* RUINED / KINGDOM

but still you S T U M B L E, feet give way - outside the world seems a VIOLENT PLACE. but you had to have him, and so you did. some things you let go in order to LIVE. while all around you, the buildings sway - you sing it out loud, "WHO MADE US THIS WAY?". i know you're B L E E D I N G, but you'll be okay. hold on to your heart, you'll keep it S A F E. hold on to your heart, don't give it away. giancarlo ' gio ' romano // australian royal guard violet barclay // australian princess

[outgrvwn]

scvereignty‌.

marguerite, that fantastically quick-moving and shiny thing, was much like a coin set on edge and put to spinning – she whirred and whirred and whirred until she either fell or someone slammed her down. such was the case was the girl she’d tapped spun on her with a hard brick of a word. marguerite’s face froze in her confusion before melting off. “well.” she shakes her head, eyebrows raising. “you’re either very distracted, or it’s been a very long time since you’ve gotten laid – - though i suppose those two things aren’t mutually exclusive.” she hums the amendment to herself. “i only meant to tell you your coat tie is dragging, darling.”

both were true, fair enough, but it’s not right for a princess to admit to any thoughts of the latter option in polite company. she’s been so busy with both politics and her delicate machinations that she’s had no time to enjoy any carnal moments, even though she usually pursues them rather more eagerly than nobility should. that, however, is not the full reason for her miserable attitude lurking beneath the surface. “distracted,” she finally admits, pulling her coat tie up and adjusting to avoid the same mistake again. “so much to do with such little time. hardly a moment to think with so much on a princess’s plate, but thank you for letting me know.”

[outgrvwn]

ofcrwns‌.

rémy found himself in a bar despite his coach;s insistence that he shouldn’t be drinking. it’s not like curling required some kind of actual expertise when it came to athletic skill, and rémy was young; he was going to enjoy his quick recoveries from hangovers while he could.

“uh, sorry,” he said as he bumped into gio’s table. “trying to get to the bar. the place is packed tonight, eh?”

“you can say that again,” gio agrees with a nod, glancing up at the raucous people rushing around them. he’d prefer to drink without the surrounding chaos, but he also sucks at mixing any drink more complicated than whiskey on the rocks so the bar it is. “you can sit here if you want,” he offers, gesturing to the seat across from him. “might be better luck than finding a seat up there after you get a drink.”

[outgrvwn]

gldenthorns‌.

it’s been at least thirty minutes since olivia has been at this bar — leaving only to go to a different bar that she heard had karaoke which was a heartbreaking lie for her. so off she left the bar, after getting distracted by quite a few other people there, before back at bar number one. only to spot a familiar face hiding in the corner — and what fun was that? olivia grabbed a bottle of wine for the table and headed straight for that booth, plopping down without a single word. “ yup. but you can totally stay. i won’t complain. ”

olivia is a welcome sight. she’s fun enough to indulge in his vices with him and deep enough in her own troubles that she doesn’t ask questions about when she’s never seen him off duty without a drink - or something - in his system. it’s best not to ask questions, best not to open the wounds up; just have fun and relax and pretend the world isn’t ending for a minute longer. “you sure? i wouldn’t want to spoil your wine drinking experience,” he teases, a small laugh rolling out of him.

[outgrvwn]

maisiebarclay‌.

@outgrvwn

“ we’re going out. ” it’s a statement, but underneath the gentleness of maisie’s voice, the fact that it might be a demand shines through. she sips the last sip of her wine before grinning at gio. she likes looking at him, she thinks. she likes him, she thinks, too, but only sometimes – and sometimes could be enough. sometimes was now. “ but instead of you following me around, i’ll follow you around. don’t argue. just take me somewhere interesting. ” she smiles widely as she looks at him, expectant and teasing all at once.

he likes her so much. it’s never been a question in his mind, not in any of the years it’s been creeping around the back of his thoughts. the problem with it all is him and his mile high walls...and her and her struggles...and the crown waiting for her...and the dangerous opinion of anyone that’s ever laid eyes on the princess. so he lets things settle where they are, somewhere between...well, he doesn’t even know what they’re between. all he knows is doesn’t want whatever they have to go away. “somewhere interesting?” he echoes, brows furrowing as he looks down at her over his water filled wine glass. no alcohol on duty, after all. “i think my definition of interesting and your definition of interesting are very different. i also think i took you somewhere my definition of interesting, i would get fired. so, what’s your definition of interesting?”

