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ruleandruinrpg · 7 years

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CONGRATULATIONS, AJ!

You have been accepted for the role of ANASTASIA LANTSOV. Admin Rosey: Choosing Anastasia was incredibly difficult because I saw two of my favorite characteristics about her presented so flawlessly. There was the somewhat childish princess and the tender-hearted princess with steel beneath her silk. Ultimately, AJ, I had no choice but to go with your portrayal of Ravka’s heart. The detailed plot ideas were so intriguing to me -- and the seemingly effortless way you integrated her samples into everything are what sealed the deal. Dirt upon silk, and tenderness upon sorrow is what truly tugged at my heart. Thank you for this wonderful application and thank you for taking on the role of Annie. You have 24 HOURS to send in your account. Also, remember to look at the CHECKLIST. Welcome to Ravka!

OUT OF CHARACTER

ALIAS: AJ PREFERRED PRONOUNS: She/Her AGE: Twenty-Four TIMEZONE & ACTIVITY LEVEL: EST & I am currently only in one other active roleplay at this time, so I will be able to give RAR the majority of my attention. I do want to give a bit of a heads up as my family is in the process of buying a new house. Our estimated closing date is June 30th, so that will be about a week of adjusting to the new house and getting WiFi setup. I will definitely keep the admins updated during that time as I do not want to disappear out of the blue. I am also going on a family vacation with my parents from June 23rd—June 26th. It is just a weekend away, but it will be right after acceptance. This is all I could think of to let you all know beforehand. TRIGGERS: OMITTED CURRENT/PAST ACCOUNTS: Here & Here

IN CHARACTER

DESIRED CHARACTER: Anastasia Natalya Lantsov ANASTASIA — meaning reborn. NATALYA — meaning birthday. LANTSOV — meaning ruler.

WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS CHARACTER?:

× BLESSING IN DISGUISE — There were so many characters that held such a heavy muse within my mind that begged to be explored that I panicked on who I would ultimately apply for in the end. My list continued to grow as more biographies were released, and I decided that I would attempt to place them in an order of who I wanted to explore more. The first on my list was dear, sweet Anastasia Lantsov. It was almost amusing how easily their sample came to fruition, and the way their words seemed to pour out from my fingers so quickly. Everything about them screamed a character that I have rarely played before: soft. Their softness was a characteristic that they had been forced into, but it was also a trait that they welcomed wholeheartedly. Some would call them weak, but there was something more than weakness that attached itself to me and kept bringing me back to their application. I spent several days bouncing around a few characters until I realized that every muse that I tried to dive into was being tainted by Anastasia. I found that Aleksander was a bit softer than he should be, or that Svetlana wasn’t as terrifying as I wanted her to be because Ana was forcing themself into every characterization that brought my muse away from theirs. Up until them, I was constantly finding my muse and taste drawn to the characters that were more flawed than them; almost always looking for which path to take for either redemption or further damnation. For Ana, there is absolutely nothing that I could find that screamed a flawed character outside of their inability to speak of what needs to be done for those less than themself. This is the ultimate reasoning behind my attachment and draws to their character, and I hope to convey that through the rest of their application.

WHAT FUTURE PLOT IDEAS DID YOU HAVE IN MIND?:

