temperance

Phillip Mountbatten 

[phillipofwarwick]

margetudor‌:

     She had attended several weddings over the years, including three of her own.  Preparing for the wedding of a King, not to mention her nephew, was no small feat.  Margaret wanted everything to be perfect for his marriage and she would do everything within her power to see it through, including the smallest of decorations.  So here she sat, observing the decorators as they prepared one of the rooms.  “More banners over there,” she gestured to the far corner.  “You were hired to prepare for the wedding of the King, not a stingy earl’s funeral.”  Although her voice lacked its usual sharpness because of exhaustion from her travels, she made sure she was no less intimidating.  

     The decorators followed her instructions immediately and she rose to attend to other neglected sections of the room.  “Is this the dessert table?”  She frowned and straightened a crease in the tablecloth of a spacious side table.  “Pitiful, it needs at least twice as many cakes.”  As she debated on exactly how many, she caught a glimpse of someone by the door out of the corner of her eye.  “Ah, have the bakers already arrived with more?”  She asked well before she turned to see who was actually entering the room.

  He delighted in the forthcoming festivities, with far more exuberance then he cared to admit to his fellows, saving his delight solely for Joanna; the air changed in preparation a wedding, as if the Earth were designed to cater towards matrimony. Phillip was painfully aware of his romanticized view of the holy union - for a match was predicated only on the riches it would award each house; only this was considered, when a marriage was arranged. It was he, and not the majority, that won peace of mind and natural feelings of love and tenderness, in his wedding.

 His stature looked imposingly  tall in the chamber; amidst the group of bustling servants, laden with more decorations, appearing comical beneath strands of ribbon and fabric. Phillip sought the company of Cromwell, who appealed to all in supporting his arrangement of the union - he knew the man to shrink at the opposition from Norfolk, who wielded his ardent disapproval behind closed doors, like a hammer bent on meeting a nail. But in lieu of Cromwell’s shadowy figure, it was the regal Margret Tudor who addressed him - how ardently Phillip sought her approval, and desired to avoid her presence in tandem. "If it would please you, my lady, I hope the bakers will move with fervent speed - they ought not to make a woman such as yourself attend for long." His profile was clear, fine and expressive; his eye glanced from face to face quickly, though quickly it returned to Margret’s imposing stare. “Forgive my intrusion - I merely sought council with Lord Cromwell. You seem to have a knack for decorating; do you work to suit your own fancy, or has our beloved King inquired after your skills? 

[phillipofwarwick]

TUDORS TASK | in two years time

In two years time, Phillip has further installed himself as a fixture of the court - a notable political player, and ardent to the crown. Publicly he supporters  the union between Henry, and Christina ; though he knows the subject to be divisive, he has also made himself available as a neutral figure, to go between those for and against. Though it is impossible to stay neutral for long, Phillip aims to stay endeared to as many figures, as possible.

With his dear Joanna ( @joannawcrwick​ ily a mily) a fourth child has been welcomed; Francesca Mountbatten, a healthy girl. His other children thrive, with a notable improvement in his namesake and heir Phillip, whose health had concerned them greatly. Though he desires more children, he knows he is blessed to ave four thriving, and beautiful, kiddos. As always, he admires and adores, Joanna - who grows, despite his own beliefs, more wonderful with each passing year.

 Arrangements for his brothers wedding begin to close in - or at least, Phillip’s negotiations, as his brothers consent shall remain a secondary factor. With the return of Georgiana, he hopes to secure a quick, but fair, match for his sister; if only, to deter her from resuming her former romance with an unsightly figure.

As the wedding approaches, Phillip hopes to further the might of England - and propel his own family, further into the spotlight.

[phillipofwarwick]

ladyxgeorgiana‌:

Glad she didn’t have to talk him into agreeing with her, Georgie laughed. “I would have hated to twist your arm, it’s terribly mean when I do that.” She teased, linking her arm with his. She had adored his children from the moment they were born, devoting her boundless love to them as she did to her whole family. Only they eclipsed her brothers in her eyes. “Perhaps we won’t tell them, so we don’t face their wrath. It’s terrifying.” Always full of good humour, Georgiana bumped her shoulder into Phillip’s as they walked towards the door. It was easy to be in sync with him, just as it was with Elliot. 

But he did always treat her like a child, blue eyes rolling when he remarked on her age. “I dwarf women twice my age, yet you still speak as though I’m that little girl tottering after you on unsteady feet.” She didn’t sound too reproachful though, even if she did think she was so much more grown up than he realised. “I enjoy court immensely. Everyone’s so kind to me.” She hadn’t made any real friends yet, but she was sure she would. She was too stubborn not to. “I’ve been behaving myself, don’t you worry. I’m often outside or practicing my music.” Georgie’s form of misbehaving was to play jokes on people, but at court, the only targets she’d be comfortable teasing just yet were family. They’d expect it from her. 

