Marian Varmont

so like i mentioned, i spent my sunday contemplating what MARIAN might be cooking up in terms of plots so... some ramblings. LORCAN So legit this all started with the thought of @forgottenamira 's creepy witch daughter being betrothed to Peadar, haha! I DO think that as soon as Amira has a daughter, Marian is going to lock in on that possibility! (cue her being annoyed her own siblings haven't done enough for the cause and have an age appropriate daughter who could already be betrothed to Peadar!) Obvs the Solemonts want to have any many Astairan holdings on #Team @forgottenarthur as possible, but I do think given that Lorcan is a "royal" house to Roderick, that's a very important in the battle between these two factions-- plus Marian knows Roderick keeps suggesting @forgottenrian as potential husband for @forgottencassandra... but he wouldn't be a very good option if he found himself without a castle, huh!? Peadar is obvs the biggest issue here given that HE is the heir of Lorcan so... idk is she angling for one of her brothers to maybe marry the widow @forgottenaine since none of them have bothered to have and children of their own lately? there's also laoise lorcan but... marrying her probably isn't getting them the lands of lorcan, is it? MALCONAIRE There is SO MUCH going down at Malconaire rn like... where to even begin?! So we know the fallout from the whole ~malconaire/prince pregnancy rumors is happening so i do think marian's first step in this whole thing is going to be keeping one eye on if any of those ladies start to look like they're actually pregnant! THEN after time has passed and she sees that, clearly, they are NOT... some sort of semi public moment has to happen maybe? sometimes that sort of proves all this is behind them and the rumors about her sons and these women were ridiculous! additionally that happens so marian can publicly continue to be the kind, forgiving, wonderful wife of roderick! but also... whatever she does is NOT enough for anyone to consider that marian might want to associate with the malconaires because.... thanks but no thanks! BUT, regardless, someone still needs to claim malconaire and if Amira might have managed to get Lorcan in the Calainon's hands, then they NEED to have Malconaire! If Team Edmund had Hanthom, Lorcan, AND Malconaire… should they just give up? (Aurelian: NEVER!!)

i kinda wonder if there isnt a world where marian envisions sort of the reserve happening of @forgottencassimir 's crazy idea that HE could possibly take lorcan, haha— if one of her brothers marries aine or smth, could they lay claim to malconaire in some weird twist since peadar is a malconaire cousin? (this is DEF a stretch abd tbh idk if marian knows, or cares, that much about astairan families to even consider this!)

i think now marian is still considering if there's a way @forgottenalbrecht could end up with malconaire— i think she envisons this world where albrecht might roll in with some of that solemont cash and help to revitalize malconaire and, thereby, earn the favor of the people who live there AND hopefully, one of the malconaire daughters, too, just to FULLY legitimize albrecht coming in to rule at malconaire! it feels like maybe its not a secret that cassimir isn't too popular at malconaire? but i feel like its maybe pretty clear that eithne (who marian might have eased up on a bit once she figures out its aria, not eithne, giving arthur random handkerchiefs?) IS very important to malconaire and respected by the people there so if albrecht were to win over her/the rest of the malconaire family (NOT VALENTINA THOUGH!!!) … does that put them one step closer to maybe controlling Malconaire?! STAFFORD so i know i've mentioned this before so i'm not going to go TOO far into it now, but now that amira has threatened @forgotteneilionora into finally agreeing to marry roderick, marian is NOT gonna be pleased! i feel like poppa solemont probably has plans on what to do abt eilia BUT i do think marian's got her own ideas... IF Marian is stuck with another sister-wife, she is going to do EVERYTHING she can to create an alliance between herself and Eilia! While Eilia is NOT an OG OVN-er... she does have OVN in her family line, so... better than Amira, right?! Marian does plan to go to Eilia and try to offer some sort of... alliance? with her that would involve marrying "stopping" aria from having to go to a convent (spoiler alert: she doesn't do that OR she does keep aria out of a convent but aria still ends up in the OVN at house solemont or smth because.... well, i'll get to that in a moment! XD) ultimately, marian wants eilia to basically say 'i'm not going to fight arthur for the empire!' or, ideally, she wants Eilia to agree to back Arthur's claim completely! (little does marian know arthur has done nothing but make eilia mad lately so….) which I don't think Marian would anticipate might completely fall apart if she pulls a bait & switch re: aria… but while Eilia IS a problem, i do think atp Aria is maybe the biggest issue in her mind? so whatever it ultimately ends up being, since i know there was a whole OTHER post re: what happened at the tournament that Marian might've seen between Arthur & Aria!… we know marian is picking up on smth! and she's got her eye on Arthur and Aria now… and we know they might not be acting quite as chill abt this as the two of them imagine they are?! (and like… does it get worse after the tournament since, even tho its not to each other, they both have acknowledged there ARE feelings!) but yeah, there are alarms ringing in Marian's brain about aria and… there might be a slightly more vindictive streak behind Marian when it comes to Aria tbh?

like how DARE she try and entrap marian's precious boy? even if she WASN'T a bastard, aria's the second daughter and should be smart enough to know she's never going to be good enough for an imperial prince, let alone the next Emperor! that girl should have just kept her head down and been glad Roderick didn't execute her and Eilia when he had the chance! it just kinda feels like marian's inherent mother-spidey sense can maybe detect that this thing with Aria is DIFFERENT and that is ringing all the alarm bells and also... tbh she's a threat marian never considered facing. arthur was supposed to have his wife and family and, ofc, love and care for them bc that's what husbands/fathers do but... its an entirely different thing in marian's mind if Arthur and his wife are connected the way he and Aria are!! is it a weakness-- is Aria actually making arthur weaker?! again-- how dare she! if she really cared abt him, Aria would actually just leave on her own-- so, really, marian sending her away is doing everyone a favor! (... Marian logic is def breaking down now!)

and while i think Marian would much rather just drop Aria off at the nearest OVN convent forever, tbh she might be worried that's not enough? lmarian's watching her husband now trying to marry his fourth wife while 2/3 of the others are still alive and married to him!! is something as trivial as Aria having taken her vows and becoming a nun going to stop arthur when he's Emperor from marching over to the OVN, declaring she's no longer a nun or w/e, and then marrying her all the same? ... like there needs to be ANOTHER layer here, in Marian's mind, to make Aria fully unattainable for Arthur. (Amira: have you considered.... poison?! -facepalm- ) and while yeah... aria just having a "tragic" accident WOULD be easier, Marian's not going to be the one to orchestrate that sort of thing (and does that not just do for Arthur what Elaine's death did for Roderick--- would it turn her into some sort of deified person in Arthur's mind? I mean... Marian's past experiences say that is entirely possible!) ALL of that rambling to say, I do think Marian will push for ~something to happen and Aria accidentally ends up married instead of at a convent! Stranger things have happened, right? And now she's off the market and there is no precedent for Emperors to declare marriages null and void so they can marry the wife, is there? so that problem is solved!

LORCAN

ok yesssss so i still gotta find it (i swearrrr i wrote it down somewhere but as yet no luck digging it up le sighhhhh) but i ~think his plans for lorcan were along the same lines! like,that if the surviving lorcans could be got rid of (either by declaration of illegitimacy a la the stafford girls, or by more permanent means...), bc he acknowledges that peadar and padraic have superior claims as it currently stands! then the malconaire girls are it, even by roderick's standards, since that blood at least courses through their veins! ofc, by ovn standards, it'd probs belong to their husband since women can't own stuff etc but...that actually works even ~better for aurelian! marry one of his sons or a grandson to a malconaire, declare the marriage of padraic's parents void (or else an 'illness' takes lorcan by storm and oh noooooo all the lorcans died oops) and reap the rewards! ofc as it currently stands, he'd just be handing ~cassimir lorcan that way which is NOT the goal, so he'd have to get rid of cassimir and/or eithne to achieve this end and, as it happens, @forgottenbrigit and sonya are the only two untainted by scandal and thus would make the best wives for his family's rep etc so!!

iirc, and this is off the top of my head, so may be waaaaaay off base here, but sonya is older than eithne? and she was def also adopted by bran, so an argument could be made that she's (or, yknow, her husband in right of her) the rightful inheritor of malconaire, were smth unfortunate to befall her brother...alternately, were some misfortune to befall eithne, then brigit (or her husband) could be said to be the heiress of malconaire, sooooo...i have a feeling just bc #valentina that @forgottensonya would be the one who'd be more easily persuaded to be interested in wedding a solemont (even tho she's aiming higher so maybe not?) but in terms of getting the ppl on side, it'd probs be brigit bc nothing good has happened to malconaire since valentina took over and her kids unfortunately probs have her taint in the eyes of the ppl whether deservedly or not alas. tbh tho aurelian wouldn't think of the ~peasants and that they might make things...difficult... @forgottenalbrecht would tho, and if he's to be the next dude of solemont blood tossed at those poor girls (rosie: sebastian is more than enough no more need apply that slot is filled thank you etc). but also if smth were to befall cassimir, then eithne becomes a possibility by then, tainted by scandal or no...even aurelian has to acknowledge that eithne's is the best claim and the others arrrrre stretching matters a bit soooooo aksdjfkljsdf

AINE LORCAN

ANYWAYYYY re marrying aine, i do think aurelian would feel that could be a great fit for @forgottenlucian and his burgeoning shipping empire! a calleary of any variety, really, would be great there! tbh, i don't think he knows them well enough to much care which one, so lucian can have his pick as far as aurelian's concerned, but yeah he does NOT want godfrey wholly cornering that market, come the varmont civil war!! also he doesn't want his kid failing bc that'd be embarrassing to house solemont (also shhhhh he ~may care just a ~little bit~ what becomes of his son as a human being but SHHHH you did NOT hear that from me!!!!! ;DDDD)

i do think, if he ever bothered to get to know them, he'd feel aine is the most suitable personality-wise, plus the link to lorcan could potentially be great...if aurelian doesn't set that on fire by declaring them bastards or smth alsdkjfkjsdf but yeah there's also the bar's wife was a calleary of it all so there're royal ovn ties there kind of...if you squint laksdjfkljdsf but yeah @forgottenfinnegan is also of interest bc i ~do think that aurelian has clocked that uhhhhh cormac aint having no kids and so that leaves all the inheriting to finn and so a marriage to one of his daughters or granddaughters might be better than to one of his sons, there (once again the malconaires in the middle of smth smdh) aurelian said aoife/finn notp! lakdjsfkljdsf tho lbr if its finn or sebastian for her, he ~will throw finn under that bus sebastian's gotta make bigger waves w ~his marriage alkdsjflksjdf

MALCONAIRE

so marian publicly exonerating the malconaires in some way ~would go a long way to making aurelian feel it was acceptable for one of his family to wed there! esp if his plan of sending them away does fail (which i suspect it will) so it ~will become obv they aint preggars! so in that eventuality, as i alluded above, i do think he's eying up eithne, brigit, and sonya as potential brides for his boys, then, w that quietly settled, he can move on lorcan, but yeah i do see claiming malconaire via one of the malconaire girls as being step 1 plus, it being so strategic, i think he does see it as the bigger fish to fry even then lorcan, despite its status as a royal seat in roderick's eyes, bc he's thinking abt how things will unfold after roderick kicks the bucket w this

so yeah i think, to this end, he'd actually let amira betroth her witch daughter to peadar and smile through it, knowing he was gonna cut her off at the knees by getting rid of peadar. obv amira isn't having it, either, so taht's a whole ~other thing but yeah lajdsfklsdf aurelian to roderick when amira objects: 'this is why the god created man -- that he might shephard feeble woman when she is too hysterical to realize the good that will come to her from this' roderick nodding sagely...smdh

i think aurelian would be completely cool w the malconaire sacrificial lamb being albrecht! he might ~prefer for it to be ulric, as the second son, but if the queen feels strongly abt it being albrecht, i don't think aurelian would care too much frankly so long as it goes to ~one of his sons...and one who can ~hold it when the varmont civil war breaks out, and i think he feels that albrecht has a fairly good head on his shoulders...overly sentimental which pains daddy dearest but...not ~too foolish, by and large

i feel like part of what aurelian might do to help unseat cassimir ~is foment rebellion from within malconaire bc he has probs? heard from marian that cassimir has noT made a good impression w the emperor and then if roderick perceives he can't even hold his own seat...well...he's not gonna want him in charge since the reason he's in charge ~is to create a quiet, happy populace etc. ofc, roderick'll be STRONGLY tempted to appoint edmund lord of malconaire, so aurelian simply needs to help him resist that urge by ensuring edmund has ~another seat in astaira already, but one that...doesn't really count for much

ORMOND

the fens are burnt to a crisp and leaderless, and ormond is vulnerable as its lord seems to be smth of a liability and he does NOT like the way his granddaughter seems swayed, so getting ormond shoved out a window or some such thing might prove verrrrry beneficial on a lot of levels, plus it might make roderick feel that the matter of edmund holding malconaire has been settled as ormond is (partially) a vassallage there...and if cassimir is still atp holding malconaire and now part of it is leaderless, a suggestion that edmund is the ~obv choice to go in and claim the piece that's breaking off might feel verrrrry natural indeed...and, sure, it's ~not ideal having edmund right there but if they've had years to account for that, well, he's sure they can come up w fortifications and such to make things difficult for him when the time comes!

so yeah i think he'll actually be pushing for edmund to get ormond alksdjflkjdsf amira would be on board (unless she learns aurelian was the one who suggested it!) w that bc she wants him in malconaire and she'd be like 'once he's in ormond its only a short shift to seize malconaire as well' if she leans tho that aurelian's behind it (and he'll take care to disguise hat he is sooo she might never know!), tho, her sus nature will kick in and she'll be like 'if he wants edmund to have that this is probs a trap'

ironically, valentina out here being the person most excited abt helping the solemonts marry into her fam, one way or another...

