#theton;introduction

[flosprati]

(kim hye-yoon) Goodness, Ara (a-ra) PARK has arrived in London. SHE is 23, of the STAFFORD PARKS,. Though they are RETURNED to the Season, we can only describe them as CHARMING and VAIN dear reader. Accompanied by HER OLDER BROTHER AND MOTHER, they have settled in and are accepting social calls. But be warned: they are known for their MANIPULATIVE WAYS. (LIZZIE, 30+, she/her, PST)

NAME: Ara

FAMILY:  Parks of Stafford

ROLE IN SOCIETY: Miss

Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

Date of Birth: November 15th

Languages: English, French and Korean

Appearance-

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Light Brown

Tattoos/Scars:  none

Positive Trait: Charming

Negative Trait:  Vain and Manipulative

About- 

Ara grew up in a village in Derbyshire, her father was a physician that tended not only to the people of their village but also those of the surrounding smaller villages. Her mother mended clothing, as such they lived a rather comfortable life, they always had food to eat and clothing on their back. Her older brother did very well in school and had plans to follow his father’s footsteps, and although Ara did enjoy helping her mother with mending clothes, she had much more interest in other things. After her father had helped a governess who had contracted an illness (and had been promptly let go by her family) as a form of repayment she educated Ara, she loved literature and languages, showing no particular interest in history, she also excelled at numbers, to the point that she would help her father with the budget for their household and for his occupation. Ara became aware at a very young age that despite her having aspirations, it was quite difficult for her to do whatever she pleased as she’d been born female in a world meant to only ensure men excelled (just look at her brother, not that she doesn’t love him).

Shortly before her 21st birthday, they received word that a very distant family member on her father’s side had passed, the Baron of Stafford and had left no heirs, making her father the new Baron. This was a surprise to all of them, considering that none of them knew of the existence of the Baron in the first place, given that they’d never met the man. With their new position, the family had to relocate from their home to Stafford, leaving behind a whole life they had formed. The prospect excited Ara, because she hoped that now that her family’s status had been elevated, maybe she’d be allowed to do more than just help her mother mend clothes.

It took months to adjust to their new surroundings, and then once things had seemed to be gaining a sense of normalcy, the family had to travel to London to participate in their first social season, the first season that Ara would be out to society as an eligible young lady to marry. There weren’t any particularly strong suitors for her hand in the first season, which did make her slightly unnerved because she had been sure she was pretty enough to be at least courted by someone. She spent all of the time in the country estate working on all of her skills that would make her more appealing to the general population of gentlemen, while also helping her father and brother with the new budget for the home. Obviously, she allotted herself extra coin for her new wardrobe because she would not suffer another season being judged for being dressed too plainly, despite her having procured nicer clothes from her brother in their first social season.

Now as she enters her second season out, she wonders if she even wants to marry or if maybe she wants to think of creating her own modiste business as she did enjoy working with the local modiste on her new wardrobe.

[codedletters]

Goodness, PRINCESS CAROLINE has arrived in London. SHE is 29, of the HOUSE HANOVER. Though they are RETURNED to the Season, we can only describe them as COMPASSIONATE and DISTRACTED, dear reader. Accompanied by HER HUSBAND PRINCE ARTHUR, they have settled in and are accepting social calls. But be warned: they are known for their NAÏVETÉ. (em, 35, she/her, est)

Disclaimer: I’m a white writer with deep respect for Vietnamese history and culture. This character is a fictional reimagining, created with extensive research, humility, and love, but I know I’m writing from the outside. If I’ve misrepresented anything, I welcome correction and conversation!

bio.

Công chúa Mai Huyền, Daughter of the Dragon Throne and Jewel of the Imperial Lineage, was born under the waning moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Huế, Vietnam. 

But Princess Caroline was born a few days after Mai Huyền arrived in England. The English people could simply not pronounce Công chúa Mai Huyền, she was told, and it would be both polite and practical for her to change her name to something easier. So Mai Huyền died - at least a part of her - and Princess Caroline took her place.

She's trying very hard to be a good Englishwoman, a good Princess, a good wife. She was raised behind carved screens and lacquered doors, taught to bow before she spoke, to recite before she questioned, and to listen with downcast eyes. Her world has been quiet, calm and studious... until now.

From birth, she'd had the core values of obedience, modesty, and diligence drilled into her like pearls stitched into silk.

When she was first betrothed to Arthur as a child, the scholars tried to teach her about England, but none of them had ever been there. Her education came from books, and did little to prepare her. She speaks the language fluently, elegantly... but the culture terrifies her.

Here, the women speak of politics, criticize men, dance publicly, and wear revealing clothing; behaviours unthinkable in Huế.

She knows the people of the Ton think she's too quiet, and too formal, and strange. To her, they are boisterious and extravagant and... magical. She wishes for the type of freedom they take for granted.

But she knows that even in England, self-control is expected of a Princess. So she smiles, and nods, and waits quietly, wondering if she'll ever get her time with the music.

headcanons.

