champagne gold

[ohrcymund]

Prime Minister Raymund Ortega III attending International Day of Peace Celebration 2029

Who would have thought that idiot Canadian whose first impression to a bunch of royals was showing up to a party uninvited in nothing but his socks and underwear would come so far? It helped that his mother finally convinced the newly elected Prime Minster to hire a stylist for events. And where he used to enter a room feeling like he didn't belong, now had an air of confidence surrounding him that he could only attribute to having his wife at his side.

[ohrcymund]

who wants a starter?

[lucianabxlla]

Following traditions was not on Luci's mind when she first started thinking about their wedding day, not when both she and Ray's relationship was the opposite of what was considered traditional in their world. Still, she decided to follow what Ray's parents constantly reminded them of from the moment she chose her wedding dress because after everything that they have been through, it was better to be safe than sorry, right? After everything that she has been through, it wasn't unlikely for her to think otherwise, that following traditions won't assure her of the happy ending that she's read about or seen in art but, for the first time in who knows how long, she had hope that things would work out this time around. And she had Ray to thank for that.

Maybe it was because her nerves kicking in again, maybe it was because of her excitement, or maybe it was because of both — whatever the reason was, the ride on the way to their wedding venue seemed like such a fast one for her. All she wanted to do when the car finally stopped was take her turn down the aisle and say I do. That might have been obvious to the onlookers who knew her well as her oldest brother walked her down the aisle. As expected, when she reached the end of it, a compliment and a joke was what he welcomed her with. "Careful, you might fall in love with me. I'm about to be a married woman.", she joked in response. "I've been ready for this since the moment you beat me to getting down on one knee. Are you?"

[ohrcymund]

"your husband is about to be a very lucky man, then," ray replied with a small smirk. in that moment he was glad for his mother's need for tradition. the vision of luci walk towards him was already ingrained in his memories. "amore mio, i've been ready for this day for a lot longer than you'd imagine." in truth, raymund had been ready for the day he'd get married for a long time and in recent years knew that luci would be the only one he could now picture having that life with. even when he started having a crush on luciana, he never allowed himself to fantasize this day until he learned she returned the feelings.

ray looked at his father, giving him the nod to get started. after a few words welcoming everyone, raymund sr pulled out the wedding bands, starting with his son. ray released luci's hands momentarily so he could pick up the band adorned with moonstones before diving into his vows. "i always imagined you'd remain someone constant in my life after we met. i just never thought this is where our lives would end up. i could have lived my entire life knowing i'd have you as a friend - one of my best friends - but getting to call you my wife? well that's something i'm never going to take for granted. i would follow you to the ends of the earth, luciana. today and every day after," he stated, tears welling in his eyes as he slid the ring onto her finger, nestling it against her engagement ring. "i love you, luciana bella di savoia. you are my everything. thank you for choosing me." once the ring was in place, ray lifted luci's hand and kissed it before father turned to luci.

[ohrcymund]

Summer 2026 - Pinhey Forest, Ottawa

the way up had been excruciating for ray, sitting beside luci the entire drive up, but unable to actually see her due to the blindfold tied tightly across his eyes thanks to his mother. several times throughout the drive he had muttered something about stupid traditions and nothing about today being traditional. still, he sat blinded throughout the ride, all the way up until his father had guided him down the path and gave him the okay to remove the blindfold. while his eyes adjusted to the light, ray carefully folded it and put it into his pocket. there weren't any decorations or over-sized speakers and the attendance was intimate, but that was how ray and luci wanted it. just the people closest to them - mostly family and bluetooth speaker and the song for luci to walk down the invisible isle queue up on spotify. his father had gotten ordained to perform the ceremony and they each had their witness to sign the marriage licence. afterwards the reception would just be at the ortega family home, catered by a local restaurant ray and luci had come to love.

when ray's mother started to play the song, his father gave him a gentle nudge, causing ray to instantly look up and to where luci was as she began walking towards him. once she reached him, ray took her hands in his own, beaming from ear to ear. "you look absolutely radiant," ray said, not caring enough to whisper. "you ready to do this? last chance to back out," he joked. (@lucianabxlla)

[ohrcymund]

the little canadian himbo is coming back to say farewell....jury is still out on scout and marius hmu if you wanna plot some things <3

[ohrcymund]

caecusheir​:

     “I think another country is gonna have to claim you as your prince.” A small chuckle came out as she changed her position in the seat. “Right, sorry,” she mumbled. “I remember the reason.” She wanted the conversation topic to change. They hadn’t done much talking about the past, and frankly, Cecilia didn’t want to. “I’m sure there are plenty, but didn’t we both just agree that we don’t want to marry someone for political reasons?” A scoff of laughter came out and she shook her head. “Well it sounds like we need to get dressed and go out to a club.We haven’t gotten to really go out in a long time.”