STAFFORD

so i feel like aurelian used to ship arthur/eilia but since her declaration of bastardy, he doesn't believe her rep could ~possibly recover from that (even though he's probs clocked that the charges were trumped up...he believes firmly that what the truth may be always pales in comparison to what ppl ~believe it to be! and he thinks the commons are too stupid and uneducated to possibly work out what he, as a certified genius, has done...) so yeah i do think as a result he probs now ~may think that rian and cassandra have a certain smth aljsdfkljsdf rian has a claim in his own right to astaira and certainly to the castle, and that'll def be hotly contested when roderick dies and kicks off the war so if cassandra's popping out rian's regal heirs, well, so much the better! and if not cassandra, then one of his daughters or ~other granddaughters but he suspects roderick'll make it impossible for him to marry anyone who isn't cassandra or guin sooooo slkdjfkdsljf

in terms of eilia, aurelian feels roderick has already more or less neutralized her -- the thing he doesn't get is why roderick's still marrying her! i mean, he knows roderick well enough by now, i imagine, to have surmised he'll try to re-instate her but once you make the bastard claim legal, well, now ur just making ~urself look foolish, in aurelian's view tbqh

notwithstanding, i think he does believe getting as many staffords to the solemont side as possible is a great idea and so he'll be fully on board for the aria in the solemont convent scheme -- and these daughters ~still make great wives for his sons (tho not his grandsons! they need princesses w unblemished honor! unlike the stafford girls now courtesy roderick...) once they're reinstated bc that's still royal blood in those veins and surely the rumors won't have spread to the only place that really matters...the ovn <3 but yeah i think atp, esp once they get their hands on aria, he'll be feeling its time for eilia to have a tragic accident alsdjfkldsfj

i ~do think aurelian, being the sus guy he is, will immediately just ~assume once he gets wind of any arthur/aria connection, that she's just tryna bag a future emperor and not that there's anything ~more there (but frankly even if he knew there was...he would not care laskdjfkljsdf #granddadgoals dslfkjasdkjf) so he'll feel itll be super easy to get her to transfer her affection to one of aurelian's sons (or grandsons!) once its made clear to her that its never gonna happen w arthur...idk if marian has a chosen brother picked out for aria? but i think for aurelian it would ideally be one of the older ones, tho i think he still dreams of aurelius/guinevere, but if that can't be, why not aurelius/aria!! if all record of her supposed bastardy can be expunged...if not, she'll have to settle for someone less heir shaped...which might be better on the whole, after all, so there's never a weird choice between solemont or astaira, yknow? guin really was the whole package bc itd be the same country...so yeah if marian is set on albrecht for malconaire (and that's fine w aurelian), then he'd probs be looking at caspain or emeric for aria. idr if his wife is still alive, but if not, ulric, himself, is another option, having already produced the heir and the spare for solemont, he can now go and claim astaira for himself and any ~later kids w aria! lakjdslfjd

tbh...marian is NOT wrong that aria being forcibly promised to a religious order she does not believe in would NOT stop arthur as emperor declaring that nonsense null and void and marrying her, if that's smth aria wanted, too lakjdsflksdfj tbh i don't think aurelian much cares who arthur's second and third wives may be (which is ironic given aurelian's plans for the son of a third wife!!) etc but it ~does serve his purposes for her to marry one of ~his heirs and for arthur to marry elsewhere soooooo he's on board!!!!! and yeah the convent to him is just a pretext for solemont, itself, taking a VERY valuable hostage in aria, essentially, in ~his mind laksjdlfjdjkf

CASSSANDRA

sooooooo, he used to ship eoin/sebastian but since guin nabbed ~that prize, he's now either -- and this depends on @thelongforgottenrealm 's interpretation of like -- are uncle/niece weddings approved in the ovn bc if so he's like can't think of a better man for cassandra than alaric *sob* buuuuuut if that's too far even for the varmonts, then either a foreign prince who can better support arthur's claim, or a well-placed ovn-ian who can also help back that up like aleksander, alistair (aurelian: since guin stole cassandra's man, it only makes sense cass steal hers back! cassandra probs: wait WHAT ;DDDDD), or even cormac (i can't believe that cormac might've been lowkey correct that ~anyone would pair them off...omggggg aurelian what're you DOING man) or rian or cassimir aklsdjfkljsdf obv grandpa just ~gets what cassandra's looking for in a man alkdjflkjsdf ;DDDDD

weeeeeeeirdly, i think for aurelian out of these options either alaric, the foreign prince, rian, or freaking ~cassimir are actually highlights of this list bc he's looking to bag the calleary wealth/ships via lucian (you got this, man! go seduce that woman who def sees herself as married!!!!! lskdjfalskdjf) bc aurelian actually has biggggggg plans for the house of vasilievaaaaaa (tho he could and would just as easily pursue this via @forgottensonya as well!)

now, aurelian is deffffff a dude to keep his options open so he'll ultimately do what works best, etc, BUT i ~do think his ideal would be that house solemont grab their stafford claim via aria (and do away with the three other staffords in...various other ways lkajsdlkjfjsdfj) so cassimir does outrank rian for these purposes, don't worry, marian ;DDDDD (comforting words, ive no doubt! lkajdsfklsf) and he'd prefer to nab the calleary alliance via lucian and one of the calleary ladies (ideally aine) so yeah!!

MALCONAIRE, LORCAN, ASTAIRA, AND ALYTAR

ok so while a lot of ppl are looking at eithne saying she's the key to malconaire and lorcan (and they're not wrong!), aurelian feels that that's just the start! aurelian wants @forgottencassimir as an ally (but also has plans to betray him if he doesn't prove quite as ~cooperative as he's hoping...ill get into that in a bit!)

so aurelian is actually like the ~one person besides cassimir whose actually backing the cassimir/eithne marriage. he then means to help cassimir pursue his claim (in the right of his wife) to lorcan. w that achieved, he's gonna push him to subtly (and this bit must be executed w ~extreme caution) remind everyone that my man roderick murdering his entire maternal line effectively promoted cassimir to the status of prince, and he'll want him to start basically reinvigorating the vasilieva claim, not that he wants him to rule -- he does NOT! -- but ~basically what he's looking for is a bit of a power grab

it hasn't escaped his attention that edmund is starting the varmont civil war w one of the conquered countries (kolchis) unabiguously tied to him, so aurelian wants that for arthur. if aurelian can get cassimir beloved by alytar, or whatever, then that's one more power on side, etc. it ~also matters to him that cassimir -- he will say when the war begins -- is the rightful lord of the riverbend, both as king and lord, and he wants the ppl there to remember that and seek to overthrow edmund so that he'll be fighting both an onslaught from within and without to hold that strategic locale, which will hopefully help arthur sweep astaira for ~himself, too, esp w malconaire allied to ~him and kil-kennar already held by him.

good ways to execute this, he believes, are marriage pacts, either w sonya and/or brigit, esp if eithne has a tragic accident and/or w eithne if ~cassimir's the one to have that accident...

ok, so i mentioned before that he ~does have a backup plan in case cassimir isn't feeling esp loyal, esp bc there ~is well documented tension between cassimir and arthur, and that's the following:

so he does consider cassimir fairly indispensible until such time as all his claims are firmly established, since he's the only male, but once those're firmly established, those claims will be inherited by sonya or a child of cassimir's if that's transpired by then. in the case of a child, for the babe's best upkeep ofc <3 he'd sooooo generously offer to ward the young heir at solemont and raise them himself, probs even if cassimir's alive and well and loyal, and probs arrange a betrothal to one of his granddaughters (the age difference isn't weird whatre you talking abt lakjsdfkljs). wow, such generosity! dklajfkljdsf smdh but ANYWAY!! i was talking abt betrayal laksjdfkljdsf

ok so cassimir def has a target on his back, as things already stand! and obv that's wo the whole malconaire witches thing since obv aurelian doesn't know thats coming (but ~i do MUAHAHAHA ;DDDD) between pissing off roderick w the pot hole situation and then the whole malconaire babygate situation, and finally being like YO IM THE PRINCE YOU FORGOT TO KILL RODERICK THANKS FOR MAKING ME FIRST IN LINE TO THE THRONE THAT FORGOT ABT ME things will get a bit dicey for him lkajldkjfdjksf so it'd really only take a lil push, and there're any of a number that could work! so like i think the v thing that would make him a valuable ally is ~also the v thing that, w a little push, might give cassimir enough rope to hang himself and i defffff think aurelian is aware of this and fully intends to weaponize any part of it that best suits him. i def think he also has noted cassimir's arrogance (takes one to know one ig laksdjflkjsdf) and so he really doesn't think he'll have to ~do much beyond manipulating cassimir into pulling a THE RING IS MINE and rebelling in some form or other, either just by getting too big for his britches or fully by declaring himself king of alytar. now, what he doesn't want is another war ravaging alytar, bc he wants them to save their strength for fighting for arthur, so he'd def try to get him to do that ~in astaira and then seize him and turn him over to roderick, himself, and thus hopefully avoid ~too much recrimination against his party for his ally having gone rogue

now, if cassimir proves a reliable and obedient ally, then he will def give him what he considers to be his best council and want to keep him around, longterm! but yeah if not, then either cassimir's kid or sonya will be the next chip he'll be pushing around that board alsdkjfklsdf

alsoooooo if sonya does manage to entice roderick, and they get hitched, aurelian will be back on that cassimir train soooooo fast but then the competition will be a loT steeper bc then roderick will be the one to be like 'you know what i just remembered my new bride is a princess' and such soooo lasjdfkjdsf mess alskdjfkljsdf

arthur, unaware of all these machinations and just seeing grandpa buddy up w cassimir for no reason: i hate all of this

GUINEVERE, AINE, & LORCAN

aurelian would like to smash guin's engagement for a ~lot of reasons, but not least of all his ongoing wish taht she'll wed his own heir, severin, and give him sons who now have an imperial claim of their own as well as being potential counts of solemont etc (sorry aurelius grandpa ~is looking to displace ur heir presumptive role laksjdkfljs)

in a world where this works out, i deffffff think aurelian is then like YO OUR GIRL NEEDS A HOLDING IN ASTAIRA AS A WEDDING PRESENT and i ~do think he sees that as a good backup for lorcan, if the cassimir thing doesn't take off, since in roderick's eyes, that's a royal residence (nm that in astaira technically every great house is...), plus its close by the stafford palace and everyone knows guin is roderick's fav kid soooooooo i def think he'd be pushing for that to be her wedding gift, esp after he gets rid of the stafford boys (which lbr is smth he lowkey wants ~anyway, if they decide to continue the beef aurelian had w their dad...)

should ~this not work (and i doubt it will since we already chatted abt ~another land guin would receive), his next ploy would be that one of his sons -- imma say lucian bc that's his preference -- weds aine. then he adopts peadar. oh nooooooooes smth happens to finn and eabha oops, cormac predictably dies wo heirs, so everything he's got goes to lucian in right of his wife, aine, annnnnd lorcan is peadar's which really means, at least until he hits his majority, lorcan is lucian's. lucian brings up peadar as a solemont loyalist and arranges his betrothal to one of his solemont cousins or whatever and so it stays in the family when he ~does come of age, etc. if he can't get aine tho its eabha and then we only gotta get rid of finn, so that's smth!! but it means one of the ~other lorcan land grabs will have to work! lkasjdflkjdsf

since there is an argument to be mad that Edmund could claim Malconaire AND Edmund, ultimately, ended up on the better side of Roderick's favor after winning the Battle of M in contrast to what happen with Arthur at Kil Kennar... Edmund is looking like more and more of a threat! Marian's def always considered Edmund a threat, ofc, but i think the reality of it is becoming more and more apparent in recent years!

in marian's head, which is probably not the best thought process, is that Edmund needs to do SOMETHING that results him in getting knocked down a couple pegs! BUT i think she always knows that Edmund is a bit TOO cunning to get himself into some sort of embarassing situation, unfortunately.

The perfect thing would've been if the whole pregnancy rumors had been real! (but just in Edmund's case, obviously!) but the fact it roped in Sebastian & Arthur definitely took that off the table. BUT i do think Marian is going to try to ~quietly spread the idea that her poor boys just got looped in on these rumors and the source was more Edmund's behavior. is that going to go over well or will anyone even believe that? who's to say!

while marian is going to continue to keep promoting the idea that Arthur is the ideal future emperor publicly, really want needs to happen is something that embarasses both edmund and, by extension, roderick! probably because marian is now hyperaware arthur could potentially go down this same path (side eyes at aria!) but she's gotten this idea that edmund needs to form an attachment to some inappropriate girl-- kinda in the same vein as what has happened w/ the malconaire girls, but just with edmund this time!! i do think she'd considered parading this bastard-now-legitimized niece about in hopes Edmund might get attached-- but that's too big a 'what if' and she might also realize that aurelian is going to NOT be pleased if he finds his bastard granddaughter suddenly at court! i think aria and/or eilia are also options (not she and godfrey on the same page kind?!) but marian isn't holding out much hope for that at this point considering how long they've all been under the same roof....

i think the other option she has re: edmund is more trying to act while he's clearly in this ~funk and trying to get Arthur to look more like he's actively thinking towards the empire's future while edmund is sulking about... what? (Marian doesn't actually care!)

GUIN there are def two sides to this right now-- the first is marian wants guin to hurry up and marry eoin so she can realize she's much better suited to be a mother and roderick will see how happy his daughter is, too, and just take her out of the running!

the other option is that this engagement falls apart entirely and we start over from scratch! and guin, obvs, ends up married to one of her brothers! I think, like Aurelian, Marian would pick Severin because he IS the eldest so MAYBE roderick would be more willing for that rather than one of her younger brothers or her nephew but, tbh, marian doesn't really care... she kinda just wants to lock down that connection.

side note: who controls the Foxe lands now and would that be a bargaining chip potentially?

EOIN & CIARA so tbh-- beyond not marrying guin so guin can marry one of marian's brother, idk if marian cares too much who eoin ends up! i could see her maybe suggesting a union between eoin and her eldest niece (ulric's daughter, NOT Severin's bastard!) but iirc, eoin and arthur are meant to be fairly close so idk that she's worried about eoin turning sides and teaming up with edmund or smth!

BUT as we've discussed... ciara is a different story! not to rehash a bunch of stuff kate already wrote out so thoroughly in her albrecht/ciara comment, but marina was REALLY hoping Albrecht and Ciara might be endgame! --and if not albrecht, maybe one of her other brothers! marian does, genuinely, really care about ciara and albrecht is obviously the BEST brother she has and she knows albrecht would be a good husband so... why wouldn't he be the best match for ciara?!

marian is still holding on a to a little bit of hope that relationship MIGHT still happen but what with the godfrey of it all! (-side eye-) she's now mostly just hoping Ciara realizes Godfrey is not a Good Guy and marries literally anyone else (... who is on team arthur of course!)

which, I suppose, is a nice segway into....

