Sebastian Frey

King of Aryndale

[sebastianfrey]

offortunes​:

.

there was no use fighting an unavoidable fate. charlotte knew that she had prolonged it as much as possible, but she could no longer hide from it. even if her heart belonged to another, there was nothing of him left behind besides painfully sweet memories. she could marry another, for the sake of her country and family. only she prayed that she could find some sort of happiness in whatever unions she finds herself in. after all she was always one to hope for something good to come out of the darkest situations.

her own arms wrapped around her shoulders as charlotte nodded slowly along to her brother’s words. she knew that sebastian meant well and that he would not let any harm come her way. “i appreciate you involving me in the choice, bas. you already have too much on your shoulders. i do not wish for the choice of my husband to be yet another burden to you.” she had a choice - not the choice she wanted, but it was more than many women like her had. if anything, she was grateful for her brother not forcing her into something outright. “i know, brother. yet alaya’s judgement of men is always correct. it is a woman’s intuition that she simply marvels in. i will make sure she does not discredit every single suitor though, i promise.”

.

It was not a task that he took any joy in, and it had in fact been one of the things he dreaded most once the crown was placed upon his head. He had gone along with his own arranged marriage without complaint, seeing it more as a favour to a family friend than anything else and he had simply dropped lucky in his betrothed being someone he actually enjoyed being with. However, before he became king he had not considered how difficult it would be to try and arrange matches for his siblings. It was both a political and emotional minefield.

“I will of course consider anyone you put forward, but sadly I must have a say in the final decision.” He did not welcome that power, but if a match was chosen that was not considered carefully enough, they risked offending potential allies instead of befriending them. “I appreciate your helpfulness though, Lottie. Finding someone for you shouldn’t be too difficult, finding someone for Alaya is another matter for a much later time I think.”

[sebastianfrey]

offortunes​:

.

her stomach churned at her brother’s question. all her life, charlotte knew that her duty to her family and to aryndale would ultimately culminate in an arranged marriage for the country’s benefit. although with her father and her beloved still alive, there was always a hint of hope that she could simply spend the rest of her days with someone of her choosing. yet that had all dissipated, gone with the wind, and she was only left with memories and what ifs.

her eyes fell on the bracelet that was just visible on her wrist, and she could only inhale sharply at the thought of things that could never be. would a betrothal be something that she’d ever consider? no, not if there was the smallest chance that he was still alive. but she had buried him, even if it was a bodiless grave dug in a place they called their own back home. she was only left with her duty to her country and her family now, her love snatched away by a cold heartless war. charlotte looked up at her brother, a smile on her lips that was far from the genuine one she was known for. “of course. it is my duty after all,” she replied, a small curt nod of her head following her words. “just make sure that he is a respectable man who would treat me right. that’s all i ask of you. oh, and that alaya approves of him, of course. there is no one else better suited to judge a man than our sister.”

.

He had expected more resistance from her, but perhaps he had misjudged his youngest sister. His other siblings liked to do as they pleased, and he had been that way himself once, before he’d had to take on the unexpected mantle of king. He had never planned for it, but there was no avoiding the heavy weight on his head and it was better to embrace it than be crushed by it. He had more duties and responsibilities now than he ever had and he did wonder if his siblings understood that those responsibilities fell to them too. Clearly Charlotte understood.

“I would never engage you to a man who would treat you poorly. It is why I mention it now, so you may have some input. I can offer up suggestions and tell you who I think is the best choice, but ultimately I am not the one getting married. I would rather the final choice fell to you.” His other sister could be a problem though. If Charlotte relied upon Alaya’s approval, then there would never be a betrothal. Alaya would find something wrong with the finest and best suited man in all the kingdoms. “As you wish, but remember that our sister got married during a war. She had to marry the man with the funds to help Aryndale on the battlefield so she is bitter because her choice of husband was taken from her. However you do have a choice.”

[sebastianfrey]

theyrule​:

she  makes  no  effort  to  conceal  the  fluid  motion  of  which  her  eyes  follow  his  movements  as  he  all  but  leaps  the  fence  as  if  he  were  a  boy  ,  sweetness  coating  her  smile  as  his  lips  meet  hers  briefly  .  his  words  burn  like  fire  in  her  veins  ,  in  the  best  way  ,  warming  her  chest  .  she’d  heard  so  many  things  about  ladies  marrying  kings  ,  only  to  remain  dutifully  unhappy  ,  but  yet  ,  sebastian  had  made  her  feel  nothing  of  the  sort  ,  she  felt  more  at  home  with  him  ,  as  queen  to  his  king  ,  than  she  did  in  lancaster  with  her  blood  .  

