𝐀𝐁𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍 / 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐎𝐔𝐑

allegra maximus. xxx. loyal to the maximus clan. should-be ruler. bastard. and my gaze was a snake. and a snake was my desire.

[allegrams]

𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐄𝐑 ; 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐗𝐈𝐌𝐔𝐒 – AS PENNED BY JENNA

𝙎𝙆𝙀𝙇𝙀𝙏𝙊𝙉 / 𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙎𝙏𝙄𝘾𝙎 / 𝘼𝙋𝙋𝙇𝙄𝘾𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉  / 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙉𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎 / 𝙉𝘼𝙑𝙄𝙂𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 / 𝙋𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙀𝙎𝙏

[allegrams]

junocalidus​:

date: aprilis 10th location: nine daughters dock availability: closed for @allegrams​​

It was charming, really, how the now waning dock had tried disguising itself as something more, as something once again grand and alive. It performed for Celeia now in perhaps the same way a neglected child might; proudly presenting to you their inferior scribbles, if not so lowly as the family dog, itself, standing upon its back legs in search of scraps of praise — endearing, sure, if not equal parts pathetic. Yet, Juno entertained its cry for help nonetheless, striding its merchant booths with a critical eye. It was in vain, a gaze most elusive, but the scientist was always in search of inspiration, in some finery that might compliment their visions, both professional and otherwise; for Juno felt strongly that as weapons master it was their duty to dress the part, after all.  

Yet, it is no shiny bauble or glimpse of cashmere that tempts them in the end, no, but rather more, still; Juno’s tastes whetted by only the most exquisite — the bastard daughter herself, shoulders poised and chin lifted in the distance. It was early still, the Princess of the Dock not set to be formally announced for some time, surely, yet Juno should expect no less of the King’s advisor — prepared to a fault. Zeno, they anticipate, should be less so. 

They observe curiously from a distance, a long bloated moment where they opt to see her not as some thing they are rather fond of but as the heir to royalty, a polished jewel in the crown of Celeia, demanding the world view her as no less. Juno, herself, was in need of no convincing; only a fool should struggle to discern that which should be so painfully obvious — the wrong Maximus wielded the imperial scepter. 

In time, they approach, the corner of each lip rising as Allegra grows nearer, “so eager to show Celeia the face of its true princess?” A brow rises conspiratorially, “or have you come to scrub away at yet another mess on our dear King’s behalf?” The term of honor is little more than a punchline shared between the two, a teasing prod in Allegra’s side where Juno knows a bruise has bloomed, tender and aching since the royal invitations were first sealed.   

“I’m here to ensure it all doesn’t turn to shit.” Allegra answers, eyes dragging away from the water she’d been peering out at and towards JUNO. A half-smile tugs at her lips at the sight of one of the only people she could remotely classify as a friend. The scientist was someone Allegra had long admired – someone whose work was not only brilliant, but who was assured in this fact. Allegra always found it a shame when brilliant people failed to recognise their own prowess – in fact, she considered it to be a weakness. After all, what was the point of finding mastery in something if you were never able to show it off, even to yourself?

Better still, Juno seemed to recognise Allegra’s brilliance. It was difficult to get people on-side – to convince them that the bastard daughter was a better fit for the crown than the prodigal son, that Allegra would be the one to lead them into the future, whilst the best Zeno could do was burn them to the ground. She likes to think she has found an ally in Juno – twin ambitions and penchants for being overlooked brought them together, and shared visions would be what would, ultimately, secure their places at the top. This, Allegra was sure about.

“I read the speech he’s been given. It was awful, of course. Sounded as though it were written by two-year-olds, though I suppose I can’t fault them for trying to cater to his level.” Allegra scoffs – if not from context, it is clear who she is referring to only by her tone, full of vitriol the moment a thought of Zeno crosses her mind. “I rewrote it, but he decided he didn’t want my help and threw it into the fire.” She shrugs – she’s used to it, by now, Zeno ignoring her advice. It’s his loss, in the end, and the less he listens to her, the quicker his reign will come to an end, even if she may face her father’s angst before this happens.