CALLEARY starting with Eabha!... while Marian thinks the Callearies are a little insane as a whole, she does genuinely like Eabha atp BUT a huge part of that is that Alaric has expressed interest in her! tbh i do think alaric ranks right up there with Albrecht in people marian feels very connected with and cares for so she does REALLY want him to find someone and be happy! in terms of team arthur... is eabha the best strategic marriage? probably not, but marian herself is willing to overlook that! (as long as eabha stays in her good graces, of course!). THO i do think there could be a world where marian wonders if the people of hanthom might turn on godfrey and want the callearies back at Hanthom? And while yes, cormac is the eldest... Alaric is the Emperor's brother AND he has married a calleary... doesn't it make sense for him to take over Hanthom over the guy who is obsessed with clothes and cassimir and NOT being a good ruler?! (i DO think marian realizes a ton of different things would have to fall into place for this to happen so she's not really banking on it but... maybe it could?)

i think the bigger issue at calleary is, as always... CORMAC. If it gets out into the world that there's a rumor that Cassandra is marrying HIM like... marian is NOT going to be pleased! Even if no one believes it, its totally embarrassing that someone might believe Cassandra would ever be engaged to such a foolish person as CORMAC! idk if there's going to be much to be done but Marian will NOT be as welcoming to having all of the callearies at family dinner-- she's def going to be talking to Roderick abt it being Eabha and Aine only! ...and maybe Finn if he hasn't done anything too foolish yet! (and she as definitely forgotten fiona exists.)

CASSANDRA & ORMUND Okay so bringing it back around her own kids-- everyone has someone in their mind for Cassandra, but tbh marian has NOT met anyone who is even close to being a good match for her precious daughter! and has she met Lord Ormund yet? NO but she already knows he's bad news bc Cassandra is NOT marrying some minor Astarian lord!

ok so on https://www.tumblr.com/forgottenmarian/821220305471258624?source=share this post we were talking about arthur's relationship with approval and praise, and you said:

#aria stafford#Arthur Varmont#maybe also#Marian Varmont#but idk if Roderick would care abt her praise on that moment?#lfr

and i said:

#about#aria stafford#and also he would def look to#marian varmont#for this too#roderick varmont#also likes praise but he ~expects it -- arthur turns around bc part of him expects not to get it yknow?#roderick tho would be FURIOUS if he didn't get it and emotional punishment would be the result smdh#suddenly amira's top dog again type vibes smdh#i do think arthur's looking less to marian for this now tho what w the aria of it all...

to which you said:

#about#Arthur Varmont#Roderick Varmont#I’m wondering if one of Marian’s#red flags re: Arthur/Aria#is some situation where he would normally look to her for approval/praise/whatever#but Marian sees him look to Aria instead!#Marian: 😲😒💀

and !! feels realllll!!! can frankly see where this could've played out v ~literally/happened as recently (and publicly -- smdh, arthur ;D) as the tournament!

I don’t think ~any woman will ever be good enough for Arthur in Marian’s mind— like she’d settle for the most suitable woman who, politically, serves their cause the best but poor woman is ALWAYS going to be found a little wanting in Marian’s eyes. And, despite what Marian says, she doesn’t WANT Arthur’s wife to be someone he depends on for actual important things— she should be someone the people grow to adore as a potential future queen/empress, be an example of what a true Varmont woman should be, provide a proper heirs and be a doting wife/mother!— in short, make Arthur look good but stay quiet and just smile in the background! Marian is fully intending on being the person running Arthur’s household even after he has a wife— his wife calls the shots… that Marian pre-approves! And while his wife should, ofc, give Arthur support and approval, Marian sort of assumes she will still be that person whose approval he wants the most! And a part of her definitely needs to be that person— she kind of deludes herself into thinking she IS that person for Roderick (which she kinda is in a way, but like you said it’s more of an expectation for him rather than someone he truly needs from her!) but Arthur has always wanted that from his mother and she can for sure see how his demeanor changes when he gets that approval and that makes her feel important! Needed! Like she’s contributing to this in an important way!

So while Marian fully believes everything she was telling Arthur about the woman he should marry, I think the way she imagines that versus what he imagines is wildly different. it feels like another example of how Arthur’s sort of shifting his way of thinking when he's imagining there's no one but Aria who could really fulfill all those requirements Marian listed for a wife while literally everything Aria would do as Arthur’s wife/queen is pretty much the exactly opposite of what Marian would want! I know I’ve said before that I think Aria’s personality and temperament would actually make her a good Queen/Empress… but in the right circumstance. If it’s a world similar to Astaira, she’s thriving. If she’s a Queen in OVN 2.0? That’s a different story, especially if Marian wants to be the one pulling the strings. Even if Aria were an acceptable marriage candidate (which no way she would be! second daughter of a guy who was elected as king? no way!), she is never going to fit into the mold Marian envisions for Arthur’s wife... which we know is probably more of partner her actually needs!

Just sort of going off assumptions here so please let me know if you envision smth different but it has sort of been established that Arthur, while always popular with the ladies, had never really had any great ~loves until he got to Astaira. So just sort of plopping down a hypothetical similar scenario to this tournament from the past, it feels like even if Arthur did have some girl he was flirting with or who’d given him her favor or smth, it might still have been Marian he looked to first after his victory before looking to whoever had given him her favor or whatever, thereby giving Marian the confirmation that she is still the most important person for him! Her opinion and her praise hold much more weight than whatever attraction Arthur has that week! (Also she was for sure clocking who he may have looked to next after her so she could figure out what steps needed to happen to shut that down! )

So fast forward to this tournament where Marian is already feeling a little set aside by Roderick for demanding a favor from Eilia (who I imagine was probably sitting not far away from Marian herself so the whole thing was just a huge embarrassment for her!) and now her eldest son, who has already been acting out of sorts (and having his bard play the same song over and over!) appears with a mystery woman’s favor (which Marian is hardcore judging bc it’s just a handkerchief— like is she a little insulted on Arthur’s behalf whoever gave that to him possibly just pulled it out of her pocket? Like put in some effort— he’s an imperial prince!), Cassandra’s favor is on some guy wearing horns like it’s a costume party, and then later even Sebastian “rejects” (we know he didn’t actually do that and never would but Marian is having a moment!) her favor and wears ANOTHER favor that is from some unknown person… she is already feeling some sort of way because that week did NOT go like she expected. and oh, btw, amira is pregnant, too! I think she was banking on that tournament feeling like a return to normal OVN life but the Astairans had other plans ;)

So if there is a moment where in the past Arthur would’ve turned to his Momma for her reaction to his win/triumph/whatever moment and she doesn’t get that moment with him, it would be a disappointment… but if she doesn’t get that moment because he turns to the stands and is looking to someone else first?! Alarm bells! Whose approval is more important than hers? What has this harpy done to distract her golden son? Not only is she his mother, she’s a queen! Arthur knows better— clearly something is amiss! But then to see it’s Aria of ALL people— I think Marian would be thrown for a loop at that! Bc as we’ve discussed Arthur and Aria makes zero sense to most people! And tbh why they maybe kinda flew under the radar a bit while everyone was focused on the Malconaire girls + Varmont princess instead… it feels like most people would write off interactions between Aria and Arthur as like ‘oh there’s Arthur being a flirt again!’ rather than anything of substance

Sort of thinking, and again correct me if you have different thoughts!, if that more ~public moment DID happen at the tourney, it probably was not overly obvious? esp since Arthur has been so private about wearing Aria’s favor, it doesn’t feel like he’d be going up to her in the stands or indicating her specifically or anything that would draw eyes directly to her, but more acknowledging her in a way people who know him would be able to pick up on? ...Which probably means on the other side of things, Eilia picked up on it as well from Aria? What a great time everyone is having at this event!

Kinda just thinking abt the events we know went down at the tourney… I wonder if this moment w/ Aria happened AFTER the convo w/ Marian & Arthur where she drops the bomb about him getting married soon? I think that is supposed to happen the day he loses to/gets bitten by Ronan?... so maybe ~the look~ happens the day of the tournament where he finally is the champion and ends w/ he and Aria's current convo? looking back at arthur's other victories, it kinda feels like if there is one ~big moment where he looks to Aria instead of Marian, that would be it?

side note: do you think arthur would've acknowledged @forgotteneithne at all when Arthur beat Cassimir? Eithne probably would have done everything to NOT look at him, but I also could see Aria AND Marian potentially clocking where his attention went which could be why Marian thinks at first its eithne's favor and Aria is back on her 'he's thinking abt eithne' nonsense while simultaneously wondering if there is ~something happening w/ his feelings for her???

but back to marian, def feels like if she clocked arthur looking at aria after his victory and THEN saw him giving aria his victory laurels... like marian isn't THAT clueless or deliberately ignoring things, she's going to put two and two together and figure out there is ~something happening! also then if he's spending most of the archery tournament the next day talking to Aria, that kinda ends up confirming that it IS ~something! like it kinda clicks into place the things he said to marian earlier in the week abt-- like ofc she thought it was eithne at first, that totally makes sense, but now? ofc he can't be with aria-- marian trusts that arthur knows that she wouldn't be an acceptable bride for multiple reasons (probably most importantly bc she's kinda going to be his aunt potentially soon?) and i do think that aria is MAYBE a bit better at hiding her emotions that arthur at times? like i def think ARTHUR would maybe pick up on whatever micro expression probably happened when he looked to her in that moment (and def eilia would've noticed!!!) but i could see it maybe looking to other people that Aria kinda just stared at him, no emotional response haha., so that might kind of confirm to marian what he was saying abt the mystery woman not having any romantic affections for him... like it could all kinda fall into place in her Marian's mind?

tbh idk what marian has really made of aria up until this point-- i think her focus was so much more on Eilia and Aria was just kinda ~there. but now? focus ENTIRELY on Aria, who she is, how she's interacting with arthur! kinda wondering if Marian doesn't end up assuming that Aria is kinda stringing arthur along for her own personal gain? (not marian figuring out the original ~plan while aria is like 'wait what plan!?')

I feel like i've gotten wildly off topic atp so trying to bring it back... marian is worried abt this for a couple different reasons! like i mentioned at the top, which she def isn't admitting out loud, she really NEEDS to be that emotional support for arthur and someone else stepping in to that role is not! great! i don't think it ever really occurred to marian there COULD be a world where that happened so its thrown her for a bit of a loop.

second... aria isn't anywhere near the approved future bride list! and if it seemed like just a ~fling, it would be one thing but something happened that made arthur's connection w/ aria a lot more real than anything else before... marian's crossing her fingers roderick doesn't notice bc one of the many multistep plan to securing arthur as the next emperor IS him having the perfect bride/family/security for the empire set in place before edmund. if roderick dies without naming his heir, Arthur needs to be the clear #1, top of the list best candidate to lead the empire instead... so he needs the heir and the spare locked in and ready to go, he needs to show he has all the support and armies behind him, he needs the love of the people... and he needs to NOT be distracted by some random woman who is going to do nothing to help his cause!

off on a tangent here but marian does NOT support the idea that the emperor needs multiple wives-- have a bunch of sons, like her family did, and just marry them off for political gain! i think her worry is if it is clear arthur and aria have this connection they're both refusing to give up, is aria this weird background player hanging around until Arthur becomes emperor and can decide he'll have multiple wives, too? just like with roderick, what does that do for the succession if Arthur already has a wife and sons-- are those sons the heirs or does any children he might have with Aria throw a wrench in things?! also the optics of a prince with a wife and family are much better for the people than a prince with a wife and family... and this other woman lurking in the background who is.. what? a mistress? something else? what's happening there? marian KNOWS people talk and there's no way something like that isn't getting out!

The tournament had, so far, been quite a disappointment to Marian and that was all thanks to the fallen queen, the bastard of the Citadel: Eilionora Stafford.

Marian had foolishly believed, given the pronouncement that the former Astairan king's daughters had been found to be baseborn, that would mean the end of her husband's pursuit of a fourth wife. That was clearly not the case when she saw her husband, surprising the crowd with his entry in the tournament, approaching Eilionora to request her favor. So consumed had she been with her husbands attentions on the Lady Eilionora, it had taken until the second day tournament for Marian to notice the small white bit of fabric fluttering against her eldest son's surcoat as he entered the field for the events of the day. Marian had immediately turned to her daughter, inquiring of Cassandra exactly who had given Arthur her favor for the tournament. Cassandra, who was already a bit cross with her mother for her interrogation the day before over which contestant was wearing Cassandra's favor, told her mother that was not her secret to divulge and would say no more.

The feast following the day's events reminded her much of home, of the tournaments she'd watched her own brothers partake in when she was newly married to her husband. Music filled the hall, along with the laughter of the guests and the smells of plates and plates of delicious food. Marian felt almost as if she were home, save the high vaulted ceiling painted with stars soaring above them all.

Marian waved her way through the crowds of people at the night's feast, picking the perfect moment to approach her eldest son. Arthur was in his element in this setting, surrounding by a number of people at most moments. When a moment came that he was mostly unaccompanied, Marian approached her son with a warm smile.

"You, my darling, were a triumph today," she informed Arthur, reaching her hand up to touch his cheek for a moment, her eyes full of pride. Her husband had disappointed her, yes, but Arthur, her golden boy... Arthur would never disappoint her.

Marian laced her arm through her son's, determined to have a few moments of his time before his admirers regained his attentions once again.

"It seems as if it has been quite some time since your father has hosted a tournament such as this. Do you remember the last?" Marian inquired. "I just remember all those young ladies clamoring to give you their favor." Marian couldn't remember which young woman had ultimately won the privilege-- Marian wasn't sure if she'd ever known, considering not a single one of those girls would ever had been considered as a potential wife for her son, not to mention a potential future empress.

"I noticed...." Marian pressed on, approaching the topic slowly. She knew Arthur would not react quite like his younger sister, but he had been acting a bit out of sorts from time to time recently.

"... I couldn't help but notice," Marian started once again. "That you did not have a ribbon this time... but you do have that lovely little linen handkerchief pinned to your coat-- did I, perhaps, see it was embroidered, too? I suppose you shall be as tight lipped about who gave it to you as your sister has been about the young man sporting her ribbon," Marian's voice danced on the edge of teasing, but she did know that now, at his age, this was different than when he was a teenager, smiling at all the pretty girls who crossed his path.

"Your father and I have discussed that, perhaps, we should start trying to find you a wife, Arthur," Marian had not meant to bring up this topic now, in the midst of a tournament, but the rumors about his indiscretions with the Malconaire girl were still fresh in her mind. She desperately hoped that the pure white linen piece has not come from anyone at House Malconaire.

A gasp went up from the crowd as Arthur laughed aloud, holding up his hand to show the mark. One of the ladies sighed and rushed forward as if to nurse the royal hand. He smiled kindly at her, it was a sweet gesture after all, but Arthur withdrew his hand all the same. It was not lost on him that these ladies were unwed...and had hopes of him, but he couldn't pretend now to return any such aspirations...

