Amira Calainon Varmont @forgottenamira - Tumblr Blog

OOC | Amira & Garbhan

i just KNOW garbhan and amira are besties ;DDDDDD no but honestly can hardly picture two ~more different ppl ladkjsflkjsdfj i defffff think amira gave the staffords a hard time when they were like 'and now we should invade astaira' bc...i mean, has amira ever gone easy on ~anyone alsjdkfkljdsfj but i think she was also sus right from the start that they were gonna try and steal astaira out from under the empire and she aint abt that!!! astaira is for edmund, like everything else <33333333 mommy knows best klajsdfklsdjf

i ~do think getting to know garbhan ~has helped bc i think she's like 'this dude is way too lazy to try to steal a country from a conqueror' but she still aint trusting rian bc that nerd is too self-important ~not to try smth but fortunely he's hopelessly bad at human interaction so that's a big plus bc lbr anything he tries will NEVER get off the ground <33333333 so she's not super worried abt them atp tbqh a;lsdfjaklsdfj

ANYWAY!! amira just gave birth to a daughter and YES the age gap IS weird but that doesn't mean that the staffords aren't suitable husband potentials sooooo that's fun!!! alksdjfkljdskf still, girl's keeping her options open bc they aren't the ~last royals in the world (yet) so!! lkajsdflkjsdf

#garbhan stafford #ooc

forgottenamira

OOC | Amira's Second Pregnancy

ok so, already announced this on disco, but ive got more details for you, now!! @forgottenedmund you're finally on the brink of getting some full siblings, now that you're full grown sldkajfksdjfjk and yes!! i ~do mean siblings, PLURAL, bc mama is carrying...*drum roll* TRIPLETS!!

ive been spinning a pregnancy generator for her each month, since we/she found out @forgottenmarian 's fam was coming back to court bc i think, to keep her influence w roderick strong etc in the face of that, that's what made her decide to try again. every month she didn't conceive, till now, and yeah! babies galore!

ok so i used [ this pregnancy generator ] to get the details on all this and, real talk, i combined a couple results bc one gave her SEVEN kids at once laskdjfjdsfkaj and i just...no. another killed her off. so also...no (not that im not open to her dying asp, you know me i will ~always consider a character death, but amira's still got a lot more to do before that) lsajkdfjdsf so here we are!!

ok so generator said that the pregnancy went unnoticed right up until labor started and imma be straight w you this woman is actively tryna conceive...no way she just doesn't notice alkdsjfjkdsf so!! imma just interpret that two different ways. 1) her baby bump was remarkably small for a multiple-pregnancy situation or smth along those lines alksdjfkjdsf and 2) that she didn't notice till a bit later since this is ~the middle ages~ and ways of telling such things early on are extremely limited, so i will go ahead and say that she conceived right around jun 1 (since i did spin for may and she didn't conceive) and didn't realize until right around the end of the month

during the pregnancy, the following symptoms are particularly noticable: depression, headaches, mood swings, nausea, decreased energy, exhaustion, and an increased sense of smell are all common symptoms (i just gave her all of them)

early labor will last for 22 days (slow labor)

active labor will last 9 hours

Triplets (3) will be born prematurely at 32 weeks, shortly after yuletide [on january 11]; one boy and two identical girls will result:

| Male | 4.4 lb | Healthy and strong | --- | Resembles Father's Brother (Euric or Alaric, i wonder? lkdsjfajsdf)

one baby does not survive (it is weak and deteriorates after illness).

both girls arrive weak or sickly but initially prove well enough, growing everyday stronger. both however ultimately contract an illness and, while one survives, she is blinded for life. the other does not survive. the surviving girl grows up a witch but this won't be realized, even by amira, for some time. (she's def giving unsettling lil girl who sees too much w blind eyes vibes and i love her v much <3) the boy is healthy and well.

idk if this is true ~or not~ but amira is convinced that her daughters' illness was not natural, as they had been steadily improving before they became sick. she is convinced that someone murdered one of her daughters and blinded/attempted to murder the other -- and probably tried on her youngest son, as well, but it didn't take. @forgottenroderick, being who he is, likely believes her w only limited persuasion, and also w the loss of another child probs re-enters his emo state for awhile -- welcome back goth emperor hours alksdjfksjdf

amira falls into a perpetual state of grief

overall, the delivery is extremely difficult. amira experiences severe bleeding and very nearly passes away, leaving her extremely weak with a difficult recovery. full disclosure, the generator did kill her but...nah, she/godfrey/tristan used some of their grandma's old witchy midwifery tricks and saved her or smth ig laksjdfjdsf

after the pregnancy, amira experiences general apathy, postnatal bleeding, fever and postpartum infection, frequent headaches, prolonged soreness, prolonged tiredness, increased appetite, lingering pain

couldn't have happened to a nicer person but lakjdsfkjldjf gotta say this all sucks so hard for amira honestly lkajdsfjkldsf damn

any naming suggestions?

i feel like roderick prefers english/visigothic naming conventions, so that's most common for the boy; amira prefers greek/middle eastern ones, so that's possibly more likely to show up for the girls, but edmund also def gets to weigh in on this and idk what he'd like! (and also i deffff welcome and want all suggestions/thoughts from ~everyone, ooc, as well!!)

some names i thought could work:

GIRLS

aida (returning, visitor)

alya/alia (heaven, sky, loftiness)

fatin (charming, seductive, fascinating)

alcinoe/alkinoe (strong mind)

arsinoe (raising of the mind)

aspasia (welcome, embrace)

kleonike/cleonica (glory, success, victory)

laodice (justce of the people)

philomena (beloved)

sophia (wisdom)

theodosia (giving to god)

xenia (foreigner, guest)

alodia (foreign riches)

aldara (battle aware)

BOY

alexander (protector of man)

alphonsus (noble and ready)

alvarus (all aware/conscious/guard)

amalric (unceasing/vigorous/brave king)

ambrose (immortal)

athanagild (year tribute)

fredenandus (peace/journey boldness/daring)

lysander (deliverer, savior)

odoacer/audovacar/odovacar (wealthy and vigilant)

theodemir (famous of the people)

theodoric (ruler of the people)

wymond (battle protection)

forgottenamira

THE BABES BE BORNNNN

ok sooo idk if we wanted to pursue the plot wherein @forgottenarias or @forgottenbrigit were dragged into the birthing chamber (after the first child expired) to help save amira and the rest of her kids, or not? i f not, we can say that like...godfrey's got some healing training and obv so does alke so maybe ~they helped out or whatever but anyway point is!!!!! spun a really tough birth and a really tough birth it was but amira has now (inadvertently) made a sacrifice to the demon tree and is that much closer to sporting this season's most fashionable accessory: demonic powers...but at what cost? girl will never be the same again

also we chatted quite a bit!

forgottenmarian Jun 30, 2025 Marian hates all of this 🫠 quillington Jun 30, 2025 at last smth they can agree on alsdkjfkjdsfj amira is NOT a born mother i can tell you that lakjsdfkjkdsjf i mean she adores her kids but that means being super hard on them and ?????? slkdjfakjsdf i feel like children are NOT her scene at ALL lajsdfkjdf @forgottentristan this is a you problem, i feel (also her handmaidens) forgottenmarian Jun 30, 2025 @quillington Marian who LOVES kids is probably going to be so creeped out by mini Amira lil witch daughter 😬 quillington Jun 30, 2025 @forgottenmarian Sgkjfshkhdr amira meanwhile: finally a child I can ~talk to! Bb girl: lo ere the seventh day thy deeds be done! Amira: YAY!

phabblebabbles Jun 30, 2025 Also!! My votes are for Sophia/Philomena and Lysander/Ambrose! Naming your kid immortal seems v Roderick 🫠 @quillington He’s like “JUST A REMINDER I WILL NEVER DIE REALLY.” quillington Jun 30, 2025 @phabblebabbles NEVERRRRRRR 🙌👏 roderick: the crowd goes wild! The rebels: only in the sense that they riot…

laurenplayspeople Jun 30, 2025 I was also looking at Sophia and Lysander! I also liked Fatin though (les mis brain!) quillington Jun 30, 2025 @laurenplayspeople Eeeee sophia and Lysander coming in strongggggg!!!! Fatin!!!!! Omg I didn’t realize there was a middle eastern girl in that book! That’s so cool!!! laurenplayspeople Jun 30, 2025 @quillington Oh, no, like Fantine! Lol. I just added the extra letters in my head when I looked at it 😂 quillington Jun 30, 2025 @laurenplayspeople Fantineeeeee ughhhhhh 😩😩😩😩 but omg they ~are similar aren’t they!! phabblebabbles Jun 30, 2025 @laurenplayspeople @quillington where’s the French inspired country? That would be a good name for someone!

now time me: pr sure orinthia was more or less fantasy!italy, not france despite what im abt to say below, so i think faulia or lienor must've been fantasy!france...

quillington Jun 30, 2025 @phabblebabbles you're so right!!! lakjsfdkjsdf was it lena's country of origin??? lakjsdfjdsf idr off the top of my head...pr sure it hasn't been conquered by roderick tho?? not sure, but i think we said it was lena's home??? phabblebabbles Jun 30, 2025 @quillington Idk if we’d decided what Lena’s country was based on besides knowing it had a coast line??? @quillington Oooo it could be kinda… French Riviera vibes?! So some of that vaguely Mediterranean inspo? quillington Jun 30, 2025 @phabblebabbles Oooooh yesssss bc I think we’d maybe talked abt Sardinia too abd those vibes would fold in beautifully!! phabblebabbles Jun 30, 2025 @quillington I love that! and we'd talked about it bordering Astaira, year? (Orinthia? Something w/ an "O" idk and i'm too lazy to open another tab to look!)

quillington Jun 30, 2025 @phabblebabbles Ooooh ok is Orinthia that same place? Ik orinthia is one of the unconquered countries but I wasn’t sure if it was Lena’s ? I was thinking it was but haven’t been able to find that stuff! Anyway, If so I think it does border astaira but…in the sense that England borders france or whatever bc there was talk w orinthia abt this Astairan fleet that was still sailing around out there w Astairan troops abd had possibly? Turned to piracy? I don’t remember all the details off the top of my head ngl 😂 phabblebabbles Jun 30, 2025 @quillington so honestly idk if we ever named Lena's home specifically? and i know orinthia was a name that was thrown out so maybe then they just sort of became one and the same? but omg yes! the fleet and the piracy is ringing a bell! i think one of aria's hopes was that siobhan had made it onto a ship and gotten to orinthia for safety? (even tho they didn't come to help when eilia called for aid?)

phabblebabbles Jun 30, 2025 @quillington Also Emo Emperor era 🖤🖤🖤 quillington Jun 30, 2025 Gotta love emo emperor and all his emotional stability always 🖤🖤🖤 laurenplayspeople Jun 30, 2025 The way that emo emperor era is gonna be so triggering for Guin. 😂 Flashbacks of just like: oh no, everyone is going to leave me again quillington Jun 30, 2025 😭😭😭😭😭 roderick in his goth voice: and we can none of us ever stop it!

laurenplayspeople Jun 30, 2025 @quillington Hey, I mean, congrats to Alistair, Guin is gonna get real clingy 😂 quillington Jun 30, 2025 @laurenplayspeople Afjkggbc ddhjkk alistair: daMn I shoulda married you sooner huh…oh wait it’s bc ur sister died…jk jk but you KNOW he GON be there for her through it all!!!!!!

forgottenarias Jun 30, 2025 Okay but knowing Amira was SUPPOSED to die… is there a world where Aria or @forgottenbrigit (esp if she ends up being one of Amira’s ladies!) ends up healing her enough so she doesn’t die?!?! quillington Jun 30, 2025 KATE!!!!!!! I loooooove!!!!! I think amira gonna want to either swap (Godfrey: dammit amira!) eilia for aria or just snag her as well for her household given the whole witch thing! Idk how successful she’d be but 👀 Can also legit see amira being like ‘save me or I’ll tell them all what you really are’ too 💀😭

forgottenarias Jun 30, 2025 @quillington Eeep!! Omg! So kinda like when we were chattering abt Aria healing Roderick in some hypothetical situation… I don’t think Aria could let someone die even if they’re the worse? Also knowing there’s these little babies and Aria herself losing her mom so early in life i could see there being som complicated feelings there if arias the one who healed her…

forgottenarias Jun 30, 2025 @quillington Also gonna write some thoughts from Marian abt all that tonight but she is gonna want Aria in HER house bc she’s sus abt her and Arthur post the poisoning thing 🫠 👀 quillington Jun 30, 2025 @forgottenarias @forgottenarthur DEF ain’t aria in Amira’s household!!!!!! And he legit ~would fight it — that woman scares him and no way he’s idly letting aria be out in harms way like that!!!!!! forgottenarias Jun 30, 2025 Aria like “aweee that sweet but also I am the one saving you from her soooo 😂” quillington Jun 30, 2025 @forgottenarias Sgjkjfdhkkhg Arthur’s a protector at heart he can’t help ~trying he thinks it’s the right thing to do sfhkhfdg forgottenarias Jun 30, 2025 @quillington I mean aria is def gonna secretly be 🥰😍 if she knows he is doing that (also she does NOT want to be in Amira’s house!!!) so he’s making smart choices 😅

quillington Jun 30, 2025 @forgottenarias honestly arthur probs wouldn't tell her lksdjafkjdsf he looooves praise and acclaim but simultaneously he really ~isn't one to toot his own horn (he's got ppl to do that for him! ldskjfaksjdf only ~kind of kidding laksjdfjdfj) plus honestly he knows how freaked out ~he'd feel if he were powerless in a situation and someone told him he was abt to put into amira's power and he really doesn't wanna put aria through that frankly so he'd rather she never know it was in contention...tho i feel like amira herself will def be telling aria that she hopes she'll come and join her someday in her own household laksdjfjsdjf forgottenarias Jun 30, 2025 @quillington That totes makes sense and if Arthur was like “I did the thing and you don’t have to be in Amira’s house!” Aria being her would be like “gross why?” Kinda like w/ the orphanage thing if she finds out on her own it’s 😍 otherwise it’s the ick 🤦🏻‍♀️😂 quillington Jun 30, 2025 @forgottenarias GROSS WHY BAHAHAHAHA the fact that arthur actually has ~some good instincts w aria honestly flooring me rn lakjdsfkjsdf but i love it <333333 that made it sound like its some ~play askdfjkjsldf it most def is NOT, he's just...like that honestly hahaha idk lkadjsfkljadsf its both a good and a bad thing -- its also why he didn't mention kil-kennar laksdfjkljsdf

forgottenarias Jun 30, 2025 @quillington Nooo I totes get it is coming from a good place for him! And he isn’t trying to get anything out of it— which if/when Aria found out abt any of those things it would be green flags for her! NOT wanting anything out of it except her well being is much better in her mind that like wanting smth for his good deeds 😅 quillington Jun 30, 2025 @forgottenarias Honestly!! Can’t help but agree w her — real love is selfless🥺🥹💕 but omg Arthur throwing out green flags finally 😩😩😩 he’s been on such a journey…tho tbf not announcing his achievements isn’t really new for him??? I think he got that from his mama (he sure didn’t get it from roderick! 😂) hearing all his titkes rattled off has always kinda stressed him out for instance…he’s a firstborn he’s like OMG I HAVE SM STUFF I GOTTA DO BC OF ALL THAT 😩😭💀 sfjkgdgj but anyway!!! Still!!! Proud of him fhkkfdgjkm

forgottenarias Jun 30, 2025 @quillington Marian def thinks Roderick could be a BIT more humble tbh haha! (but she's still going to fawn over him bc she knows thats what he wants!) so she definitely would try to get that across to Arthur like "be proud but you don't have to talk about it so much!) Aria: you MAYBE get so anxious about this bc you don't actually want to be Emperor?? maybe? just throwing that out there

quillington Jun 30, 2025 @forgottenarias omg aria's honestly such a good person <3333 her ~choosing to save amira just out of the goodness of her heart/empathy for her newborns ughhh <333333 oh man but idk if/how he ever would but the way @forgottenarthur would probs feel a lil betrayed if he ever found out honestly lakjdsfjsjdlf

forgottenarias Jun 30, 2025 Aria honestly not sure if she did the right thing!! I just cannot see her letting someone die, ya know? But I could see her in some circumstance trying to leverage smth out of it? But if Amira has her number that probably doesn’t work too well… I DO think it would be a thing bc she knows Amira wanted to actually REALLY harm Arthur bc she admitted it! So it would be a decision she’s grapple with like letting this women die/her kids only have Roderick as a parent OR save her but then is Arthur in Jeopardy?! quillington Jun 30, 2025 @forgottenmarian said gotta keep an eye on these two...dlskjfajskdf ok but arthur and marian going to bat together for aria in marian's household <333333 an old fashioned team up <3333333 his excuses are def that it would be a dishonor to take smth away from his mom that was freely bestowed by the will of the emperor anyway!!!!!!! can't do that to our queen!!!!!! lakdsjfjdsf

quillington Jun 30, 2025 ughhhh bb girl!!! saving someone and feeling bad abt it SOB -- do you think she ever wonders that same abt saving arthur? he's her enemy after all, personally killed a seer friend of hers, etc? either way tho i think amira is objectively a much worse person than arthur lkasdjfkjdsf so it makes sense either way!! ooooh omg amira would haaaaaate that she doesn't like ~anyone to feel they have ~any power over her!!! it makes her feel helpless and vulnerable!!! she's a type 8 that is literally GREATEST FEAR stuff alskdjfkjlsdjf i love ittttt <3333 what do you think aria would try to get outta her? but yearh amira would deffffff be like 'imma burn you' (her hopes for witches go right out the window when it comes to herself and her fam ngl) she would def lash out #facepalm honestly!! its honestly such a dilemma for her poor thing!! not saying he'd necessarily find out, but if he somehow ever did, like i said, i defff think he'd feel betrayed! that's his bogeyman!!! and she's legit been hunting him and his mother and brother his whole life, and aria knows it!! but also saving a mother from a cruel death like????? arthur also loves edmund v much and that's legit his mom! like, he'd come around eventually but he'd def be salty abt it for awhile i think in all honesty lkajdsfjjksdf but yeah idk how he'd ~ever find out frankly hahaha but i think that's honestly kind of a fascinating foil to arthur at kil-kennar -- arthur chose to kill aine; aria chose to save amira!!