[outgrvwn]

hcrpergrace‌.

maisiebarclay‌.

open to: @outgrvwn​ @hcrpergrace​ location: uhhhhh somewhere they can eat lunch together

         the table is set with tiny cups, tiny plates, and a teapot sat square in the middle. besides maisie, though, there is no one else at the table. her own cup is filled, her tea a milky tan, and her eyes are focused on her phone. were other people there, she’d think it rude, but being alone, there was neither persons to impress or offend — speaking of offend, her lips pursed as she looked at the time. neither of her sisters are there yet. she gives it until five minutes past to send them both a text message. ‘ you’re both late. hurry it up. ’ it’s sent with love. she looks at the door expectantly.

     harper was running through the halls of the palace, already late for her meeting with her sisters. usually, the young princess was a punctual person, but today was an exception. “i’m here, i’m here !!” the youngest of the barclays exclaimed, busting through the door a few seconds after her phone had pinged. her hair was flowing down her back, she was wearing black leggings, and one of nolan’s hoodies – a look uncharacteristic for her to sport in public, but quite common to those who knew her. “sorry, i was busy with… stuff. where’s vi ??” she asked, out of breath, trying to get her hair to look like less of a mess. 

@outgrvwn​

violet will get there when she wants to - moreso when she can handle the weight of the illusion she has to keep up when both of her sisters are in the same room - and she will call it fashionably late. it’s no skin off her back and when she slinks in a minute or so after harper, there’s a sheepish smile on her face but none of harper’s flustered guilt. “hope you didn’t start without me,” she hums, a light laugh tinged with guilt rolling out of her. “i couldn’t figure out if i wanted the black dress or the maroon one - and i ended up going with neither, so a whole lot of good that did me to get hung up on!” harper dressed like that - like a college student on the way to the gym in her husband’s hoodie - is a slap in the face, but it doesn’t show.

[outgrvwn]

gldenthorns.

“ oh! it’s no problem, seriously v, no worries. i just asked if you wanted to grab a drink, ” because really, when didn’t olivia want to grab a drink? she was looking for just the right person to grab one with her when she had caught sight of violet. though, she was not exactly expecting the hostile tone — but she was quick to forgive and forget. “ so you wanna go? i am dying to grab like something fruity and delicious right about now. ”

olivia is a darling. in another life - a life where violet isn’t so possessed by her anger that she refuses to let anyone close enough to outshine her - they might have been genuine friends. as it is, violet is more than happy to maintain the facade. it’s an easy way to get a little information, relax when she feels like and, well, having ‘friends’ makes her look a little less suspicious and power hungry. “that sounds amazing, actually. clearly i could use something to take my mind off things,” she says with a light laugh. “who knew diplomacy was so annoying?”

[outgrvwn]

it’s a rare moment off, away from the pressure of keeping maisie safe - not to mention the pressure of whatever it is that they have going on between them - and a chance to breathe a little more freely. unsurprisingly, he’s found his way to the bar, a glass of the cheapest whiskey on the menu in his hand. he’s taken up a booth towards the back of the place, a table meant for seating four but perfect for quiet reverie with one. that’s until a figure pauses in front of the table, drawing his attention up though his reactions are slowed by the alcohol in his system. “huh? did you want the table?”

@genoviastarters​

[outgrvwn]

“what?” the word snaps out before she can stop it, irritated thoughts pulling to the surface the general unhappiness that she usually keeps buried beneath her pink lipstick. quick as the word comes, however, violet catches herself and annoyance fades to manufactured shame and embarrassment. “i’m so sorry! that - i’m so sorry! you startled me and i...well, i’m sorry either way. what, er, what exactly did you want?”