"It was my own fool fault, I suppose," he admitted. "For removing my gauntlet earlier, but I was so startled, I confess I dropped Daybreak right on the ground. But not to worry," he laughed again. "I shall not fall for that twice."

The crowd laughed with him, and he raised a glass in salute, making eye contact with each at the front, till his eye fell upon his mother. Noting the appearance of the queen as he did, the crowd melted away to permit her own addresses to her son.

She approached and Arthur found himself tensing a bit uncomfortably, the fact that he had not won either of the first days floating unwelcome to his mind as he wondered if he had disappointed her. She would be kind, he knew, but shame came over him at the thought, all the same. All her hopes rested on him, and all he ever seemed to do was let her down...

Yet her words took him by surprise, voice warm with affection. And then she laid her hand upon his face and, half-wondering, he turned his eyes up to hers, breath stilling as he looked up into her face. It was as if he were a child again. He wanted to wrap his arms tight around her middle just as he had done, then, to giggle and tell his mama that he loved her, so, so much, and he'd make her proud one day. But he was a man grown, and he stilled the impulse, only looking up at her with open face, when, covering over vulnerability, a boyish smile stole across his features.

"You are kind," he said at last, very quietly, gaze falling. "Kinder, I fear, than I deserve. I did not triumph, today, but I shall upon the morrow," he'd said it every day. One of these days, he was sure, it would become true. One thing he did not want for was skill upon the battlefield. It was his primary virtue, after all, the thing that best marked him out as a future ruler. He would show everyone watching that he had what it took to lead armies and defeat opponents.

Yet, after his time in his father's wars, he felt less desperate to prove anything. Everyone here knew well and good that Arthur had led armies and even won a mural crown. Still, much as he had proven, there was much yet to show. And he meant to wrest at least one victory from the coming days.

Laughing as he recalled, he mused. "Oh, yes, it was in...Affaraon, I believe -- or was it Alytar?" He waved a hand. There were so many countries, he could hardly keep them all straight. "It was there that the Knight of Rencarr accidentally set his cap alight at the feast the night after his victory, I believe, with a too-tall feather a bit too close to a torch," he laughed. "Sir Thomas re-dubbed him the Knight of the Flames."

Glancing down as his mother reminisced about the matter of favors, he smirked. His vanity and his knowledge of his own position were here in conflict -- he'd never quite known if it was for his person or for his title, but whatever the cause, he'd never had trouble attracting the attention of pretty maidens across the many countries they'd traveled.

Yet, anxiety loomed, too. Whether she'd meant to speak of this or this matter might simply turn her mind towards his romances, it was not lost on Arthur that the conversation was about to turn in that direction, particularly as she stumbled to begin. Much as he adored his mother, her interference in his romantic affairs was not particularly welcome, though not uncommon, and he got fully to his feet, glancing unwillingly towards her before turning to the table behind him, again, and pouring her a chalice to match his own, and offering it to her.

"Mother," he began as she teased about tight-lippedness. "It...it is not always seemly to share such a subject with others. I--I do not believe that the lady would like it talked of. It was not...it's not what it seems. It was given only in solidarity, mother, not in the way of," he glanced down into his cup, a feeling of bitterness clenching his gut, before he looked at her evenly once more. "Not in the way of affection. You've nothing to fear from her." He smiled, his voice once again taking on some bravado. He touched her elbow. "You're still the first woman in my life."

He was ready to seize upon the subject of Cassandra's favor -- both from his own protective concern as well as a wish to dislodge the possibility of any further questions regarding Aria -- when Marian spoke again. He felt his stomach drop and, unbidden, he sank back down, again, upon the table behind him, staring blankly towards her middle for a moment. Then, mastering himself again, Arthur cleared his throat, squared his shoulders.

It was a strange thing to, two days ago, have finally come to an understanding with his own heart -- only to have this foisted upon him now. It ought not to have come as a shock, in truth. In some ways, he'd been expecting to hear this for some time now. He was twent-six, now, and ought to be providing the empire with heirs of his own, but somehow it came now as a blow, and he felt sick and, suddenly, put the wine away from him, both hands feathering upon the edge of the table on either side of him, as if to find purchase there.

Her direct question, then, caught him off-guard, and he looked up into her face again, face open, before, distressed, looking away again. His jaw clenched and he shook his head, not so much a denial as an effort to make sense of it all. Standing, then, Arthur looked down on her from his reclaimed superior height. He felt strange and hollow, now, and he tried hard not to think of Aria. She'd never have him, anyway.

Gently, Arthur took his mother's slender shoulders in his hand and, then, gently, he released her, walked a pace away, and turned towards her again. He did not do well sitting still and thinking. He'd always been an active person, and meditation required motion. Now, he wanted to ride away...to Malconaire, he realized, in surprise, to a place he'd known peace before. He wanted to ride to Malconaire, and kneel before Eithne, and ask her quietly, very quietly, to tell him why he was not good enough, and had never been. He wanted to lay his head upon her lap, feel her fingers gently brushing through his hair, and listen to her quiet voice rattling off the many reasons, and at last to understand why Aria could never love him in return.

He closed his hands into fists, and did not answer her question, direct though it had been. Was that not answer enough.

She smiled as he reminisced of past times. In truth, the countries her husband bad conquered, the castles they'd called their homes... it all ran together. Marian could not recall the moment he spoke of-- it seemed like a moment that might have taken place long after she'd taken to bed-- though it did sound humorous.

"Oh, Arthur," Marian couldn't help but smile at her son's assurance that the owner of his favor had not given it to him with any feelings of affection. She took the goblet he handed her with a nod of appreciation, pausing before her next words to take a small sip. "Do you not think, perhaps, this mysterious unnamed lady perhaps felt as if she could not openly speak of any affection she might have? Having once been young once myself, I can speak from experience that it might not be as easy as you think for a young lady to express her feelings openly... hence, offering her favor," Marian explained.

"Unless," she thought to herself, "The lady in question is already spoken for."

Marian suddenly found herself desperate to know if Arthur's reticence might be because the favor they spoke of had be given by the Malconaire girl. She had seen a ribbon around Lord Malconaire she assumed had been given to him by his betrothed, but if the lady had the duplicitous nature she had heard rumored about the court, who was to say she had not brought something to offer Arthur as well? It would make sense, otherwise why would he have a handkerchief pinned to his person?

"While I can understand a lady's want for... discretion," Marian continued, her face serious in this moment. "Do you not think such rules could be... bent... for one's mother? And I shall not tell a soul," she insisted to her son.

Marian wasn't sure what she expected Arthur's response to be when she spoke of marriage, but she was immediately concerned at how uneasy he seemed. This was not the first time that Arthur had been silent in response to her words before. She knew her boy, knew he needed to work through things in his own way. She knew many people might think her son impulsive-- and, at times, he could be-- but she knew he tried to think things through, tried to do, tried to say, what he thought best.

But when he looked to her again, when she saw the distress across his face, Marian worried this might be more than just her son's own contemplation. She knew Arthur would not be surprised marriage was a topic of discussion regarding his future-- it was what was expected, especially should he wish to be his father's heir. So what might cause this reaction?

"There is no lady at present," Marian assured him, hoping to put her son more at ease. She hoped this new would not put a damper on his spirits when she knew he so much enjoyed these tournament events. She immediately regretted saying anything at all.

In truth, Arthur wondered in his slightly inebriated state if, had it not been for his father, he might not have taken the first day, himself. Though he'd own it to no man living, he'd not tried to win against the Emperor in the lists. Naturally, he did not doubt that his father would have crushed him, even if he had, but had the Emperor chosen to stick to his word, and not entered the lists, Arthur thought perhaps he might have conquered all. He had few enough qualities, it was true, but his prowess as a warrior had never been much in doubt, and had his latest public outing prior to this one, not been to subdue a fortress hitherto put down in the annals of history as impregnable? Whatever had later come of his time at Kil-kennar, and whatever else he might have since come to rue there, that feat at least was his.

As she continued to speak, Arthur's limpid eyes met his mother's. She had been always his golden guidepost in life, but as he'd grown older, he'd begun to suspect that, in her tenderness for her son, she went a touch too easy on him at times. Still, in this he found he could find no reason to disagree. To raise a lance to his father was tantamount to raising it to the god, and he knew well and good he could not possibly have hoped to prevail there.

"That is true enough," he acknowledged with a soft smile. "But I might have taken today." He had not even been the second in that fight, with even that dubious honor going to a Calainon, as if to pour salt into his wounds. Tristan was, admittedly, perhaps the best of the three abominable siblings, but his faction could not be disputed. "I can hardly believe I lost out to a stinking savage peasant." He laughed, dispiritedly, showing her his hand, where the bloodied imprint of the man's teeth still showed. "He bit me. Bit me! Like a dog."

He dropped his hand, shaking his head. It was hardly chivalrous behavior, yet that was the scamp who had seized victory from the jaws of defeat. "Perhaps," he added with a touch of self-deprecating sarcasm. "I should adopt such uncouth strategies in future. They seem to have a winning effect. Certainly, my opponent is unlike to see them coming." He sighed. "But I suppose that is the difference between a peasant with a weapon and a knight." Outside the realm of battle, Arthur had realized in that moment that he had become over-accustomed to the niceties of chivalry. That was not to be relied upon in a mêlée. It was a valuable lesson, if humiliatingly wrought. "I shall not make the same mistake in tomorrow's games--"

His words came to a halt as she touched him. His mother's hand was warm, soft as rose petals; her smile warm as sunshine. His churning mind stilled, focusing in on the light of her face. He was a boy, again, when she touched him like that, a child eager to please, a look which shone in his eyes. Her words were an echo in his head. For a moment he simply gazed at her, but his throat soon felt thick and his bit his lip. Its the wine effecting me like this, he thought to himself. I've had too much. But he felt her words still fanning his chest notwithstanding.

Still, Arthur's cloudy mind swam to immediate focus as his mother spoke again of the lady's reticence. He thought for a moment he heard his heart pounding in his chest. Could it be so? Hadn't Arthur basked in Aria's smiles often enough, which seemed in certain moments so much his -- for him alone? Hadn't her breathless gaze trained on him alone in the tower during the riots, for all the violence wrought around them, her fingers twining with his?

But there were other moments, too -- the way she'd looked at him at the Vault of the Heavens which he'd then thought unreadable, but later reflection had confirmed in his mind that he'd seen a flicker of ill favor there. Hadn't she told him to his face how very beastly he could be? And how could he forget the damage he'd done? Her sharp words when she'd learned at whose hand the Seeress had died still rang in his head. And hadn' the riots, themselves, been confirmation of the wretched treatment she'd gotten at the hands of his family since before even they'd met?

Arthur swallowed hard. "No, mother," he said, fighting to keep the bitterness from his tone. His voice came out brisk. Matter-of-fact. "Not in this case." He busied himself sipping at his drink, not wishing to say more which might betray him. Even a touch the worse for drink, he well knew his mother's interest -- and penchant for interference -- in this matter. He would invite nothing of the kind. Whatever he shared with Aria, he believed it was theirs alone, and he would not see his mother harry her away, which he perfectly realized she was like to do were she to discover the lady's identity. He would not risk her loss.

Despite himself, and perhaps because of the drink, Arthur chuckled at Marian's request. "I do not think that is how such things work, mother." His expression sobered and, softly, he took one of her hands, squeezed it in apology. He would not wound his mother for the world. "There is much in which you are my superior of knowledge, I readily grant," he amended, gentling. "But I think perhaps in the realm of knightly duty I may be allowed to be the expert between the two of us. I cannot break such a confidence. Even to one I so love. It is not my secret to reveal, and therefore would be a breach of my honor to give away." Gently, he released her hand. "But I know it is your regard for me which brought you to ask, and therefore I cannot fault you for asking it of me. But I assure you, the lady feels nothing for me beyond the common way." If even so much as that, he thought, glumly. "She gave it only as an offering to a prince. Nothing more."

Her assurances did sooth him, and he breathed out again, nodding. If there were not yet any fixed party, well, it meant more time before his inevitable wedding day arrived to crush any other budding hopes. It was well, he supposed, that his mother had reminded him, before he was too run away with his own foolish heart. This had always been his fate. He supposed he'd simply imagined, before, that any ladies he fancied would be understanding of multiple romances, given he was one day to rule the empire, but somehow now the notion felt onerous. He could hardly imagine Aria's pride submitting to the idea, as his own mother's had, nor in that moment was he entirely sure it was something even he wished to entertain. Yet, it was his duty, and it must be done. And there was an end to it. Aria did not want him, anyway, he reminded himself, and he squared his shoulders. They were broad enough to bear this responsibility as to shoulder any other. He must not shirk his duty on a mere one-sided...whim, for unreturned, a whim was all it ever could be. Aria did not want him, and he in turn was a fool to want her, he knew...But that did not stop him. He wanted her still.

"If that is how their soldiers were trained to fight, it is no wonder your father's armies defeated them so soundly," Marian replied, still frowning. She took Arthur's hand in her own, examining it, even though the physician, who she had called to speak with her before the feast that evening, had assured her Arthur was perfectly well.

"Your victory was stolen— of that I am sure," Marian replied, releasing Arthur's hand. "But you showed yourself the better of the two competitors— keeping to you code, fighting fair, not resorting to acting like a feral creature. That, darling, is what people will remember, I assure you."

Marian was silent as Arthur spoke of the lady who'd given him her favor. It seemed as if he would not be moved, much to Marian's chagrin. A secret favor— she was sure it came from that Eithne Malconaire! There would be no other reason for such a secret. But Arthur seemed so sure there was nothing behind the gesture— and would it not mean something if a young lady gave a favor in secret to a man she was not engaged? No… no, it did not make sense to Marian— but she would push Arthur no further.

"I only find it odd that she chose to give you that handkerchief rather than a ribbon— its quite out of fashion, a kerchief. But—" Marian continued quickly, not wishing to further agitate Arthur with the subject as he seemed quite tight lipped about the entire thing. "— it is not the object, is it? It is the… action. The intention behind it. Which, as you have said is… not romantic affection."

Marian did not believe that for a moment.

Yet their conversation about Arthur soon having a bride seemed to have a similar affect on her son's mood. He seemed resigned to his fate but also… bitter? Resentful? She watched Arthur's face and she could almost see him envisioning this mysterious woman he refused to name.

"There is no one who shall care for me as I do for her."