“I wish these people had the courage to chase him off the stage, but their simple minds are all too enamoured with the pretty colours and bright lights. Throw a party at people, they’ll come running, however undeserved it may be.” Allegra rolls her eyes, “Though I suspect father knew that when he announced it.”

[allegrams]

andronicusimbrex​:

CLOSED FOR @allegrams​ / A LETTER, ADDRESSED TO ONE “SWAN” WITHIN CELEIA CASTLE, WRITTEN IN A TIDY SCRIPT, UNDATED… IT READS:

Swan, 

Thank you for your last letter. Having access to the schedules you provided was very useful indeed. I have a more significant amount of fruits than I could’ve asked for, and this will be beneficial in the coming months for those who need the sustenance. In exchange, in the usual spot, you’ll find the silverware you requested for you and your friends to eat with. As always, keep in mind you’ll have to visit when the tide is low. I don’t think anyone is THAT strong of a swimmer!

As for your other question, I’m afraid I don’t have an answer yet. Those close to Magpie are perhaps the most loyal, to my understanding, and I can’t imagine that they’re anything other than hard eggs to crack. (Pardon the pun.) My advice for now, in lieu of action, is to be patient. I have seen too many meet an ugly end because they couldn’t give it a day, a week, or a month. Keep the hairs on your head in order and your nose down and I’m sure you won’t come to harm: remember, you’re lucky to have the job, very grateful, thank you Lords and Ladies, so on and so forth. I know you’re eager, and I appreciate that eagerness, but rushing brings us no closer to our goal. Think of your sister.

Take heart. You’re doing well, and talk from others tells me that no one has uncovered you yet. If you could, I’d appreciate the schedule for orange shipments in the next two months, alongside my usual request for pears and apples.

Your friend,

Kingfisher

𝐀 𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑, 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐃 𝐀 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑. 𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐅𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑, 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐀 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐄.

Dear Kingfisher,

Perhaps you will find it odd that I am writing to you. Your ‘Swan’ must not have received notice that this letter would be arriving, and it has ended up in my possession. I would warn you to be more careful, but I don’t know how willing you are to take the advice of a stranger. Do not fret, word about this will not extend beyond myself – I believe this will be in both of our best interests. 

I hope you do not mind that I address this letter anonymously. I am sure you are aware of the dangers that exist within this establishment, particularly among those of us who do not necessarily agree with its management. I wish I could decipher all of your previous letter, though without help I believe it may not be possible. However, I don’t think it would be too great a leap to suggest that you work for the organisation about which there have only been whispers, and that you and I may share a similar goal.

I work very closely to those within the nest, and I believe that the information I am able to gather from this position may be of use to you. It is clear that we cannot continue along the trajectory we are – our current management is unsustainable, and there are other clear options which should have the chance to be explored. I did not think I would find myself in this position, but Magpie has left me with no other choice, and I believe my receiving this letter may be serendipitous, for both myself, and for your organisation’s interests.

I do hope you will consider my proposal, and that I will hear from you again soon. You will need all the allies you can get.

- Crow

[allegrams]

valerianfuria​:

-

Valerian was now back, temporarily, she was sure, the king wouldn’t have waste his time on idle things and once the celebration of the prince would be over, she was sure she would be back on the streets, looking for the missing woman. That didn’t matter for now, the future is all that it is. Valerian has fought for years to change her future and it didn’t come easy, maybe her mission could still be changed, be given to someone else but now, for now she has soldiers to attend to and a job to do.

She was helping soldiers train themselves better, despite the preparations going around the castle, there was still need to protect, hundreds of people are going to arrive and they’ll assume that the soldiers will keep them safe. They will. It was her soldiers and they respected her enough to take their job as seriously as they could. 