“I cannot fathom an event that would inspire you to meanness towards another.” Though Phillip could not relate to such an empathetic constitution (though he considered himself amiable, he prided his capacity for excitement and anger) he welcomed it gladly in his sister; their family by design, required balance. With great affection he squeezed her hand, alighted by her pretty humor and light hearted folly. Such was a relief, in such unruly times as this - “A terrible trio they shall make once little Phillip is able to speak and move freely on his own two legs. He will be bettered by having two sisters - a pity I only have one.”

    His head gave a small shake to and fro, as if to dismiss her words through the mere act of physical reaction alone. “You are a mistress over all others when height is the benchmark; but you lack experience, and are much too dotted on by us. If you were a mean-spirited character, our actions would have spoiled you; I am thankful you are the exact opposite.” Georgie would need to adopt more sensible outlooks on life; he could not bear to rob her of her goodness, but worried it would hinder her abilities to be aroused in suspicion, in dark hours. “It pleases me greatly to hear you are treated well - though you name commands respect out of principle, there are those who always seek to undermine those new and unacquainted.” Far too often had he witnessed the stifling of a bright star, to suit the designs of older, and embittered, courtiers. “Far be it for me to deny you your fun, but I do prefer you to be occupied with your talents - in lieu of these schemes of yours, as they were. Though I would allow you to entreat Elliot into one, perhaps if it shall culminate in matrimony.” 

[phillipofwarwick]

joannawcrwick‌:

                         ––   The mention of Elliot Mounbatten’s aversion toward his elder brother’s schemes and ruses of upward ascendancy stymied Joanna and moved her to great sympathy. She granted her husband’s forearm a gentle squeeze and pressed her cheek into his shoulder, eager to portray herself as the commiserative wife. “ I am sorry, my love. I had hoped Elliot’s arrival to court meant that he had at last arrived to his senses concerning matrimony – I am certain the day will come soon enough and you will be readied at the helm when it does. You can recall upon your own boyhood in the meantime – there was a time when you averted marriage, was there not? And there will be a time when our little Phillip does the same. We mustn’t fret, not until we absolutely must. ” Blue eyes gazed passionately into her husband’s visage, an image of serenity crossing her features as she spoke soothing words into existence. It was not easy to console Phillip over the machinations of his brother; the Lord knew she had no place to intervene where Elliot was concerned, given their elaborate history, but she could not bite her tongue quick enough to remind herself of such. “ Ah, Bridget. I do loathe to admit it, but perhaps she is better off languishing the continent. She is a Parisian at heart, and English by birth, so I shall not begrudge her absence. As for Georgiana… ” Phillip’s words casted Joanna’s memory back nearly a decade. Her introduction into court had been fruitful, through no virtue but her own.  “ Shall I council her?  Enlighten her of all the ways I made my mark upon court, and won over a duke in the process? ” Joanna paused to admire a rosebush, struggling to survive as winter melted into a tentative spring. She held her husbands hand as she did so, drawing it nearer to her to rest upon her waist and so that his chest could shield her person, feeling his heat radiating through her cloak. “ How beautiful it is that winter draws to a close. I could not tolerate the cold for a moment longer. ”

  “Elliot must scheme to send me towards an early grave from stress, in order to finally claim you as his rightful bride. If his hopelessness is not due to harbored enmity towards my stealing your hand, my hope grows dim - though he shall be wed, lest his allowance be halved. I have no recollection of such careless boyish days; I have always been an upstanding gentlemen, eager to dedicate myself. Is it not strange, that I happily dream of Phillip marrying, while dreading the notion it shall mean our girls have already been wed?” had such strange feelings afflicted his own father, gazing upon Georgiana’s little face whilst plotting the matrimony of his sons? Sweetly his fingers grazed the warmth of Joanna’s cheeks, sparing a moment to long for his father - an act he only committed, while swath in parental duties. “I have never known a set of twins to be perfectly paired as the daughters of York; England and France, golden curls and waves of chestnut. Should we have twins, I hope they shall mirror you two. “ Childish glee alighted the blues of his eyes; he harbored half a mind to bestow a flurry of kisses upon Joanna’s pink lips, to better quell any protest of no more children gracing their home. Though he would depart from life a blessed man with their three, his heart would only be enlarged (in the most abstract sense, of course) by the addition of little golden crowns, beaming at him with the extraordinary, divine beauty of Joanna’s eyes. “Georgie is blessed with much, but she would do well to be taken under your wing; though I hope her to be fitted with half your charms and finesse, for had you not become my wife - I would have feared your prowess.” Only for a brief collection of time, had a reality existed in which Joanna had not become his bride; and never, could he entertain the thought of being anything but enamored by her character. Accustomed to his uses as a beacon of comfort (or shield to the sun’s glare) Phillip contented himself to engulf Joanna in his embrace, swaddling her to his chest; he would never cease to marvel over how perfectly her figure fitted into his own. “I have hope that Spring shall do so well as grant England reprieve in all areas of life; the bloom of roses call for renewal, and change.” 