"Arthur," Marian's voice was still warm, still caring, but came with an air of sternness as well. "I know what it is to—" she stopped, considered her words. That phrase led to a discussion she did not wish to have with Arthur. As far as he should ever know, she had only ever thought to love one man— Roderick.

"I know it does not seem fair," Marian said instead, reaching out to touch Arthur's arm, trying to offer some bit of comfort. He appeared so tense, emotional about this in a way she had never seen. "But… dearest, you must have known…" Marian paused again. "… you must have known these Astairan girls… they could never make suitable brides," she continued, her voice low. "They could never understand what it is to be a queen— an empress. They are better off here and… and I think they know that," Marian dropped her hand from her son's shoulder.

"She is engaged, Arthur," Marian knew she was treading on dangerous ground, making assumptions when it was clear Arthur had no intention of telling her the name of who he seemed to care for so deeply, "She made her choice," Marian added, gently.

Marian let out a small sigh as Arthur proclaimed he could be assigned whomever she and Roderick liked. "You cannot enter a marriage with such thoughts or it shall be doomed to fail. You father and I will find appropriate candidates, but you will not be meeting your bride at the altar, Arthur. You can get to know the young ladies, speak with them, find out their likes and dislikes and personalities… perhaps you will become more fond of one than you imagined. Your wife cannot just be someone hiding in the background that your father and I deem appropriate— she is going to be essential in the years to come."

hiya, favorite sis!! marian is literally ~the most important person in albrecht's whole world and, frankly, i don't think he makes any bones abt that or like tries to pretend its any other way like???? she's my sister and i got her back no matter what! also sorry other siblings try being cool like marian <3 (no, he loves them, too, in his way they just...aren't marian) i mean, i don't think he's ~mean abt it he's just...v matter-of-fact that's his person <3 and i do think he is v dad-shaped for her kids and VERY firmly against the calainons!!!!!! bc i think he does tend to take her part in pr much everything yknow?

i ~do think he takes family matters and solemont goals v srsly and is v duty-oriented and such. frankly probs a lil ~over srs a lot ljksdafkjds not to the degree of, say, rian or anything like ~that, but he ~does find it kinda tough to relax much i fear laksdjfjdsf i do think he tends to funnel his ambitions towards meeting familial goals and, while i see him having a struggle w his faith in his arc (tho i think he may start out a true believer? im still kinda feeling that bit out a touch) so idk if he believes arthur's like ~the prophecied hero king of the sun~ or anything like that, i do think he sees arthur's ascendency as the best thing for realizing all the goals he holds to be so importnt

MARIAN'S PREGNANCIES as we know, Marian ended up back at house solemont when she was pregnant w/ her kids (idr if we said it was all three of them??? but that feels right??) so I imagine Albrecht would have been around for that! AND that would've been such a comfort to marian, tbh-- i doubt she was necessarily leaning on him for much in the way she does now-- HE was only 12 when Arthur was born!-- but still just having that comfort of someone who understands you and you trust, no matter the age! i do think as time passed and marian DID have those miscarriages, she probably confided in Albrecht her suspicions about being poisoned by @forgottenamira and, if at that point Arthur and Sebastian had been having their mysterious bouts of illnesses as well, about her suspicions they were being poisoned, too! i don't think she would've expected Albrecht to actually DO anything about it, but she still told him! tbh i think marian was the most happy when she was at house solemont with her kids-- she wasn't crazy enough to think that could actually be a long term thing and ofc the older arthur and sebastian got, the less idyllic things would've been for them esp given their positions and the fact they are sons so! but i think she looks back so fondly on when they were v young and albrecht being a teenager atp was probably a cool uncle for them! but those are def some of her happiest memories <3 THAT also brings up the whole... marian vision, is arthur blessed by the sun?! thing up too! (i nearly forgot!) what do you think Albrecht makes of all that? I imagine bc he would've been fairly young when this happened, Marian wouldn't have necessarily spoken to him about it (in my head she either went to her mother or father planning to confess abt the affair, got as fair as the sun moment in the chapel and someone cut her off like 'OBVIOUSLY HE WAS BLESSED BY THE GODS AND YOU ARE CARRYING SOME SORT OF SAVIOR!' or smth like that!) but being that albrect has been in the OVN and see the pro-arthur propaganda machine at work.... is he believing it? or is he just supporting arthur no matter what bc he's marian's boy? RODERICK'S CONQUESTS I'm just going on assumptions here that none of Marian's brothers who were of age to fight in roderick's wars were probably sitting around at home twiddling their thumbs during conquests! meaning i'm guessing albrecht was out there fighting? i have thoughts abt what marian would've WANTED him to do but before i go into all of that i wanted to see what your ideas were about what he'd been up to during roderick's various wars?!

i also know asp we'd (or i'd!) thrown around the idea that Albrecht was the one who went with Marian when she travelled to see Arthur at Kil-Kennar! That def doesn't have to be the case if it doesn't line up with your ideas (tbh maybe it could've been lucian if he was travelling as a merchant or smth!) but i do think she would've wanted it to be albrecht if he wasn't busy, haha

ASTAIRA + MALCONAIRE i feel like its basically established that marian has been wanting her family back at court but roderick hasn't been in to that idea until recently... but ofc that hasn't stopped her from communicating with them. I doubt Marian would have written much about her plans for trying to make Albrecht the new Lord of Malconaire in case someone (Amira) intercepted her letters BUT I do think this idea has been rattling around in her brain for awhile! tbh its a real blow to her plans that @forgottenciara is half Calleary and not half Malconaire bc in an ideal world for Marian, Albrecht gets Malconaire AND marries Ciara, suring up all of that for #teamArthur... and while I think Marian also would've LOVED to devise a way to get Hanthom away from Godfrey, she knows that's not going to be easy BUT they now have the largest county in Astaira! that's not nothing! but dangit, Ciara, you picked Roderick's wrong brother in law!

option two was just have albrecht enter the scene as a savior of malconaire and, duh, eithne would totes marry him instead!-- which would give some credibility to all the astairan faithful that he was approved by the OG family of those lands! great! plus it would get rid of valentina, who is the worse!! but i do not think marian is going to be as eager for a Malconaire/Solemont match as her father might be bc i do think she will see it as giving validity to pregnancy rumors-- if albrecht (or any solemont) married eithne, then that's just one of arthur's uncles doing his duty and carrying for arthur's child when he himself cannot! no thank you! so i guess MAYBE brigit would be ok but tbh i think marian is so over ALL the malconaire sisters (tho does she even know brigit exists!?) she really doesn't want any of them in her family...

... and speaking of astairan families with lots of daughters... do you think marian would have ANY idea of Albrecht's feelings for Aisling? so far, marian likes Lorcan the best out of any of the houses she's visited BUT also... lorcan isn't doing much for the fam. and if alaric locks down eabha... then lorcan is kinda already on their side? (at least in marian's mind!... she's not aware cormac is potentially going to blow everything up claiming he's engaged to cassandra ashdoiahfosafds)

so as you know, i usually start my lore posts on either of my rulers, but since this is a fashion post, this one's posting to my queen of fashion's blog ;DDDD anyway, i wanted to chat w you guys abt ur thoughts re: astairan fashions in general? i mostly talk abt rosie and her court fashions here, since her bio says she's a trendsetter etc and ive never really talked a ton abt that, so over a year in, i thought it might finally be time hahaha but yeah! i know, kate, you have a lot of thoughts abt aria's gowns and such, as well? and, lizzy, you've talked a bit abt brigit's style being kinda counter-culture, too? and in decorating, at least, we've talked abt more simplicity and nature being drawn into astairan aesthetics, etc, vs varmont, so i feel like that may also apply to their sartorial selections? idk! id love to hear more abt all ur thoughts on all of this!

ok, so as you all know i v much enjoy thinking abt lfr fashion bc!! tis fun heehee since rosie is a bit of a trendsetter, i also like to think abt like...what're maybe some of, like, the ~established style norms~ and how does she break them, if she's setting trends, etc, so!! anyway, from here's imma chat mostly abt rosie's (and eilia's but as a mirror to rosie's) fashions!

i feel like our baseline is obv general medieval/fantasy aesthetic of course and, since historically speaking, queens (whether ruling or consort) were the ppl to set the fashion tone at court and, thereby, throughout the kingdom, i thought id start w @forgotteneilionora 's fashion sense/style and work from there? tbh idk if eilia really ~is setting any trends, but i thought she could at least work as a type of standard, just to get this duscussion kinda going?

obv there're lotsa styles and style cues and honestly i feel like every county probs has its own stylitstic personality and obv each ~person has theirs and so on and so forth (for example, eabha wears a lot of v sort of greco-roman kinda styles which...idk if that's just ~her or if its a calleary thing or maybe a ~their og water nation~ style thing, or some other option entirely) but yeah!

so!! eilia's style is...ngl v deffffff big time a riff on like...~medieval fashion~ in a v indistinct kinda sense ngl hahaha if princess buttercup from the princess bride or lady morgana from merlin or princess isabella from braveheart would wear it...eilionora probably would, too! i think of her as v traditionalist in her dress, but also v elegant and understated as well: she def kinda plays it safe, i think, but she dresses well and is always thinking of her public image through the lens of being a symbol of astaira and therefore wanting to be v respectable etc in the way she presents herself

id say that eilia's biggest contributions to astairan fashion have probs been twofold (with a bonus trait thanks to roderick but i'll get into that in a bit): first, she is super understated in her dress and i feel like, rather than crowns or coronets, she generally opts for a simple ferronieres (aka a sort of...chain or loop that goes over the forebead, often bearing a [ jewel ] or [ jewels ] and, historically speaking, admittedly much more of a renaissance staple than a medieival one but...here we are) as well as a v standard [ medieval silhouette ] of form-fitting bodice with boatneck and flowing skirts below the waist (usually including a long chain or belt at the waist/hips as well), and sleeves that flow outward dramatically from the elbow like [ this ] to various lengths. (the bonus thing she's contributed to astairan fashion is, i think, actually sort of accidental bc i think its just a political statement: and that's a rise in popularity of wearing blue and/or stars as frankly a political statement just bc those're her colors etc and she happened to be queen when roderick took over, so its sort of a symbol now of a free astaira, and since this is all ulatimately a preamble to my thoughts on rosie's dressing standards, i def think rosie does this, too.) another thing eilia does a lot of is sort of...paying a lot of attention to textures: i feel she wears a lot of silk, a lot of velvet, and a lot of diaphonous fabrics as well. you'll def catch her w various transparent veils and such too!

so, w rosie, i think she did a couple things: i think the first thing she popularized, when she first arrived at eilia's court as one of her ladies, was an off-the-shoulder cut, taking eilia's standard cut, but rather than using the standard boat neck, she just...lopped it off altogether like [ this ] bc i do think one of her big focuses when imagining gowns fcomes from thinking in terms of dramatic silhouettes

because of this, i do also think fairly early on she got into sort of...building out dresses w underlayers and with draping and with folding and all sorts of things to produce certain effects, like you'll see on her [ samain/birthday dress ] (and yes this dress was absolutely a splurge -- w the cloth-of-bronze/copper vibes, i imagine it to have been one of @forgottencassandra 's old dresses that rosie took apart and put back together the way she imagined it, since cassandra will often give her some of her old clothes, etc!)

the next trends i think she started actually came from her being inventive about reusing clothes, but making it up in a I MEANT TO DO THAT kinda way so 1) lots of embroidery!!!! i think she did this initially to patch up holes as malconaire became poor and rosie became its seamstress (thanks, valentina!), etc, like imagine if [ these were patches ] how effective that'd be in hiding it as decoration!

an innovation that came even later, from taking one of her mother's old dresses, updating it, and adding literal curtains to form a full skirt (bc again she's imagining dramatic silhouettes), is juxtaposing fabrics like [ this ], taking two toally different textiles that're complementary in one way or another, but also completely different, to make both pop, another kinda riff on eilia's textural choices!

and, 2) more recently, still, lotsa panelling, for when ur reduced to mere scraps and you gotta make a whole dress work outta that! like [ this ].

3) literal actual regional natural motifs!! their jewles are gone...so rosie's bringing back flower crowns and such in a bigggg way! laskdjfkljsdf

i def feel like she partially gets away w this stuff bc 1) she just carries it well and v confidently etc, and 2) she'd already been established as a fashionplate before valentina made them poor but yeah! lkajsdflkjsdkjf

im sure there's other stuff she's done etc but yeah! just some ideas i thought id toss out there!

also she does def wear all kinds of colors, but mostly you'll find her in green and malconaire colors <3

so i definitely have the strongest idea about what Aria's styling choices are but i might end up deviating off on a tangent about anyone else at some point.

so like eilia, aria's dress is very simplistic! she def tends to lean towards less 'finer' fabrics in the traditional sense-- i def think she's wearing linen a lot in the warmer months and, obviously, wool in colder months (honestly probably layering wool OVER linen cause our girl does not want a huge closet of clothing, much to Cassandra's horror!) i think in contrast to eilia, aria is rocking that square neckline often and more of a fitted sleeve (but still with that v drop waist that's so distinctly medieval. honestly this is v much what i imagine her wearing in her day to day!

while i think she's sticking with these simplistic silhouettes and fabrics, she's elevated things with a lot of embroidery! i think anything aria has done to her clothing in terms of embroidery adornment is not very elaborate but its the craftsmanship of it that she really cherishes! so lots of tone on tone embroidery (thinking about ~texture~ just like eilia!) and pulling the motifs from either astairan stories or traditional designs.

weirdly was just thinking about this the other day but i think her most elaborate 'daily' clothing item(s) are actually her outerwear in the form of cloaks! its definitely not a unique staple of her wardrobe by any means cause everyone is def rocking one, but i think our girl loves a good cloak with a hood! those are definitely rocking more noticeable embroidery for sure

for more formal events, she definitely takes her fashion cues from Eilia! her clothing for formal events is probably going to be silk or velvet (depending on the season) and i could see her have a couple basic gowns she has re-trimmed over and over again for different events. i could see her rocking some sort of fine belt or waist chain (possibly inherited from her mother?) often with those gowns. AND i think i posted this once upon a time that she had some sort of bejeweled hair clips/combs/ shaped like stars that she'll wear. (i feel like she's tried to wear ferronieres like eilia, maybe when their dad was still alive, but having that on her forehead drove her NUTS XD) in the same vein of things bugging her, i still see her having a more fitted sleeve-- i dunno what i'm imagining her just being SO annoyed by a long sleeve, haha