She has a small comb she always keeps with her that's engraved with 梅玄 - the characters of her birth name.

Can usually be found embroidering or writing sheet music in her spare time - when she's not staring wistfully out the window, anyway.

wanted plots.

Platonic: someone who tries to help her adjust, someone who just finds her fascinating, or maybe someone foreign-born who understands her homesickness

Romantic: she's been trained to be a good wife to Arthur since she can remember, so anyone interested would absolutely take her by surprise (also so scandalous)

Enemies: anyone who's into Arthur could fall into this one, but also anyone who thinks her quietness means she's got a secret (she does)

basic stats.

Full Name: born Nguyễn Mai Huyền

Known  Alias(es): Princess Caroline

Age: 29

Gender: Cis female

Birthday: October 1st

Religion: Confucian Anglican

Sexual & Romantic Orientation: Honestly, she has no idea.

Status:  Alive

Residencies:  Buckingham Palace, Carlton House

Highest Education Level: Taught by noblewomen and eunuchs at court.

Occupation(s):  Princess Consort of the United Kingdom

physical exam.

Facial  Features: Expressive eyes, soft smile, high cheekbones

Faceclaim:  Dianne Doan

Voice: High pitch, clear tone, very quiet. Surprisingly mild Vietnamese accent.

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Long, straight, shiny black. Often done herself (or fixed herself if it's been done for her) into a Vietnamese style. Subtle resistance.

Body  Type: Ectomorph

Weight: 55 kg

Height: 1.67 m

mental evaluation.

Positive  Traits: Calm, kind, quiet, graceful

Negative  Traits:  Naive, anxious, distracted, overly formal, can seem cold

Alignment  Type:  Lawful neutral

Personality  Type  (MBTI): INFP

Phobias:  Honestly still afraid of English society

Mannerisms:  Plays with her hair while daydreaming.

Hobbies  &  Interests:  Music, embroidery, flowers

affiliations & relationships.

Family:  Daughter of the Vietnamese Emperor and Empress. Two older brothers and one younger sister. (Names TBD)

Allies  &  Associates:  TBA.

Rivalries:  TBA (Ongoing  personal  or  professional  conflicts.)

Enemies:  TBA (Those  actively  working  against  her.)

Romantic  History:  Married to Prince Arthur

Notable  Friends:  TBA. (True  friendships  vs.  strategic  alliances.)

habits & lifestyle.

Daily  Routine:  Structured

Diet  &  Nutrition: Strict

Grooming  Habits:  Meticulous

Substance  Use:  Never

Sleep  Patterns:  Wakes early.

Personal  Aesthetic:  Forced into English gowns, but keeps her hair in a Vietnamese style.

Favorite  Books: The Tale of Kiều, a Vietnamese epic poem by Nguyễn Du

Favorite  Artist: Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun

[lovelyfxxl]

(florence pugh) Goodness, SELENA FINCH has arrived in London. SHE is TWENTY-SIX, of the NOTTINGHAMSHIRE FINCHES, (Daughter of the Earl of Nottingham, Lady-in-Waiting to Princess Sophia). Though they are RETURNED to the Season, we can only describe them as REFINED and STONEHEARTED, dear reader. Accompanied by THE ROYAL HANOVER FAMILY, they have settled in and are accepting social calls. But be warned: they are known for their VENOM.

_____________ S E L E N A F I N C H ___

basics:

name: selena 'nell' lenore finch. pronunciation: suh·lee·nuh luh·nor finch. meaning: selena- the moon. lenore- light, torch. birthday: october 3rd. age: twenty-six. pronouns: she & her. sexuality: pansexual. siblings: siena raynes nee byron (older sister), sabrina paine nee howard (older sister), savannah hillingdon nee howard (older sister), serafina willoughby (younger sister). parents: ephraim finch (father) & mary-anne fitzroy nee everist, byron, howard, finch, willoughby (mother). other family: donald fitzroy (step-father). languages: english, french, german, spanish, dutch. current residence: the palace. hometown: nottingham.

appearance:

height: 5′3″. hair color: naturally selena's hair is light auburn, but lightens significantly with the warmer seasons. eye color: green. typical hair style: selena wears her hair styled fashionably back, up, well out of her eyes, with curls or a few strands hanging to frame her face. it is often adorned with hats or veils or baubles. it is far more intricately done for balls and events. fashion style: nell is most particular about the textiles that her clothing is made from. she wants silks or other very, very fine fabrics, especially breathable ones. many of her gowns are embellished with lace. she keeps to the height of fashion although tends to prefer very pastel or icy colors. it is very rare that she is without gloves of some variety. [ fashion ] distinguishing features: selena has a face that is practically unreadable. her eyes are very stern, but observant, while her mouth appears almost mocking in the way it never quite crosses into a pleasant smile. she has a few freckles over the bridge of her nose. there is a deep, hoof-shaped scar on her back at the torso, on the left, just above the hip from a riding accident.

