giorxcci

[giorxcci]

｡  Every neuron felt alight in his body as he paced the private waiting room. Each time the door opened and a staff member scurried away made him more and more anxious. They had waited long enough. He was on the cusp of going to ask Kseniya, herself, what was taking so long. "I think so. You have Raymond these days. What makes you question otherwise?" Although Giovanni would have preferred the Maltese prince to a Canadian. Their accents grated every fiber of his being. "I think you do and you will."

It was a long wait and while Luciana was excited to meet her nephew, there was a thought in her head that she could not silence. With the room being enveloped in silence, she figured that now would be a good time to start a different kind of conversation with her oldest brother. "Do you think we'll ever experience what Ale and Kseniya have?", she started off. "Do we even deserve to?" ( @giorxcci )

[giorxcci]

｡  "Maximillian took an oath to you, he should be the one to break the news," spoken around the tip of a freshly lit Cuban cigar. "Really – he just wrote me a blank check. I'm not sure what, I. . .I mean we will spend it on." It was rather shocking how well he got on with the Swiss king despite their past.

APRIL 2024

"so — are you gonna tell me what you're planning with max or not?" she has a scotch in one hand and a cigarette in another, staring at her friend with a playful little smile. "if you two are going to do a major political upheaval, i'm expecting for you to tell me, because he definitely wont until the very last minute." @giorxcci

[giorxcci]

｡  "Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I'm sure they would prefer most monarchs to assume a hands-off approach in global politics." Gio shifted his seat as if he'd rather have a full view of the table when in reality he became out of the Slovakian's reach. The question was almost too simple. His glass remained stagnant between his fingertips. "None." Perhaps if Gio had been buzzed and squinted ever so slightly he could confuse Sylviane for another princess. Luckily! He didn't entertain many royal women in their circle. Many crises' averted. @vrnvuld

on one hand, arnauld was grateful of the opportunity to exchange more than three words with the future king of slovakia... but his trust in ignác whatever-his-name was nowhere close to his trust in giovanni. having to censor himself would take the fun out of the game. " there's certainly room for a third. please, have a seat. " it was an unnecessary instruction: ignác was already seated. " we should explain the rules to the newest player. for every question you refuse to answer, you drink. would you like to start ? " [ ;; @ignvc ]

[giorxcci]

｡  "Who would we be to deny the host?" A short staccato chuckle unfurls in the back of his throat at the others statement. "––a bit premature I haven't done anything." Yet. His attention shifts to Arnauld. "I don't suppose you want a round two?" @vrnvuld

arnauld set two pairs of schnapps on the table before sitting across from giovanni. " it was entertaining the last time, was it not ? " [ ;; @giorxcci ]

[giorxcci]

｡  "Ha! I cannot afford your boy-thing coming to me for answers if something were to happen to you. . .nor the rest of the Brazillian brigade. Can't risk another international incident at the moment, y'know?"

"Are you sure you don't need a personal bodyguard? I've been practicing krav maga in my spare time. You're a king now." @giorxcci

[giorxcci]

｡   "Hi, me?" He's almost certain there is a giddy gaggle of girls somewhere around the bend who put her up to this. Their encounters were far too short for casual conversation. Crouching at the knees to be eye level, "I suppose. Is this your. . .mannerly way of saying I blend in?"

“ oh, hello, you. ” she reached for his arm and squeezed it in greeting. three shots of liqueur was enough to remove the layer of reserve that would've had her approach the italian king with a bit more formality. “ have you been here all this time ? ” she was sure she would’ve noticed if he joined the pub crawl — almost sure. @giorxcci

[giorxcci]

｡  "–- Then let's chat geography," baritone voice carries from the back of the crowd. The obvious fact isn't lost upon him but what fun was to be had in passive aggressiveness? Someone had to say the dirty part aloud if not for the sake of avoiding a cliffhanger. "what exactly are we looking at?"

new year's event && open　...　　( @hshqstarters )

          “ and if you look out this — ” a pause, long but pointed with a click of his tongue accompanying a performance pensiveness otherwise foreign on this grand tour until now. “ mmh, maybe not. used to be my favourite view. ” the danube river, front and center, where was a croÿ when they were needed? the villains of this narrative. “ no one wants to talk politics, ” he exchanges the individual's nearing empty champagne glass for another. “ but you're going to want to see the view from the tower if you get the chance. ”

[giorxcci]

｡  "The turbulence upon descent was tolerable at best." Rough, as expected. Flying through the Alps always posed a challenge this time of year. He might have weathered it well if he'd been allowed to fly with his brother. Unfortunately, protocol forbade it. "I thought the Swiss might reserve their harsh welcome for the Germans." A beat. "How does it feel to be over with that conflict?"