OH and it probably goes w/o being said but most of her clothing are shades of blue! i think she does incorporate gray as well, especially in her day to day wear, but lots of blue! i DO think she's incorporated some red into her attire now as part of the "plan", most likely in the form of simple robes or something she'd be able to throw on over something she already owned.

i'm guessing at this point any fine jewelry the staffords may have had is now in possession of the most illustrious emperor, but i do think she and eilia have hopefully held on to those ~personal~ jewelry items we'd talked about them having?? (i've been operating under the thought one was a ring and one was a pendant but i can't remember what we talked about haha!) i do think even before that happened, aria would opt to wear little to no fine jewelry unless forced. IF she had anything else, i'm guessing it might have been jewelry she inherited from their mother??

also just imagining whatever cassandra helped her design to wear for Guin's ball was just SO FAR opposite anything she'd ever worn before she felt super weird and uncomfortable the whole party (even before Roderick started in on his nonsense!)

if you answered yes to any of the above, ur probably on the right track, but really there is one and, only one question you have to answer when looking at amira's clothing: does it giveoff lowkey 'if i go up against her ill probably lose' vibes bc in the end, that's amira's signature look. literally every single item amira ever puts on is strictly calculated to project strength and power. ofc, there are many different vestments of power that amira puts on, often mixing and matching, and that's kinda what we'll be exploring here!

ok so some of the power amira is wielding, all calculated to intimidate: emperor's birde, emperor's mother (take that, arthur and guin!), calainon's heiress, high priestess, keeper of the eternal flame (tho lbr its really godfrey who does anything w that ngl), and witch to name a few. some emblems of these things:

colors: red (amira: i was wearing it first arthur back off), black, gold, orange, silver, purple

precious stones: lapis lazuli, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls

sigils: dragon/serpent (in kolchean myth they're interchangable bc they are in greek myth), moon, eclipse, torch, tower, phoenix, raven

materials: samite, linen, bronze, copper, brass, silver, gold

scents: pepper, spikenard, cinnamon, aloeswood, ambergris, musk, frankincense, myrrh, balsam, indigo, dyers’ herbs, lapis lazuli, fustic, storax, pine, ivy, bay leaves, myrtle, rosemary

so you will see the above themes showing up time and again in her wardrobe!! some other things meant to project power you'll see is a lot of v structured/rigid clothing to give off strength as well as fabrics to enlarge her silhouette one way or another so as to appear more visually intimidating, veils and lace and draped fabric and dark colors to give off mystery and uncertainty, lots of metalwork to project toughness, lots of jewelry to show off wealth

while amira wears many colors, particularly those above, black, red, and silver are without a doubt her go-to's, these being the primary colors of house calainon. she is also more likely to don a raven, moon, or dragon image than that of a phoenix, as she wishes to showcase that, while she may wield her husband's power, she is powerful in and of herself and her own family without him, though she will happily clad herself in roderick's smbolism when the occasion best suits, as well

a frequent favorite way of amira's to dress is more or less as follows: with a fairly form fitting gown in the ancient kolchean style, covered over by a rich and often rather boxy or else flowing and diaphonous cloak or surcoat of some sort in the more modern kolchean style, blending both identities of ancient high priestess and modern queen, alike

amira also often clads herself in somewhat militaristic looks, donning ornamental armor, studded with jewels, or even a gown with structured shoulders (shoulder pads) topped with epaulettes, chains, or a jeweled dagger. these are always meant to appear entirely decorative, but they absolutely also function in a crisis

in terms of head-dress, amira often wears precious metals (and sometimes stones) in her dark hair or smth to elevate the eye and make her appear even taller and, in this, generally accompanies the look with a veil of some sort, usually black or black-based

in summary, amira's goal is never to look good, per se, just to look powerful (which usually does look pr damn good lbr ;D)

ok so we know from her bio that caoimhe is more into ~varmont fashions, seeing @forgottencassandra and @forgottenguinevere as fashion icons (which they are <3) and so i wondered 1) what their individual style cues kinda are, (like ik we've discussed it a bit before but like are they any particular silhouettes for example that they might prefer, any images they try to evoke...that kinda thing ig?), but 2) i also wanted to sort of wildly speculate abt imperial/ovn-ian fashions in general vs astairan fashions bc i ~imagine we'd be seeing smth of a hybrid in caoimhe and yeah!!

also, note, im not really planning to get into men's fashion here -- this one's for the ladies <3 laksdjfjkdsf

ok, so like obv cassandra and guin have their own ~indidivual style, but just speaking now like ~broadly abt like...npcs of the court atp kinda vibes hahaha i did have some ideas i wanted to run by you all!

so we talked above abt how astairan fashion leans more real world-1200s-1300s (eilia, rosie), and 1000s-1600s (aria, but w simple silhouettes). so basically think v free-flowing silhouettes -- maybe a slow-slung loose belt at the hips...the sort of style princess isabella wears in braveheart, or a pre-raphaelite painting, that classic loose medieval vibe

we've established that the typical varmont way of dress is far more extravagent. i was thinking maybe they lean a bit more ~renaisance~ and esp ~italian renaissance~ in their silhouette and looks? perhaps preferring a more sort of stiff, triangular fitted bodice (potentially compelete w early stays), a sort of rolled top of the skirting, and a full. skirt (potentially including a farthingale). this would also tie in w their more ~stiff and ~rigid culture as opposed to the more loose and flowy look and vibes of the astairans. it also fits w roderick's known preference for cloth-of-gold and cloth-of-silver. tc. brocades feel right...potentially they even sport those heavy sleeves of the 1500s? regardless of that i do feel like ovn culture is extremly ~showy, w hella jewels and metal incoporated.

ive been going back and forth abt color palettes. part of me feels like maybe astairans are more colorful in their dress, symbolizing their freeness and boldness. HOWEVER, there's also the heavy showiness of the ovn-ians to consider, and i can see that exhibiting itself in garish colors and over-use of what would've been hella expensive dyes (having ~any saturated colors -- but esp black -- was a huuuuge power move back in the day!) just having a colorful wardrobe irl was obscene conspiculous consumption, really...purple, and red were other hella expensive colors (hence our association w them and royalty even today), in which case maybe astairans ~do tend to prefer more muted and understated color palettes? pastels and natural tones? which would also symbolize their realness and connection to nature? idk...what do you guys think? or bright colors belong to the astairans and dark ones to the ovn? idk...

anyway, deep, slashed (and occasionally bejeweled) sleeves feel like they could def be a thing and/or the occasionally lowkey ~puffed sleeve:

intricate and complex hair styles also feel right -- in the italian renaissance it was not uncommon to actually sew both your hair (and hair you'd purchased and made into wigs and such as well into ur own hair) w jewels and ribbons and and complex braids and all sorts of things of the kind:

(yes simonetta vespucci is featured in all those pics...moving on...unlike my man botticelli amirite *slaps knee* lajksdflkjsdf)

now, i have mentioned that i think diaphonous veils and ferroniere are v astairan elements and those ~do show up here and i ~do think of that in my mind as cross-cultural conversation beginning to take place, if we go in this direction, but anyway!!

going back to color -- lke, idk abt you guys but i really associate the itanlian renaissance w brillaint color, and like my thought is that...maybe that's coming out of the two years that the court has spent in astaira? more of that cross-cultural conversation??? maybe dark, deep-saturated to the point of being v dark colors were a thing in the ovn, and like pastels and lighter tones were a thing in astaira, and we're getting more vibrant colors outta the meeting? tho that being said we've talked before abt stafford blue being a deep, v saturated color so...idk maybe ~colorlfulness ~is an astairan trait? idk...

also feel like some v northern european vibes coulda been holmeland ovn vibes? l ike, before the astairans started to rub off on them a bit, perhaps?

note the jewels, the v saturated and often dark-hued colors, the cloth-of-gold, and v structured bodice w the vast skirting (whether sort of tented or sewed into those ~ruffles -- idr the term atm but you feel me), just absolutely ~luxurious use of a fabric which was itself such a precious commodity -- more conspicuous consumption vibes, etc. (note: some of the three pics here ~are mid-1500s not mid 1400s but still)

but also let's not fail to note...the wonderful world of over-the-top headgear <3

aint nobody doing it like this! so these ladies dresses are all that famous burgundian style which was hella hot in the colder climes at the time (burgundy was one of theeeeee high fashion places at the time) and you do see a bit of that in italian renaissance but idk gotta say that feels ~more astairan to me where done in that more understated fashion...im focusing on the headdresses in this pic!

here, tho, is an example of the burgundian dress that feels more ovn-ian to ~me, anyway?? brocades and cloth-of-gold embroidery? more structured, less free?

anyway back to headresses!

there were varieties of hennins, varieties of turbans, escoffions, snoods (<3), padded rolls, caps, veils, chaperons, and all sorts of other things that feel extravagant and fun!

also ive talked a bit abt the dresses being v structured. here's beatrice d'este, duchess of milan, writing to her sister abt a dress, and if this don't feel varmont..."If you have not yet ordered the execution of this design, I am thinking of having his [Niccolò da Correggio's] invention carried out in massive gold, on a camora [a type of dress which consisted of a fitted bodice and full skirt worn over a chemise ] of purple velvet, to wear on the day of Madonna Bianca’s wedding…"

"Beatrice’s taste was, as Baldassare Castiglione complained, “loud and showy.” Her wardrobe was remarkable not only for its richness, but also for its size. In 1493, an inventory showed that she had accumulated eighty-four garments in the two years since her wedding (Herald 38)."

this is spanish, mostly, but i feel like farthingales (early hoop skits -- not usually visible over the clothing but i did grab some where you could see a bit some of the ornamentation they'd sometimes do bc it visually emphasizes what im talking abt but the last pic shows how it generally woulda looked -- catherine of aragon brought them to england so if you think of that classic tudor skirt that's the general look) may have been brought to the ovn by athaulf's first wife, maybe, giving a v full-bodied skirt:

which in my mind pairs well w the v rigid sort of thinking, controlled, structured, vibes of the ovn? i feel like a v full-bodied and conspicuous consumption thing too applies here...idkbut even wo them...

v thick, v mantled, v over-and-under skirted vibes may apply? just like...so much fabric and dye but also v rigid shapes la;kdsjfljdsf

anyway, obv we don't need to pursue ~any of these for our npcs general look or anything but yeah!! just some ideas i thought id toss out, if anyone has any thoughts on these? idk?? <3333 plus, like, obv all of this is then read through a fantasy!filter etc but obv the pics i got are irl...so yknow...all this w a pinch of salt etc but yeah! just some potential inspo to throw ur way!

again, obv big exceptions to all of these bc every character (npc or no!) has their own individual style, obv even within this places have their own regional styles (i just knoW harburrow and islaun have their own v unique sartorial trends, vibes, and styles of their own, for example!) and those styles will obv also def be intermingling the more the cultures interact etc etc, and obv our playable characters have no need to keep themselves to ~any of these, etc! im just talking wildly broad terms here so we can know when our characters are making ~statements or ~challengings trends or even ~starting their own...that sort of thing! i just felt like it might be fun to have a jumping-off point that way yknow? also its fun picturing the court in general <3

OKAY so i know i went into a ton of detail specifically abt aria but to just address some of the things kate mentioned abt astairan fashion first (AND these are just my thoughts ofc!)

SO at least w/ my characters i'd kind of been imagining the astairans being a bit more muted in the clothing color palettes. i def went into a ton of detail up there re: aria (and we know the staffords specifically are more reserved in many ways and i feel like that comes out in their clothing) and for the malconaires i'd always imagined lots of earth tones-- tbh fiona legit doesn't care what she's wearing and probably runs around in a pair of trousers Finn grew out of or smth just to make cormac cry! BUT i do love, too, the idea of them using color in their wardrobe to express their freeness and openness in opposition to the OVN ways!

i know at least for Aria i'd def thought a lot of her clothing was embroidered (and for her it was much more same tones so it wasn't TOO flashy!) but i wonder if some of the colorful astairan fashion comes from embroidery? like i def think @forgottenroisin 's heraldry dress was a STATEMENT but that idea of having a gown hand embroidered with something both elaborate (but not to the varmont level) could maybe be a tradition in their more formal attire? or things one might wear to a celebration and less in the day to day-- just imagining one of the astairan festivals where people have brought out their color clothes that are decorated and really let you know about the person in a way their more day to day utilitarian clothing doesn't! tbh it kind of feels like the OVN-ians might think that is garish and ridiculous despite the fact THEY are overly decorated in a completely different way ;)

MOVING ON to the OVN-ians! i'm kinda going to base this mostly around marian. i feel like as one of roderick's queens (and probably the most palatable to the OVN court) she is maybe one (the?) sort of fashion 'leader' of the court?

at the risk of just repeating everything kate already said-- i LOVE the idea of OVN fashions being v renaissance (and spec italian!) inspired. marian in my head has always been in v structured and elaborate garments! i def think she leans into the overly decorated and ornate fabrics-- specifically in GOLD! which i do think started w/ her own family & their sun connect but now even moreso bc that's what roderick likes! other colors, too-- idk if @forgottenroderick would have sole ownership of the color purple but marian would wear that if she could! also red (again probably a color that started w/ her fam) bc of arthur's colors and also some green for @forgottensebastian ! (probably less not bc she doesn't want to be confused for a malconaire! -facepalm-)

i do think she goes big and bold and elaborate for formal gatherings but i had sort of envisioned her day to day actually leaning a bit more towards the burgundian style of dress-- specifically that v-neck style i feel like is v iconic when you think abt burgundian style? this is definitely NOT elaborate enough for marian but kind of the style i was envisioning...

some like this but MORE decoration MORE gold MORE elaborate, MORE saturated-- just more, more, more! even if its just for being around the castle!

in terms of headwear, i'm going back to burgundy and the hennin style for marian! idk where any of this is coming from but i could see her having have worn the cone-style when she was younger?? i do think now she leans more towards the escoffion style (and i actually like the style pictured above??) same with her dress, everything is VERY elaborately decorated! BUT i also could see marian rocking some of the italian renaissance style with braids and hair decoration, too!

i'm also v interested in hearing what lizzy things about @forgottencassandra 's wardrobe bc i DO think marian probably has tried to dress cassandra in her own imagine for awhile! but if cass is getting into these astairan fashions... uh oh!!

so, real talk, i doubt these two have had much, if any, meaningful interaction, bc caoimhe has no filter and her family knows this and probs tries to steer her clear of varmonts in general lasjdfjklsdf

im imagining marian staring down caoimhe as a potential daughter in law and then reconsidering Aoife bc at least that one is quiet! ;) (jkjk she would never bc valentina is. the. WORSE!)

