hcirlooms

[hcirlooms]

10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (1999) dir. Gil Junger

[hcirlooms]

sabine rolled her eyes but didn't pull away from his hand, the familiar touch both comforting and infuriating. "oh, please. we both agreed we should 'maintain appropriate boundaries' during the program." she glanced sideways at him as they walked, noting how easily they fell back into old patterns. "and what roster? i've been tragically well-behaved since arriving. haven't even flirted with anyone scandalous yet." she let that hang for a moment before adding with a slight smirk, "though the night is young, and this place is full of interesting people. maybe i'll find someone appropriately inappropriate to chat up at the bar." the threat was empty and she knew it, but she couldn't resist the dig.

" ah, look who it is. " he opens the door fully for sabine, if it were anyone else it would have been left half-closed. " just friends? nah, sab — that shit might work on your roster — " he grabs his jacket which was conveniently resting against a chair by the door. " — but i'm not mature enough to be vocally demoted. " he grins as a hand is placed on the small of her back, guiding her away from his front step.

[hcirlooms]

"it's all for attention! always, why announce your plans to rejoin the eu? it's fantastic press, that's all it is! it makes him look progressive and forward-thinking without actually having to do anything concrete. classic political theatre — big announcements, zero follow-through."

" it's pathetic! absolutely pathetic! what's the point in making a public declaration about campaigning to rejoin the eu when you've taken no strides to prove your worth? entertaining it is silly and a waste of time. "

[hcirlooms]

"And Cain says, “When you split me and my brother in the womb, you did not divide us evenly. He got kindness, and I got longing. He got complacence, and I got ambition. I want to kill him sometimes. I think sometimes he wants to die.”

- Nathaniel Orion, "Hevel"

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"ten kilometers at seven in the morning?" she raised an eyebrow, but couldn't hide the hint of interest in her voice. "i was just thinking this place needed more people who actually appreciate a proper morning run." she paused, already mentally adjusting her route. "count me in. though if you're planning to make this some sort of competitive nightmare, i'm just as happy running on my own."

“  i'm  starting  a  run  club.  i'm  astonished  no  one's  done  so  yet.  we'll  begin  tomorrow  at  7  am,  a  light  10  kilometers.  you  will  be  joining  me,  yes?  ”

[hcirlooms]

@seraphaics

sabine had been staring at her phone for twenty minutes, drafting and deleting the same message about her brother's latest diplomatic disaster, when she finally gave up and grabbed the keys to her golf cart. six houses down felt like nothing — she could walk it, but the cart was faster. she was feeling restless. she knocked twice before letting herself in, old habits from le rosey and university making the boundary between knocking and entering practically nonexistent. "amalia?" she called out, dropping her keys on the entry table. "please tell me you have wine and approximately three hours to listen to me overthink everything."

[hcirlooms]

@mcraki

sabine hadn't planned on ending up at his door, but here she was, restless energy from a day of diplomatic small talk and feeling reckless in that particular way that only happened after a glass, or three, of wine. she knocked twice, sharp and deliberate, and when the door opened she didn't give him time to look smug about it. "don't say a word," she said, stepping past him into the room. "just pour me something strong and pretend you're not enjoying this."

[hcirlooms]

@sirenoire

sabine had been thinking about this conversation for days, turning over how to approach it without making things awkward. not that anything between them had ever been truly awkward — even the breakup had been painfully civilised, all logistics and timing and careful explanations about why it couldn't work. she'd finally given up on pretending she didn't want to see him and found herself at his door, raising her hand to knock before she could second-guess herself. when he answered, she offered a careful smile. "you know," she said, "alta has a rooftop bar that's supposed to be decent. want to grab a drink and pretend we're just friends catching up?"

[hcirlooms]

@opvline

sabine had ducked into giselle's bakehouse, hoping for coffee and quiet, and maybe one of those almond croissants that were apparently worth the hype. she was scanning the display case when she heard the laugh — the same one that used to make her stomach flip, before she'd seen it directed at someone else in grainy tabloid photos. she turned slowly, and there he was at a corner table, looking almost exactly like he had at oxford. "well," she said, keeping her voice level. "fancy seeing you here."

[hcirlooms]

"oh, he's definitely expecting us to make the first move. probably waiting for someone to kiss his ring first — classic french diplomacy, let everyone else come to you."

