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{ weekly tracker }
post count this week : n. of replies ( 4 )
point gained: 4 points (per number of in-character posts)
point allocation: + 4 physical
health total: 83/150
influence: 20
intelligence: 15
wealth: 14
luck: 18
physical: 16
ofleuchtenberg:
The praise Matthias had showered his wife in never seemed enough. He knew their marriage had their troubles but Matthias had still adored the ground his wife would walk on. When their engagement was first announced, Johanna felt more like an acquaintance but their relationship had changed into something Matthias felt safe around and he had hoped she felt the same way. “I won’t let go,” He said as he gently squeezed her hand for reassurance. Days at court, even in the neutral place, felt constricted. With the deaths and the sudden reappearance of a long lost sibling, Matthias’s mind was reeling but he couldn’t let the heaviness of his thoughts stop him. “That is a task I enjoy,” Matthias smiled. He went deeper into the water, the coolness of the river washing over his completely bare body was refreshing, if not cold in the first few minutes. The image of himself wearing his father’s crown was one that was slipping away. When his father found his old letters, it had ruined any chance he had of becoming his next in line but he couldn’t put Johanna through that. “Let’s not bring the dramas of court out here,” Matthias said as he inclined his face towards hers, laying his mouth upon Johanna’s. “Let this be the place where we can escape.”
“it’s almost like we’re back home when we’re in nature. almost.” johanna teased, “it may be nasty of me to say it but i prefer our estates to sasso corbaro or montebello. there’s a much warmer feeling about the homes we’ve built together than this place.” her only hope is that they would all make it back to germany in one piece, back to the life they had strived for. “and to think, neither of us had much of anything before we got married. i thought i might wait on your stepmother for the rest of my days.” johanna was a proud woman and most people knew it. sure, they were a couple of upstarts but wasn’t the whole of the kingdom if you truly thought about it? they had risen in the world and would continue to do so if she had any say about it. years ago she was commanded to tie herself to another based on nothing other than the noble blood in her veins but to her, it was the catalyst and johanna was determined that she would not be forgotten, not by anyone. the water was cold but his touch was warming and she thought maybe spring would bring a rebirth for them as well. all her sadness about lost babes and politics had clouded her mind for at the core of it was she not a lucky and blessed woman to love him so dearly? then she was lost in their embrace, the sensation of wet skin upon skin, the mossy smell in the air and hands wandering over a body she knew as well as her own.
irinatrubetskaya:
though the devil may play with the princess of bely, it is something other than such that causes her return to solid earth. and so she blinks, her shoulders all the more slouched as the lady she knew as the one without child stood before her with soft tones and unphased emotion. perhaps the girl may have stirred if she had known what irina thought at that moment - her teeth all the sharper with growing hesitation as she felt the dull sting of the dagger against her thigh. yet still it was early in the day, and irina would have had been stupid and dumb to allow her emotions to flee so early on, so she only offered a stoic glance and the small nod of her head. “да, мед -” she mused, thinking off the concoction she had planned for johanna; a concoction to strengthen the womb and a sacrifice to the pagan deities whom irina found herself talking to every other night.
but that did not matter, for all that mattered in irina’s world was irina and the neck that held her steady. her husband had already lost his, after all - to the shadows and slight devils of switzerland that taunted the noble and righteous of the world. and her support? what off her support? what could a german girl do for her? she was no friend, confidante or sister-in-arms. at most, in irina’s eye at least, she were another pawn for the king of germany to play with - with a husband who was most probably lacking with the tools to make a child, to make his wife happy. and though in another time she may have spat her truths with little care it was her current position that remained slow and calculated. she was not a fool if she were to act out of character people would question her sanity, her role in the death of a man she did not love. the man who had abused her in so many different ways, who had planned to take her son and freedom - or perhaps even her friendships that had been a source of happiness for the russian girl. so she offers a small smile from beneath her painted lips, pink flesh flushed red from crushed powders before she turns to face johanna of leuchtenberg. “i would thank you for your words, but i am consumed by something otherworldly… we must work on solidifying your position, johanna, so you are not left when death comes to take your husband’s head too,” and though to some it may have sounded like some sick joke, it was truth and stark honesty that left irina to take johanna’s arm, “have you got the honey?”
