ᴡᴇ ʙᴇᴀʀ ɪᴛ / 𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭

𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭. 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝. “ 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘦𝘨𝘨𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵'𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘪𝘧 𝘪 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵, 𝘪 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘥. ”

[ofstuarts]

⤻    𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 . @ofstuarts​

                𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐛𝐨𝐱𝐞𝐬  𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐧  𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭  𝐡𝐞𝐫  had  a  self-wrapped  look.  haeyoon  picked  one  of  the  numerous  gifts  laid  out  up  and  turned  the  small  box  over  in  her  hands,  letting  her  eyes  roam  freely  over  every  ribbon  so  lovingly  made.  ❝  are  these  all  for  me?  ❞  she  raised  her  eyes  to  the  scottish  princess,  who  had  a  look  in  her  eye,  caught  between  pride  and  fear  of  rejection,  about  to  say  how  they  were  simple  to  wrap,  or  that  it  was  really  nothing  at  all.  before  the  other  could  speak,  the  regent  raised  her  hand  to  the  nape  of  her  neck,  touching  lightly,  tilting  her  head  up  just  a  little.  ❝  honestly,  lina.  i  was  expecting  some  songpyeon  or  even  a  bottle  of  sindoju,  but  all  of  this  is  unexpected.  you  really  shouldn’t  have.  ❞

      despite all the effort and time it took to piece together the gifts just perfectly, the expression on haeyoon’s face immediately pays off. lina smiles a sweet smile, a weak attempt at controlling how pleased she is to see haeyoon happy, and perhaps just an edge of worry that the queen regent would’ve thought it too excessive. “ of course, it was nothing, really -- ” she’s about to make a show of how easy it was to assure haeyoon she hadn’t caused any trouble, but the train of words evaporates into thin air at her touch. lina’s expression drifts into something of a daze, a mostly happy one, eyes softly capturing the other’s features with little success at subtlety. “ you deserve it, though. ” she reassures gently. “ if it’s too much, though, and brings embarrassment, i could ease up... i couldn’t choose just one thing. ” she swallows trying to ease her own anxiety –- has haeyoon ever rejected lina’s kindness or eagerness? not quite, and she won’t allow her own wild thoughts to ruin a nice moment. “ i also tried to make pajeon, but it turned out a little soggy, so... ”

[ofstuarts]

“G'morning.  Looks like you’ve been busy.”

Subtlety, thy name is not Henry Stuart.

That’s why he’s so surprised he’s able to startle his usually attentive daughter.  With heavy footsteps and a loud demeanor, it’s rare he ever has to announce his presence.  Clearly, what’s ever on her mind had been enough to distract her from even noticing him.

Henry easily comes to lean on the door frame, brow raising and lips curling into a crooked smile.  He’d been a mischievous child; so he knows the smile she gives him well enough, though what exactly he’s caught her doing, he hasn’t the faintest.  Things seem rather mundane to him.  Not a bottle or a boy or a broken window in sight.  He tilts his head, and against his better intentions, glances to the pile of gifts on her bed.

“What’s all this?”

    her father’s presence is always a force to be reckoned with –- far different than lina’s quiet nature that could allow her to creep up on even the most observant of royals. she appreciates that, his tenacity, something she could probably use more of ( though probably not to the full extent he does ) and even now, it makes her smile. “ chuseok gifts, of course. ” she sounds like her mother then when she tips her head questioningly. “ it’s a gift-giving holiday, father. i thought it might be an easy way to maintain harmony with some of the others here. after all, i wouldn’t want scotland to develop a reputation of being... frugal. ” certainly it wouldn’t be a good look to skimp out on a holiday centered around giving. “ yours is here too, and mum’s, so don’t get too nosey and spoil the surprise. ” she leaves out who else she’s prepared gifts for, because quite frankly that’s an entirely different conversation neither of them are prepared to have. she teases then, a little glint in her eyes that makes it clear she is his daughter when she looks around the room. “ what did you think i’d be doing? ”

[ofstuarts]