" i find it interesting the french prince has yet to approach either of us. do you think he expects us to initiate the conversation? "

[hcirlooms]

she was used to people touching her — it happened constantly. innocent touches mostly: her bodyguard guiding her through crowds, a dignitary with a light hand on her back for photos, her cousins tackling her with fierce affection, godchildren running straight at her knees. it was all normal, expected even, so an unexpected steadying touch immediately put her on edge. that was until she looked up and saw it was bertie. a relieved sigh left her, unbidden, before a smile took over her face. "i was so in the zone, i thought you were a stranger." how many runs had they shared while working the same conferences, the same summits? "i didn't know you were going to be here so soon." she'd sent word through his people about when she'd be settled and ready to work, but maybe she'd missed his arrival notice. she'd wanted to be first with a bottle of red — that she'd bully him into sharing anyway. she fell into step beside him naturally, the way she always did when they ended up at the same events. "please tell me you've already worked out which of our fellow participants are going to be insufferable," she said, only half-joking. "i need advance warning before there's some gathering, so i know who to avoid."

today  happened  to  be  one  of  edward’s  long-run  days  ,  and  he  was  determined  to  keep  to  his  routine  now  that  his  schedule  allowed  him  a  little  more  free  time  .  the  near-collision  was  ,  admittedly,  partly  his  fault  .  his  thoughts  had  wandered  god  knows  where  .  edward  instinctively  reached  out  ,  steadying  the  other  with  a  light  touch  .  “  are  you  all  right  ?  ”  he  inquired  .  “  no,  no  —  the  fault  is  mine  entirely.  my  mind  was  momentarily  elsewhere  ,  ”  the  prince  explained,  a  faint  smile  breaking  through  hitched  breaths  .  “  i  much  prefer  my  runs  in  the  morning  —  at  the  crack  of  dawn  ,  to  be  precise  .  ”

[hcirlooms]

her shoulders were locked the second she nearly collided with barbie, but the moment she realised that it was barbie, she let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. it was one thing to be sweaty and out of breath around strangers, but there were too many unknowns in pax. b was not one of them — familiarity came easily. an easy smile spread across her face as she ducked down quickly to make a face at anastasia, trying to coax out a giggle. "sabinka is a perfect angel and would never do that to you, but i'm usually awake early anyway, so if you need a break, i'm just a few doors over." she'd deliberately chosen the smaller two-bedroom townhouse over the sprawling four or five bedroom options — partly because she liked the cosiness, mostly because it meant her brother couldn't possibly fit if he decided to visit. "the second bedroom's just sitting there anyway, perfect for impromptu sleepovers." the unspoken absurdity hung in the air, as if she would ever actually need to babysit when there were probably three nannies within shouting distance. "i'm surprised sasha isn't on morning duties — isn't that what husbands are for? all the things we don't enjoy?"

    it   wasn't   unusual,   the   early   mornings.   with   two   daughters   under   the   age   of   two   and   such   a   big   move,   it   was   miracle   she   managed   to   get   any   sleep.   so   when   anastasia   woke   up   and   started   her   usual   morning   cry   routine,   barbara   decided   to   take   a   slow   walk   with   her   through   the   complex.   mostly   to   stop   her   fit   from   waking   everyone   else   in   the   house.   running   into   sabine   was   just   an   added   plus.   “   we   have   this   one   to   thank   for   that.   ”   b   pointed   to   the   eight-month-old   swinging   her   legs   in   the   stroller.   “   jetleg   turned   her   into   the   biggest   early   bird,   i'm   hating   every   second   of   it.   your   namesake   would   never   do   such   a   thing   to   me.   ”

[hcirlooms]

Just do what I say, Atwood.

THE O.C. | 4x01: “The Avengers”

[hcirlooms]

the path around the grounds was longer than sabine had expected. she'd started her run just after dawn, breath visible in sharp puffs as she found her rhythm on the winding track. winter in new zealand was different, colder than she'd anticipated, the kind of bite that cut through her workout jacket when the wind picked up across the open sections of the complex. she slowed near what looked like a playground, checking her watch. twenty minutes out, almost back to the residential area, her phone buzzed against her arm but she ignored it — luxembourg city could wait until she'd had coffee. as she rounded the final corner near her new house, she nearly collided with someone else on the footpath. sabine stopped in her tracks, steadying herself, and managed what she hoped was an appropriately apologetic smile. "sorry," she said, still catching her breath. "didn't expect to find anyone else out here this early."