forgottenarias Jun 30, 2025 i def think she's thought a little bit abt not saving arthur and like "could that have helped end this?" but again i think it goes back to the whole concept that she really DOESN'T want to kill/hurt people, she doesn't want more death! also maybe she would've thought abt it a bit more maybe like... pre-riots or smth but enough has happened that i don't think she really regrets it! plus she's got her whole "did i get these powers for a reason?!" thing going on so! so honestly IDK what she'd try to get out of Amira?! Its kinda hard bc like... there isn't a way to prove anything abt her being a witch (unless its like amira tells roderick aria healed her or smth and he believes amira?) so i think aria would just have to hope amira has a bit or honor or smth? or maybe even like "you get one free one-- smth happens again and you keep being awful, i'll let you/all your family die!" or w/e it would be protection of some sort honestly... whether its for eilia or arthur or someone else idk. but also who knows what happens in the moment, haha! OMG honestly love the potential foil of these two!! but yeah i think unless aria TOLD him... how would he know? its totally understandable that he'd be a bit betrayed by that esp EVERRYTHING his fam has gone through during his life! and idk if aria really understands all that tbh? (but also again idk if she could let amira die even if she DID know that so!)

quillington Aug 8, 2025 @forgottenedmund @forgottenmarian @forgottenguinevere ok so gonna ~tentatively (since lizzy/edmund hasn’t gotten a chance to weigh in) say that atm Amira’s strongly considering Lysander if a boy or Sophia if a girl, since those names were on both ur lists…surprise ofC it’ll be three but!!!! Sgjlhdgj atm…philomena or fatin and Ambrose are def also contenders but yeah she hasn’t told edmund or roderick yet so v much subject to change in even her own head etc! phabblebabbles Aug 8, 2025 !!!!!!!!!! quillington Aug 8, 2025 @phabblebabbles Also did a coin toss for which brother Amira’s second boy will resemble and it’s gonna be Euric sfjkhddhjjn poor kid his dad gonna hate him instinctively 😭😭😭

phabblebabbles Aug 8, 2025 @quillington 😶 whoops that’ll be fun for everyone! 😬😬😬 Marian: just a reminder none of MY CHILDREN resemble your dead brother! (Just kinda your uncle 🫠 💀) quillington Aug 8, 2025 @phabblebabbles Afjkhfddgj JUST KINDA UR UNCLE 💀💀💀 sfhkjfdgj roderick to Marian: ‘an excellent point my love all our children are exquisite’ sdgjkkjbvh fortunately for baby it’ll def take a couple years before he gets to an age where riderick would’ve known him since his bro was significantly older iirc but yeah least faV son unlocked 😭😭😭 amira: DAMMIT!

phabblebabbles Aug 8, 2025 @quillington Marian: point to team Arthur! (Meanwhile she’s also side eying Amira’s creepy witch daughter like 🤨 😝) quillington Aug 8, 2025 @phabblebabbles Creepy witch daughter: *speaking in tongues* Amira to Marian: I finally get why some ppl say that babies are cute! phabblebabbles Aug 8, 2025 @quillington We need LFR to stay around (forever ideally! 💖💖💖) but at least long enough for Amira’s creepy daughter to speak and weird out Marian 😅 quillington Aug 8, 2025 @phabblebabbles Forever 👏👏👏👏👏 but omg yasssss dgjkjfdgj poor Marian honestly dhkjffh I wanna see this go down!!!!

anyway will follow up probs in awhile and i didn't get to read through all the above etc but!! gotta run so here we are! also if @forgottenedmund has any naming thoughts re his lil siblings, we (his horrible parents) would love to hear <33333

#ooc #about #lore #edmund varmont #roderick varmont #aria stafford #marian varmont #arthur varmont #euric varmont #brigit malconaire #roisin malconaire

OOC | Love Curse & the Demon Tree

from the disco...

could tie into [ this ]

additionally:

just realized that even riacan and lena's doomed romance fits the love curse...the worst thing he could probs imagine, given his personality, was losing the love of his life to his horrible little brother...laksjdfkjlsdf also did realta actually love roderick? was the worst thing she could imagine in love being betrayed and murdered by him for everything that she/her family was? lskjdfksjdf

also good thing guin and eoin don't actually love eo they'd be dbl doomed...laksdjfkljsdf

anyway hit the 30 images cut off so tbc...

forgottenamira

OOC | Amira & Brigit

amira would honestly be deeply intrigued if she knew that brigit was a witch...i doubt she does, but amira kinda wishes she ~were a witch, and she uses a lot of arts that her grandmother taught her on the daily but honestly brigit, not having a prince on her lead, will probs be the least interesting malconaire to amira, tho moving brigit can move her sisters, so that could show some promise. but yeah! i think she's least likely to get much attention from amira even tho ironically of all the sisters, amira'd have most in common w brigit in truth lakjsfjksdf

forgottenbrigit

I was thinking -- do you think that Amira kinda keeps her ear to the ground when it comes to witches?? Like so many people had been accused of being witches, obviously, during the pyre walk but do you think she might have heard about Brigit being accused and then the accusation being rescinded??? And, if she did, do you think that that's something she would try to look into???

Also, I can't remember which post you asked it on, but I remember that you asked if maybe Brigit would have healed Cillian with magic after the battle and I 100%%% think that she should have!!! And like, maybe he was unconscious/delirious when it happened, so he doesn't remember, but someone else saw (or thought they saw!) her doing magic?

forgottenamira

ooooh ok so i love all of this!! i def think ~both calainons keep their ears to the ground re: witches!! and godfrey has a whole spy network, i feel like, so one way or another i def think she ~would know abt that!!! and she'd be verrrryy interested! whether its true or not is equally interesting bc just the accusation alone, floating out there in the aether, can't be taken back entirely and its all ammo in her arsenal, one way or another!! i do also think there's an interesting sort of anti-parallel here bc amira has all the knowledge/a former teacher in the art of witchcraft etc but no power whereas brigit has all the power and none of the practical training/knowledge so they've got this strange sort of inverse thing happening here that i just feel like could potentially make for some interesting parallels and anti parallels etc but ANYWAY i def think, this being the case, that amira would be sure to arrange a 'chance' converstaion at the ball to sort of get a feel for who she is ajksdflkjdkljfkjds its called being a good hostess laksdjflksdfjkdsf

AHHHHHHHH omg obsesssssseddddd AND THE FACT THAT HE DON'T KNOW likeeeee slajfksljdfdsf he would've died but she saved hima nd doing so v nearly cost her her own life i-- *clutches heart* cillian will F R E A k if he ever finds out alkjsdfalkjsdfkljsdf and yessssss i like the idea that someone saw and RATTED lajsfkjskdfj amira, tapping her chin as she hears this 'hmmm yesss very interesting, very interesting indeed...'

forgottenbrigit

alkjflsajfsfll oh my god I never thought about that parallel?? And like, Brigit's v stubborn and obviously anti-Varmont, but depending on the situation/what is happening, there might be a time when she'd consider asking Amira for help -- if she knew that Amira has all of this knowledge, y'know??? I mean, she'd have to be in dire straights to even consider it, but Brigit will ultimately do anything to save her sisters, so if they were even in jeopardy and she needed to use her powers beyond what she knew, I can see her maybe going to Amira!!! (it would literally be a last resort, but!!)

aslfjsalfjlsajf but yeah brigit secretly saving cillian's life at the expense of risking her own!!!! <333 I do have a headcannon that she def stayed with him until he regained consciousness and her's was the first face he saw when he came to, again, and he witnessed her relief and honestly, I feel like that moment also factored into him later confessing his feels to her!!

forgottencillian

ooooooh brigit being pushed to go to amira! what a team lajsdafjlsdf i wonder if this maybe ties in to amira being able to contact/claim a guardian, too? bc we know our girl aint too altruistic lakjsfjklsdjf and she wouldn't necessarily tell brigit why she wants her to take her for a walk in the old forest mind but yeah! she ~does need a malconaire to get there...that being said, she's happy to pass on her knowledge bc #witchsolidarity (amira, you aint one babe! amira: don't be rude lakjsdfakljsdf) but she gotta get smth out of it...like powers of her own (borrowed laksjdfjklsdf)

bc like...lauren, kate, and i were thinking that maybe there're ~other magical trees at malconaire and maybe there's a dark!tree chained up at malconaire in the old forest that might be the one amira targets for the plan re her og bio of seizing a guardian for herself laksjdfjksdf [ here ] [ here ] [ here ] (i ~think that's everything?) which obv has yet to be confirmed/idk if this makes sense to you/works re your thoughts etc etc etc but yeah! provided we ~do go in that kind direction, that could be an aspect thereof? tho, equally, this could be in exchange for any help amira might offer re her sisters being burned alive as witches etc ig? idk lakjdsfkljsdf

but, yes, irregardless of the above, basically amira would be down to train brigit!!!! she'd def want smth out of it tho, even if its just a favor to be named later or whatever!!!

anyway, re: cillian!! oh man i loooove the idea that she stayed w him till he woke and hers was the first face he saw and ughhhhhh babiessssss SOBBBB aksjdfkljsdjff honestly ik his face was just written all over w 'that's the light of my life right there' as he looked at her then not even necessarily sure exactly where he was or what had just happened in the moment bc he just <33333333 he loves her sm frankly ughh lakjsdfjksdf and omgggg him seeing the relief written all over her face, he might've thought 'omg she loves me too!' and its sad bc like...he's not wrong, its just, not the kind of love he hoped SOB and oh man that factoring into his confession!!!! yassss!!!! and that paired w everything that had happened honestly makes all the sense in the world!!!!!

also i wonder if maybe ~her healing cillian~ being what originally had her accused of witchcraft might come out when roderick tries the girls for it? it wouldn't necessarily have to, i don't think, bc frankly i think simply having been accused asp is probs enough in roderick's book esp bc he's mad at the malconaires for interfering w his kids etc, but yeah!

BUT i ~do think it could potentially contribute to a supposed pattern of behavior displayed by all four girls esp since i def think rosie, at least, will think there's secretly smth going on between these two when she notices that now brigit is ~also going into the old forest at the same time as cillian a lot and, if that habit gets out, she may not be the only person to draw that conclusion esp bc like...i do think cillian isn't always fully aware of ~the way he looks at her~ sometimes and yeah!! basically, brigit's sisters are also accused of using witchcraft to seduce the emperoro's sons, and now even brigit seems to have some tryst going (even if its just w some farm boy...if only roderick had had another son ig ;DDD) so obv its all the same behaviors and, since brigit (being the only one anyone can actually claim to have witnessed...tho valentina might perjure herself fearfully on this occasion, feeling she's protecting herself and her own kids, ngl...yayyyy best stepmom award!!) was actually witnessed using witchcraft, that means they're ~all witches right (obv this logic is a iron-clad!!!!!! ;DDDD)??? might be a factor in the trials, potentially????

anyway, that was a bit of a tangent but my point is, if cillian finds out that ~he's the reason she was put in this terrible position, he will be GUTTED and alksdjfkljsdkfj MUAHAHAHA *angsttttttt* timeeeeee!!! lakjsfkljsdjfk

EDIT:

from the replies...

forgottenbrigitFeb 26, 2024@forgottenamira alternatively re: Cillian and Brigit healing him, she totally could have gaslighted him and he’s like “brigit! I’m dying!” And she’s like “no you aren’t” *heals his wounds* “this isn’t even your blood. You’re fine.”

forgottenamiraFeb 26, 2024Original Poster@forgottenbrigit THIS ISNT EVEN YOUR BLOOD lajsfkljsdjfdsf cillian: 'i...what is ~happening!!!' alkjsdfkjldf also cue him feeling weirdly guilty abt not even being injured when lord m went and fully diEd alskdfjkjsdf

love this! i say we ~mingle them!! so boy's last thought is that he's dying and he passes out. he wakes up in brigit's arms and is like 'is this heaven?' and she's like 'you're fine this isn't even ur blood' and then he sees like yeah...he doesn't have a scrape on him????????? and tada!! lkajsdfkljdsf soooooo disoriented and confused and yeah feeling kinda guilty and meanwhile he really ~did almost die he just doesn't know it lakjsdfkjldsf

#thought i should also post this here for reasons hahaha #brigit malconaire #cillian frost #roderick varmont #valentina malconaire #eithne malconaire #aoife malconaire #roisin malconaire

OOC | The Kvenheim Revolt

so...warning, this one gets a lil grisly (its the neopolitans' fault! ;D) there are dead bodies involved

sooooo, amira was (at least de facto) regent for a moment, back in the day, and really got her hot girl summer going in a very amira fashion and id like to tell you all abt it

TIMELINE???

in the year 1270 OC/8 AR, edmund varmont was born. lizzy notes that he's a gemini. in our world, gemini lands in the may/june divide, but we've established via (i believe all four of!) the malconaire girls' birth signs, that the birth signs and birth dates don't always match up exactly in this world with our own (ex: rosie is a sagittarius, but she was born on samain/halloween), so TL;DR: im not gonna get ~too clear on exactly when what happened etc bc idk lizzy's thoughts re edmund's birthday

but!! whenever it might have been, i would like to talk abt amira's first pregnancy a bit, or rather smth that happened during it, so just to ground us a bit, what occurred happened in roughly 1269/1270 OC aka 7/8 AR, depending on timing, meaning that roderick was at the time at war w malakarta, and it was likely towards the end of the pregnancy, since we know that marian was pregnant with cassandra, herself, at the time, which will become important, later, as we'll see, so im gonna just say its ~1270 OC/8 AR and call it a day, but obv we can work this out too if it doesn't work for everyone!

ive alluded in the disco to the rebellion during amira's regency, and how she handled it, and id like to talk abt this a lil more!