because  they  were  a united  front  ,  becoming  queen  had  octavia  putting  aryndale  before  anything  else  ,  she  was  never  destined  to  be  queen  ,  but  she  knew  she  was  to  marry  a  prince  ,  sebastian  being  made  king  was  never  set  in  stone  ,  but  yet  ,  she  didn’t  shrink  from  the  crown  ,  instead  ,  she  embraced  it  ,  all  but  demanding  an  active  role  ,  never  one  to  simply  sit  pretty  .     ❝            you  flatter  me  with  words  ,  your  majesty  .  ❞     she  muses  ,  her  fingers  trailing  downward  ,  linking  around  his  own  .     ❝  as  if  i’d  allow  them  to  divide  us  .  ❞     they  could  try  ,  and  try  they  would  if  this  summit  was  simply  a  ruse  ,  but  octavia  would  never  let  them  .

.

He still remembered what he had been told when his father had first informed him of his betrothal. It was a good alliance, they were family friends, there was nothing to be worried about. Since he would never be king, this arranged marriage would be the only true duty of his station that his father asked of him. It was one responsibility and at the end of it he would have a pretty little wife whom he could feel free to ignore and go philandering around the kingdom if he wished. His father could never have known that Sebastian actually would ascend to the throne, nor could he have expected for Octavia to take up the responsibility as queen as well as she had done. Given that it was not something she had ever expected either, she had done a much better job of adapting to the role of ruler than he had. That had been when Seb had truly seen her and knew he could not do her the disservice of ignoring her and acting as though he was still a bachelor. She deserved better.

His fingers linked with hers, swinging their hands gently between the two of them as they walked back towards the castellum. “They will have met their match if they try.” It was the one advantage he knew he had over the other kings. “But speaking of politics, I have been giving some thought to arranging betrothals for my sisters. It could be wise to strike now and secure alliances to ensure Aryndale has allies if this peace turns sour, but I would hear your thoughts on it.”

[sebastianfrey]

crownds​:

          though  he  loves  to  travel,  a  part  of  his  loyalty  will  always  belong  to  aryndale,  wherever  he  may  be.  he  doesn’t  boast  his  home  like  sebastian  does,  a  proud  king  of  his  beloved  home,  but  it  is  home.  instead  of  missing  the  familiarity  of  the  taverns  and  the  people,  bennett  has  seen  this  as  another  one  of  his  trips…  yet,  this  time,  he’s  not  alone.  he  won’t  think  about  the  war  or  the  discussions  of  peace,  especially  with  his  pessimistic  outlook,  but  will  take  in  everything  that  this  new  strange  place  has  to  offer.  curiously  exploring,  bennett  happens  to  spot  his  brother  tending  to  one  of  the  horses  and  when  the  man  speaks,  the  prince  lifts  a  brow.  he  almost  asks  how  they  know  she’s  pregnant,  because  he  certainly  can’t  tell,  but  figures  that  a  foolish  question.  “  what,  can’t  give  her  a  swig  of  rum  ?  ”  he  jokes.

.

“Never were one for horses, were you, Benny?” Seb chuckles and pats the horse on her flank, loosening the length of rope for her to trot away freely. “You’ve got to keep them calm or they’ll try to kick your head in every time they see you, and a horse with a baby to protect is even more violent, just like any mother should be.” He wandered over to the fence to join his younger brother. It was nice to actually have all the Freys together in one place since they had been split apart for so long. Alaya with her husband, Bennett on his travels, and Seb had been so busy that he had barely seen Charlotte despite living in the same place. “How are you settling into our new home away from home, Ben?”

[sebastianfrey]

theyrule​:

truth  be  told  ,  octavia  herself  hadn’t  been  around  too  many  pregnant  women  ,  she  was  the  youngest  sibling  of  her  family  ,  and  though  she  knew  of  others  to  have  children  ,  she  was  rarely  around  them  before  their  births  .  but  she  knew  enough  for  his  words  to  ring  true  in  her  ears  as  she  embraced  to  warm  caress  of  lips  against  her  skin  ,  a  pretty  smile  flitting  across  her  lips  as  she  leaned  into  the  touch  for  a  moment  ,  arms  resting  against  the  fence  (  though  resting  seemed  to  stretch  as  the  fence  rose  just  in  line  with  her  shoulders  )  ,  while  she’d  yet  to  experience  pending  motherhood  ,  she  smiled  ,  their  day  would  come  eventually  .     ❝            then  we  must  do  everything  we  can  to  ensure  she’s  well  .  ❞     she  told  him  .

