headed straight for the castle.

queen priya of the netherlands, prince edmund of england.and princess agnes of denmark. i'm headed straight for the castle. they wanna make me their queen, and there's an old man sitting on the throne that's saying that i probably shouldn't be so mean. i'm headed straight for the castle. they've got the kingdom locked up, and there's an old man sitting on the throne that's saying i should probably keep my pretty mouth shut. straight for the castle. all of these minutes passing, sick of feeling used. if you wanna break these walls down, you're gonna get bruised. now my neck is open wide, begging for a fist around it. already choking on my pride. so there's no use crying about it.

[gcldencrcwns]

edmund windsor - prince of england - intro.

priya jasen - queen of the netherlands - intro. 

[gcldencrcwns]

kingconquers​:

@gcldencrcwns​.

Augustine cleared his throat slightly awkwardly, left entirely alone at the table with Edmund, save for the servants. Family dinners were rare enough occasions, nevermind solely the two of them - he spent little one on one time with his third child. Edmund had been Josephine’s favored, Josephine’s son, and Augustine had thought to leave well enough alone once it became clear that Edmund had no interest in warfare or athletics. It had been so long now that he truthfully didn’t know what to say to him. He finally settled on, “What do you think of Switzerland so far?” as neutral of a topic as he could think of.

Edmund hadn’t intended to be the last one finished with his food. On most occasions, he tended to finish first in a hurry to get away from the quiet, tense feeling that surrounded family meals. Today, however, he had become so engrossed in thought over the attempted assassination on the Queen of the Netherlands, that he must have eaten slower than usual. Jumping slightly at the sound of his father clearing his throat, Edmund quickly looked up from his plate. He couldn’t remember the last time the pair of them had been in a room alone together - had they ever? For most of Edmund’s life, the two had been near strangers. Edmund wasn’t Auggie or Max - he wasn’t a necessity to the family. He hadn’t earned the attention in the ways that they had, nor had he attracted it like Peter did by liking athletics. Edmund was his mother’s son, until he wasn’t even that anymore. Now, Edmund was just another person sitting at their table, eating their food and waiting for the moment he could escape back to the library. 

“Switzerland is fine,” He replied evenly, taking another sip from his glass. As he sat it down, he glanced over at his father. “What do you think of it?” 

[gcldencrcwns]

sundrunked​:

closed for edmund windsor / @gcldencrcwns​​ !

they sat together in the library, a brief lull in their usual lively discussion of all they had read recently. it was her fault, she knew ; anne hadn’t felt entirely herself lately, preoccupied even among the constant hubbub that had come with the summit. so much to do, but she couldn’t quite clear her head & focus. she closed her book, marking the page with her finger, & stared at the cover for a moment. “eddie,” she said slowly, carefully, “what do you know of your aunt ? ”

she regretted saying it soon after, but there was no taking it back. she needed to talk to someone. about what her father had told her, about who she might be, & eddie — well, she trusted him entirely, windsor & all. certainly it was better to talk to him than augustine. better to talk to anyone than augustine.

Pouring over the words of Plato once more, Edmund found himself immersed in The Republic once more. It wasn’t his first time reading it by any means,  but he still found new bits to ponder each time he returned to it. He was only brought out of his concentration by Annie’s words, causing him to glance up at them. He hummed as he dog eared one of the pages, turning to give his friend his full attention. “Not much,” He admitted thoughtfully, thinking over any information he had heard about her over the years. His father never spoke of her, certainly not to Edmund at least. “I know that she was a traitor, so the staff says.” His aunt did not come up often anymore, but he had heard some of the whispering when he was a child and blended in well enough to be invisible. “Why?” Eddie asked her, voice lacking any judgement for her curiosity on the subject. He knew whatever reason Annie had for bringing her up must be important to her. 

[gcldencrcwns]

vitaiisms​:​

blond hair was a sight that okware had become rather accustomed to in his time with the crown prince, so it isn’t a surprise to see edmund at the summit (in fact, he’s counting down the moments for ali to beg him to take him to see edmund), but it is a surprise to see him approach okware without ali at his side. he instinctively straightens at the sight of the prince, “your highness,” he greets, attempting the same smile but he knows it falls just a bit short in comparison. “i gather he’s in his room at the moment, but i don’t think he’d object to the company,” he explains, accent thick as he speaks. he laughs softly at the question, “good,” he says, fixing eddie with a look. “as good as i can be without being asked to read over the letters ali writes for a second opinion.”