johanna knew that this difficult path was a result of her own choice and this cold woman whispered to be a murderess would one day be the only living soul who knew her worst secret, her greatest weakness. years ago she did not hanker for power as she did now and only in hindsight did she see that she could have been queen of the germans if she so desired. how simple it would have been to seduce her childhood friend, trap him into marriage but love for another had blinded her and now she would pay the price. talk of her husband’s possible demise left a sour taste in her mouth but she suspected this pagan harpy thrived on discomfort. she required no pity, only a solution and if a healthy babe were born of her womb then johanna would see to it that rumors of the russian’s involvement in the murders remained rumors. she’d even dig up a powerful new suitor for the widow if needed. then, of course, johanna knew that once upon a time the woman’s father had been grand duke of lithuania, a title now absorbed by the polish royal family. perhaps she wished to reclaim it for her son.
“aye, harvested by my own hand.” johanna reached into her pouch and retrieved the offering, liquid gold collected whilst some entity went about severing heads and dumping bodies into the river. life soldiers on, she supposed. “enlighten me of our next steps, princess and i shall obey your instruction.” the woman could ask for the pope’s head and she would deliver if it meant security and the unconditional love of a long-awaited heir. if irina sought a disciple then she would find one in the landgravine of leuchtenberg. then, of course, johanna knew that once upon a time the woman’s father had been grand duke of lithuania, a title now absorbed by the polish royal family. perhaps she wished to reclaim it for her son. queen mary and king sigismund were not their forebearers and she suspected it would not be a complete impossibility when so much was uncertain. certainly, the woman would land on her feet regardless of johanna’s interference.
princejingyan:
Jingyan’s hand found the hilt of his blade, and not for the first time, he was glad of it. King Diebold’s goals had been noble, he supposed, but they had all been blind not to expect this. He had never been so tense as this before, even upon the battlefield. Things were easy when the enemy stood before you, lunging at you with their intent to kill written all over their face. assassins in the shadows were out of his realm. How could you fight an enemy when you did not know who they were? The only consolation was, this time, China had not suffered any losses.
It seemed stupid to be out alone at the minute. Even he could admit that. Regardless, he was filled with far too much restless energy. Besides, was it not best to show that he was unafraid? That China would not be cowed by such acts? It was with that in mind that he patrolled the area between the castle, mounted on the back of his favourite horse. The horse trod the path for perhaps a half an hour when he chanced upon another rider, and though they were alone, and he was well armed, he tensed once more, eyeing them warily. “It isn’t safe to be out here alone,” he called out.
johanna had become desperately homesick and consequently, she commandeered a horse so that she could ride out and be left to her brooding. before bellinzona she had nearly forgotten the perpetual drama that seemed to surround her in-laws. by the time the landgravine turned back she was miles from the castles and a springtime storm rolled through during her trek back. by the time she neared montebello grounds again the rain had ceased by the woman was soaked through, her light cloak providing little protection. surely she appeared a mess as the stranger called out his warning. “and yet, you are alone as well, no?” she scoffed, steering her steed she stopped beside him and took note of his eastern style of dress. surely, he must be a son of china and so at least he was part of the ottoman coalition. “if they wish to cut me down i suspect they shall achieve it wherever i may be. even with my husband at my side. danger is a given.” for all she knew this man himself could be a threat but there was no way of knowing and therefore johanna deemed worrying all together pointless.
lovelesslettrs:
a horrid trick was starting to feel more accurate as time slipped away and the world worsened around her, turning sour. not that the world had been particularly pleasant prior to recent events, it was only feeling that her home country had sheltered her from the mess of it all before. now all the ugliness that she could have chosen to ignore was trickling through the cracks. the red head’s gaze is stuck upon the grounds beneath them, watching the occasional individual pass by without notice before settling back into place. the meal had felt out of place, attempting to solve a chain of catastrophic events with food — it was not like any of them would forget anytime soon. “ do you think … do you really think they would do something like that ? “ it was a stomach churning thought and for the sake of them all, mariana prayed not but who was she to know?