and  she  would  do  so  to  ensure  her  husbands  horses  were  in  their  best  condition  ,  if  only  to  see  him  happy  .  hands  are  soft  in  the  way  they  brush  a  stray  grass  shard  from  his  clothing  ,  her  smile  never  fading  .     ❝  settling  in  as  well  as  one  can  given  the  new  surroundings  .  ❞     the  castle  was  beautiful  but  it  wasn’t  home  ,  it  wasn’t  her  home  and  she  would  much  rather  be  at  home  .     ❝  our  things  have  been  sorted  in  our  quarters  .  but  i’d  settle  in  a  lot  more  if  my  husband  should  wander  around  our  new  surroundings  with  me  .  ❞      she  jested  ,  dropping  her  chin  to  her  hands  .

.

There were stablehands working around the clock to care for the small army of horses Aryndale had brought with them and Seb could see one now in a nearby field. Things would be fine without him for a while, and there were more important matters that required his attention. “Rest assured, she will receive the best care, pampered like a queen.” He did not have the patience for walking to the gate and kicked his foot up onto the fence plank, swinging his legs over and hopping down to the other side to join his wife.

“Then I must endeavour to be a dutiful husband. I cannot have my wife walking the castle alone.” Not that he ever would in this place. Peace talks were underway but the trust was not on solid ground yet and if he couldn’t be by her side then he made sure his guards were under strict instruction to keep Octavia safe. “Besides, we should be walking around this place together to let everyone see that we are a united front.” He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “A king is nothing without his queen by his side.”

[sebastianfrey]

offortunes​:

.

an absentminded nod followed her brother’s words, yet she could not help but let her mind wander off in thought. it was ironic, was it not? how many lives had to be lost over the past ten years. how one man’s actions had taken away so much from everyone. the start of the war was the time when she acknowledged the fact that there could be irreparable evil in the world, that some people could never be good. no matter how much she tried to shake off that notion, she knew it to be true. 

“i like to think so as well, brother. a new life is always a wonderful gift. in times like this it is even more special,” she then stated with a grin. she watched the mare trot around, the sound of the hooves as they touched ground bringing a sense of serenity to her. “i would love that! surely i must start conjuring up a list. although i am sure i will change my mind about all the names as soon as i see the little foal.”

.

New life could be the very thing that was needed to encourage the still fragile peace between kingdoms. A foal would not be enough but perhaps people might start to feel enough at ease that there would be other forms of new life brought into the world. Maybe it was time he started to think of the future instead of remaining stoically in the present. But that was something he would have to discuss with Octavia. Their focus had been on the war for so long that children hadn’t crossed his mind as he didn’t want to become a father and have his child inherit battle-scarred lands.

But there was potential for other changes that could be beneficial for Aryndale. He had unmarried siblings, so there was a chance to solidify peace between nations if a political marriage was arranged. Of course he wouldn’t agree to anything without their consent even if he had the power to, but he could make some suggestions and see if they were amenable. Alaya would likely bite his head off but Charlotte might consider it. “Well the choice is yours. But speaking of choices.” He strolled over and leaned against the fence. “We’ve not even finished unpacking and I have already been approached by lords and dukes asking for a betrothal. Is that something you’d ever consider?”

[sebastianfrey]

theyrule​:

optimistic  had  always  beena  way  to  describe  the  aryndale  queen  ,  even  before  the  crown  settled  on  her  head  .  she  always  had  hope  and  even  if  this  summit  very  much  instilled  a  sense  of  trepidation  within  her  ,  she  was  still  as  hopeful  as  ever  that  it  achieved  something  great  .  the  war  was  long  ,  brutal  and  while  it  didn’t  even  lick  at  her  heels  ,  what  they  were  all  here  for  was  something  good  ,  if  it  worked  .  but  upon  arrival  ,  she’d  been  left  to  her  own  devices  ,  her  ladies  unpacking  their  own  belongings  and  the  help  unpacking  her  own  ,  not  that  she  didn’t  try  to  help  for  a  moment  before  the  girl  ,  woman  ,  was  off  exploring  ,  twisting  and  turning  until  she  found  herself  outside  ,  unbothered  by  the  hem  of  her  dress  in  the  dirt  as  she  leant  against  a  make  shift  fence  ,  watching  a  familiar  head  of  ginger  hair  .

it  was  easier  to  simply  watch  her  husband  for  a  moment  or  two  ,  than  it  was  to  disturb  him  .  she  was  content  just  to  watch  from  a  short  distance  ,  preparing  to  leave  him  be  ,  not  wanting  to  ruin  the  peace  he’d  found  ,  but  he  spoke  before  she’d  moved  ,  catching  her  watching  .  she  wasn’t  much  of  a  horse  person  ,  they  were  beautiful  creatures  but  she  didn’t  spend  too  much  time  outside  of  travelling  with  them  ,  therefore  the  news  surprised  the  queen  ,  brows  raising  into  her  hair  line  as  he  spoke  .      ❝            she’ll  be  okay  ,  though  .  won’t  she  ?  ❞     she  questions  ,  leaning  her  arms  across  the  top  of  the  wooden  fence  ,  careful  not  to  speak  to  loud  ,  should  she  spook  the  animal  .

