mystery and only one is revealing the whole backstory. I think that the right order of playing would be

Oscar->Gaston->Nazagi->Callum.

Prince Oscar of Osendawyr

Despite being her master, Oscar is Madeline's best friend. Also he's deeply in love with her. But being the youngest daughter of a noble, therefore having nothing, she can not dream of marrying him even if it is his wish.

Also it seems that princess Cassidy is taking a liking in him.

He's several years younger than Maddie, but he doesn't like to be treated as such, despite that he is still a little naїve. He certainly lacks sophistication, however he is still noble and chivalrous. Oscar is charming, funny, talkative and writes awful poetry, but also he is caring and protective of people he like.

Oscar's route is pretty sweet and I like how brave and confident he is despite his childish demeanor.

My rating: 5/5

Prince Gaston of Bardowen

Gaston is a melodramatic man with a flamboyant area and dazzling personality. But it really doesn't matter, he's so deeply in love with Princess Cassidy that you can't romance him. Who will you romance - you will discover only if you will choose this alliance. The route is not what you were expecting and doesn't reveal much of story, but Gaston's devotion to princess is definitely worthy of respect.

My rating: 3,5/5

Prince Nazagi of Asineth

Nazagi is basically the opposite of Oscar. He is refined, sophisticated, cold-hearted and cunning with a reputation of a cruel man. Also he is an expert of secret arts and technologies of his far-away land. If you want to step on his route, have to learn his secret, which he is ridiculously ashamed of (he wears glasses).

His route is not very romantic, and the methods of Nazagi are questionable. He carries intrigue, changing allies and goals. People are nothing more for him than tools. But the wisdom of Madeline won't pass unnoticed by him. His best ending still feels bittersweet, not a fairy tale ending, but what else can you expect from an Ice Prince?

My rating: 4,5/5

Prince Callum of Gwellynor

Callum is the youngest living son of the King of Gwellinor. He is a loner with grumpy attitude and feels himself more confident with a sword than in the ballroom. Still he is honest, caring and passionate. He has an unusual hobby of tinkering clockwork mechanisms.

As in a typical tsundere scenario, Madeline and Callum doesn't start on a good terms, since he crashed in her room and threaten her and Oscar…but as they spend more time together, they're starting to develop feelings to each other. Talking, they found that at least they have a lot in common. Callum is fascinated by Madeline. But is she in love with him?

Angst, chemistry and passion overflow in this route. This is the most romantic aliance and the one that reveals the whole truth.

My rating 5/5

Dolores

Madeline meets Dolores early in the game. She's a page in a castle, though she looks too old to be a page, also despite being quick-witted and cunning, Dolores probably isn't of noble origin. But why she hates nobles and her work so much? What else can she wish for herself?

Alliance with Dolores is a side route in alliance with another character. it is not a romantic one, but I took a liking in her. I fully understand her lounging for freedom.

My rating: 5/5

Overall:

Visual: 5/5

Story: 5/5

Characters: 5/5

Romance: 4,5/5

Originality: 4/5

My Rating: 5/5

[dynastymusesarchive]

now you're just a page torn from the story I'm building  

this blog (for now) is period drama/fantasy muses, since they are all i have muse for. i may return to my old blog of  @beautifulnigtmare i may bring all muses here 

all I gave you is gone tumbled like it was stone

i am over 25, so anyone under 21, i prefer not to interact with 

thought we built a dynasty that heaven couldn't shake

as such all muses are over 18 (some have been aged up) 

thought we built a dynasty like nothing ever made

i am very open to crossovers, as well as oc’s, but plotting must be done.  if i am not following you, please do not send me in character memes. i am mutual only! 

thought we built a dynasty forever couldn't break up  

fandoms include: bridgerton, various period drama, star wars, lord of the rings/rings of power, wheel of time, shadow&bone/gisha verse. 

It all fell down, it all fell down, it all fell down 

all of my characters as of now (* is high muse)  (**muses i want plots for) (***new muses) starter calls

