aureateward

[aureateward]

[aureateward]

regina was fairly indifferent to the whole affair, and perhaps that was her blessing. a contentment in lingering behind the public-interest shroud simply because it made little difference to her whether she did, or didn’t, and because anything — even playing the prince’s girlfriend for a night at the louvre — was preferable over putting up with her still not dead uncle ( because her mother wouldn’t a) kill him, b) have him killed, c) let regina kill him herself, or d) let regina have him killed. all for logical reasons, but that didn’t mean amelia ward’s little princess couldn’t be annoyed about it ) for even the briefest period of time. prince edward of wales may not, indeed, be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he wasn’t as smarmy and patronising as richard ward, but simply — to regina’s eyes — leant into his other strengths.

she knew he was watching the other attendees, but as she had nothing tangible in the battle as the royal family owed her for trying regardless, she couldn’t find it in herself to mind nor care. she knew she was better than all of them, anyway. especially because the queen of england had picked her from the societal bunch; that was the pleasing thing about all this. that, and the insider perspective into the saxe-coburg and gotha family. “these events are about as much my speed as they are yours,” she replied, tone equally offhand, “i suppose we could slip out when the bidding is over; escape whichever after-party is undoubtedly planned. we’d have no obligation to stay, then, though i do enjoy seeing the world’s most powerful lose grip of their sense. it’s often hilarious. though i haven’t seen the duchess of norfolk tonight...”

location: louvre closed: @aureateward​

There was no greater embarrassment for Edward than being told he had to attend the gallery with Regina. No one else knew that it was all a facade for the public’s better interest. After a few anonymous sources to newspapers he supposed were from his bedroom acquaintances had led him to this last resort. He had thought it was a threat but Edward could only be seen with Regina in public now. As this was a public event and a common interest event, Edward supposed it would please his mother for him to bide his time with her. This wasn’t the first time they had been out together and thought by having Regina by his side tonight would prove him somewhat acceptable. He still had the urge to allow his eye to wander to the other attendees. In his mind he intended it to be subtle but there was little being done about his discreteness. Edward held a glass in his hand, his other lightly placed on Regina’s waist. He wasn’t sure if there were photographers or press, but there were people there that would be witnesses for the papers later. “Are you enjoying yourself?” He asked idly, making conversation with his supposed date. “How much longer do you think we must be here?”

[aureateward]

“i wouldn’t have agreed to it if i didn’t think i could,” 

regina hummed thoughtfully as she leaned into the embrace and kiss of greeting from her mother, reflecting upon her own performance and how it could be improved at future engagements. her gaze drifted briefly over the van gogh; her education on art and its appreciation was sufficient, but the time to do so was more so lacking in large part due to the businesswoman’s alternative priorities. 

“he’s close, at least,” she considered, returning the kiss to amelia’s opposing cheek. her voice was low, to prevent being overheard by anyone who shouldn’t be privy to the information. “close enough that it’s easy to play it off that he’s either joking or trying to give me a nickname i won’t accept, that is. if he doesn’t wander off for the entire night, it will be a good start.”

she is, of course, relieved that she does not have to deal with amelia’s fiancée. however, her dislike of the woman does not mean that she wasn’t concerned about her mother. it was rare that disappointment showed so plainly; usually regina would pick up on it, but beneath layers and layers of something else that few other than the woman’s daughter would be able to see through. “are you doing alright?”

@aureateward​ | closed starter

“Well you unsurprisingly pulled that off well” Amelia smiled proudly as she placed a hand on her daughters lower back. She watched them closely as they came into the event, no doubt there would be shots of her looking on at the ‘happy couple’ with a rather unhappy look on her face but she trusted her daughter. She said it was nothing and wouldn’t go far and she believed her. She would applaud her acting skills if they weren’t in public, the Prince’s on the other hand? She wasn’t so sure. “Does he even remember your name? He’s not the brightest” She chuckled as she pressed a kiss to her cheek.

[aureateward]

“i’m going to gauge everyone else’s interest first,” the american hummed as she poured herself a glass of wine, turning to face royce’s friend — the duchess of york — and her fake-boyfriend’s sister with a tentative smile. she knew of edward’s relative intelligence ( and indeed it bolstered regina’s already considerable confidence in her own ) and of his perception, because if she was lucky she would manage to do something for both. 

“are you enjoying yourself?” she asked, matching poppy’s own curiosity, “truthfully, an event like this seems far more your speed than my own.”

location: the louvre featuring: @aureateward​

poppy was not one who actively sought out others; as a princess of the united kingdom, she was used to others seeking her out. but as she’d seen regina ward, the sister of one of her oldest friends, on the arm of her idiot brother edward, poppy was unable to pretend she was not intrigued.

she caught sight of the other woman near the van gogh and she approached her with a curious expression upon her face. “regina,” she greeted her with a smile. “are you bidding?”

[aureateward]

STARTER — ROYCE WARD ( @gildedward​ )

no one knew better than regina ward how the game was played, and the game? prising the truth from a reluctant royce ( she had known her brother all his life, had been his closest confidant for every one of those twenty-eight years; how could she not know him like she knew herself ? ) through meaningful raises of the eyebrow, drawn-out and patient silences, and drumming her fingernails upon the rosewood table with the occasional offhand check of her wrist-watch. 

he had been somewhat out of sorts lately, and regina could feel the balance of the family slipping through her fingers; what with their mother’s fiancée and their father’s new girlfriend, she simply couldn’t allow her brother to lose his marbles, too. and richard, but even though he is a ward, he is also not. 

“i wasn’t aware we were in the habit of keeping secrets from each other.” like the fact she’s spent nights in bed with the crown prince of denmark, or that she slept with the woman who is now britain’s prime minister several years ago, or the agreement she’s made to pretend to date the prince of wales, for example? or: regina ward was, as ever, being a hypocrite, in the sort of way that no one knows in order to call her out on it.

[aureateward]

Booksmart (2019) Directed by Olivia Wilde

[aureateward]