The Soldier Prince

The Heir Apparent and Prince of Sweden, Einar.

[french-louis]

The knock on the door was loud and sudden, denoting a strong sense of urgency. It provoked Louis to emerge from his bed half dressed as the woman who had spent the night with him moved to conceal herself behind a pillar. “What is it?” He abruptly hissed as he pulled open the door, expecting the visitor to be a foolish guard.

[shieldofsweden]

          Catching the French king in this state was something Einar had not expected, as the door was wrenched open to expose the bare torso of Louis. The blonde prince had paced outside of the door for quite some time before getting the courage to rap on the door of the man who he hoped he could one day call his father by marriage. 

    “Ahem, your Grace...” he said, readjusting himself, bringing himself to stand tall. “I believe our last conversation was interrupted by the festivities. If you are willing, I would much like to discuss your daughter, the Princess Henriette.” And he could discuss her for days. How her hair was soft to the touch, and always seemed to smell of roses. How her laugh made his heart leap with joy, and her kiss make it catch in his throat, thrumming. Naturally, he could not discuss this with Louis, but the thoughts raced. 

[shieldofsweden]

          The little foal mouthed at the Princes jacket, causing the blonde to laugh as he very gently pushed the little creatures nose away from him. “Go play with your mama,” he said gently, pointing the foal towards where its patient mother waited for it, grazing nonchalantly all while keeping an eye on her young son. A pang went through Einar’s heart as he remembered the mare he lost those months ago, her foal joining her shortly after. Henriette had made sure he was okay, and with her help he had come around after the loss. 

    Dusting his hands off on his jacket, he smiled as he thought about the woman. very soon, he would like to call her his betrothed. He had tracked down one of his mothers rings for the occasion. Walking back into the stables, he was so deep in this giddy thought, he walked into the broadside of a horse, bouncing off the beast. Looking around, he hoped no one had noticed this moment, however much to his chagrin there seemed to be a spectator. “Can we both agree that you did not just witness that,” he asked with a sheepish grin.  

[french-louis]

{{ @shieldofsweden }}

“Well, it seems that we need to talk,” Louis started, folding his arms in a threatening manner than he knew Henriette would scold him for. The French King was far from furious with Einar, but he did not need to know that. Louis wanted to mess about, at least initially. “It seems that you have been courting my daughter… without even asking me? You want to take my Henriette from me?”

[shieldofsweden]

          Einar swallowed the almost audible gulp that almost emitted from him. He was not sure if he was more intimidated because this is the first time he was experiencing Louis as the King of France, or if it was the even more terrifying prospect of Louis as Henriette’s father. Regardless, Einar gave a slight incline of his head, trying to give the best smile he could and not show any fear.

    “Your Grace...it was not to be an intentional slight, you must understand! I had not expect to fall for your daughter, but she captivated me. But she wanted to be the one to tell you, and did not want me asking to court her before she had time to do so. She loves you so much, she wanted to be the one to share the good news...” he gave almost a sheepish smile. Had it been up to him, Einar would have proclaimed it to the world. But part of loving Hettie was respecting her wishes, and so he had done so.

[shieldofsweden]

jamesofengland:

“What else would it be” he replied, it wasn’t really an answer. But this sort of thing didn’t really suit him, though he was sure others would enjoy it. He nodded as the boy went off, glad for the offer of the drink. He could do with one of them whilst all of this was going on.

“It is indeed quite a celebration. Is it not normal for it to be after the meetings have been completed?” 

           “Ah, you never know, your Grace,” Einar said with a slight shrug. “I myself actually rarely attend such large Court celebrations, but I fear missing the one held in my countries own seat would have been poor,” Einar said with a slight chuckle. It was true, Einar spent most of his time in Sweden not at the Court, but he did find he was enjoying himself at the moment. 

    Einar gave a nod to James’s query. “Normally, yes. However, because the meetings are closed, we decided to make it so everyone else could enjoy the Court even while we are stuffed in cramped rooms trying to ensure peace. As well, I feel people deserved a proper welcome. We are quite far out of the way, here in Sweden.”

[shieldofsweden]

arthurcfengland:

The Swedish royals had certainly everything in their power to impress their foreign counterparts. But still, however impressed the English King  was, he could not help but wish to be ensconced in the familiar stone walls of Windsor as the child’s birth was rapidly drawing nearer. 

Making his way throng the throng of people in search for the rest of the English party, Arthur slowed to a stop upon seeing the Swedish Prince. “It is all quite impressive, Your Highness. You have outdone yourselves. I do hope that hosting the peace talks is not proving to be too trying for you.”

          Einar gave a bow to the King of England, smiling though at the mans words. “I thank you for the compliment, your Grace. I do hope you and the Queen both feel comfortable, and to please make me aware if I can do anything for you,” Einar said, knowing the Queen was heavily pregnant. He had made sure to have their chambers be some of the finer ones, as to keep her comfortable should she not feel well enough for the festivities and wish to stay in her rooms. 