When Marian had picked this specific corner of the Citadel grounds to set up her rose garden, it had been due to the specific amount of sunlight the area received throughout the day. The small green house had been constructed in time for her to begin cultivating her plants within the first year of their occupation of Astaira, meaning this was the first year she'd had a proper garden to tend to throughout the warmer months.

Though spring was when many people had thoughts of flower blooms, in the autumn many of her flowers were still filling the garden with color. This late afternoon found Marian pruning a few of the bushes for the upcoming cold that was said to be descending on them in the upcoming weeks. Her gardening was a solitary activity-- besides the guards that patrolled the grounds, Marian insisted she be left alone. At times Cassandra had been known to accompany her, though she never had the patience to stay by her mother's side for long.

The sounds of hooves on stone caused Marian to glance up, seeing a rider approaching the nearby stables. The proximity to the stables was something she had realized after the fact, was quite convenient in seeing the comings and goings at the Citadel without appearing too obvious.

It was Edmund who was returning this afternoon and Marian could only assume it was from a common destination for all the imperial princes: Malconaire. Marian returned her gardening tools to the small greenhouse along with her gardening smock, before she made her way to the path that lead towards the Citadel itself.

"Edmund," Marian greeted her step son with a small incline of her head as she came upon him, not by accident, on the path. She knew he was clever enough to realize this was most likely not a coincidence, but Marian did not particularly care about that fact.

"I will be glad to have company walking back up to the castle," Marian informed him with a kind smile. Despite him being grown now, Marian did often imagine Edmund as the little boy with a mop of curly hair and dark eyes who could have hardly known much affection with Amira for a mother. It pained her, in a way, that he would have to fail for Arthur to ultimately become who he was destined to be-- their father's heir.

There had always been a part of Edmund that had longed for the kind of motherly affection he had seen Marian bestow so freely upon her children" something that had never existed between himself and Amira. Once, he had mistaken such tenderness for weakness. Now he understood it as a strength of its own, and one he privately envied. Today, that absence weighed on him more heavily than usual.

However kindly Marian had treated him in the past, he knew better than to trust her. He would never confide in her what had transpired between himself and Roisin Malconaire: how whatever fragile understanding they had once shared now seemed fractured beyond repair. Coupled with the conversation he had endured with Amira that morning, cataloguing his many supposed shortcomings, Edmund felt hollowed out by it all. Worthless, if he were honest. And beneath that, anger simmered: hot, restless, and carefully leashed.

He would not allow Marian to see it. But neither did he miss the opportunity to remind himself (if only briefly) of his own superiority. After a beat, he shifted the subject with deliberate casualness. “Have you happened to see Arthur?” he asked, as though the thought had only just occurred to him. “Or Sebastian? I’ve managed to miss them entirely since morning, which is either a minor miracle or a sign they’re up to something.” His tone was light, even amused, and he let out a soft laugh, though he knew very well that neither of his half-brothers had been half so occupied as he had been today.

Marian let her lips turn up only slightly at Edmund's question. She wondered-- did he truly not know where his half brothers were, or perhaps he did know, afterall. Marian had noted Arthur's trips to Malconaire had grown less frequent in these past weeks so she assumed Sebastian's had as well.

"I was under the impression that you were all off somewhere riding together! I am afraid I have not seen them in the past few hours, no... Though you know Arthur. If anything, I'd perhaps start up at the training grounds should you wish to find him. I heard mention of him using some of his tournament winnings to purchase additional... what did he call them... training dummies, I believe? So I can only assume he has some sort of plan in place for which those would be..." Marian waved her hand as if to convey these sorts of things were much beyond her understanding. "...useful. I find it best to not ask too many questions."

Sebastian was the trickier of the pair, though Marian rarely had any concerned with what her younger son was getting up to during the day. He had, she mused, seemed a bit out of sorts recently however which was something to note. Sebastian, though, had a way of being more thoughtful and contemplative of events so Marian would not be surprised if he was simply turning over some bit of news or plan he'd heard about in his head.

"Perhaps Sebastian is with his brother. Or he has been spending a good deal of time with his sister lately. But that is, unfortunately, all I know..."

Marian beamed at Edmund's mention of her garden, wondering how he compared it in his mind to Amira's hothouse of dastardly plants she kept hidden away in her tower.

"You are quite kind to take note. I will confess, I am quite pleased with how well it has turned out. One never knows in a new climate just how well or poorly the plants will do but roses..." she paused, looking back to her garden. "... They are a hardy plant. If they are not tended to properly, they will grown wild and the blooms will be few. But with the right bit of attention... they will be glorious."

"I have recently had a letter from my brother that he and my father are coming to visit with the promise of bringing me cuttings from my mother's garden back home. I shall soon have my own bit of the house of the sun right here..."

Marian was eager for her father and brother to join her in Astaira finally. While Arthur and Sebastian were a great comfort and security to her, the fact that Amira's brothers were always with her while Marian's were not often vexed Roderick's third queen.

The hanging had been this morning.

If Roderick had not demanded the presence of his three sons, Sebastian would not have gone. He did not agree with their actions: he never agreed with problems being met with violence. But his father had wronged their Queen and they had been angry. Perhaps they deserved punishment, but they did not deserve to die.

Sebastian had said none of this to his father. He felt that it would be pointless to do so: Roderick seemed to meet any resistance with anger. He feared it would do more harm than good, but he could not shake the feeling that he had let all of those men go to their deaths and he had done nothing.

He was exhausted when he returned home. He was tired of all of this death; weary with the very thought of it. He had hoped that, after two years, the climate in Astaira would have settled and they would be finished with these public executions for treason, but the people here were restless. They would not give in so easily.

Sebastian had thoughts of retiring to his own chambers, but when he returned he found his mother still awake, seated by the fire. She looked so peaceful sitting there, that he longed to join her -- wondering if the memories of the day would temporarily lift from his mind.

He knew he would not escape them when he was alone.

"It is very late, mother," He said. Had it been any other night, he might have told her she ought to get some rest. But tonight, he simply asked, "Might I sit with you for awhile?"

“Oh of course, my darling,” she replied, standing and beckoning him into the room. “For as long as you would wish; I would never say no to a moment with you. Come, come,” she took his hand, squeezing it and gesturing to the chair closest to the fire. “You have had long day. Are you hungry? I can have the guards to go down to the kitchen and have them prepare you something.”

Marian had been troubled by her husband's insistence that all his sons attend the executions at Lorcan that day, but she knew better than to protest. She supposed that it was important for them to understand these events, for her eldest son to see what must be done when he would become the Emperor of the empire. Still the spectacle of it all... the thought of it made her uneasy.

“Cassandra plans to visit Malconaire?” Marian asked quickly, her brow furrowing slightly. She recalled the discussion she’d had with her husband a week past about what their sons might be doing in their own visits to the Malconaire estate. “You or Arthur are to accompany her, I hope? After all that has happened I should not like her out without one of you with her… The guards…” Marian gestured her hand dismissively. “I just know I never need worry if you or your brother are with your sister.”

“Sebastian, dearest…” Marian paused. She could not ask outright for him to confirm or deny his father’s suspicions about his and Arthur’s activities at Malconaire. “What… what is it that draws you and your siblings to Malconaire so often? Your father’s description of the place is that it seems to be quite… quite rustic, barely maintained… and Lady Malconaire, herself…well…”

Marian knew Lady Malconaire had invited her children, along with Guin and Edmund, to dine with the family multiple times and, always, included Roderick and his queens in the invitations. Marian did not allow such trivial missives such as dining with a minor noble family to cross her husbands desk but she knew of them. She could not imagine willingly spending time in the company of Valentina Malconaire, not matter how charming her step daughters.

He turned his gaze to Marian then, earnest and careful. “I know it is not a grand place. Their tastes are simpler, yes, but that is part of its virtue. There is a great deal of sky at Malconaire, and trees, and silence when one wants it. Cassandra has spent her whole life behind gold and stone, taught what the world should look like rather than allowed to see it as it is. There, she walks, she listens, and she laughs more freely. I think it has widened her view of things in a way no tutor ever could.”

After a pause, he added, “And Roisin Malconaire has been very good to her. A true friend, not one chosen for her by rank or advantage, but one who sees her as she is. And one who does not look at my sister and wonder what she can gain from their friendship. That is not nothing, mother. Friendships like that are rare for those in our position, and rarer still for someone as open-hearted as Cassandra. I would not dismiss that lightly.”

Sebastian leaned back, eyes flicking briefly to the shadows at the edge of the room. “When we are there, it is as though the rest of the world falls away. The noise of court, the expectations, the… weight of it all.” He smiled faintly. “There is peace in it. A kind of quiet that settles into you before you realize you have been missing it.” He did not say that it was one of the few places where he, Arthur, and Cassandra could breathe as themselves rather than as symbols. He did not need to.

He imagined that Edmund must feel that way, too, although he never said.

Of course, the Malconaire girls, themselves, played a large part in this, too. They had charmed the Varmonts: and not with their beauty nor wit (though they all possessed those qualities, too), but with their kindness and, above all, their genuine natures. He suspected that all of his siblings even respected Brigit for her's, even when it wasn't exactly complimentary.

Malconaire was like a breath of fresh air.

His expression tightened, just a little, when Marian mentioned Lady Malconaire. “I will not pretend everything there is perfect,” he said plainly. “And I will not defend Lady Valentina. I find her company unbearable. Whatever her charms, they do not outweigh the sharpness of her tongue nor the way she conducts herself within her own household.” He stopped there deliberately (he would not elaborate on that to his mother), but the disapproval in his tone was unmistakable.

“That is why,” he continued, more firmly now, “I think you should still invite Lady Eithne and Lady Aoife to tea and only them. If there is ever a moment when decorum might be bent without harm, it is here. Spare yourself an afternoon of false pleasantries, and spare those young women the strain of it as well.” He met his mother’s eyes, steady and sincere.

"Cassandra has been kept safe, Sebastian," Marian said sternly. "It is one thing for you and Arthur to go traipsing about the countryside whenever you please but she is a young woman-- vulnerable. She would not know how to fend for herself should something happen. But..." Marian paused, the warmth returning to her face, her frown disappearing. "I see nothing wrong with these visits as long as Arthur-- and you-- are with her."

Marian knew Arthur would let no harm ever come to his sister but he also knew her eldest son was. prone to being distracted by a pretty face from time to time. Sebastian would be responsible should one of those Malconaire ladies took Arthur's attention.

"Perhaps it reminds you of your grandfather's estate?" Marian asked, trying to make sense of it. "Is that why you care for it so? I wasn't so sure Cassandra remembered being there-- she was so young when we first relocated but perhaps she does. You remember it, don't you dear? How I wish to see it once again. I keep thinking-- I do wish we could all go back but I know your Father wouldn't wish to see you and Arthur be away for so long-- but I have been thinking perhaps Cassandra and I might make the trip back, just for a few weeks to see my mother and brothers... and sisters."

Marian let out a bit of a chuckle when Sebastian spoke so deliberately about Lady Valentina. "Goodness, perhaps I have been thinking too highly of Lady Malconaire? Have you-- what have you observed her doing that makes you speak so? You so often find the good in people, darling... it worries me there are some terrible things happening at that house!"

Marian stared at her son as he spoke of inviting the two Malconarie girls to tea. There was different tone to his voice, a different way he held himself in that moment. Was it just now, or had something changed in her son without Marian realizing?

"For you and you sister... of course I will," she paused, her voice softening.

"Ah... Lady Éabha," Marian called out across the tent where the ladies were to retire during interludes in the tournament. Marian shooed away her ladies with a wave of her hand, approaching the young woman with a kind smile.

"It seems as if we both have much to celebrate with this afternoon's events," Marian spoke as she reached the young woman's side. The tournament event that day was the horseback melee and, having both advanced from the final round, Alaric and Arthur would be competing in the final round against one another.

It had not escaped Marian's notice that the ribbon tied around her brother-in-law's arm was a distinct shade of blue associated with House Calleary and, in fact, the image of it quite pleased her. Alaric had told Marian in the days following the riots about his thoughts on courting the Lady Éabha and while Marian was not particularly keen on having Lord Calleary around more than he already seemed to be, she was optimistic that, perhaps, Alaric had finally found a woman to take as a bride.

"While, as his mother, I shall of course be hoping for my son to triumph in the final round, I will not be too cross to see the Duke's victory..." Marian paused, taking in the young woman standing before her. She was quite pretty, seemed self assured, was dressed well (it seemed as if her brother's fashion sense was entirely his own) and, in Marian's mind, looked as if she could easily step into the role of a Duchess.

"With all the unpleasantness that has passed, I have not been able to extend an invitation to you to come to tea, with me, at the palace," Marian continued after a few moments silence. "Perhaps you might have time in the next weeks... once the tournament is through?"

"And... Lady Éabha," Marian added as a quick afterthought. "... I should like to stress that invitation is extended to you, and you alone..."

As the queen shooed her ladies away in favor of the erstwhile Lady Calleary, Éabha turned towards her with a warm smile, dark eyes brightening as she tilted her head. Like both her dearest friends, Éabha had been schooled in diplomacy at her father's knee. She had long ago learned the art of an open face which was not open; a welcoming air which was, in fact, unwelcome.

Astaira had surrendered. It fell now to its lords and ladies to get on with it -- and find a way for their people to flourish within this new rule -- to welcome that which was unwelcome. And Éabha was optimistic that, perhaps, Marian Varmont might someday prove an invaluable ally...

Making a low curtsey, Éabha laughed warmly. "I believe that is so," she replied. "But, it being so, I do hope Your Royal Majesty will not be too cross with me for admitting that, greatly as I admire His Imperial Highness the Prince...there is someone else I do very much hope to see triumph today."

She paused. "But I must beg Your Majesty's indulgence -- we Astairans are not much used to these martial games. Is there much danger?"

She'd heard tales from across the seas of men crippled for life, or even killed, in such games. It struck her as a rather large risk to propel one's heirs into such violence. But, then, she supposed, perhaps that would suit everyone well enough: it would propel their sister to the seat of power. Still, she was unsure how common such injury and death really could be.

Éabha was careful to conceal her true feelings as Marian referred to the unpleasantness that had passed. While the sadness she allowed to show was genuine, it was for the lives lost rather than for an disquiet Roderick might have felt in his metal chair. She, herself, had secretly helped spirit souls out of the Citadel onto whatever path they chose for fear of reprisals, and while she had not known any of those hanged particularly well, their tragic fate had been one she'd been obliged personally to witness. Silently, plastering a sympathetic smile onto her face, she entwined her fingers behind her back, picking unconsciously at her nails. Catching herself moments later, she let her hands fall away and shook her head.