Bridgerton Verse

anthony bridgerton *

benedict bridgerton *

colin bridgerton *

daphne bridgerton **

francesca bridgerton **

gregory bridgerton **

philip crane **

michael sterling *

brimsley ***

sophie beckett *

kate sharma *

prince freidrich hohenzollern *

king george freidrick *

lady agatha danbury ***

queen charlotte of mecklenburg-strelitz***

felicity featherington***

posy reiling***

shadow&bone/grishaverse

alina starkov *

kaz brekker *

inej ghafa *

nina zenik **

wylan van eck *

genya safin ***

nikolai lanstov **

tolya yul bataar **

matthais helvar **

lord of the rings/rings of power

galadriel **

elrond **

bronwyn **

aragorn **

samwise gamgee **

wheel of time

rand al’thor   **

lan mandragoran*  

Star Wars

luke skywalker*

qui gon jinn **

obi wan kenobi*

padme amidala **

finn **

poe dameron **

han solo **

the musketeers

d’artagnan*

athos **

aramis **

queen anne of austria **

Marvel

Yelena Belova **

Kate Bishop **

Karolina Dean **

Marcos Diaz **

Esme Frost **

John Proudstar **

Chase Stein *

Scott Summers *

Charles Xavier **

Jennifer Walters **

Sersi *

DCEU

Barry Allen*

Beth Chapel **

Barbara Gordon **

Dick Grayson *

Mary Hamliton **

Virgil Hawkins **

Pamela "Poisin Ivy" Isley *

Kate Kane **

Clark Kent*

Selina Kyle *

Dinah Lance *

Gar Logan **

M'gann M'orroz **

Tommy Merlyn **

Sophie Moore **

James Olsen **

Anissa Pierce **

Bruce Wayne **

Jinx **

Komand'r **

TVD Verse

Marcel Gerald **

Elena Gilbert *

Jeremy Gilbert **

Tyler Lockwood **

Elijah Mikealson *

Hope Mikealson **

Lizzie Saltzman *

Shadowhunters

Magnus Bane *

Clary Fray *

Simon Lewis **

Alec Lightwood **

Fate:The Winx Saga

Terra Harvey **

Bloom Peters*

Flora **

Musa **

Riven **

Sky **

Stella *

Narnia

Edmund Pevensie *

Lucy Pevensie *

Peter Pevensie **

Jill Pole **

Eustance Clarence Scrubb **

the umbrella acaddemy

Deigo Hargreeves *

Five Hargreeves *

Klaus Hargreeves *

Sloane Hargreeves *

Lila Pitts **

one tree hill

Julian Baker *

Jake Jagelski *

Nathan Scott *

Degrassi

Sav Bhandari

Fiona Coyne

Clare Edwards *

Jake Martin

Drew Torres

Wednesday/Addams Family

Wednesday Addams

Enid Sinclair *

other period drama muses

francis valois (reign with some historical influences) *

Sebastian de poitiers (reign)

charlotte heywood (sanditon)

lord babington (sanditon)

young stringer (sandtiton)

tom jones (tom jones 2023)

henry tudor (7th) (the white queen/the white princess/the spainsh princess with some historical influences) *

richard plantagent  (the white queen with some historical influences) *

elizabeth woodville (the white queen/the white princess with some historical influences)

anne shirley cuthbert (anne with an e)  

marie antoinette( marie antoinette (itv/pbs 2023) with some historical influences)*

(king) louis bourbon (16th) ( marie antoinette (itv/pbs 2023) with some historical influences) *

captain henry ossroy  (mr malcom’s list)

selina dalton  (mr malcom’s list

Other Scifi/Fantasy

Lucy Caryle- Lockwood&Co **

Anthony Lockwood-Lockwood&Co **

Wendy Darling-Peter Pan/Disney *

Elinor Fairmont-First Kill **

Juliette Fairmont-First Kill **

Kat Harvey-Casper **

Harvey Kinkle-Sabrina The Teenage Witch/Archie comics **

Wyatt Logan-Timeless **

Arthur Pendragon-Merlin **

other medias

Alexander Clearmond Diaz-red, white, & royal ***

Clare Devlin-Derry Girls **

Gregory Eddie-Abbott Elementary **

Jim Halpert-The Office **

Lacey Porter-Twisted

Janine Teagues **

Henry Stuart Fox -red, white, & royal ***

Glimmer-She Ra

[wakamotogarou]

Terence James Stannus Gray, better known by the pen name Wei Wu Wei, was a 20th-century Taoist philosopher and writer. Terence James Stannus Gray was born in Felixstowe, Suffolk, England on 14 September 1895, the son of Harold Stannus Gray and a member of a well-established Irish family. He was raised on an estate at the Gog-Magog Hills outside Cambridge, England. He received a thorough education at Ascham St Vincent's School, Eastbourne, Eton and Oxford University. Early in life he pursued an interest in Egyptology which culminated in the publication of two books on ancient Egyptian history and culture in 1923. This was followed by a period of involvement in the arts in Britain in the 1920s and 1930s as a theorist, theatrical producer, creator of radical "dance-dramas", publisher of several related magazines and author of two related books. He was a major influence on many noted dramatists, poets and dancers of the day, including his cousin Ninette de Valois, founder of the Royal Ballet (which in fact had its origins in his own dance troupe at the Cambridge Festival Theatre which he leased from 1926 to 1933). He maintained his family's racehorses in England and Ireland and in 1957 his horse Zarathrustra won the Ascot Gold Cup, ridden by renowned jockey Lester Piggott in the first of his eleven wins of that race. After he had apparently exhausted his interest in the theatre, his thoughts turned towards philosophy and metaphysics. This led to a period of travel throughout Asia, including time spent at Sri Ramana Maharshi's ashram in Tiruvannamalai, India. In 1958, at the age of 63, he saw the first of the "Wei Wu Wei" titles published. The next 16 years saw the appearance of seven subsequent books, including his final work under the further pseudonym "O.O.O." in 1974. During most of this later period he maintained a residence with his wife Natalia Bagration-Imeretinsky in Monaco. He is believed to have known, among others, Lama Anagarika Govinda, Dr. Hubert Benoit, John Blofeld, Douglas Harding, Robert Linssen, Arthur Osborne, Robert Powell and Dr. D. T. Suzuki. He died in 1986 at the age of 90. Wei Wu Wei's influence, while never widespread, has been profound upon many of those who knew him personally, upon those with whom he corresponded, among them British mathematician and author G. Spencer-Brown and Galen Sharp, as well as upon many who have read his works, including Ramesh Balsekar. It is apparent from his writings that "Wei Wu Wei" had studied in some depth both Eastern and Western philosophy and metaphysics, as well as the more esoteric teachings of all the great religions. It can also be understood from the writings that he regarded himself as merely one of many seeking so-called "liberation", the works themselves being seen in part as a record of this quest.