[phillipofwarwick]

e-lot‌:

“A fair question, it may be, yet I am your brother and know that any question you ask me has an ulterior motive .” Perhaps he was being unfair, he did love his brother, despite his recent actions and prying into his life. Phillip will, and always be his brother, and he loved him. Yet, hated him. It was hard to explain his feelings and thought. “Fine then, enlighten you I shall. The ladies are beautiful in their own ways, yet my opinion of them don’t go pass outer appearances. Though it would be unwise to speech plainly about my actual opinions of them in public. I very much like my head where it is at.” He spoke as matter-of-fact, with a slight jest at the end. “As for the men, well, my opinions quite differ.” With a deep sigh, Elliot shifted, finding himself suddenly uncomfortable. His brother, at times, had a gift at getting him to talk. He hated it. “Joanna? I had not been made aware she returned. I shall make a point to welcome her back when I get the chance. I would also like to see my nephew and niece.” 

Elliot was silent as he thought of his brother’s proposition.I was true he did enjoy such game, yet he found himself feeling slightly cornered, fearing what his brother might have up his sleeve. “Alright then, I will indulge you, if only for my own curiosity.”

“Come Elliot - much you think so little of me?” Though often he protested the charges laid against him with vigor, Phillip could claim no innocence at the present tense; designs, no matter how lightly he wished to press them, did indeed exist. His voice was brightened by light amusement as he remarked on each of his brothers proclamations, the latter being the most amusing. “Outer beauty is an admirable aspect of attraction - should you find a lady whose presence you tolerate mildly, and a love match shall be born. Hitherto, I shall respect your wisdom on the matter of the dangers of truth; Henry may be at large, but his presence is still known.” Phillip had not entertained a tangible danger intruding the youngest court of the Tudor, until they had entered well into the spring of his disappearance; no longer, could he feign they lived in a time of amiability and gaily passed time. “A very recent reappearance, handed to me by the grace of God. Though I wish only for the greatest of health for her Lady Mother, the distance had pained me - I am all the better for her turn. The children have missed you dearly, and I do believe little Phillip will have grown since you last regarded his face. He proves himself a true Mountbatten in his infant resilience.” 

  “This splendid time for our family - with Georgie’s debut, and Joanna’s return - marks a need for a celebration of some time. A Mountbatten soiree, with the attendee’s selected by Joanna and I; though you are welcome to invite guests of your own, bar them being salacious pieces of gossip. If you attend, and though the time spent with your family is agreeable, find no lady you are partial to - I will allow you a chance to present a woman of your own choice to me, or allow a period of rest, from my efforts.” 

[phillipofwarwick]

ladyxgeorgiana‌:

@phillipofwarwick​

Being at court was easily the most exciting thing that had ever happened to Georgiana. She hoped to make new friends, and she had made some effort towards that goal, but her family always came first. Although she knew Phillip had responsibilities, she didn’t want to let him get too lost in those, so she had created a plan. 

Her plans never failed. She always knew exactly what tactic to take with her brothers, which was just to be herself. They had never been able to say no to her. 

Shown in to see him, she swung the basket she’d had made up for her. “We’re going on a picnic.” She declared, looking at her eldest brother with affection. “Just you and I, unless the children would like to join us.” She adored her niece and nephew, she loved them even more than she loved her brothers. 

With a tenderness of cadence, and music of voice, his sister appealed to the very best of his character. It took no great exertion of force to trigger a sweet and benevolent humor in Phillip; yet the true depth of his amiability was reserved for his kin. Georgie existed as both a fragment of his boyhood, and a book end to his establishment as head of the family. “There is no need for my arm to be contorted into a submission; gladly, and eagerly, I shall accompany you. The children will be angered they were robbed of your company, but I must claim this afternoon as entirely my own.” An arm was offered to his youngest, who even in her lithe stature, was eclipsed by his own height. She was a delicate creature, made like a painters model; her features were reminiscent of of his own, golden and fine hair. Her brows were distinct but soft, melting to a trace at the temples ; her eyes, a rich gift of nature, fine and full, large and deep ; holding dominion over all the eclipsed. Phillip marveled over his sister as if she were his own child, and much did she feel like such. “Never could I have fathomed the day where you reached an age fit for the courts, and yet here you are; have you been pleased, sweet sister, thus far? I have yet to pester my darling wife for insight into your activities.” 