BACKGROUND

let's line up some context! roderick and his forces (including both calainon boys, tho they were children, or little more than, at the time) were fighting in malakarta. marian, suspecting a new pregnancy was away on her father's estate and her father and brothers who weren't fighting and sons with her. elaine was at harburrow for the fox ball. cojent point: amira may be a queen, but she's also a heavily pregnant foreigner, and alone as an authority figure in the ovn capitol wo any powerful men to protect her. its the perfect time for a lil rebelling

so far, roderick has under his sway the following countries:

the ovn (fantasy hre/germany)

antilla (fantasy iberia)

vinetta (fantasy baltic sea area)

kvenheim (fantasy scandinavia)

kolchis (fantasy greece/byzantium)

he's mostly got malakarta (fantasy middle east) beat but, the war drags on. kvenheim, formerly a conqueror, itself, has ideas abt seizing what roderick's taken for himself, starting w his largely abandoned capitol and its seemingly fragile puppet leader, amira, in her oh-so delicate condition

INVASION AND SIEGE

the kvenheimr march on the borders of the ovn, itself, sacking and burning as they go, marching towards the capitol city. now, ~we know someone they ~don't really know atp: amira. does she take this lying down? no. first she writes to her husband, then to the governor of kolchis (she does NOT write to the house of the sun which...frankly probs woulda been the smart thing bc proximity etc but...we know our girl l;akjsdfkljsdfj), and then she begins rousing the city.

they were in for a gruelling siege. the kvenheimr built a wooden city outside the thick ovn capitol city walls and decided to wait them out. but amira wasn't content, and she remembered what defenses kolchis had had, preparing such awful weapons as boiling oil, hot sand, and a volley of arrows, tipped with famous kolchean fire (think greek fire! prepared by amira, herself). these measures were initially effective, but the kvenheimr grew wise to her and continued their onslaught. the attackers used catapults and siege towers and ladders, but still they were repulsed

still, inside the city walls, resources were growing thin and amira knew they could not afford to wait for roderick, half a world away, or even the kolcheans who may or may not even decide to come. they had to fix this themselves

THE FEAST OF THE DEAD

ok so that's an ominous title and its not without merit bc uhhhh, well ~we know her, but amira was kind of an unknown atp, really, on the international stage: she was just some sexy side piece that roderick decided to crown for some reason which appeared from the outside to just be some weird powerplay w his litigators which he won and called it a day, and amira used this ignorance to her advantage.

feigning weakness and a desire to speak of surrender, amira invited the kvenheimr captains inside the gates. if they'd only bring supplies with them, amira would capitulate. they'd take the city, and roderick's pregnant queen. it would be a strong position from whence to launch their campaign against the emperor. they could bring their entire army in and, when they had, she promised, the queen herself would await them at the palace, and they would all feast on the finest delicasies from the emperor's own table as she officially surrendered and the victors would be crowned and feted and enthroned upon roderick's own seat. the city would be theirs.

now, i must inform you, the capitol city sports not merely one single wall, but a ring of them, at least three, each thicker and sturdier than the last. the sections within each of these concentric rings is massive, practically a whole city unto itself. outside the walls is where you will find beggars, inside the final walls you will find nobles and kings, so that each wall seemingly represents a wealthier and wealthier population -- and a part of the city all the more worth taking

as i have said, supplies were growing slim to feed the whole city, but what wasn't growing slim were the ever-mounting collection of bodies. ppl were starving and, with death and injury and starvation, illness was rampant within the walls. plague was taking the city by storm

after sending her letter to the kvenheimr, amira got to work under the cover of dark

the next morning, the kvenheimr approached the gate, but the sentries refused to open until they brought the promised supplies with them -- the queen was terrified, they said, lest the kvenheimr should make promises of feeding the city, but then leave them all to starve after she had surrendered. grumpily, they acquired their supplies and the gates were opened to them, but decided to split their army, leaving a contingent outside the walls instead of bringing the entire army inside, as originally planned. after they'd entered the first city gate, the kvenheimr were invited to leave the supplies there and, tired of lugging them, they agreed. they found the gates of the second wall open to them and went in

before them, the kvenheimr found a stage had been erected before the gates of the final wall -- which remained shut. the city was strangely quiet all around them. there was only the little wooden stage and, upon it, a purple velvet curtain had been erected to all sides. the entire place stank. behind them, a loud metallic clap, and they saw that the portcullis had been dropped. the kvenheim army was trapped between high, thick enemy walls

impatient, the captain marched up to the velvet drapes and yanked them down, only to stagger back in horror and disgust a moment later. he'd revealed a ghastly scene with an array of bloated and festering corpses, dressed in the finest clothing the ovn could offer, sat at a table heaping with a stunning feast, all that was left of the finest food from the palace, itself. at the center was a corpse holding ceremony, dressed in roderick's own clothing and crested with one of his crowns, seated in one of his thrones. A similar effigy of the pregnant queen sat at his side. In her half-skeletal fingers was clutched a note had been pinioned to her with a dagger. 'With Her Majesty the Queen's compliments: a feast for traitors,' it read. 'All the riches and festivals of this necropolis are yours to keep, so long as you can hold it.'

no sooner had the captain read it aloud than boiling oil and hot sand and fiery arrows began to rain down from both walls all around them. seeking refuge, men ran for the abandoned houses, but found them choked with rotting corpses as well. a city of the dead. it was a shooting gallery, and thousands of invaders fell, but those who did not soon grew hungry and, with nothing more to eat, they pushed past the corpses and began to devour amira's feast -- only to die hideously of poison. those who evaded death from above, and poison also, soon fell to either sickness or lack of water. within mere days, it was done

when the troops had stopped stirring, amira ordered the entirety of the middle city burned to ash, to free them all of plague, for she'd had it filled with all the corpses throughout the city, and then the gates between were opened, the entire city able to interact again, and the kvenheim supplies shared freely amongst all within the walls

DOVES OF WAR

tho the bulk of the invading army was dead, there were still those outside the walls to contend with. it was more than clear to the surviving kvenheimr, by now, that some treachery had been at work here and so amira decided to take the unexpected path, and was direct, this time

despite her advanced pregnancy, our girl pulls a catherine of aragon, donning chainmail and plate and rides out before the ragtag team of defenders they've cobbled together from those still left in the ovn and not off fighting -- boys wearing helmets too big for them, done old men, weary and grey. she gives them a rousing speech, speaking of how when she was a girl in kolchis, the ovn was famed for its unrivaled fighting force, known around the world as the most ferocious country of all, how kolchis had been proud to open its gates to them and let them in for their boldness -- and told how these foolish kvenheimr would taste the ovn's greatness at last

tho hardly in a condition to take to the field, herself, amira's force of personality went w them, as did her husband's fighting spirit (or so the chroniclers say), and the defenders road out and took the day. finally beaten, the remaining invaders wrote to amira, suing for peace. knowing that the lord of the house of the sun had finally heard of her beleaguered state, and not wishing for him to arrive at the final hour and take credit, she decided to act quickly. she wrote back that she knew they had not much, now, to give, so, so long as they sent her one of their letter-doves for each cardinal direction as a sign of peace, she would accept their surrender. when they did so, amira tied stones to the birds, slathered those stones in greek fire and set them free. being homing pigeons, they flew back to the little wooden structures of the kvenheimr and soon all that was left of the invaders was ash. amira, as promised, declared peace

she had the head of he kvenheimr captain, claimed by her ragtag force when they had sallied forth, sent to her husband in tribute. few have dared underestimate roderick's second queen, since, and, when they do, she need do little more than send them a dove with a pebble tied to its leg, to remind them how they should behave

roderick, for his part, finished quashing the malakarta the moment he heard and rushed back home. he then set about a reign of terror in kvenheim. since that time, few have dared open rebellion, and certainly none have tried to invade the ovn. roderick, for his part, proudly pronounced that his wife's own conquest was the result of his son growing inside her, and credits this as edmund's first victory -- thanks, kiddo! (au where edmund was born a girl and rocked roderick's whole world laksdjfkljsdfkjj -- women??? were responsible??? for this??? alskjdfljsdkf)

---

ok so this one's pr crazy but i can't take credit for it bc *drum roll* believe or not...this is all actual history (and, ok, potentially historical legends in a couple cases? who can say?) ive jumbled up laksjdfkjdsf ok so we've got: st. olga of kiev w the peace doves of death, one of the kings edward -- i think? edward longshanks? for the plague victim and dead bodies as a weopons party, julius caesar trapping armies w multiple walls shenanigans, and those good ol neopolitans setting up a weird poisoned table of the dead for the invading french to stop them in their tracks, to thank for all these wild lil moments sldkjfakjlsdf uhhh thanks for coming to my ted talk ig dslkfjasdklfjdf

#about #lore #ooc #roderick varmont #edmund varmont #elaine varmont #marian varmont #cassandra varmont #arthur varmont #sebastian varmont

lizzysrps

The Long Forgotten Realm + Text Posts

#image #about #OBSESSED #roderick varmont #edmund varmont #arthur varmont #aria stafford #cassandra varmont

The Tree House | Amira & Cassimir

"What a very lovely home you have here, Lord Malconaire," commented Amira with a soft smile. While she wasn't entirely pleased by Roderick's sudden ploy of betrothing Guinevere to Eoin, she had already determined that she might turn this to her own advantage in attempting to sway Guinevere from Arthur's camp and into Edmund's, given Eoin's own Calainon connections helpfully supplied by Godfrey's own betrothal. It wasn't much to go on, but it was enough, and she meant to make a go of the thing. Her spirits, thus, were not so dampened as they might have been even coming to the party, but she could not deny that they'd been significantly improved by arriving.

It was not the fete, itself, which gave so much pleasure, though she meant to make it appear very much that it was. It was the tree. Anyone was capable of sensing magic, deep down in their bones, her grandmother had taught her. Everyone at some point had felt eyes in their back, or the shiver of something not quite normal along their spines. Everyone. But Amira had been taught to wheedle through these things, to use this capacity to understand more. It was no ordinary tree sprouting through the roof of this strange home, no. It was one of the demons for which Astaira was so famous. And Amira meant to use this knowledge to her own advantage. For some time she'd wished to harness the abilities of such a being. Now she thought perhaps she had found an opportunity.

"Your charming bride-to-be was just telling me of its history but you, I feel, may have a particularly intriguing perspective on it, having grown up here and yet...not. You are, like myself after all, not from this country originally." She smiled up into his eyes. That many in court had an intense dread of foreigners was no secret, but the queen did not wish him to think she was calling him out for his own internationalism. Kolchis was a more open culture...in that respect, at least.

Nonetheless, Amira did not trust this man. Oh, it was true that she truly trusted her blood kin, alone, but she suspected that Cassimir may, in fact, be her smiling enemy. It had not been lost on her how his mother had tried to throw his sister at Roderick during the Ice Ball, and at every event since, and she had not failed to note, either, Cassimir's own attentions to Guinevere. Clearly, a scheming family. And that was all on top of the fact that Cassimir no doubt knew well and good that it was Edmund who had put Malconaire to the torch. Yes, he had reason enough to wish vengeance, as it was.

But, perhaps more basic than that, Cassimir had now been cast in the role of pretended father to the child Roderick had confirmed, after a conversation with the lady herself, that Eithne truly was carrying. And only this evening, Eithne had implied to Amira, herself, that her child was not Arthur's at all but, in fact, Edmund's, saying that her friendship with both princes had been equally deep and abiding. Amira was no fool. She knew well and good, just as Roderick had from a previous meeting, just what Eithne was truly saying. Now, it was her task to learn just how much Cassimir knew. If he meant to make it his business to hurt her boy, Amira meant to crush him. It would not be hard.

And so she smiled up into his eyes and laughed innocently. Arrogance poured off of this man like sweat. He would not prove difficult to charm. A few well placed compliments, she was sure, and he'd soon be eating out of her hand. Roderick had been much the same.

"Not that anyone would know it to look at you, my lord," she added with a small smile. "You've the grace of someone who truly belongs. Someone truly in control. I can see you've done much with the place, already. It must be...a deeply rewarding endeavor, I'd imagine? Do tell me of your plans for the future. I can only imagine the difference you will make here, my lord."

#the tree house #comment #cassimir malconaire #amira: bc im smarter than anyone else i know ~exactly what is going on *gets too ~clever abt it all and draws the wrong conclusion*#also still never telling edmund she's got his back even when she's actively thinking of killing for him...again lakjsdfkjdsf

forgottenamira

Tea for Three | Amira & Aria & Eithne

"Here," said Amira, forming a smile. "Sit here."

The room was ana small one, intimate in its scale and yet, made of almsot entirely glass, open to the sky. It had been one of Eilionora's favorite rooms in all the palace, but she had scarcely seen it since the Varmont occupation had begun and, now, she might have been stunned to see it so transformed by sudden winter in spring. Ice licked the wide glass panes, its frosty prints seeming to tune the pale stone all to muted marble.

Still, Amira welcoming to young women into the room -- one of whom was amongst its rightful owners -- took little heed of winter's wroth or its frosty caress upon the building in which they weathered it. At the recent ball, Amira had noted the attentions which her stepson, Arthur, had unabashedly paid to each of the two women she'd invitd to tea and she turned her apprising gaze upon them, instead.

Though she smiled, there was something in the gaze that left something wanting -- some strange hunger that never seemed to leave her. Emotion had long since ceased to be natural to her, and its facsimile she wore with some difficulty. The only thing she felt was raw. She no longer recalled how to doll it up with sweetness. Her eyes were dissecting where she meant to appear warm. So she smiled, wolfish, heedless of the effect, and welcomed her unwilling guests.

"I am so glad you were, the both of you, able to come. I know my stepson, dear Prince Arthur, will be most pleased to see you both," she added, arching a brow. "He is so very fond of you each."

forgotteneithne

Both young women had stared at each other in wordless shock as they'd arrived simultaneously at the solarium and were greeted by the Queen Amira. Both women had been confused by the invitation and neither had been alerted it was to be a party of three.

Eithne stepped back, allowing the (now former) princess to step into the room first. Even with the announcement from the Emperor, House Malconaire would never forget who the true rulers of Astaira should be. It felt as if both parties were trying not to make eye contact with the other as Amira went through the motions of being a hostess. Aria knew the cold and unfeeling look behind her eyes well and wondered if Eithne had been so unlucky as to spend much time with the Emperor's rumored Witch-Queen.

As the pair sat, an overly elaborate tea setting that was clearly of the Varmont Empire, displayed on the table in front of them, Amira spoke the name that suddenly made this entire event make sense to the Astairan Princess.

Eithne, for her part, had no idea about the goings on at the palace between the Imperial Prince and the middle Staford daughter and while Aria herself had no spies telling her what had transpired at Malconaire, she had been suspicious of something for weeks now. It had all but been confirmed at Guin's ball when she'd seen Arthur make his way with quite a bit of haste across the hall upon the steward announcing the family's arrival.

Aria had known Eithne Malconaire her entire life-- she was her sister's dearest friend-- and had seen how often she turned the head of a young man. It was no surprise at all that Arthur Varmont had taken a liking to her. It was no surprise that's where he'd been riding off to so often-- Malconaire, all green and warm and bright with the kindest hostess one could ever want. Of course he'd wish to be there with Eithne.

And that was not her fault. Her kind ways and pretty face had landed her here in this castle and prison being eyed by the Witch Queen. Aria was well practiced in pushing out emotions-- even emotions she herself did not wish to confront-- for the good of her people and in the moment she did just that.

"You mean to tell us you've invited us here simply because of your step-son?" Aria questioned suspiciously. She met Amira's eye, not wanting to drop her gaze, wanting to try and understand what the Queen wished to gain from this social gathering. "Shall he be joining us? I don't believe I've ever seen any of the Imperial Princes stop for something as trivial as afternoon tea," Aria continued cooly.

Eithne was silent, though Aria noted from the corner of her eye the woman's hand was grasping the arm of her chair quite tightly. Eithne was lost in thought-- Arthur had not been mentioned to her since he'd last left Malconaire days ago. That had been the day she'd told him about her engagement to Cassimir, the day everything between them had changed entirely. She couldn't see him-- not yet and not here at the palace.

forgottenamira

Amira chuckled, reaching forward to pour them each tea, its soothing herbal aroma filling the solarium with rich warmth, sorely wanted in the wake of the unwarranted spate of ice, and Amira breathed it deeply, unconcerned by Aria's testing tone.