    “Fortunately, talking of peace has yet to be weary,” Einar said, knowing now he was stepping onto a little more dangerous ground. Very soon, because of his love for Hettie, Sweden would have an alliance with France, an enemy of England. “I do hope everyone can come to accords to continue the peace we have had thus far. Any assistance I can have in that is an honor.”

[shieldofsweden]

jamesofengland:

There was many things that James could do at the moment, most of his thoughts were currently occupied with how he could somehow escape the room as early as possible. He understood all of the reasons why he had to be there, but none of them meant that he needed to be happy about it. Then again, he wasn’t sure if he could even say when the last time he was truly happy even was. 

He hadn’t really meant to disturb the prince. Though he was a little surprised to find him alone at that moment. “Indeed, I have not seen any like it in a long time” well, it wasn’t a lie.

           “I do hope that is a good thing, then?” Einar asked with a slight chuckle. Looking around briefly, Einar was finally able to spot one of his pages. Motioning the boy over, he gave a smile before asking, “a goblet of wine for the Prince and myself?” The boy rushed off with a nod, before Einar turned back to James.

    “I must admit, Tre Kronor has not seen many celebrations of this magnitude, but I am glad people from across Europe can see just how beautiful Sweden is.”

[shieldofsweden]

thereignofadaline:

Adaline had heard quite a lot about the Swedish Prince and his charm, one he obvious knew how to use to his advantage. It was a good trait for a Prince, a great for a king – one he would become one day. “We are in good health, thank you for the concern.” She supposed Arthur needed some fresh air and had perhaps found a friend, instead of spending time with the person he shared his bed with every night. There would be plenty of time for them to talk after supper. “No, it is fine. I am sure he had found a friendly face and I did not wish to interrupt.” She rose to her feet, teasing her balance before moving. “I would like to thank you, Your Highness. Everything has been wonderful so far. I believe you will make a fine King one day.”

           Einar gave a bow to the Queen as she turned down his offer to get Arthur for her. Despite her intoning she was fine, and allowing her husband to continue his duty as a monarch, Einar could not help to worry about the very pregnant Queen. “Perhaps we should find some place to sit, your Grace? That way you do not have to be on your feet?” he offered with a smile. Einar had actually never been around a woman as so heavily pregnant as Adaline, and so he could not help but worry. He could only imagine how much she was going through, carrying an heir and still coming to a peace summit. 

    Smiling at her thanks, he gave a slight shake of his head. “You have no need to thank me, your Grace. I am glad the Swedish court has been kind to you and is of your satisfaction. It is not often visitors come this far north, so we try to make it as hospitable as possible,” he said with a laugh. “And I do thank you for your compliment, although I hope that day is far off,” he said, a smile on his face that was courteous and not betraying of his actual thoughts. 

[shieldofsweden]

thefrenchrose:

Greeting Einar’s guests with a charming smile and kind words was like a second nature for her, as she had been helping her father for years and knew exactly how to make people feel welcome. She did her best to mask her emotion, for she had never been as nervous in her life. Well, perhaps if telling her father had been slightly worse. All eyes were on them, and soon the rumours would run under the table and their names would be on everyone’s lips. She had expected it, but she certainly was not prepared.

Henriette had the good grace to blush at his words, smiling at the sweet memories of their first meeting. “I’m not going to lie, my love, I do miss the bakery.” And perhaps even the rush it gave them knowing they were doing something behind everyone’s back. It was liberating however, having the freedom to show affection without having to hide and pretend. Home. Oh, how she wished to marry him as soon as possible, but it would take a while before they would even make it official, for there was a lot to discuss. They loved each other, there was no doubt, yet it was something both their fathers had to arrange. “I am not exactly enjoying being the center of attention, but it does not matter as long you are with me. And everything is so beautiful. Your words did not make it any justice.”

          Einar lifted the back of her hand to his mouth, kissing it lightly. “I miss the bakery too,” he said in a more hushed tone, not for sake of being overheard, but because of its wistful nature. “It was simpler then. When I was just a boy, and you just a girl,” he said, a sad smile on his face. “But I am happy now too, my love. Where we can be together not just for a fleeting moment, but forever.” Einar planned on finishing the negotiations for that particular facet as soon as possible. As this was a peace summit, and he had already shown his courting of Hettie before the entirety of the Court and foreign royalty, he only hoped it could move towards an alliance that sealed their love. 

    “I, personally, have never gotten used to the attention either,” he said in a murmur. “I do not frequent Court while I am in Sweden, as this is the royal residence where my mamma and fader live. My own private residence is not even a half days ride from here, at Drottningholm,” he explained. “Perhaps some time during this summit, if I can find a moment to escape while in meetings, we can go there for a day,” he said, his eyes lighting up at the prospect. Drottningholm would be their residence when they were married, and Einar planned to keep it as their private getaway even upon the assumption of the Crown. He could not handle the constant rabble of Tre Kronor, and the nobles in and out of its doors every day. 