[autisticandroids]

Oh patron saint of mpreg, tell us, what is the absolute gold standard canon divergent mpreg scenario with Cas and Dean?

so for me the gold standard is for cas to get pregnant due to some kind of magical or metaphysical situation that dean at least does not perceive as sex. bonus points is cas is hesitant about it but refuses to explain why (because he doesn't know how dean will deal with the concept of himself being able to potentially get cas pregnant), so dean is like "we're doing it anyway" and then they do it and then cas doesn't tell anyone that he is pregnant until circumstances force the information out of him. and then dean has to deal with the fact that 1) cas can get pregnant, 2) cas is pregnant, 3) it's his, and he does so pretty poorly.

the rest is under a cut because this post is over 2.5k words long.

my favorite times for this to happen are at the end of season nine, just before dean dies and gets demonized in do you believe in miracles, and at the start of season twelve, just before sam and dean go to jail, because the pining in both those scenarios is delicious but it is so much more powerful if cas is also pregnant, and never even told dean. double points if the truth somehow comes out while they're separated so when dean comes back it's like. yeah cas is pregnant. it's yours. welcome home dean now you have to coddle cas' emotions because he thought he would have to raise your baby alone.

the season twelve scenario is particularly delicious because 1) we can have lucifer slut shaming cas in front of crowley in rock never dies, so crowley knows before dean, and 2) much more importantly, mary is there, and i am obsessed with like. okay. several things.

- the idea of mary getting all baby fever because she misses her boys and this is like. a baby she can take care of because she never got to take care of sam

- the idea of dean working through some of his parentification trauma by coparenting a child with the parent whose place he felt he had to take

- the idea of mary coming in and projecting her insane 1980s gender roles all over cas, suddenly treating him like a woman, stripping him of agency, etc. and like. dean would also do this even though he's not from the eighties, but mary would do it double strength, and they would reinforce each other, it would be a nightmare

- also mary trying to relate to cas on the Travails Of Motherhood etc. and cas being like ?????????? like i cannot stress enough that the weird gender roles she projects onto cas are also standards that she held herself to back when she was a Wife And Mother. while cas is like mary i am not a human woman and also i don't see what "having to look pretty for my man when i'm all baby bloaty" has to do with anything. that's not something i feel like i have to do

oh and 3) could you imagine lily sunder has some regrets if cas was pregnant? unfathomable episode. like ishim and mirabel's reaction but ALSO lily's. and it would fix the number one issue i have with lily sunder, which is that the resolution of the moral dilemma is "well AKSHUALLY the kid was human and not a nephilim so killing it was bad" rather than "it was bad to kill lily's baby, full stop." like ishim's cover up and using the machinery of power to manipulate the truth is very compelling, but the fact that it results in the moral essentially being "it would have been okay if the kid had been a nephilim" suuuuuucks.

basically, there's a reason i have two entire mpreg aus set in season twelve.

and then the delicious part in the season nine version is like. one, dean is away for much longer and he could be anywhere. also he's a demon and he's cheating on cas with crowley. and then even when cas gets him back he's still cursed with the mark, so we can get all weepy over that. you know. i'm the one who's going to have to watch you murder the world and i'm eight months pregnant. etc etc.

but the other thing that's juicy about this version is that cas is still semi-involved with the other angels at this point, like he's roadtripping around with hannah and they're trying to get heaven under control, so carrying a nephil is going to really affect those relationships. so he's going to be probably disliked by the other angels, and there are MANY opportunities for slut-shaming, but at the same time, the other "outcast" type angels might respect him for violating heaven's dictates.

and then of course there's his grace vampirism victorian wasting disease. in canon he's perfectly happy to let himself die, but if he were having dean's baby he would absolutely not do that, that's dean's baby he's endangering there. so of course there's the terrible guilt of having to kill other angels so he can live, plus potentially preparing to die shortly after childbirth so he doesn't have to keep killing. delicious.

and on top of all this cas can get slutshamed by metatron in, depending on when exactly he gets knocked up, meta fiction, stairway to heaven, and do you believe in miracles. plus stairway to heaven would be insane like all the angels would know that cas is pregnant. they would see it in his grace. like cas' angel army would just. know that he was pregnant with a nephil, and have to accept that because he's their leader. in love with humanity indeed.

i'm trying to think of other good times for this drama with cas getting secretly pregnant through a nonsexual interaction to take place. it would be great in season six. like: he's doing a blasphemy with his body but at the same time he's this big important rebel leader so they can't say shit about him, and also he's pregnant while fighting these big important battles (fun and sexy), AND this is like, hot on the heels of the realization that something about his feelings for dean is untoward, expands beyond the bounds of ordinary friendship and camaraderie. like he realizes that, and maybe even that he has sexual feelings for dean, and then he gets immediately knocked up. stunning.

it would ALSO be extremely fun for it to be some kind of... i don't know, magical longer gestation times, whatever, but for cas to have gotten pregnant sometime in s5 and only realized during the Year Of Lisa. LOVE to watch a man rake leaves while both metaphorically carrying the taint of taboo sexual feelings for him and literally carrying his child.