"Your Majesty, I pray you do not trouble yourself on that account. I assure you, I myself have been rather occupied, alongside all the inhabitants of Lorcan, with similar troubles." Rian had, for some time, locked down the place, after all, when many of the prisoners had escaped.

"Let us make a new start of it, and put that all behind us. I should be delighted to take tea with you at Your Majesty's earliest convenience." Her smile was broad as it was genuine. "I feel we have much to discuss! And," she added, her glance tending towards the empty fields before returning to Marian's with a somewhat mischievous glimmer. "I think soon shall have even more to say, irregardless of which of our champions claims victory."

Marian's invitation took Éabha by surprise. Not only to be singled out before all the ladies here present by the queen, but also to be invited privately to take tea with her, well, that certainly suggested something. Glancing towards Marian's curious ladies, who artfully played at not appearing to watch while assiduously listening to all, Éabha smiled blandly at them. Even if Alaric never made her an offer, there would be talk now, and if Alaric -- who struck her as a deeply private person -- was prepared to brooke that, well...

Despite herself, Éabha bit back a grin at Marian's tactful reminder that the event was to include only themselves. It did not escape her -- though it did somewhat embarrass her, given that he was now the head of her House -- that Marian was likely referring to Cormac...but that each of the siblings Marian had likely had occasion to meet brought their own unique form of chaos to any interaction did not escape Éabha, either. She had the sudden desire to introduce her to Aine, as if to say Look! We are not all without self-control! But decided she best control herself and not bring anyone she was not instructed to.

Éabha's smile was a touch rueful, though not entirely losing its tone of amusement. "I believe my brothers shall comfort themselves in the knowledge that ladies' secrets are best kept to themselves," she assured the queen. "And my sisters in the knowledge that there is a very great deal to be done at Lorcan from which we cannot all at once be spared." She did not wish Marian to worry that her meaning had not been understood.

Marian nodded as the young woman asked of the dangers of the tournament. She had been told that this was not something typical of Astaira.

"It is all a bit disconcerting, isn't it? I do suppose there is an element of danger when fighting is involved but you needn't worry-- the weapons have all been blunted and are thoroughly examined by His Imperial Majesty's guards before the competitors enter the grounds," Marian explained.

"There are, of course, versions of this tournament where the participants use actual weapons," Marian continued. "But this was to be a friendly competition, no blood spilled. Were the jousts not thrilling?" Marian inquired. "I do find those particularly thrilling."

Not to mention, her own husband had been the victor that day.

"I am happy you are so amenable, Lady Éabha," Marian's smile was wam and genuine at the young woman's response. "Of course we shall all be occupied by this tournament for the upcoming days but I shall send my messenger to Lorcan in the upcoming week so that we might set a date, yes? And you can assure your siblings-- all of them-- that we will have them to supper. I have not had the pleasure yet of meeting your youngest sister-- Lord Calleary tells me she is often unwell when you come to dine with us."

Marian watched the Lady Éabha as she took in the women who circled about the pair, pretending not to listen to their conversation. Though Astairan court life was said to be quite different the Varmont way, Marian felt as though this Astairan lady would be able to handle herself quite nicely. She knew that there were many women who had hoped to possibly catch Alaric's eye-- Lady Éabha would not have many allies at first. But she would have Marian as an ally, which was all the young lady would really need.

"Ah yes... Lady Malconaire's... fête," Marian continued to smile though she knew there had to be a hollowness to it. In truth she had no interest in further socializing with any of Malconaire clan, though the Lady Dowager herself was at the top of the list.

"I believe all of the Imperial family shall be attendance, yes," Marian answered. "I have not had the pleasure of visiting Malconaire myself yet so I am... intrigued to finally see this place I have heard so much about... Have you spent much time there, Lady Éabha?"

Hearing Marian description of the blunted blades, Éabha nodded. "That is a comforting thought," she owned. Astaira, she thought, had had more than enough blood of late. "I do not know that I would have the stomach for such an event using real weapons. It sounds harrowing." She paused, considered that perhaps she ought not to have said so much. " But perhaps that is only my inexperience of these things showing itself."

Éabha smiled at Marian's enthusiasm. "Oh, most thrilling," she admitted. "And such congratulations to His Imperial Majesty! The Emperor seemed much pleased with his triumph." She paused. She'd been about to speak of him sharing his triumph with his wife, when she remembered that it had not been Marian's -- or even Amira's -- favor that he had worn. It had been Eilia's. Éabha cleared her throat. She found a safer comment to make. "I suppose it must be difficult to watch your husband and your son compete? Or does it make the victory sweeter, for either way, one whom you love will taste it?"

Smiling brightly, Éabha inclined her head. "I shall look forward to it," she replied. And then the queen began to speak of meeting Fiona. Éabha's smile dinted somewhat. "Oh, yes, I...My sister's...condition, any given evening, you see, it can be a rather chancy thing." Far from being unwell, Fiona was a vision of strenght and good health, but she was hardly, Éabha would imagine, what Marian mght most wish for in her brother-in-law's own sister-in-law. Her condition had more to do with how willing she might prove to sit still for multiple hours put together than being confined to quarters, but Éabha saw no reason to strip Fiona of her excuse to escape such affairs. Wishing to steer the conversation away from her more excitable relations, she said quickly: "Has Your Majesty yet met my other sister? Lady Lorcan?"

Marian's smile, this time, lacked some warmth and, despite herself, Éabha glanced down to conceal her bemusement, attributing her disdain to the mention of Valentina, herself. Éabha could not but sympathize with that.

Hearing the queen ask of Malconaire, Éabha nodded. "I must confess I have had that pleasure. I grew up at Hanthom, as Your Majesty may know, and so we were quite close neighbors. When the whether was fine they would come to us to swim in the ocean, and when it was not," she laughed. "We would go to them to scurry through the woods. Malconaire is..." she glanced down. This was a tricky topic. "I'm sure Your Majesty is aware there was...action there during the war. I fear the place has not yet entirely recovered. But it remains ever the garden it always was." She paused. Another tricky subject, given her hopes of Alaric. But she preferred such things learned from her own lips than any other source, particularly as she imagined Valentina was inclined to meddle, given her hopes for Sonya and Alaric. Better they hear of it now. "I was also betrothed to Lord Cassimir, briefly, before the war, though that is long and amicably over, now. But it did lend itself to the cause of being there, for a time."

"Was it not such a surprise that His Imperial Majesty joined in the competition? I do find myself a tad nervous when so many that are dear to me competing-- I should be quite distressed if any of them were to be injured! But I do find myself comforted knowing that they are seasoned warriors, all," she paused, leaned closer to Éabha as if sharing an important secret.

"I am quite convinced my eldest boy would have taken the entire jousting tournament had his father not entered himself, but as I told Arthur, there is no dishonor is losing to the One God's own champion."

Marian frowned at Éabha's mention of her sister's connection. "Has your sister often been unwell? Perhaps if it is a recurring condition, it might do her well to see our court physician. I am sure we could arrange that for you, being family to the Emperor."

Marian put much faith in the court's doctor, given that he had often healed her sons from the mysterious illness that had plagued them in their youths.

"I have not had the opportunity to meet Lady Locan no... however, I am most eager to see Lorcan," Marian informed Éabha with a smile. "I hear it is most grand. My husband has promised he will take me on a tour of some of the lords' houses about this area. It feels as if we have been cooped up here in the Citadel since we first arrived. My childhood home was in the countryside so I am not used to being so... confined. Tell me, Lady Éabha, I know you grew up at the seaside-- do you find that is where you would like to ultimately settle one day? Or perhaps you prefer the countryside? Oh, I do believe you would you would love my family's estate-- it hosts a vineyard, you know. Perhaps you might see it one day. I know the Duke has enjoyed a few visits there himself when our travels take us back home."

Marian had absolutely no reason to be so sure Éabha would have any interest in visiting the House of the Sun, but in her mind it was one of the loveliest places in the entire empire-- who wouldn't wish to see it?

hello, favorite child!!!!!! well done becoming queen and making all those babies for ur house (also for the varmonts ig) -- now its time to clinch ur victory!!!!! make papa proud, become empress and make ur son the unequivocable future emperor!!!!!!!!! also don't forget to teach him his manners like saying 'yes sir' to granddad no matter how high up the ladder he climbs <33333333 ;laksdjflkjsdjfjksdf

i'm gonna try to hit all the random thoughts i've had about these two but i'm sure I'm going to miss something....

starting waaay back pre-marian's marriage-- we've kinda discussed the idea that she was basically always destined to marry well and, it seems, ideally marry into the varmont clan! i do think marian at that time was still a little starry eyed about everything and was kind of in her cassandra-era imagining the romance of it all and less of the "you're staring down your future!" that i think hit pretty quickly after she married roderick. that being said, i was sort of assuming she could have that world view bc that's kind of what aurelian wanted at that time?? or do you think he would've clued her in more to his plans???

so jumping ahead to everything w/ Bar and her pregnancy... part of me wonders if Marian didn't try to confess her infidelity to her father when she was telling him about her 'vision' in the temple?? I could see where she got all the information out about praying in the temple and the sun blessing her or w/e and her just about to tell her dad about Bar when Aurelian stops her? or do you think he would let her confess? I think since marian has been doing her best to pretend that NEVER happened that she either did not confess to her father OR he stopped her? so idk maybe he has an inkling arthur's parentage might be suspect BUT its better not to really know??

SO okay all over the place-- jumping ahead a bit i guess to this ~sun cult that's sort of formed around this supposed vision marian had-- do we think that is something wildly known? or something that is more kind of happening behind the scenes so if/when marian & co go back to the OVN its a FUN SURPRISE that there's that many people supporting Arthur? or even if they don't go back to the OVN, there's a least a surprise group ready to join #TeamArthur

another thought-- do you think there's a specific ~reason that Aurelian has finally made his appearance in Astaira? idk if maybe roderick finally relented to her requests for some of her family joining her and that's why Aurelian and Albrecht showed up? (I do think for Lucian it was partially a coincidence, tho maybe he was his family's boat ride there?) I know marian is happy to have her family about now and her goal is for at least Albrecht to stay but yeah!!

ok so there's a part one which is just normal everyday what their interactions might be, and then an optional part two regarding ~arthur's parentage~ but first let's talk normal stuff

ok so alek is probs a thorn in marian's side. he's the head of roderick's church so roderick thinks he's pr rad, and he's a conman so he knows how to keep on roderick's good side pr well, so he's got a lot of influence at court. however, he's also besties w godfrey, which frankly doesn't ~guarantee alek's universal support for team edmund bc frankly alek's always looking out for number 1 and that's just smth his bff gotta deal w so sometimes, if it suits him, he ~will come out in support of team arthur or team guin or...nobody at all, given what best suits his own agenda, etc. however, he def does lean pr heavily team edmund for the most part

however, w marian's sister, helena, wanting to be a ~nun so badly, alek probs sees a good bit of her too and lbr probs manipulates that situation too so like!! plus, the whole ~cult of the sun~ thing probs doesn't help his own power too much so he's probs pr eager to bring that heel, by hook or by crook, as they say, and yeah!! just...probs some turbulance here, i would guess? that being said, alek is VERY eager to always appear friendly w all of roderick's brides and children...and is also def eager to take marian's confession any time dlskjfaksdjf ;DD (and promptly blackmail her if anything juicy comes out, but you couldn't trace it back to ~him ;D)

ARTHUR'S PARENTAGE

soooooooo, ik we've been talking abt like -- if we ~do wanna expose the whole affair situation how would we even go abt that? and, like ~if we like, alek here could potentially be a catalyst in the whole @forgottenbartholomew + marian = arthur situation, bc bar is one guy who DOES. NOT. TRUST. alek and, according to both their bios, is investigating him bc of it. as a result, alek is retaliating by doing likewise bc he believes that ~no one~ has a squeaky clean past as part of his worldview so he's dead certain if he just looks in the right place he can find ~smth to blackmail him with!! as we know...there ~is smth asdlkjfalskjdfj alek ~also happens to be in cohoots w godfrey, who would obv have a v vested interest in discrediting marian and all her kids but esp her sons and yeahhhh

now, in terms of the ~how, alek is verrrrrrrry used to acquiring secrets and he knows to do things like track down and question the wet nurses, the midwives, the various servants, look into spending records and wereabouts, daily habits and activities and where those rupture, all that kinda thing. and i do think, since we said that arthur is maybe ~supposedly premature or whatever, he could basically dig up that way that uhhhhh things ~aren'ts adding up like i feel like arthur was a v healthy kid (pre poisonings anyway alkjsdfljkdsjf) and if anything bigger than average and like yeah idk!!

so we know that Alek already has ONE strike against him being that he's NOT from the OVN... strike two is being friends with Godfrey ;) I do sort of feel like this 'holy man' just showed up one day and marian was probably like 'wtf' and immediately wanted her kids FAR away from him... but of course she has to toe that line with Roderick of course!

i definitely think she HATES if there is any sort of relationship between Alek and her sister. Marian already has had enough of (both) her sisters so if one is giving any sort of credit to this shady guy... UGH. I'm guessing maybe the idea is that aurelian is also not a huge fan of Alek??

im also laughing at the idea that maybe a back and forth they often go back and forth with is Alek offering for Marian to come to confession and she "politely" declines. XD

OKAY so Arthur's parentage!!! tbh I am all for that coming out if/when you are! obvs it'll be a huge blow to a bunch of characters but also i def LOVE the idea of the shake up! so i agree that marian & bar probably did a fairly good job of covering their tracks about this (not me typing that and not remembering if this was from this comment or bar's -face palm-)

i was wondering-- i can't remember if we ever talked abt this-- but do you think amira might have had any inkling about arthur's birth being a little suspect? she has so much going on she might not have actually mentioned smth like that to alek but just a random thought?

i do think there has to be someone out there who might have some info that was enough for alek to start wanting to look further into things. honestly maybe even just a doctor who said something abt arthur being a healthy baby despite being born early or w/e in references to arthur's recent illnesses or smth??

i also was throwing around the idea (which i'm going to mention on @forgottenbartholomew 's site!) that marian is going to become a bit desperate about losing allies for Arthur's team (esp with eoin going over to team guin, in theory!) she might be going to bar asp and maybe talking about the sun prophecy or maybe just trying to talk him in to supporting arthur's claim-- so idk if that's something alek might overhear?? all tbh of course but another just random thought!