forgottengodfrey

[forgottengodfrey]

Unreliable Narrator Alignment

new alignment just dropped! ;D

ok so ngl i had waaaaaay too much fun w this heehee but yeah i made a thing! since i truly believe ~any character can be an unreliable narrator in the right circumstances, since we all have our blindspots, i put all my characters on here, w the poles representing each of my ~most unreliable narrators oblivious (cormac), in denial (roderick), and liar (amira) and so, without further ado, here it is!

ok so ~some of these have slightly mitigating factors --

for instance, bc of the situations in which he's found himself, cillian is much more likely to lie rn than he would under normal circumstances, but still even when he was a kid, i do think he would occasinally bend the truth (why no i absolutely did noT break my leg by climbing on the roof after you explicitly told me not to!) and eilia, as another example, is pr well informed but is being currently held in a tower so...she's oblivious against her will, however i ~do also think she's the type to sometimes be a bit ~too confident in her own opinion/source of knowledge and thus can sort of...be willfully oblivious to some things from time to time, which yes, def dips into being in denial as well, but since its more out of blind confidence than pure delusion, i put her where i did and anyway here we are! but anyway, weighing all these factors in, this is sort of where i more or less landed

the most fiddly re: placemaent are i couldn't quite place godfrey or valentina where id like...valentina can be all three, ofc, but obv she veers most strongly towards lying and denial; godfrey will absolutely lie but he's more in denial (this whole apocalypse thing will totally fix everything, boys!) but yeah bc of the shape i couldn't quite angle them enough so its sorta handwave but this gets the idea across i hope! <3

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(i made this using pixlr express, my icons, and the .png ill share below if anyone wants to try it -- it was v silly and v fun but also a good exercise in understanding my characters' blindspots! ;D anyway all due credit to all creators tho unfortunately idk who they are alas!)

[forgottengodfrey]

OOC | Godfrey & Cassimir

ok so talk abt a weird mashup lajksdflkjdsf

honestly i feel like godfrey probs frankly thinks that cassimir is accidentally hilarious, and like he'd be super easy to manipulate, but alas he has absolutely nothing that godfrey could ever want hahaha honestly he's probs kinda glad that cassimir seems intent on aligning himself w either guin or arthur, bc godfrey does NOT think this dude is v capable. honestly, he probs underestimates cassimir bc godfrey has a v high opinion of his own capabilities, but yeah he's just like 'dude do you really have so little imagination that literally the v first woman you ever saw was the only one you could think of?' and just sort of wrote him off alkjsdfjkdsf (tbf to cassimir's taste tho, godfrey probs does think eithne is a lovely person [and deserves way better tbqh], but yeah he's not impressed by her would-be beau hahaha)

[forgottengodfrey]

Tree of Knowledge | Godfrey & Cassimir

"You really have outdone yourself, this evening, Lord Malconaire," began Godfrey, smiling, as he approached the other man. "Can we expect further entertainments to be hosted here, or do you imagine the preparations have overtaxed the ladies of the House?"

Malconaire's post-tournament gala was off to full swing, and Malconaire seemed to glitter as its denizens mingled, weaving here and there amongst the trees. The evening events had been slightly upstaged, not two hours before, by Roderick's impromptu announcement of his daughter's betrothal to his cousin, but the evening seemed more or less to have recovered with the Varmonts descending upon Cassimir's woodland fief.

Pausing, Godfrey at last stood alongside the lord, gaze sweeping over his black-upon-black attire, and he favored him with a blandly friendly smile. "I hear that you have, of late, found yourself betrothed. My congratulations, sir, and all my best wishes to the lady. I know," he laughed. "How little these matters remain in our hands, but I hope that the Ladies Eithne and Ciara may have much to discuss having entered, now, a similar state. Perhaps they may emerge with things to inform we poor men."

He imagined wedding bells would ring more swiftly for Cassimir more quickly than for himself. Though Godfrey was, himself, Kolchean, he thought it wisest to adhere to Varmont traditions, and Varmont betrothals tended to be long, drawn out affairs. Besides...Ciara and he both knew that their marriage might curtail some of her ability to act in...quite so many capacities as she now did. And they must, both of them, prioritize that, even if -- had Godfrey had his own way -- he would have married her long hence.

"Tell me, my lord, do you mean to take the Varmont approach to such matters, or do you wish to marry more quickly?"

[forgottengodfrey]

oh defffff agreed that that idea was deffff coming from team calainon (and possibly even supported by @forgottenroderick ! i feel like he's always particularly indulgent of his latest wife during the ~honeymoon phase~ and since it wasn't that long since he married marian, himself, and this must have been before that, im guessing he was like 'whatever you want, babe,' to @forgottenamira at the time lakjsdfjdsf) and NOT from marian's fam HAHAHAH the calainons/roderick were probs hoping that such a marriage would help them integrate/help the ovn accept them as ovn-ians a bit more, while ~also helping to undercut elaine's powerbase (since she was def enemy #1 at the time!) since she was (distantly) related to them and drew a lot of power from that connection etc! and yeah since marian's fam is such a big deal in the ovn they probs thought an alliance there would help w lots of things

but yeah im ~guessing marian's pops had LOTS unflattering to say abt that even if the emperor was in support (tho probs said in a slightly more uhhhh diplomatic way given that amira was queen and the emperor was at least in tacit approval etc) lakjsdfkljdfj so yeah that's probs a big reason why (obv) this didn't go anywhere lakjsdfjdsf

not me like 'did amira sow the seeds of her own destruction here' by perhaps summoning marian and her sisters to court to assess their eligibility to wed godfrey (plus since their dad was being a dick abt them being foreign, frankly, she probs relished being able to pull rank and summon his daughters against his wishes sldjfaklsdjf), etc, only for bart and then roderick to take notice?? kldsjfalskjdf omg in the aftermath of the marriage talks collapsing, amira might've even complained to roderick abt bart's attentions to marian, since she was probs miffed at the fam and didn't want them getting any more power! given how they'd treated the calainons...only for roderick to find a v permanent way to interfere w bart and marian's relationship????? kalsdjfkljsdfj no but!! ANYWAY!!

amira: 'i knew i was special to you' <3 laksjdfkljsdf

no but i def don't see him being catty, either! he's more likely to be civil and then stab you in the back #funtimes at least you know where you stand w amira, ig?? lsdkjfalksjdf honestly tho i ~do think he probs does believe its more constructive to work ~w marian than against her, tho, for the most part?? while there's obv a coming war, and i do think he perceives that team arthur is a bigger threat than team guin, given she doesn't even want it, i think he's more a 'keep your enemies close' kind of guy and is probs v frank and open w marian abt the fact that itll benefit both arthur and edmund more in the long run if they better understand eo's minds and abilities and such, and i def think he perceives that marian is VERY skilled at bending the emperor's ear, and that is a LOT of power frankly and so i def think he tries to be smart abt how interacts w her. godfrey's goals, while in some ways aligning w amira's, aren't ultimately the same as hers, and i think he does believe they can ~all be more effective lookingout for those who need it, as a unit than divided????