× THE TRUTH UNVEILED —

Part One. I have to be honest that it was quite easy to come up with this future plot because it is an inevitable fate for Anastasia to be caught during one of their trips to the village. However, the way it happens is very important to me because it could have two very contrasting results. Every little detail of this would have to be thought out thoroughly because the timing, the person, or even the location could be what shifts the outcome one way or the other. For timing, I simply mean what is currently going on in the kingdom when they are caught sneaking to the village. Is there a peace in the country that would guarantee them that suspicions wouldn’t arise, or are there rumors of a rebellion that could cause questioning as to why they are out so late? While the location is not the biggest factor in this revelation for someone to figure out the princess’ secret, it could be the one that gives them the chance to keep it. If they are caught while standing in the middle of the village in the clothes of their cousin, it is pretty obvious that there would be no convincing someone that what they are doing isn’t exactly how it seems. The difference in location would be if they were simply on their way to the village and were caught up in the garden by someone. There are plenty of stories that could save them from the truth spewing out. The most important factor to me in this future plot is the person that unveils what Anastasia has been up to. I want this to be someone that deserves to figure out the secret and actually want to do something about it. Yes, there could be one person that finds out and hovers the secret over their head, but I desperately want the opportunity for them to find someone, whose heart beats for the country as their own. This potential development with another character is not only crucial for Anastasia, but it is absolutely necessary if they want to make a change. Part Two. Further expanding this idea for Anastasia, it would be fascinating to explore what Nikolai did in the canon verse by changing his appearance to hide his true identity. I imagine this would be the case if the tension in the kingdom grew to a point that traveling as herself in and out would be risking her life. In this new disguise, she would be able to fully grasp what many in the village already call her as ( The Shattered Mirror headcanon ) and take on a new life at night. As someone that enjoys increasing the angst within certain plots, it would be an interesting shift if Anastasia were to be caught in some type of attack or confrontation within the village that trapped her there. This would be a very intense moment that would have so much more opportunity if Anastasia were to get hurt by the hand of someone close to her, perhaps Viktor? Maybe he was the one to strike her down when she fought to protect an innocent villager. This type of development would only further my idea that Anastasia’s heart is far too large to belong solely to her, and that is why she so often gives it to those that rarely get noticed.

× THE LIFE DESIRED —

They are more than a single person; they are the heart that beats beneath the chest of their country. They feel devastation upon those less than them while many turn up their nose and look elsewhere. For Anastasia, the life they desire for their people is a life that they cannot give on their own. There are things that must be done to bring the starvation that most within Ravka suffer from, and it is their sole purpose to line everything up in order to conquer it. No one deserves to be less than another; all life should be held at the same value. This is what makes the princess such a bright mind that deserves the attention often given to them, and that is what they will use in their favor. Any that dare listen to their pleas for change, if anyone should step forward to become their saving grace, are likely to get their heart in return. This is what makes this future plot so valuable for Anastasia’s development through the roleplay. Everything they have done has been to see change, and it would be upon discovering they alone cannot heal the wounds that cut deep into their country that will ignite them to look elsewhere. I want Anastasia to start a campaign in favor of those less than. I want them more than anything to find the power to stand up for what should be done. The revelation that their family does not feel the same way as them is so vital to what happens next, and it would be a privilege to explore the opportunity of the princess finding someone else that shares the same feelings as their own.

× THE LIFE LIVED —

As Anastasia is fighting for those that deserve more, there comes a time when they need to face the prejudice that they are living among on a daily basis. The split is far too obvious to go unnoticed, and the princess of all people has proven to be one that sees everything. I imagine that there would be a shift in their own heart to mend the gap between those at the Little Palace and their own. It might be small at first by simply walking a different way to get the chance to come across a few Grisha and sparking a conversation. It could build on these small moments where they befriend one wholeheartedly, who then introduces them to more. This type of outreach will not settle well for those that do not believe the Grisha are worthy of being considered equal so it would be even more fun to find Anastasia on the negative end of someone’s opinion as that seems to be a rarity within their biography. Everyone seems to be so caught up in the princess that it would even take them by surprise to find that they are no longer fighting a singular battle for just villagers, but they are beginning to fight a secondary one for the Grisha as well.

× THE TOUCH OF POWER —

Explanation: For this headcanon, I wrote out a small blurb of what it would be like if Anastasia were granted the chance to be a human amplifier in-game. There is such a purity to her that would add to the roleplay as an opposing force against the Darkling’s own ability to amplify other Grisha. Within her biography, there were hints of how she could become a catalyst to the tradition of the kingdom, and it would only add to her layers and desire to change the country if she were to be one herself. Blurb: There are glimpses of it as she passes them, a quick feeling of connection that she’s never felt before. The way her eyes light up when she’s surrounded by them makes it almost nerve-wracking, to say the least. It took her by surprise the first time the rush came over her; a need to break the barriers and reach out for a single touch. She has contemplated what it would be like to actually be allowed to hold a genuine conversation with one of them; to grow close enough with a Grisha to touch them. That’s when it happens — Very slowly, she finds herself mapping out when and where she will be. The Sun Summoner has become a blessing to this country, and Anastasia says just the right things to her brother to make it obvious that the two should meet. The interaction is odd, almost too forced to be able to convey how much she admires the other, and when all hope is almost lost, she learns the summoner’s name to be Gemma Pavlova. An introduction that results in an exchange of a formal bow, but she needs something else; a simple handshake. Everyone in the room is caught off guard when Anastasia steps forward to stop the bow; all eyes falling on the pair. That’s when they connect — that’s when they know. It was the type of connection that many have whispered about when it came to the Darkling. The way he could touch another and expand the reaches of their power immediately, and for a princess that was painted to be in a cage, she held this exact same connection as he.