[phillipofwarwick]

joannawcrwick‌:

                        –––   The lowering of Phillip’s knees in anticipation of a caress was not lost on Joanna; the action ought to have been well-received by the duke’s amicable wife, though his proceeding words caused her chin to dart sharply in the opposing direction as his lips sought hers. “Nefarious plans?” Fair brows made for her hairline as she subjected her husband with a wryly disapproving glance, blue eyes flickering with a merriment oft lost to memories of yore. “You deflect, my sweet. Surely if either one of us were to concoct nefarious plans, well –– I will not say who, but it would not be me.”  She brushed a stray fibre of thread from Phillip’s broad shoulders, willowy fingertips then contouring to the muscle of his bicep as she spoke lowly, decisively,  “oh, what you and Somerset could easily get away with were I out of the question. I loathe to chew on the subject –– I will simply have to live forever to ensure this shall never occur.” Her husband’s bachelorhood had long drawn to a close, but their marriage had not altogether erased his boyish temptations and behaviours –– it was this remnant, a gilded vestige, of youth that so endeared Joanna to Phillip, and in his presence she found herself a wisp of a girl; girlish, teenaged once more, blushing to her roots alike a schoolgirl and giggling with stockinged knees crossed. “I had much rather be compared to a rose than a dwarf, as you so kindly refer to me.” The duchess offered her husband an arm at the prompt of taking a turn about the garden, pleased by the suggestion and the implicit opportunity to discuss the king’s retroceding from court that hid behind the velvet curtain. “Tell me, husband, is it true that your brother has returned to court just as the king has receded from it? I wonder if there is a correlation,” Joanna pointed, a quiet chuckle accompanying her lighthearted words. “Why is it that you are the only Mountbatten, save for our children, that will dare to be within thirty feet of me? Your brother, lady mother; am I so contemptible?” 

  Her movements had the airy softness, the velvet grace of a kitten; yet Phillip was met with only dismay in his own heart, when his affections were denied in lieu of playful rebuttal of his words. A small frown would have dared to grace his lips, had his humor not been bettered greatly by Joanna’s handsomeness. "It is a feeble attempt on your to dissuade me from painting you a schemer.” Joanna granted him such a look, as to license him to descend into the ground from the sheer audacity of his statement; nonetheless, Phillip would only concede to the brightening of his countenance once more, in an enduring smile. “A daughter of York, claiming clemency against any charge of nefarious plans? I shall be presented before your family, and charged with smothering a rose.” A hundred times over she laid witness to his perilously boyish moods, but in this instance, the illumination of his visage with mild, warm feeling, brought them both pleasure. Each word they breathed to one another reeked of domestic and intimate affection; this distinction, only existed for Joanna. Happily he took her arm into his own embrace, turning his proud nose to the sky which stretched above, boundless in the absence of clouds. “Elliot would smite the Tudor line from the throne if it would suit his ends to escape my designs.” His stratagems against his brother carried no venom, but his voice was fraught with light exasperation at the stale-mate he failed to dissolve. “Though we claim stature and eloquence as our dominion, we cannot bear to yield to those who hold advantages. You, my wife, carry the mantle as my most beloved; and in turn, reign by my side as caretaker of the Mountbatten line. My mother adores but cannot surrender; Elliot fears your influence on his melodramatic character.” With a fine temper, Joanna accepted them all; a brother of unreasonable moods, a sweet lady mother, fraught with designs of the past. “At long last, every Mounbtatten infiltrate’s the court - I await the return of my dear sister Bridget, though I find solace in the presentation of my youngest. She does lack your savvy; even as a girl of not twenty, the court was moved to yield to your character.” 

[phillipofwarwick]

dukecfnorfolk‌:

“’Seasoned’ seems but a polite way of saying that my age is growing apparent.” Thomas commented, but his words were not as gruff as they might have been. At least the Duke seemed to understand who he was speaking to - that Thomas was not a man to be trifled with. It was a start, even if the man also seemed to possess an amount of optimism (at least in comparison to Norfolk) which struck him as almost unbecoming. 

He raised his head as Phillip spoke, surveying him with an air of cool interest, considering what he claimed to offer. “Do you find me incapable of being able to forge such alliances without your aid?” As accusatory as they might have sounded, Thomas was more curious than anything, considering the young man before him - what sort of offer was truly on his table. He was too skilled a negotiator to settle for empty promises, especially ones which seemed so attractive. “You need not be so vague, Lord Warwick. Who precisely are these allies that you lay claim to?”