personality:

positive traits: refined. erudite. naturalist. negative traits: stone-hearted. venomous. haughty. theme song: neptune by sleeping at last

headcanons:

nell is highly trained and exceptionally skilled in both archery and horseback. she has been riding horses since the time she was able to hold a lead and feels very at home amongst animals, especially her most beloved mare: robin. nell picked up archery in late adolescence, but swiftly improved. the practice was very meditative.

selena has a firm policy of not commenting on any rumors about herself. in fact, her snide demeanor tends to encourage both the worst and the best of it.

selena has a lot of sisters and is certainly not fond of all of them. since she left her familial home to attend princess sophia, nell regularly writes correspondence with the youngest, her favorite, who was now a ward in residence with their eldest sister and her husband.

biography:

[ I will make this sound better soon too but the gist is here. ] selena's mother is a deeply unsatisfied woman. her first husband could not give her anything she wanted so she rid herself of him and tried again and again and again, gaining nothing but titles, horrible rumors, and daughters who only looked vaguely similar. most of the daughters craved more attention as they were largely ignored by their mother, had fleeting father figures, or were mistaken for the wrong sister. however, selena found respite in it. she was always an introvert who liked to hide away from direct attention. she enjoyed afternoon rides in the woods. otherwise, nell spent a grand majority of her time reading in apathetic disenchantment with the instability of her home life. that is, until her most recent step-father arrived and said home life became unbearable. selena started to look forward to the social season to escape for a few months. during this time, she became reacquainted with princess sophia who, surprisingly easily, grew into a staunch ally and dedicate companion. there was no refusing when her royal highness insisted that selena would be an ideal lady in waiting. nell did take to life in the palace with ease, and now rather enjoys the strange balance of encouraging the princess's discord while appeasing the queen enough to keep some relevance. she is uninterested in marriage, really, and tries to keep even friends well behind her guarded walls.

wanted connections:

acidic wit || they are just here to bully each other; rivals of some variety. sister's keeper || a friend of selena's older sister who think they have some sort of say in what she does or is particularly protective of her. day & night || someone who is very much the opposite of selena in every conceivable way, and how they get along... or do not.

[glxvedhandsx]

marvin barker || 30 || future earl of pembroke || he/him; bisexual || stats

hari bennett || 26 || ward to the lytton family || she/her; pansexual || stats

[cfdreamsnhope]

name: kate anand age: 29 years old sexual orientation: straight occupation: modiste at anand's status: single hair color: dark eye color: dark positive trait: kindhearted, loyal, loving, friendly, caring. negative trait: anxious, stubborn, too proud.

kate anand is the first born of the anand family. her mother passed after giving birth to her younger sister and her father was the one who raised them their whole life. he started the anand's shop, offering beautiful dresses of great quality: the best silk in down, associated with wonderful jewels that he often ordered abroad.

being the first born gave her great responsibility from the moment her mother passed away. she had the first five years of her life alone with both of her loving parents, learning a lot from their wisdom and culture. when her little sister was born, kate took great care of her, vowing to protect her and give her everything she ever needed. the sudden death of their mother increased the sense of responsibility within kate, feeling the need now to teach her younger sister everything she already knew.

while growing and often playing in the streets of london, kate befriended edward bromley. it was a genuine and lovely friendship starting between both of them. whenever her father was busy at the shop, he could simply nod and let her play with the little boy, allowing both of them to create a unique friendship together.

as she grew, kate saw in edward a true confident. he became her best friend, the one she could always go to and talk to whenever she needed to share something that troubled her. the more they age, the more her feelings grew into another kind. although terrified to even share this, kate closed herself and tried to protect herself from an eventual heartbreak.

at the age of twenty-two, kate started working with her dad at the shop. seeing the ambiance, all the beautiful ladies ordering the silks, requesting dresses sur mesure made her realize how much she wanted to work in the shop.

the brutal death of her father when she was twenty-eight made her whole world collapse. while counting in the back office the silks that they received, kate heard a loud sound, as if someone fell on the floor. rushing back inside, it was with horror that the woman found her father dead. edward, present at that time, explained to her that he had a sudden heart attack, leaving his two daughters behind and a shop to take over.

between grief and bills to pay, kate found it more difficult to follow with finances. her nights were quite interrupted with the thoughts: how will her shop survive if she can't even manage it properly?

kate is a very caring woman, friendly and loyal. she's very professional and will always do her best to keep the legacy of her father thrive. however, with the finances slowly crashing and concurrence becoming tough, desperation will make her do the unthinkable and flirt with danger.

she's way too proud to even acknowledge the real nature of her feelings towards edward. instead, she thinks he will never love her the way she does and buries herself in work.

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

family: her younger sister. she's very protective over her and would do anything for her to feel safe. especially after their father's death.

rivalry: the other modiste, who could make her feel threatened. there could be a possibility where eventually both stop being rivals (especially after a future plan kate has) and just recommend each other.

[parasolsandreticules]

About: Virginia

Goodness, VIRGINIA WINDHAM has arrived in London. SHE is 27, of the COVENTRY WINDHAMS. Though they are RETURNED to the Season, we can only describe them as ADVENTUROUS and YEARNING, dear reader. Accompanied by THE THORNES, they have settled in and are accepting social calls. But be warned: they are known for their DETATCHMENT.