but the thing about season six is, first of all, cas isn't really... envisioning a future with dean. not the way he does in the later seasons. like does he fantasize about a future with dean? yes. like. he really did watch that motherfucker rake leaves. but it's only fantasy. he expected to never speak to dean again after swan song until dean prayed to him in the third man. he's obsessed with dean, but it's distant. remote.

like, we talk about cas babytrapping dean in the later seasons with jack, and he absolutely does, and he would do it even more if dean got him literally pregnant, but that babytrap is about... how do i put this. it's about winning dean's affection. late seasons cas knows that he's going to die by dean's side. the difference that babytrapping dean makes is that maybe it will get dean to be nice to him in the mean time, instead of discarding him like so much toilet paper.

but season six cas doesn't think of it like that. if he were gonna babytrap dean, it would be in the more traditional sense of forcing dean to stay with him in order to raise their child together. and he would never do that. he wants dean to have a happy future, which in his mind does not include him. like, compare here "he's retired and he's to stay that way" in the man who would be king, where cas assumes that dean is happy without him and expects him to live out his days peacefully without ever seeing him again, to "i'm the one who's going to have to watch you murder the world" in the prisoner, where cas assumes that he will be by dean's side for centuries.

but anyway, the other, much more important problem with season six is that cas has a war to fight. like, in the later seasons, cas really has nothing. even when he's on tenuous good terms with the angels, he doesn't really have a home with them. the winchesters are his family, and he'd give up anything for them. he has nothing in his life. he's at rock bottom, and this becomes truer the further along you go. late seasons cas has nothing he would prioritize over serving the winchesters, and he would be happy dropping anything he was involved in to have and raise dean's baby. parenting would give him a purpose that he no longer has, because everything else has been stripped from him.

but in season six cas has a life outside of them. like yes, he has a war to fight, but he also has a place in heaven, with the other angels. he belongs somewhere, he has solid connections to the outside world. even if he didn't have a war to fight, i don't know how excited he would be to have and raise a baby (even dean's baby) because he simply has other things he could be doing. he's involved in the world beyond the winchesters.

like, the reason cas wants to be a parent is that he is totally alone and totally purposeless. having a child gives him both a reason for being and someone who will always love him and who he can care for. if he doesn't have that hole in his life he might not be so eager to fill it with a baby.

for all these reasons, this plotline really doesn't work in season six, because you simply cannot justify cas not getting an abortion, unless you do something nasty like make angel abortion impossible, which i don't love.

you COULD somehow put the impregnation just at the end of season six, maybe just before the man who would be king, such that cas doesn't realize he's pregnant until he's already godstiel. you guys are unfortunately very aware of how obsessed i am with pregnant godstiel.

actually, @jeanne-de-valois has a concept of like. a single, madness fueled midnight hookup immediately pre-tmwwbk (or maybe even during, but prior to the superman mistake), where cas is simultaneously so stressed from being stretched so thin from the war and the lying and the shady dealings, and so high on being The Big Man In Heaven, that he's bold and out of his mind enough to actually come onto dean, like he just appears one night in dean's bedroom and is like, fuck me, and dean is like 👁👄👁 okay. so they have one single adrenaline and madness fueled hookup, and then everything immediately goes to shit.

and i think that's a great place for cas to get pregnant, and then he doesn't realize until he's become god, or maybe he does and he's just like "i'll deal with it later," either way godstiel is like oh? i carry dean's heir inside me? i will have dean's baby. i will have dean's baby it is my right and also my boon to him and also a symbol of my great and magnanimous love for humanity. and also maybe i will put giant paintings of myself pregnant with his child up in churches. what about that. which would be fun. don't know when he would give birth though. actually it would be insane if he gave birth as emmanuel and was just like. raising dean's nephil when dean found him again. nuts. but it just doesn't really have the same flavor as late seasons mpreg. doesn't compel me nearly as much. like the symbolism of godstiel being pregnant with dean's child is fun and sexy but them actually raising the kid afterwards doesn't compel me nearly as much, so it's better to leave literal mpreg to the later seasons and let godstiel mpreg reside in symbolism and fantasy.

or maybe the fetus gets stolen by the leviathans when cas walks into the lake and dean has to battle his leviathanated nephil daughter as the main villain of s7. like she's dick roman's secret weapon. i think that would be fun, actually. kind of an emma situation but drawn out over the whole season. and he thinks cas is dead for most of it so she's all he's got left of cas and a mess cas left for him to clean up. big sexy.

and as a bonus, i will also tell you the best time, imo, for dean to get pregnant: near the end of season eight. possibly a single, tragic farewell fuck in sacrifice when cas is planning to lock himself away in heaven and they're never gonna see each other again. and this impregnates dean with cas' nephil.

but then cas is human. and he can't do anything about it. like generally if they managed to get dean pregnant somehow, cas would immediately talk him into an abortion (which wouldn't be too hard; dean's natural white midwestern man who doesn't vote aversion to abortion would be at war with the horror of being pregnant, and the horror would win), or might not even inform dean that he's pregnant, and just quietly end the pregnancy without dean's knowledge, because cas would never put dean through that. but if cas is human, he can't do that. and furthermore, that nephil is the last evidence of his angelic nature that persists. it's the last of what he used to be, the last of his grace. and there's something absolutely delectable about that.

then of course dean would have to leave the bunker if he was pregnant with a nephil, because angels would be after him, and he wouldn't want to lead them to gadreel, so i am imagining dean discovering that he's pregnant and then showing up in a panic at the gas n sip like "actually cas i'm also out of the bunker will you go on the run with me?" and then they go on the run and have to live in motels again and cas gets to live with take care of dean who is pregnant with his child which is essentially his dream, and he doesn't have to feel guilty because he's no longer capable of giving dean an abortion so he doesn't feel obligated to get him to have one. ideally cas gets re-angeled just in time to give dean an angelic c-section. or maybe they rely on a normal human c-section in a hospital and cas stays human and they are two humans raising their nephil, which is also fun to me.