It was likely true that Aria had more training in the kind of diplomacy expected at court, but Amira had just as much experience, by now, in its arts. And she had something besides: an edge she'd honed with want, stealing from gullible travelers whom she beguiled with her supposed witchcraft, spinning futures she could see they wanted from the gleam upon their eye, not from the creases in their hands. It was an experience which had served her better than any experience she'd gained at Roderick's side.

"It shall be his loss if he does not join us: the choice is his." She tilted her head. "Trivial, is it? What do you say, Lady Eithne? Is a meeting ever a trivial thing?" She let the question hang for a moment. "I do not think it is. Particularly not when my family is involved..." she smirked. "And certainly not when tea is."

She passed them each their cup in turn. Their discomfort was a blanket spread over the whole room, as much a presence as the swirling heat of the tea that arced up and up and up as they spoke.

"Drink up," she said. "It will only be this hot the once."

It was intriguing to Amira, this difference between these two women whom Arthur had cultivated in his life: Eithne, white-faced and stiff, her whole body language speaking of profound discomfort; Aria: sharp-tongue and steel-eyed, her body language aggressive. Did one dread the other? Or perhaps it was a protective urge?

Had it gone the other way: had Aria been grey-faced and Eithne spiteful, well, that might not have seemed to strange given Roderick's edict at the Ice Ball, but this was something quite. opposite. There was something unspoken here, something greater than mere nerves at facing Roderick's witch-wife. Amira meant to find out what it was.

"I do so hope you each had a marvelous time at my stepdaughter, Her Imperial Highness the Princess Guinevere's nameday ball. Despite the...unpleasantness, it was a night to remember, was it not?"

forgottenarias

Listening to Amira's chuckle, Aria found herself wishing Arthur would appear at this gathering in his step mother's quarters. While logic told her that Arthur's addition to this party would only add to everyone's discomfort (except, perhaps, Amira who seemed to be thriving in this environment), she could not deny there was something about his presence that (as concerning as she found the fact) also put her at ease.

Eithne could almost hear Brigit's voice scolding her when she returned to Malconaire after this gathering. "I've said again and again nothing good would come of being kind to Arthur Varmont-- all it did was land you in the sitting room with the Emperor's witch queen!"

"Not to speak for Lady Aria," Eithne began slowly, trying to keep her voice steady. "But I do believe perhaps she meant that afternoon tea is not typically an activity one finds young men taking part in, especially Imperial Princes." Eithne turned her head to look at Aria. "Am I perhaps correct in my thinking?"

Aria wished desperately she could speak with Eithne alone, wished she could warn her that Amira was not to be trusted. But she could not, and her eyes along could not convey anything to the young woman across from her.

"Yes... Lady Eithne has always been much better with words than I," Aria replied, turning her gaze back to Amira.

Aria couldn't help but laugh at Amira's description of what transpired at the Princess's name day ball as 'unpleasantness.' It was a sharp, abrupt laugh, and, shaking her head, Aria snatched up the cup of tea sitting on the table before her. She had been of a mind not to drink a drop of it, but as she took a long sip of the hot liquid, part of her thought that being poisoned by Roderick Varmont's witch queen might be preferable to having tea with her this afternoon.

"It was a lovely evening," Eithne replied when it was clear that was all Aria planned to reply to the Queen's question. Aria seemed completely out of sorts in a way that was strange for any of the Stafford sisters. Aria, sometimes even more so than her elder sister, had mastered the art of masking her emotions so to see her acting in this way was odd for the eldest Malconaire daughter. Pushing thoughts of Arthur aside, she resolved to try and behave sociably towards this intimidating woman before her.

"The food, alone, was a marvel... so many delicacies we never have seen in Astaira. Were any of the dishes offered from your home, your Highness? You and your brothers originally hail from.. Kolchis, correct? I do hope I am pronouncing it properly... please forgive me if my Astairan tongue misspeaks."

#comment #aria stafford #eithne malconaire #tea for three

forgottenamira

A Scarlet Letter | Amira & Aria

"Why," commented Amira, smiling as she sipped at her drink, approaching Aria at the feast following the first day. She'd noticed the former princess' eyes following Arthur wherever he went with some interest -- her theory about Eithne, after all, truly had its foundation in a theory about the two of them. "Doesn't my stepson looking dashing tonight?"

Laughing into her cup, she took a sip before presenting another to Aria to drink. "Do you know, I have a theory about him?" She arched her brows conspiratorially. "I think he has a new flame. Oh," she waved a hand. "We all know how he got his poor, dear heart crushed some time ago but...I feel certain. There's someone new in his sights, now." She exchanged a meaningful look with Aria, carefully watching her face for any betrayal of emotion.

"Shall I tell you how I know?" Amira gestured for Aria to take a seat by her side, before turning her gaze towards Arthur. "You are practically family already, aren't you, and I confess, I should like for us to be friends. I shall tell you.

"I've known that boy his whole life, my lady. He is not like you or I -- no careful guard over his heart for his own protection." She smiled, tilted his head. "Perhaps its part of his charm. But there's a...dreamy quality about him when his heart is touched. He has it from his mother, you know. You can see it in all Marian's children, in truth, though I will not deny the boys conceal it better than does our sweet Cassandra."

Another pause.

"There's something else, too: tell me you have not seen it."

She let the pause lengthen as she took a leisurely sip of her cup, smiling blandly towards Aria before she at last lowered her glass, waiting till it touched the table, again, to speak.

"He wears a favor to the lists. Oh, you must be eagle-eyed to spot it, but I confess, I am. He must be trying to hide it, in his way, as he says nothing of it, and we all know Arthur to be, well, indiscrete. Its a delicate little piece, expert handicraft: the sort that comes only with the leisure afforded to people of...high rank. You must be quick to note it, for at first glance it is his own monogram, and picked out in his own colors, but..." she arched her brows. "I am as near as can be to being his own mother, myself. I know Arthur's own poor skills in such crafts. He did not embroider that handkerchief. Someone did it for him," she said, and she nodded. "Someone gave it to him to wear. But who, Lady Aria: who?"

forgottenarias

Aria flinched slightly at Amira's voice and knew the woman somehow had noticed that she had been looking at Arthur. Had she noticed during the tournament events? Aria knew she been acting foolish-- and here was the proof.

Aria said little as the Queen spoke, finding it better to focus on emotions in check. Amira might have seen her staring at Arthur, but Aria would do her best not to betray any of her emotions otherwise to the witch Queen.

Aria took the cup offered to her from the Queen and immediately took a drink. She found that she'd take the poison over being subjected to whatever mind games Amira meant to play that evening as she sat next to the Queen when she gestured, unable to find an excuse not to do so.

Aria hid the displeasure she knew must have crossed her features when Amira insisted they were nearly family. Eilia would never relent, Aria truly believed. Astaira would stand behind her, always, in that conviction.

Amira was silent long enough following her question about what Aria had or had not seen in Arthur that Aria thought she was waiting for her to respond before continuing whatever the Queen wished to tell her. Engaging her silence, Aria took a drink of her wine, eyes focused on the Queen, before finally answering Amira.

"I have not seen it."

But Aria felt her stomach twist at Amira's words despite the fact her face remained flat.. Of course she had noticed and of course she was scrutinizing every detail. Aria immediately tried to think back to the days she'd been embroidering that very kerchief-- had Amira seen her? No... no that couldn't be. Aria had put herself in Arthur's path specifically... not Amira's.

"I can only imagine any number of ladies might have given the Imperial Prince their favor," Aria commented, doing her best to project an air of indifference towards this entire conversation. Aria gestured towards Arthur who, at this moment, was surrounded by coterie knights and ladies. Each lady, Aria couldn't help but note, seemed to be completely enraptured with whatever Arthur was saying in that moment. She turned back her gaze quickly back to Amira's.

"Where is the Imperial Prince Edmund this evening?" Aria inquired before pausing herself to take a drink of wine.

"You seem particularly fixated on your stepson‘s romantic endeavors when your son seems to have gone into the tournament favor-less himself... " Aria paused, her face emotionless, before she continued. "Perhaps he may be the one on which you should focus. I wonder why there is no lady who wished to give him her favor? He is... handsome enough," Aria stopped to take another sip of wine. "Is he really that unpleasant to be around?"

forgottenamira

Aria ó Réaltaí was a most difficult young woman to read, Amira noted with a stiff inhalation. This was in no way helping her headache. Or her nausea. But who could help that? She was sure she was not the only person suffering from the extremity of the smells in here -- the greasy scent of roasting had never been so revolting!...Though, in truth, no one else seemed to be noticing, and she remembered with a sigh that with Edmund, too, she'd been particularly sensitive to smells. Fortunately, her tea was helping with it all, and she took another sip gratefully, closing her eyes to savor its healing warmth.

"Have you not?" inquired Amira, eyes glittering bemusement. "Well, you shall, I have no doubt. It is true that Arthur's passions are rarely lasting things, but they can be rather intense before he grows bored. No doubt my dear boy has hoodwinked -- albeit unintentionally -- that poor lady into believing she is the soul object of his eternal devotion, but...Arthur is his father's son. He will never be content with only one woman. But, unlike his father, his attachments are so very rarely ever constant. Never, in fact, have they ever been, but all that's about to change," she mused.

"I believe His Imperial Majesty wishes to see him soon wed -- only a peerless princess will do. I don't suppose you have any recommendations? One of your cousins from across the water in Orinthia, perhaps? It would be good to strengthen that alliance, when your sister weds His Majesty," She brightened, watching Aria's impassive face. She was really rather good at that.

"Oh, you sly thing," she laughed as though they were dear chums having a ball of a time speculating. "You'll not put me off that way. The fact you point out is precisely what makes the thing so well worth discovering: there are so very many candidates! Each of my husband's sons attract a whole bevy of would-be brides everywhere they go, with every ambitious mama putting forward their daughter, and every ambitious daughter putting forward herself. But I have a candidate in mind, you see," she added, arching a brow.

Amira paused again, nibbled an apple slice. Her conversation with Eithne, where she had hinted a revelation regarding the true paternity of her child, was foremost in Amira's mind, and she wished very much to secure in everyone's heads, just now that it was Arthur, and no one else, who had fathered that child. And this suggestion, now, she hoped would help her kill two birds with one stone.

"I'm sure you've heard the rumors by now," she said with mock innocence, by no means confident of this fact. Aria and her sister were, after all, rather shut up in here, and Amira doubted Arthur, who seemed to be Aria's greatest source of information about the outside world just now, would have told her such a thing. "There is, you know, that rumor about his child." She arched her brows. "We all saw Arthur's suffering at the end of a certain relationship. I believe the romance has been secretly rekindled. And it only makes sense: she is, after all, carrying his child."

Amira leaned close. "It is a great secret, of course, but I have it from the Emperor, Aria, that Eithne tearfully confessed her secret to him, herself. Poor thing. How they both must be suffering...Roderick will never allow them to wed, you know." She paused. Roderick had said nothing of Eithne's being in tears, but Amira didn't mind embellishing a touch for effect. "It does rather clear up the mystery as to why she accepted her own horrible brother for husband, doesn't it? She had to hide her condition some way, I suppose."

There. That really had cleared her headache, she thought, thankfully, inhaling. Hearing Eithne's deft revelations had made Amira feel powerless, but now? Now, she felt powerful indeed, and she could barely contain the bright smile that threatened to take hold of her features. It was quite genuine.

Hearing her rather pointed speech regarding Edmund, Amira arched a brow. Struck a nerve, did I? she thought, concealing a smile by raising her cup once more to her lips.

"My son, His Imperial Highness the Prince Edmund," she added arching a brow to show her disapproval for Aria's casual reference. "Is far more level-headed than his brother," said Amira making no attempt to disguise her dismissive tone. Yet she swallowed hard on the hot tea. Eithne's face had been so very calm when she'd spoken of Edmund that way...Yet, to Aria, she smiled, a vision of utter confidence. "He will not make the same mistakes. And no lady," she added, running her gaze like liquid up and down Aria. "Who attempts to draw him in will find any success there. Mark my words, Lady Aria, do not take success with Arthur as a promise of the same success with Edmund. Many have tried. Arthur may be the elder, but Edmund is the wiser. In the end, my boy will do exactly as His Imperial Majesty the Emperor commands."

#amira: she's being so pointed abt edmund...did i misjudge which brother shes noticing?? ;DD jk jk lakjsdfkljsdjkf #a scarlet letter #comment #aria stafford

The Waning Moon | Amira & Edmund

"What is this I hear?"

Amira had had her son brought to her, and she sat over him now, ensconced in all her glory, as a Queen of the Varmont Empire. Her presence chamber she kept always dark, slahed through with brilliant sashes of light to over-awe those who came before her -- old tricks learned from her life of sleight of hand, previous to that of consort. Now, however, she made no effort to trick her son. Her countenance would prove enough vivid enough.

Amira was most scrupulous in her agents.

She had sent everyone out.

"You were clever, I suppose, in causing us all to believe that the object of your desire was Roisin Malconaire, but I see it is, in fact, her sister who took your fancy. Or, perhaps, you have known them both?" She shook her head. Her next words were a condemnation. "I had thought you more level-headed."

It was a pity her child had been a son, she thought, and not a daughter. Women of their bloodline were always to be more prized than men -- if only Roderick could see the truth of it. And women, in addition to being witches, were far less vulnerable to folly, it would seem, than their male counterparts. Who had heard such a scandal about Guinevere? Or Cassandra?

It was true that the rumors about Edmund's brothers had been industriously circulated by Amira's own agents, but rumors could not be believed without genuine fodder, and plenty of fodder there had been. Sebastian's own fable she had sewed to avenge herself on Marian for taunting Edmund's loss at the archery competition (Sebastian having caught Amira's attention by choosing that moment to emerge from his tent), which was why it was the most appalling, but it had had no less grounding in ordinary truth than any of the others.

"Your father must never know of this, Edmund. Lady Eithne has confessed to him her...condition, but he must continue to believe forever after that the child she will bear is Arthur's. Not yours. Do you understand me? This could hurt you, Edmund, were it to get out. It could hurt you most grievously. One bastard is bad enough, but two? And gotten both upon sisters? Have you no shame!" She shook her head, a long sigh escaping her. "I'd nearly managed to bring you back to your father's good graces with his fears about his other sons, Edmund, only for you to throw your lot in with the rest of them! What is your next move? Will you simply hand your crown over to Guinevere? You have certainly cleared a path for her! Tell me you have thought about this. Tell me you've a plan at the ready."

Exhaling slowly once again, the queen descended from her throne to touch her boy's cheek. "You embarrassed me at the tournament, Edmund," she whispered, and dropped her hand away. "Now this. I confess, I had not believed your part in the rumors, at all, until Lady Eithne herself spoke of your deep friendship, comparing it to that she'd shared with Arthur. How dare you let her susprise me like that! You ought to have told me at once. Now you have embarrassed me twice."

Pacing away, his mother put her hands to her hips. "Fortunately, while I cannot save you directly from his wroth, I have now the means to salvage our family from your father's entire enmity. You will not feel such mercy at once, instead taking the brunt of what he usually would have spread evenly between the two of us. You see, I have made him very happy." She turned to face her son again, exhaling slowly. "Edmund, you are to have a sibling."

#the waning moon #comment #edmund varmont

forgottenamira

Tea in the Trees | Amira & Eithne

Amira had not for a moment hesitated to accept Valentina's invitation. After the cessation of the tourney, it had proven the picture-perfect opportunity to the queen to accomplish a whole cadre of chores which had till now eluded: meeting with the Ladies Brigit and Roisin (albeit for decidedly differing reasons), investigating whatever it was that seemed to draw the men of Amira's family here like moths to the flame...and scrutinizing Arthur's misconduct.

She had known the moment she'd emerged from her carriage into the air of Malconaire, that this was no ordinary place, however. She knew how true magic felt, the way it whispered just beneath the skin, purring along one's heart and one's brain. It was a feeling she'd not known in many, many long years. Most of the poor women her husband burned to death for the crime of witchcraft were innocent, but this, this place, was the real thing, and more potent than any example she'd ever known. This was no mere witch. There was a real demon here.

