Truths hurt. But lies are worse

It was unusual, perhaps a rarity, for one man in a position of steep incline to feel content with his ranking of “second best” in England’s string of succession. The heir presumptive has never willed himself as King, and wishes his brother best in his endeavors so long as he himself is kept in the dark. Without fret as to his livelihood, the heir presumptive threw himself into a military career which has brought to him riches and reputation not even his father could have commanded, and a personal pride which cannot be stripped from a man. It is a great joy to him to aid in the protection of England’s border in his own manner, without sitting before a melange of politicians and privy councilmen. He shall leave that, gladly, to his brother.

[jamesofengland]

prinz-friedrich:

“Of course,” Friedrich admitted. “But I would be too worried that I would miss something of importance. As tedious as it is, court gossip is rather informative. And I suppose it is much safer for a guard to allow the Prince of England to pass than attempt to restrain him.”

“Would have thought most of it is tedious. Though I have yet to find a use for court gossip” he had tried, but he just didn’t understand it. Perhaps because no one had yet risk threatening here. “In England, actually most of the time they seem to run the other way if they see me”. 

[jamesofengland]

thereignofadaline:

Was it that obvious that she had been hiding? Adaline always knew people would try to always be around the baby once he was born, but she never imagined it would like this. Edward was the Heir to the Throne, but Teddy was her sweet baby and she wanted him to have a good childhood away from court. “It wasn’t easy. It took a while to find a place to hide, and so far only you have found it.”

“When you’re not the oldest son, you get ignored more as a child. Spent my childhood mostly exploring the palace. Know all of the hiding places” and still used them if he needed a moments peace. Probably not very acceptable behaviour, but he did know it was stifling in there. “I wouldn’t worry though, I’m not going to tell them where you are”.

[jamesofengland]

thereignofadaline:

Adaline’s voice was soft, only meant for her son to hear as she sang a sweet lullaby a wet nurse used to sing to her when she was a child. It was her attempt, of course, to make sure her son learned to speak Spanish as well as English one day. It was footsteps behind her what made her stop and she turned around to see them. “I apologize. Did I disturb you?”

It wasn’t as if James had actually meant to walk up behind her, the last thing he wanted to do was scare either her or the baby. He doubted that was an easy thing within court, seemed to be people everywhere. “How could that have disturbed me? I am more surprised you can find anywhere quiet around here”.

[jamesofengland]

klaraizms:

Winter, while beautiful, was boring. In warmer months one could at least have a change of scenery from indoors to out, but outside in winter was only suited for brisk walks. She’d been in a foul mood earlier just thinking about being confined to a single room for too long and had called a fabric merchant to her to shake the mood. Her wardrobe was in need of a new dress after all. Klara only intended on one dress, but after spreading his bolts out around the room she was beginning to think she needed a dress from each one. “How is a person supposed to choose when they’re all so lovely?” She huffed, turning at the sound of approaching footsteps. There was her answer! “Thank goodness! I cannot decide between the red brocade or the blue velvet. Which do you think would make the better dress?” 

James was unsure of his way around, that much he would never deny. He wasn’t too worried about it, most people did not really wish to get into an argument with a prince, much less someone of his height. Hilarious really, for he had no intent of harming anyone, he just had no intentions of actually correcting them on that either. Still, the last thing that he had expected was to suddenly be asked about fashion, something he really didn’t know anything about. “I honestly cannot see how it would matter”.

[jamesofengland]

prinz-friedrich:

“And how exactly did you manage that?” Friedrich asked his companion in astonishment, turning his head to face them. The horse beneath him was as calm as the skies above him. He smiled to himself, realising how the new year was getting off to a good start. 

“You have never wanted to leave someplace early?” he replied, or in most cases before he even arrived at the place he was meant to be. To say he was a little bad at duties may be an understatement, “I have no idea, a threat to a guard, they do not know it is empty”. 

[jamesofengland]

thequeen-rosemarie:

Rosemarie’s demeanour immediately changed when she realised it was her brother, her face breaking out into a genuine smile. “Of course you can come visit me! I just wish that you had sent word! I would have greeted you.” She wrinkled her nose the tiniest bit before shaking her head. “I missed you though, so I am very glad to see you.” Her words were softer, more genuine. Being all the way in Scotland without her family made her feel very isolated sometimes. 

“Which is why I did not. You know I have never been fond of that sort of thing” it had always just been easier to arrive when no one was expecting him to, or when no one could try and quickly organise anything. It had earned him more then a few cross words from his mother. “Missed you too. Though I have heard only good things about Scotland” he wasn’t sure if he believed that or not.

[jamesofengland]

thequeen-rosemarie:

The one place the young Queen felt completely at peace was on her horse. It was away from all the hustle of the life at the palace and the political movements of everyone around them. A cough drew her attention and she gave a start, before smiling at the person who had appeared. “Hello there, what brings you out here today?”

Of course James was happy for his brother, more then happy, the problem was that he also knew that right now he was in the way in court. He knew he couldn’t return to the military yet, so instead he had ridden North. Impulsive maybe, but needed. “What? A man can’t ride up to visit his sister?”

[jamesofengland]

bergeniia:

“oh? i think that you have told me a lie,” she said. he was a loser, and she was angered. “yes you avoid it because of your laziness.” she said with frustration. “do you think so little of me that all i do is yell? i have asked many people and they have brushed me off or denied me.” she clenched her fists. “of course. you will fight. or maybe just fall on your sword and die?” 

“Under normal circumstances, I would probably think a lot more of you. However I am a prideful man, and whilst I can accept any insults about most things, I do not take them when it comes to what I have or haven’t done in the military” perhaps it was petty, but he would not have that belittled, and any amusement he’d had was now gone. “Then don’t listen, just go in. The room is hardly locked”.