[winterhalters]

We know you'd make a SUPREME job writing a Valois series both entertaining & accccurate to the characters. In which year would the series start/ende? Who would be the strongest (I mean those more charismatic, those who would be "Main Character material") characters in It? Which frequent Valois misconceptions would you like to correct?

lmaooo thanks for the faith in me anon 😌👊🏻

i think first we should establish what kind of Valois we're talking about. i'm a 16th nerd through and through so of course my plans would mostly involve the Valois-angoulême portions of the Valois; i still think it would be a fun twist to still call it Valois anyway because they stretched so hard to keep up with the Valois legacy during the transition from Louis XII to Francis I. For this project specifically, i'd have the story kick off in late 1513/early 1514, just as the news broke out that queen Anne of Brittany was seriously ill. That's when Francis' story really takes off and i'd of course heavily play on the will they/won't they re: his marriage with Claude, and have a quick fun with Mary Tudor barging in (but very quick because let's be honest no one cares on the french side).

One of the billion things i'd obviously want people to wrap their heads around at this time would be that francis was 19 when he suddenly was on the verge of becoming King. Even by 16th century standards it was incredibly young.

that being said a huge project chronicling the Valois™ from early 14th to late 16th century would be a monster but the mythological kind everybody needs in their life. We can spot three different waves of conflict throughout (Hundred Years War, Italian Wars, Wars of Religion) so i think it would be fairly easy to weave the different story arcs from there.

i'm not sure exactly when i would have the story kick off. Part of me wishes i could have it start before the end of Philip IV, see the downfall of his sons, and the rise of the Valois and especially Charles, Philip's brother, since he didn't get to be King but hardcore lobbied for years, but we'd already be on borrowed time so it wouldn't be ideal when you've got two centuries and a half to cover. I guess it would be more interesting to start off right in the middle of things in 1337 when Edward III sent the letter that pushed things in motions towards the Hundred Years War. It'd be easy for people to get behind the context i guess, but i'd probably be quite (and unashamedly) be heavy-handed on the throwbacks to family drama from the early 1300s, especially with his cousin Jeanne, the Queen of Navarre who claimed the throne.

For me both projects would end with the assassination of Henri III in 1589 because that'd be just so wonderfully fitting 👀 also be fun to start with a conflict between cousins over the french throne involving a queen of Navarre and ending it all with a conflict between cousins over the french throne involving a king of navarre 👀👀

[kaxenart]

@usergreenpixel

*does the emotional equivalent of a parent revealing their wallet is full of kid pictures........ which I suddenly realize is an extremely outdated trope as now parents just have smartphones with gigabytes of photo storage...*

The 6th Hussars:

Arsene: a lieutenant, but only because Colonel Rimbaud thought changing his rank might discourage him from dueling because you are not supposed to fight people who aren't the same rank. Arsene doesn't particularly like Emperor Sennolino and thinks there is an opening for Revolution 2 when the war ends and if Sennolino continues to fail to produce an heir. Very brash and dances on the edge of getting into trouble at all times. 2nd son of a rich merchant family and has an estranged relationship with the concept of consequences. Was originally apprenticed to be a painter but quit to go fight.

Vang: An immigrant to Valois from the far east due to his father who really bought into what some missionaries were saying. Vang has mixed feelings about the matter, but he is more familiar with Valois than his native home at this point. He joined the army because he wants a political career and carrying arms to defend Valois is patriotic. Has an extremely long list of reform ideas he wishes to hand to Emperor Sennolino, but has never gotten the opportunity. In a relationship with Arsene, but once in a while wants to slap the guy for being a spoiled brat.

Jardin: The Trumpeter. He is bad at fighting, but that does not stop him from wanting to. He thinks Arsene is the coolest person in the world and will do anything Arsene says. Doesn't really care about the war on an ideological level and just wishes he could get some medals and loot and respect.

Kadir: The son of a career soldier who died during the Revolutionary Wars. He treats the war like it's just like any other job. His wife Eve is a vivandiere and his very young son Luc is along for the ride. He also has a cat named Mewrat. The guy who causes the least drama. He has a mellow personality, unless you say something mean about his wife and son.

Colonel Rimbaud: Basically that guy who isn't good at his job, but is also not bad enough to get fired. A bit greedy, a bit lazy, and a bit oblivious. He favors Jardin, but no one knows why and the theories range from "bastard son" to "reminds him of a pet poodle."

Louis: Colonel Rimbaud's self-appointed aide-de-camp. Fears dying and thinks brown nosing is less difficult than soldiering.

Topinambour: The flag-bearer. The dumbest guy of the entire squadron. He can barely read and write and needs Parzival's help writing letters home. Is deeply convinced "you smell like potatoes" is a compliment.

