berengerderohan-blog1

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duchess-katherine:

She passed it to him, a puzzled look on her features before she recognized his mistake. “Oh no. She is not dead, my lord. I just have not seen her for a few years. Not since his Grace’s passing.”, Katherine answered as politely as she could, never liking to explain her past to someone new.

“I’ll leave you to your books.”, she said finally, wishing for the unease wafting through the air to lift.

“His Grace?” Bérenger shook his head, effectively cancelling the question. They had veered into some sort of personal confessional territory, and Bérenger felt it less-than-admirable to remain in that land. “Never mind, never mind. Enjoy your stories, my lady.”

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mariecapucine:

“It is… You must try it. It’s absolutely delicious.” The princess resisted the urge to giggle at his observation. It shouldn’t be a surprise that Marie Capucine had chosen to nurse her headache with even more liquor. She waived her maid over to pour him a glass before sliding the tray of sweets for him to try. “Indulge a little.” She insisted gently. “It’s been awhile since I’ve had the pleasure of your company. I was even beginning to miss your lectures.” 

“You will have one soon enough,” Bérenger said. He shook his head at the maid, who ignored him and obeyed her mistress. “Your Highness, the best cure for anything is usually moderation. Promise me that you will attend to your wellness, as you should, for at least an hour or two today--champagne and sweets and rich food is unhealthful. You’ll only feel worse when you’re done.”

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duchess-katherine:

“Oh yes!”, Katherine said, eyes brightening as she remembered seeing that exact book just on the other side of the shelf. The duchess turned the corner, and picked up the blue book off of the ground. “I umm.. used it to reach an upper shelf over there.”

“Not particularly.. It’s just.. growing up I had a Russian nursemaid, and while she was far too strict for my liking, she had the most wonderful stories.”, Katherine’s lips pursed together, dark memories flooding her vision, “I miss her sometimes, and these stories help.”

“Ah,” Bérenger said, a little put out to find an important resource for the courts--the one on which many of his arguments hung together upon--reduced to a step-stool. He held out a hand for the book, and puzzled over what to say over the nursemaid. He supposed he had asked. “I see. My ... condolences.”

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joliederohan:

jolie doubted the queen dowager would do any favors to her or her bastard child and even asking so would be an insult to her position. but charlotte, surely she would want to protect a child that shared her father’s blood. jolie’s infant would be a sibling to the current queen… to the dowager it would only be a remainder of her husband’s infidelity. “an honor that offers me no ascension. what can the dowager queen bestow upon me?” and maybe she seemed greedy, maybe she came off as a social climber, and hell, maybe she was… but in her own mind, jolie was doing what needed to be done to insure the safety and legitimacy of her child. surely, once that came to light her brother would look back with a certain understanding. “if i offer my talents and company to the queen, i might be granted opportunities that i will not be otherwise and as my brother i had expected you to wish such a thing for me.”

“Jolie de Rohan, we cannot always have honors and opportunities showered on our heads,” Bérenger snapped. “Sometimes--ofttimes!--we must play our parts to the best of our abilities and expect nothing but the satisfaction of good work in return. I would be happy to see you well-placed--and you are. Think of the larger picture. How should anyone believe the Queen’s integrity if she grants arbitrary favors to her friends’ little sisters and steals her step-mother’s ladies for her own?”

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darlingemmy:

Emmy hesitated by the door way. “Is all well, Your Highness?” She asked, softly, keeping her gaze on the floor.

“A simple ‘my lord’ will suit,” Bérenger corrected mildly, conscious always of decorum. His eyes were also fixed on the floor, searching for something in the chaotic curlicues of the carpet. He dropped to a knee, scanning all around him. “A pair of reading glasses--the type is very small and I need my--”

He cut himself off, distracted by the search.

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joliederohan:

perhaps she had not thought her answer through.. perhaps she had not thought any of this through at all. not that that wouldn’t have been typical of the youngest of the Duc de Rohan’s children. She had been spoiled by their late mother but ignored by their father and maybe, just maybe the combination of those two things had little an all too eager fire within the pit of her belly (though that wasn’t the only thing that had made its home there). 

her brows furrowed at her oldest and only brother, one hand rising to rub awkwardly at the nape of her neck for a moment as she tried desperately to come up with some sort of answer. “perhaps i can be a lady to her majesty? i’m sure she’s in need of well educated women to surround herself with… surely..” a beat passed before she pressed the issue more. “maybe your friendship with her would allow you to suggest such a thing..”

“No.” His countenance darkened immediately, the even pleasantness that for him passed as affection hardening into a scowl. “I might be placed to do so, but I certainly will not. I am surprised at you, Jolie.”

