#oc:takahiroempires

[isilrina]

Happy new year! 🎆

I'm very grateful for your support this year. 💖

I hope 2024 will be better than 2023, and you'll have an amazing year filled with joy and opportunities. ✨

I'm wishing you all the best. 🥰

Here is a summary of artwork I draw in 2023. Take care, and see you next Monday 🥳

[isilrina]

Hey, everyone!

Guess what? It's Art Monday! Yay!

Yesterday, my sister @valkblue tagged me in a fun little WiP game and asked me about "Empires"

Little did you know I had planned to post this drawing the next day! It's a convenient coincidence XD

So here, meet Takahiro, the "most abominable man" from the snippet I posted yesterday.

In truth, he is not as abominable as his wife thinks he is… or maybe he is, but he doesn't do it on purpose. He is deeply wounded, and he doesn't know how to deal with it, so he hurts people around him. But deep down, he has a good soul. Spoiler alert: He will heal eventually, thanks to his wife, his cousin, and their friends, and become a good Emperor… at least that's the plan.

I started "Empires" 14 or 13 years ago, maybe? I'm a bit fuzzy on my life timeline, but it was around that time. I remember I was in Greece (at what became my parents' house later) and I had watched the first episode of a Korean drama named "Goong." It's about an arranged royal marriage, and I liked the concept, so I pushed it a little further as an arranged royal marriage in space!

I never finished watching the drama, though, as I embarked on my own story. But the whole concept came to life during that summer, and, as usual, I never finished it. It has 13 chapters for now (around 30K words), and I regularly come back to it, rereading it before putting it back for a year or two. Maybe I subconsciously don't want it to end? I don't know, but it lives forever in me.

So, here is the plot as I wrote it 13 years ago: "In different times and places, two stellar empires sign an alliance to strengthen their defenses against hypothetical invaders. To symbolize this pact, the two Emperors marry their children to each other. What will come of this arranged marriage?"

We meet other representatives of other Empires based on American and Chinese culture, but the two originals are based on Greek and Japanese culture.

I might draw Selini and Takahiro in the future. I don't know, but they are one of those couples that I'll always root for. XD I just love how they push each other's buttons at the start just to make the other one mad until they realize they are both victims and allies in this situation.

Here is another snippet from chapter 8:

Once the bags were empty, the people dispersed, and the two rulers descended from the boxes, smiling. They were happy to have brought joy to those in need. Driven by an impulse that surprised even himself, he took the young girl in his arms and spun her, lifting her off the ground. She burst into laughter once again, allowing herself to be carried with happiness. She had expected him to be angry and shout at her, but the most improbable had happened: he had enjoyed bringing joy to his people. This made her smile, and as he set her back on the ground, she said to him: "I think you'll make a great Shogun one day." "Why do you say that?" he asked, surprised. "The best Emperors are those who understand that they are nothing without their subjects, no matter how poor and needy they may be. To be a great and respected ruler, one must respect their people in return." "But who are you to be so wise?" he asked, laughing. She turned her eyes to the sea, not far from them, so blue under the scorching summer sun, and her gaze was veiled with sadness. "I'm the one who wanted to be a simple villager." She took a deep breath before adding: "They have the greatest wealth in the world, you know? The one we'll never have... They are free." The words of the young Princess touched her husband, who approached her from behind and enveloped her in his protective arms in a tender embrace. The young Prince rested his chin on the curve of the young woman's shoulder and gazed at the horizon with a soft sigh. A brief moment of silence passed as they felt at peace in each other's embrace.

(And yes, I know Shogun is the title of the military commander in Japan, but in this story the Emperor is also the Shogun. That's why I used both titles to refer to the position.)

[isilrina]

Dreamscape!!! Dreamscape!!! 👀 A Dance of Blades and Shadows, Dark Academia, and Empires?? And Emily&Dylan pleaaase! ✨

Ok, down the rabbit hole we go ;p

Dreamscape: (Sci-Fi meets historical Novel.)

