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offortunes​:

.

“that is certainly true. it holds for more than just kings. the people we surround ourselves with always influence our decisions, whether we like it or not,” charlotte noted. she wondered what the people around the man that caused all this had to say on the matter. surely they all had their reasons. maybe they thought it was for the greater good. she could never understand their reasoning nonetheless. no one could bring about such suffering and trouble with good intentions. “it sounds like a love story out of a novel. i am sure you do a wonderful job as his queen even if you were not his advisor’s choice.”

.

That was certainly true. As free as she believed herself to be, Isabella was certain that there was likely more than one person pulling her strings when they decided it. She was here wasn’t she? She could hardly remember how she had been talking into attending when she would rather have stayed at home, just being bundled into a carriage and told she was to represent Gydina and hold down the fort until her husband could join her. “Hmm, ask any member of his family or the court and you will find people who disagree. Not that I blame them.”

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melanchvlias​:

“  𝑰  𝑫𝑶  𝑵𝑶𝑻  understand  how  one  could  possibly  ignore  such  feast  as  that.  ”  she  was  aware  that  perhaps  not  everyone  came  to  enjoy  themselves  ,  that  perhaps  there  were  far  greater  and  more  important  things  to  focus  on  ––  but  a  little  bit  of  enjoyment  did  not  do  anyone  bad  from  time  to  time  .  if  anything  ,  she  supposed  it  brought  people  closer  to  one  another  .  “  oh,  i  do  agree  .  very  much  so  .  ”  she  gave  the  other  a  smile  ,  a  bit  amazed  that  she  was  able  to  find  someone  whose  thoughts  mimicked  hers  .  

.

“I am glad that there is someone else here who does not think me mad for wanting a festive event to kick things off.” The kingdoms had been at war for so long, to just suddenly stop and declare peace was jarring, they needed an event to get to know each other in this new world they were to live in. Some would probably think a ball was inappropriate but at least now Isabella knew that there was someone else in the same corner as herself. Perhaps more would follow suit once they’d considered the advantaged.

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offortunes​:

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“ah. of course. the advisors are quite influential as well, but the king has the final say.” politics was never something she actively involved herself into. it was something reserved for her father and her brothers, specifically her older brother. a role now taken over by sebastian. it was all too complex, full of treachery and deceit, and that was not something she could ever deal with. charlotte preferred to stick to her notion of seeing the good in people, and politics only brought out the worst in them. “there is nothing wrong with that, your majesty. it is heartwarming to know that you have found love with your husband. i can only hope to find something like that myself.”

.

“But a wise king knows not to make a decision without wise counsel.” She was no expert by any means, but she had seen enough to know that kings who acted on their own ego did not prosper. The mad king of Illyria was such an example. “My position is a rare one, I am aware of that. Not often is someone of my husband’s status allowed to marry for love, but he...” She could not keep the beaming grin from her lips. “He would have no one else. Maybe it makes me hypocritical since I am sure he acted against the advice of his counsel to marry me. Politically I know it was not the best decision, but I can’t be angry at it since it allowed me to be with the one I love.”

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offortunes​:

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“surely they both make people happier, which could bode for peace. but alas, a clouded mind is not the best thing to have when making decisions as big as the ones the kings have gathered to make,” charlotte reasoned out. she had seen drunk people, she knew that they spoke words they would not have said had the alcohol not clouded their judgement. “does your husband plan on joining us soon? you must miss him terribly.”

.

“That’s assuming the kings are the ones making these decisions.” Isabella had been taught the ways of political intrigue from her mother and knew that every king had an entire team behind them to pull the strings. Some kings were more aware of it than others. “I do miss him dearly. He is the light of my life. I know how silly it sounds for a queen to be so enamoured by her king, but it’s the truth. I am one of the lucky few that loves her husband.”

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melanchvlias​:

“  𝑪𝑬𝑹𝑻𝑨𝑰𝑵𝑳𝒀.  ”  the  situation  was  rather  peculiar  ,  it  was  unlike  anything  she  had  ever  experienced  ,    for  the  war  started  when  she  was  only  but  a  child  .  it  was  rather  fascinating  really  ,  to  see  so  many  people  gathered  as  if  nothing  had  happened  at  all  .  all  those  years  of  conflict  ,  simply  vanished  before  their  very  eyes  .  she  had  never  understood  ,  truly  ,  the  meaning  of  it  all  but  never  commented  openly  to  anyone  about  it  ,  for  her  father  was  a  clear  culprit  himself  .  “    what  do  you  suppose  we  could  do  to  fix  this  boredom  ?  for  i  am  terribly  and  awfully  waiting  for  some  excitement  .   truly  ,  anything  .  ”

.