.

Confident that he’d settled the nerves of the beast somewhat, the king removed the horse’s bridle and allowed her to trot off to the other side of the field. He’d made sure the other horses were elsewhere so she could have some time to herself and not be so panicked, and he would take her back to the stables later on. For now he thought it best to turn his attentions to the woman who should be the most important in his life.

It was sweet of her to come down here, when he knew she did not share the same affinity for horses that he did. Since becoming king, he had gradually come to realise how often Octavia put herself out of her comfort zone for his sake and for the kingdom’s and he wanted to appreciate those efforts by being a better husband to her, for she was not only his queen but his wife as well. “She’ll be fine. Have you ever known a pregnant woman not to feel anxious? Human or horse, prospective motherhood is a nervous time for any creature.” Having reached the fence, Seb leaned across it to press a kiss to his wife’s forehead. “How are you settling in, my darling?”

[sebastianfrey]

offortunes​:

.

the thought of being in a foreign place, even if it was close to home, brought about a longing for exploration. there was only one companion charlotte would even consider for such a thing - her beloved moonstone. no matter what others said, he would always be the greatest horse in the aryndale stables. he was the reason why she spent most of her newly-found leisure time in the stables of the grand castellum. if others heard her speak to him as though he was her greatest confidante, they would probably laugh at her. but she could not care less. moonstone was simply the best listener. 

as she headed towards the stable, charlotte caught the unmistakable sight of her brother. moonstone could wait a short while, for it was rare to speak to sebastian these days. she approached him with the widest of grins on her lips, one reserved solely for her beloved family. upon hearing the news, a small squeal of delight left her lips. not very princess-like of her, surely, but her brother would not mind. “that is wonderful news! oh dear, i cannot wait to see the little foal. fret not bas, she will slowly get used to all the changes. it must be quite a lot for her to take in at the moment, but with you here she will settle in no time.”

.

If there was one person who could appreciate his love for such noble beasts, it was his younger sister. They were a nation on horseback, and nothing remind him more of home than these creatures. Seb was so busy these days and his mind constantly troubled by the massive undertaking ahead of him to strike a peace with every other ruler. But he needed to make the time for his family, who were always close at hand when he needed them. Sometimes he forgot that.

He waved for his sister to join him in the paddock. “Something about new life beginning so soon after the end of the war feels like a sign, Lottie.” He loosened his grip on the rope, allowing the mare a little more distance to trot around in circles. “You can name the new foal when it arrives if you like.”

[sebastianfrey]

Sebastian was still settling in to his temporary home, not too far away from his beloved Aryndale, but far enough that he was missing his kingdom terribly. His party had brought enough home comforts with them that he was certain that it could be tolerated, but the king knew he would not feel truly at ease until his feet were planted firmly back on his home soil. One comfort he had insisted upon bringing had been his beloved horses. Even with a small army of stablehands to care for them, Sebastian had always insisted on looking after his own and that included everything from feeding to riding to mucking out the stables.

He was currently walking one of his favourite mares around the paddock, trying to settle her in these new surroundings. Upon noticing that he had an audience, he explained “We only realised that she was pregnant a few days ago. The poor thing has been so nervous that I’ve been trying to get her settled ever since.”

[sebastianfrey]

sam heughan, 37, aryndale, cis male. ––– i believe that is sebastian frey, the king of aryndale. they are thirty seven years old and are known to be very logical & dutiful, though they can also be very detached & stubborn. they remind me of old leather books with well-thumbed pages, the sole flickering of a candle in a window, and the fresh scent of pine needles crunched underfoot.

TW: death mention

The second oldest child in a royal lineage usually has a much easier time than the heir. Growing up as the spare to his older brother, Sebastian never had to worry about becoming king. His younger siblings had even less to fret about, and the main concern for all of them was when they’d be shoved into their arranged marriage. But until then, Seb was able to use his childhood to run around having fun with his siblings whilst their older brother had his lessons in how to be the next king of Aryndale.

He enjoyed being known as their fun big brother, but when the war broke out, he did what he felt was the right thing by joining the war effort and going to fight for Aryndale on the front lines.