Yet still standing outside, ready to be greeted, she could not place the entity, and so she let her mind focus for now upon other errands. A welcoming committee gathered to greet her as she stepped down upon the earth, and Amira's gleaming eye fell upon a familiar gaze.

"Ahh, Lady Eithne, at last we meet again!" Reaching up, Amira slowly brought her hood down from her head. "After the delightful tea we shared with the Lady Aria at my home, I could not refuse the invitation to yours."

Coming forward, she clasped Eithne's hand, smiling sharply as she felt her stepmother's baleful gaze fall upon the girl. Amira had no intention of letting Eithne out of her grip too soon. There was a very great deal, indeed, she must first know. Pointedly, she did not look at Valentina, as if she and Eithne were the very best of friends, and Amira saw none but her.

"Do tell me how you have been getting on, since last we met? I hear you have quite broken my dear stepson's heart, tsk tsk," she laughed, a pearly sound. "Do tell me of your new beau's many charms, won't you? I would know why my boy was thrown over with such little ceremony so quickly, hm?"

forgotteneithne

Eithne thought she could feel her step mother's effort at containing her seething when Queen Amira mentioned the tea at the palace. Eithne had not told her step mother, nor Cassimir, when the invitation had come and had quietly slipped away from the house before either of them had asked where she had been headed that day.

Eithne did her utmost not to look at her step mother as the Queen approached her. Though Eithne was sure there was no good intentions coming from the witch queen, she did feel a bit grateful that she was keeping her step mother at bay in this moment. Still, she was quite shocked when the Queen took her hand and, knowing it might be best to be out of her Step Mother's radius for a time, she made to walk with Queen Amira towards the house.

Eithne tried to smile as if what Queen Amira said in reference to Arthur was a bit of a joke. "I do think reports of my friendship with the Imperial Prince may have been... aggrandized," Eithne said slowly. "I... we... we are good friends, Prince Arthur and I... just as I consider all the Imperial Princes friends. They are always welcome to Malconaire," Eithne paused for a moment. "Will... will Prince Edmund not be joining us this evening?"

Eithne pursed her lips slightly at Amira's questions regarding her fiance. She was unsure exactly what to say, for she was quite sure there was something the Queen very much wished to hear.

"Oh... yes, my... engagement..." Eithne began slowly. "It... uhm... it has surprised the family but Lord Malconaire and I are aligned on a common goal of restoring Malconaire to its former glory," Eithne continued, trying to chose her words carefully. "We both learned from my own father the importance of caring for these lands and the people who live here and it has been... neglected in the past years."

"I would be most delighted to give you a tour of the house, your Highness," Eithne offered as they approached the main door of her home. "I have been told by your son and step sons that it is rather different than anything they have come across in their travels," she explained as they stepped inside. One of the servants Valentina had rehired for this evening approached the Queen to take her cloak.

forgottenamira

Amira arched her brows at the sound of Eithne's intelligence. "On your end, perhaps, my dear," she replied with a throaty laugh. "But not so on his." Her smile turned conspiratorial. "We who were witness to its aftermath may testify to that much."

"Just as I consider all the Imperial Princes friends," said Eithne, earning a gleam from the queen, who leaned over to link their arms as they walked. That was an interesting tidbit, indeed. Roderick had owned (after a very great deal of prodding on her end!) that Eithne had acknowledged to him her...delicate condition. He had assumed the child was Arthur's...perhaps Eithne, herself, did not know which prince was the father. Her glance sharpened, as it fell upon Eithne. She asked after Edmund, particularly. Was this, indeed, to be the mother of her own first grandchild?

Amira's gut seemed to fall and she looked quickly away, a bland smile fixed upon her lips. In truth, she did not know how she felt about that. But she could analyze such thoughts later. The rumor, she determined, would remain that the child was Arthur's...whatever the truth may be. Still, she couldn't help a kind of curiosity.

"And here I thought the Lady Roisin closer with my own boy? But what does a mother know? I am glad, indeed, to learn that you are so very close with him." She paused. Clearly, this was an ambitious young woman. "I was not blessed with a daughter of my own. I am glad he can find such closeness elsewhere," she added with feigned warmth.

The Queen's smile turned bland. Though she did not know the cause, it was clear to Amira that her son was in one of his moods. Largely, she assumed it had to do with the tournament. It was his brother who shone in such efforts, and each clan within the House of Varmont knew well that a shadow would fall over the Calainons in the wake of such events. Roderick made no effort to conceal such shame. Amira, however, was quick to conceal such vicissitudes...and take swift vengeance upon the one basking in his father's joy. It could not happen straight away, that would be suspicious, but soon after -- Arthur would feel her sting.

"You dear girl to ask after him," replied Amira with a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "I'm afraid not. He is not feeling quite himself. Indeed, it seems something is spreading around the palace. I have ordered rest, lest he take ill, you see. I don't imagine you shall see much of him, for a time."

Amira laughed, a bright sound. "I rarely hear a woman less able to say even the smallest kind word about her future husband!" Her amusement shone in her eyes.

She was not surprised in the least. He was too much the lickspittal to Roderick. and too little the gallant towards her own menial spies, to be anything else. And with such a mother...Amira had seen dozens of his kind, before. She would see dozens more. They were precisely the sort of people who had stepped on her in Kolchis. They were precisely the sort of people she liked best to step on, now, herself. But she did not think she would interfere, here. Not unless it came to suit her ends. But Eithne, if she was indeed to be the mother of Edmund's child...

"You will get on with it. Tie him in knots," she advised, tone flat. "He cannot wriggle free of the noose if he does know which thread to sever and save himself." Her voice was strangely scathing, even as she smiled blandly at the young woman beside her.

The entrance to the house was at once grand and understated, two ancient evergreen trees grew flanking the great, old door, so close to the edifice they seemed almost a part of it. Above the great, wide wood of the worn age-old door, which peaked at its center, a transcept of five early-gothic windows sat ensconced in the warm-toned stone of the castle, topped themselves by a large, cheerful lantern, that burned merrily against the dying of the light.

It was a strange place, and made Amira feel a strange way as she looked upon it, a shiver running through her. She'd grown up, herself, amongst crumbling marble and kaleidoscopic mosaics which once had depicted lively depictions of life, but now were so cracked and ruined as often to leave only an impression of rot. Yes, it was strange to look upon this place, near as old, she would venture, as her own former haunts, yet still -- in the most literal sense -- living. Yet, humbler, still, than those dead marvels she once had known. There was power here, too.

Amira felt suddenly cold in the gloaming hour. She shivered as she handed away her cloak and smiled blandly at her hostess. No one was ever to know how she was feeling.

She glanced around the room as the younger woman spoke, and though perhaps it was no bad thing to unite Edmund's lineage with this one. What a child they should rear from such a union! Malconaire, she realized, narrowing her eyes, was as much the blood of witches as her own. The next Flamekeeper would be a fearsome high priestess to behold, indeed.

"Yes," said Amira, turning to Eithne, her enthusiasm unguarded -- and unfeigned. "You must."

forgotteneithne

Eithne paused at Amira's mention of the aftermath she had witnessed. It hurt her heart to know she had wounded Arthur so, even now that they'd seemed to be making a go at mending their bonds of friendship. She looked down at the ground for a few moments as the pair moved slowly towards the great, wooden doors that were propped open to welcome people into Malconaire.

She had wounded Arthur so and now it was another who she'd felt a fluttering in her chest when she'd seen him exiting an imperial carriage moments before the Queen had taken notice of Eithne-- a man who she was not to wed. Was Eithne actually as fickle as her step mother insisted she was?

Pushing the thought away quickly, Eithne nodded at Amira's mention of Roisin. "Yes... yes, the Prince Edmund and my youngest sister have become quite good friends, your Highness... though we have seen little of him, or really any of the Princes, lately. I understand after the... unrest... there were some limitations put on travel in and out of the Citadel."

That was the story she'd been told by her sisters, though there were some details that had been omitted-- namely that Cillian had discovered it was one of the Princes who had led the attack on Malconaire and, later, the discover that it had been Edmund himself who had been leading the charge. Eithne had accepted the story without much fuss, part of her wondering if it had been a way to ease the pain of no longer having visits from Arthur after her engagement had become public.

"She will be disappointed not to see him tonight," Eithne continued, though even not knowing the truth she wondered if that was indeed true. Eithne had noticed Edmund had not worn a favor in the tournament and had noticed Rosie had not brought one to give. Eithne had made an attempt to get her youngest sister to confide in her when they'd ridden back together from the tournament one afternoon, but Roisin had said little.

"But we all shall hope he is feeling better soon. Please, tell your son we send our regards," Eithne concluded, offering the Queen as much of a smile as she could muster.

As the young woman and the Queen approached the old wooden doors and the subject turned to her impending marriage, Eithne forced herself not to look over her shoulder to where she knew Tristan walked a few yards behind the pair. Eithne wasn't sure why her first instinct was to go to Tristan when talk of her marriage became the subject at hand-- perhaps it was because he was one of the few people who did not seem to feel to offer his own opinion on the subject. In fact, he did not speak of it unless she broached the topic and, for that, Eithne was always grateful.

But advice like the Queen offered her Eithne had not heard before. She wasn't sure how to respond, exactly. Was that how she had become Queen-- tied the Emperor in knots until he couldn't escape? But could Amira escape, if she wished? Eithne felt suddenly as if she was being suffocated by thoughts of her engagement and was glad to stop, for a moment, as the Queen observed the great wooden doors of House Malconaire.

The pair were walking, again, moments later and as they crossed the threshold into the hall, Eithne felt the tension that had overtaken her lessen as they crossed under the branches of the Great Oak.

She was a bit surprised, honestly, to see the Queen so enthusiastic about touring Malconaire. She'd noticed how the Queen Marian had looked about the Great Hall with a bit of distain upon her arrival and assumed it would be the same with Roderick's other wife.

"Oh-- yes, of course, your Highness... I suppose to begin this is the Great Hall-- often called the Oak Hall," Eithne explained, gesturing about them. "The Great Oak has stood in this spot since time immemorial... the house, of course, being built around it. House Malconaire legends say that the first of our line took shelter beneath the tree during a great storm and, upon awakening unscathed the next morning, decided this would be the place where he would build his home."

That was almost the legend. In truth the legend said that the first Lord of Malconaire had sheltered beneath the tree and, upon rising the next morning completely dry despite the torrential rains, had concluded this was a place of great magic and Guardian blessed. Eithne, knowing how the Emperor felt about Astairan tales, thought best to leave out the more fantastical elements.

"It extends up, through the roof," Eithne explained, gesturing up towards the roof above where dots of starlight could be seen through the branches. "It is this tree that my family has on our crest."

forgottenamira

"Ahhh, so I hear," cooed Amira, cozily. "I've such a wish to speak with your sister tonight, Lady Eithne. Will you not arrange it? I'm afraid, given precisely those restrictions, I've had no previous opportunity of meeting her and, like many mothers before me, I am eager to know those who are dear to my dearest boy. But I find I am impatient. Do tell me of her first, that I may be prepared when I meet her."

They stepped through the threshold and into the house. All her breath left her. The Great Hall was massive, at least as large as that at the Citadel, Amira noted, but all was overshadowed by the enormous oak at its center which spread great, leafy arms out over all as if supporting the castle with its very foundations, growing inside as if by magic, its top bursting through the ceiling till Amira realized the colossal oak she had spotted while approaching the castle, seeming to have been planted interior to the home, had not indeed been an optical illusion at all, but a very real fact.

This is it, she thought, that glittering surge of something washing over her. This is the demon of Malconaire.

Admiring, appraising, her eye rose up and up, taking it in, branches interplaying with beams, green leaves forming a canopy over all. The trunk seemed to suggest steps and a wide seat, almost a throne, and curiously she eyed it, pictured herself enscononced there. From such vantage, she judged, she would easily watch over all. No oak she had ever known, in any land her husband had ever conquered, had ever grown so vast.

Leaning close to Eithne, Amira arched a brow. "What an...extraordinary tree. Do tell me all about it, Lady Eithne. I've such a passion for curiosities."

Eithne's silence on the subject of her betrothal had not gone unnoticed by the queen who, with a quick glance, observed a mournful visage. Was this a clever guise, meant to convince the grandmother of her future child that her heart lay another way, particularly given her quick dismissals of Arthur's passion for her -- or was this something else entirely. Strangely, Eithne was not the only person now thinking of Tristan walking behind them. He was clever with such things as this. He would have known the expression of true sorrow if he saw it. Amira had never quite gotten the art of that. Emotion had never been a forte of hers save anger. She could do anger.

"Tristan," Turning, Amira reached out and drew him forward with her free arm into their circle.

She noted his eyes immediately went to Eithne's face. She did know the look of Tristan's answering sorrow. His emotions were never feigned. It was answer enough.

Amira now needed an excuse for why she'd summoned him. "Look at this tree."

Tristan did as he was bidden. "It is--"

"Yes," said Amira, sharply. "I knew you would like it. Now, go fetch us drinks."

Confusion clouded her brother's face, but wordlessly he bowed and walked away.

"He is very efficient," Amira told Eithne. "It will not take him long to return to us with refreshment."

That would form excuse enough for why Amira had called -- and then dismissed -- her brother, and hopefully prevent Eithne from imagining she had used him to sniff out whether or not she was telling the truth. Amira, in truth, did not quite know what to make of this information, just yet, but she was glad to have it, notwithstanding.

It had not escaped Amira's attention that Eithne had had no answer to her advice. That was perhaps clever of her, and Amira did not press her further on the subject. Roderick had, after all, also told Amira that Eithne had already agreeably arranged that her future child would someday rule Malconaire. Amira did not mean to underestimate this girl.

As Eithne said it was called the Oak Hall, Amira chuckled softly. "I can see why." She was an attentive audience to Eithne's story, picturing a young man sheltering beneath these leaves. She was not surprised to hear that, though the tree stood so very high, it had not been struck with lightning, nor that it was so very ancient as all that. This was no ordinary tree. Most ancient trees -- she had grown up near one that was said to be more than two thousand years old in Kolchis, for herself -- looked strangely hobbled over with age, shrunken yet wide, grown over on themselves, like an elderly person, stooped with great age. But not this tree. This one stood straight and tall, lively as with youth, restful as with age. Amira tilted her head and smiled. This one, being so integral to the castle, itself, would be hard to get at, but if it had siblings...It was not unheard of. The Kolchean dragon which formed her own badge, had had a sister, after all...

"Have you many such ancient trees in the area, Lady Eithne? I've a particular interest for such things. One such grew near my own childhood home though...it was not so pretty as this one, I confess."

Hearing it was her family crest, Amira smiled softly. "I can see why. The Calainon crest relates, too, to ancient family myths, if you can believe it. Dragon and all. Silly tales but...they have their charm. I've always been fond of fairy stories, Lady Eithne. I should like to hear yours."

#tea in the trees #eithne malconaire #comment #tristan calainon

Darling Daughter | Amira & Guinevere

Amira sometimes wondered if she, herself, was the first mother Guinevere Varmont could really remember. Strange irony, that, she mused. Elaine would have hated it. But, then, Elaine had detested Amira, and she'd made Amira to feel it. The might of a queen paled in comparison to that of an empress, she'd soon learned. But Amira had had the last laugh, hadn't she? And she was having a bit of one, even now.

The Malconaire festivities had kicked off to a brilliant start, with music and dancing, and even hosts of obliging fireflies everywhere brightening the darkness where even candleglows would not reach. The forests, themselves, seemed alive with the activity of the night, but Amira did not think that entirely strange coincidence, no. There was something here. Something old, something...powerful.

Raised by her grandmother, a witch, Amira had been taught many strange things, but not least amongst them was to harness those human instincts all had and which, she believed due to her Calainon heritage, were particularly strong in herself. Yes, there was something here, and she meant to suss it out.

Wandering round the Greak Oak, Amira stretched out a hand as if to touch the bark, her fingers half-trembled with energy, she half held her breath. Something moved out of the corner of her eye and, gliding smoothly back away, Amira turned to face the intruder.

"Ah! Darling daughter!" cried the queen, holding out a hand to beckon her near. "Come to your mother. I would give you all my best on this your no doubt happiest day."