now, all this pushing for teamwork aside, do i think there've been instances where he's openly clashed w her? ABSOLUTELY!! but, if you think she'd be open to it at all? there're also absolutely things he'd love to work ~w her on! but yeah, i don't think he tries to hide or deny at the same time tho that they v much ~are on opposite sides and they're both v aware of it like...what's the point in that? but also when their goals do align, i think he def believes they can be more effective together than apart etc so yeah! laksdjfkjdsf

OOC | Godfrey & Marian

just realized...idk that we've ever talked abt these two?? and i deffff think these two schemers have been interacting for aaaages!! in fact, im kinda wondering if, before roderick and bart moved in, if maybe there was some thought that marian and/or one ofher sisters might be a good wife for ~godfrey since her fam is such a big deal in the ovn? anyway obv those days are v much gone now ALKJSDFKLJSKJF

anyway, regardless of that, i think its v safe to say that these days they're v much rivals!! i do think godfrey is def the more ~reasonable w her and def isn't tryna be all catty like our girl amira lakjsdjkfds buT he deffffff IS in there tryna knock arthur down several pegs and simultaneously raise edmund ~up them so ldkajfjkdsf i def feel like they would've had their share of move/counter move over the years!!!! aksjdfkjsdf

[forgottengodfrey]

The Great Wood | Godfrey & Eithne

"Is there any truth to it?" asked Godfrey, gazing peering out towards the endless forests, branches tangled amongst the verdure -- and the growing dark. "Does the Old Forest truly devour men -- in one sense or in another -- if they are not attended by one of your blood?" His question was no mockery, nor was it a thirsty need for gore. It was a scholar's question, brows knit together with academic curiosity.

Godfrey had stolen away from the madness of Valentina's festivities to come to the edges of the wood, peering into the depths of the darkness, himself, with eyes always hungry for knowledge. He was unsure how long he'd stood here, trying to do as his grandmother had always told him, trying to expand his sense, trying to feel the magic wash over him, if it was here to be felt...Amira swore she'd gotten the knack of it, but his own powers...He had at last squeezed his eyes shut...and heard someone approaching. Somehow, he'd known without having to look, who it was.

Godfrey remembered himself, then, stepped back, turning to face the approaching young woman with a self-directed laugh. "But forgive me, my lady. I ought to be the last to ask anything so impertinent. I know what it is to be the recipient of such inquiries." His smile turned rueful. "You cannot imagine some of the wild questions I've heard about the Eternal Flame or the Great Calainon...Now, I suppose, I understand why they are asked.

"Pray, ask me anything you like. I could hardly deny you any curiosity, now, on any particular."

He paused. Eithne Malconaire was said to be Astaira's great beauty, and he could well see why, he mused with not impolite interest, as the moon cast its silver glow upon her. All the daughters of Malconaire were lovely in their way, but she was the most dazzling of all. He could see why his brother was smitten with her so. Smiling to himself, Godfrey looked away again. Tristan had said nothing of his fancy, but it had not taken much skill to observe how he had looked at her at the Ice Ball, nor how he seemed to react each time her very name came up. That Tristan was in love was no mystery to his elder brother.

"But I am remiss!" he added. "I believe my brother mentioned something of your recent betrothal. Congratulations, my lady, may the God bless you in your beautiful life to come." He paused, gesturing to the curtain of trees all around them. "And what a magnificent place in which to undertake it. My brother speaks often of how tranquil this place is, but I don't believe I fully knew what he meant till now."

[forgottengodfrey]

OOC | Godfrey & Marian

just realized...idk that we've ever talked abt these two?? and i deffff think these two schemers have been interacting for aaaages!! in fact, im kinda wondering if, before roderick and bart moved in, if maybe there was some thought that marian and/or one ofher sisters might be a good wife for ~godfrey since her fam is such a big deal in the ovn? anyway obv those days are v much gone now ALKJSDFKLJSKJF

anyway, regardless of that, i think its v safe to say that these days they're v much rivals!! i do think godfrey is def the more ~reasonable w her and def isn't tryna be all catty like our girl amira lakjsdjkfds buT he deffffff IS in there tryna knock arthur down several pegs and simultaneously raise edmund ~up them so ldkajfjkdsf i def feel like they would've had their share of move/counter move over the years!!!! aksjdfkjsdf

[forgottengodfrey]

also...congrats, bc now ur even more deeply tied to this dude since his betrothed, ciara, is not only guin's cousin...but ciara is also sister to guin's ~own betrothed, eoin...so yay for the in-laws!!! lkajsdlfjkdsf

anyway he's def doing his best to walk in dmitrei massard's shoes (tho lbr he'll NEVER fill ~those shoes!!!!! id say there's only one dmitrei massard but canonically speaking...there are in fact...two ;DDDDDDD) and maneuver his candidate to the throne whatever it takes so...have fun w that!!! lkajsdfkljdsf

OOC | Godfrey & Guinevere

ok so godfrey is edmund's maternal uncle!! he's def team edmund for the throne but honestly it's nothing against guin, he just thinks edmund is awesome and, sure, he's a bit biased being his uncle and all (and honestly as im thinking abt this probs a far more reliable father figure to him than roderick ever was, really, honestly whoops laksjdfkjsdf)

but anwayy, godfrey's a fixture at court, an earl, and currently engaged to guin's cousin, ciara, so im sure they know e/o! he ~is a warrior so he goes off to fight when there are wars, but other than that he's generally flitting around court with the movers and the shakers and always up to smth. he's debonaire and charming, but he's also kind of this...shadowy figure bc some ppl swear he's honorable and true and others are like 'that dude's the devil' and kajdsfakljds spoiler alert: they're both right somehow laksjdfjkdsf

anyway he didn't grow up w any kind of privilege, like she did, his grandma was a straight up witch, and his sister is rumored to be one, too, and getting a handle on this dude is probs pr tough but anyway here he is and now poor guin has to deal w him hahaha

[forgottengodfrey]

OOC | Godfrey & Event 5

ok so as we know, my man godfrey (heh) entered in the tournament!! so some info there!