Edmund knew Ali was prone to running off, so he was a bit surprised to hear that he was actually in his chambers for once; but, that did make his search a lot easier.  And after everything that had happened with the Queen of the Netherlands, Eddie was relieved to hear that Ali was accounted for. “Are you sure? I don’t want to disturb him,” Edmund replied, glancing nervously down the corridor. If Ali wanted to be alone, Edmund didn’t want to be a bother. Truly, he was so glad to see him after so long apart, but...well, Eddie didn’t want to be overwhelming. He didn’t want to do something to make Ali tired of him. It seemed everyone reached that point eventually, and Eddie wanted to avoid it for as long as possible. Turning back to Okware, he paled at his look. “Oh God,” He murmured before he could stop himself, face heating up at the realization of just how many of Ali’s love letters Oki must have been subjected to. “Oh, er, I’m sorry?” He apologized, fingers toying with a button on one of his cuffs. “I didn’t...I suppose I should have realized that would happen.” 

[gcldencrcwns]

Priya had survived the first few days of the summit, thankfully. Ignoring snide remarks about her lack of a child and the handful of princesses she had seen attempting to get her husband’s attention, she had instead chosen to focus on the bright side in being here. She had gotten to see some old friends. Priya had maybe even made a few new ones, or potential allies at least. If she could take things one day at a time, perhaps she might even come to enjoy her time here in Switzerland. Only one person could fully put her at ease, though - her husband. Steady, strong and stable, Priya always felt the most herself around Hendrik these days. Walking towards their chambers together after dinner, Priya tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow. “How was your day?” She asked him with a tired smile. “I confess, I am excited to retire for the evening. Things have been so busy these last few days, I feel as if we’ve barely seen one another.”

@mountebanks​

[gcldencrcwns]

There had been a time when Priya was a social butterfly, when being the center of attention in any room had been effortless and enjoyable. But as the years ticked by, that ability had dulled. She was still able to entertain and play the part of the dutiful queen, but her smile never quite reached her eyes usually. That wasn’t the case today, though, as she laid eyes on her dear friend and pen pal from Spain. “Your Majesty!” Priya grinned, eagerly approaching Desta. “I am so pleased to see you. How are you finding Switzerland?” She asked, unsure of how Desta might be feeling about the summit. “Would you like to join me for a cup of tea? I would love to catch up.” 

@glassfm​ 

[rainbowkarolina]

SIMONE ASHLEY as KATE SHARMA Bridgerton Season Two (2022)

[gcldencrcwns]

Ali’s time in England had been some of the happiest days of Eddie’s life. Being around someone so warm, so caring, so fun and energetic had made Eddie feel lighter, more at ease than he ever had in the twenty years before then. It had been enough to make his head spin. Another side effect of being around Ali so much was seeing Okware frequently. Edmund had been nervous around Ali’s personal guard the entire time he’d known the pair; Okware meant a lot to Ali, and Edmund didn’t want him to dislike or not trust Edmund. As time went on, however, Edmund began to feel slightly more at ease around the man, although he still worried some. “Good evening,” Edmund greeted him softly, attempting a friendly smile. “Have you seen Ali recently?” They hadn’t made any sort of plans, but Edmund had been cooped up in the library all day and was in need of social interaction with someone he enjoyed being around. “It has been quite some time. How have you been these last few years?” Edmund asked, curious about how he had been since he and Ali had left England. 

@vitaiisms​

[gcldencrcwns]

Coming to Switzerland had seemed daunting from the shores of England. So many people to meet, so much dancing and talking he would have to do, so many meetings to attend. All of it had seemed like even more stress after the last five years, which was saying something. The only silver lining had been the opportunity to see Ali again; Edmund had been looking forward to that since he’d sent the first letter to Ethiopia. After seeing him at the feast, Edmund had only grown more excited to speak with Ali and make up for the time they had lost. 

After things had begun to settle down for the day, Edmund had slipped a message to Ali to meet him when he had the chance. “I thought we might go for an evening stroll in the gardens,”  Eddie smiled in greeting as he caught sight of the crowned prince. “The bloom looked lovely as our carriage was coming in. Would you like to go look at the flowers?” 