  “I would address you some do behind closed doors, but I have always moved to be gracious when the chance is readily available to me.” Amiable talk with the Duke of Norfolk felt akin to the hazy after effect of a fever dream; his sane mind would not conjure such a scenario. Phillip held firmly onto his designs to yield to Norfolk’s seniority, which stretched beyond his years - few had ingratiated themselves with the crown as seamlessly as he. If Henry were to design detaching the man from his stead, he would be fraught with his own undoing.

   Phillip’s golden head gave a preliminary shake, a precursor to the verbal denial of Norfolk’s prompt. “There is little I fancy, that you shall would fail to accomplish without aid. But even an island is all the better, when a bird flies overhead.” Hereupon he was put on a course of direct action; Norfolk would batter for no less then transparency. Designs upon greatness would only yield splendor, should he prove his own worth to their riches. “The English claim Europe’s spotlight at the present, in the wake of a coronation and a disappearance; but the profound lies in the shadows, where our foreigners breed plots. Scotland and France seek an alliance - and so we must seek out the Roman Empire. My allies - should you share our desires - will fight for a Spanish princess upon the throne.” 

[phillipofwarwick]

e-lot‌:

It had not been his goal to avoid his brother, yet Elliot felt he was left with no other option but to do so. He understood his brothers wishes to better the their family, yet he could not fathom why his own brother would have take in consideration his feelings and thoughts. Elliot kept quiet about it, though it would not surprise him if his brother figured it out, if his constant avoidance of the man were anything to go on. His name was spoken with warmth, yet Elliot knew better, or perhaps it was paranoia he saw. He hide his sour expression with one that was much more pleasant; a light smile to greet his brother as he stood nearby, want desperately to flee. “You claim to have no other motives, yet you ask my opinion of the ladies of Henry’s reign.” Though, his words were spoken in a teasing tone, it hide the annoyance he truly felt. “But alas, I fair well, all things considering.” Elliot sat near his brother with a careful distance, in case the need to make a quick exit appeared. “Would be a lot more pleasant if I hadn’t have to deal with some of them. I am to assume, you are fairing well?”

 Phillip, yielding to his bent for amiability, took all his brother had to saw in a pretty humor. His eyes, their hue mirrored in the younger Mountbatten’s woeful pairs, were alighted nonetheless - his grand designs could be well accompanied in a joyous afternoon. “’Tis a fair question I have posed - but here, I shall inquire into your opinions onto all of Henry’s men in tandem.” Elliot would not yield to the effervescence of glee, nor to his brother’s thinly veiled inquires into his preferences regarding Tudor women. The unmovable countenance of Elliot Mountbatten was indicative of their family lineage; men of stone, who were only susceptible to their own desires. “Some of them; little brother, enlighten me at the least! Mystery is never becoming within ones own family. As for me, I have no complaints; Joanna has rejoined the court, after a sojourner to the country.” His wife and children were often employed to warm his brothers spirits; for Elliot could not die his familial inclinations, no matter how petulant Phillip’s actions appeared to him. “I have a proposition to offer you - one you shall find most satisfactory, but shall still allow me to sleep peacefully at night. A zero-sum game.”

[phillipofwarwick]

@e-lot

   At dawn all was a stir, and by sunrise the courtyard was filled with mingling lords and ladies; boisterous was their business, which on most occasions would have little affected Phillip’s mood. But a strange urgency had settled across his humor, which marked an expression of severity across his otherwise brightened countenance. Partaking in his brothers company had been an obligation in their childhood; but it had triumphed in becoming a ceaseless challenge. A grand affair, capturing Elliot Mountbatten, whether it be his hand in matrimony, or half an hours time for tea - Phillip reveled in his brothers character, while loathing any characteristic that harshly clashed with his own. “Elliot.” Despite his formerly grim appearance, Phillip’s eyes sought his brothers with great warmth and delight. Benevolence, married with healthy opposition, seemed the given status of the relations between brothers. “You’re late, though naturally the time was set to allot for attempts to flee on your part. Sit, and be merry - I place no grand designs on this meeting, other then to inquire into your health, and dealings at the court thus far. The ladies of the youngest Henry’s reign are fair, are they not?” 

[phillipofwarwick]

sarahtalbot‌:

She could easily have divulged the truth, but it was his very friendship with the Duke, which Phillip readily admitted to, which kept Sarah’s lips sealed. She trusted him not to reveal the secret, doubting that Phillip would readily smear her reputation even if he knew the truth of the matter, but still she was hesitant and would remain so. Even his declaration of ire drew only a glance from Sarah, clearly disbelieving him. “My Lord, I should never wish to become a wedge or an obstacle in your friendship or other dealings with Lord Somerset.” The formality in her words was a defensive measure, leaving much hanging from it.