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO HAVE YOUR CHARACTER DIE?: × YES — When it comes to Anastasia’s potential death, I imagine it would be sacrificial in a way as they have already displayed how desperately they want the best for their country and everyone within it. If this is something that does come up, I would love a quick message to let me know the plans to give me a chance to bring this character to close on my end as well: threads, current plots, etc.

IN DEPTH

IN CHARACTER PARA SAMPLE(S):

× SAMPLE ONE—

Silk laid in a pile of waste in the midst of chaos as hands pulled and poked at the mess that came in the form of Anastasia Lantsov. It had been another late night of wandering about the kingdom with dirt caked beneath nails that belonged to even dirtier hands. Her smile was frozen to reflect the vision of a princess Ravka desired, yet if they were to look hard enough, it would seem the uplifted corners held a sadness to them that only those closest to her would be able to spot. The corners of her lips trembling to allow real emotion to flood through, but she kept face for those within the room as no one could know the truth of what she had been up to.

Although questions still poured in, Anastasia had already laid out the perfect story hours before they had even returned with a tale painted of a trapped bird singing out for help at a late hour that they couldn’t recall. They reached up to pull a small twig that had managed to weave itself into their hair as proof before tossing it to the floor.

“The poor thing was singing out as if it knew I would come for it,” they said with a heavy breath that had so much weight within it that the entire room stopped moving to listen to their words. “Wouldn’t you have went out to save it? I searched for hours within the garden, falling to my knees more than once to look beneath every bush. If it wasn’t for that last, little chirp, I would have returned this morning empty handed without that poor thing as proof of my rescue.” In this moment, the attention left them to fall towards a bird that rested in the midst of a makeshift nest, which sat directly on the princess’ bed as if they hadn’t even spared a thought for the dirt smearing against the finest sheets the kingdom had.

Adoration soon poured from the mouths of all those within the room to praise the princess for her actions as no one could blame her for rescuing such a helpless creature. It was only when they had finished scrubbing the dirt away and returning her to a state that made her presentable to the kingdom, that they gave her the first moments of solace and privacy. The painted picture of a trapped bird was so well-constructed that she was impressed with how well she was getting at lying. She hated to label what she just did as that, but it was true as the real story did not come close to what she had done the night before.

“You are a kind creature to give me such an opportunity to lie,” she spoke to the bird like a friend as it looked at her with a tilt of its head. She had made a home for the bird and its family months prior and began planning out stories for why she would return to the castle in a heap of a mess. The bird was one of many that she had laid out for her use, and she almost hated how lies were the only way she would be able to help those that truly needed it. “I will return you to your family late this evening as I would hate to raise suspicion when you are supposed to be healing.”

Soon, their attention was pulled to the sight of their left hand as fingers caught against the start of a callous that would never be present on a princess. They never had to work for what they had, and the existence of a callous alone would be enough to cause some suspicions to stir. A quick drop of lotion upon it would have to do for now as they had too much to do before they would be called down for breakfast.

What their advisors did not realize is that just beneath the skirt of their bed hid the truth; Anastasia lifted it to reveal an extensive collection of food and garments for those on the other side of the gate. They quickly did a count to see what they would need to restock before they returned, taking note of the need for more bread and blankets. The skirt of the bed had just hit the floor when a soft rhythmic knock sounded against her door as the delicate voice of Darya poured in through the crack. “Time for breakfast, Annie.”

Her eyes scoped the room for anything out of place before presenting herself at the door to greet the other with a gentle hug that surpassed the formal exchanges some would expect between the two of them. Friendship had always been a constant for both ladies as Anastasia could barely remember a time before there was Darya in her life. The sweet exchange of secrets beneath poorly made forts and laughter that broke the bounds of closed doors was just the beginning of what made Anastasia and Darya so tightly woven together

“You were not too busy, were you? I can go pick us up something if you would prefer to wait here.” Her hands reached forward to reassure the other that she was fine to go before closing the door behind them. The two walked in a ritualistic silence until they were out of the quarters and in open halls that allowed their words to go unnoticed. Her fingers gently played with Darya’s forearm as they wrapped themselves together when they made their way to breakfast every morning ( at least every breakfast Anastasia attended ).