TW: Mentions of abuse

Basics -

NAME: Virginia Windham

FAMILY: The Coventry Windhams

ROLE IN SOCIETY: Debutante

Sexual Orientation: Bisexual

Date of Birth: August 30th

Languages: Fluent: English, French, Latin. Learning: Greek, Welsh

Appearance-

Eye Color: Blue

Hair Color: Blonde

Tattoos/Scars: Scars on her back after being beat by her aunt.

Positive Trait: Adventurous, caring, protective

Negative Trait: Yearning, detached, can seem standoff-ish.

About- 

Virginia Eloise Windham, the only daughter and youngest child of the Earl of Coventry, has always been less than ideal in her father's eyes. Getting into trouble and acting unladylike. He did everything he could to get her under control, expecting and wanting only the best for her-- He wanted the best for both her and her older Brother. But it seemed that she had other plans, when her eyes landed on the stable boy that her father hired after he had saved her father's horse.

He was the most handsome man she had ever seen, and not only that but he was also charming, funny, sweet... Everything about him made her swoon. So she started flirting with him, and one thing led to another until they were deep in a passionate relationship. Virginia had wanted to run away with him, to elope in Gretna Green and start a life with him far away from her expectations as a Lady. But all her hopes vanished when they were caught in the throes of passion, and suddenly Virginia was ripped away from her love and sent to live with her Aunt for a few years to get her act together.

Living with her Aunt was less than ideal. The old woman was know to be cold and unrelenting, and Virginia was on the receiving end of her bad moods. She would hit Virginia with bundles of twigs and sticks, even harsher things like a whip if she felt like she deserved it. Her Aunt saw it as the perfect way to get the young girl into shape, breaking her spirit and causing many unhealable wounds, both mentally and physically.

In a way it did work. Virginia stopped fighting back and behaved exactly as her Aunt expected her too, even if it was only out of fear. It was then that she sent Virginia to live with the Earl of Shrewsbury, a close friend of her father's. After everything that she put him through, her father didn't want anything else to do with her. He disowned her from the Windham family and made an agreement with Lord Thorne that she would live with him until she found a respectable spouse.

Virginia was not happy about the arrangement at all, but she reluctantly complied and returned to London at the start of the most current season. The most that she hoped for was a marriage of convenience to a nice enough person, as the only person she ever really loved was gone forever as far as she knew.

[prinxesssophia]

Goodness, PRINCESS SOPHIA OF ENGLAND has arrived in London. she is 25, of the HANOVER FAMILY. Though they are RETURNED to the Season, we can only describe them as CHARMING and FUNNY, dear reader. Accompanied by THEIR MOTHER, HER ROYAL HIGHNESS QUEEN ELINOR, they have settled in and are accepting social calls. But be warned: they are known for their MEDDLING NATURE (Ella, 30, BST, She/Her)

Sophia Hanover is the only daughter of Queen Elinor and King Henry, and thus she was seen more as a commodity to those in her father’s court. Growing up, Sophia was given the best education, learning to master the domestic arts as well as the political workings of any royal court. While Queen Elinor wanted the very best for her daughter, Sophia knew that her role was to strengthen the crown through an advantageous political alliance. It was what she was raised to do, but as she grew older, the reality of it crept closer, and Sophia declined any matches that Queen Elinor arranged. Mother and daughter grew apart with Queen Elinor’s insistence and Sophia’s stubbornness to the point where the two hadn’t spoken for three months at one point! King George doted on his daughter before his health declined. Where the Queen was eager to match and marry her daughter off, King George was content to keep her by his side, unofficially as his advisor, though it was more of an excuse to teach Sophia the inner workings of the kingdom.

As her father’s health worsened, Sophia’s time with him went away, and she was left with just her mother. The queen’s desire to have Sophia married heightened so much so that Sophia ran away with her father’s equerry. Sophia wasn’t gone for longer than three days, but it was enough for rumours to start, though the queen had tried her best to silence them. Since then, Sophia had lived in her mother’s cloistered household, often referring to it as a nunnery, though Queen Elinor frequently reminded her daughter that a nunnery held no value to them. Instead, Sophia watched from the sidelines as her mother’s marriage soured, and her eldest brother was married off to a woman no one thought he loved. The House of Hanover were truly a state, though publicly they all supported one another.

1813, Queen Elinor finally had enough of her daughter’s refusal to marry. Bringing her out from the shadows of the queen’s household, Sophia is allowed to take part in this year's social season. Sophia still refuses to marry, but after a year hidden away, Sophia longs to cause nothing but trouble to ruin her mother’s marriage market. With a new anonymous writer documenting all of their scandals, will Sophia survive the season, or will she succumb to her mother's wishes? 