Eve: Kadir's wife. She has a very sunny personality most of the time and is very generous. Loses some money in free wine every battle day. She likes to draw, but is very bad at it.

Leocadie: The laundress. Extremely strong from lugging the shirts of 100 men. A bit grumpy. Parzival thinks they should give her a fighting position because she can punch harder than some of the hussars.

Sainvilliers: The veterinarian. He is always tired and annoyed by the hussars who don't do basic horse care and let their horses get sore all over.

Vlanderen: Captain of the elite company. Parzival and Arsene have a beef with him because they think he is lazy and vainglorious. Vlanderen is oblivious to this.

Some Non-Hussars:

Benoit: A member of the Wizard Horse Artillery. He has killed an enemy general by dropping a cow on him.

Artichaut: A sans-culotte who knew Parzival as Citizen Lamppost. They bump into each other again over the course of the war.

Emperor Sennolino: Emperor of Valois. Shrewd, charismatic, and swings between the ideals of building a new order and wishing the foreign royals would respect him more. Thinks the crude drawing of himself on Eve's vivandiere wagon is better than Arsene's sketches and this drives Arsene crazy.

[nanshe-of-nina]

Favorite History Books || Martyrs and Murderers: The Guise Family and the Making of Europe by Stuart Carroll ★★★★☆

To understand the Guise is to understand the profound transformations that shook sixteenth-century Europe. So it is mystifying that outside France they are all but forgotten. For in their day the Guise were held in awe throughout Europe. Admiring or appalled, none could ignore them. Enemies at one time or another of the great dynasties of Tudor, Habsburg, Valois, and Bourbon, the Guise were one of the most powerful princely houses of sixteenth-century Europe. With dreams of empire and aspirations to rule several kingdoms, they were the greatest non-royal house of their age. There may have been richer German princes and more cultured Italian dukes, but none had the astonishing range of dynastic interests which they possessed, ranging from Scotland to Sicily and from Ireland to Jerusalem. Their story requires retelling and it is fitting that the first comprehensive biography of the family for a century and half should fall to an Englishman, and not just because Elizabeth I considered for most of her reign that it was the Guise, and not Philip II, who was her foremost enemy.

Today, the main family members are largely remembered outside France as bit players in the drama of one of their brood, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. But Mary’s story cannot be told fully without reference to her kith and kin. Mary’s star certainly burned brightly for a brief while: she was Queen of France for eighteen months, and claimed the thrones of England and Ireland before setting sail for Scotland in 1561. Yet once there, events were soon out of her control and she spent the last nineteen years of her life in prison, a pawn in dynastic politics. She was not the sun around which her kinsfolk orbited. Mary’s importance to history lies less in the consequences of her deeds, but more in what she represented at the time and continues to represent, whether as woman, lover, or martyr. Her life has been romanticized and her historical significance overstated. Put simply, in the annals of the Guise family her existence values a few brief pages. There is no need for hyperbole when it comes to retelling the deeds of her uncles and cousins. They shaped the course of European history: rising to prominence around mid-century as the greatest enemies of the House of Habsburg before plunging France into bloody chaos, they refashioned the Catholic Church at the Council of Trent; plotted to invade England and remove Elizabeth I; and made and unmade the kings of France before ending the century as martyrs for the Catholic cause.

[hiatuswhore]

Viper I

Mad Princess: The Princess of Conde has arrived in French court.  A perfect little diplomat with the cleanest reputation out there and yet can give Catherine de Medici a run for her money.

STEPPING OUT OF THE CARRIAGE BEING GREETED WITH SEVERAL FAMILIAR FACES YOU SMILED BRIGHTLY. Though the tension between your family and the Valois’s was always high you never cared much for the drama.

“Presenting Princess (Y/n) of Conde,” Your pager announced, waiting to greet you stood Francis and Mary.  Next to them was Catherine who watched you warily and not far off was Sebastian.

“And to think the last I had seen you. You were just merely the Dauphin,” You greeted pulling Francis into a hug you had a reputation of breaking formal customs.  Looking at Mary pulling a warm smile onto your face there was so much to come for the Scottish Queen, “Mary Queen of Scotland you are as bewitching as the rumors have told. A true beauty with child soon I hope.”

“Thank you. Not yet but very soon hopefully,” She said missing the dig you threw at her it was only the beginning.

“Let us retire into the castle I’m expecting some big festivities, Francis,” You teased smiling up at him he laughed at your playfulness.  

“Anything for you (Y/n),” Francis said walking with you into the castle Catherine pulled Mary aside as she watched the two of you converse.

“Heed my warning Mary.  The princess and I are cut from the same cloth.  She must be watched,” Catherine warned but Mary shook her head, your warm greeting set aside any worry she felt for your presence.  Given everything with your brother, Mary had heard whispers of the close relationship the two of you shared.

“The princess seems very kind,” Mary said ignoring the warning Catherine’s eyes never left your purple gown as you and Francis spoke. 

“Mary you betrayed her brother.  Louis Conde must have spoken to you about his dearly beloved sister.  The princess is not a forgiving girl and she is smart please Mary I beseech you to be careful,” Catherine begged walking into the throne room watching as you greeted the privy council.  Mary watched you now seeing your bubbly personality it was almost as if Catherine was describing the wrong person.  Recalling all the times Louis had spoken of you, it was true that you and your brother cared for each other more than others. 