“Have you met her yet,” Anastasia asked to be the first to break their silence, intently watching Darya’s face transform the moment the question left their lips. A hope seemed to emerge through the smallest of gestures as the somber expression dissolved into nothing to show a glimpse of the other’s smile. The girl almost too eager to share her own thoughts about the Sun Summoner left Ana with the idea that much was to be learned.

“Yes—I mean, no. She is marvelous, though; even from a distance. Everything that we have prayed for has come to be. You should get Anton to introduce you. I am sure he would not mind,” Darya spoke softly with her own fingers tickling the inside of Ana’s arm before looking at them again. “I swear, to the Saints above, she seems to light up an entire room the second she walks into it.” She squeezed a bit too hard against their arm at her last statement before continuing on. “She reminds me of you—a little. There is not much known of her before, but the way she silences a room by just walking into it; awe-inspiring really.”

Anastasia gave her best attempt of a kind elbow into her friend’s side before casting her eyes forward. “You seem to be quite impressed with the Sun Summoner,” she added with thin-narrowed eyes casting momentarily to Darya. “It almost makes me think you are contemplating a replacement on my behalf. Am I to fear I will walk into the ballroom to find you have become quite cozy with her?” She counted to three very slowly to give her friend the impression that her concerns were to be taken seriously before finally allowing a laugh to break through. “You have to learn to take a joke every so often, Darya. Not everything that is said is to be considered true. You should know that.”

The conversation would have likely gone on longer if their mother had not stepped into view to pull Anastasia’s attention away from her friend. It was a single look, but that is all it took to refocus her attention on what life was like now. Laughter was supposed to be scarce after such a loss, but with Darya, there were small moments where she forgot the pain that rested in her heart. The gesture from her mother caused a single squeeze into Darya’s arm, smiling towards her friend before lightly stroking the back of her hand. “I must go now, but — Darya, a single request. Please do not get flagged as a danger to the Sun Summoner. I would hate to have to explain your infatuation to my mother.”

× SAMPLE TWO —

Hands clasped tightly behind their back as they walk through the gardens with little inclination of where they were truly going. They simply needed an escape from the crowd that was becoming a bit too over stimulating for them this evening. Every party was a bit too over stimulating for them if they were, to be honest. It was the gardens that provided the momentary escapes that gave them a second breath to survive the rest of the evening.

Anastasia wished desperately to walk the gardens alone, but they knew this would not be granted to them as a presence had already been noted several moments prior. The other person trying their best to keep within the shadows when the princess would take their next turn, creating a game that was no longer fun for them. They would have waited until the next turn if the person behind them had not so recklessly stepped across old leaves to give a hard crunch in the silence of the gardens.

“How impolite to follow someone with no intention of speaking to them— ” Anastasia said with a hard glance over her shoulder to meet the gaze of Maksim Kaev. “—especially someone who knows better.” She extended her hand out to stroke the few lilacs that were within reach, regretting the words she had spoken. Her lips parted to say more, erase her mistake before he had a moment to address it, but he was already beside her with hands stroking the same flowers as she.

“Do you not count the weight of observation as something worthy, Princess Lantsov?” The way Maksim stood behind them made their skin crawl with a feeling they could not place, but it was enough to cause them to continue on their path. “How does one hold a conversation with someone that mimics the pattern of a hummingbird? You flutter from one flower to the next, and I find it almost taunting the way you so suddenly leave right before I have the chance to speak.”

Every step Anastasia took, Maksim doubled to continually bring himself closer to them until they were walking in sync with his strides slowly to keep pace with theirs. Everything he had said was true of them that they hardly stayed in place long enough to get passed the usual conversations. No one ever could hold onto them long enough to get into the deeper levels of who they were.

“Maybe it is you who is at fault here,” Anastasia said with the tips of her fingers still brushing against the flowers on the path before pulling her hand back, if only for a moment to rest her outstretched arm. “What have you done to hold my attention as long as you wish, Maksim?” Her steps paused as two paths in the gardens came to a cross, taking the moment to give the lieutenant the attention he so desired. “Why am I the one to blame when you have done nothing to attract my attention until now? It is you, not I, that should be questioning their actions.”