       “ if only they could be so lucky, ” he joked. raymund didn’t know if he would able to actually live the life of a prince - even if it was only a title he got through marriage. maybe if there was very little possibly of his spouse actually having to be crowned. “ is getting a country a political reason? i guess it is, ” he muttered, answering his own question. “ whenever you’re ready reid. i mean, i’m not sure you can keep up with me anymore. ”

[ohrcymund]

caecusheir​:

dcmctrvs​:

her eyebrows practically hit her hairline. “hey dude,” she began, her voice low. her fingers were trembling around a whiskey tumbler. “i have a really neat suggestion: maybe try reading a fucking room.”

Cecilia was holding back her tears, blinking them away and letting out slow and shaky breaths to keep her from breaking down into tears. She swallowed thickly as she glanced over at the two talking, not surprised that it was Raymund who said the dumb thing and was immediately corrected by someone. “You’ll have to excuse him.” she started and took another deep breath. “He knows how to be a comedic relief, but doesn’t know his queue.”

       raymund opened his mouth to respond but shut it immediately when cecilia interjected. just once he wished he had that filter that stopped him from saying everything he was thinking. “ fuck, cecilia.... ” he looked between the two before he hung his head. “ i didn’t mean it like that. i just...i... ” he sighed before he looked back up. “ i’m sorry. i shouldn’t have said that. ” { @dcmctrvs​ / @caecusheir​ }

[ohrcymund]

       “ okay, i know this is serious, ” raymund started, looking over his shoulded before continuing on, “ but i feel like he will not be missed by many people. ” { @hshqstarters​ }

[asvli]

&     @hshqstarters​​     .

     “   i know i said i wanted a show but this just takes the cake.   ”

[ohrcymund]

       “ screw cake. this takes the whole damn buffet, ” he muttered. “ pardon my language. ”

[ohrcymund]

beaufort-a​:

“I feel like we need to be clapping, should we be clapping?” Andrew said before feigning applause. “It’s a bloody good show, all of us in one place.” He paused. “If I’m awkwardly uncomfortable, I can only imagine what those not a part of this… spectacle think.”

@hshqstarters​

       “ do you want to be clapping? ” raymund asked, quietly joining along so that andrew didn’t have to be the only one. “ has it been awhile? ” the question was polite but he didn’t think they had all been in one place, at least not from what he had picked up from conversations with cecilia. “ it’s a little...different. ”

[ohrcymund]

hshmimi​:

giorxcci​:

He takes residence at the rooms entrance, quietly leaning against the door frame with his arms folding along the breadth of his chest until a lengthy sigh ensues. How innocent did one have to be to consider petit theft a crime in a palace filled with criminals? Even more so given England’s long-winded history? This was simply a form of reparations. “You get a pat on the shoulder. . Perhaps a gracious thank you as well for carrying her belongings. –As any proper gentleman would do so.” 

“I don’t know if I would describe myself as a rebel,” Mimi scoffed a laugh, “especially not today, of all days.” The last place any of them wanted to be was pigeonholed with King Arthur…Well. Just plain old Arthur now, Mimi supposed. She passed the egg from one hand to another absently as she walked the length of the gallery, surveying the art. “–Oh, speaking of Arthur,” she stopped in front of a portrait of him. Decades younger but with the same smirk. “I wonder what they’ll do with it all? The portraits, the statues, the currency…” They could banish him from the country but Arthur would linger in England forever. 

“It would just be borrowing,” she protested, only half-joking. “Like museums do! Museums don’t really give anything in return, either…” But someone beat her to the joke. Mimi whipped around, almost dropping the egg and the act in shock. She opened her mouth to say something, then glanced back at Raymund. Looking back to Gio, she continued with as much relaxed indifference as she could manage. “Oh?” She quirked a brow across at him, “and are you feeling gentlemanly?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer before tossing the bejewlled egg toward him in an underhand throw. “I didn’t think you were going to make it to the party? What a nice surprise.” An understatement, of course, although she said it with a disinterested shrug. “When did you arrive?”

“–We were just talking about all the portraits of Arthur.” Mimi suddenly seemed to remember Raymun, gesturing first him then the paintings on the wall. “What do you think? Will they be on the fire this winter?” @ohrcymund​ @giorxcci​

          raymund laughed, watching as mimi began to toss the egg back and forth between her hands. he moved to stand behind her, eying the portrait and scrunched his face. “ i suppose they’ll throw it in storage and let it collect dust. england’s shame in a dark closet until he’s forgotten, ” he muttered. he hadn’t thought about that at all but it made sense. “ well, i’m sure they’ll start running new prints with the new heir. who is it, anyway? antonia? ” he had briefly kept up with the names of cecilia’s never ending siblings. perhaps he would have to ask her later on. if he could find her. eventually the currency would get discontinued and would eventually no one would have to see arthur’s face.

       he was about to comment on the matter of the egg when he saw gio in the doorway. the comment rolled his eyes, not having meant anything by it than a joke. “ ask anyone who knows me. i do not think the term proper gentleman would come up. idiot, maybe. klutz, most definitely, ” he said, taking a couple jabs at himself. “ best trust a real gentleman with the egg. i might break it. ” he didn’t mind when being forgotten when mimi shifted the conversation to gio, it gave him more time to take in the mass amounts of vanity the english king seemed to have. 