@ofstuarts​ // the lady was standing before her mirror, her hands running up and down her skirt. it was a day that made greer think of her own roots within the africas and her filipino heritage. a smile came to her face thinking of everything her family allowed her to do before she became employed. 

she turned, opening the door to her lady’s rooms. she bent her knee before going to pick up the dress lina had picked. “do you have festivals like these within your chinese culture?”

       tugging at a loose thread in her sleeve, lina smiled with the arrival of her dear friend. it was still early, but the atmosphere of the festival always had her up before usual, so she was still bright eyed and perky regardless. it was a break from her typically anxious state, to say the least. “ we do, of course. as expected, i mostly celebrate scottish traditions, but lunar new year is always special. ” she’d visited the chinese court enough to be involved, especially with her mother. “ and yourself? are there any special celebrations you’re fond of? ”

[ofstuarts]

     for once, lina allows herself to enjoy the holiday spirit that seemed to grow infectious around the court. she’d gone through the extra effort of selecting her gifts carefully, perhaps too much effort, because now her bed was overflowing with them. overboard generally wasn’t her style but she wanted it to be perfect, as such the recipient deserved, and so she busied herself with tying the bows meticulously by hand. a little extra love and care went a long way, even if she could always have someone do it for her. she’s so busy with her work that she doesn’t hear the footsteps and nearly jumps when her father speaks, turning and blinking at him before a sheepish smile blooms on her mouth. caught, certainly, though the scene is not very incriminating, lina’s never been good at hiding things. “ father! good morning. ” even though lina’s bustling with nervous energy, there’s a sense of optimism to her that only a prick of infatuation can bring. “ don’t look too closely or you’ll spoil your gift. ” @ayescots​ 

[ofstuarts]

              𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 from the endless array of colors and fabrics, her name’s abrupt call brought her to. her features were bright, lips raised into a smile, and her steps had a bounce to them as she clasped the handles. beyond the door was a wanted familiar sight she had not expected to see. the princess was as vivid as busan’s summer blooms, though a look of subtle distress donned on her, starkly contrasting to the memorable glow of her face haeyoon witnessed long ago. why come to her now?

               ❝ 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚? ❞ curiosity introduced itself to haeyoon in the form of arched brows and keen eyes at the sight before her. behind the regent trailed a mess of clothing, scattered in the brilliant rays, each as beautiful as the next. ❝ excellent timing! i have been racking my brain for the past hour, pondering what i ought to wear for this evening. ❞ mused the regent, and took the princess by the hand, furthering into her bedchamber toward her previous endeavor — even her alarmed tone at the door could not outshine haeyoon’s delight. ❝ what brings you to my chambers at this hour? ❞

     it’s an overreaction, surely, though by this point haeyoon’s no stranger to lina’s anxieties, whether lina confesses them verbally or not. relief rushes through her when haeyoon’s voice rings through the air – relief and, well, something else, a sense of fondness that only the presence of the other tends to bring. suddenly her worries melt away, and though that might seem reasonable, it’s no easy feat for someone like herself. her eyes linger when haeyoon opens the door, expression curious though kind despite lina’s rather rude bout of knocking. “ hour? ” the only time she’s ever spent that long is perhaps when choosing what to wear for one of her performances, and maybe not even then.

       a rosy pink flush climbs her neck to cheeks. “ with everything happening, i thought i might check how you’re doing. ” she clears her throat, letting her humor shine through. “ make certain you haven’t been taken captive by the rogue noble in the palace. ” it feels intimate being in another person’s space, especially haeyoon’s, but lina busies herself by making her way over to examine the choices. “ you know anything would suit you just fine. ” she says, gaze fixed to embroidery. “ more than fine. ”

[ofstuarts]

        though a bit too shy to act on her feelings, the eerie and confused atmosphere of the palace had lina on edge. and with her siblings and parents perfectly fine and settled, even lina’s timid nature couldn’t keep her from seeking out the one person she wanted to check on. she knew haeyoon would be fine likely, at least physically, but still –- what sort of friend would lina be if she didn’t check?

      careful steps lead her to haeyoon’s chambers, refusing to let her mind trip her up this time. it was getting ridiculous the amount she intended to hold herself back. and she wouldn’t, not now. so without another thought, her knuckles wrapt against the door. “ your majesty, it is i, princess lina... ” she begins, worry turning in her stomach as a beat or two passes, then another, and no response. she knocks again, less formally this time from her paranoia. “ haeyoon? ” she calls out again. “ are you alright?! ” @lcvespcems​

[ofstuarts]

“Girl, what the hell are you doing down here?”   Sharp words come from his surprise, as Henry catches his footing.