Name: Godfrey Calainon Participating Categories: Jousting, Archery Skill Levels in the Following – Melee (on foot): Level #4 Melee (on horseback): Level #4 Archery: Level #4 Jousting: Level #3 Overall: 15

godfrey would request ciara’s [favor]

godfrey is betting on himself, tristan, and edmund. 

and betting on his bro and nephew got him some good stuff <3

he himself was awarded a runner-up prize of 30,000 bc his team (of which, tbf, he was captain) came in second place for the team melee but, and ngl this is more important to him, @forgottenedmund won in that same category <333333 and ngl godfrey did not ~let him win or anything!!! that was def an earned thing and godfrey is soooo proud and 1000% told him soo!!!!1 (honestly tho if edmund hadn't brought home a single trophy, he'd have been proud of him for just participating esp when he knows the pressure he's under etc!!)

but i do think all this is sort of bringing godfrey to the realization that edmund is eclipsing godfrey re: what he can teach him, and its time to get him a more skilled instructor, but one he can still trust re: discretion, so i think rn he's contemplating @forgottentristan but he's still not 100% sold bc he ~does know that tristan's loyalty is divided in the sense that tristan thinks itd be better for edmund if, yknow, he doesn't have to fight and kill his own siblings????? and given how v wild and outlandish such a notion is godfrey's not 100% convinced he's the best man for the job lakjsdfakljsdkjf

like his sister, tho, godfrey's thoughts don't rest solely on the tourney, he's still got his eye on the ball, and i do think godfrey is -- whether bc he was told or just bc...like...he knows roderick by now etc -- pr much aware of the fact that this is a trap for the resistance, and he's determined that they ~not be caught bc, as we know, they've got a purpose to serve before they are!!

so, as ive said...elsewhere somewhere lkadjfkljsdf godfrey def offered his share of the winnings to @forgottenciara for the resistance but is def going along w the 'oh no they were stolen!' thing even if the resistance themselves ask bc he's v dedicated to keeping ciara's role as double agent a strict secret!! but he's also thinking it might be time to reach out more directly to them, himself...which might just mean it might be just abt time to draw edmund, himself, into some of his plans! aklsdjfksjdf

ok so let me explain! to be clear, he's not looking to introduce edmund ~to @forgottenronan or anything like that, but i do think he's thinking, if this works for you, lizzy, of like sitting edmund down and being like 'there's unrest here, edmund, but i think that can be useful to you in conquering your brother. make astaira your base. here, he is the butcher of kil-kennar -- you can be the savior' sorta thing

speaking of which, while amira is out there spreading rumors that arthur (and possibly sebastian?) have impregnated local darlings, eithne and aoife, smth happening more or less at godfrey's periphery, ~godfrey is looking to potentially go ahead and out the true identity of the butcher of kil-kennar, since roderick covered kinda had that covered up bc of marian's influence etc! i ~do think this (and i think godfrey is aware of what im abt to say) is a bit of a dbl-edged sword bc i think a lot of varmont supporters/true believers will be like HELL YEAH abt arthur being the butcher of kil-kennar, but also obv the astairans true believers will noT be best pleased!!! lkjsdfkljsdaf and that's def what he's banking on since he's looking to make astaira, as the largest country in roderick's empire, edmund's powerbase, etc.

i do think he'll also be encouraging edmund to 1) repair things w @forgottenroisin (just long enough for her to tragically die courtesy uncle godfrey roderick ;D) and 2) to cozy up to the staffords -- he will noT be best pleased if he learns that @forgottenarthur has already made some significant inroads w @forgottenarias ngl lkajdsfkljdskf (godfrey, michael bluth voice: him?) i do think he's also ok w the rumor getting out abt edmund having potentially impregnated roisin bc he plans to ~also spread the rumor that they're star-crossed lovers that roderick cruelly parted, and that this is part of why you, as an astairan, should really accept edmund as deeply pro-astairan w all ur best interests at heart!!!! since the malconaires command a lot of loyalty in astaira etc

he's also gonna be tryna make more substantial inroads w the malconaires, himself. idk how stoked he'd be abt @forgottenamira approaching @forgottenbrigit the way she just did but...here we are! lkadsjfkljdsf if he learns of that, he'll def do his utmost to spin it like he does lakjdsfkljdsf but anyway, between edmund and tristan spending sm time there he's optimistic he can get in there and get a lil trust going so that they'll be willing to trust in him when things inevitably go badly for them etc bc he's like 'this whole situation is fully a tinderbox its just a matter of time that it ~will go badly for them' esp bc he knows brigit was already accused of witchcraft etc so yeah!!

idk that he knows amira is also doing this lakjdfkljdsf but i do think he'll be investigating the sigil treasure map ~and i think he'll be lowkey alerting @forgottenroderick esp bc somewhere in here @forgottenrian will absolutely finally get a look at the stafford sword roderick's got and be like 'that aint evenstar' a thing he will not hold back in revealing which will make roderick FURIOUS btw!! he does NOT like to be tricked!!!!!!!! and he will know it was the stafford girls who tricked him!!!!! so he wiLL be lashing out in some way ive not yet discovered lakjdsfkljdsf so ~that's fun lakjsdfkljsdf godfrey is frankly all for this and wiLL absolutely be publishing all the gory details of whatever punishment he unleashes for the ppl of astaira to consume and rail against roderick etc all while simultaneously using it all to tempt roderick into finally unleashing the gods for him <3

i ~do think godfrey's a lil uncertain what'll happen to the one who opens the lock etc and unseals the gods so i do think he's v happy for roderick to be the one to do that, plus it does set up that delish narrative that roderick is the true evil that edmund must fight against to restore peace and justice to all etc! and if roderick ~literally brings abt the apocalypse (even if unintentially) well!!! that's pr good evidence of that ladksjflksjdfjksdf

also, if post-valentina's party is indeed the occasion on which @forgottencassandra is getting nabbed by the resistance? then obv we know godfrey will def be heavily involved w all the behind the scenes, but either way, awe all already know that he's def laying the groundwork for the malconaires to be accused of witchcraft lakdsjfklsjdfkjsdf and then also for them to disappear after that. i ~do think he had it in mind that malconaire, the place, would be obliterated by roderick...the guardian destroying themself to save malconaire def was NOT on his bingo card kdlasjflksdjfkljsdfk

i also think that @forgottenbrigit linking up w the resitance ~without him~ wasn't smth he predicted (or wanted!) but here we are lkajdsfkljsdf but yeah re: the heist he will def be confirming that he, himself, ordered for his stuff to be taken out to roderick, and confirming that he ~didn't to the resitance hahaha both efforts to protect @forgottenciara and her involvement in the whole affair from the various parties who might sideye her if they heard the opposite so yeah!

def feel like there's smth else but i have gone on long enough!! baiscally godfrey is never idle laksdjfksldjf

[forgottengodfrey]

GODFREY CALANION, EARL OF HANTHOM / LUKE EVANS

♛ Age: (37) ♛ Relationships: Tristan Calanion (brother), Amira Varmont (sister), Roderick Varmont (brother-in-law), Edmund Varmont (nephew), Ciara Varmont (fiancée), Barthololmew Varmont (future father-in-law), Eion Varmont (future brother-in-law), Aleksander Royce, Alaric Varmont (best friends)

super ambitious!!!! (honestly would have loved to be roderick when he grows up)

but for now he will settle for the generous earldom roderick has bestowed upon him here in asteria ahead of his impending marriage

certainly has enjoyed the many perks that have come with one's sister being married to the most powerful man in the world, but godfrey has never been one to settle

literally always scheming and has great plans to one day be the future emperor's hand, once his nephew is seated upon the throne

adamantly believes edmund should rule after his father -- and not just because he's the only one of roderick's children that is his own family (godfrey believes arthur to be an idiot and he would never trust a woman to rule)

very charming!!! very outgoing!!!

likes to have fun and enjoys drinking and gambling (within reason) and can be rather competitive, so any chance to show off you can count that godfrey shall jump upon it

very popular with the ladies

has lots of friends, but trusts very few of them with anything of real importance

an exception to this is certainly aleksander royce, to whom godfrey owes his life

alek once saved godfrey's life on the battlefield and godfrey means to repay this debt one day (his gratitude has blinded him to the fact that alek is probably one of the least trustworthy people at court)

currently engaged to the king's cousin, ciara, who is the wealthiest woman in the land -- the king's own daughters aside

eager for her to be his wife, but less enthused that she is being allowed to help spy on the rebels

he understands her circumstances gave her an ideal situation for such a job, but he would never trust a woman with such an important task, nor would he put her in such a dangerous position

loyal, methodical, exacting, intelligent

TAKEN BY KATE AA.