[in-singh]

Goodness, MR. PETER SINGH-COLLINS has arrived in London. HE is 27, of the BIRMINGHAM COLLINS. Though they are RETURNED to the Season, we can only describe them as THOUGHTFUL and AMIABLE, dear reader. Accompanied by HIS GRANDMAMA and SISTER, they have settled in and are accepting social calls. But be warned: they are known for their RECLUSIVENESS.

about peter | family 

[lordpembroke]

Goodness, LORD ERNEST PEMBROKE has arrived in London. HE is TWENTY SEVEN, of the SALISBURY PEMBROKES. Though they are RETURNED to the Season, we can only describe them as ECCENTRIC and PLAYFUL, dear reader. Accompanied by THEIR HALF-BROTHER, they have settled in and are accepting social calls. But be warned: they are known for their IMPROPRIETY.

London Residence / About / Personality / Family 

Personality & Traits

With the talent for scandal he’s known to have, Ernest has settled into his role as a rascal rather comfortably. He enjoys watching a good debacle, the restraint of high society more often a nuisance to him than anything else. He becomes bored far too easily to play the upright gent that knows all of the right things to say, all the correct airs to put on, no, he has a much more enjoyable time letting society deal with him as he comes to it. 

Charismatic, a tad eccentric, and impulsive without fail, Lord Ernest Pembroke is fast to make himself the heart of any celebration. These too are airs, of course, the face he puts on in public to stir up some amusement. He’s known to be somewhat of a critic, and though he may speak a very big game he’ll step down when he senses fists might be coming his way. Some of his greatest enemies might call him a coward and a scoundrel but Ernest sees himself more as a break in a monotonous routine but with the good sense to avoid whatever trouble may come from that.

When he’s not putting on this grand performance for his own amusement, Ernest is prone to fits of gloom and impatience. He needs to be doing something, always, boredom is pain which is why he’s picked up an incredible number of hobbies. He’s well read, always in the know about current events, knows where to find the best of anything, and shockingly has even been found to keep the company of men and women from the lower classes. Perhaps he’s lonely or perhaps there’s something about himself that he can’t stand to be alone with for long but whatever the cause, Ernest is sure to cause a stir. Biography

A viscount and heir to an earldom, Ernest always was a bit of a scoundrel. It was a trait his poor mother tried incredibly hard to raise out of him but never could quite succeed. His best friend growing up was his half-brother, the product of an affair Lord Salisbury had, and whom Ernest is still close with.

Throughout Ernest’s childhood, his father was preoccupied. They were far from close and his mother, while more present physically, was so very bitter over his father’s affairs that Ernest found her cruel and sometimes even frightening. At times she could become aggressive and so the brothers learned to avoid her. They became each other’s closest family and Ernest came to listen more to the housekeeper than to his parents. At least the housekeeper was kind.

Distant as they were, Ernest didn’t hate his mother. On the contrary, he loved her as any son would. Some days she was more forgiving and they’d go for walks or into town with one another but others she would regard him coldly with nothing more than an insult on her tongue, like his father. At least, Ernest always knew what to expect from his father.

One day, when they were vacationing in the north and Ernest was only fourteen, he and his mother went for a long walk near the sea. It was then that they fell into another of their spats, his mother diminishing him as she often did and eventually grabbing onto him, drawing back to strike. Ernest pushed back from her, causing her to lose her balance and fall from the cliff into the sea below. It’s a memory he can’t stand to think about and that only his brother knows the truth of. It was an accident, he said, nobody needs to know. And nobody did. Ernest barely spoke for weeks.

When he did start to come back into himself, it was clear that something vital had changed in him. He acted as though there were a motor inside of him. He couldn’t stay still for long. He couldn’t stand boredom or solitude, couldn’t stand to be idle. Whenever boredom came he was quick to cause a scene, if only to create something to busy his mind with. It started out childish with outbursts, things that could be excused for his age, but as he matured the nature of his impulses did as well. He traded mud pies for laudanum. His father’s disappointment in him was absolute.

In 1799, he moved to London to find some excitement away from the disapproving eyes of his father. He fell into a variety of circles from classes high and low, inciting scandal seemingly every week. 

Dark Past

The image of his mother’s body against the rocks and waves lives fresh in Ernest’s mind, causing him to fall into a deep panic whenever near large bodies of water or cliffsides.

[misterdowding]

Goodness, THOMAS DOWDING has arrived in London. HE is TWENTY-SIX, of the HERTFORDSHIRE DOWDINGS. Though they are RETURNED to the Season, we can only describe them as ELOQUENT and IMPASSIONED, dear reader. Accompanied by HIS MOTHER, they have settled in and are accepting social calls. But be warned: they are known for being FICKLE.

PERSONALITY

Thomas has acclimated entirely to the romantic school of thought. Everything must be for poetry, for love, for nature. He's very interested in the classical world of ancient Greece and Rome but fortunately, knows better than to ramble off about his adventures to any available ear. Instead, he puts it to verse, a trade that's served him well.

