#kcd rosa

Let’s start with Rosa:

Her scene take place right after she and Henry have cleared out her old home from some bandits. Everything is chaotic and most of her belongings are gone – it’s no longer the safe place she grew up in and everyone she knows and loves is missing. She’s sad but not hopeless. She’s a strong and smart woman who doesn't easily lost her strength to move on. It’s a “if you fall, you have to stand up again” situation and you can really see this willpower in her. What starts as a somewhat depressing situation develops into something playful and lighthearted. The way she hugs the book that she and Henry finished, how she swings around a bit with a little smirk before they kiss and her light chuckle when Henry picks her up and carries her to bed all contribute to this. Finally, the main act is also filled with laughter and some lusty but still playful passion.

Now, let’s move on to the first of the two end-game romances: Katherine:

Rosa's romance strikes a great balance between lust and emotion in a very lighthearted way – just as it should be for a mid-game romance. It’s not impactful enough for something bigger, but it’s perfect for what it is. I absolutely love Rosa and I think this quick outcome with her suits her character perfectly. She still has so much to achieve, and her path and goals are not the same as Henry’s. So their paths must part, which is why it can’t be more than a little rendezvous between them – at least at this point in the story.

After her tearful talk with Henry in the yard, she meets him by the wall, where he’s waiting for Sam - because “she can’t sleep.” Clearly, she’s not up there just for that, but expressing those emotions isn’t easy for her. Katherine is a victim of her own past, a broken woman who never received the help she desperately needed. At this point, it’s irrelevant whether Henry romanced her or not - she will have feelings for him, but are those feelings genuinely what they seem? Katherine seems to believe she loves Henry romantically, but it’s likely fear that drives her. Fear of losing another important person in her life - anxiety about being alone again. She wants to keep him close, struggling against this overwhelming fear, which ultimately leads to a lustful act born from desperation.

Last but not least: Hans:

It’s not about romance or deep emotions; it’s just anxiety and desperation that draw these two to each other that night. Neither Katherine nor Henry looks happy because it’s not a cheerful moment. They are simply searching for comfort in one another due to the dark future they are facing. I’m deeply convinced that Katherine loves Henry, but not in the way she thinks. It’s more like the love you feel for family or a very close friend. Henry, on the other hand, is still young. It’s exciting for him to engage with an older, wiser, and more mature woman. It was lust that drove him, and it was lust that made that night happen. There are no deep emotions or a sustainable love affair.

Hans’s romance scene is significantly different from Katherine’s. It begins with no music at all. The scene that follows the little story Hans just told Henry about two knights starts mostly in silence, much like the Rosa scene. You just can hear their voices and some background noise, like the crackling of the fire. The atmosphere is filled with a mixture of hope and fear as Henry takes Hans’s hand. A smile on Hans’s lips - hope filledwith fear. Henry hurriedly stands up, seemingly wanting to leave the room - perhaps because he can’t bear the tension any longer? The fear he feels, as well as the fear he sees in Hans’s eyes? After that, things happen so quickly - there’s no time for thinking, just pure acting based on real emotions.

I’m truly biased towards the Hans romance, but please understand that this post is not about saying “this romance is better than that one” – that’s not the case at all. Each of these three is unique in its own way and beautiful for what it is. Rosa’s romance is light and fresh, like a wink of hope. Katherine’s is lustful and deeply melancholic in a realistic and truthful way. Hans’s is filled with big emotions, many feelings, and an uncertain outcome for a long and deep relationship – like the beginning of a new chapter or the next step.

The kiss itself clearly confuses both of them – Hans is unable to comprehend what he just did and Henry is completely overwhelmed by his own emotions. Shame, joy, curiosity, anxiety – both of them are clearly experiencing these emotions right now, but in the end, true desire wins. Henry’s hurried movements, the music kicking in, the big steps back to Hans and his direct consent to Henry’s actions show the heavy emotions that have been hanging over them. The lusty act itself is just blurred in the background, as it should be. This night is not about lust, it’s about emotion and connection.

rosa: *meet hans in person*

rosa: nah still don’t get it

rosa: *see henry’s heart eyes*

If you piss Rosa off enough by defending Zizka's order to burn Maleshov tower:

Don't worry girl, we've all been there with this game. (You might also notice the camera is called rozabeforebang. Yes, really.)

You can piss Katherine off at the end of the game by 'joking' that sleeping with her wasn't very good. The name of the dialogue path at the end of the screenshot shows you how well that goes down.

You can tell Katherine that Theresa is waiting for you - and I think you can do this even if you romanced her. She doesn't have a different reaction if romanced.

Katherine has gossip dialogue at Trosky which addresses her outfit (yes, unfortunately the game has to make a big deal of how Katherine is old or has boobs in every dialogue…):

Rosa: At any rate, I also require some help. In a…particular matter. But you mustn’t breathe a word of it to anyone, understand?