Anastasia stood in the lantern-lit crossing with no sign of which path they would take next, bouncing on their toes to diminish the uneasiness Maksim seemed to give them. As much as they wished to point him back to the Grand Palace, there was a part of them that wished to know the reasoning behind his pursuit of them. Curls casting shadows upon their face until the slightest movement from Maksim captured their attention.

“You are right—” Maksim’s word were cut short as her hand lifted to silence him, surprising even herself as she gazed up at the Grand Palace, where music poured from the open doors that led into the ballroom. Within the gardens, there was a granted privacy that allowed for titles to be stripped away and connections made that would have otherwise been overlooked. This privacy would also give Maksim exactly what he wanted, in terms of reaching the deeper levels of Anastasia.

“Only a fool admits his mistakes,” Anastasia said with amusement casting over the corners of their mouth before his own hand silenced them in the same fashion as they had done.

“Or a man who is not afraid of them.” Maksim’s confidence had gone unnoticed to the princess with a charm weaved within it. He soon locked eyes with her and made no attempt to look away; instead, he brought himself closer to her with a hand extending out before a rustling from up the path caused him to stop abruptly. She wanted to ask what he had planned to do at the end of those steps, but this would be another mystery to add to their dynamic.

“Princess Lantsov, your mother is requesting your presence,” said a guard that came into view a few short seconds later. Desperately, Anastasia wished to stay just long enough to reveal what actions would have soon followed, but she reluctantly gave Maksim a nod as some symbol of a goodbye. She soon began back towards the palace until fingers caught her own, bringing her attention back to the lieutenant who pulled her hand to his lips.

“Until our next encounter, Princess.” His lips burned as they ghosted over her skin, and he slowly released her fingers, watching her; an assumption made as she could still feel his eyes on her, even with her back to him. For such a short encounter, she felt as if he had unraveled her in a way that no one else before had, and it was both enchanting and terrifying to think how easily he did so.

The rest of the evening was filled with brief conversations on topics that were more impersonal than anything else, and it wasn’t until she had made her way back to her quarters that she realized that she had missed him a bit. Not in the way that she wished to seek him out, but it was more of a realization that he had made her want every conversation to have meaning. She missed being sought out in a way that wasn’t solely connected with her title, and it was once she finally closed her eyes that she floated back to the gardens to dream of the what ifs; what if the guard had never come? What if.

CHARACTER HEADCANONS:

× THE SHATTERED MIRROR —

It was never supposed to be her destiny to break from her cage and explore the world just on the other side of the bars. Mistakes are defined by being wrong or misguided, and for a few hours after her return from the village, she whispered the word repeatedly to herself until it felt wrong within itself. It was a mistake to call her own actions as such, and it was a quick glance in the mirror with the worn fabric still cast over her head that she saw herself for the first time as someone she wanted to be. She began to feel a discomfort when lace was thrust upon her skin as the luxuries she was born into no longer held the same meaning. Her meals were soon portioned to mimic those of the villagers; her own gluttony being denied. She no longer felt the envy that would rise when another lady at court had something she didn’t, and it was during this transition that someone else was born within her. It was soul-shattering to find that luxury was never her calling, but the struggles of others in the village so close to her. As much as she wished to lash out, she knew that to do so would severe her chance of ever returning to the place that felt more like home than her own. But what had she connected with so desperately within the village that differed than the palace? It was a question that swirled around her thoughts often as she contemplated bringing up her adventures with each of her brothers, but she couldn’t find the right words that expressed the deep passion that she found within the villagers that many lacked at court. Though they suffered, the villagers still were alive. They were still fighting for another day, and it became suffocatingly clear that everyone at court was simply going through the motions. It was a slow realization that she wanted to live as though each day was one scattered event after another with no schedule to fall into. One morning she would wake up far past her usual time with breakfast skipped and feet bare from the heels she often adorned to experience life in a different way. The pattern becoming a signature for those close to Anastasia as they anticipated which version of her they would come across. As if pulling a slip from a hat, her days were small adventures for the princess that so very few experienced. This went on for weeks until it still left her bare of the feelings the village gave her all of those late nights. Yes, she was experiencing life in a different light, but she still had everything she ever wanted. The gifts that were now piling in the corners of her room were looked at with disgust, and ideas of what to do with them seemed to always fall short until a chance meeting with a merchant in the village set her up for a chance to become someone she wasn’t. She could become a patron within the village, though for only a short night every other week, but she decided then that the gifts she had been given were also hers to give away. This is when ‘the Bearer’ was slowly a name she began to know as her own as her identity to those that she began to save could never truly be known. As the Bearer, the gifts of luxury that were given to her by those within her family were sent off for trading in other cities that were returned for goods that were given freely to those in the village. Each time she brought another gift was a promise that food, blankets, whatever the villagers need would come soon. It was finally then that she realized that within the village there was a need for her. There was a genuine appreciation of her presence that the palace had never given her previously. There, in the midst of the village with mud caking her boots and hands reaching out for what she could give, is where she finally found her purpose.