A miss, a hit, a dodge. Fighting is almost like a dance, sometimes you can predict your opponent’s next move and others it’s like gambling game, who can get into the other’s mind. Valerian knew her soldier’s minds the best, which is why most of them didn’t defeat her in battle, even something as simple as training. 

Moment caught the corner of her eye and she barely managed to dodge the soldier’s next attack. “Enough.” Valerian said and the soldier stopped, she looked to see Allegra standing there. “You’re dismissed.” She said to the soldier who didn’t waste a second before walking away. Allegra. So different to her brother and yet more mysterious, Valerian would never admit the soft spot she had to the two siblings, even if her connection with Zeno was deeper. 

Valerian wanted them both to feel protected and strong in their skills, be so good at fighting that nobody would be able to even scratch them. She just wished Allegra would come more often. “Of course.” Valerian said softly and went to grab a wooden sword a tossed it to Allegra, expecting her to catch it without problem. “I thought you’d be busy.” It wasn’t a question, Allegra had plenty to do with all the preparations and Valerian didn’t think she would have the time to come visit her and it has been awhile either way. 

“I am.” Allegra says, catching the wooden sword and tossing it between her hands absentmindedly, getting a feel for the weight of it. A sword was not Allegra’s preferred weapon, by any means, but she was more than proficient with one due to Valerian’s rigorous training. Her weapon of choice had long ago landed on twin daggers – small and dexterous, and easy enough to conceal on her person at all times. Perhaps not the most practical if going to battle, but Allegra had always fought wars from behind castle walls, not on the battleground. 

“I needed a distraction.” She admits – though preparations for the upcoming celebrations had been keeping Allegra busy, they had hardly been keeping her satisfied. It was difficult enough to see a celebration of the man who had stolen your crown and made away with your title, but even worse was having to help organise the celebrations yourself, or risk being seen as an insubordinate or liability in the eyes of her father. She hoped that Valerian would appreciate the need to release pent up frustrations and not push her too hard on it – she hadn’t come here to talk, after all, because she knew there would be consequences associated with anything she had to say ( if you don’t have anything non-treasonous to say, don’t say anything at all, right? ).

When she was younger, she’d hated sparring with Valerian – for the sole reason that she could never win. No matter how hard she trained, Valerian, being the one who trained her, was always a step ahead, and it never ceased to frustrate Allegra. As she’d matured, she’d grown to recognise battle against Valerian as a challenge – one far greater than she was used to, perhaps, but one she was no less determined to conquer. Although Valerian may favour Zeno ( a mark against the woman, when Allegra came to claim her throne ), both Allegra and her brother were on equal ground when it came to fighting her – Valerian was better than both of them, something Allegra hoped to, one day, change. 

“Party planning isn’t my idea of fun.” She elaborates, lifting her sword and readying her stance, “Are you ready?”

[allegrams]

olivianscons​:

APRILIS 13TH | DAY 4 OF THE CORONATION ANNIVERSARY | OUTSIDE OF THE ROYAL GROUNDS | OPEN

There were some things that Olivian had never been able to let go of in his time as a Smuggler. In fact if he met anybody he had known from his previous life they may say he had attached himself even more to the material trappings of life than he had when he was younger. That was probably true. He’d had so much to worry about back then he hadn’t been able to appreciate things like nice well fitted clothing, or parties. Or mixing those two things together with something as novel as a mask to top it all off with.  This was all to say that Olivian was very much looking forward to the last day of these festivities and the Masquerade Ball that was coming with it.

Very much.

It was likely no surprise that during the fifth day of the coronation anniversary while everybody was out doing their last minute shopping, and getting ready for such a grand fanciful event so was Olivian. In his own way. He had done his own shopping ages ago. Options for an Outfit and Mask to hide his face had been picked out nearly on the first day. All he needed to know was what was the décor the Maximus Clan were going with for the evening, so he knew how to match it. Olivian couldn’t let himself assume the colors, and theming. Though he expected it to be … Well, let’s just say he did not see the group as the most tasteful, or fashionable. So, he needed to find out for himself. He didn’t want to clash with the curtains, did he?