[forgottengodfrey]

OOC | Love Languages

so inspired by [ kate's post on aria's love languages ], i've been thinking a lot abt my characters and theirs, and i thought id start w godfrey bc 1) i was intrigued that kate said she was surprised by what i thought abt godfrey (kate, id love to pick ur brain abt that! <3) and 2) ngl bc he is alphabetically first hahaha (roderick: hey! lets only do reverse alphabetical ok <3) so ANYWAY!! im getting ahead of myself. as a refresher (mostly for me ngl) here're the five love languages:

5 love languages:

words of affirmation

physical touch

giving/receiving gifts

quality time

acts of service 

and here's what i said my initial instincts were re: my peeps...

Godfrey — appears as a words of affirmation dude but if he ~really loves you it’s acts of service!!

Tristan — acts of service he is literally a knight!! Send him on a quest!! He will goooo!

Eabha — bc of her ruling lady outlook she looks like acts of service but she’s really more physical touch

Cormac — giving of gifts

Ronan — acts of service!! I hope you like someone just wordlessly doing smth for you bc that’s what ur in for here bc sadly he’s pr rubbish at a lot of the others these days

Cillian — quality time

Saoirse — physical touch

Rosie — quality time

Valentina — receiving gifts

Eilia — words of affirmation 

Rian — quality time

Roderick — giving of gifts

Amira — tbd

Arthur — tbd

asfsdf okie dokie so!! what i decided to do is to kinda take a moment and like...so there's this idea, right, that while we all have one or two primary love languages that work for us best, we all can and usually do communicate using each of the five, right, so i wanted to stop and just kinda go on a lil journey here and analyze godfrey's relationship w each of the five!

words of affirmation

all righty so!! our boy here learned early how to weave words and his silver tongue is a v large part of what's gotten him where he is, right. like, he can and will use eloquence and charm any way it suits him, so it seems v natural to him, but the fact is that eloquence isn't really an inborn trait but rather a learned ~skill that he taught to himself for this specific purpose. he wants to hoodwink you -- don't let him!! ;D no but ~that being said!!! godfrey might be a master manipulator but lbr the most successful manipulators succeed bc there's a kernel of truth there and godfrey knows this!!

godfrey largely uses his life to climb that ladder, but there ~are some ppl out there that he truly loves and is unflinchingly loyal to (edmund most of all <3 sorry everyone else you'll just never be him ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) but anyway!! point is, these ppl (ok i can legit list them its edmund, tristan, ciara [lbr she's chomping at tristan's heels tristan: damn...you gonna replace me...again????], and amira...probably in that order alsdjfslkdjf amira: i do everything for this family and i never get any appreciation sheesh godfrey: i think you've confused yourself with me *cue intense sibling stare off* A N Y W A Y) can expect to hear genuine words of affirmation from him whenever he thinks they need it!! i do think, bc its again a ~skill for him, he is pr good at bolstering ppl! and he does happily do it!! after all, he's not stranger to the power of words -- man's a bookworm! its just that vocalization doesn't come naturally to him, really, so its not his natural brand of loving someone

physical touch

i think godfrey has a kind of complex relationship w touch!! i feel like he and amira and tristan grew up physically cold a lot -- kolchis strikes me as a cold city w all that marble, and so i think touch was more a source of warmth than anything growing up. that, in itself, is ofc comforting, but he'd be as likely to snuggle w a stray dog as w a family member bc you gotta take what you can get yknow

as a result, i think he's someone who grew up to recognize the utility of touch really but ~also to kind of...identify it w need? when he was poor he had to cling to others, yknow? now that he's rich he doesn't have to touch ~anyone, so largely he doesn't. he's v much a keep your hands clean kinda guy, both literally and symbolically. so i think there's this intense vulnerability abt touch to him, it puts him back to the desperate kid he was rather than the powerful lord he's become and that frankly scares him.

i think he's kinda touch-starved himself tryna run from all that??? so he at once craves it but also recoils from it so...yeah!! do w that what you will laksdjfkjsd either way, he doesn't want to expose any of his vulnerabilities so he'll touch like it doesn't bother him in a situation that seems to need it, but he'll pull away just as soon as he can, too, without anyone suspecting it bothers him OR that he wants it too much *facepalm* no I WANT TO TOUCH YOU SO MUCH IT FREAKS ME OUT HERE HAHAHAHA NO WAYYYYY *wistles nonchalantly*

giving/receiving gifts

ngl...this one's almost completely manipulation!! man does and will give anything to anyone bc there is a return!!! the ppl he loves don't need anything (anymore, anyway), but he knows others do!! and he can use that the same way it was used on him!! and it can be used on others -- they'll keep serving you if it means they get a full meal every day or if they're greedy and you give them gold, etc.

i do think, growing up poor, the power of generosity is palpable to him, but he also knew how easily it could be weaponized!! real talk, i think at first tho that was a really hard step for him!! letting go of the first wealth he'd ever accumulated was a real leap of faith in himself yknow? but it got easier after that, esp as he has garnered more and more wealth

but anyway!! for special events he will give smth v thoughtful wo thought to renumeration, but these things are pr much ALWAYS practical/useful to their owner in some way if they're genuinely meant gifts of affection, but ALSO bear meaning for the two. godfrey really isn't the kinda guy to have anything he doesn't need in some way, and so his real gifts tend to reflect this. and yes...part of him ~is hoping you will think of him every time you use that thing!!