He’s lucky, he supposes, that beyond their prim and polish, his girls are strongly made. He’s plowed men down with less momentum.  Still, his eldest will get a long look over, his gaze lingering on her arm, before he pulls her in for a bear hug.  It’s partially an apology, and partially with intent to keep her from the mob.  Lina’s never quite had a head for violence.

“Aye.  It’s lively already, isn’t it?”

If Henry would have known, maybe he would have tried to come earlier.  But the needs of Scotland weren’t so easily put on hold just because Greece finally decided to pull its head out of its own ass.  

Henry huffs, then moves to pull his daughter back towards the palace and away from the crowds.  

“Tell me what’s happened.”

     quite a greeting, though it sounds so much like her father that lina smiles in return. she lets him look her over, eager to return his hug. this time, she holds on a little longer than usual –- such a large court has vastly overwhelmed her, and she feels a sense of comfort with his presence. at the very least, someone she knows will be on her side. “ lively indeed. ” she sounds almost bemused as she pulls away, flattening the fabric of her dress with her palms to go with him inside. 

“there was a ball, as i’m sure you’ll come to find out about. a count from egypt was gravely injured, trapped for days it seems like. ” her eyebrows crease in worry. “ unclear who the culprit is. ” it makes her stomach turn, though she tries to keep the feeling at bay. being fearful was a bad habit of hers –– she had to be a lot stronger than that if she were to ascend the throne. she lowers her voice, looking up at her father with concern swimming in her eyes. “ do you think then it could be someone in the court? ”

[ofstuarts]

          ‘    i only spoke of the truth .    there is no difficulty in that .    ’       prior silence already transitioned into song ,   boisterous laughter echoed down the halls      ————      come morning     &     the incident would be forgotten     (    rúyì was sure of it    ) .    hopefully lina wouldn’t dwell on it too much either   …   this ,   rúyì couldn’t guarantee .       ‘    …   huh    ——    ’       she slows down ,   visage a mix of perplexity    &    the beginnings of a smile .    a look left ,   right ,   then left again .       ‘    how embarrassing .    i cannot seem to recall where your chambers are   ??    ’

      within mere minutes the scene carries on as if nothing had transpired at all -– like a stroke of irony, the universe reminding lina that not everyone thought of her as much as she sometimes thought. to dislike her, she’d have to occupy some space in their minds. that was a terrifying thought as well – what heir wanted to be forgettable? “ not to worry, i’m in the south wing. ” she’s already moving in the direction of her chambers. “ do you think they’ll be able to get this stain out? wine is stubborn. ” she looks down at the splotch, angry and red and marked with embarrassment as her feet carry her, this time more gracefully, down the halls. “ ruyi, ” she begins, feeling more at ease to speak frankly about her worries now that it’s just the two of them. “ i’m wary that by the end of our stay, the rest of the nobility will be convinced scotland is a weak link. ”

[ofstuarts]

[OPEN]

“What the hell is going on here?”

Henry Stuart, King of Scots, finally arrives in Greece only to find it in chaos.  He barely makes it to the outside courtyard of the palace before he’s rudely stopped by a small regiment of guards, who usher him, and any other poor bastard unfortunate enough to be in their way, away from what seems to be a growing scene of panic and confusion.  No one knows what’s going on for certain, but whispers start to rise over the din of the crowd: It’s a murder.  Than it’s not.  A theft.  But no.  It’s hard to tell anything when the hysterical palace staff can’t keep their stories straight. Henry doesn’t have time for this.  Tried from the road, and suddenly apprehensive to see his family, He pushes his way past the crowd and ducks behind a pillar to enter the actual palace grounds…

…only to slam into the unexpected person lingering on the other side.