Amira's feelings towards Guinevere were a strange thing. Amira, herself, knew what it was to lose a mother too soon, and to be raised by another. She knew what it was, too, to be surrounded by young men in a world that discounted women -- but she'd also had the benefit of a Calainon life in Kolchis. Her grandmother had taught her much -- and Amira had learned early on not that men were their masters, no, but that it ought to be the other way round. Men were not even women's equals, for men were not witches, save terribly rarely, and witches were the greatest human power in all the land. Guinevere had never been taught that.

Still, Amira had been disposed well enough towards her. She'd never born in her heart much of that famed balm of maternal affection, even for her own son, but Guinevere was an obliging, sweet girl, and Amira liked children who did not screech well enough. She had also never seemed much inclined towards challenging Edmund for his crown, something which had for some time further engendered her stepmother's regard...till she had thrown over to Arthur's camp.

Such decision had at once soured any favor Amira might have felt towards her, but now Amira saw an opportunity. With the marriage of Ciara to Godfrey, Bartholomew had seemed poised to take up Edmund's banner. Now Guinevere was wedding Eoin, Bartholomew's only son...Perhaps a meeting of the minds was possible, after all. And if not, well, Amira had always felt a tinge of guilt about parting mother and daughter. Perhaps it would be a fine thing to reunite them, once more.

"A husband, I know, can be a daunting thing, my dear, but you shall pick up the thing before you know it, I assure you. I, myself, was far younger than you are now, when I married. I have little doubt you shall excel. Your mother did so herself: your father was never happier," she added, swallowing hard. It was no easy thing to admit, even now. "Than with her. You've nothing to fear, Guinevere."

#darling daughter #comment #guinevere varmont

forgottenmarian

Suspicions, Suspicions || Amira + Marian

"Hmm..." Marian hummed as she watched the Astairan peasant's arrow hit its target with perfect precision. She clapped politely, as she should, as the Astairan boy exited the grounds as the victory of that round... and Edmund exited as the loser.

"Dear Amira," Marian turned to the other queen, sitting near Marian herself in the Imperial family's elevated dais, allowing them the best view of the tournament grounds. "Is poor Edmund unwell? I had been told archery would be his best competition."

Marian paused, but did not smile. She did not wish to appear to be gloating.

"But it seems not..." Marian concluded. Her eyes drifted back towards the grounds where she could see Sebastian slip out of his tent, bow in hand. She was already desperately proud of her youngest son for entering as many of the tournament events, knowing well it was not something he enjoyed nearly as much as his elder brother, but Marian found herself hoping Sebastian would manage to outlast his Astairan opponent, even for a single round.

Marian turned back to Amira, bland smile on her face. "At least the boy will be on his father's team for the finale melee-- one hopes he manages to prove himself there. I am sure Arthur would be more than happy to offer Edmund some tips for success..."

Marian pointedly did not look towards her eldest son who had been occupied by the younger Stafford since they'd taken their seats, explaining the event in thorough detail to the young woman he'd been equally as attentive to the night before. Best not alert Amira to that if possible.

"I fear whatever ails your son perhaps has affected you as well? Meaning no offense, dear sister, but you have not appeared well these past days. Is it the sun, perhaps?" Marian knew well Amira shrouded her own quarters in darkness-- or at least that it was Marian had been told. "It can be quite overwhelming for some. Shall we have someone help you to the refreshment tent, now that your son's day has so prematurely ended? I should be most happy to call for an attendant."

forgottenamira

Twang! A shock of hay flew in every direction. Quivering, the arrow took its target. Bullseye.

The Queen's lips smiled placidly. The look did not reach her eyes. Her hands came together softly, softly, sea-dark eyes following the unworthy victor before scanning to find her defeated son. A hand crept to her belly. Her second son, she vowed, would do better.

Amira leaned towards her servant. "Find out the Astairan boy's name. I would congratulate him, myself, when he and His Imperial Highness the Prince Edmund are ready. I wish to see them together."

She watched as the servant skittered off before the sound of Marian's triumphant tone reached her ears. She stiffened, bracing for what was to come. Amira did not blush, her hands only tensing around the arm of her throne. No other sign of her distress showed. Amira's smile deepened, as false as its previous echo. Though no similar caricature haunted Marian's face, it did not occur to Amira that she might be doing anything other than gloating. A hand clenched at Amira's side, hidden amongst the folds of her skirts. For a moment, she was lost for a sufficient retort, her own hot anger too close to the surface for cool witticisms. Her veiled glare would have to suffice. But no, she could not be silent. She said the first hurtful thing that came to her mind.

"Perhaps it is fortunate," she replied a moment later, voice jovial as if this all were a silly joke between dear friends. "That my son cares more to follow his father's directives than to glorify himself. I've never had any cause for concern that Edmund might ever behead a witch when told to burn her."

This was treacherous ground, she knew. The rumors of herself, the truth of her grandmother, her own little brother's actions during the same timeframe -- none of these best set her up to speak of witches. In truth, she did not know what Edmund would have done if confronted with the same choice Arthur had gotten, but fortunately he had not been. Perhaps Roderick did not feel confident of Edmund's response, either. She decided quickly to redirect her words.

"But my Edmund has such wonderful male role models, you know. Dear Arthur's failings may stem from the fact that he never had such opportunity for role models of unadulterated success," she continued, glancing craftily towards the golden queen. "It is good for him, I think, that our husband has chosen to ensure that he, himself, and his own uncle and brother are the primary men in his life, now. I now believe that it is perhaps my good fortune in having only two brothers. You have taught me that, dear sister," she said, taking her hand and squeezing it. "Fewer opportunities to humiliate our husband.

"How is your sixth brother faring? Young men go through such trying times. Perhaps he has...outgrown his former foolishness, by now? It has lasted him such a long time...I begin to fear it is a personality trait rather than mere boyishness. But that cannot be, sister, can it?"

Turning to face the lists, again, Amira mused that all her hopes would have to be for her brothers, today. Edmund had embarrassed her, and he would hear of it. But Marian would never see it in her. Amira would smile and smile, and that, she told herself, would be an end to it. Marian would never see her flinch.

Amira's gaze followed Marian's own, tracing Sebastian's form as he flowed from the tent. Eyes narrowing, she noticed a figure in a dress behind the falling flap. Oh, yes, she thought with self-satisfaction, she'd have her revenge. She'd find out who that girl was, and she'd see to it that so did the rest of the world. Memorably.

Laughing softly, Amira arched a single brow. "Why, dear sister, how kind you are, but I think we shall see at Malconaire, soon enough, that my boy has little need of such counsel. I understand it still bears the marks of his last mêlée."

She hadn't meant to tell Marian so early, truly she had not, but triumph was at hand, to be grasped from the jaws of defeat, and Amira could not resist. The queen pulled herself up, allowing one hand to rest upon her belly.

"Why, darling sister, it is kind of you to note. You are not wrong, but I require no attendant, and my brothers are yet in the field. It is not the sun, you see. It is the phoenix."

She paused, delicately claimed a slice of apple from her plate. She had proven ravenous for apples during her last pregnancy, and their husband had sworn that it was a sign that she carried a son. He had been proven right, after all, and Amira smiled demurely, now, knowing that in a moment's time, Marian would make the connection. "You see, my dear, I am with child."

No apple had ever tasted sweeter.

#IS IT THE SUN!!! lksjdafkjlsdfkj what a line laksdjfkjsdf i love all the layers lsdkjfalksdjfkjsdf #these two i swear lkajsdfkljsdjf #suspicions suspicions #comment #marian varmont #amira: im a v normal girl i enjoy regular activities like chatting w my best friend at sporting events <3

OOC | Titles & Styles of Varmont Queens

ok, so for compare/contrast purposes, i'm including roderick's styles esp bc it'll probs be echoed a good bit by elaine's imperial style

also note the ladies' titles will be shorter than their male counterparts bc they can't go running off and becoming godly champions or knights or run around conquering cities or anything so yeah alksjdfjkldsf

RODERICK

INFORMAL STYLE OF THE TRUE EMPEROR

His Imperial Majesty, Roderick the First of His Name, by the Grace of the One True God, of the Great and Holy Empire of [Varmont] and Astaira and of His other Realms and Territories One True Emperor, Conquer of the Twelve Kingdoms, Defender of the Faith, and God’s Own Champion

FORMAL STYLE OF THE TRUE EMPEROR

His Imperial Majesty, Roderick the First of His Name, by the Grace of the One True God, of [Varmont], and of Antillia, Kolchis, Alatyr, Aarnu, Vinetta, Kvenheim, Aotepo, Argadara, Xangadu, Malakarta, Affaraon, and Astaira, and of his Dominions beyond the Seas, One True Emperor, Protector of Vyrajj, God-King of Kolchis, Archduke of the Two Isles and of the Shimmering Seas Overlord, King-Elector of the Astairans, Lord of the Two Lands, Sun-King of the Hauren, Divine Emperor of the Iddenese, the Freefolk, and the Cockaignians, Evenstar of Astaira, Conqueror of the Twelve Kingdoms, Defender of the Faith, and God’s Own Champion

ELAINE

INFORMAL STYLE OF THE TRUE EMPRESS

Her Imperial Majesty, Elaine, by the Grace of the One True God, of the Great and Holy Empire of [Varmont] and Astaira and of Her other Realms and Territories One True Empress, Great Royal Wife, Great of Praises

FORMAL STYLE OF THE EMPRESS (note that, given her death, some nations are not noted in her style -- note: aarnu was not yet conquered at the time of her death, but roderick began styling himself its emperor from the moment he declared war)

Her Imperial Majesty, Elaine, by the Grace of the One True God, of [Varmont], and of Antillia, Kolchis, Aarnu, Vinetta, Kvenheim, and Malakarta, and of Her Dominions beyond the Seas, One True Empress, Great Royal Wife, Great of Praises, God-Queen of Kolchis, Lady of the Two Lands, Divine Empress of the Iddenese and the Freefolk, Archduchess of Thule, Basileia of Hesperygon, Great Royal Lady of Bennun, Princesa of Cenalla, Duchess of Bastlia, High Lady of Iramala, Lady of Yggheim

ovn -- empress, archduchess of thule (english medieval mythic island country), foxe

antillia -- princesa of cenalla (la canela island of cinnamon)

kolchis -- basileia of hesperygon (hesperides hera's garden of immortality + laistrygon an island from which odysseus escaped)

aarnu -- great royal lady of bennun (benben the first land + nun the primordial waters from which benben arose)

vinetta -- duchess of bastlia (baltia/basilia/abalus mythic amber island in norther europe)

kvenheim -- lady of yggheim (yggdrasil the primordial tree of the world + heimr effectively denoting 'world/place')

malakarta -- high lady of iramala (iram a mythic lost city + malakut an invisible realm)

posthumous awards to household:

alytar -- grand princess of alaraj (alatyr navel of the earth + vyraj where "birds fly for the winter and souls go after death")

aotepo -- high lady of raro (rarohenga the afterlife location of those devoted to the earth mother)

argadara -- rani of agartha (a legendary city located at the earth's core)

xangadu -- duchess of bouzhu (mount buzhou mythic mountain)

affaraon -- marquess lotnian (lothian + lot)

astaira -- lady avalion (transcription of avalon)

AMIRA

Her Most Gracious Royal Majesty Queen Consort of [Varmont] and of Kolchis, Great Royal Wife, Imperial Noble Consort, Magnificent Consort, Lady of Beauty, Cradle of the Great Empire and Most Serene Lady Mother, Princess Flamekeeper of Kolchis, and Princess of the House of Calainon, Queen Consort of Kolchis, Archduchess of Suddene, Great Royal Lady of Ruat, Marquess of Camasa, Marquess of Marcamedun, Kyria of Aiaia, Blessed Lady of Lengdai, Countess of Wachak, Boyaress of Lyshora, Lady Silbrahy, Lady of Mupelseheim, Lady of Amirotha, Lady of Zethuria, Lady of Inherit Glory, Noble Beauty, Shelter of the Empire

ovn -- queen consort, archduchess of suddene (medieval english mythical country)

antillia -- marquess of camasa (la cuidad blanca/kaha kamasa/the white city legendary city in honduras)

kolchis -- queen consort, kyria of aiaia (aeaea the realm of circe)

alatyr -- boyaress of lyshora (lysa hora bald mountain, a place associated with witchcraft)

aarnu -- great royal lady of ruat (aaru mythic field of reeds + duat mythic underworld)

vinetta -- countess of wachak (wawel chakra home of a castle atop a mountain under which dwelt a dragon)

kvenheim -- lady of mupelseheim (muspelheim land of fire)

aotepo -- great lady of aunata (atanua the home of a god)

argadara -- lady of amirotha (ayotha amirtha gangai mythic river)

xangadu -- blessed lady of lengdai (mount penglai a legendary mountain + diyu perdition)

malakarta -- lady of zethuria (zerzura legendary "oasis of little birds" + bethulia city delivered from holofernes by judith)

affaraon -- marquess of marcamedun (marchidun scottlish celtic fort + camelon)

astaira -- lady silbrahy (hy-brasil a mythic irish phantom island cloaked in mist)

MARIAN ( @forgottenmarian as requested, m'dear! i f you don't like these names/titles etc i def wont be offended if you want to change them around etc they're all just meant to be effectively inspo/placeholders <3)

Her Most Gracious Royal Majesty Queen Consort of [Varmont] and of Antillia, Noble Consort, Splendid Consort, Lady of Gentleness, Cradle of the Great Empire and Most Serene Lady Mother, Sweet of Love, Lady of Grace, and Lady of the House of [the Sun], Queen Consort of Antillia, Archduchess of Westernesse, Great Royal Lady of Akhu, Duchess of Laprime, Duchess of Emablach, Kyria of Thrinacia, Great Lady of Fangsu, High Lady of Tairua, Countess of Oponskoya, Countess of Liboce, Lady Fuindetan, Lady of Jormsborg, Lady of As-Barzirakh, Lady of Lahmoka, The one for whom the sun shines, Lady of Splendid Countenance, Lady of Everlasting Splendidness

ovn -- queen consort, archduchess of westernesse (a country in medieval english thought)

antillia -- queen consort, duchess of laparime (lake parime the mythical location of el dorado)

kolchis -- kyria of thrinacia (island of the sun)

alatyr -- countess of oponskoya (opona/oponskoye a mythical russian kingdom)

aarnu -- great royal lady of akhu (askhet an egyptian hieroglyph that represents the sun rising over a mountain, translating to "horizon" or "the place in the sky where the sunrises" + manu western abode of the sun god ra)

vinetta -- countess of liboce (bobolice a castle rich in folklore)

kvenheim -- lady of jormsborg (jomsborg legendary viking fortress)

aotepo -- high lady of tairua (te rerenga wairua the spirit’s leap, a place spirits must travel through to reach the afterlife)

argadara -- lady of lahmoka (brahmaloka abode of the creator)

xangadu -- great lady of fangsu (fusang realm of the world tree)

malakarta -- lady of as-barzirakh (as-sirat bridge to paradise + barzakh the veil between life and death)

affaraon -- duchess of emablach (emain ablach abode of the sea god)

astaira -- lady fuindetan (tuile tuinde/fintan's grave)

EILIONORA (potentially, should she wed roderick...)