what kinda thing will he give? for example, when edmund came of age, he probs gave him a proper kolcean spear (i feel like kolchean spears are famous throughout the world) bearing an etching of the seals of calainon and varmont, embattled, and crested by edmund's raven (his way of saying famous as your bloodlines may each be you'll surpass them both and that is both a promise and a THREAT 🫵 i mean hahaha whAT apocalypse??? idk her) another example, when tristan was knighted, godfrey gave him a greathelm crested with the calainon sigil (tbh i don't think @forgottentristan uses that much but that's a whole other thing). when amira was crowned, he gave her a cloth circlet to adorn her head before the crown was placed there -- and to help cushion it once the weight ~was on her head. it was an imitation of the paper crown he had once made her as a boy when he'd first called her high priestess. no one else knew that, but amira recognized the gesture immediately. besides the ring or whatever (idr the engagement practices we put down hahaha) for their betrothal, he probs gave ciara reems of priceless silks in calainon colors that she could make into a dress or use to curtain the marriage bed or do -- whatever she liked but yeah! smth she could put to good use! (yes, in a modern au, he's the guy who'd buy you a bike -- or if still rich a car -- is it romantic? not really! but it ~is useful for going to visit him! and to him the idea of being able to spend time w you is v romantic, so to him it ~is a romantic gift! lakjsdfsjkdf)

this way his gifts are also lowkey acts of service too btw <3

quality time

ok so ~this one ~is a natural one to him!! like!!!! you got one life!!!! choosing to spend ur time w someone!!!! even if it doesn't serve you!!! that is L O V E !!!!!!! and nothing less <33333 but godfrey can't do anything w/o purpose (man gets antsy!!) so i do feel like he also enjoys and values teaching moments this way too yknow? he also loves like reading aloud to one another and/or like ppl doing completely separate things together just...enjoying e/o's presence!! even if not directly interacting!!

its these lil things that let you know he really cares esp bc he's naturally pr introverted/kinda secretive so like!!!!! that is trust!!!! but also spending time w you has got to outweigh the energy gain he gets from being alone and like!!!!! whatever ur doing if he's just hanging out in ur space and not like directly getting smth out of it, he loves you!!!!!!

acts of service 

annnnd here we come to the big one!!! godfrey will literally start the apocalypse for you <3333 laksjdfkdsjfsd that's his love letter to hope and to the world, actually, bizarrely enough akdljfkljdsf he will be the monster this world needs in order to usher in an era of peace and justice (this is what will happen in his mind post-apocalypse) w a philosopher-emperor to lead the innocent to eden

as well as being quality time (and also useful dissemination of knowledge etc), this is what his lessons w edmund boiled down to! edmund needs to know things that godfrey can teach him, in order to succeed, so godfrey will do whatever it takes to ensure that edmund knows those things!!!

kolchis needed freedom so he risked his life to overthrow its tyrant -- and usher in a new one bc his family needed to eat!

this doesn't mean he'll be kind to you abt any of it, tho. take for example his plot to slaughter the malconaires in order to start a war to make edmund emperor -- does godfrey think edmund wants the malconaires dead? absolutely not! does ~godfrey think the malconaires deserve to die? another absolutely not! but he thinks this is for the greater good of everyone, including edmund, so its just gotta be!

godfrey is a guy of absolutes and he will quite literally do ANYTHING for the ppl he loves and the things he believes in. his love and loyalty is savage. where he can, he will weave the needs of both together (it just ~happens to be his nephew whose gonna be the guy to save the world!). i think the real test of his character would be if the needs of his loved ones were ever to come into direct conflict w his ideals -- i honestly don't know what he would do!! and he certainly doesn't either! he doesn't really believe that he can't think his way out of such a trap tho bc he ~is a lil arrogant abt his intellect ngl! he'd probs deny that it had come down to that, that there wasn't a way he could thik himself out of this one, right up to the last second. but, like, if he had to kill edmund to save the world...would he do it? he justifies everything he does by telling himself its selflessness, really, but could he do ~that if it came down to it? i don't think so...

[forgottengodfrey]

ok so since the above we've uhhhh developed some of the stuff that's gonna impact these two alksdfjklsdjf i feel like godfrey is still hoping tho to -- should he learn of it, himself! -- expose valentina and cassimir's mistreatment of the og girls but yeah like i said...i don't think he at present knows anything abt that bc im just guessing BAHAHAHA but i doubt @forgottensebastian 's first move was to run and confide in not!uncle godfrey when he learned abt that hahaha but anyway if he ever did learn, he'd def make hayyyy w getting that out in the open! LOOK HOW THESE CRUEL INVADERS [don't think too much abt the fact that they're pre!roderick....] ARE TREATING EVEN THE NOBLEST ASTAIRANS, AND NOW EVEN FORCING THEM INTO MARRIAGE TO ESCAPE THIS VILE TREATMENT! RISE UP, ASTAIRA! FREE URSELF! etc

leaving that bit to the side for now tho, i def agree that godfrey ~will be taking in the terrain at least insofar as the og girls are beloved by astaira and the new ones are uhhhh noT lakjsdfkjdsf and w edmund already having a relationship there ( @forgottenedmund do you think edmund will tell his uncle abt what's going down there now re: the battle of m, etc? he'd deffff be looking to repair that! *facepalm* 'pls just be friends!!!!!! i need you all to be really put through the ringer/possibly die terribly w edmund as ur only defender here ok!!!!!!! lets repair this rn!!!!!' rosie probs: 'tristan and edmund are so nice why does his ~other uncle have weird energy rn/seem a lil ~too into our probs pre!doomed-anyway-from-the-v-start relationship????...oh well its probs just good intentions! wow, edmund's mom must be really nice that must be where they get it' heh ;D only ~kind of kidding ;DDDDD amira must just be so nice!!!1 laksjfkljdsfkjlsdf)

but anyway, as we've established, godfrey is here to help save them from the flames (yknow just as a favor to his brother and nephew!! and bc its the right thing to do and he's had enough!! def nothing nefarious here shh! ;DDD) and i def think he'll be wanting to put them out in front of rebeles he's cooking up to encourage them etc that yes we need to fight back or roderick will just keep burning defenseless, innocent women to death!!!!!!

and yes!!!! since edmund doesn't have a ~full sister, idk if this is how edmund actually feels or not hahaha but i do think godfrey will be making all kinds of noises abt how its roderick who is barring women from the throne!!!! but edmund truly believes they ought to be able to rule!!! etc etc and when he's stepped over his own older sister to claim his throne ;D he'll allow women such liberties!!! don't think abt this too much!! ;DDDD akjsfksdhafkjhsdf no, but tbf i ~do think there is a good bit of truth to what he says (godfrey ~is def of the school that you gotta have truth in there after all!!! it won't fly otherwise!!) bc like lbr if guin ~hadn't been born a girl, it probs wouldn't have occurred to roderick to wait to name an heir and yeahh that probs would've been clear from day one ngl!

yeah, ouch! arthur would DEF be hella hurt if eithne first rejects him for ~cassimir of all ppl, and then turns around and endorses edmund al;ksdjfkljsdf arthur: 'jeeze i didn't realizee you actually hated me all along' lkajsdfkljsdjf arthur, man, newsflash: ik ur tryin ur best but not everything is abt you, bud! ;laksjdflkjsdkfjsdf arthur: '??!!?!???!'