“Ey!”

     the scene of the palace was chaotic –– some living in genuine fear, some eager for a bit of gossip. lina hadn’t a clue as how to actually react. if she were being honest, she was a bit fearful. after all, the motive and culprit were still completely unclear, and the details seemed to change by the hour. why? and if they didn’t know why, they couldn’t entirely be sure it was an isolated incident.

    much in her head about the unfolding catastrophe, lina takes it upon herself to clear her head. go for a way through the courtyards, refresh herself. it’s only when she nearly flies backward from the collision that she’s pulled out of her thoughts. it seems this is becoming a habit, and she makes note that it needs to be worked on. the self chastising only lasts a moment before her eyes fall on someone familiar, an instant glow warming her cheeks. “ father. ” she breathes, happy for his final arrival. she rubs her arm absentmindedly, unbothered that it took the brunt of the collision. “ you’ve missed quite a lot in your absence. we’ve been waiting for you. ”

[ofstuarts]

          ‘    scotland is blessed to have a princess as  kind  as you ,   your highness .    ’       a truthful statement ,   but it was said more for   other’s   to hear    ———    to repaint their impressions of this moment    (   to hide lina’s guilt from those more perceptive   ) .       ‘    rest assured the mess will be taken care of .    ’

          hand still on lina’s arm ,   rúyì gently guides her away from the crowd .       ‘    please excuse us .    ’       only once they’re out of the room does rúyì release a breath .       ‘    wasn’t that just  nerve wracking   ?    ’

      she tries to hide the flush that comes with ruyi’s words, grateful that the other at least has the kindness to turn something negative into something that will reflect positively on lina. she takes the out as soon as ruyi offers it, letting the other usher her away from the mess and doing her best to look composed along the way. once they’re out of sight, her face cracks composure. “ most certainly. the last thing i want is to make a bad impression on the rest. luckily, you know just what to say. ” lina tips her head in appreciation. 

[ofstuarts]

“ AH, AH, AH. ” THE SYLLABLES FLOAT ABOVE THE DIN of the hall as Isabela sucks in her breath; Lady Fortune smiles upon her this instance and the queen’s glass is saved. Her victorious toast is quickly ended by a wince as the stain blooms upon the younger’s dress – it was a rather pretty outfit otherwise. “ Don’t be silly, ” she shakes her head. “ It was only an accident. ” Isabela glances the princess up and down (quick and shrewd) and offers a dimpled smile. “ I don’t believe we’ve properly been introduced, have we? La Reina Isabel Marisol Trastámara de España. ”  

         “ accidents do happen. ” lina reaches for a serviette to pat away the moisture, noting the double take and introduction over an offer of help. something to remember for later, she supposes. lina smiles nonetheless, bright and blooming with a soft voice that follows. “ such a beautiful name. princess lina of scotland. ” she tips her head in greeting, smile still in place as she takes a few more dabs at the stain. “ perhaps i should switch to white. ”

[ofstuarts]

li jie had not even noticed there was something wrong until the smell of red wine was less faint. he looked down at his niece’s dress and gasped. “aiyah, that’s no good.” he tutted at her as though to reprimand, but he placed his own goblet down on the table next to them before gently taking lina’s arm to redirect her away from the mess. they could leave that for the servants to clean. “let’s get you cleaned up, then. change into a fresh gown. was that intentional, by the way? did you see someone very loathsome?”

    the sound of his displeasure has lina casting her gaze down hastily. it was definitely not the sort of attention she wanted, but being pulled away from the spectacle was all she could ask for in that moment. she looks down at it again now, nose wrinkling at the sight of the ugly, blotchy stain. “ this was one of my favorites, too. such a shame. ” it wasn’t that big of a deal, but still. lina eyes her uncle with a bit of dismay, eyes widening ever so slightly. the suggestion of it does bring a smile to her mouth, though. “ of course not, no. i wouldn’t do something like that. that would be a target on my back waiting to happen. ”

[ofstuarts]