“well, someone has so why not them? i know my countrymen are suspected as are yours but then everyone has their own motivations, don’t they?” it felt odd so discuss the matters so openly but none of this would be happening if they hadn’t all gathered in bellinzona. “i’ve not heard a soul cast doubt upon his majesty or the swiss and would that not be to their benefit? oh, pay no mind to me its merely a thought and it’s not as if i’ve any proof.” looking down at her lap she brushed the pads of her fingertips over the brocade of her dress, feeling now more than ever that the limits of alliances were arbitrary. she was no king with no army to command and thus why should she refrain from making acquaintances? clearly, the infanta was scared of what was to come and johanna was loath to admit it but she felt much the same. “just...watch your back and don’t let the men bully you, yeah? they’re the ones who got us all caught up in this mess and i’ll be damned if we’re the ones who pay the price.”
{ weekly tracker }
post count this week : n. of replies ( 4 )
point gained: 4 points (per number of in-character posts)
point allocation: +3 intelligence, +1 influence
health total: 79/150
influence: 20
intelligence: 15
wealth: 14
luck: 18
physical: 12
lovelesslettrs:
when mariana headed for switzerland she did not expect to find so much death. she came for her siblings, to find some solace in the comfort in their company but along with that came a tragedy. one, the eldest infanta was positive none of them expected nor was she positive what to think of all these. there wasn’t always a reason for such gruesome acts but her beliefs had to ration that there must’ve been and god — he must have made a mistake or something among the like.
“ what do you make of all of this? “ the red head speaks up softly, gaze falling upon betrayed words. she worried the answers of others, what might be the truth or the future lying ahead for them all.
“i think we’ve all been part of a horrid trick.” johanna replied, pale eyes looking out and down upon montebello’s grounds. her father-in-law would have her locked away if he knew she was chatting away with a spanish infanta but she could not bring herself to care as the pair sat, tucked away in a window seat, the cool stone soothing johanna’s aching head as she leaned against it. “part of me wonders if our hosts have been duplicitous. i did not take a bite of food or a sip of wine at the remembrance feast.” the whole ordeal was ghastly, gathering grieving people to some arbitrary meal and then trotting out the severed head of a russian prince. what a spectacle and she could not help but think the apparently magnanimous king of switzerland likely had his own agenda as well.
duchessfriederike:
There was a smile on Friedi’s face, a bliss that grew from the first flushes of attraction. She could not deny the impact Bayezide had on her life, or that she had been taken with him almost immediately. Things like that didn’t happen to Friedi, yet happen they did. It had provided a spot of light in a world that was growing darker by the day. Her future was bright, shining, glorious. Could her other siblings make such claims? Even Matthias, who had married, had lands and some kind of influence, could not claim so, for all that he was, was tied to their father. Friedi would be the first of his children to truly slip out from his iron fist, and she eagerly awaited the days. “Let us hope that such passion continues when we are wed, or else is replaced with something better.” She said, carefully. She didn’t wish to gush, though she certainly could.
What they spoke of was no simple topic of conversation, no trifling fancy. It was treason, yet in her heart, Friedi knew it to be right. She did not trust Leopold was strong enough, and that was without his Austrian blood. He certainly had always been their father’s perfect, pampered prince, but was that enough to ensure his loyalties? Friedi had her suspicions. All she knew was that, despite her father’s many flaws, despite her determination to buck against any restraint he put on her, his actions in severing Germany from the Holy Roman Empire had been an act of greatness, and perhaps the one thing he had done right in all his days. What good would that be if his son handed their lands back to those they had been liberated from. “Germany’s crown needs to remain German,” she said, decisively, hoping her friend would catch her intention. “Particularly now, Johanna. All of us need to stand together, as Germans, or Emperor Konrad will see us all fall. For now, we face a bigger threat than Leopold,” Her eyes found Johanna’s, a silent promise strong in her dark hues. I will keep your secrets, but you must keep mine. “I am but one egg in the sehzade’s basket, but we are beginning to make plans of our own. He and Matthias are much alike.” And without saying it, she has let Johanna in on their plans. Aside from Maximillian, she had yet to speak of this to anybody.