He can be flighty and although he certainly houses a well of deep emotions, thoughts, and beliefs, he has a tendency to cheapen it all under the demanding gaze of romanticism. It can be hard to tell whether he's genuinely enthralled or just entertaining someone or something for the sake of a poem. He can be two faced, a charming poet with honey sweet words one moment and the next, cold and uncaring . . . Best not to be a fleeting inspiration, lest he lose interest entirely.

For those that do manage to keep his interest peaked and to continue inspiring him, he's quick with flattering words and always prepared to set out on an adventure: for the love of art.

BIOGRAPHY

As soon as he could read, it was clear that Thomas Dowding would be a poet. He consumed the plays and sonnets of Shakespeare the way a dying man seeks out a fountain. It was not long before he moved on from reading to writing and though his earliest verses may not be good by his standards now, they certainly showed an innate talent for the written word.

But what did he have to write about, really? He had such a typical upbringing. Gentry, small town, he lost his father when he was thirteen but that was much too grim to put to page, as well as much too typical.

At a lack of compelling experiences to write about, Thomas set out upon the world with an impassioned dedication to experiencing every romantic thing it had to offer. Love, sex, drink, camaraderie, for what is a poet who has not lived fully? Thomas collects experiences like a currency and can often be found leaning back with a quill and pad, jotting down his thoughts right in the middle of such times.

At Oxford, Thomas met a professor that stole his breath. Mister Crawford had such command over language, an eye that could pierce through a poem straight into its heart. Thomas found himself admiring this professor greatly and taking his opinion and thoughts as the word of god in his life. Before any big decision, he really must consult Mister Crawford. It was this professor that inspired Thomas to set out traveling, go to Athens, he said, go to Florence, to Paris, to India.

Of course Thomas listened. He traveled for years, meeting people from every walk of life and producing some of his best poetry. He published several of them in papers, as well as an epic, and now finds himself working on a novel that was inspired from these travels. It was during this time that the Queen of England took notice of his way with words and ever since, Thomas Dowding has been a successful poet with a wide audience.

All of that acclaim cannot satisfy him, however; he must win the approval and admiration of Mister Crawford. Why he continues to seek out his approval isn't entirely known even to himself but continue he does. Perhaps, the only inspiration that lasts is the inspiration of being told he's not as phenomenal as he would like to believe, and the need to prove that wrong.

DARK PAST

It really is too bad that gambling is such a brilliant past time. It's no secret that Thomas knows how to spend money with a swiftness not often seen in other more mild personalities but he does well to contain just how out of control it is. He owes a fair amount of debt but always manages to scrounge up just what's needed at the last moment before scandal breaks loose - And oh! How wonderful, he can take another loan now that he's paid that one off.

[sovereiigna]

Introducing THE PRINCESS

Goodness, MARINA, PRINCESS OF WALES has arrived in London. SHE is 21, of the ROYAL FAMILY OF ENGLAND. Though she is NEW to the Season, we can only describe her as VIVACIOUS and WARM-HEARTED, dear reader.

Accompanied by QUEEN CHARLOTTE, she has settled in and is accepting social calls. But be warned: she is known for her INCAUTIOUS BEHAVIOR.

[flosprati]

(hannah dodd) Goodness, BARONESS CATHERINE BRAYE has arrived in London. SHE is 25, of the BEDFORD BRAYE'S and WARD TO THE MURRAYS. Though they are NEW to the Season, we can only describe them as CHARMING and IMPULSIVE, dear reader. Accompanied by her lady's maid, they have settled in and are accepting social calls. But be warned: they are known for their IMPATIENT NATURE. (Lizzie, 30+, She/her, PST)

NAME: Catherine Braye

FAMILY: Braye's of Bedford (ward to the Murrays)

ROLE IN SOCIETY: Baroness/Lady

Sexual Orientation: Bisexual

Date of Birth: November 10th

Languages: English, French, and various others

Appearance-

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Light Brown

Tattoos/Scars:  none

Positive Trait: Charming

Negative Trait:  Impulsive and Impatient

About- 

Catherine was born to the Baron and Baroness of Bedford on a cool fall evening. Her mother was disappointed that her first child was not male, despite assurances from her husband that either sex would delight him. Her father was quiet, mild mannered while her mother was very much the calculating and controlling presence in Catherine’s life. Her mother’s involvement in her early life consisted of ensuring she took all of her lessons, but other than that she was always more involved in throwing lavish parties and attempting to come off as the most loving wife and mother.

At the age of five, her father began working on the greenhouse with her, they both picked out the different plants they would grow and from then they worked on growing the most beautiful gardens they could manage. Her father would also sneak her out of her lessons and take her to the nearby fields to show her meadows of wildflowers, which quickly became her favorite place in the entire world. The field near their country estate was her favorite, she would frequent it consistently for the next twenty years.

Shortly after her 15th birthday, her father contracted a terrible illness that he was not able to recover from. All plans for travelling to London for her presentation into society ended there, as her mother had no plans on easily giving up the baroness position to Catherine, and then began the essential isolation of not only Catherine, but her mother as well. She stopped throwing lavish get togethers, using her father’s death as an excuse, and then she began stripping away any small freedoms that Catherine used to enjoy.