THE GREEK COURT was new territory for her and everyone else. But she’s never been to one place that held so many nobles. She’s been to weddings and the like, but it was like she was seeing the whole world just being here. There were plenty of nobles milling about. She was about to reacquaint herself with the Spanish nobles when she caught a glimpse of one of her daughters. Lina. Her brown eyes peered at her, seeing her hesitation. Ai-yah. She abandoned her journey to the Spanish for her daughter, as she supposed she’d do in general. “ You’d be surprised at how many there are. There’s still a whole lot of the world to see. ” Meili agreed with a gentle smile. Her gaze drifted towards the group she caught Lina looking over earlier. “ Why don’t go and speak with them? They seem like a lively lot, eh? ”

       “ i guess i never really thought about it before. i’m starting to understand the rivalries. too many cooks in the kitchen. ” lina had never been that type, not obsessed with power and politics, but it was hard not to see why people were –- something about being surrounded by nobility felt almost threatening. her eyes trail back over to the crowd and she shrugs. “ lively, yes. i’m not sure i’d have anything interesting to contribute, though. i was thinking of exploring the bathhouse they have here instead...” she decides to change the topic. “ what about you? any reason you’re out exploring? not that the palace doesn’t warrant a good look. ”

[ofstuarts]

          sudden   quietude befalls the room ,   followed by muffled gasps    &    hushed whispers    (   gossip already begun to travel   ) .   rúyì wasn’t one for idle gossip    &    perfectly content as a bystander until she heard   lina’s   name .    with hurried steps ,   visage distorted in palpable concern ,   she heads towards the commotion to find lina at the center    (   soft   pardon me’s   to squeeze through   ) .

          ‘    your highness   ———   ??    ’       a hand goes to her shoulder    (   to offer some semblance of comfort   ) .    the unmistakable red stain    &    flurry of apologies spilling from noble’s lips was   telling ,   but   REASSURING    ———    it was just a stain ,   not an injury .       ‘    come ,   let’s get you cleaned up .    ’

      it wasn’t until the room went still that lina realized people had stopped to look. a blotchy heat took to her cheeks but she didn’t let it show, despite the embarrassment of somehow creating a bit of a spectacle. she was grateful when ruyi showed up, face easing a degree or two. “ just a spill. ” she says reassuringly. she’s ready to go with ruyi to get cleaned up, but guilt keeps her eyes glued to the floor. “ perhaps we should.. clean this up? or find someone to? it was my mistake, after all. ” not that nobility needed to busy themselves with such tasks, but lina didn’t enjoy the idea of someone scrubbing the floors.

[la-nero-maestro]

Visit Original Link

8 Humoresques, Op.101 - VII. Poco Lento e Grazioso In G♭Major

By Composer Antonin Dvorak

Performed By Pianist Leonard Hokanson

[ofstuarts]

     she’s lost enough in her own thoughts it takes her a moment to notice – only the feeling of wet fabric clinging to the skin of her stomach brings her to the surface of reality. she looks down at the wine red stain before her eyes train up to the person in front of her, fingers clutching the goblet and face teetering somewhere near contrite. it was likely this stain was never coming out, but she didn’t really mind – fabric could be replaced. still, there was enough that it was starting to pool near her feet. “ that was my fault. ” she offers. “ i wasn’t paying any attention. my apologies. ” @enthronedarchive​

[ofstuarts]

musingmemes​:

a historical / fantasy / period / medieval friendly character survey.

reblog and bold your muses preference.

roses / cherry blossoms / orchids / tulips

winter / summer / autumn / spring 

thunderstorms / sunshine / snow 

indoors / outdoors 

meat / fruit / sweets 

extravagance / traditionalism / minimalism 

god fearing / non god fearing 

cats / dogs / horses / birds 

sunrise / sunset 

day time / night time 

fire / earth / water / wind 

reading / writing

rising early / sleeping late 

wine / ale / neither

fur / silk / satin / lace 

rubies / pearls / sapphires 

horse back / walking / carriages 

love / power

having company / being alone 

lakes / rivers / oceans 

knife / sword / bow / poison 

gold / silver