“What is the purpose of this visit Princess of Conde,” Lord Narcisse asked being the only one of the Noblemen not falling at your charming personality.  Smiling up at the handsome nobleman you were aware of Catherine’s tryst with the handsome man.  Pulling a piece of hair behind your ear you batted your long lashes up at the older man.

“I was made aware of my dear brothers’ actions.  Not only here in the name of my King my brother Antoine I am here as a show of good faith.  Just trying to uphold good relations between kingdoms of course. Our land struggle with dichotomy and duality. You all worry we’ll make a claim for the French throne.  I am here to reassure we are friends to beloved King Francis,” You spoke impressing the room with your words you spoke like a true diplomat.  Catherine shook her head as she watched you, knowing your explanation was full of lies you would never turn on your brother as to how you spoke.

“I think it’s settled then Princess you are welcome in French Court as long as you please,” Francis reassured mutters of agreement circled the room as the men watched you.  Some with desire and others with intrigue.

“I ask one thing in return, your majesty,” You spoke looking up at Francis as he sat upon his throne it was a sight to see.  Recalling the times as children when you would both sit there when no one was around pretending to be King and Queen.

“What might that be?” Francis asked, smirking up at him you then looked over at Mary.

“A party,” You spoke, sharing glances with Francis it was Mary who granted the request.  Retiring to your appointed chambers you had the servants fetch your most scandalous gown.  A deep red color the gown revealed your chest and lacked sleeves.  Wearing your hair in a high ponytail you wore hanging gold earrings and your tiara.  Stepping into the hall where the party was in full swing several eyes glue onto you.  It was one thing to be the most beautiful girl in the room but doing so in another women’s court was challenging her in a presumed inadvertent way.  

“King Francis. Queen Mary,” You greeted curtsying to both of them you made them look under-dressed for the occasion.  It looked as if they should have been curtsying to you instead.

“You look very lovely Princess,” Mary said, forcing a smile as she felt inadequate to her subjects before her.  A nagging feeling rose in her chest as Catherine’s words returned in her mind.

“Why thank you, Mary.  I actually quite like this song. Leave us, Francis, I think I would like to dance with the Queen Consort,” You spoke taking another jab at Mary as you pointed out her title in France.  Unlike the first jab about an heir, the only difference was this time Mary noticed it.

“I would be honored to dance with you Princess,” Mary said, holding out her hand the two of you walked to the middle of the dance floor.  Surprising several guests it was quite odd to see two women dancing together.  Had it not been the Queen and Princess the two of you would be arrested and likely burned.  Following the moves as the others, you took the masculine part of the dance, “Princess (Y/n) about your brother Louis—”

“Don’t.  You’re going to keep smiling as we dance and listen,” You spoke sharply earning a surprised look from Mary it was as if your bubbly personality evaporated.

“And if I don’t?” Mary asked as you spun her around above you Francis and others were watching the two of you closely.

“Well for starters your privy council favors me.  I have a claim to your throne in France and Francis cares for me,” You explained nonchalantly with no fear of repercussions you knew the customs and how French court operated better than your own court.

“You speak harshly to the Queen of Scotland and France,” Mary pointed out but you merely laughed at her words.

“Consort darling.  Your countrymen are turning against and you have yet to provide France an heir so you are disposable.  I am here on the premise of good faith my reputation is known as a good catholic princess. Mary, you lost this fight before it even started and you will lose so much more. I will make sure of it,” You said, circling each other in the dance you continue smiling brightly despite Mary’s frown.

“Please we have no reason to fight,” Mary said, taking in a sharp breath if you could you would strike her down where she stood.

“We have every reason to fight Mary.  You are a viper your love poisonous and you will lose everything because of it,” You spat fighting every urge to glare at the raven-haired girl you took a deep breath, “Take solace in knowing my brother is worth all that it will cost you. I assure you I will make sure Elizabeth has your head. When she does I will throw celebrations in the joy of your death.”

“May I?” Looking over there stood Catherine smiling kindly but you could see right through her.  Leaving them Catherine pulled Mary aside as you went on to converse with Francis and others at the party, “Mary pull yourself together you are trembling.”

“Catherine you must help me.  The princess of Conde is a mad princess.”

VIPER II: Rattled

MASTERLIST

[mermaidsirennikita]

It's weird when only certain actors get side eye for nepotism but others don't. For example Lily Rose Deep gets a lot of those comments but everybodys ok with Dakota Johnson at the moment. I guess that depends on how famous the parents are but still. Also more then half of the industry is there through nepotism/connections. Not saying that's good but it's the reality.

I don't really care about nepotism as long as you have the talent to back it up--I think that in the case of Riley Keough that I referenced, it's a bit more glaringly obvious because it's a musical connection that segued into a TV role. I'm so sure that we'll hear plenty about it when Daisy Jones comes out. I also just don't like her face for Daisy, to be frank. Maybe she'll surprise me! I really hope she does.

I mean, everything is also so dependent on how you play it, right? So many people are connected to the industry in one way or another. Daisy Ridley's family has BTS connections, for example. But then there are people like Lily Rose, who I think has kind of always been in the public eye as a child? There was an interest in Johnny Depp settling down with this enigmatic French woman, and wow look at the bad boy with his kids (this would be played up even more at the height of POTC). I can remember seeing paparazzi pics of Johnny out walking with her; they didn't exactly hide her away from the public.