[hcirlooms]

𝐈.

— her highness, ( sabine isata marguerite marie nassau-weilburg ) has just checked into the program! the papers are known to confuse the ( 31 ) year old ( princess of luxembourg ) with ( laura harrier ). rumour has it, they’re known to be quite ( prideful & calculating ), but on a good day, they can be ( strategic & charismatic ). if you’re lucky, you’ll find them at ( 15103 rautahi rd ) and you can find out for yourself. 

google doc. pinterest (coming soon!)

𝐈𝐈.

she's the kind of woman people call poised. unshakable in public, unhurried in private. sabine has perfected the art of making stillness feel like power. she knows the weight of a glance across a conference table, the value of three seconds' silence before answering a question. she was raised in rooms where protocol mattered more than air, and learned early that the calmest person in the room is usually the one steering it. people don't get past her first layer easily. she's charming enough, but there's something carefully measured there — not coldness, just strategic distance. she watches more than she reveals, listens more than she shares. her softness shows in other ways: kneeling in the grass to let ivoire nudge his head under her hand, how she'll spend hours perfecting watercolor washes, the way she remembers staff birthdays without being reminded. she won't tell you her plans, but she'll somehow know exactly what you're really asking. she grew up between two worlds. luxembourg's marble-and-gilt formality during the school year, and then with her mother's family outside of freetown in the summers — the sound of waves against the peninsula, the scent of palm oil and spices, cousins who called her "sabi" before the rest of the world did. eldest child, but not the heir; that role went to her younger brother by virtue of being male. she was the sharper one, the more engaged one, and she learned early how to turn frustration into finesse. while alexandre coasted on birthright and charm, sabine tucked her rebellion into acceptable channels. photographs from jazz clubs in vienna, whispered rumours of festival flings — always stopping just shy of outright scandal. oxford was education. the climate protests were freedom. the kind where she could test boundaries without breaking them entirely. she split her time between lectures and weekend escapes to the mediterranean, dinner debates and gallery openings. the tabloids painted her as a wild card, but she always knew exactly what she was doing. by her thirties, the energy that once went into pushing boundaries went into shifting policy. her work and interest in climate change policies earned her a seat in rooms that used to be closed to her, and public approval ratings that made her brother look like an afterthought. these days, she's caught between waiting and doing. officially the duchess of vianden, unofficially the family's most effective diplomat. she fields calls meant for her brother, sits in on meetings she technically shouldn't, and knows exactly how the conversation around succession reform is shifting. vianden feels more like a command post than a refuge, though she still finds time for early morning rides and the occasional dinner that ends in dancing. she's requested her father to send her to pax aeterna, officially to represent luxembourg's interests in climate and energy policy, unofficially because she wants to be where the currents of power are strongest. the fact that her ex will be there too? well, she's never let personal complications stop her from getting what she wants before.

𝐈𝐈𝐈.

PLATONIC

childhood friend from shared circles — knows her as just sabine (most wanted!)

oxford peer — remembers her pre-responsibilities, when she was fun.

fellow “spare” — bonded over succession frustrations and quiet rebellion

environmental ally — co-conspirators at summits and post-banquet escapes

high-ranking relative — can tease her without risking offence

ROMANTIC

significant ex — long-term, ended for political/timing reasons, still affectionate (most wanted!)

casual flings — chemistry without expectations

complete opposite — constant debate and fascination

politically awkward family friend — attraction risks diplomatic tension

fellow recent breakup — finding comfort in shared vulnerability

ANTAGONISTIC

opposes succession reform — undermines her in pax with polite hostility (most wanted!)

family rival — old tensions with luxembourg or sierra leone

rejected suitor — wounded pride turned to pointed barbs

journalist digging into her rebellious past — looking for a headline

[hcirlooms]

𝐒𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐔-𝐖𝐄𝐈𝐋𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐆 ── tag drop.

[hcirlooms]

𝐇𝐂𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐌𝐒; a dependent mumu blog for paxaeternahq as penned by bee (twenty-six, aest/aedt).

𝐒𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐔-𝐖𝐄𝐈𝐋𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐆. thirty-one – princess of luxembourg, duchess of vianden. introduction. — google doc.