[jamesofengland]

astcriuus:

“see you should throw yourself into that. follow your passions into battle,” he had imagined a different life, even a life where he was happy with few responsibilities and the same money. “oh well. i enjoy rome, even with its problems. but if they wanted things contained they should not have invited all of us here.”

“I have, but duty does not disappear over night either” and he was first and foremost a prince. Even if he did wish to lose the title one day. But that was impossible. “How else to organise peace talks, they will lead to nothing in the end”. 

[jamesofengland]

bergeniia:

“i lose my temper when i am insulted by a man who is less intelligent than i was when i was the age of seven, that is when i lose my temper,” she shouted, trying not to evaluate what was best to throw at him. “i wish to be in that room because i am much more useful to my country in there than i am out here wasting away at the hands of women who want nothing more than to brush their hair till they shrivel up and die.” her eyes rolled. “oh i forget you are the spineless one who leeches money but does not provide a single benefit.”

“All I have stated is fact about how this world is, none of it is insults” he replied, unfazed by the shouting. He had handled far worse then someone yelling after all. He was almost used to it. It had been going on his entire life. “I do not know enough about politics to know if that is true or not, I tend to avoid politics for a reasons. But if you want to be in there so badly, why not take it up with them” and he was sure that was once again the wrong thing to say, but it wasn’t as if he was able to solve his problems. “There are other ways to serve a country then politics and arguing”.

[jamesofengland]

astcriuus:

peter let out a sardonic laugh. “i think you might be in the wrong place if you wanted to avoid politics. might i suggest the army, or sailing, or herding sheep? those would be the only non-political professions,” peter found politics tiring at time but he was the only heir. he had no choice. “yes, but they could have met in rome, somewhere that doesn’t have a stake in the matter and with a warmer clime.”

“I am well aware of that” right now he wanted to be anywhere but here, but that couldn’t be avoided. “I am military. But my family’s blood runs through my veins, and that always comes first” least he tried to live that way. It was better for everyone if he did. “Too many have problems with Rome. Besides, is it not better to keep matters contained”.

[jamesofengland]

astcriuus:

“you just hate everything about this place don’t you,” peter said, letting the words take on as many meanings as james wanted to put in them. “i think it might be a little bit of their fault. they could have chosen to have had these meetings on much warmer neutral ground.”

“The place, no. It is the politics that I... would rather avoid” he explained. Bit of a problem at the moment, it seemed to be all anyone cared about. “Were they not the ones who organised it, why wouldn’t it be in their kingdom?”

[jamesofengland]

hrhisobel:

           Isobel chucked at James, nodding along as she was aware the man was very removed from politics. Isobel herself had always made sure be involved, even if it seemed as if she were not. “Then let is sit, drink, and be merry while not fussing over politics, yes?” Isobel said with a smile. James could be refreshing, despite his grumpiness, his distance often provided her with a new perspective or tale of the world.

“Not sure I am can offer merriness, but the rest of it is something that I can go along with” he knew himself too well by now, he was too tired to be happy now. He wasn’t sure what it was that lay so heavily on his heart, but it was making it very difficult for him to see anything good in the world nowadays. 

[jamesofengland]

bergeniia:

“you are disgusting,” she sighed. the dowager was one of the most respected members of the international community. there would be respect for her. and while she was not always be there for the peaceful solution. “and this is why you are useless and disgusting, because you seem to think that none of them affect you. and that you don’t care about them because of that fact. it does affect you, and no one should take you seriously.”

He shrugged at her comment, not sure why she thought such an insult would really affect him, he been called far worse after all. “You want to be in that room, and then lose your temper when someone suggests that men do not take women seriously. Do you think that will convince them? This is the world that we live in. I am well aware that it does affect me, and you do not know what I do or do not care about, nor am I going to share. You are right though, they should not take me seriously, nor do I want them to”. 

[jamesofengland]

astcriuus:

“it is not the most pleasant,” peter said rolling his eyes. he too would rather be drinking but sometimes man must do his duty, even if that duty caused distain. “yes, but there is not a room in this place that is not freezing. they have very little choice.”

“That I can believe” he’d feel sorry for his brother, but then he was sure that his brother had more patience with it. “I have become aware of that. Not their fault I know, but it is inconvenient”. 

[jamesofengland]

astcriuus:

“well you see kind sir I am one of those people in the meetings, i merely stepped out for a few hours,” james was a silly man who he didn’t care much for. he seemed silly and lazy from a distance. “i will return as soon as i have become warm.” 

“Then I feel sorry for you” at this point he wasn’t even going to try and hide his disdain for politics, everyone already knew it. “So they put you in a cold room on top of the rest of it?”

[jamesofengland]

lilyoflorraine:

“Because every single one of us would sink their teeth into you if given the slightest opportunity,” Liliane teased, and indeed, there something wicked and serpentine in her posture, both warning and temptation. Her fingers lingered over the strings of her lute thoughtfully, plucking nimble chords here and there to accent her words. “But on my honor, sir, I swear you will come to no harm by my side–unless, of course, you would like to be bitten.”

The others in the room with her broke into tittering laughter. Two or three began to strum their instruments and tap at the harpsichord wedged in between the couches.

“No one likes to be bitten” he pointed out. Was he particularly worried about it? No, why would he. There was too many other things in the world that he needed to worry about then that risk. Besides, he wasn’t sure he needed to be scared of them. “Oh? And what exactly is the cost of such protection?” he was no fool, everything came at a cost, some just weren’t worth it.

Part of him wondered if he should actually just leave, but right now he wasn’t sure what his alternative options would be. Besides, this was more interesting then anything else.