“Yes - undoubtedly.” Sarah smiled at the unspoken barb to Joanna’s stature - an everlasting, fond joke between the pair of them - and turned her attention to dealing the cards. “I am certain you have a great many secrets which are a mystery to me, entirely. In the course of our game, I shall have to ponder what it is I wish to know, for when I win.” Her self-assuredness was partially in jest, soft as he met Phillip’s gaze for a moment, the man’s happiness melting some of her own tension away. “Of course. He will find himself most in luck if he inherits your Mountbatten stature, for surely that alone will bring him notoriety.” She breathed a laugh, picking up her hand of cards and surveying it quietly. “I can only pray that when I have children to speak of, I take as much pride in them as you and Joanna do in yours, for your joy in them is contagious.” She laid down a card, making the first move in the game with no fanfare. “And next is the younger of your daughters?”

  “If there is ever to be a divisive action between Lord Somerset and I, it is always by his own hand. Our friendship is spurred by turmoil." She would not concede to honesty, and Phillip could do nothing by yield to her privacy. It pained him to lack intimacy with any dealings of the court, and the nature of the black feelings between Lady Talbot and Lord Somerset were entirely foreign. “You may enjoy secrecy for the time being, but consider it short lived - I am famed for sticking my nose into matters where I am not desired.” 

 Phillip wished that her suspensions were well founded. He would have paid dearly to possess the treasures she described to him. If his mind sought out a salacious truth from his own dealings, it was left sorely disappointed. "On the vague, and pitiful chance you shall claim victory, I hope to posses a worthy secret to be unearthed." Did he underestimate his own intrigue? Phillip could only hope to have ownership over a life of interest, entirely unbeknownst to him. "Does the height of a Mountbatten man inspire notoriety? My dear brother shall be saddened by this fact; possessing only a fraction of my height." Phillip grinned in a self-satisfactory nature, thinking gladly of his brother's disapproving frown over his height (to only be scoffed at in comparison to Phillip's) being disparaged. "No doubt enters my mind that whatever children you bring into this world, shall be a grand reflection of your own triumphs. And if my will is set forth, they shall be fine companions, and cousins, to our trio.” Bold claims were once at home on the Duke’s lips; though he wished to speak into existence his desires, rather then unceremoniously foist them onto Sarah. “Little Elizabeth follows him next - sunny, a tiny bit devilish in only the best of ways. I imagine she resembles your disposition as a child - but I cannot remember, are you the oldest child or the youngest? I hope a complex does not develop, from her status as middle child. “

[phillipofwarwick]

nnicodemus‌:

  //     He sits at a table laid with sparing portions of bread and vegetables, a decanter of wine to the officer’s right and a chalice ushered into the gentle cradle of his right palm.  “Tis the hour of none,”  Nico smiles, raising a wordless toast before taking a copious sip, the bournes of his lips dampened by drink, “I would suggest you make the most of it before we find ourselves with the agony of counting down the time to Vespers.”

   The waning spirit of piety gave forth to material indulgence at the English court; no greater evidence of this could be supplied, then the delicate manner in which the courtiers had begun to dine with greater preference towards pleasure. Phillip took great delight in sipping the amount of wine which suited his fancy, rather then moderation to appease a benevolent God. “’Tis s a more reflection on my nature that I dread the time; for if I were a true man of our Lord, nothing would elicit greater pleasure in my heart then prayer.” The foreign dignitary - for his accent marked him as retaining foreign origin, no matter his eloquence in the English language - was not a figure Phillip was concerned in projecting piety towards. The devilish grin which alighted his countenance signaled a shared exhaustion over the dwindling season of Lent. “Before you wish to mark me as a bearing the title of supreme sinner, I should be glad to make proper introduction of myself; Phillip Mountbatten, Duke of Warwick. I hope greatly your time in England has been marked with better company then my own.”

[phillipofwarwick]

sarahtalbot‌:

“Perhaps he is the one you ought to question.” She commented simply, eyes down again. “Men seem to speak so much more freely amongst themselves, in my experience. Though perhaps his telling might be biased.” Blue eyes flickered up to Phillip’s gaze. “Lord Warwick, you have no need to worry about creating any ill ease between us two. Not from your own action, at the least.”

Speaking of Joanna was indeed easier and more pleasant, and she urged her mind in such a direction, allowing a faint smile to cross her lips. “She is so small herself, she could not maintain much more mystery.” She teased Phillip and his wife both in the same measure, huffing a breath of a laugh as he spoke of her sweetness. “My Lord Warwick, I fear that if you think me sweet in any sense, you do not truly know me at all.” She smiled - fully, properly, her eyes softened the slightest bit as she met his, placing the cards on the table between them. “You would ask a lady to gamble with one of her secrets? A bold suggestion, and yet I am too intrigued at the prospect of receiving one from you in return that I cannot deny it. The winner should be allowed to ask a question, then, and receive an honest answer to it.” She nodded, maintaining his blue gaze once more as she began to sort out the cards for their game. “And as promised, you shall tell me first of all of your children.”