Olivian found himself wandering the royal grounds to check things out for himself. Getting a peak at the Great Hall, as he wandered among the staff and servants working later into the night. At some point he even found himself in the kitchens seeing if there were any fancy foods laying out, but mostly things were only being prepared, so he left empty handed. 

He decided if he had been in charge, he could do better. Nothing revolutionary.

Having satisfied both his curiosity and the necessity to know what colors he could get away with wearing the next night, Olivian strolled from the Castle onto the grounds to leave, taking a breath of the cool night breeze as he went.  Walking as confidently as one would if they owned the place. If only, some might say. (Him, he was ‘some’). But that was the key to be where ever you wanted to be without pesky rule abiding types questioning you, and what you were doing. That was “Being Where you Shouldn’t Be 101”. Pretend like you were supposed to be there and most would leave you be. Most. 

It did not always work when you had a name and a reputation like he did, but most people left him alone.

By now, Allegra should have been used to her efforts being overlooked and under-appreciated. The BASTARD DAUGHTER who would never amount to anything but a mistake in the eyes of her father and the entire kingdom, no matter how hard she tried. She had, at the very least, partially accepted this five years ago when the crown that should have been hers was instead placed atop the head of her insolent, undeserving brother, who had done nothing for the past half-decade but create messes for Allegra to clean up. She had accepted it, sure, but it still didn’t sting any less when Zeno was recognised for her efforts – for the kingdom she had helped build and solely maintained, while he served as nothing more than a glorified figurehead, a puppet attached to their father’s strings.

If she had been particularly disagreeable during the preceding few days, the castle staff knew better than to say anything. Whilst she may not have the title she deserved, Allegra still wielded just enough power to make their lives sufficiently unpleasant. If she snapped at them during preparations for the next day’s ball ( which, in her opinion, was a ridiculous event – what was the point of dressing up if nobody could even see your face? It didn’t seem like the sort of event Zeno would find much use for either, always needing to be the centre of everyone’s attentions ), they simply put their heads down and worked harder, unwilling to step out of line and face her wrath. 

Eventually, she grows tired of preparations and finds herself wandering the castle grounds. In the scheme of things, Allegra had not lived here long – but she now knew the grounds well enough to find the best places to be alone with her thoughts. Of course, she could always retreat to her quarters, but there she ran the risk of being found and bothered before she wished to be. In the most remote areas of the castle grounds, she did not have to worry about accidentally being stumbled on – it had been years since commoners were allowed on the grounds, and the castle staff rarely ventured outside. 

Therefore, one could imagine Allegra’s surprise when she spotted another person making their way across the pristine lawns from her corner – eyes narrowing in suspicion as she realises, with a start, that she doesn’t recognise the newcomer, nor does she think he has any business being here. “Hey!” She shouts at the intruder, walking toward him to close the distance between them. Her hand is already on the weapon she keeps concealed at all times. “What is your business here?”

[allegrams]

zenomaximus​:

Five years, Zeno thinks as he leans against the window to idly watch the bustling crowds below prepare for the festivities, is four too long to have waited for this kind of celebration. For five years now he’s held the throne in their house’s name, ruling as God intended, wielding the power promised to his fist since birth. For five years he’s kept peace in Celeia while others snivelled and cowered in the shadows, ever unyielding in the face of adversity - and this is the thanks he gets? Five years of waiting? It’s an insult he might have taken less kindly to were he not well aware of the simplicity of the Celeian people.

Zeno scoffs as a pair of merchants struggle across the courtyard with a barrel between them, barely moving his head when the door slams open and a familiar set of footsteps stride into the room. There’s only one person brazen enough to ignore a closed door. “I thought I told you to learn how to knock.” 