× THE PACE OF GRACE —

It is common knowledge for those within the Grand Palace that catching the princess long enough to hold a steady conversation is a rarity. Her pace around the grounds mimicking a casual sprint than planned steps that someone in her position should take. Time has been something she has never taken for granted, and it shows more now with the way the ribbons of her dress are always dancing behind her. Most mock her inability to stay still for a moment, but her argument is valid that ‘remaining complacent too long increases the risk of missing something’. Those words falling from her lips far too often lately to be overlooked by those in her life. She has made it a mission of sorts for her to make people appreciate the time they have been granted and make the most of the moments they have. This was never a realistic goal for her before life became a shade darker after Ivan’s death. His death hallowed her heart so severely that for days there was no sight of her around the grounds. Many at court found the princess’ heart to be admirable at times, but it was upon the death of the crown prince that they began to call it weak. They whispered about how naive she must have been to think life was infinite. Viktor was the first to push through the walls she had built around her to create a refuge within his arms, but they still felt out of place as Ivan had been the one that often escorted her back to her room when he was at the Grand Palace. He was the one that held her just right way to let her know that she was more than she had thought. The loss of someone that gives you meaning in a single touch is one that will shatter you if you let it. It was a week of daily visits from Viktor that finally pulled her from the walls of her room and took her out into the palace. She would have died in that room if another week had gone by as the frailty of her existence was beginning to disappear until she became nothing more than a painting on the wall. For Viktor to becoming her saving grace, she felt a tinge of anger once she realized that life was still moving forward. Ivan’s name rarely being spoken to those in the castle now, and Anton’s name being thrown left and right as her skin itched to run away from it all. Running away is just what she did — Anastasia ran for hours until her problems fell from her shoulders, and a fire ignited within herself to live the days for two. The real reason that she runs everywhere is that though she lives sporadically from one thing to the next if someone looked close enough at what she did, they would find that she is truly living the life her brother had. She goes from enjoying a walk in the garden to reading hours in the library like Ivan once had. Her heart no longer aches because she feels him within it, and it is a life that she feels is worthy to live.

× THE NEED FOR MORE —

Though her required classes and training ended several years back, Anastasia has taken it upon herself to continue her education within the Grand Palace. Her mother is quite proud of her daughter’s love for the books that rarely go touched and records that hardly get reviewed. The world has an infinite amount of knowledge to be absorbed, and it quenches some hunger within the princess to be the consumer of what Ravka has to offer in that area. There are plenty of people in the palace, whose sole duty is to know and learn, but it is a task that has never been granted to someone within the royal family. Therefore, she has the itch to become more than she is and be someone that holds the answer to everyone’s questions. Her desire to be able to walk in the midst of a political discussion and contribute in a way that will not get her looks of amusement, but looks of respect. To be in her position, she has found a way to contribute to those outside of the palace gates, but there is still the struggle to connect to those that have shared such a huge amount of her life thus far. Therefore, the books that have often been stacked around her in the late nights when she allowed herself to not sneak off to the village were books that were often read by Ivan. She knew that her brother’s position had already been replaced by Anton, but there was still so much of him already forgotten that it has broken her even more than she realized. Her brother’s opinion had been lost upon his death, and she desperately wanted to keep it alive anyway she could. Now that she has accepted his death and has moved forward in the only way she knows how, her love for the books once read by her brother has grown tremendously, which in turn has matured her as well. Not a moment before Ivan’s death would she have found herself interested in the history of Ravka’s military, but there is a familiarity with the words in the books and the ones often said by her brother.