@cftragedy​

[gcldencrcwns]

dvalitycfprcmise​:

he gave a nod, looking around for a bit before looking back towards her. “i am new as well, lets walk this way,” he nodded towards the corridor. “i have staff over in my chambers. they can show you the way.” he moved to pick his luggage back up and began walking. “it’s not far,” he called towards her.

Priya sighed in relief, glad to not be the only one confused by the layout of the Swiss palace. At least the man seemed to know more than her. “Thank you for your help,” Priya smiled at him as she fell in step with him. “How are you finding Switzerland so far?” She asked, making conversation as they traveled towards his chambers. “I hope the journey was not too troublesome.” 

[gcldencrcwns]

ofdevotiions​:

starter for @gcldencrcwns​

the last few days had been a whirlwind. a constant flow of royals in and out, it left little time for relax or check in with the other members of the royal family. after making sure auggie was situated in the morning, gabriel sought out the younger sibling. “your highness,” gabriel said as he approached. he bowed quickly before standing straight again. “how are you finding switzerland?”

Moving the court from England to Switzerland couldn’t be an easy affair, especially with so many other royal delegations arriving at the same time. Edmund didn’t envy any of the staff who were responsible for looking out for them. He’d tried to make their job as easy as possible by ducking away, hiding out in the library, the gardens, or Ali’s room when he could. Out of sight, out of mind. And it got him out of socializing with the other royals too much, so it was truly a good idea for all, in Edmund’s opinion. 

Even so, Gabriel wasn’t an unwelcome sight when he approached Edmund in the morning before he had the chance to make his escape after breakfast. “Gabriel,” Edmund greeted with a small smile, glancing to see if one of his siblings were nearby. It seemed Max and Auggie weren’t around, however. “I do not mind it,” Edmund replied, a glowing praise from him if there ever was one. It was better than England, at least. “It can be a bit overwhelming, with so many new faces in one place.” After all, Edmund had never liked crowds or having too many eyes on him, and there were many countries and many royals here. “Are you enjoying it here?” 

[gcldencrcwns]

royalrites​:

priya / @gcldencrcwns​:

While Ariana was loathe to admit it, Italy needed help desperately, the plague having decimated so much of what they had until it was difficult to cling to the vestiges of glory that one would expect from royalty. They needed allies badly and Ariana viewed the gathering in Switzerland not so much as a party, but a gathering to settle business across the realm and give them all a fair chance at flourishing.

Or perhaps not fair. Things were seldom fair, and perhaps that was why Ariana chose to seek out the Queen of the Netherlands. Like her, she knew the Queen to not be the mother of any children, and maybe she hoped that would garner sympathy, some commonality that would help them. “Your Majesty. On your own today?” She asked, not seeing the king with her.

Priya was in a desperate situation of her own in the Netherlands, although there wasn’t much anyone could do to help her. Being without an heir was always a dangerous position for a queen to be in, but even more so now that there were other royals throwing themselves at her husband here. In her heart, she knew that they wouldn’t sway him, but she couldn’t help but worry. If something were to happen to her, then there would be a need for one of the princesses to take her place after all. And they likely would be better received in the Dutch court than she currently was. In truth, Priya didn’t know who at the summit she could fully trust, but the other queens seemed a decent place to start. After all, even with several having children of their own, they understood how troubling her position was. Perhaps that understanding could lead to a bond with a few. 

As she strolled through the gardens, Priya stopped for the Queen of Italy. “Your Majesty,” She greeted in return, offering the other a polite smile. “Yes,” Priya nodded, trying not to let the absence of her husband bother her. She trusted him, and she would never want to smother him or force him to stay by her side constantly. “My husband is busy with diplomatic affairs,” Priya told her, giving a slight shrug in response. “You are on your own as well?” She asked, not spying the King of Italy around either. 

[bensvlo-deactivated20171006]

finn · star wars: the force awakens

[gcldencrcwns]

dvalitycfprcmise​:

steffan sighed, trying not to show his annoyance as he walked towards the denmark’s side of the castle. he carried his luggage, not trusting the guards there, walking down the corridor. he stopped short - seeing the corridor being blocked by someone else. he debated on walking around them but soren would want him to at least appear friendly. “are you in need of assistance,” he placed his trunk down.