Sarah was careful to avoid the shadow of any indication, and would take no step towards a confession which would seek to absolve Phillip of any lingering interest. “With each refusal to speak, you only further suit my design of knowing what has transpired; though it is Edward’s nature to filter any event through a lens which best suits himself.” The Duke could not claim universal popularity, and as such, Sarah’s deriding Edward could not be taken as further evidence towards their rift. “If he has earned your ire deeply, he in turn has earned mine.” The boldness in his stance was dampened by Phillip’s eagerness in loyalty to all those who deemed friends; and his relationship with Edward would collapse, if not supported by pillars of respect and dispute. 

     “She must resort to using the hood astride her head for safe-keeping all nefarious secrets she harbors.” Such a little woman to be in possession of grand beauty and personality, continued to entreat Phillip as a mundane fact. “I cannot refuse your sentiment that my request is bold, though I deem to be rather characteristically so; if I am to lose, I do hope I possess a secret that can satisfy your curiosity, though little will compare to my own success to gain one of yours.” The weight of the court affairs seemed to slide from his shoulders with a gentle shrug; lighter and happier then he had been in some time, a beaming expression remained fixated across his face. “I shall start with the smallest child, and work my way upwards in rank; our youngest, Phillip, who has crossed the first year mark. I confess we did not know for quite some time if he would survive his first days - but he has proven to be a worthy adversary against death. Phillip, my names sake, who has Joanna’s eyes; I can hope perhaps, for he to inherit my Mountbatten nose.” 

[phillipofwarwick]

gildedstewart‌:

       Once again the day had calmly settled, allowing stars to reside over the restless attendees of Hampton Court.  Flames flickered animatedly in the opening of every window which pierced the apartment walls of the grand palace. Arabella had found herself absent from court for the day, seeking refuge on the hide of her mare as she galloped freely through the English lands, the terrain not as challenging as her homelands. The princess could not bear to hear the whining of the courtiers, who had started to feel emboldened as the absence of the king stretched on and they were left ever in the dark, answerless. 

She discarded her riding cloak, draping it over the arms of an awaiting ladies maid. Her hands rubbed together in hopes of generating warmth since the early spring evening had not yet brought the heat of the sun with it. Her dark eyes narrowed upon the sight of the Duke of Warwick. “ Your grace, ” Arabella addressed in acknowledgment of his station with a polite tone, nodding her head slightly at him. “ Has there been any change at court in my absence? Does the speculation still spread throughout? ”  

@phillipofwarwick

 The keen, lingering cold had been to lift from the English court, though the bloom of Spring remained stunted by the loss of the English sun. Phillip found himself equally consumed by the King’s absence, as the courtiers around him; who he sought to distinguish himself from at every available moment. He took to walks through the lush greenery surrounding the castle like a second skin; making conversation with all who made the grave error of standing still far too long. His conversation was amiable, always, yet seemed to last far too long - anxieties rendered him too friendly for the dour courtiers. 

   Arabella Stewart’s features were known to him easily as she moved towards him, out of coincidence of their passing; he made no mistake in believing she sought his company. It was his business to make note of all figures of importance around him, and Arabella did not operate as an exception to the rule. “Your grace, it is an honor.” His limbs performed to required, customary motions, to honor a woman of her status. Phillip curried a great respect for the lady, especially in regards to her mother. “It brings me no pleasure to report that all is entirely the same, though the theories as to the King’s disappearance have escalated to greater heights. Have you sought to escape the madness of the English court, for a day? It is a pity your sabbatical has been fraught with such drama; or is life much the same, back home?” 

[phillipofwarwick]

dukecfnorfolk‌:

The Duke of Warwick was among the younger blood of the court. He was well-bred, even better married, but Norfolk didn’t know as much about him as he ought to have done. He seemed, by all accounts, the man that stuck to the sidelines, more of a watcher than a participant. An opportunist, in a sense. Part of him admired that, and part of him hated it.

His whole belief was challenged when Phillip appeared in his doorway, speaking of nothing short of alliance. “So you skip the prattle and go straight to the throat.” Norfolk commented, waving the man inside with a raised brow. “I would be curious to know what it is that you believe you can offer me, Lord Warwick. Your kindly offered admiration aside, I know every man has a motivation for meetings such as this. Since you are so direct, I presume you will not hesitate to tell me yours.”