if anyone deserved their freedom it was friederike who had become an intelligent and kind person despite having maximillian as her sole parent. happy as johanna was with matthias part of her wished to warn his sister that love, should she let herself experience it, came at a cost. of course, there was no use in scaring her dearest friend. talks of a future where they had both climbed higher gave her a thrill, sinful as it was. she had to suppress a smile as friedi explain that her betrothed held his own ambitions for what could be better? the two women did not have much power by right of birth but others were remiss to think that would not reach out and take it for themselves. “you’ve found a worthy match, it seems.” she sighed, absently running the palm of her hand over blades of grass. “we might not have chosen the men we are bound to but since we have chosen to support them i do pray that they’re successful in their endeavors.” one would think the pair would have exhausted all pertinent and rather dramatic topics but there was still the matter of princess claudia blanche to discuss “and of course, what of your new sister? i’m sure the king has his opinions but what do you think, will she be the problem that takes us to our knees or are we prepared to adjust?” johanna had to tread carefully she knew for all the faith she had in matthias and friedi did not change the fact that blood ties could be some of the strongest. the duchess had never liked leopold but whether or not the same could be said of this new sister remained unclear. stolen by the mad emperor the woman surely had to be his creature and royal family or not she was no german princess in johanna’s book.
irinatrubetskaya:
status : open to the ottoman empire coalition. location : sasso corbaro courtyard.
death came before she could realise it, death slipped from her tongue as her hands remained outstretched. she saw it all before it happened. visions in the form of ghosts, dreams or other celestial beings. she saw it in the cards, the wine she had sipped. death had always followed her, after all, hadn’t irina trubetskaya been born into the mad ravings of death himself? yet, she did not FEAR him. she took his embrace as one may embrace a lover, comforted by his enveloping darkness and bony structure. silence followed her too, chaos trotting by death’s side - her entourage of other beings following her that day as she prepped to make yet another appearance. dressed in lashings of velvet and gold, irina thought today to be special and dug from within the jewellery box the ring presented to her when she had married pytor belskyi; a ring once worn by his buried wife. without a thought she wore it and allowed the gem to shine upon anyone who sought it out as she emerged from her chambers. then the news broke.
pytor belskyi was found dead with his head amiss, and though strangers and friends alike cried for a hailed GOOD man, irina felt the hand of death and the kiss of chaos to feel at home - and maybe, in some way, at peace. so she approached with her hair tied behind her head, tight decorated with ribbon as she always did before conversing with her lady maids. not only did irina loose a husband, her son lost his inheritance and she lost their security - their safety. and yet, she does not weep nor shed a tear, the visage ALONE the very image bred into her as a younger girl. no matter the fear, the sadness or joy - a russian lady must act as strong as the earth, as unmovable as a mountain and as fierce as a grizzly bear. so she moves past the people, leaving her blonde son with the company of his nurse, so to meet the air above.
stood within the courtyard, her nostrils flared and her heart soared. when out in nature did irina feel the most alive, her fingers twisting against her pockets as her mind raced faster than the body could ever realise. a decapitated husband. a bastard son who she almost died for. what else would the great goddess throw at her? “come closer and i will drive my knife into your scalp faster than you could send a prayer to your god,” irina spat; feeling the presence of another as she stared ahead into the great unknown - as if some other entity stood before her, as if death himself stood before her, sharing some secret gathered from the river styx. for it was blood that covered her fingernails, tainting her reputation and perception, engrossing her completely before she turned to take in the other. for a second the other may have seen her eyes completely black, soaked in blood as a demon may appear. for a split second maybe the other could’ve sworn he saw someone other than the princess of bely ( or what was she now? nothing? no-one? a widow. ).
johanna was not foolish enough to believe that most women cared for their husbands as she did hers and while it was certainly improper to call upon a woman whose husband had just been found sans his head the chaos of the week did not satiate her desire for power, autonomy, and an heir. there was no time to weep for the dead for they did not concern her. certainly, it was irresponsible to go skulking about courtyard without any protection save for the dagger in her belt when there was some sort of terror on the loose but the landgravine could not afford to have her plans interrupted. if anything the reappearance of this alleged princess left her little choice, she had to push forward. the news had sparked a surge of rage simply because it was typical of her plans to be upended by her king’s complicated family as if his brood was not large enough already.