@1642hqzstarters​

The Netherlands had arrived only a short time ago. Untrusting of many of those at the summit, Priya had supervised the staff sorting her luggage out in her room before taking the time to change from her travel clothes. Travel had never agreed with her, but at least this time they hadn’t had to take a ship to arrive. After settling in, Priya had wandered back out to ask about water for a bath, but had gotten lost looking for any maids who might be able to assist her. As she bit her lip, eyes scanning the other end of the corridor, Priya jumped at the voice behind her. She plastered on a polite smile, turning to look at the man. “I seem to have gotten turned around,” Priya explained, stranding up straight with her shoulders back. “I am trying to return to the chambers for the Netherlands.” 

[gcldencrcwns]

cftragedy​:

If Ali had been considering taking a reprieve, all thoughts of it were dashed when he saw who had greeted him. Five years is a long time, but he could pick Eddie out of a crowded room any day, and not only because he’d find him on the outskirts. There isn’t much to do when you’re confined to your palace, and in the early days, before the crops withered, ali had found an unexpected joy in the gardens on the grounds. One tree in particular was his favorite, a broad, stocky thing that grew small green flowers. He’d taken to plucking some and keeping them on the ledge of his window, under which he’d had roses planted some time earlier. the combination was…endearing. familiar, almost.

It didn’t hold a candle to seeing Eddie now. He does, in fact, have half a mind to kiss him, but the more logical half of him that knows Eddie would be mortified –forget what the others think of him, Eddie appreciated his privacy and that alone kept Ali from risking it– and he restrains himself. There will be time later. For now he’s content to bask in his presence, thankful that time did not seem to lessen his affection. For as reserved as Eddie is, his expression now is easy to read. Ali steps closer, ducking his head to lean in close. He could, but he won’t. Not yet. Not yet. “The trip was uneventful. Or perhaps it wasn’t. It hardly matters to me now. Being here with you has taken all my attention, exactly as I would prefer. Why would I concern myself with anything else? Has this trip treated you well, thus far? I must admit, I was unsure if I should expect to see you tonight. I’m glad I did not have to wait.”

Seeing Ali again after all of this time was like a breath of fresh air. It was like when Edmund had been in England during the plague, when the rain was incessant and storms howled against the windows of the castle. And then one day, the rain had just stopped. The sun had broken through the clouds, shining down like liquid gold against the grass and fields below. Ali was that sunlight - breathtaking, surprising and so very welcome after all of the troubles that they’d experienced over the last few years. Edmund felt his warmth from here, drawn to him like a moth to a flame just as he had been when they’d met years ago. He wasn’t sure why Ali chose him when he could have had anyone at court, but Edmund will never question his own good fortune. 

Edmund was a reserved person; all of the Windsor’s were, in some way or another. No one had ever taught him how to express what he was really feeling underneath, or to show the affection he felt for another. Perhaps that was part of the reason why he shied away from any sort of public displays of affection. However, he couldn’t help but hold his breath as Ali stepped closer, close enough that it wouldn’t take much to close the gap between them. For one long moment, Eddie thought about it. He wanted to - more than he’d wanted the sun during the days of endless clouds - but there would be time for that later. As long as they were both here in Switzerland, there would be time for them, Eddie hoped. As Ali spoke, Eddie gazed back at him, his smile calming back into something softer, more bashful. Just being around Ali made him feel nervous, although it was a good nervous. Excited, even. Ali had a way of making Eddie feel truly seen and understood for perhaps the first time ever, and to be back with him now made Eddie realize how much he had truly missed him. “The trip is much better now that you’re here,” Eddie replied earnestly, one of his hands lightly brushing against Ali’s. “I confess, I might have considered staying away from tonight’s festivities,” He began, glancing back out towards the crowd of dancers and partygoers. “But I was hoping to see you,” Eddie admitted, light blush rising to his cheeks at the admission. “I would have hated to keep you waiting,” He added at Ali’s words. Truly, he would have hated the wait himself. “And, as it’s the first event of the summit, it’s only right for me to be here for some of the evening, at least.” 