Friends? None. She wouldn’t allow any of the young ladies whom Catherine had formed friendships with to visit, often telling them that Catherine was so down after losing her father she couldn’t even dream of seeing anyone. Outings to the local villages to socialize? No longer. The staff had all been given strict instructions to ensure that she only remain within the walls of the estate, and if anyone saw her try to leave and didn’t report it to her mother, they would be let go. Trips to her favorite meadow? Definitely not. Despite pleading from Catherine that she wouldn’t venture into the village alone, and that she’d bring as many people with her as her mother required, she was not allowed to leave the estate. She was isolated from the world, and as time progressed, people stopped trying to visit. It was almost as if they too gave up on her.

Shortly after her 19th birthday, their stable master hired on a new stable boy (Jacob) with the intention of training him as the new stable hand and eventually a future stable master. The young man had come from abroad and Catherine found herself drawn to him (was it because he was the only person close to her age that wasn’t someone she’d grown up with?  Or maybe it was the small fact maybe she fancied him a bit). As the months rolled by, they spent more time together in secret, he’d go with her to her field of wildflowers and take her on rides at night to gaze at the stars and she found herself falling for him. On an evening when her mother was meant to be seeing some business associates, they decided to have a picnic in the field, so while Jacob readied the horses, she readied the food. When she arrived to the stables, she was confused to find that no one was there. She looked for Jacob everywhere, and was not able to find him, the next morning she asked the stable master who told her that Jacob had left due to a family death and would not be returning.

She tried to act as normal as possible from that moment on, but she always felt like here was something wrong. A year later she finally got her answer in the form of her mother, who told her she’d offered him a vast sum of money to disappear, this knowledge broke her more than his disappearance had, and she fully decided that she needed to get out of the thumb of her mother. She was of age, she was meant to be out in society to find a match, to begin her own family and take over her position as Baroness. Then began the beginning of the end for her mother, as Catherine began to gather her own information on her mother and began to plan to gain control of her life. It took four and a half years and an accident to finally free herself of her mother, ironically everyone believes she was the one who had her mother killed. The only crime Catherine committed in that instance was not getting to reaching out to her mother as she fell, to call for someone to help her mother who was weighed down by her gown in the water. They had been arguing at the edge of the lake near the estate, the only place she’d be able to run to get away from her, and her mother attempted grab her, she avoided it and her mother fell into the water.

Six months, that’s how long she’d been orphaned, the local law enforcement finally decided that she wouldn’t have been able to save her mother anyway and cleared her name. Only on paper, in gossip she was sure she’d never be clear.  Now she had to figure out how she would enter the marriage mart, one of the things her financial advisor suggested she do to appear as normal as possible. The only problem was that she had no one to “sponsor” her coming out into society, her advisor had written to one of the families that her father had been good friends with asking if they would be so kind as to sponsor her coming out into society. Which was how she ended up with the Murray’s, and how she ended up with a new sense of freedom and maybe even some luck in love this time around.

[lovelyfxxl]

(simay barlas) Goodness, DOVEY ST GEORGE has arrived in London. SHE/THEY are TWENTY-SEVEN, of the NOMADIC ST GEORGE'S. Though they are NEW to the Season, we can only describe them as INGENIOUS and MERCURIAL, dear reader. Accompanied by THE LYTTON FAMILY, they have settled in and are accepting social calls. But be warned: they are known for their AUDACITY.

_____________ D O V E Y S T . G E O R G E __

basics:

name: dovey coralina st george. pronunciation: duh·vee kore-uh-lee-nuh seint jorhj. meaning: dovey- dove, black, peace. coralina- coral, like kore. birthday: december 13th. age: twenty-seven. pronouns: they, she & her. sexuality: bisexual. siblings: fennix st george (older brother), starina tremblay nee st george (older sister). parents: merripen st george (father) & leonora st george nee boswell (mother). other family: lunetta tremblay (niece), jean claude tremblay (brother-in-law), absolom st george (uncle). languages: english, a little french, romani. current residence: the lytton estate. hometown: unknown.

appearance:

height: 5′5″. hair color: warm umber. eye color: green-flecked, dark brown. typical hair style: tragically, dovey most prefers to wear their hair down, but as that is not appropriate in public, it is reserved for when she is home alone. at home, she often gets away with wearing her hair in braids or plaits. when going out in public, her hair is pulled into a bun with a loose braid wrapped around it. it is not uncommon to find flowers in her hair on any and all occasions.  fashion style: dovey likes rich, deep colors. she usually leans towards a more jewel-toned palette, but really just like very colorful things. she tends to avoid white and black or anything monochromatic. dovey has a deep love for embroidery and almost all of her clothes have some manner of animal, plant, or design sewn into the fabrics. [ fashion ] distinguishing features: dovey tends to look like she is searching for something or keeping a secret. there is something hidden on her face that she just isn't talking about. she has a scar on the back of her thigh from an incident with a horse.