“forgive me, princess but i believe i owe you a jar of honey as well as my condolences on the loss of your husband.” she murmured, unfazed by irina’s harsh words, standing in place a few meters away. since she had made the woman’s acquaintance it was clear to her that the princess had an undeniable fierceness that johanna respected though was not intimidated by. “you have my support if needed during this unfortunate time.” and she meant her words for deep down she felt there was something kindred between her and irina of bely.
ofleuchtenberg:
Moments like these almost never came around and while it was here, Matthias wanted to take full advantage of it. There was growing pressures to have a child, to put his wife through another pregnancy, another chance of hope but at the risk of what? His sisters words hung in his mind about the risks of childbirth and how it could take his wife away from him. No, Matthias shoved them thoughts away as to not ruin this almost perfect morning. When he lay back and closed his eyes, he didn’t picture his Italian sweetheart until his wife brought her up. She couldn’t know about it, not truly. “You are important to me and that is enough to cause me worry.” Matthias kissed his wife gently on her lips, taking a moment to savour the taste of them on his own. It took him a moment to grasp what Johanna was hinting at and Matthias couldn’t resist but to grin in response. “Even if it is, I’m sure we will find some way to warm the water.” Without hesitation, Matthias jumped up and as he made his way to the water, bits of his clothing soon found themselves off his body and thrown onto the floor as he waited for his wife to follow.
she smiled into their tender kiss, her heart surging as it did when her husband showered her with praise. johanna had grown up in the shadow of his family and when their relationship blossomed it was the first time someone had truly made her feel significant, something she’d always be grateful for. laughter trailed behind her as she jumped up to follow matthias, the soft grass and earth flush against the soles of her feet as they approached the water's edge. “please don’t let me fall, my love.” her hand squeezed his tightly as she stepped in, the hem of her linens dragging over the calm surface.
it was indeed cold but refreshing after lying about in the sunshine. even as they waded deeper that nuisance of a voice in the back of her mind asked if the current swept her away would her beloved come after her? it was a terrible thing to feel such doubts creeping in for it appeared as if they were unwarranted. perhaps she had been more affected than realized by the horrific goings-on that had plagued bellinzona. savage murders and the reappearance of a child thought dead, more of elisabeth’s children to account for, all with the holy roman emperor’s blood in their veins. if matthias wished to share his thoughts with her she trusted that he would but she had never been one to push when it came to such delicate matters and certainly they had never faced something like this.
“i admit that these days my mind is hardly ever at ease but you are still the salve for my pain.” arms threaded through his, wrapping around his body so she could lay her head upon his chest. maybe her words were filled with half-truths but ‘twas what marriages survived on. “and despite recent events i still see you wearing a crown someday.”
{ weekly tracker }
post count this week : n. of replies ( 8 )
point gained: 8 points (per number of in-character posts) + 1 bonus point for each five posts = 9 points
point allocation: +6 influence, +3 wealth
health total: 75/150
duchessfriederike:
She laughed as the grape caught Johanna in the face, and for a moment, they were girls again, with little to trouble their mind but what mischief they would get up to next. They were women grown now, and life had thrown plenty in their way. She knew things did not work out how Johanna had planned, though she privately thought it was better for her, as her own change of direction in life was undeniably better too. “Did you ever think a day would come where I would please my father?” She smiled crookedly, though there was little humour in her tone. She had never before done well in his eyes, and never before sought his approval. but Switzerland was proving to be a strange place indeed. “He mentioned you had a gift for him, too. I hope you were as pleased with yours as he was?” she probed. She liked that Bayezide had taken the time to visit her family. It only proved his promises to her to be more than empty words designed to draw her in. He was trying, and that was something very few had done for Friedi before. Johanna’s words brought a dark cloud to her face, and she regarded the other woman carefully, wondering how much she should tell her. “I like him very much. Perhaps I am foolish to say so while we are still getting to know each other, but he is everything I could have ever wanted in a husband,” she confessed, and her face turned slightly red as she did. She decided in that moment to be honest. She did not know how much time she had left with Johanna, after all, and in The Ottoman Court, she had no friends with whom to share her secrets. “The fact my father and I don’t get along is no secret, Johanna. And I like Leopold even less,” her words were blunt and brash, for she was not just talking about her family, but her king, and the crown prince. Though she could at least begrudgingly admit her father had achieved greatness, she was glad she would not be around to watch her brother squander all he had built, as he was sure to do when he came into power. “Sending me to another country is perhaps the only good thing the King has ever done for me. If I stay, we will drive each other mad.”