How long had it been since she had seen a real sunrise? How long had it been since she had truly seen the color of the sky? How long had she remained so closed off from the world? A shadow passed over Emily's face as her heart tightened, and she delved into the abyss of her memories, her eyes drifting aimlessly. She lost touch with reality, sinking deeper into the spiral of her past, searching for the face of her mother. "Miss Hastings?" The deep voice with a pronounced Midwestern accent startled her, abruptly cutting the thread of her thoughts and bringing her back to the present. Turning her attention to the young man who now stood beside her, she offered a smile that did not reach her eyes, and he furrowed his brow, growing a bit more concerned. However, he didn't comment and simply handed her a metal cup emitting wisps of steam and a strong, bitter aroma reminiscent of her childhood. "Your coffee," he added simply.

A Dance of Blades and Shadows: (Fantasy Novel where Japanese, Norse and Polish cultures meet.)

"What are your thoughts on this?" she asked him, surprising him with her inquiry amidst the weighty atmosphere of the meeting. Takehiko shifted his gaze back to the stone wall in front of him, his mind racing to formulate a response that would live up to the princess's expectations, his hands crossed behind his back in a gesture of contemplation and restraint. "I… I don't know, your highness," he replied after clearing his throat, his voice steady yet laced with a hint of uncertainty. "Perhaps… perhaps we could offer our assistance with the beast problem, and in turn, they could lend us aid." The gray-skinned princess looked at him with a smile, a glimmer of appreciation shining in her colorless eyes. She recognized not only the young man’s experience but also the wisdom imparted by the teachings of a royal heir in his response. The intelligence he displayed at this moment sparked a connection between them. Her smile grew wider, a silent acknowledgment of his contribution. Takehiko fell silent, waiting for the princess to speak further. His mind swirled with questions. Why did she seek his opinion? Did she truly need him to answer? Would she listen, regardless? The sweet voice of Mani'herja interrupted his thoughts, bringing him back to the present. "That's a good idea, Takehiko," she praised him, her voice carrying a note of approval. She turned her attention back to the older man, her gaze unwavering.

Dark Academia: (Not the final title. Magic School with murders and intrigue.)

This couldn't be happening. The email she had woken up to stated that they had received a notification from her supposed mentor at another university, leading to her removal from the list of students for the upcoming academic year. The very idea felt like a cruel jest, a twist of fate she couldn't understand. Melody had never heard of any other university or mentor. It had to be an error, she thought, and that's why she was desperately searching for Lyon 3's secretary's phone number. She intended to contact them and rectify the misunderstanding, to get her well-structured life back on track. Her trembling fingers hovered over her phone's screen, scrolling through the contact list of the university's website. As her eyes settled on the entry, she was about to tap it with her index finger. Just then, a notification popped up right under it. In her frenzied state, she accidentally accessed it. The email message opened before her eyes, revealing an enigmatic scholarship offer. The words on the screen sent a shiver down her spine when she realized it wasn't from the university she had known. Instead, it hailed from an institution known as "The Academia." Melody had never heard of such a place.

Empires: (Sci-Fi arranged marriage between Greece and Japan but in space.)

He raised a surprised look to her, and his eyes landed on the single tear that rolled down the cheek of the young redhead. Despite her desire to appear dignified, this salty drop had breached the barriers of her will, splashing onto the festive tablecloth covering their table. No one dared to speak, but the noise of the guests masked from the elders the spectacle that was unfolding right before their eyes. Time seemed suspended, and, unable to bear any more, the young Princess raised her chin, composed, and in a voice filled with sadness, she said: "I thank the Gods for giving me the most abominable man in marriage." With these words, and before the entire assembly, she stood up and excused herself from the table. She claimed the aftermath of the ceremony and the stress as a reason to request permission from the Shogun to retire to her chambers. The old man shot a quick angry glance at his son and granted his daughter-in-law the right to leave the room. She did so with measured and deliberate steps in front of all the guests. Once she had disappeared behind the door frame, Tomoyoshi locked eyes with his cousin and said in a cold voice: "Anata wa saite. [You are the worst. (In Japanese)]" And those were the last words spoken throughout the entire meal.

Emily & Daniel from "Dreamscape"