sun shine

Vasilisa was finally beginning to settle into the palace in Portugal. She had begun to recognize faces in association with names and while it was hard to accept it as home, she was at least more comfortable. She often found herself walking the paths between her room and the library or gardens. It was on one of her walks to the palace library that she heard the cries.

Children had come to Portugal with their families naturally, but the princess seldom heard or saw them. Truth be told it was something she rather missed about the court in Russia - there were always children around livening up the mood. It reminded her of playing and taking care of her own siblings and friends.

Anneliese had seemed so content when Dagmar had given the governess leave for a couple hours. She had been crawling on the floor, giggling as she tried to use the small sofa to pull herself to her unsteady feet. Then the baby's demenour had shifted, quicker than the changing of the tides.

In the first few moments of the crying Dagmar had picked up her daughter, hoping that would be enough to soothe her. Unfortunately she only continued crying. The quiet questioning of "What happened, what's wrong?" in their native language recieved no answer.

the   sultana   allows   the   portuguese   sun   to   kiss   her   skin   as   she   sits   alone   for   tea   and   a   few   snacks   .   absorbing   the   new   surrounding   –  a   place   she   had   hoped   to   start   growing   a   family   at   .   it   was   easy   to   get   lost   in   the   yearning   ,   to   allow   the   tug   at   her   heart   to   take   over   .   luckily   though   ,   before   she   could   fall   into   it   deeper   ,   mihrimah   there   to   join   her   .   good   .   while   she   wishes   to   ,   layla   should   not   be   alone   .   “   i   am   fine   .   really   .   even   though   my   body   is   weak   now   ,   i   am   getting   better   …   i   know   you   want   to   ask   …   “   reaching   over   the   small   table   to   find   the   hand   of   the   other   woman   in   hopes   of   soothing   her   worry   .   @svnshone

"I know," she murmured, her hand giving the sultana's a squeeze. "You are such a strong young woman." Layla was every bit her father's daughter. The same blood running through her ran through Mihrimah's own offspring. "You are already looking so much better. A few good meals and some mroe sun and you shall be as strong as ever."

"Nonsense," Vasilisa smiled at the bubbly blonde princess in front of her. She reached gracefully towards the tray and retrieved two flutes. The princess held one out towards the woman. "There are plenty and it's a wedding we should be celebrating!"

Antonia took the glass in her hand. "Thank you." She had always lied the clinking of glasses during a toast- it reminded her of merriment, of cheer. "No, not well at all." A sip of the champagne.

JUANA WAS NEVER A dancer. Even as a girl, she had two left feet. Her dance master tried and tried, but she would never be as graceful as he would wish. So when the woman beside her asked if she had a turn yet, the Dowager Queen shook her head. “No, no I have not.” She brought a goblet of wine up to her lips. “I fear it would be improper of me to do so, Your Majesty. Anyways, I have never been a woman filled with enough grace to dance.” She hummed. For Juana was still in mourning, was she not?

from behind his back he pulled out the small practice sword blunt at every edge. he'd managed to decorate his own hands with several small slashes in the process of making sure it was blunt, but better his own hands than somebody else's, especially a small child. " i've made it as light as i could, i hope it is fit for purpose. " he held it at the hilt for them between thumb and forefinger.

They eyed the sword before reaching out to take it. "Thank you." It was lighter even then Dagmar had expected. She ran her fingers across the blade, testing just how dull the blade was. "I believe it is. How much for your work?"

Weddings fascinated the Russian Grand Princess. Though she had been to few outside of her own court, Vasilisa found them to be incredibly revealing. Those in attendance seemed to either relax and allow themselves to show more than they intended or they remained quite sober and aware of what was going on around them - either way, there was something to be gleaned.

Of course there were the few who had mastered an air of content inscrutability. Vasya counted herself among the latter. She watched the celebrations and rituals with a pleasant smile, drinking her champagne slowly enough to keep her wits about her but not slowly enough to draw attention.

Antonia was positively giddy- all the talk of weddings, all the music, and decor, and gowns, it all only left the princess more excited for her own. She did not know the couple well, but she hoped they had found happiness together, as she had with her fiancee.

he looked down at the items in his hands - both the bottle and the glass still very much intact, mind you. "well, i... almost dropped a glass, your majesty," he offered, though the statement sounded more like a question than an explanation as it left his mouth.

Dorothea's eyes followed the servant who had stooped to wipe the spilled wine- before falling back on the butler. "Is carrying both the bottle and a glass too arduous a task?"

Period drama + Reading

NORTHANGER ABBEY (2007)

COLETTE(2018)

BRIGHT STAR (2009)

MR. MALCOLM'S LIST(2022)

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES (1985)

EMMA. (2020)

the blacksmith had no intention of going inside the palace, he didn't unless it was to find his room or drop by some of his work to one of his many customers. instead he had opted to sit out on the courtyard watching as royals, nobles and staff left, some having a harder time staying on their feet than others.

he took a mouthful of his own drink, feet perched on the seat of the bench while he sat on the back of it. " how many of them will still be standing by the end of the night? place your bets. I say less than twenty. " he bit back a laugh as he watched one man fall flat on his face as he tripped on the last step. " maybe less. "

He stood outside, eyes falling to the Dane as he spoke. "So few? You must not be a betting man then." The guard had seen nobles party into the night plenty of times. "Many might fall into their cups, but I gather at least half shall remain upright. Until they get to their chambers, at least."

A small hum escaped her. “I know well enough how people talk.” Dorothea had been in enough rooms filled with nobles in her time- years of mingling among them, flittering from conversation to conversation. She had all but the past few years as an aristocrat- she knew people spoke differently to her as the queen then they had before, spoke of different things, kept closer secrets.

She was not some little girl playing at dress up. "Do you think I would be here if I did not?" After all she had done, all she had given and had taken from her for this cause. "If you wish to caution then say it clearly. Do not speak of trouble without cause or reason."