Her Most Gracious Royal Majesty Queen Consort of [Varmont] and of Astaira, Consort, Learned Lady, King's Daughter, Princess of the House of Stafford, Queen Consort of Astaira, Archduchess of Cameliard, Duchess of Zoryan, Kyria of Biarma, Marquess of Rocraigh, Countess of Reyne, Lady Stafford, Lady of Ixemsek, Lady of Forsbrunnr, Lady of Taiarea, Lady of Vaikashna, Lady of Kanglun, Lady of Abilsun, Lady of Flowering Luminance, Lady of Propitious Honor, Lady of Promise

ovn -- queen consort, archduchess of cameliard (legendary kingdom)

antillia -- countess of reyne (reynes mythic medieval kingdom)

kolchis -- kyria of chyrse (chryse & argyre mythic islands)

alatyr -- lady of biarma (biarmaland a mythic place in northern russia attested by norse sagas)

aarnu -- lady of ixemsek (j.ḫmw-sk/ixɛm sɛk/the indestructibles – literally "the ones not knowing destruction" a land of starlight sheltered by the north star)

vinetta -- duchess of zoryan (buyan/bujan mythic island + zorya celestial star/solar goddesses

kvenheim -- lady of forsbrunnr (fositesland/forseti place of the god of justice + mimisbrunnr the well of yggdrasil)

aotepo -- lady of taiarea (raiatea a sacred island)

argadara -- lady of vaikashna (kailasha celestial abode of shiva + vaikuntha celstial abode of vishnu)

xangadu -- lady of kanglun (shangrila utopia + kunlun sacred mountains)

malakarta -- lady of abilsun (hitfun river separating world of darkness form that of light + jabulsa a mythic emerald city)

affaraon -- marquess of rocraigh (rocabarraigh a phantom island in scottish myth which will appear only 3 times, the last time at the end of the world)

astaira -- queen consort, lady stafford

#lore #ooc #about #elaine varmont #roderick varmont #marian varmont #eilionora stafford #feel like ive missed or messed up smth somewhere but yeah! here it is! laskdjfkjsdf

forgottenroderick

OOC | Marrying off Malconaires...

ok so ive discovered that my male characters have a favorite hobby and that's interfering in the love life of @forgottenaoife (and her sisters but ~esp hers apparently...) cormac's given it a go, now it's roderick's turn...

so as far as roderick's concerned, arthur's baby is taken care of, the future lord (bc obv this kids are all gonna be boys!!!!!!!) of malconaire (thanks, cassimir!) but now he's still got @forgottenaoife and @forgottenroisin to marry off so sebastian/edmund's sons can be lords, too, since they're all still ~roderick's grandsons! lakjsdfkjdsf

so ive talked a bit abt this in replies so:

quillington

40m @quillington Lauren, just so you know this story [abt the supposed varmont-malconaire pregnanies] broke at the currently on-going malconaire party so the consequences haven’t really been explored yet — but yeah [roderick]’ll also feel responsible for arranging good marriages for the pregnant girls (brigits on her own! 😂) so his grandkids will have comfortable lives and he’s def gonna be looking to kill two birds w one stone by marrying them to varmont supporters to help further intertwine varmont and Astairan ties sfjkkvbfhnmk @forgottenaoife @forgottenroisin @forgottenbrigit

phabblebabbles

39m @quillington Don’t worry, @forgottencormac is going to help arrange those marriages, too 😅😅😅

quillington

33m @phabblebabbles Afjlhddhkkh Cormac: have no fear your majesty I have accounted already for the fair aoife! You can trust in me! I am renowned for my unimpeachable powers of sniffing out the ideal match! Roderick: ok yeah whatever this guy proposed doing? Let’s do the opposite Jk jk

forgottenguinevere

35m Tho im also like, Guin is team: "oh we gotta GO" as soon as this news bomb gets dropped. Hahaha. Separate all the involved parties including @forgottenroderick , and just like fucking... murder on the orient express-ing this whole thing. 😂

quillington

31m Murder on the orient expressing this BAHAHAHAHA honestly roderick is DESPERATE to suppress this so fir once they on the same page ig! Dhklgdfj Amira ~and Valentina, however? They spreading this one far and wide as they can!!!!!!!!

quillington

27m @forgottenmarian how would Marian feel abt @forgottenaoife potentially getting matched to one of her brothers, since her kid is meant to be @forgottensebastian ‘s so the (imaginary) kid’ll be raised by his mother and great-uncle, kinda thing? Not sure what he’ll do abt @forgottenroisin since Edmund’s family is more limited… @forgottentristan ig???? Tho as lord commander is he permitted to wed while he still holds that post? @thelongforgottenrealm

quillington

19m I mean provided that things don’t go forward w @forgottenfinnegan ultimately

phabblebabbles

15m @quillington I think she might be on board? Esp if it mean her family was out of the dog house with Roderick! Idk if she’d want it to be her fav bro but… there’s plenty to pick from

so rather than spamming poor guin's post i thought i might just pop this up here and we can go to town!

ok so here're my thoughts! first, some general stuff

roderick knows this can be a rotten deal to swallow you don't wanna leave ur own heirs nothing in favor of a ~fake kid obv so he's gonna sweeten this deal w both graciously enlarging the girls' dowries by OBSCENE amounts and then also being absurdly generous w his wedding gifts!! this is his grandson (what's a granddaughter? never heard of it!) so he's gonna need to grow up to rule smth w a title of his own as well as be stupid rich!

i ~do think roisin's marriage will get precedence in his mind over aoife's bc roisin's carrying the son of one of his heirs ad, as always, poor sebastian thus gets short shrift from his dad lajsdkafjksjdf if edmund becomes emperor he can't v well have ~his firstborn being ~less well off than his non-imperial brother's! i think w malconaire being one of the largest, if not ~the largest span of land in all astaira and astaira being ~the largest country in the world world~ he's feeling that once he increases eithne's dowry and gives her all these wedding gifts, that's well taken care of for arthur if he becomes emperor but edmund needs the same treatment! lakjsdfkjdsf

ideally, the marriage will kill two birds w one stone by helping to further unite varmont supporters w an old astairan house, but that's sorta ~optional and yeah! w no further ado!

AOIFE

in no particular order...

contestant 1: finn

ok so despite my joke abt roderick second guessing cormac (tho...he does! h e does noT like that guy alksjdfsjkdf), this one ~can potentially work for him w a few caveats! first, if roderick believes that finn and aoife's engagement is of long standing and that finn is ~still willing to keep to her despite that (gasp!), the callearies are still wealthy enough that roderick could be cool w her marrying a second son (and thus his grandson taking finn's place ultimately)

ok so i think roderick has kinda clocked the way cormac looks at cassimir and lets just say he ~isn't too worried abt him having kids lakjsdfjksdf so finn's ~probably gonna inherit from cormac one way or another but roderick'll probs do one of two things if cormac does asp mean to wed -- either, he'll try to arrange for cormac to marry some varmont of roderick's own choosing, which'll also help unite the ovn and astaira further, or just...string him along and backically block his marriage chances forever

contestant 2: cormac

honestly tho?? i think he'd actually prefer to wed aoife to ~cormac, of the calleary bros, its just that much cleaner BAHAHAH but yeah he dwon't break up smth that's alwready been arranged in this case kinda like he's down w the cassimir/eithne thing plus cormac would probs be quite glad of an heir no questions asked etc lakjsdfjkdsf

contestant 3: marian's bro

honestly i think this is probs roderick's ideal outcome! ill talk abt some of the pros in rosie's tristan bit but yeah! it'd be pr neat in roderick's mind! so this would def be a younger one of marian's bros, NOT her eldest! roderick aint looking to piss off her dad by usurping ~his house's future w a bastard grandson of his own, even if that kid is ~also a bastard great-grandson of his, too! but how does this make roderick's grandson a lord? isn't that one of the goals! aye, it v much is!! BUT each of these guys has his own lordship atp i gotta believe given all the conquest and [ roderick's tiers for holdings ] so it might be itsy bitsy but he's gonna be STUPID RICH too bc in all cases roderick's giving them OBSCENELY valuable wedding gifts + augmenting the girls' dowries a lot himself so that his grandsons will be set uP!! this goes for anyone who'd marry aoife in her ~spoiled state, too, as well as any takers for @forgottenroisin

contestant 4: alistair

this guy's also on the table for rosie too, so girls! get squabbling! alksdjfjksdf honestly roderick thinks its weird af this guy hasn't married asp ~anyway! he needs heirs, he's got big holdings that're v valuable and that'd be great for roderick's grandson to rule! they abutt guin's foxe lands too (and the foxes are related to marian's fam, anyway and so is this kid so really its quite perfect!) so like she could work w her nephew and that all seems pr honky dory plus its another marriage that'd help varmont/astairan relations (in roderick's mind anyway) and atp he's probs old enough he'd take ~any heir and not want to ask too many questions abt where that baby came from, plus he seems to like seb a lot ~anyway sdklajfsjkdf

contestant 5: bartholomew

sooo eoin's off to marry guin which really means the ~lord varmont~ title will be pr much up for grabs, and bart's deffff got titles and lands enough to give some to a late-in-life second son anyway without eoin feeling in any way jipped! honestly i think ~this arrangemtn's a lil cozier in his mind for edmund's kid bc edmund's an heir, so if he does one day rise to be emperor, his firstborn being lord varmont just all works pr neatly in roderick's mind!! and if the baby comes out looking like roderick, well, no surprise there! lakjsdfjkdsf but yeah lkajsdf this is def an option for roisin, too!

contestant 6: rian

so, as we've established, marian isn't too col w rian marring cassandra so, w that being so, that alliance will probs collapse, clearing the way for ~this! once again, a more viable fit for rosie for the same reasons, more or less, as above, but anyway there's a ~good chance~ that, if its not either alaric or one of his own sons, that roderick'll leave rian as steward of astaira, which means that this kid could potentially grow up to effectively rule astaira (as subservient to the emperor but still!) so that's a pr good position for one of roderick's grandkids! i f not, it does still bestow (at least nominally) royal astairan blood upon that kid in roderick's eyes. he'd also give rian his own lordship, should this wedding take place

contestant 7: lord ormond

yeah so this guy's been getting a lil ~too cozy w his daughter and roderick ~officially no longer trusts in the chastity of these astairans. let's bribe him to leave cassandra alone w a stupid rich wife...the ormonds are even vassals to the malconaires, which'll be his heir!brother's bastard!!! those kid's'll grow up together and arthur and sebastian can ride out together to visit them etc! it'll be great! ;D

contestant 8: someone else

an as-yet unmade character or someone who ~is bouncing around but i just haven't thought of idk bingo free space vibes ;DDD

ROISIN

in no particular order...

contestant 1: tristan

for edmund's baby, tristan presents many of the advantages that marian's bro does in the case of aoife: he's related to the real!father so the family still gets to raise the kid/its not weird if edmund visits a lot or the baby ~really resembles him, etc (if the baby comes out looking varmont and not calainon...everyone's just gotta agree noT to see that!!! ;DDD) plus, once again, tristan is a younger brother so its not like he's out here replacing the main line house calainon w his own cukoo etc etc etc not sure if the lord commander can wed until he's left his post tho?

contestant 2: bartholomew

see above

contestant 3: alistair

see above

contestant 4: rian

see above

contestant 5: cormac

see above

contestant 6: someone else

see above

roderick when they aren't visibly pregnant eight months from now: either they lost the child, or they lied!

rosie: ~we weren't the ones who claimed we were pregnant!

roderick: did someone hear something?

EDIT: so i remembered the thing i was forgetting to say!! @forgottenmarian her bro marrying aoife wouldn't ~fix the situation bc the truth is that roderick feels that marian's dad is a lil too powerful and her bros a lil to plentiful given roderick's ~own number of sons and that's just...not gonna change (roderick can't stomach ~anyone doing better or even ~threatening to do ~as well~ as him ever lakjsdfkjlsdfjk no challengers ever pls!!!!! but also he gets bored that way...idk man alkjsdfjkdsf he'll never be happy lkajsdfjkl) but!! it ~is a step in the right direction re healing the ~latest buggaboo situation...lakjsdfjksd so yeah mixed bag ig alskdjfklsdjf

forgottenroderick

phabblebabbles Jun 7

So much thought going into the futures of these non existent children!!! Thought: does @forgottenroderick still think the sister could be pregnant when the witch accusations come out?!

quillington Jun 7

oooooooh that's such an interesting thought!!!!!1 itd def depend on the timing, but quite possibly!! in which case he'd mercifully wait to burn them till the children had been born kaljsdfkldsfj esp since first pregnanies can sometimes be suuuper tiny, he'd probs wait a whole ten months just to be absolutely certain they def weren't carrying his grandchildren alksjdfjkldsf what a sweetheart SCREAM

phabblebabbles Jun 7

@quillington Bahaha just everyone twiddling their thumbs for 10 months while the malconaires show NO signs of being pregnant!

quillington Jun 7

@quillington @phabblebabbles @forgottenbrigit @forgottensonya unless similar rumors come out abt brigit and sonya tho (if sonya's part of this? i wasn't sure if you wanted her in on that or not, lauren?) they're gonna have to escape as soon as their condemned pr much bc otherwise they're going into the flames at like dawn or whatever alksjdfajkdf

quillington Jun 7

sdafkjkdslfjsdfkjksdf sooooo much thought lkajsdflkjdsf roderick: 'let it never be said tht i am not a family man!' *tries to hide the existence of his imaginary grandchildren*

quillington Jun 7

@phabblebabbles rosie who used to vehemently claim she ~wasn't pregnant: 'yep soooo pregnant wow there's def v much a baby inside me rn' alkdjsfkljsdfj the staffords like 'we're both prisoners...do you think we can sneak into the dungeons to visit?????'

phabblebabbles Jun 7

@quillington SCREAAAAAAM I didn’t even think that they might be imprisoned at the citadel!!! Omg the staffords knowing their besties are prisoners in the same castle 😭😭😭

laurenplayspeople Jun 7

@quillington Hmmm, knee jerk reaction is that the rumors do sound like the shit Sonya would get up to. Lol. So maybe she suggested the rumors? Its probably part of her trying to get Arthur for herself if possible that kinda backfired. Lol

phabblebabbles Jun 7

@laurenplayspeople Aria: 😒 fight me 😒

quillington Jun 8

@phabblebabbles Honestly idek where they’d be realistically imprisoned?? Lorcan seems the obv impenetrable prison but also like their cousins live there like??? It might be uniquely easy for this particular family to oh wow they randomly disappeared how weird there 😂 malconaire itself has a lot of the same issues? Tho actually ig Valentina ~did turn them in so maybe he’d be less worried abt them being on their own turf? But? Yeah idk dhkkffjkjg

quillington Jun 8

@laurenplayspeople Oooooooh Valentina like ‘mommy’s lil champ’ for that one Sonya gets a gold star 👏👏👏 so I take it Sonya is ~also team let’s get rid of eithne?

quillington Jun 8

@quillington Like re her marriage to Cassimir, I mean?

thelongforgottenrealm Jun 11

@forgottentristan IS allowed to be married while holding his post, so it is an option but IDK if Roderick would actively encourage that or not given his responsibilities! (But I had to go back and reread all things but I did say he could)

quillington Jun 11

Eeee I’m so sorry fir making you research but thank you sm!! This makes sense! I feel like you’re right tho bc I’m guessing roderick would rather tristan have no priorities outside protecting his family so it’s not ~ideal for him to get hitched and have kids etc but it’s an option!

ldskjfaklsdfj ok so there're our replies <3

-----

HANDMAIDENS

but also, adjacent but kinda its own thing -- i do think that, while roderick works through the above arrangements, he'll probs be looking to make the malconaires in question ladies to the queens whose sons are the supposed father's, so that they're taken care of and his kids can have easy access to their future kid or whatever wo it all looking too sus till they're cnveniently married off alkjsdfjsdf the malconaires are also known beauties so maybe their charms will speak for themselves and help lure in some of these potentiall hubbies he's tryna pll for them, now that they can be readily seen at court! lkajsdfjksdf

so yeah @forgottenroisin will probs be assigned lady to @forgottenamira (both of them: thanks we hate it), while @forgotteneithne and @forgottenaoife will be assigned to @forgottenmarian .

this one's a bit more iffy, bc she aint supposed to be carrying any varmonts, but i can also ~potentially see roderick wanting to put @forgottenbrigit in amira's household, too, so it doesn't look too sus (even tho like...everyone's heard the rumor, everyone knows why this is a thing)

so ~that's all v fun!! but at least they can see the staffords again ig??? lskdjfakjsdf rosie: 'great what we really needed was ~more interlopers to serve' lkajsdfjksdf also!! as far as roderick's concerned, no malconaire is going in guin or cassandra's households tho bc these are fallen women!!!!! and the likes of them cannot be corrupting his pure daughters' innocence!!! *world's longest eye roll* but he'll trust his wives to handle them lkajsdfsdjf so yeah!! this being said tho, if his queens object too strongly or whatever, he'll try to work smth else out tho so!! might not happen etc but yeah!! lakjsdfjksdfll