One of the merchants trips and both men go down, any screams of pain as the barrel lands on top of him muted through the glass. Bored, Zeno turns away, instead taking a moment to consider first Allegra’s figure then the revised speech she all but throws at him.

“I have no need for you to fix anything other than the intolerable manner in which you conduct yourself.” A few steps forwards and he has the papers in his hands, rapidly flipping through them with palpable disinterest. “Why are you in such a sour mood? You should be happy. Father has achieved great things worthy of celebration. Are you so riddled with jealousy that you’ve become incapable of setting aside your unpleasantness for even just a few days?” Whatever she’s scribbled on the paper remains indecipherable to Zeno, his distaste for her presence made clear in the way he balls the sheets up before throwing them into the the fireplace. “Don’t worry, I understand these next few days will be hard for you. But if you’re nice to me I might just crown you Princess of the Dock. Then at least you’ll have a title people actually care about.”

When Zeno had been born, her father had instructed Allegra to be grateful. His wretched wife had fallen pregnant and finally sired an heir – the Maximus name would finally have someone to carry it through to the next generation, and this would, ultimately, serve to benefit Allegra, too. She would like to say that she’d tried to be grateful, that she’d tried to feel anything other than resentment towards the screaming lump of blotchy flesh her father had presented to her mere hours after his birth – but, this would be a lie. Though he were only a baby, Allegra had felt nothing short of disdain towards her brother from the moment his lungs had learnt to draw breath. 

Perhaps, had he grown to be a little less vile, then this resentment would have morphed into something more pleasant. Perhaps Allegra would have been able to set aside the slight that was cast against her and work towards the greater good of the Maximus name by his side. Unfortunately for the both of them, a screaming baby was the most pleasant version of Zeno Maximus that had yet to exist, and he only grew worse from there.

She could blame her father and his awful wife for the way Zeno had turned out, but she wasn’t sure they were entirely at fault. After all, pups of all temperaments could be born from a single bitch. Perhaps the way he was raised had something to do with it – consistently spoiled and worshipped as though the very ground he walked on were holy, it would be difficult not to come away with a severely inflated ego. Nonetheless, Allegra is convinced that, no matter which environment he were raised in, Zeno would have turned out exactly as deplorable as he is now.

Something, fundamentally, was broken inside of him.

Perhaps this was something they shared – but Allegra was, at the very least, capable of disguising her monstrosity. She decorated herself with skills and talents and grace. She learned strategy and diplomacy – learned how to craft her poison into something useful, both for herself, her family, and her kingdom. Zeno, on the other hand, only grew cruel. He never learned to channel the venom in his veins into anything but cruelty, but a grisly mockery of a leader. “Sorry.” She says, tone sharp and acerbic, “I forgot that I am but a humble servant to the boy who would be king, saviour of the lands.” She performs a mocking bow before straightening up to watch her work be tossed into the flames, engulfed and destroyed immediately. It would be symbolic if it weren’t so irritating.

“Fine.” She snaps, “Be laughed off the stage with the pitiful speech you’ve been given. It will certainly liven things up.” Her unpleasantness? She almost has to stifle a laugh. No matter how unpleasant Allegra was, it paled in comparison to Zeno. “Oh, you’re so considerate. I would ask you to allow my repayment through service, but you’ve just gone and thrown it into the fire.” A pause, “You do realise my position is advisor. This means you’re supposed to take my advice. Father clearly thinks you need it, or I doubt you’ll live to see another five years, which, by the way, is hardly a milestone worth all this fuss.”

[pedroalonso]

Úrsula Corberó as TOKYO La Casa De Papel Part 5 Vol. 2

[allegrams]

𝐖𝐇𝐎: ALLEGRA MAXIMUS & VALERIAN FURIA ( @valerianfuria​ ) 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: WISTERIA TRAINING GROUNDS 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍: 6 APRILIS 

By now, preparations for the CORONATION ANNIVERSARY were already well underway, and Allegra couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of disdain as she walked through the halls of the castle to see servants working furiously to have everything ready for the festivities. As far as she is concerned – this entire event is a sham, a celebration that was neither wanted nor deserved, commemorating an exceedingly minor achievement, which surely would never had been reached were Zeno left entirely to his own devices. In fact, she was fairly certain, had he not been surrounded by the best advisors the kingdom had to offer, Zeno would have already inadvertently burned Celeia to the ground.