johanna thought they’d all go to their graves trying to please friedi’s father but she stifled such a snarky comment in favor of truly listening to her friend for who knew how much time they had left together? “oh, the dagger.” she laughed, remembering the opulent gift she’d presented to bayezide. “i commissioned it the evening your betrothal was announced simply to welcome him and simultaneously let him know we are not to be trifled with. he gave me a lovely comb and for the time being, i think we’ve come to an understanding.” relating the story to the duchess it seemed rather humourous in hindsight but it was johanna’s nature to be protective of her loved ones.
as friederike confessed to being pleased with her suitor, gushing with newfound infatuation something cold briefly flickered across johanna’s own expression. “well, i am most happy for you, sister. i remember feeling that way once. passion is certainly helpful in the early days.” and she smiled coyly but it was dimmer than before, almost imperceptibly so. her friend’s words nearly mirrored her own from years prior when she was first offered to matthias. indeed, she’d fallen in love but where had it led her? loving another meant allowing them the power to hurt you as well. whenever leopold’s name was mentioned it filled her with a bittersweet kind of nostalgia and she felt guilt for the way she schemed and plotted to take what was his for herself. in truth, she thought the crown prince could be easily neutralized for matthias’s influence expanded daily while leo had done nothing to prove himself deserving of his birthright. “perhaps, you will truly flourish once you are out from under his thumb. consider me woefully envious. as for the little prince...well, we can ensure he does not claim your father’s crown, yes?” politics was not something she often discussed with friedi for their friendship ran true and deep but now that she was to be married it added another variable to the game they all played, treasonous as it was. “the emperor’s blood cannot rule germany but now that your father has placed all his eggs in the ottoman basket, i beseech you to do what you can to garner supporters for matthias. bastard or not he is the most suitable option for our kingdom and i have known that from the day we first met.” while her relationship had encountered rocky waters her ambitions remained unchanged.
giovannamedici:
giovanna stood with pride but also kept herself as humbled - her heart heaving at the vision of such a pretty lady who had been so turned by life itself. though she knew little of the lady who had married into one of the largest and most powerful families within europe’s boarders, giovanna felt an urge to fix issues that were withstanding; though such issues were only born beneath giovanna’s own shadow. did johanna know of her husband’s past relations? had she heard of their letters shared in secret across the german and italian lines? or had she felt some disturbance after giovanna had shared a secret kiss with her husband? as a wife, and a loyal wife at that, she imagined that she could feel things others could not understand. so she approached with caution and open friendliness. if she was to work through her emotions, then she must come to understand that matthias would be ok with johanna instead of her. so she kissed each cheek in greeting, the motion expressed with a bounce in her step before holding herself before johanna.
though she had introduced herself as merely the sister to the grand duke of tuscany, johanna went on to express her love of charity. the idea that johanna knew off giovanna shocked her, her heels suddenly stuck against the soil of the earth like anchors from a ship as she steadied her breathing and offered a warm, inviting smile. the curse that came with such a charitable nature was an easy one to bear, gossip always did spread like wildfire but when stuck amongst others it seemed to suffocate giovanna in such a way that she could barely stand it. so she straightened herself and cleared her throat, nodding her head to prove her right. “that’s what many seem to call me but i do not see myself as mother of the poor. i just help, i offer what i can.. anyone could do it,” giovanna continued, defending such a label before shaking her head to rid herself of either ego or a nagging guilt. gesturing for the lady to follow her, giovanna took the first few steps towards the orchards owned by king diebold, spotting the colours before the fruit themselves. “this is the time to breach boarders after all, and it is truly pleasing to hear that war does not centre your soul… i find such matters to drain me beyond compare. and so, i thought it’d be wise to invite you to a morning of fruit picking. as a child i used to spend hours running amongst my grandfather’s vineyards… but it isn’t quite the same thing, is it?”