-----

alsoooooooo unrelated to the above but also mentioned in the disco lfr general but, @forgottengodfrey out here tryna get greater access to @forgotteneilionora for both imself and @forgottenedmund (his otp! lakjsdfkj) so i think he'll reocmmend to roderick that, to show the world the solidarity between the houses of varmont and stafford, that the staffords should be placed into the households of the queens as their ladies. s ince amira's the senior queen, she should get the eldest, so marian will get aria.

godfrey will present this to the staffords as an opportunity for greater freedom, mobility, and the ability to help sway movements at court via influencing the power plaers there that they'll now probs have greater access to! they'll now be 'under the protection' of their respective queen, so there'll still be the household guards to watch them etc but now its far more discrete etc and yeah!! theoretically a better lifestyle!

also might not work out, despendent on the queens and such but yeah!! since i was talking abt laides in waiting/handmaidens anyway thought id go ahead and mention this tho i probs ~should have posted it from godfrey's site bc its coming from him lakjsdfjksdkjf

forgottenarias

okay! aria's thoughts on joining one of the queen's houses!

like i mentioned on discord, aria is abt to have a rather negative reaction to @forgottenguinevere suggesting Aria be one of her attendants so she can also go the valentina's (terrible) party! and even though we (and honestly probably aria too!) know that its just guin being kind, aria is immediately thinking abt the optics of showing up at a party nOT as a stafford (bastard or not!) but as a lady of an imperial princess-- it definitely, in her mind, says to other astairans that she's given up! she's on the varmont's side! she has abandoned astaira! (she felt weird enough crowning victors w/ @forgotteneilionora at the tournament for everyone to see!) SO as much as she's warmed to some of the varmonts, she's still not planning to take that leap

SO that all being said if @forgottengodfrey does get this idea into @forgottenroderick 's head... i assume aria doesn't really get a choice? (and if she DOES she's going to defer to what eilia thinks they should do!) i do think she'd be interested in godfrey's who speech about them having sm more freedoms joining the various houses but 1) she's still thinking of the optics mentioned above; 2) she still REALLY doesn't trust godfrey at!! all!!

also it would separate eilia and aria being ladies to the two queens! which aria wouldn't like much!

but again knowing that there might not be MUCH of a choice in this/assuming it happens... i've talked to kate abt this asp but i've contemplated that aria COULD go down a path where she really does sort of give up & sort of join the varmont side of things-- partially bc of arthur, partially bc she's freaked out abt how much roderick keeps sort of bringing one thing after the other upon the staffords and wants it to stop, among other things!

so i could see where joining marian's house MIGHT be the beginning of that path? esp if she doesn't have eilia around to lean on as much, she def might sort of go the easier route, to put it simply? i think she's been fighting SO much she's sort of exhausted and being w/o eilia's support (that thing we've discussed abt these two sort of taking on the burden of the fight to allow the other to rest!) she's going to be sort of... adrift, ig?

i do think life might feel easier for her in this world where she's not fighting against roderick + (bc we know its a big factor whether she admits it or not!) she's obviously going to have the chance to be around arthur (more? maybe?) if she's in marian's house! and if he IS engaged or w/e, its maybe less scandalous if he's seen w/ one of his mother's ladies? (i mean obvs depending on WHERE they're seen, haha!) being in his mother's house isn't going to give her more access to him, of course, but it does keep them in orbit together more, esp if he's engaged! and i DO think aria, as much as she tells herself she has to end it, she's not ACTUALLY going to be able to do that....

i also have thoughts abt why i think marian is actually going to push for this a bit but i'll get into that in marian's post abt this!

forgottenamira

honestly that its a symbol of the astairan cooperation w the imperial household is defffff how godfrey's selling this to @forgottenroderick so it def ~will be spun that way for public consumption if this works out!!

yeahhh honestly roderick does NOT care what aria wants alksjdfkjdkjf he ~does care what his wives want tho so like if @forgottenmarian aint abt it (as ill get into, i don't think amira will be fighting this one except in one specific way -- watch out, aria!), that'll be a problem in his mind, but aria not liking it??? that's a her problem in his book lakjdsfjsdf

i ~do think eilia is always looking for a way to have even the slightest influence for the good of astaira so honestly, if aria were looking to her, i ~do think @forgotteneilionora would tell her to get in there and serve well -- become indispensible -- and help the ppl that way! i think eilia is kinda willfully ignoring any warning bells aria might be raising abt godfrey bc she ~wants this chance sm! she'd do anything to do her duty, is kind of her pov honestly alksdjfkjsdf

ive got lotsa thought abt the arthur and eilia of this all (loveeee!!! that this is contribting sm to her character arc!!! and the basics are that i agree w everything!!!) but to address the amira of it all for a moment...im suuuuuuper cruious to hear abt marian pushing for aria as a handmaiden ngl!!!! laksdjfkjsdf

ok so!! re her potential new handmaidens...

ROSIE

amira doesn't really give a flying fig abt @forgottenroisin at alllll, except maybe to ask her baffling and slightly offputting questions abt the great oak lakjdsfkjlsdf but if amira notices @forgottenedmund seems stressed out abt the situation she'll be like 'great! another opportunity for him to get stronger!' so idk exactly where she'll go w that but good luck you two! lkajdsf

but anyway!! she doesn't really care abt rosie and doesn't think she's ~actually pregnant bc she doesn't think edmund would be dumb enough to tick his father off like that so!! who cares abt that lil chit!! and she knows ~she engineered the rumors abt his brothers herself soooo lksjfklsd

i don't see her fighting roderick on this tho amira ~does pick her battles from time to time and this aint worth all that and atp, what w her pregnancy, rosie'll probs largely be relegated to child care duties or smth bc amira don't trust her to spy or anything and no way ~amira's ever dealing w a spitting up baby!!! laskdjfjksdf (lbr, there're probs actual servants who'd do ~that bit rather than the ladies-in-waiting but also rosie ~instinct would be to go soothe a crying baby whereas amira's ~instinct would be like 'ew gross get that thing away from me' sooo yeah lakjdsfkjsdjf you get it!! hahaha)

if amira doesn't notice anything from edmund, amira'll probs lowkey be like *michael bluth voice* 'her?' re rosie honestly lakjsdjfs mostly rosie's a nuissance bc amira can't plot and scheme v much in front of her :( she's dispatching her on all kinds of useless assignments on the daily, but at least rosie ~does have v real and v valuable experience serving as a handmaiden to a ruling queen before this, so that's smth that amira could def use if she ever paid enough attention to her to notice lakjdsfjkdsf

BRIGIT

im so sorry amira will be THRILLED to have brigit in her household she wants to put her under a microscope and study her like an insect alksjdfjksdf she was getting all kinds of vibes off her at malconaire and she aint sure what's going on there but she! wants! to! find! out!!!!! lkajsdfjksdf so good luck, brigit!!! but yeah i think she'll view it as 'fine ill take stupid rosie if i can get interesting brigit into the bargain too -- ill need the extra help i can get w my household expanding after all!' and roderick like 'done!'

EILIA

frankly amira is NOT abt this one! like, don't get me wrong, amira is not in love w roderick, but he ~is still her husband and having ur own husband come to your chambers to blatantly flirt at one of your maids who like...isn't even interested???? she defffff finds that all pr humiliating, and amira likes to be humiliated abt as much as roderick does honestly lkajsdfjkldsfo she's just slightly more circumspect in her methods...for example...

ARIA

i think amira's aim would be to see if she wcan't swap out eilia for @forgottenarias then ~marian can watch their husband flirt at eilia and amira can be in peace...and blackmail aria mercilessly, which'll honestly probs get eilia and roderick hitched a loT sooner anywayy!!!! bc amira ~is tryna make that happen to help secure edmund's situation, since the riots...she simply plans to kill eilia off before she has any children lakjsdflkjsdjkf

to be clear, amira means to blackmail aria ~either way~ but it'll be ~far more convenient if she's serving amira as part of her household!! alskdjfkjsdf as ive said @forgottenarthur (not to mention secretly @forgottengodfrey -- calainon vs calainon time again lakjsdfkjlsdf) will defffff be fighting this!!! he def doesn't trust amira to not harm aria if she gets the chance, and being her handmaiden would def qualify as a chance, he's sure! arthur lowkey thinks amira's the devil so like even tho he knows of no reason for amira to do that he still aint ever putting it past her tbqh 'that witch is capable of anything' is sorta his pov there lakjdsfjkdsf

roderick, while everyone fights over ~aria of all ppl like *michael bluth voice*: her?' but honestly he all abt his factions fighting ~eo and not ~him so !!! have at it!! lakjsdfkjdsf

MALCONAIRE MARRIAGES

amira's also probs in the bg lowkey tryna block these marriages! not the planning of them tho -- it suits her to let roderick focus his attentions on this, but she's stymying them from the shadows wherever she can: she doesn't want the malconaires to get any actual ~power and become ~players its pr obv their politics do not align w hers she feels and she prefers them under her thumb lakjsdfjsdjkf plus ofc ~she knows they aint knocked up lajkdsfkjsdfj (well, maybe rosie, amira didn't start that one, but she's pr sure its just bc her sisters were accused and rosie was ~also known to be running around w a varmont prince so yeah...'one bad apple spoils the bushel' -- nm that amira planted those bad apples herself -- sldkfjaskdjf she doesn't credit that edmund wouldn't consider his father's reaction honestly -- she trained him better than ~that!! lakjsdfkjsdjf)

#ooc #aria stafford #roisin malconaire #brigit malconaire #eilionora stafford #roderick varmont #marian varmont #arthur varmont #godfrey calainon #edmund varmont #aoife malconaire #eithne malconaire

OOC | Amira's Second Pregnancy

early labor will last for 22 days (slow labor)

active labor will last 9 hours

Triplets (3) will be born prematurely at 32 weeks, shortly after yuletide [on january 11]; one boy and two identical girls will result:

| Male | 4.4 lb | Healthy and strong | --- | Resembles Father's Brother (Euric or Alaric, i wonder? lkdsjfajsdf)

one baby does not survive (it is weak and deteriorates after illness).

amira falls into a perpetual state of grief

couldn't have happened to a nicer person but lakjdsfkjldjf gotta say this all sucks so hard for amira honestly lkajdsfjkldsf damn

any naming suggestions?

some names i thought could work:

GIRLS

aida (returning, visitor)

alya/alia (heaven, sky, loftiness)

fatin (charming, seductive, fascinating)

alcinoe/alkinoe (strong mind)

arsinoe (raising of the mind)

aspasia (welcome, embrace)

kleonike/cleonica (glory, success, victory)

laodice (justce of the people)

philomena (beloved)

sophia (wisdom)

theodosia (giving to god)

xenia (foreigner, guest)

alodia (foreign riches)

aldara (battle aware)

BOY

alexander (protector of man)

alphonsus (noble and ready)

alvarus (all aware/conscious/guard)

amalric (unceasing/vigorous/brave king)

ambrose (immortal)

athanagild (year tribute)

fredenandus (peace/journey boldness/daring)

lysander (deliverer, savior)

odoacer/audovacar/odovacar (wealthy and vigilant)

theodemir (famous of the people)

theodoric (ruler of the people)

wymond (battle protection)

#ooc #about #roderick varmont #edmund varmont #lore #fun stuff!! lkasdjfkljdsf

aria: how long have you known?

"Known?" Amira's eyes were knife-sharp in the darkness, narrowing as they found Aria's. She smiled, then, a taut thing. Warmth never met her eyes, blazing blue and gleaming harshly in the dim light. She smiled, yes, but she was iron and she did not seem to know it. She turned her flinty gaze to the pot. She poured the tea, proferred a cup to Aria; gathering one for herself. It was an ancient ritual, this, sacred in its way. She would not forget the steps.

The queen chuckled, arched a single brow as she watched Aria frown at the cup.

"It's not poisoned, you know," she said. "But why need it concern you if it were? Given how handily you cured Prince Arthur, I imagine you could, too, save yourself."

Aria's look was a hard thing. Amira's smile deepened. "So that's it, then?"

Amira's rooms were of a particular look, bright slashes of light glaring amidst the dark shadow-gloom which seemed to permeate the entire place, heavy as heat even in the cool air. The rooms smelled strongly and savory: notes of spikenard and francinsense and clove that reminded Amira of home -- home as it ought to have been. She'd not been born to be trampled upon. She'd been born to rule her world. Kolchis had only forgotten it. She'd made them remember. She'd borne the decapitated head of the god-king to Roderick, herself.

Her gaze settled once more upon Aria. Amira's smile gentled. "My grandmother was a witch, as I'm sure you know. It is the one thing most people know about me." She paused. The tea was bracing, and pleasure coursed through her as she swallowed. "There was none, Aria, to rival her. Her line went back and back and back, unbroken, a line allof witches, to Calainon the Great. In the time since her forebearers were named High Priestess before her, till then, people had forgotten the appropriate respect which was her due, but that was their tragedy. Not her own." Her voice felt hard in her touch. Her words tasted of metal. "She was a most formidable woman. All that there was to know, Aria, she knew. Generations of knowledged handed down and down and down to us, my brothers and me, the last links in a heavy, heavy chain. She knew all that there was to know of the craft, and she taught us well. Oh, yes, even Tristan, though he was so very young when she died..."

She laughed, sure this would surprise Aria. Tristan, she knew, did not strike people the way Amira did. Nothing whatever about him suggested the witch. Yet, there the witch was, notwithstanding.

Reaching out, the queen ran her finger across the mouth of her cup, watching the gilding vanish beneath the press of her fingertip, reappearing again when her finger had passed. "The Torchbearers of Kolchis are gone, Aria, but they are not forgotten. You know something of that pain, do you not. Are you not, as I am, the last? Who now is Torchbearer of Kolchis, if not I?" She tilted her head. "And who Seeress of Kil-kennar, Aria of Stafford, if not you?" And who is "

Her companion said nothing.

Amira went on. "I know much of potions and of poisons. I can recognize the signs. You mustn't worry -- that one would never have killed my stepson, but..." Amira nodded. "The damage? That would have been permanent, were it not for your...intervention. Do you know the after-effects of freezing? Frostbite, often complete with grangrenous amputation; severe heart and kidney damage; memory problems, confusion, all sorts of plagues of the mind; rebellion of the nerves and weakness and pain--"

"It was you. Your poison! Arthur knows it, too."

Amira chuckled, lifted her cup. "I am Roderick's beloved queen. You will need far more than empty accusation. Arthur knows that, too. So, little witch. Prove it."

Aria sneered.

"You can't. Anymore than I can prove that you are a witch."

Aria's glance was sharp and Amira smiled again. Nodded to Aria's untouched tea. Encouraging her to sip.

"Let us be honest, now, with one another." Amira leaned forward. "I am surprised you would save him, Astairan."

Aria's gaze faltered, fell towards her tea.

"It seems you have talked this matter over with the prince, hm? Doubtless you know, already, then, that Arthur has had...similar health problems in the past. He has had no witch before to save him from permanent after effects, yet he has never suffered any in the past. Do you not wonder why I chose to damage him for good, this time?"

Slowly, the little witch turned her eyes upwards. They were dark, those orbs, yet Amira saw now that there was green in them, the faintest breath of it, warm like lichen on bark.

"I have told you, already," resumed Amira. "I descend from a long line of witches. I will not deny that I am sympathetic to them. So why now, and not before, hm? Arthur has crossed a line, this time. One he'd never crossed before. I wanted to ensure he never would again."

Aria shook her head. "Do you imply you did this...for Aine of Kil-kennar? That this was some form of justice?"

"You saved the man who murdered your seeress, Aria of Stafford. Not I. Think on that." She rose. "And, Aria. Enjoy your tea."

"No!" Aria rose. "No, you don't get to do that, to poison someone who has done nothing whatever to you and then say to me that you did it for me, for my people! No. Aine wouldn't have wanted this! What Arthur did was wrong, yes, but so were your actions. This was no righteous restitution for a people who have been crushed beneath your husband's boot! How would hurting Arthur tip the scales in Aine's favor? She's dead! Crippling him would do nothing to save her. There is no justice here!"

"Justice?" Amira's laugh was a bitter sound. "Who said anything about justice? No, child, this was something far more pure than justice." She bit out the words. "This was vengeance."

#about #aria stafford #ask #drabble #arthur varmont

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