princess, with lips made of glass

clemence de valois et bourgogne / duchess regnant of burgundy / twenty-three

[ferdinandrex-blog]

Kamille, Clemence, Catalina

Bed:  Kamille.  Because redheads are wild in the sack.  And it would be right and just in the eyes of God.  Even Moses liked a burning bush now and then.

Wed:  Clemence, not only is she exquisite to look at and reportedly of a sharp mind but Burgundy commands France’s only route into Italy.  If future kings have any ambition there, they must contend with the Duc de Bourgogne.

Behead:  Catalina.  For reasons best known to her, all of which involve a great deal of frustration and feuding and grudge fuckery.

[duchessclemence-blog]

Margot, Isabel, Edvard

♕ || Ask My Muse “Wed, Bed, Behead”

I do not understand why on earth I would be asked to choose whether to have a woman in my bed - me, a duchesse who has devoted her life to a Christian church and army. I shall be pleased to marry Edvard.

Wed: Margot, to protect her from those who would harm her

Bed: Isabel, as I have not spoken with her but feel... drawn to her

Behead: Edvard, as he is adequate but I could not bear to behead my cousin

[duchessclemence-blog]

Garrit, Harald and Amira?

♕ || Ask My Muse “Wed, Bed, Behead”

A marriage with a woman would go against God, so though she is a woman worth befriending, I would have to behead her. 

Wed: Garrit

Bed: Harald

Behead: Amira

The real answer: 

Wed Amira

Bed Garrit

Behead Harald

[anotherrpmemeblog]

Ask my muse “Wed, Bed, Behead”

Give my muse three names and they will say which one they will wed, which one they’d bed and which one they’d behead.

[duchessclemence-blog]

“I did not know you held such an interest in giving alms to the poor, but it is a pleasure to have you around for company. And quite a surprise as well.”

[daughterofnaples-blog]

   “I could not have said so better myself, my lady, though I do wish I myself were accompanied by loved ones; the familiar faces I see are merely from the court in which I came. Have your loved ones make the journey with you?” Surely Caterina could expect her brother’s arrival soon, until then the young Princess was to face the vast amount of nobles and royalty with the grace which her mother taught her and the hope she would not offend any. “My beloved Naples is not a far cry from Rome, my home may be situated by the sea but I have visited many places further inland. The mass of bodies is unfamiliar to me, however, I can relate to the feeling of almost suffocation but it was to be expected.”

[duchessclemence-blog]

The lady in front of her was clearly knowledgeable in the ways of the courts of the Romagna, and Clemence could not help but believe there was more to her than shining blonde curls and a thin smile. “I have had the privilege of always feeling at home in my own court - it is only recently that I have found the joy in travel,” she said, thinking of her own luck in not having to move to Navarre when she had been married. “I brought my three children with me, and I could not be happier that they are old enough to travel and present at other courts.”

Naples sounded lovely to her, though all the disputes over territory in Italy - and the recent Valois loss - dimmed her reaction a bit. “Still, my lady,” she said, “You are quite lucky to have the chance to travel, to observe different courts and find the joy in every one of them. Here, you must feel at home more than many others.”

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“Thank you,” she said. Amira could not help but feel a little bit bashful. While she had heard her fair share of compliments often times she did not know how to respond when she got them. “It is a hebraic name. It means Princess. It was given to me by my late mother.” Curiosity lit up in her eyes when the Lady Clemence said where she hailed from. Burgundy. “Tell me what is your home country like, My lady.”

[duchessclemence-blog]

The Lady Amira seemed to take compliments as well as Clemence herself did. “Hebraic? How fascinating,” she said, “truly. I do not know the language, although I know it is quite the topic of interests among the priests and scholars here in Rome.” Her eyes softened a bit at the mention of a dead mother. “Well, you will always have something treasured from your lady mother as long as you are in this world.” She sighed when Amira asked about Burgundy, as she truly missed being at home in the country in which she had grown up. “It is always cool and comfortable, and the views from the forest and the road are gorgeous. Everyone is good-natured, truly. I travel between my mountain home in the South and a sea home in Flanders, and both are incredible places to host a glittering court. And what of your home and family, Lady Amira? I would be honored to hear more”

[belxvedmargxt-blog]

Margot never had the time for cares or worries. Spoiled from birth, every need was cared for. She had always been treated similarly to a precious jewel, delicately handled and revered and appreciated. There was a joy that being around family brought to her. A different kind of perception of Margot occurred when she did not need to charm and have her way. In the family arena, she was allowed to be wrong and allowed to lose. And Clemence was just so pleasant that they hardly ever disagreed. 

The report she received from her cousin did honestly seem a little boring. But perhaps married life was boring. There seemed little excitement in it for young Margot, who knew she would eventually marry but was simply having too much fun. With the basic information she received, Margot sighed. “Clemence, life seems so dreary without any excitement. You came to me just in time to be indulgent. I should like a much better report next time!”

Leaning back in her chair, she groaned softly. “I am actually having to work for attention, Clemence. It is agony.”

[duchessclemence-blog]

Clemence despised the thought that little Margot might see her as a bore - how could she ever, when Clemence had made a life out of defying men at every turn? Still, she could not necessarily trust her with her thoughts, even if she trusted her cousin with her heart, so she would have to come to terms with the image. Unless...