“I usually host an event like a masquerade ball or a garden party when things are getting dull for me back home, but I think in this place...” She cast her eyes around the cold stone walls and the morose faces of the people who walked the halls. “Such an event would either be looked down upon or ignored entirely. It feels as though people have forgotten how to enjoy themselves.” Perhaps a ball would come once people had settled in, it would make sense to bring everyone together before the peace talks began properly.

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theyrule​:

it  was  never  that  she  disliked  the  queen  ,  the  woman  had  done  nothing  to  warrant  a  dislike  ,  but  they  were  two  entirely  different  beings  ,  even  if  it  were  only  surface  ,  but  where  isabella  was  an  extrovert  in  the  way  of  parties  and  imbibing  many  cups  of  what  was  on  offer  ,  amelie  was  the  introvert  ,  with  a  love  of  written  word  and  quiet  dinners  .  she’d  rather  be  alone  than  surrounded  by  foreign  people  .     ❝            but  surely  nothing  can  come  of  peace  when  all  are  slurred  in  speech  and  barely  seeing  straight  .  ❞

.

“At least before the peace talks they would have a chance to drink together and learn more about each other. It would certainly relax them and as long as they don’t overindulge, then they would hopefully be less uptight in their meetings.” But she waved a hand dismissively, knowing her thoughts would always be overlooked or ignored. “But what do I know? I am sure your brother did not marry me for my political tactics.”

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mclliflucus​:

_

“I hope I will get to see it for myself in the future.” Even though the thought of days of travel, even weeks, was quite loathsome to her, Cassia realized it would be better for her to expand her horizons. Not to be known as the clueless queen of North Nabar. She was already well-aware that her education paled when compared to the other ladies of her time. Her parents had never cared much about her inner world. “I believe our beaches are worth a mention. Though residing in the north part of Nabar, means that I do not get to enjoy it as much a as those living in the south. The north is harsher, but equally lovely.”

.

“Hopefully everyone will. If these peace talks are successful then perhaps we can all feel safe enough to travel to each other’s kingdoms again.” Travel had not been impossible during the war, but it had certainly been difficult enough. With Gydina being neutral, her own people moving between kingdoms hadn’t been as much of an issue as for others but it had still been mostly encouraged for them to remain at home except for trade deals.

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eirholtruud​:

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❝  that  does  sound  far  more  pleasant.  ❞

the  champagne,  at  least,  would  help  take  her  mind  off  all  the  peacocking  that  seemed  to  be  afoot  ─  a  stark  reminder  of  how  dull  things  could  get  in  the  duchy  of  östberg,  where  it  was  so  cold  that  not  even  the  bards  dared  to  make  the  journey.  swallowing  down  her  disappointment  at  the  stillness  of  the  room,  she  glided  over  to  where  the  queen  of  gydina  sat,  knees  bending  just  a  fraction  as  she  dipped  into  a  customary  curtsy.  ❝  though  i  suppose  a  level  of  sobriety  is  required  to  conduct  such  discussions.  men  and  their  egos  do  not  need  the  addition  of  alcohol  during  these  times.  ❞  her  own  father  had  been  against  such  indulgences,  not  only  for  the  cost  that  it  would  take  to  transport  such  goods  to  their  icy  fortress,  but  because  he  already  had  enough  of  a  flickering  temper  without  needing  to  add  inebriation  to  the  mix.

❝  does  her  majesty  think  that  we  might  get  a  bard  or  two  in  attendance  ?  some  music  could  do  no  harm.  ❞  unless,  of  course,  the  bard  took  to  insulting  a  dead  king  in  one  of  their  renditions.

.

Being at the castellum had allowed Isabella a somewhat positive experience for a change. In Gydina she was used to looks of disdain, whispers echoing through the long hallways, but here she was not as much of a figure of notoriety. People knew who she was the same way they knew of all the royalty, but not everyone was aware of her reputation and so she was actually being treated with some dignity and respect. Not from everyone, and she still took note of the people who feigned such attitudes and she could feel them wanting to roll their eyes, but it was a welcome change to be treated like a queen. “I might request one, but I fear the suggestion of music could make these old walls crumble since people seem so content with the silence.”

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sovereiqns​:

          there was a tense atmosphere that circled the castellum and everyone that walked it’s halls knew it  .  he was partially surprised that chaos hadn’t already broken out on the ground , but nonetheless it was brewing .   ‘   wine and ale are offered here , but perhaps in gydina your beverages are forced on others   ?   ’   his comment thrown in the others direction wasn’t meant to be much of an insult but instead a question , just one that could easily been taken as such .   ‘   if it was hosted in iilyria i’m sure you’d all freeze .   ’

.

“Not forced, but a more cheerful atmosphere and free-flowing drink is certainly encouraged.” She missed the parties, as frivolous as they were, since they were a distraction from the horrors she didn’t want to think about. “The war is over, we can finally celebrate and yet here we are.” There was an air of constant misery. She knew that people had lost so much in the war, but for one night it might be nice to focus on the joy of it being over rather than the sorrow that it had ever happened.