Bérenger crossed his arms. “Is this why you’ve taken to raiding the garden for flowers? You’re already dame du palais to the Queen Dowager; that is honor and privilege enough, I think.”

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mariecapucine:

“The Lord Chancellor?” She asked and leaned her head on her elbow for a moment. “Have a seat and I’ll send him my apologies for keeping you this afternoon.” It wasn’t often that Marie insisted so strongly for his company; she knew he was busy and Charlotte would surely be upset if Berenger missed any important meetings but the young girl was beginning to feel restless all alone there. “Don’t make me beg Berenger…it’s unbecoming.” She added. “Besides, I’m not fond of physicians. I’d much rather have you.”

Very few people in the world addressed Bérenger by his first name--a short list that had dwindled when his own mother, Duchesse de Rohan, had passed. Marie was among those rare few. He sighed. “Illness is unbecoming,” he said, taking a few steps toward the lounge. He frowned. “Is that champagne? You’ll dry out your head. No wonder you feel sick.”

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mariecapucine:

Marie slumped back into her seat and pouted up at the beautifully decorated ceiling. “But you must stay. Tell whoever is waiting on you that you have much more pressing matters to attend to.” She whined softly before finally turning to gaze up at him with her deep blue eyes. “I woke up feeling rather ill and it would be best if you stayed.” She chose to leave out the part where her ‘illness’ had come from too much drinking the night before. She figured it was best not to tell him for it would lead into another long lecture. 

“I can hardly tell the Lord Chancellor to wait,” Bérenger murmured, though the fact was that he actually could. It would be beneath his honor to flaunt that truth, but if he really wished--well. Besides that, Marie Capucine easily outranked and countermanded anyone who was not her older sibling. “If it’s serious, perhaps you’d do better to call a physician.”

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vivelarcine:

Charlotte watched and listened intently, her full attention directed towards Léon spoke. The devil, for a ruler, often lay in the details — and for her to reform and improve, it was essential to be eminently aware of every aspect.

When he finished speaking, Charlotte nodded. “I surmised as much, it will be discontinued.” She paused. “There is much to do, in the coming months. The legal landscape of France will change. You have a significant part to play, Léon.” He was, after all, Chancellor in all but name.

“You do me a great honor,” Bérenger said, almost absently. He rearranged the papers so that they lay once more in their original order. “It is easy enough to say that, Your Majesty, but undoing years and years of ‘what has always been done’ will meet with resistance. There is one individual who has a particular interest in maintaining this particular policy--there is much to gain, as you can imagine, by being among France’s only sanctioned importers of raw materials. I advise a rigorous series of acts, rather than a single decree; and the more approval that can be worked up among the public and the aristocracy for those, the better.”

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mariecapucine:

The sun streamed through the large floor to ceiling windows; filling the drawing room with afternoon light and nearly blinding the young princess as it glimmered off the golden decorations. She was nestled comfortably on a tufted chaise, hand lingering over a selection of pastries as a maid refilled her glass of champagne, when she realized someone had been standing by the door. “Hello,” Marie Capucine sat up and bowed her head in a curtsy. “Why don’t you sit and join me? These pastries are absolutely divine.” 

“Thank you, Your Highness, for your very generous offer, but I must decline.”  Bérenger bowed his head. Marie Capucine seemed happy enough, lolling in her sunspot with her sweets; he was merely passing through, with a sheaf of paperwork and other official business tucked under his arm. “I have just enough time to inquire after your health--which I hope is good.” 

[berengerderohan-blog1]

FULL NAME:  Bérenger de Rohan

NICKNAME(S): Peers are welcome to call him Léon, from his title, but he has no particular nicknames.

NAME MEANING: French version of a German name, derived from the words for “bear” and “spear.” Much more martial than he is himself.

TITLE: Prince de Léon, Keeper of the Seals of France

OCCUPATION: Keeper of the Seals of France. He could practice law, as well, if he felt like it.

SOCIAL STATUS: Aristocracy.

GENDER: Male.

PRONOUNS: He/him.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Pan.

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Pan.

AGE: 29

BIRTHDATE: December 9th

BIRTHPLACE: Duchy of Rohan

HOMETOWN: Was raised mostly between the duchy, Versailles, and Paris.

RESIDENCE: Versailles.

CURRENT LOCATION: Versailles.

NATIONALITY: French.

ETHNICITY: Probably French, too.

Personality:

POSITIVE TRAITS:  just, protective, intellectual 

NEGATIVE TRAITS: unmerciful, judgmental, distant

MYERS-BRIGGS TYPE: INTJ

ENNEAGRAM: Type 5 - The Investigater.