anyway, i do think godfrey does drop by malconaire when he's got a spare moment esp since he's doubtless noticed that edmund spends a lot of time there etc. i do think godfrey is a pr charming guy, and obv he's in a powerful position as both brother to amira and lord of hanthom in his own right as well as i think effectively running kolchis (tho idk that that's quite as big a job as it sounds bc bart's ofc overseeing the empire so gofrey's more like a...glorified governor kinda position than like a little king or anything like that, i just mean he's administering and so forth), etc, so im ~confident valentina, at least, is glad to see him (too bad he's already spoken for bc otherwise...he could be yet ~another sonya back up smdh)

for rosie's part, she is super eager that godfrey like her (unfortunately for her, godfrey emotionally tries to tune her out since she's an innocent he's gonna have to use! fortunately for her, he's VERY good at appearing ~to care!! rosie's sold!) since, obv, she's got smth going w edmund so she'd like all his relatives to like her etc, but edmund does seem to be esp close w godfrey etc so yeah! that relationship's big in her head! and i def think she's like 'pls be nice!' to her sisters since that all means a lot to her etc. i mean, idk that eithne needs anyone telling her to be kind to anyone HAHAHAHA but you know what i mean hahaha anyway, idk what eithne would think of ~any of that hahaha but yeah! there it is hahah

for his part, he's always super polite, tries to step in and save the girls from valentina and cassimir and their interference, is generally pr charming and kind, plus he's got edmund and tristan there to recommend them and, until eithne's unfortunate tea part expereince at the palace (godfrey: damn it, amira, why're you always ruining my plans!), i doubt anyone had met amira who uhhh def casts a cloud on that lil family unit lakjsdflkjsdfjksdf oh well l;akjsflkjsdkjf but yeah! that was a v, v long and involved way of asking...what do you think eithne generally makes of godfrey? lkjsadfakljsd

OOC | Godfrey & Eithne

eithne honestly deserves so much better and godfrey is sorry that all of this is happening to her!!! i kind of feel like, since godfrey wants to align astairan interests w edmund, he'd love to play up edmund's friendship w the malconaires and maybe even help them cast off the shackles of cassimir and valentina to make a public statement that way, but for that to be really dramatic, their servitude situation would have to be known about publically, (or else get much worse,) and im not sure if it is? but anyway, as a result, godfrey's simultaneously wishing both worse and then better for them so!! that's fun!! hahah w the hope of ultimately helping all astaira attain at least a modicum of liberty via emperor edmund lkadjsfjkdsf

[forgottengodfrey]

Little Princess | Godfrey & Cassandra

Cool daylight spread grey tendrils through the slanted sun shafts that illuminated Castle Stafford. While Roderick was now making a great show of his indifference to the riots, (going so far as to threaten to take his family on Progress through Astaira) the truth was that they had shaken him. It was clear in every protest he made, every heavy-slitted glance towards the wide doors which he was even now having cast in heavy iron, supposedly in order to depict the imperial family and Roderick's own glorious deeds upon it, the naked truth of it was that that was a safety procaution. Roderick quaked upon his throne and, in its shadow, Godfrey smiled, eyes turning towards the pale stream of dusty light. Roderick's paranoia was, to Godfrey's mind, the most powerful weapon there was to wield against him, and an unsteady emperor was a foolish one.

With the council session at last ending, Godfrey bowed to the Emperor, still seated proud upon his lofty seat, and began his exit, hefty tome tucked upon one arm. Outside of the council chambers, the windows were wider and, dusky though it remained, Godfrey blinked slightly in the light, his lips twitching upwards slightly at himself even as he did. Torches lined the wide alley and to either side wide windows and balconies offered unparalleled views across all of Stafford and beyond, high up as the Citadel perched -- closer, he had heard Eilionora say, to the stars. But closer, too, to the sun in the day.

As if its herald, a tinkling and familiar laugh sounded from its rays as Cassandra, attended by a gaggle of Varmont ladies, stepped out from the balcony. The ladies, giggling and chatting amongst themselves, pealed from her side -- noting they had fallen far behind the queen her mother -- but Cassandra's progress he arrested with a warm smile and a familiar greeting.

"Good morning, little princess. How is your renewed freedom treating you?"

It was a term of endearment Godfrey had long used for her in private, its origins in her infancy. At the time of Arthur's birth, the Calainon faction's distrust for Marian's had been at its height, but by Cassandra's -- and particularly given her status as a woman -- that had diminished somewhat, Edmund's birth providing an undeniable balm.

Cassandra's distaste for the court's limited movements since the riots had been no secret, and with most restrictions now once again lifted (for her class and situation of life, in any case), Godfrey had little doubt she was feeling sweet relief. And it was she, and her eldest brother, who were likely to prove most heedless in the moments that would follow.

"I can only imagine the fresh air must taste sweet, indeed. Have you yet been out of the castle?"

[forgottengodfrey]

Black Sails XVIII. // Dracula Untold (2014)

[forgottengodfrey]

poor cassimir honestly lakjsdflkjsdf the fact that he hates every single thing godfrey thinks abt him lakjsdflkjsdf but no i ~don't think godfrey's in any way obv abt his feelings re: cassimir! godfrey doesn't readily burn bridges bc one thing he does know is that you just can't predict what's coming, much as you might try, and he ~does see the og malconaires as pieces on the board that could easily make a big difference (and i think he's even entertained helping them cast off their vasilieva shackles ngl! alksdjfksdf), so who knows maybe cassimir ~will figure in his schemes, one of these days! ;D

so yeah, i do think godfrey treats him w all his usual charm, and probs is generally friendly and jovial, and i def think he's invited ~all the malconaires to hanthom multiple stimes in the name of cultivating good relations w neighbors etc (but mostly to get to know the og malconaires better himself ngl/and for them to get to know ~him and hopefully ~trust him a bit better etc)

"Lowkey Cassimir kinda wants to be Godfrey aka gain a position of power through his sister's marriage to a Varmont and then be free to marry someone who is not blood related to him, but still might show up on that family tree." SCREAM but also MKLKa lsdkfjlskdjfjkl;JSFKLASDJF OMGGGG ITS TRUEEE LAKJSFLKJDSF godfrey: 'i see the parallels and i do not like them' ;DDD lkajsdflkjsdf

all this being said tho, how do you think cassimir treats godfrey? godfrey does generally behave in a v charming manner etc, but he's ~also not the sort to simply let someone walk all over him (that's what cormac is for ;D), so how cassimir treats godfrey would def ~also have a big impact on this relationship too!

if he's civil tho, godfrey's def his charming self, and probs does make promises of putting together some parties and such for the new varmont!astairan nobles to mingle w the old astairan ones, etc, to help strengthen those bonds and get ppl like cassimir more facetime w roderick etc and hopefully arrange some marriage alliances to tie o.v.n./varmont-ian and astairan together forever, basically (and these def aren't empty promises! that's good for edmund's cause too if ~his allies are fully committed to astaira etc lakjsflkj)