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melanchvlias​:

“  𝑰𝑻  𝑺𝑬𝑬𝑴𝑺  𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑻  perhaps  our  regions  have  something  in  common  .  ”  small  laughter  escaped  madelise’s  lips  ,  knowing  full  well  that  this  situation,  this  stillness  would  never  come  to  be  in  her  birthplace  .    or  at  least  not  as  grim  as  it  appeared  to  be  .  the  grand  castellum  had  a  particular  aura  to  itself  ,  one  that  made  her  feel  apprehensive  at  times  .  perhaps  the  newness  of  it  all  ,  so  she  supposed  with  time  it  would  all  fall  into  place  .  

.

“I think that is the idea of these talks, so that we may all find our similarities and not our differences.” Although in her opinion it was not differences between the kingdoms that had led to such a war, but one man’s determination that he should control everything, and now every kingdom had suffered the loss of so many people for the sake of a king’s deluded vision. She could only be thankful that her own dear husband was not such a tyrant as that.

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theyrule​:

barely  any  time  had  truly  passed  since  she’s  left  gydina  .  since  she’d  had  to  call  another  country  home  .  and  despite  her  displeasure  at  such  a  time  ,  she  still  returned  to  her  families  side  ,  well  ,  her  siblings  side  .  and  even  if  her  brothers  wife  was  vain  and  vapid  ,  amelie  much  preferred  her  company  than  that  of  her  own  husband  .     ❝             if  that  were  the  case  ,  there  would  be  little  of  any  progress  ,  i  suppose  .  ❞     the  former  princes  mused  ,  settled  into  the  settee  ,  mindful  not  to  jostle  the  cup  she’d  been  offered  .  

.

Isabella could sense the distaste from her sister-in-law but did not hold it against her. Many people had the same feelings towards her and she could not fault everyone for making the same assumption when the part she played so heavily suggested it. Let them fault her for that rather than for her most private secret. “It is what I would do. Let people have something fun to focus on to hope for a brighter future. But if peace is encouraged by cramming all the kingdoms together in an ancient castellum, then so be it.”

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offortunes​:

.

a puzzling look took over charlotte’s features, eyebrows raising at the queen of gydina’s passing comment. her head almost shook in disagreement, but she was quick to halt the action before it even started. disagreeing with a queen in such a manner would be frowned upon, particularly when she was not familiar with the other. “is there something you enjoyed doing back at home? surely you could make arrangements to keep doing the same activity here, your majesty,” charlotte suggested. “i doubt proper peace talks can be done with minds that are blurred out by champagne. drunk people make promises they cannot keep, and their tempers are too unpredictable.”

.

“You would be amazed at what can be achieved with good food and good wine.” She stretched out in the chaise, thinking fondly back to one of her more legendary parties where the festivities had carried on from the evening well into the next day and by the end of it she had accomplished arranging two betrothals that would benefit her family as well as learning the weaknesses of several people she considered to be threats to her husband so she might have the blackmail material if she needed it. Isabella was not the queen people wanted by any means and she did not truly know how to be, but one thing she would do is ensure the safety of her family. “Sadly I think these peace talks call for me to act with more decorum. At least until my husband arrives since he is the representative of Gydina that people care more for.”

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mclliflucus​:

_

“Really?”, she asked, her brow arching. “I have never been to Gydina. How would you describe it?” She had hardly been anywhere, her knowledge of the world did not spread further than Nabar. And lately, it has mostly been restricted to North Nabar, as she had become the queen of those lands in the last few years. The family she hailed from had never been big travelers themselves, therefore they hadn’t installed any interest in her of foreign countries and activities. “I have a lady who had been to your country, Your Majesty. And she claims the architecture is magnificent.”

.

“Gydina? Oh it is the most beautiful place. Your lady was right, the architecture is simply breath-taking, but I feel as though everything I want is there. I am never more than a stone’s throw from beautiful art, crystal lakes, the finest food and drink and the latest fashions.” It was why coming to the castellum had felt so dreary, especially since she had been sent ahead to represent Gydina until her husband was free from the duties he had become entangled in and could join her. “And what of Nabar? I confess I am not well travelled outside my own kingdom.”

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Big Little Lies (TV Mini-Series 2017– )

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“I must confess to being terribly bored.” Isabella spoke her thoughts aloud if anyone cared to hear them, but mainly just to make some noise in a room that felt so quiet to her. She lived for laughter and the clinking of glasses and so far the mood here was sombre. She understood why, of course, they were fresh from war, but still she needed some form of entertainment. “If these talks were being hosted in Gydina then everyone would already be drunk on champagne and a lot less on edge.”

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