MORAL ALIGNMENT: Lawful Good.

TEMPERAMENT: Choleric.

DEADLY SIN: Pride.

HEAVENLY VIRTUE: Diligence.

HOGWARTS HOUSE: Ravenclaw.

Relationships:

FATHER: Duc de Rohan, aged, ill, alive.

MOTHER: Duchesse de Rohan, deceased.

SIBLINGS: Jolie de Rohan.

AUNTS AND UNCLES: n/a.

COUSINS: n/a

OTHER FAMILY: n/a

SPOUSE/BETROTHED: Unmarried, unengaged, unattached.

PAST SIGNIFICANT OTHERS: None.

ISSUE: n/a

FRIENDS: Queen Charlotte-Athénaïs, King Gustav, ??

[berengerderohan-blog1]

headed out but welcome new members!! if you (or anyone else) would like to plot, i’ll be around later today. just send me a message or like this and i’ll get to you when i can!

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joliederohan:

truthfully, she hadn’t expected her explanation to appease her brother so much that he would be willing to hand her the bit of responsibility she truthfully didn’t want. all jolie needed at this time was a game plan, not duties to take away from her attempts at befriending the queen. “oh, perhaps i could manage our entertaining affairs?” she offered for a moment, not sure if that was actually a duty or anything that needed to be genuinely tended to.. but at least this way she could plan visits for the queen and her court, make it so she was no longer a wall flower. “the more powerful women like me and enjoy the company the more likely it is that i will make the sort of connections both you and i can benefit from…”

A little wrinkle appeared between Bérenger’s brows. “Who on Earth do we entertain in Versailles? Perhaps father might want for a little help, at the estate ... but really, it would be better for you to stay here, with me. You could perhaps start a salon. Does any particular topic intrigue you?”

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duchess-katherine:

“You know little of me to think that.”, she said ruefully, never one to accept compliments paid her, “This is umm.. a book of Russian Folklore. Tales of monsters and ghosts.. my favorite is Baba Yaga. She’s a witch whose house has the feet of a chicken and… I’m babbling. What was it you were looking for?”

He nodded, vaguely registering something about children’s stories of some kind. “A little blue book, this big--” Bérenger gestured with his hands. “Mostly it will be on the particulars of the law. It’s a fairly recent edition; the binding should be new. Have you--erm--some interest in Russia, then, my lady?”

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germandesires:

She smiled, finally a person who seemed to be well trained in addressing people correctly. But when he asked her to address him as merely Léon she was well… her cold heart skipped a beat. It was not everyday- or rather is was very rare for her next sentence to exit her mouse. “Then you may address me as merely Amelie,” she said and nodded. Hopefully she would not regret this decision.

He blinked, briefly missing a beat--but got a hold of himself at once. “You do me a great honor,” Bérenger said. “One I’m not certain I could accept. Léon is ... well, it is a courtesy title. My father is the Duc de Rohan.”

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joliederohan:

“well, i certainly don’t want that.” the blonde mumbled, sighing as she turned to face her brother once again. “all i am saying is there are positions out there for a girl such as i. the type that could benefit myself, our family name.. perhaps even the people of france, who knows.” it was vague, yes, but she hoped her childish ambition hid what she really meant deep down. “i am capable of things, i am sure. its my duty to figure out what those things may be.”

Bérenger was silent for a spell. He examined his sister for a moment, contemplating something deeply. 

“Well,” he said. “I honestly cannot argue with that. I’m glad to hear it in fact. There is always something to do with the duchy’s estate if you would like to have some experience managing the responsibilities of such positions, I suppose. Was that what you had in mind?”

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joliederohan:

jolie rolled her eyes, still childish and one to easily throw about displays of youth. “she is not a tyrant, but one would be daft to deny a queen her desires, i think you and i both know that.” she mumbled, deciding it best to return to picking her flowers, the bigger the bouquet the better. “i might not be able to say the same brother but you have already taken on the role of selfless servant to the crown, i may have another role to play. one that may not only benefit myself, so please, do save the lecture for another day. i fear my ears might fall from my head if i must sit through another at your behest.”

“I assure you, there is always room for one more worthy servant to the crown,”  Bérenger said, very nearly grumbling. Technically, his was a subordinate role to the Lord Chancellor; also unsaid was his general distaste for that unscrupulous person, a holdover from the days of King Charles. Bérenger crossed his arms, tighter than he usually did. “And who else might benefit? If you want to keep secrets, you had better not hint at them like this. Out with it. Or--” 

Might as well embrace it. 

“--or the lecture comes out in full force.”