So while I don't think it's fair to give Lily Rose a harsher rap for benefiting from nepotism, she's just so much more visible so it happens more. And let's be real, she gets some of that "cringey gen z kid" judgment lumped onto her. Which also isn't fair.

Whereas with a Dakota Johnson, who arguably has FOUR relatives connected (her biological father, her mother, her grandmother, and her stepfather who she's apparently v. close to) I think what's probably in her favor is that she's older, so our generation doesn't really remember seeing Melanie out with her. Generally speaking, I think that the family has been a bit more private? Plus, she shares a last name with the parent who is probably least visible. You might know more about Don Johnson know post-KO, but for the average millennial/gen z kid I think that he's not as visible as Melanie (who also isn't super visible??? but hey working girl is a movie we've all seen) and definitely not as visible as Antonio.

I also think that Dakota became bigger a bit later. She was already a grown woman in her twenties when she did 50 Shades, which was definitely her breakout. I think that nepotism kids whose careers bloom later-ish receive less scorn than those who are doing very highly promoted projects when they're children (even though Dakota was working before 50, she wasn't doing anything prominent). Lily Rose was what? 18? When she did The King. Which may seem negligible (Dakota was like.... 24-ish when she did 50) but I think it's this idea of someone "taking their lumps" with bit parts as they work that affects the public perception. Like if you have 5 lines in Beastly 4 years before your big box office breakout, it's seen as more honorable than popping up in a hyped prestige~ (I mean The King SUCKED but it was hyped) pic when you're not yet 20. I mean, also, The King was Shakespeare-based, and Catherine of Valois is a role that had been played by the likes of Emma Thompson in the past so like. It was a tough breakoutish moment.

I mean, the reality is that a lot of people are way more connected than we think. Most? British actors are churned out of drama schools that their parents pay a fuck ton for; if they're not directly connected to the film industry, they benefit from their parents' connections, their privilege, and the connections they get at school.... which they're able to attend because they're privileged. In the States, it's more likely going to be a matter of you coming from an acting dynasty.

I think a lot of how people manage that perception depends on the kinds of roles they pick, how much they own it (Maya Hawke recently tried to combat the nepotism kid perception by blatantly acknowledging nepotism, for example) and how much natural ability is there. Because like..... I can forgive a lot re: nepotism if you're talented.

[aristocraticvision]

Chapter 97: National Interests

“Good evening, Weston. I’m Scott Dearborn ….”

“And I’m Rebecca Nash, and this is Weston News Tonight on WBN.”

“Our top story today isn’t what you might think.”

“No it’s not, Scott. While we were prepared to focus on coverage of today’s private royal wedding between Prince Stephen III and now-Princess Elizabeth, WBN has learned that the event was only one of several incredible events that have taken place over the past few days.”

“The wedding was the culmination of several days worth of drama and international intrigue that is shaking the very foundations of Oceana’s political landscape.”

“That’s right, Rebecca. What started as a routine drive to her final wedding gown fitting turned into a nightmare for our new princess.  For details, we go live to Ryan Lively at the Weston Ministry of Defense.”

“When Princess Elizabeth got into her car on Wednesday afternoon for the drive to Madame Valois’ studio, she was unaware that the driver of her vehicle was an international assassin wanted for murder in 17 countries. The criminal abducted the soon-to-be princess and fled to San Rios, a small South American nation.

“Fortunately, Weston’s royal security team was able to track their whereabouts, rescuing Princess Elizabeth and killing the assassin as he attempted to escape.

“While Princess Elizabeth was none the worse for wear, security forces found evidence that the assassin was hired by none other than James Wellesley, son of exiled Westonian traitor Daniel Wellesley, who died after taking refuge in Corwyn.”

“As you may have heard, this same James Wellesley recently became engaged to Princess Grace of Corwyn, the youngest daughter of Her Majesty Queen Anne. As such, the web of responsibility becomes much more tangled, and Weston’s government and military leaders are anxiously waiting for a reaction from Varenna, where a formal request for extradition was delivered only a few hours ago.

In fact, many are questioning whether, if Queen Anne refuses to allow her future son-in-law to be extradited, there might be sanctions – or even military conflict – between Corwyn and Weston. So far, both governments have remained silent. It seems each side is waiting on the other for their next move.”

“In the meantime, Weston continues to celebrate the wedding of its reigning Prince Stephen III to our new princess, Elizabeth Howes, at the Marchand family chapel earlier today. We’ll be providing exclusive, in-depth coverage of there ceremony tonight at 10 p.m.”

“So now we know why the royal family scaled back the wedding once again!”

“That’s right, Rebecca. Once Princess Elizabeth’s abduction was announced, it became clear that the ordeal had an impact on our new princess.”

“But I must say, Rebecca, I am so impressed with Princess Elizabeth’s strength and determination. For her to take only one day to recover from such a horrible experience before getting married – even in a smaller, more private ceremony, really showcases her strength and character.”

“I agree, Scott. If anyone needed further proof that our new princess was up to the challenge, I think they’ve found it.”

“We’ll be back after these messages with more discussion about potential fallout as tensions escalate between Weston and Corwyn. Joining us will be Michael Sarrazin of the Weston Ministry of Defense and Shelley Bremmer, a member of Weston’s National Assembly and chairperson of the Foreign Relations Committee. So stay with us as we explore this potential crisis further.”

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