“Well, then - I shall let you in on a secret, but you must promise not to tell anyone,” she said. “Before we attend Mass tomorrow, meet me in the courtyard, and I can show you exactly why your grand-uncle Henri complained about my rebellious nature so much when I was a child.” She grinned and stuck her chin out good-naturedly. 

Margot was unlikely to like Clemence drawing attention to herself, but it would be an exciting diversion for all. “Darling, you have never needed to work to find attention. You need only find the perfect gaze and perfect companions, and you have your pick at this court because you are young and joyful.”

[annclise]

     The growing urge to subdue the duchess was no easy task to stifle. The game would be in the princess’ control— a kind of power she would not so easily relinquish a second time. Annelise proudly lifted up her chin with chocolate hues creating a link into Clemence’s. She was hardly intimidated by her, and if her current expression had not communicated that fact, her victory would surely clarify any misunderstandings. “I envy those who are in the position to extend their judgement. Imagine wielding such a significant amount of power.” It was the kind of authority her father kept at his disposal. The right to decide a man’s fate with the turn of his head. Annelise was born for such power, even if she had been denied it. “The black, my lady. I find it suits me better than the white.”

[duchessclemence-blog]

Clemence was unsure as to whether she was more fascinated or put out by Annelise’s brazen confidence in her own strategic skills. Clemence was nothing if not cautiously optimistic - no one could accuse her of acting overconfident, despite her sense of her own skills. She knew her chances against Annelise, and despite the fact that she felt so very drawn into this competition, she would not let the heat rise to her cheeks. 

“That would be true if holding power means wielding the right to judge,” Clemence said, a single eyebrow raised. “One can wield power and still choose to love others. How terribly shocking.” She took pride in her nickname of Duchesse Catholique, but it was more than that - she could not help the wordplay and the chance to make Annelise reconsider. Finally, she let out a loud, surprised laugh. “You have had me out, then. I have always played with white and never found black to suit me. Now, let us begin.”

[thomas-butler-placeholder-blog]

Thomas rolled his eyes when his men found woman that were much more interesting that following him. He waved them off and continued on alone, though his hand did rest on the dagger he had tucked away. He stopped at this cart with intriguing fruit. He had seen it a time or two in his walk through market already so he stopped and decided to try one. A stunning young woman came up next to him, commenting on what he too had been gazing at. “It is quite intriguing.” She purchased one and he followed suit, murmuring a thank you in his limited Italian, pulling out his knife and cutting it open. He looked back to the man and asked- “Come mangiare?” meaning how eat because it was the best he could do. He smiled as the man showed him and he- looked back to the woman beside him. “You pull out the seed fruit m’lady.” He said, freeing one of the red capsules and eating it, finding the fruit a bit tart but he liked it. “Perhaps a bit time consuming but interesting none the less.”

[duchessclemence-blog]

After purchasing her fruit, Clemence watched with sharp eyes as the man before her murmured something in accented Italian and sliced the melograno open with ease. It fascinated her when people were willing to try local delicacies without fear - one could not move about the world without experiencing something different. “That certainly is interesting,” she said. She pulled out her own knife to cut her melograno open, thankful she’d been careful to watch this Englishman do so. 

She squeezed out a few of the capsules and popped them into her mouth, one by one. As she bit into the first one, she scrunched up her nose, but the flavor that filled her mouth was so refreshing that her shock turned to delight. “You know,” she said, after swallowing the fruit, “I never cease to be amazed by the new things I come across, fruit and all. Is it not fantastic that one could travel just fifty kilometers to get here and still find this city full of excitement and wonder?”

[duchessclemence-blog]

You're too beautiful for words.

Ah….well…thank you? *blushes*

I do not believe you, not at all, but you will never know that.

[duchessclemence-blog]

your voice is spoken calligraphy.

I do not have the most gifted tongue, but I do have a spirited one, should that count for anything.

[duchessclemence-blog]

Roses envy your beauty.

Goodness, you certainly have me blushing as red as one!

[astarandcrescent-deactivated201]

confitemini edits 5/♛  princess, with lips made of glass // clemence of burgundy

@duchessclemence

[rpmeme-dump]

See if your muse can make my muse blush in less than 5 words

[astarandcrescent-deactivated201]

tag urself confitemini edition: the sassy squad

[thomas-butler-placeholder-blog]

Thomas was glad that he finally had the time to go out and explore. He was sneaking off, he was free to go out. He did have two men following him but really, they were far enough back it was easy to forget they were there. When he came to the market, he was more than pleased to see all the things that they were offering. He looked up when he heard someone come to look at the food stand with him. “I must admit I haven’t had a lot of these things…”

[duchessclemence-blog]

It had taken careful planning and easing a near-mutiny of her servants, but with only one man at her back instead of three, Duchess Clemence finally made her way through the streets, wearing a nondescript dress and a black cloak so as to move undetected. She stopped at a fruit cart carrying a unique red fruit, with little capsules which didn’t look quite like seeds. “It looks like something out of a fairy story for children,” she said to the man whose attention she had, seemingly without effort, caught. “I feel rather tempted to give it a try.” She dropped a gold coin into the waiting hand of the merchant and cupped it in her ungloved hand. “He called it a - melograno?” she said, fumbling over the Italian. “I must confess, my French is better than my Italian, and I know not how to eat this.”