× THE UNFORGIVING TRUTH —

There is this fear that has implanted itself within her that the world would easily move on without notice if she fell behind. It is likely that this came from the death of Ivan, but it had been there much longer than she would like to admit. She has been the porcelain doll on display for the royal family, and there has been little notice of her outside of this role. It is likely that her silent rebellion in the form of helping those just on the other side of the palace gates came from this fear. However, as much as she likes to label it as a fear, it is a daunting truth that she holds little weight when it comes to the country. She is supposed to be the one that holds conversations with those who her family wishes to avoid and cast a smile on those that are undeserving. This weighted truth that bears such a pain in her chest is the source of her outcry for change, and it could ultimately be her downfall in the end. That is why she remains silent to bring up her own actions to those closest to her as she already knows where everyone else around her thinks.

× THE THORNED CROWN —

It was a moment that caused a wave of sorrow to fall over the kingdom that shook the foundation that their feet rested upon. There was never a moment they wished to escape more than this, but to hear the actual words of their brother’s death were more paralyzing than they could have prepared for. Deaths are expected to come at the end of one’s life; when decades have passed and age wears the body down. Death is not supposed to come when so much life is left to live, and this is what hurts Anastasia the most. They are forced to watch another brother take the crown as his own, forcibly taking on a task that was never meant to be his. This is when they realize that the crown is not a gift, but an iron clasp that takes away everything that you had before it was placed upon your head. Anastasia is the first to begin calling it a ‘thorned crown’ to Anton as even they can see the weight of it pushing him down. The two were never close, but there is a duty to be there for a sibling when they need it most. That is why they now take it upon themself to do what they can to take small burdens from Anton and pick the smallest of thorns from the crown he now wears.

× THE GIFT OF LIFE —

Of all the small boxes that had been laid upon their bed with soft ribbons wrapped around them, it was an irregular box that peaked their interest immediately with Viktor* almost spewing too much anticipation to give them to open it themself. It had been his way of helping them heal in this process of such a hard loss for the family, and they admired his attempt to keep their lips in a constant upright fashion. They almost wished they could request the gifts to stop coming, but there was money to be made by such gifts and villagers to survive off of the trade to come. This one was something different, something odd like themself. Small fingers pulled at the ribbon until a chirp from within brightened their face in a way that gave off a soft glow if you looked hard enough. They couldn’t reveal it fast enough, but once they did, the bird seemed to welcome itself into their room as if it had always belonged. Of all the gifts to be given, they had never thought of something so small as a bird could fill such a large place in their heart, and now they have found it to be all the company they need when waves of grief come crashing in. * the person that gave Anastasia the bird can be changed.

× THE STACK OF LIES — ( touched upon in the first sample )

The secrets that had been piling up in Anastasia’s lap were ones that needed to be kept until the hearts of everyone around them changed. Allowing themself long enough to think of their nightly adventures to the village only caused further inclination that they were far from over. Several attempts were made to make sure that they at least tried to stop going to the village in ways of exhausting themself to the point of crashing once they made it back to their room at night, but a jolt of energy would rise within them and push them from the very sheets they laid. A small hidden box beneath their bed would soon be pulled to reveal the clothes taken from their cousin and list of stories to be told if they were caught going or returning. It had been a game to them to try to create different scenarios that would require them to leave their room for any reason. The list that once only contained a handful of excuses was now filled from left to right of ink-spilled lies that they would tell in a heartbeat if it was required of them to protect what they were doing. This is something almost enchanting about the princess is that their mind should be far more credited for what it can do.

× THE QUICK HEADCANONS —

One. Anastasia has such a deep love for the gardens of the castle that she has taken far too many trips through it to keep count. She knows where every flower lies and areas that can conceal her long enough for a bit of privacy. This love only grew further as the years passed, and she was allowed to explore the idea of becoming a botanist, outside of her duties as a princess.

EXTRAS: PLAYLIST ( Here ) // GRAPHICS ( Here ) // MOCKBLOG ( Here ) — I will be working on the mock blog until the submit closes!

ANYTHING ELSE?: OMITTED.

#raraccepted #accepted: anastasia

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