       “ yes, i am curious. i said they’ll probably hid him away, as he deserves, ” he said, turning his head slightly. “ what do you think they’ll do with all of this? ” { @giorxcci​ }

[ohrcymund]

jinmeixu​:

“ at least we’ll be able to rest in our own apartments and have time to adjust back to the timezone. ”  she laughs,  waving a hand dismissively.  “ no,  no!  it’s quite alright,  i can’t have you waste time playing my security when you should be enjoying yourself — is that appropriate to say?  can anyone truly enjoy themselves here? ”

       “ yes but i feel like they’ll be shuttling us off to another place beforew we know it, ” he joked. raymund smiled at the other, shaking his head. “ i don’t mind, really. ” perhaps it was the kindness his country was known for or just something he really wouldn’t have minded doing for a short time. “ trust me, something tells me that the night is young and there will be much time to enjoy the night. ”  

[ohrcymund]

oh-hxfiz​:

“A little but that’s the best part,” she retorted with a chortle. Hafiz bowed her head in greeting to embrace his mirthful arrival. “Is there any other way to reign in a new era?” Bristling at the idea, Hafiz pulled her shoulders back with a feigned conviction. “That’s a wonderful idea. We can begin to whisper once it gets too juicy to keep him on the edge of his proverbial seat.” 

       “ good point. still, it feels like the should have held it somewhere it would have been easier to keep him out, ” he laughed. though, it gave him an evil idea. he was glad to not have seen cecilia yet, otherwise his need to be a little cruel might have dissipated. “ perhaps throw in a joke about him having to go to scotland yard, ” ray said with a bit of a smirk. “ i know i should feel bad for kicking man while he’s down, but he’s not a very nice man. ”

[ohrcymund]

oh-hxfiz​:

“I wonder if the truly wicked crave peace? Or do they just enjoy watching everyone spin their wheels to douse out the flames to the fire they’ve set?” Hafiz mused softly. “Should I ask the king for his perspective on the matter? I mean, he did, spur this whole evening.” 

@hshqstarters​​

       “ that sounds like it would be rubbing salt in his wounds, ” ray snickered. thought, it would be entertaining. “ leave it to the english to throw a party because their former king is under trial. maybe we should find him and talk very loud - see if he interjects himself into our conversation. ”

[ohrcymund]

jinmeixu​:

“ i’m persistent on getting through the night!  i’d feel bad for leaving early.  maybe i can find a vacant room and take a quick power nap! ”

       “ that’s noble. i do worry though because as soon as i adjust to being in this time zone, we’ll be back in tokyo. ” as much as he was enjoying the experience of the program, the travelling was starting to take a toll on his sleep schedule. “ i’m sure there’s a room somewhere in this place. want help looking for one? i can stand guard and make sure you don’t sleep through the night. ”

[ohrcymund]

hshmimi​:

“I’ve never been back here, before,” Mimi hummed around the rim of her sparkling water, then set her drink aside on an antique sideboard  - sans coaster - to pick up an small but ornate figurine. She turned it over in her hands, inspecting it, before setting it down. “I’ve only ever seen the ballrooms. –And the smoking area outside, I suppose…” She ran fingers over a gold candlestick, “I think I remember hearing there’s a Monet somewhere in the Palace’s collection...Ooh,” she found a bejewelled emerald egg, “this would complete my collection, I’d have the whole rainbow. It’s a shame it won’t fit in my bag,” she gestured her tiny microbag. “–Do you have pockets?” @hshqstarters​

       raymund hadn’t exactly been sure how he found himself with the blonde. it did feel a little weird to be exploring the palace without any proper supervision but it seemed like a wasted opportunity if he had stayed in the ballroom. “ you’re a bit of a rebel, aren’t you? ” he asked, his eyes eying the glass on the sideboard. raymund wondered around the room, looking at just about everything but afraid to touch when he turned around, shocked at the question. “ you want to steal from the crown? ” ray looked at the egg and then down at his outfit. “ i’m not sure it will fit, but what do i get for being your accomplice? ”

[ohrcymund]

frejaedb​:

( * / @hshqstarters​ )

“ it’s not a bad party, for being planned in haste … “ she comments, before frowning. like much of the crowd, freja found it difficult to fully give in to the ‘celebration’. “ presumably. or i suppose they were QUITE confident ! ” 

       “ if this is what they did on a minute’s notice, i don’t want to think about what they could do with a proper head’s up, ” he laughed. “ i’m sure this is stupid but what exactly are we suppose to be ‘celebrating’? ”