OOC | Godfrey & Cassimir

ok so talk abt a weird mashup lajksdflkjdsf

honestly i feel like godfrey probs frankly thinks that cassimir is accidentally hilarious, and like he'd be super easy to manipulate, but alas he has absolutely nothing that godfrey could ever want hahaha honestly he's probs kinda glad that cassimir seems intent on aligning himself w either guin or arthur, bc godfrey does NOT think this dude is v capable. honestly, he probs underestimates cassimir bc godfrey has a v high opinion of his own capabilities, but yeah he's just like 'dude do you really have so little imagination that literally the v first woman you ever saw was the only one you could think of?' and just sort of wrote him off alkjsdfjkdsf (tbf to cassimir's taste tho, godfrey probs does think eithne is a lovely person [and deserves way better tbqh], but yeah he's not impressed by her would-be beau hahaha)

[forgottengodfrey]

i so agreeeee!!!!! i think, in some ways, they may actually be a model of what edmund/arthur could've been if they'd been allowed to just be brothers, bc -- while obv there are significant differences between each uncle and each nephew, etc -- i do feel like there are also similarities there as well that really work like even down to the varmont vs kolchean styles of fighting etc lakjsdfjdsf but anyway!!!! aldskjfksdljf but also i feel like their brands of humor are actually lowkey similar, like they both have this ironic twang, it seems, to them, plus i think alaric's solidity and seriousness is a good counterbalance to the mercury of godfrey's wits and, like, godfrey hasn't experienced a ton of loyalty in his life, yknow? but i feel like alaric is a v loyal guy, and that sort of thing, too?

but yessss i defff think godfrey is quite practiced at getting alaric to open up a bit atp and, dare i say it, can probs even wring a smile out of him from time to time ;DDDD but i also think alaric may have helped godfrey adjust to ~varmont culture~ a bit? obv we know godfrey's a bit of a chameleon, but i do think kolchis probs, just by nature of being a ~different country~ etc, just does some things ~differently, and suddenly godfrey's out there and by law brother to the emperor...and there's alaric ~actual brother to the emperor to show him the ropes, yknow?

honestly being sus of them makes sooo much sense!! like amira def highkey wormed her way in there, yknow, and like she's known to be ~the high priestess of the eternal flame~ as the last known lady of calainon etc, so like instantly she's a symbol of everything roderick is mean to be against, and he's betraying this literal love match for it too who is probs someone who may ~also have lowkey had a hand in raising alaric, given her position? but was certainly at the v least a sister figure to alaric from the time he was pr tiny and yeah!!!

BHAHAHA omg honestly godfrey ~would #facepalm but honestly i love that as their friendship backstory like??? that just lowkey feels classic for them somehow lakjsdfkjdsf and is def suuuper on brand for godfrey smdh like turning an enemy into his bff??? meanwhile amira is like 'im his wife now and you can die mad abt it' @ her brand new baby bro is ~also on brand smdh godfrey, repeating smth he says way too often: 'sorry abt my sister, man' alksjdfklsdjf

anyway, i def think that godfrey, in the past, def tried to bring alaric over to team edmund ngl, but i do think he's more or less resigned that -- barring some wild and shocking revelation abt arthur's true parentage or smth ;DDD -- they're probs fated enemies which he's frankly super bummed abt but that's showbiz, baby! and yeah he's def ride or die for edmund, that kid has a one way elite first class ticket to all of godfrey's loyalty and that's just that! and i think he knows that alaric def errs team arthur, and honestly given all that, godfrey ~also def edits what he allows alaric to know for the same reason -- i can even see where there might be sort of an unspoken rule for them where you just don't...talk abt that stuff!! like they both know they're holding stuff back and that's fine, we just don't poke at it, kinda thing?

ooc | Alaric & Godfrey

Alaric and Godfrey are best friends!!! tbh I feel like they compliment each other a lot and Godfrey helps Alaric to get out of his shell a little more and actually have fun sometimes!!!

However, I do think that Alaric has always been a little suspicious of Amira and her fam??? Like they never really sat right with Alaric and ngl I feel like he got close w/ Godfrey to try to see what he could find out about them but it kinda backfired and Godfrey charmed him into being friends????

I do think that Alaric kind of has a complicated relationship with Godfrey though, like he loves hanging out with him and spending time together, but I think he also knows that Godfrey will ride or die with Edmund and b/c of this and the fact that he does NOT trust Amira, I don't think he will ever fully be able to trust Godfrey and although he does let his guard down a little more than usual when they are together, he does censure what he allows Godfrey to know.

[forgottengodfrey]

Chuckling at his nephew's jibe, Godfrey nonetheless shook his head. "That is where you are wrong, Edmund," said he, placing a hand upon the younger man's shoulder. "I could not be prouder than to be defeated by so doughty a warrior as the Raven Prince. Though," he added, with a small laugh and the slightest wince. "My ribs may resent it, yet."

Breakfast smelled heavenly, the aromas of hot bread and fried toast wafting towards them with heady effervescence and setting Godfrey's stomach to groaning. With another laugh, he speared a stack of pancakes for his plate, and some sausages and fruits as well, before passing each serving to his nephew.

This was a fairly informal arrangement, sporting not so much as a single servant that the two might speak freely amongst themselves, and there was a palpable relief in that prospect. Godfrey was a careful man, weighing each word, a habit which had allowed him to live this long, but even he grew weary of such cares and, though he never fully relaxed in the palace, well aware that even the walls had ears, these rooms he had inspected, himself. Unlike most of the others they'd inhabited in their time, the palace of Stafford had not been purpose-built for spying, it seemed.

"Do not make the mistake, Edmund, of thinking it is merely my growing decripitude," he added with a teasing smirk. "That has brought you here. Your technique is everyday improving. I may perhaps in truth be past my peak as a warrior, but you will surpass even my former self well before you hit yours. I am sure of this. But," he added, gleefully slathering his toast with a healthy supply of butter, grinning towards his nephew. "Now I must quiz you on other subjects, and there, I'm afraid, you will find me just as sharp as I've ever been."

Spearing his eggs upon his fork, he looked to his nephew, serious now. "The executions. Tell me of the folk, there. What was their attitude as they watched? What was the mood?"

Godfrey, himself, had not been required and, thus, he had not attended, nor had Amira. He had tried to argue to Roderick that Edmund ought not to be there, as the issue was 'beneath the notice of so lofty a figure,' an argument which generally held sway with Roderick, but upon this point, he would not be moved in this case. Rumor that the raven banners had been spotted fighting on the Astairan side in the riots had made their way back to Roderick, and he had wished to crush such perfidious lies once and for all.

Still, Godfrey had not wished it to appear that the Calainon faction was in support of these things, and had put it about that the Emperor had required his sons' presence. This had the unfortune downside of showing Arthur and Sebastian also to have been victims of their father's ferocity, true, but it was far less of a loss than to allow anyone to believe that Edmund had endorsed the killings, and still helpful in crafting Roderick's image as a tyrant, even amongst his family. And Arthur, particularly, could always be relied upon to do something foolish which Godfrey might easily exploit.

"Your Astairan friends, Edmund -- what have they to say about the whole affair?"

