Sometimes i wonder what this app was made for.

Haughty, drunk voice from Suchdol’s walls : PRAGUEEEEERS !! HEEEEEYYYY ! Haha, hey, Henry !! Run the Margrave through while you’re there !!

Sam, half conscious : murmurs a curse and a prayer in yiddish

I like how Henry is canonically used to being pretty reluctant to say who he really is - a noble, and an important one with that. After all, he’s technically not a full one in the rules. And many times, he gets out of situations with his silver tongue, threats or trickery like a goblin. Using the "I’m a noble" card isn’t something he’s used to do, either, and most of the time it’s better for him to just be Henry, especially when he’s sneaking around where he shouldn’t.

That being said. I absolutely LOVE when Henry pulls that card.

Missed opportunity to have Hans teach Henry how to play chess with HCs such as :

- Henry would constantly call the knights "horses" and would defend himself with "but it’s a horse !" when Hans would correct him. He’d also say stuff like "then I’ll move this Pebbles over there", making Hans seethe with the urge to correct his stubborn ox.

- Henry’s first instinct like every kid playing for their first game would be to bet everything on making a new queen, and sacrificing (from inattention) every other piece as he tries desperately to push a pawn at the end of the enemy camp. In vain.

- Thanks to Fortuna, during every game, Hans would somehow always find ways to use exceptional moves like en passant and Henry would lose his mind every time "What the fuck is unpeasant ??"

- At first, Henry would lose every game with Hans at chess and win every time at dice. So naturally, chess’d become all his lordship would want to play anymore. Therefore Henry would turn to Godwin to learn. And H-boy learns well and fast. Within a week, he’d beat his bf, who would EXPLODE in a myriad of angry, incredulous and praising insults.

- The more they play, the better Henry would get - especially with Godwin’s training. When Henry was still a noob, Hans would spin knightly stories and fancy words, using 0 brain power, proud as a peacock about his upcoming wins. After Henry gets good, Hans stops talking more and more to lock in. So Henry fills the void by telling anecdotes about his family and stuff he’s read in skill books. Hans would (lovingly) tell him to shut the fuck up so he can focus on winning.

The young lord is pretty agressive, in his words at least. He must really want your confession. Cute. His servant is quieter. Thoughtful. He asks the questions, not his lord. When you answer the squire, his lord mostly gets angry and tells you to shut up. The servant keeps going. He stares at you, eerily calm. It’s like he already knows everything about you and your band. And he does, in fact. He knows about Nebakov, your Captain. He’s like a machine - efficient without wasting his breath as he grabs another tool. A young man like this, a servant - has he done this before ? Why does he look strangely numb to this ? You’re so shaken up you even rat out Semine. Then he suddenly asks about that weirdo - Istvan Toth. The squire is convincing - terrifying - enough… sure, you admit. You know him. And as you answer, the squire steps back to grab the tongs, then slowly walks back toward you. Still unnervingly calm.

He asks about a sword. His voice is lower, angrier - darker then. He stares at you with those blue eyes that seems to be able to decorticate your soul, torture tool firmly in hand. Even his lord looks fidgety all of a sudden and speaks his servant’s name, as if to hold him back. The squire looks at you with hatred. Oh god. He seemed like the reasonable one of the duo just a couple of minutes ago. Yet now in those blue eyes, you see nothing but murder. He brings the tool closer to you, opening and closing it. You’re starting to truly panic… then he steps back. And he glares at you for a few seconds. You feel like he’s trying to kill you just by staring. You don’t want to know what’s behind those eyes. He looks like he’s seriously considering using the tongs in many ways. For a lengthy period of time.

Finally, you let out the biggest sigh of your life when he steps back. The servant’s lord seems to relax as well.

The squire keeps asking questions. When you mock them or worse, he grabs more tools carefully. The knife. The tongs again. He puts it all back every time. But even though he seems to refuse to torture you, you’re still scared shitless. Because you can see it - it’s in his eyes. He’s holding himself back. What if his lord hadn’t been there ? Would he have tortured you then ? How badly ? The questions send chills down your spine.

Really love the idea of Henry of Skalitz slowly (over the years) turning into Henry of Rattay. Leaving his father’s sword to Radzig, being rewarded with a proper house in Rattay (maybe half of Pirkstein for his services ? ;)), putting together a swordsmith shop and just living there, with his closest friends nearby. He’d accompany Radzig on many errands, but Rattay would be his home. I’ve read in the codex, I believe, that Skalitz never actually got rebuilt. Now, I fiercely believe that in universe, Henry WOULD make Skalitz great again, like he did with Pribyslavitz. And after having Skalitz flourish again, still, he’d remain in Rattay near Hans and Theresa. Wake up in the morning with his two best friends on his doorstep rather than his parents’ grave under the linden tree.

The more I think about it, the more I’m fascinated with the Hansry romance on Henry’s side. Because even though it’s obvious that Hans has been pining for a LONG time, Henry mostly saw Hans as a great, maybe his best friend. Sure, he had friends in Skalitz that he’s known his whole life. But it was… how do I put it. Give and take friendships. I scratch your back, you do mine. I help you redecorate the German’s house, you help me beat up that alcoholic asshole. I bring you three full sets of cuman leaders’ armors and you give me… a small share of what you earned for a ring you stole. Yeah. Great pals. Such a true, uninterested friendship. Then when you compare it to hanging out with Hans, you can understand why Henry definitely has more fun with his lordship. They actually chat, joke, tease, share rides, hunts, wine. It’s more… natural. Relaxing in a way, even though trouble is never far.

And now I think that for a long time, maybe, Henry didn’t see Hans romantically, at least not obviously. He tells him he’s his closest friend, that he won’t allow anything to happen to him, that he cares about him very much, that Hans’ safety matters way more than his own. So he did have strong feelings for Hans - of course - but he really didn’t have time to think how deeply they went before. (To be fair, in both games, Hans mostly waits or is trapped somewhere 90% of the time, so he has plenty of time to ponder, while Henry runs around from errand to errand to save everyone, so I doubt our blacksmith boy has much time to think. About anything. Ever.)

It makes it truly tragic when you imagine that Henry understood these feelings completely the ONE moment he did nothing, when the room was quiet and the world stilled : in Suchdol. Listening to Hans’ tale. When he placed a hand on his own to reassure him. Imagine, that’s when it finally completely clicked. Right before he has to leave to his death. So he gets up because he has to go, and it’s too late anyway - he took too long to understand these feelings properly and now he’s likely going to die without knowing if they could blossom.

Henry drunk : You want me to go pick up flowers in the middle of the night ?? Well… alright then !! Wha- you want my help kicking the bailiff’s arse, sure thing, why not ! And now we’re with sheep… baaaah… haha there’s the sun rising… What were we talking about again ?

Henry hammered :

Hans (leaning against a wall or sitting in a corner, glowering at the room) : Look at this lot… plotting, lying, fake laughing, patting and stabbing each other’s back with each hand. Like it’s always been. And Henry… fits right in. He flows in, plays dice, chats with any noble like he’s known them his whole life. How is he so naturally good at this after a lifetime of being a yokel ? I should be used to this on the other hand - yet here I am, miserable in every sense of the word. Now Hal is glancing at me briefly while talking to two richly adorned buffoons. He looks mad. Is it because I’m just standing there uselessly doing nothing… ? Maybe. Any rotten core in this party is probably more fun to hang out with than me.