personality:

positive traits: ingenious. dauntless. romantic. negative traits: mercurial. audacious. unreliable. theme song: inkpot gods by the amazing devil

headcanons:

dovey did not have the formal education that most of her peers might have had. while there was tutoring during their travels and some formal academics, the subjects were loosely structured to say the least. lessons were inconsistent and often did not involve more than an overview of basics they'd already forgotten. dovey is particularly insecure about this shortcoming and hates to appear ignorant.

dovey has an exceedingly grumpy (and stupid) chartreux cat named ampersand. her brother fennix gifted this pet to her a handful of years ago as a birthday present. she adores him to the point that there would be no hesitation enacting violence to protect the kitty.

insomnia is something that dovey has struggled with since a very young age. as they get older, it has not been better, but their coping skills are. usually, dovey manages to handle the lack of sleep without much fuss. however, there are occasions that it takes a larger toll. also, there are nights that need to be filled with something to do and as a result of being a weak reader, dovey tends to endeavor in more creative pursuits.

biography:

[ I will make this sound better soon but the gist is here. ] dovey's parents were brought together through an arranged marriage. while it may have never been a great love, there was fondness and companionship there. fennix was born first and several years before his sisters. he struggled a lot to live up to certain expectation placed on him. next born was starina who was endlessly doted upon. not long after, dovey was born. their family is nomadic and travels in a caravan as merchants of various textiles, instruments, and arts. her father was very interested in becoming a 'legitimate' family in the eyes of society. Her mother seemed to be somewhere else, even when they were in the same room. fennix occupied a lot of their father's attention, starina usually took care of dovey despite only being a bit older. dovey more or less roved a little wild as they traveled, but had opportunities to learn from many different types of people and hear stories of all variety. an elderly woman in Italy introduced her to the cello, a condescendingly particular frenchman taught her to create appliques, a loud-laughing irish woman pressed a deck of tarot cards in her hands. this was an environment in which dovey thrived. as it goes, years passed, things changed... more things than she ever wishes to think about, but still, a curious, excitable child grew into a world-embracing romantic with grand ideals and a quick-witted humor. despite a desire to follow through with her parents wishes that she marry well, nothing fruitful could be found in america so dovey left as a ward to close family friends in an attempt to enter society.

wanted connections:

pen pals || since their family traveled so much, most of dovey's childhood friends would be through letters anyway. why not one across the pond? don't I know you? || someone that dovey has the strangest feeling that they've met before, but something is different... do they have a secret? do they know hers? tutor || of the academic or etiquette variety. there is much that dovey will need to study. it wouldn't hurt to have some sort of guide.

[cfdreamsnhope]

name: emily hopkins age: 30 years old sexual orientation: straight occupation: governess at the lytton house status: single hair color: brown eye color: green positive trait: kindhearted, loyal, loving, friendly, caring. negative trait: defensive, distrusting, fear of abandonment.

emily hopkins was born to an unknown father and a mother who raised her with all the love a mother could have while working for a noble house as a cook. the little girl grew in the kitchens, being as discreet and respectful as she could be and always following her mother. sometimes, emily would meet with the little girls of the household, becoming friends and even being allowed to join for an afternoon tea party. all thanks to the family who employed her mother, kind people who always loved emily.

when she turned twenty five, emily saw her mother become very ill. the doctors informed her that she wouldn't have much time anymore and that it would be best if she stayed by her side until the end. it was only a few days later that her mother exhaled her last breath, leaving emily behind and finally finding her own peace.

now that she was alone and unmarried, emily could still count on her dear friends, the sisters from that noble house, who considered her as their true friend. alas, one of them ended in an arranged marriage. while emily is a romantic woman, often dreaming of finding love, she disapproved of that arranged marriage and didn't understand while her parents, always so loving, accepted this terrible match. she witnessed from her own eyes her dear friend, as pure and beautiful as she was, becoming the shadow of her own self.

tragedy hit her a second time when she found out that her friend had died. deep inside, emily knew that her husband was responsible. he was the cruelest man she had ever seen, his eyes were vile and his attitude showed all the signs of violence a man could contain. from that moment, emily felt terrified of marriages. even terrified of love: what if she fell in love with a man who would destroy her pure heart? it was then, that emily decided to apply as a governess to the lyton house and insure the protection of the ladies.

despite her fear, emily still hopes that she will eventually fall in love with a man who will truly love her for who she is. love her until death separates them. give her all she ever dreamed of and find safety in his arms.

emily is a very kindhearted woman, loyal and protective over those she truly loves. she's easy to befriend, will always be of great help and advice if one seeks for it.

deep inside, emily dreams of finding love and of founding her own family. but due to circumstances, she's terrified of giving her heart to a man who could possibly make her face a tragic end like her dear friend. however, hope is still present in her heart and she's now ready to step into her new role of governess, ready to thrive and perhaps, allow herself to be happy and love.

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

a childhood best friend who she would tell everything about and who would know her dearly. it can be a member of the ton or someone from the city, either man or woman.

friends overall

romantic connection: the one man who will love her dearly and prove her that love and marriage are not always tragic.