[gcldencrcwns]

cftragedy​:

Alimayu used to come alive at events like this. Even now, he can feel the pull of the crowd, the ease with which he can fall back into fawning and schmoozing with the rest of them. But it feels like picking up an instrument for the first time in years. He remembers hand placements and most of the tempo, but the sound still feels…less. He excuses himself to linger on the edges of the crowd, seeking a moment not thronged by the larger crowd in the center. Noticing another with a similar idea, he smiles. “It is amazing to return to normal after so long, is it not?”

@1642hqzstarters​

Edmund had always found parties draining. They required a lot of socializing, and too much pageantry in his opinion. He liked things that were simpler, and he liked spending time with fewer people in smaller doses. Still, it wouldn’t do to skip the first large gathering of the summit - as much as he doubted his presence would be greatly missed. Someone would notice, perhaps. Eddie also didn’t want to miss the moment he’d see Ali again. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous about it; after all, five years was a long time. They had written, but what if things were not as they used to be between them? Ali was interesting, extroverted and had a magnetic energy that drew people to them. It had worked on Eddie, and it was quite possible it would work on anyone else in the room. What if it had worked well enough that Edmund wasn’t able to keep Ali’s attention anymore? 

Just as he was considering listening to his nerves and finding a way to duck back to his chambers, he saw them. Away from the thick of the crowds, sticking towards the outside, stood the crowned prince, poised in a perfect place for Edmund to greet him. “It is,” He agreed as he made his way towards Ali’s side, smiling wider than he had all night. Eddie’s smiles usually were smaller, tenser, more restrained - nothing like the look of excitement on his face now. “I’m so glad to see you,” Edmund said quietly, wishing this reunion had been in private. Would Ali have kissed him, then? Would Eddie have kissed them? Pushing that out of his mind, Eddie’s shyness returned as he glanced down at his feet. “How are you? How was the trip here?” 

[gcldencrcwns]

rcgnants​:

Open Starter @1642hqzstarters

Nell had been just fourteen when she was first invited to a formal event. She still remembered the excitement with which she had received the invitation, the nervousness that came to her in the days upcoming the ball, and the sheer joy she had felt when, after asking for her father’s permission, she had been first been asked to dance. Even today, the young Lady still kept that memory neatly and dearly stored in her mind. 

But so much time had passed since that first time. Eventually, she became popular enough to be invited to more balls and soirees than she could enjoy, instead of excitement, a strange sense of apathy came to her with each new invitation, nervousness was replaced with experienced confidence, and the joy of being asked to the dancefloor became no more than contempt conceited by a lovely yet rehearsed smile. 

However, this time was different. Not months ago, Nell had not seen the possibility of ever again seeing a ballroom so full of people. Now, it almost seemed as if the disgraced events that had brought half the world to it’s knees had been but a dream. People mingled beneath the glittering lights of the chandeliers, Lords and Ladies danced and laughed, food and drink ran plenty without seeming to stop. In a strange way, Nell felt as if she was attending a royal event for the first time all over again. 

A shining smile on her face, she turned to the person next to her. “It is almost unbelievable to see such a celebration take place again. There were times during isolation that I feared nothing would ever go back to as it was.”

Edmund couldn’t remember his first formal event. As a prince of England, he’d been in the spotlight since birth, though not invited to evening soirees like balls until he was older. While he wasn’t first or second in line for the throne, he’d still had to attend his fair share of parades, weddings, funerals, feasts, and more. 

And in truth, he’d always disliked them. Socializing with people he didn’t know well was always difficult for him due to his shyness, but the worst of such occasions were always balls. Edmund wasn’t one for dancing, or spending all evening regaling other royals with stories or jokes. Instead, he preferred to stick to the edges of the event, sipping his champagne and playing the spectator. Now, he held a glass to his lips, fully avoiding a girl from one of the other countries trying to catch his eye. He was not dancing tonight, that was for sure. Instead, Edmund glanced towards the Lady of York who had ended up near him. 

“I thought as much as well,” Edmund admitted quietly, eyes returning to the spectacle of dancing in front of them. Truly, he might not have minded getting out of balls, but he had actually missed getting to go out of the castle. “After so long inside, the journey here seemed like something out of a dream.” Truly, it hadn’t been easy getting here from England, but just getting to see the continent more had been exciting. 

Once he remembered his manners, Edmund gave her a tight-lipped smile. “How are you finding Switzerland, Lady Eleanor?” He asked Nell, knowing his mother would want him to be polite to the nobility that she had invited.