johanna had refrained from asking matthias of his past primarily because she did not know how to answer if he asked of hers. the understanding ran deep over the better part of a decade and now as she experienced creeping uncertainty she dared not broach the topic. too much time had passed but still, she had been part of a love-match for long enough to know that something had gone awry other than the usual pressure from the king and her fertility ailments. those problems they knew how to weather. the truth eluded her and suspicion had yet to fall on the woman before her, in fact, her disposition brightened at the prospect of a new acquaintance. confidence was something she had never been lacking in and that assuredness allowed her to view her relationship through rose-colored glasses. even the most intelligent people had weak spots in their armor.
“though we must practice discretion, lady giovanna.” she sighed, following giovanna’s lead towards the splendor of the fruit orchards. “my father-in-law would not be pleased to know we are meeting, nor my husband. i may care little for alliances but the king lives by such ties.” johanna usually considered herself an obedient wife so she had gotten rid of the flowers gifted to her by giovanna but technically matthias had not forbidden her from anything else such as making the woman’s acquaintance. bright eyes fell on a plum tree as they strolled sparking a memory of from not even a year ago. she had craved the sweet fruits day and night but of course, she was with child then. painful as such memories were johanna had been resolute in her belief that she would be with child once more much to the concern of her mother who had begged her to cease sharing her husband’s bed for the sake of her health. the baroness had insisted that love had made her foolish and mother knew best only to be brushed off by her determined daughter.
“i have always wanted to visit italy but of course i’ve never had reason to do so. i employ an italian to run our kitchen at the castle in leuchtenberg and dear jacopo paints such a lovely picture of where he grew up.” she’d dreamed of traveling many places while in reality coming to bellinzona was the first time she’d even left germany or the empire. consequently, she had always envied the freedoms and opportunities men possessed which allowed them to explore the world. the way she perceived it her resentment was kindling and could be used in her pursuit for power.
ofleuchtenberg:
The riverbank truly was a perfect spot and Johanna was a vision. Matthias admired his wife in the morning sun as he lay back on the blanket, the sun’s heat was evident on his face but Matthias was content in this moment. His daydreams were brought to an end with Johanna’s words, but still, Matthias looked up from his daze. “I know nothing of her,” Matthias shrugged as he reluctantly sat up. “I suppose she never had time for the products of my father’s whores.” King Diebold had granted his guests access to his fruit orchard and Matthias had picked an assortment of the best fruits the king had for just this moment. Matthias was dressed casually, in his linen shirt and his braies that hung to his knees. It was the perfect attire to spend a morning with his wife in their own tranquility though Johanna took his breath away even though she wore only her chemise. They danced around conversations of anything other than their future and if she bore and child. No, politics seemed to be the conversation of choice. His hand rested on his wife’s lower back while his head rested on his shoulder but he tried to not allow his body to tense at her words of an Italian. “Burn them,” Matthias commanded. “If my father finds them he will kill us both and I can’t promise I won’t try and get an attempt in first if any harm comes to you.”
it often felt like there were dozens of other people in their marriage, all waiting with bated breath for success or downfall. her brow furrowed at his demand, trained ears hearing his father’s influence more than anything. “very well, i shall be rid of them.” she acquiesced, reaching out to run slender fingers through his fair curls, a gesture of comfort. johanna was an obedient wife though such a statement was only true because of the love she felt for her husband. she would burn the flowers but would not dare to be rude to one who had reached out to her. bellinzona was meant to foster friendships meanwhile their sovereign seemed content to gain more enemies daily. “no one means to harm me, liebling, i am not nearly important enough to be targeted. not yet.” she teased, nosing beneath his chin to press tender kisses along his jaw-line. carved by the angels, she always thought. little spring flowers had begun to sprout in the grass and over matthias’s shoulder she spotted blooms of purple crocuses. they represented youth and johanna briefly considered that hers was fading. beside them were sunshine yellow buttercups, equally as beautiful but known to represent unfaithfulness. “do you think the water is warm enough...?” she asked, cat-like eyes shifting towards where land sloped into the river. learning to swim as a girl had been done in secret for her mother would have fainted at such impropriety.