“I pride myself on being an honest man at the very least; pretty words would only cloak my intentions, and you are too seasoned to be either charmed, or hoodwinked.” Philip was glad to be met with an air of interest, in lieu of rejection his countenance had been prepared for. Norfolk had earned the right to be selective in all manners of his life; though he did not wish to adopt the same cold air as the other man, he aspired to the same height of political power.  

    He yielded to a nervous smile at Norfolk’s words, hoping a bashful air did not render his cheeks a rosy hue. Phillip was not a child, yet his lack of experience (in comparison Norfolk’s) brought forth a sense of insecurity he disliked heavily, having no experienced it in many a years time. “There is little that does not fall within your purview, so I do not wish to offer you a wealth of information; what I possess is good alliances and relations with a myriad of figures, English and otherwise. But more so, I am well integrated into our King’s young circle - together, we will bridge an alliance that connects the late Henry’s court, and the latest Henry's.” His thoughts failed to present themselves as handsomely as he would have liked, but Phillip was glad to have his intentions (jumbled or not) displayed before Norfolk. “And should our monarch be in trouble, it will be necessary for us to have one another, should turbulence take hold of the court.” 

[phillipofwarwick]

sarahtalbot‌:

It was clear that Phillip betrayed no inkling of understanding as to her harsh feelings toward Edward Seymour, and she merely pursed her lips, lifting her shoulders in an attempt at a shrug. “I find him to be a snake amongst the grasses.” She offered, lips turning downward. “He plots for the best time to strike, always in his own best interests. One could say as much of half the court, but the point stands.” Sarah picked up the deck of cards that sat on the table before her, shuffling them slowly, eyes lowered to the paper pieces - something to do with her hands once her teacup had been discarded.

“I did not intend to imply that your wife hides things from you, Your Grace. Only that she is so well-connected, I should be shocked to hear of any news that she did not know of.” She glanced up again, blue eyes sharp. “Not to mention, I think that the tales she shares with the women in her life may differ. Not all things are the same to all people.” Looking down again, she hummed lowly. “It seems your sister must be enviable. I should be delighted to make her acquaintance, though I think that my own humor is not inclined toward sweetness in any way, so we must be like night and day.” The cards still in hand, she held them out toward him. “Do you play, Lord Warwick? Indulge me, but tell me too how your daughters fare, since you mentioned them.”

“Awful crimes, there is no doubt.” He wished for his words to have a humorous affect, yet offered nothing in his tone or inclination, which would provide the necessary delivery for such. There was too much in Sarah’s tone that bothered, and intrigued him; Phillip straightened his form, astonished and indignant at himself for succumbing to the urge of nosiness. “Lady Talbot, I would never wish to act in a manner that would create ill ease between us, but your manner of speaking begs for further explanation. For I believe I have had more official matters with Seymour, yet afford him a far more genial personality. What has he done to inspire such scorn?” 

   It was easier to speak of Joanna, a topic of conversation that would never fail to inspire pleasantness in a room; especially with the presence of Sarah, who cared for his wife nearly as strongly as he. “I shall pretend to once more believe my wife has nothing to hide from me, though I would be heart-broken if there was not a small aspect of mystery she coveted.” As the years of marriage between them grew in size, their love would need intrigue as fodder, to keep the metaphorical fire lit. “Much the same as you are, Lady Talbot; though I cannot imagine you as anything less then a picture of sweetness, I would be delighted to envision a perfect match set of night and day with you two.” So much of Sarah he still did not know - although he enjoyed the slow unraveling of her inner world, moments such as this inspired a strange sadness in his breast. Phillip considered her a friend, yet denied himself a full understanding of her entire person. “Only well enough to steal your fortune from beneath your feet - let us make a bet, and then I shall wax on the subject of my daughters until the end of time. I’d like to you to make me your best offer - of anything, but a material item. I shall match whatever you may offer me. One of your many secrets, perhaps?”

[phillipofwarwick]

@dukecfnorfolk

“It is an honor that you’ve dignified me with a space in your busy schedule; as such, I shall not waste your time with idle prattle.” Phillip had spent the winter months in peaceful reverie with Joanna. Their time at the courts had slipped into a subdued ease, which for a time, had delighted Phillip to no end. But his spirit, longing for intrigue that would climax in a fretful period of anxiety, before success - or otherwise, failure. Henry’s disappearance spawned a flurry of talk throughout the court, culminating in the forging of new alliances to be enacted should the King lose his crown (and thus, life). Looming in Norfolk’s doorway like an omen of  forthcoming tragedy, Phillip’s countenance remained a cheerful blend of ease and friendliness. “You are well aware of my admiration for you and your family - let us join together, for I believe we have much to offer one another.”