on the edge of a precipice

hshq task twenty five: public image

lena’s public image is carefully curated. as a young girl when she was first introduce to the spotlight more in more than just family portraits and the occasional photo op, she was living in the media shadow her sister had left. just based on her nature, it was decided to play into her interests. a pr meeting once relating it to “as stoic as the statues the princess is so fond of”. to allow her image to develop from the little work that was released. ultimately, it worked, as lena went onto university to begin her career in art history. it allowed press releases to emphasize how happy the princess was to be doing what she adored, even if far away. consistent updates showing the lena’s schooling for the armenian press allowing the public to feel as if they knew the young princess they were rooting for. 

Domas smiled a little, Lena would keep him in line and he would thank her for it. Surely she was the one to curb his worse impulses. “I know you’re up for the task.” He shook his head, running his fingers through his hair. “A war, no. There is a Russian duke, a distant cousin to the King and he was meant to be next in line until I and my sibling were adopted. I doubt he will start a war but he won’t be happy. I have to prove myself. Show that I am fit to lead.” 

“ we can dream. i might have done pretty well as a statistician or a translator. ” life could have been easy if she was one to settle for what was safe and comfortable. “ and if you’re not respected ? do you think you’ll be able to get out of it ? your father seems quite decided on the arrangement. ”

Domas almost flinched at her touch but after a moment he leaned into it. He was not a man used to physical affection and it surprised him. He took a few breaths, in through his nose and out through his mouth. Domas looked up at Lena. Beautiful and smart, and patient Lena. He didn’t deserve her. Or she didn’t deserve to get pulled into his power struggle. “Thank you,” he whispered finally. Domas placed his hand lightly over hers and swallowed. “I won’t. And if I ever start to get out of line, I trust you will put me in my place.” He offered a weak, tired smile. “I don’t think I will have much time to mess around though, I suspect I will be fighting for my position soon.” 

“ imagine how easy politics was if it didn’t require you to interact with other people ! no compromises, no back stabbing, no cliques. i hate that you can’t be successful if you don’t have enough trustworthy friends. ” other people slowed you down, it was that simple — and they were unreliable. it was impossible to make long term plans if too many people were involved. “ i hope you think it’s worth it. i’m sure you could find someone who’d act decently. ”

“as long as they aren’t bored, show passion, then it’ll do...while spooning though? that’s high up there."

“a sketchbook, a copy of talbot’s art of the byzantine era, and maybe a boat.”

hshq task 34: style

brows draw a crinkle above his nose for a split second. words flow from his lips without so much as a pause after her rebuttal. there was no time for a debate, with the duchess in such close proximity. “ have you ever tried telling an older lady to stop meddling with your love life ? ” a rhetoric, but it’s essential that she knows just how serious this is ! he pivots, body facing the duchess now mere steps away ( in deadly territory ) but leans his head so his lips hover right by her ear. “ perfect. ” effortlessly, he bears his teeth in a convincing smile, “ your grace ! ” he shakes the duchess’ hand briefly, before resting his at the small of lena’s back. “ have you had the pleasure of meeting princess lena yet ? ”

[ ROME, APRIL 2016 ]

“And what’s the story behind…” He let his gaze wander around the room of the art museum before he pointed at a, he assumed, renaissance painting of some biblical story. “That painting? If you don’t know this one I think I’ll have to leave you — I can’t stand pretenders.” [ @lenakatarine​ ]

Lena glanced at the piece from across the room. “That one? It’s a Raphael. The Deposition, when they put Christ in the tomb. From what I read there used to be more panels of it as well.” Their hands twined together she took a few steps toward the piece. “Come on, read the little sign, tell me if I’m a pretender of If I can live another day with you.” 

𝚏𝚎𝚋𝚛𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟿, 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚛𝚒𝚍

he pushes a glass into her hand as soon as her company leaves her side. “ listen, i’m gonna need a huge favour from you, ” his words are rushed — time is of the essence, with the older woman fast approaching his turned back. “ in a few seconds, the duchess of tuva will be by my side, ready to pester me about how disappointing it is for me to be thirty one and still single, ” a quick pause before his proposition. “ but she won’t, because you and i have been happily dating for almost a year now. ” it was a big ask from someone he barely knew, but it was not a conversation he could endure again. “ i’ll make it up to you, just fake a smile and consider it acting. ” ( @lenakatarine​ )

the statement made anneli arch her brow. lena was nothing but reasonable, the prince must have been as lovely to lena as he had been to anneli. uncooperative, demanding… or, apparently, just plain dumb. “ oh god. ” a disbelieving scoff came out of anneli’s mouth. “ what has it been ? three months ? and he’s already screwing things up ! unbelievable. ” now she had a more valid reason for her dislike. “ what kind of an agreement did you come to ? ”

@lenakatarine​

“Like this?” She dabbed the paintbrush onto the canvas, attempting to recreate the clouds seen on the demonstration piece. They were blotchy, messy, causing her to sigh in near defeat. “Yours look nice,” she commented after glancing at Lena’s canvas — did she expect anything less? Layla set her brush down to watch the other. A painting class was bottom tier compared to international galleries, but art was one of the only interests Layla knew of regarding her in-law. “How long have you been an artist again?”

Domas turned his back, taking a deep breath and maintain his calm but after another moment he lost his cool again. He spun again, all his anger and frustration directed very clearly inwards. “I nearly got her killed, Lena! She could have died and it was all my fault. That was the last time I saw her for years until now. You’ll forgive me if there is some unfinished business and unexpressed feelings to be dealt with!” He stilled, surprised at his own outburst. “Fuck,” he muttered, sinking into a chair. “I wasn’t supposed to say any of that. Fuck. I didn’t mean to say any of that.” Domas scrubbed his hand over his face. “You do deserve better. I’ll do better. You just have… I need you to stick with me until I figure this out.”

“Red this time, I think.” Xue had to admit her social life had been resurrected by her arrival to Phuket. There was always someone to drink and dine with. “I take it something has happened then? My life has remained very much the same — save for the million future in-laws I gained with my siblings’ engagements.”

At the response, she poured a glass of red for them both, settling down. “Something is always happening, most of the time I found it isn’t good.” She paused bringing the glass to her lips in thought. “Italy and South Korea, correct? those both would be...overwhelming with in laws.” 

“ careful lena, that thought alone is treasonous, ” perhaps her creative mind may have conjured an image that was a little more tasteful than the one that’s pictured in his, but an amused chuckle passes his lips nonetheless. “ so did you have the same taste in artworks ? ” it seemed like a trait lena would admire, even if kostya’s own appreciation would unlikely align with what critics would consider high brow.