Breaking Fast | Edmund & Godfrey

Spring was here and this morning Edmund had been grateful both for the sunlight and the warmth it provided. For the last few months, he and his uncle had risen before the crack of dawn to practice swordfighting, jousting, archery, and anything else that Godfrey felt could use some improvement. It had been cold and dark and brutal, but Edmund has risen to the challenge and now, he felt as though the seasons had rewarded him for his work. Now finished for the day, he and his uncle were enjoying their breakfast.

Edmund felt good after the exercise. He allowed his uncle to push him harder than anyone else, for he was truly the one person who he wasn't afraid to fail in front of. The measure of a man does not change if he falls, Edmund. What matters is what he does next. If he finds a way to stand again, he will be even stronger.

He was learning how to use his strengths to work for him -- not against him. His uncle was stronger and his blows could still knock Edmund to the ground -- but Edmund was faster and if he could anticipate his uncle's next move, he could stand his ground. He'd managed to beat him this afternoon, once, and while he felt proud for this accomplishment, he knew not to let it go to his head. He'd studied under his uncle for months now and had come to learn his style.

It would not always be his uncle who he would be fighting.

Despite this, he couldn't help but he couldn't resist the temptation to tease Godfrey about it, "You're getting older, uncle," He smirked, "It's a sad day for a man when he is beaten by the Raven Prince."

Edmund was not ignorant of his reputation. He'd heard what they'd used to say about him when they thought no one was listening. The Raven Prince had never won a tournament. He'd never even been close. The only times he'd ever advanced was when his opponents were woefully underqualified. Edmund suspected that they'd only won a spot in the tourney at all so that he might not loose every opponent he faced.

[forgottengodfrey]

As she spoke, Godfrey allowed a genuine smile to play about his features. "I see you may remember our meeting...but did not, I think, much attend to it." Turning to her, he arched a playful brow before slowly, thoughtfully, shaking his head. "Do you not recall that I charged you with learning about the emperor's faith, but cautioned against allowing loyal Astairans to learn of any such...curiosity, hm?" Bemusement glittered in his dark eye. "I took it upon myself to solve the riddle for you: that is the intelligence which I have procured for you, madam. Read it for yourself, if you like. Or let it fall beneath our feet as we walk so that, if it were found, no one may know whether it was yours or mine. I assure you, I do not mind."

Godfrey chuckled softly at her words. He could grow to like Aria. There was something in the way she mingled sharpness with humor that left much to be admired. The King of Astaira had raised outspoken daughters, yes, but intelligent ones, too, he thought, and if there was one quality which Godfrey prized above all others, it was an intellect. Where Aria was blunt, she was also questing: sparring as her comments were, these were no thoughtless questions, and if Godfrey had wished to further decrease her standing (which -- given Roderick openly planned to wed her sister, a move which might potentially rock Godfrey's own political standing -- it was logical for her to assume he might align himself against her), that was no bad gambit she suggested. But that was only because she, like many, did not have the advantage of knowing what Godfrey truly wanted.

"Of course they're spies," replied Godfrey, pleasantly. "Everyone's a spy in a place such as this. Even you're a spy. Do you not plan to tell your sister of this interaction?"

He allowed the question to hover in the air for a moment before shaking his head. "Forgive me if I am mistaken, but I believe you are a woman who values frankness. Shall I come, then, to my point? It is no secret, I think, that your sister does not wish to wed the Emperor. It is also no secret that my sister does not wish for that union to take place, either. It would ill suit my nephew's hopes to find himself faced with yet further siblings at work amongst the...familial squabble. Our causes, thus, align. I do not threaten you. Those are not the actions of friends, madam, and, in all frankness, I wish us to be friends.

"In truth, it is my hope that our friendship will last not merely long enough to see your sister freed of her unwanted suitor, but into the reign of the next Emperor, as well. My nephew has, I believe, developed a special...affection for the people of Astaira, madam, and does not wish to see them suffer further beneath this yoke," he added, turning to look her meaningfully in the eyes. "I believe there is a way to honor both your wishes and his hopes, simultaneously. But, think it over; discuss it with your sister. If you choose to walk this path, it will prove dangerous, so you must walk it well prepared. But such, I fear, are all options open to you. I make no deadline for decision upon you. If you wish to help us, I have little doubt you will find a way to apprise us."

As she spoke of the fear of the people, Godfrey nodded slowly. "I believe you have the right of it. Its...ironic, in truth. It was for safety that my people threw open their gates to Roderick and hailed him as their god-king...and, just so, it is for safety's sake, too, that yours revile him and cast him out," his smile turned ironic, tone lightly wry. "My dear brother has not, it seems, learned the lessons of his own past."

That much did not surprise Godfrey: not a wink. Roderick grew increasingly single-minded in his pursuit. He'd been young and golden as the son of his Aria herself seemed to prefer, when he had come with his gleaming army to Kolchis. No dictator, then, but a liberator who had late cast off the shackles of those who wished to conquer him. Like so many others, Roderick was guilty of becoming the very thing he'd once sought to destroy, and like still more, he was utterly blind to it.

His smile turned a mite sad at the sound of her final question. "No," he murmured. "Not always. Once, Roderick was a freedom fighter, himself. He thinks himself one, still." He arched a brow at her, shook his head. "I am not surprised you do not know it. It was well before your time. But I shall tell you this, as the friend I hope soon to be: Roderick is mighty, indeed, but no one, madam, is untouchable, and he is far more vulnerable than he wishes anyone ever to know."

Opportunities | Godfrey & Aria

Set sometime following [ this ] and the riots at the capitol

The time is right, thought Godfrey as he espied Aria traversing the walled walks to the interior of the keep. Since the riots, security had been tightened around the Staffords -- or, as Roderick would have it, the natural daughters of the late so-called King of Astaira (it was easier to say Staffords) -- but Prince Arthur had managed to convince his father that surely they might be permitted out of doors, again, now, if they were guarded or accompanied in some way.

In truth, the prince's actions had surprised Godfrey: he was rarely so tenacious in pursuing anything his father misliked. The knowledge had Godfrey further scrutinizing Aria: she had lately been his companion, perhaps over much. It would better suit Godfrey if she might transfer such attentions to Edmund, instead, and Godfrey believed he could give her reasons to do so: whatever their name, these daughters of the king were quick to do their duty, and Edmund could do much more for Astaira than Arthur could.

Falling into step with the former princess, Godfrey nodded to the oalers who trooped beside her. "I'll take the watch for a spell. Get some rest," he told them and, offering his arm to Aria, smiled amicably towards her. "Shall we?"

He waited till the guards were out of earshot before turning to her again. "Now we're quite rid of your spies," he began, words heavily tinged with irony. "I thought I might...be of some service. Do you remember our earlier talk?"

Surrepticiously, he slid a small pamphlet into her open reticule. "Just some of the...intelligence I mentioned before. Should you wish to peruse it."

Godfrey glanced out across the vast vistas of cityscape below and green flowing fields all overwrought with melting snow, beyond. "It seems your people are as...ill at ease over recent news as many within these walls, madam." He turned to face her, his tone low, his eye curious. "What would you have done had they broken down the doors?"