At least that would have made for something more interesting than a childish party. What a waste of time and efforts.

Anyone who sees Allegra’s face at the moment knows better than to get in her way – the servants who populate the hallways quickly shuffle to the side as she barges through, making her way towards the training grounds. She’s frustrated, but she knows better than to outwardly speak against the celebrations – she may wish for them to be a failure, but her disloyalty isn’t something she’s willing to make public. At least, not yet. So, her next best option is to take her aggression out on some poor inanimate object – or, better yet, a willing sparring partner ( these were, unfortunately, few and far between – Allegra’s anger often getting the better of her during training sessions ).

She spots VALERIAN as she approaches the training grounds. She has a complicated relationship with Valerian, to say the least. The woman had trained her, once upon a time – fashioned Allegra into the weapon she was more than capable of becoming. Allegra had always admired her for her skill, and respected her for her counsel, but, a few short years later Valerian passed this same wisdom on to Zeno, and she watched as her former trainer and greatest adversary grew closer than she could have anticipated. She would claim not to be jealous – but this would be a falsity. 

“Valerian.” She says as she approaches the woman, by way of greeting. “I’d like to spar.” There’s no question here – merely a request that Valerian is clearly expected to follow.

[allegrams]

𝐖𝐇𝐎: ALLEGRA MAXIMUS & ZENO MAXIMUS ( @zenomaximus​ ) 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: CELEIA CASTLE 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍: 3 APRILIS 

It was ridiculous, Allegra thought, to have a festival to celebrate a five-year reign. Though it were perhaps surprising that the infant king had managed to survive as long as he had ( though this could be attributed, almost in its entirety, to Allegra’s painstaking work on the sidelines, completely overlooked and under-appreciated, despite her vitality to the kingdom ), for any other monarch, it would hardly be a milestone worth celebrating. It seemed to her like pointless gratification – just another reminder to the people that their ruler was almost as inexperienced as any of they would have been. It was a mistake, and, worse still, a five-day festival in his honour would only serve to inflate Zeno’s ego more than it already was, and Allegra could already tell he would be more insufferable than usual during the next few weeks.

He was already grating on her nerves before she even set sight on him.

She doubted that Zeno had even given any thought about the amount of preparation that would need to go into an event such as this – he had never been known for his foresight, or his willingness to work for something. Allegra, on the other hand, had already set to work deciding what needed to be done and delegating the tasks that were beneath her to any spare hands she could find. It was quite infuriating, really, the way that, even now, she continued to work towards the semblance of order in their family – something which slipped further and further from the truth as the days stretched on from Zeno being installed on the throne. Even now, part of her thinks that if she proves herself to be the leader he cannot, maybe she will become it. 

This part of her, of course, is terribly misguided.

“Have you revised your speech for the opening festival?” She asks, barging into Zeno’s room without so much as a knock. Princess of the Dock seemed like a stupid idea to Allegra – though she supposed that some might find some fun in imagining themselves to be royalty. It wasn’t something most people were born into, after all. “Who am I kidding? Of course you haven’t.” A few loose sheets of paper covered in Allegra’s messy scrawl are slammed onto his desk, “I took a look at what your people wrote. It was shit, so I’ve fixed it.” 

[cithaerons]

Leila Chatti, What Will Happen

[godswollen-deactivated20171014]

Girl frightened. Girl destroyed. Girl as a symptom. / Girl in a paroxysm of rage. Girl disappeared in a / death-like loss of feeling. Girl as indescribable evil.

Juliet Ashbury, The Only Good Girl is a Dead Girl (via godswollen)