@genoviastarters​

[outgrvwn]

⋆ ° ⟡ ( ROB RACO, twenty-five, cis male, he/him ) i saw GIANCARLO ' GIO ' ROMANO at the winter palace. did you know that the ROYAL GUARD is originally from AUSTRALIA? i heard they can be quite HARD-HEADED, but also LOYAL. there’s rumours they’re at the winter palace because THEY'RE PROTECTING THE CROWN PRINCESS OF AUSTRALIA, but you never know. BRUISED KNUCKLES UNDER BLACK GLOVES, LATE NIGHTS AND EARLY MORNINGS, HEAVY BOOTS ON FINE FLOORS always remind me of them.

it’s me again !! here’s a much softer child than violet but still v messy !! again smash that mf like button and i’ll hit you up for plotting !!

tw: death mention

gio has never been meant for fine hallways and the decadent lifestyles of the rich and royal and even now he feels out of place and uncomfortable despite the years he’s spent working as a bodyguard for the australian royal family

he was born to a lower class family, one half of a set of twins born to a couple deeply in love

it was a good and loving family despite what little else they had and they did the best they could to make up for what they might have been lacking financially

it was good and safe for about ten years until a house fire took his sister and his mother away from them along with what little they had in terms of worldly possessions

gio and his father were both understandably devastated, but there was little he could do as his father fell into a deep depression - one that eventually took his life a few years later

fourteen and alone in the world, gio did what he had to do to survive, even if it wasn’t necessarily legal

he developed skills alongside his heartbreak and swallowed anger - not to mention an affinity for the way the weight of a fist felt against his exposed skin

at seventeen, he had a run in with the law and though he made it out without anything added to his rap sheet, it was a taste of what his future would be if he didn’t shape up

he applied for jobs, working shitty security gigs until somehow connections, a bit of luck, and his generally intimidating demeanor got him a gig protecting the australian royal family - particularly the princesses

it took him several years before he let down his walls enough to let anyone in at all and even now that he’s been working for the family for seven years, it’s hard for him to be honest about himself and what he’s feeling

he always does his duty and he would never put the barclay family at risk, but when eyes aren’t on him there are still vices he can’t quite let go of and as time goes on, the lines around his eyes are making him look all too much like his father

[outgrvwn]

⋆ ° ⟡ ( MADISON DAVENPORT, twenty-one, cis female, she/her ) has VIOLET BARCLAY, the PRINCESS from AUSTRALIA arrived yet? i heard they can be quite AMBITIOUS, but also CLEVER. there’s rumours they’ve come to genovia for AN ATTEMPT AT GETTING THE CROWN, but you never know. THE EDGE OF MANICURED NAILS, THE INHERENT PAIN OF A MIDDLE CHILD, CURLING IRON BURNS ON MADE UP CHEEKS always remind me of them.

first off: hey hi i’m piper and i love u !! ( 21, she/her, pst ) i’m pumped to be here and also down to plot so smash that mf like button and i’ll come hit you up for plots !! anyway, back to the juicy stuff:

violet anne barclay is the middle child of the australian princesses 

she lived her life under the shadow that always follows a middle child with no crown to inherit like her older sister and lacking her younger sister’s innocent charm, there was never any spotlight for her to grab

after spending enough years being ignored and forgotten and stuck as a side note in her family’s history, the bitterness started to burrow its way down into her bones

as she grew older, there was nothing she wanted more than the crown that her older sister didn’t even believe should exist

it became an obsession for her - something she was willing to do anything to get

she’s spent years whispering in the right years, passing suggestions and ideas along to set herself up to take the crown when the moment was right

now all she has to do is wait until that moment arrives and she’ll finally find everything she’s been waiting for

for the first time in her life, she’ll be seen before anyone else

[bidaisyjohnson]