[ open , hotel bar ]

Max doesn't ski, he hasn't in nearly 26 years. He is not a superstitious man, but it feels a bit too much like tempting fate to impulsively pick up the sport that killed the last king of Switzerland. Instead he's at the bar, playing generous host and gracious victor. "I trust the journey wasn't too difficult."

[giorxcci]

⁎  ╱  @catherinestuart.

｡  "Sometimes I forget how many flock here for winter break." The rich spoiled kids from private schools made the slopes look akin to an ant mound. Royals included. "One of those kids," head cocks towards a mixed group, "tried to convince me of trying a lemon drop. What the bloody hell is a lemon drop? Is it code for a type of slope?"

[giorxcci]

MASON GOODING via Youtube

[giorxcci]

is anyone interested in a starter/some plotting?

[giorxcci]

｡  His first proposition as king came in the form of. . . bonding with the Swiss? Mouth parts to wet his bottom lip as if in search of the right words. "I'll need the right motivation to do so. As of now, I feel disinclined." Very little moved him as of late. "If you're putting on the encore performance after then I may consider." Shoulders hike in a dismissive shrug. "You Grünenberg's put on a tight front."

" a few things, i'm sure. like... " head turned towards the crowd of guests as if they could give her the answer. " like a private performance? " attention returned to him. she tilted her head and gave enough pause before she continued, " zeffirelli's la bohème at, hmmm, at caserta's court theatre? between the two of us, only you can make it happen. " she smiled. " if it is, he doesn't show it. "

[giorxcci]

｡  "Hiding behind your husband's title? What happened to taking a stand against the patriarchy and all that?" He's well aware she'd scream queen of Scotts over being Swiss. A tennis-calloused hand scratches the stubble peppering his jaw. "I'm hoping no one catches Ale's wide eye when I replaced a few words in my speech." Words Ale advised him to keep neutral. "Who Vee? Yeah look at her. . these events are her forte. Her creme de la creme to mingle."

" oh ! we are finally of the same rank, yet again. " she hummed flatly, the corners of her lips quirking upwards imperceptibly. as if catherine would ever place her swiss title above her own scottish ones ! " ah no, if you managed to grab your sceptre just slightly wrong... i'm quite sure that the whole of italy will implode and the pope will definitely excommunicate you. " her gaze flickered quickly throughout the room, amongst a sea of celebrating savoys, one towering figure had caught her eye. " and your aunt... is she doing well? "

[giorxcci]

｡  "Ha, personal space escapes many people." Jumping from conversation to conversation becomes tiring after the first three. He doesn't understand how Alessandro manages it! "I'm surprised by how they're managing the crowds though I doubt nonnna would have it any other way."

❝ HAS YOUR MAJESTY had the time to breathe yet tonight ? ❞ the first time in hours she managed to get close to giovanni. ❝ this is going way smoother than we anticipated. ❞ / @giorxcci

[giorxcci]

｡  "What could I possibly offer a Swiss princess?" Besides helping clean the Danube. His posture slacks against a marble pillar, arms crossing the breadth of his chest. "s'no different than breathing., I'd say. Is that how your brother felt?"

" i feel a bit cheated. if i had known you'd become his majesty so soon, i would have asked for a better wager. so, is it as they say? ' uneasy lies the head ' ? " @giorxcci

[giorxcci]

｡  "I'll take my greeting in the form of a curtsy. One from Yasmin as well " A breathy baritone laugh fled past his lips. He could only wonder where the Moroccan princess was hiding if she had not been by Catherine's side. "I don't get stage fright, Stuart not with so many of my fans waiting for a slip-up." He definitely meant Italy's handful of enemies in attendance.

" well, well, well... " her grin was unmatched, a burst of genuine happiness and pride at the sight of her friend. " and you didn't trip or anything, quite impressive." a hand came up to straighten a military badge that was only a fraction crooked on his suit. " i think every single bloody savoy ever is gathered in one place. " ( @giorxcci )

[giorxcci]

⁎  ╱  @inescroy.

｡  "I'm. . .sorry this happened to you." Gaze shifts between the brunette and the stroller. Ines was much too young to be a mother in his opinion. "I bet you're not getting much sleep these days?"