Upon the news of his father’s death, Sebastian was called back from the front lines to attend the funeral and his brother’s subsequent coronation. He did not expect to walk back into the palace and be told that he was now the King of Aryndale. The same sickness that had taken his father had also taken his brother very shortly after and Sebastian had suddenly been thrust into a role he had always assumed was out of his reach.

He felt completely unprepared and terrified. His brother had been learning for the role his entire life, how was Sebastian supposed to just step into the role with no training? His only choice was to buckle down, secure a team of advisors and do his abolsute best to learn on the job.

His siblings might have expected to be reunited with their fun big brother, instead they were met with the stoic face of a king. From now on, the crown came first. Sebastian would not be the king who led his kingdom to ruin through lack of experience, even if that meant sacrificing everything to his duty.

Under the guidance of his advisors, Sebastian proved himself to be a devoted king who did the best for his country during such a troubled time. When his advisors nervously asked him if he would be going through with the marriage his late father had arranged, Sebastian agreed without looking up from his desk. Their fathers had been close friends, and if his late father had deemed Octavia a suitable match, then he would go through with the wedding with no argument.

Even years into the role, Sebastian still holds onto the same gritty determination he had at the start to prove himself as king. Even if he is not what his people expected, he aims to be what they need and deserve.

[sebastianfrey]

melanchvlias​:

𝑻𝑯𝑬  𝑺𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑬  resonated  with  such  force  within  her  ,  for  she  shared  the  emotion  .  to  be  in  solitude  only  amplified  what  ever  whispers  settled  within  her  mind  ,    at  times  it  was  all  too  overwhelming  ––  like  moments  ago  .  “  i  am  afraid  you  are  right  ,  one  cannot  live  immersed  in  all  the  madness  without  eventually  becoming  mad  .  ”  most  of  the  time  she  did  wish  she  was  at  home  ,  away  from  such  crowds  ;  from  all  the  madness  .  “  i  am  not  all  too  spooked  by  the  weather  ,  if  i  am  to  be  honest  .  but  that  ,  i  enjoy  truly  .  ”  she  flashed  a  genuine  smile  ,  thinking  of  how  free  she  felt  when  it  came  to  riding  .  “    it  does  clear  my  mind  immensely  .  do  you  enjoy  it  as  well  ?  ”

.

It was true, the last thing everyone needed was one of the royals to turn mad. Despair bred madness, but so did kindness and compassion and it was up to the individual which they would succumb to. “Oh yes, riding is in the blood for me. I couldn’t count the hours I spent with my siblings racing through the countryside in our competition. It’s a wonder none of us ever broke our necks.” There had been a few near misses and certainly a few broken bones but it had never stopped them. Growing up, that was all that had stopped them. They had each been taken away to their own duties, whether it was ruling, war or marriage and now Sebastian couldn’t remember the last time he had been out with them.

[doubledepresso]

[lizzie-mcguire]

[thequotejournals]

I was told when I get older all my fears would shrink; but now I’m insecure and I care what people think.

Twenty One Pilots, “Stressed Out,” Blurryface (2015)

[sebastianfrey]

circaregnatcnat​:

he    could    understand    that    .    it    was    worst    now    that    his    wife    was    dead    and    she    had    “just    given    him    a    daughter”    as    one    of    his    advisors    had    said    .    which    had    ended    in    henry    throwing    him    out    of    the    room    and    telling    him    to    stay    out    of    his    sight    for    at    least    a    week    .    “    yes    ,    ”    he    said    ,    finally    agreeing    with    the    king    in    front    of    him    .    “    they    seem    to    grow    worst    everyday    ,    have    they    not    ?    ”

henry    nodded    ,    he    excelled    in    those    areas    as    well    .    “    more    hobbies    on    mine    ,    ”    he    commented    .

.

“Then I am glad to hear I am not the only one who is so pestered by them. They mean well, but they have a certain insistence on controlling every aspect of our lives, do they not?” He supposed his older brother had been more used to it than he was. As the spare, Sebastian had mostly been left do whatever he wanted growing up, with the exception of choosing his own bride, but that had been something he was aware of from a young age and they could not have chosen better than Octavia.

“Are you a swordsman and rider then? It would be nice to have someone else around who shares the interest.” Perhaps horses were a bit cliché for him, but they were the lifeblood of Aryndale and a stereotype he was not afraid to live up to.

[gyllenhaaldaily]

“Until I met you.”

[bellamyblakesrifle]

He looks at her And sees everything he’s ever wanted. He looks at himself And sees nothing she deserves.

if he only knew the things she could see. kb. (via bellamyblakesrifle)