[thereignofadaline]

Her eyes fluttered close as she enjoyed the beautiful sound. It seemed the child loved it as well, for the sweet music had calmed the movement. Her fingers caressed her swollen stomach absently, and for a moment, any discomfort had left and there was just peace. Adaline was trying her best not to worry about her husband and the fact he was in a room with people who were not fond of him and their country, wishing they could go back home soon. She understood this treaty was very important, and so she kept to herself instead of sharing such thoughts with Arthur. It was only then when she realized there was someone talking to her. Adaline opened her eyes and smiled at them. “I beg your pardon, what were you saying?”

[shieldofsweden]

            Einar gave a bow to the English Queen, waving his hand slightly as the words he had been speaking had merely been a greeting. “No need for pardon, your Grace. I was simply coming to inquire how you and the child are,” Einar said with a smile. Looking behind him, he saw some of the other lords exiting the rooms which had been set aside for the peace arrangements. “We have reached a break, would you like me to inquire after your lord husband? I believe I saw him talking with someone, but I am sure if you are in need he will come.” 

[shieldofsweden]

            Kissing Henriette’s hand, Einar gave her a smile before leaving her to talk with some of her friends, knowing that this was a time that those who may not see each other often had the chance too. Einar himself knew he must go mingle during this great opening feast, and so he moved away from Henriette, deciding to find someone to refresh his goblet of wine. Picking it up of the seating that had been allotted to him, he looked around to find someone carrying a decanter that could replenish it for him.

     Although he had hoped to have something to drink before having to do his duty, however as he turned to look, he noted he was being approached. Giving an easy smile, Einar gave a small bow to his guest, “I do hope you are enjoying the festivities?” he asked. 

[shieldofsweden]

          Einar smiled at the various lords and ladies as they greeted him, all the while, however, keeping Henriette’s hand tucked in his elbow. He had nothing to hide in this moment, and he cared not for the whispers that would about. It would be come rapidly known for the reason that Sweden had severed its tie with Denmark, and thus Einar would prefer to command the situation as opposed to seemingly being outed by it. Better to control the narrative, than be a victim of it. And so, when he welcomed all the great nobles and royals to Stockholm, he had decided to do it with Henriette by his side. 

    After a moment, he turned to smile at the woman. “It seems we have come so far from sneaking letters and slipping out of palaces to go to small bakeries,” Einar said in a low tone, as to not be overheard by others. “My love, I am glad you have come to Stockholm, and I do hope you can call this place home with me one day,” he said with a warm smile. “Are you enjoying yourself thus far, my love?”

@thefrenchrose​

[shieldofsweden]

A Welcoming

The colors of the House Vasa decorated the halls of Tre Kronor. The main hall, perhaps something that was the pride of Tre Kronor for its splendor, was decorated and fine, no expense spared for this great meeting. As the various ambassadors and nobles arrived at Court, Einar made sure to greet them as was appropriate, before sending them to receive refreshment in the hall after being received by him. Finally, however, one of his guards came, informing him it was time for the ceremonies to commence. 

Looking around, he finally spotted the bobbing brunette off to the side, talking to one of his mothers ladies with a smile as she awaited him. Smiling, Einar walked over, offering his arm to Henriette, before escorting her into the Main Hall of the great Tre Kronor palace. 

The musicians had already started playing, entertaining the guests. However, as Einar walked in, he held his hand to the briefly, and the music ceased for a moment. Smiling faces turned as the host entered the room, Einar offering smiles abound, all the while the French Princess by his side. There was no point in hiding things anymore, and Einar always did have a flair for the impulsive. 

Finally, he stopped, standing before his seat as he turned to the crowds. 

        “Noble Lords and Ladies, I thank you for coming                     to this fine summit. Tomorrow, the talks of                            everlasting peace begin, but tonight, we raise           a toast the enduring peace we have had, and the            prayers that it shall remain this way for many                                                                      years.” 

Taking the glass of wine he had been given by one of his pages, Einar raised it to the crowd.

                                                      “Skål!”

[shieldofsweden]

thefrenchrose:

Her eyes looked for Lukas as Einar focused on the mare, asking for an explanation to what had happened. Henriette knew better than anyone that things could awfully wrong when it was less expected and that no one was completely safe, but Einar had always taken good care of his horses as they Einar’s pride and joy. The sudden movement brought her attention back to the Prince. The gesture broke her heart and she could not help the tears now rolling down her cheeks. She did her best to not interrupt him, for she knew he needed it.

When it was obvious the mare and the foal were gone, Henriette wrapped an arm around him. It was not the moment to have such conversation, not when he was grieving. Their fight seemed so meaningless now, ridiculous even. “Shh no. Hey, love, no. You had every right to be upset and we both needed time. But it is not our last memory, I promise you.” She pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “She knew you were here with her and that you tried to help.”

She gave him a few more minutes in silence, but they couldn’t stay there. Once again she looked at Lukas for help, as Einar needed a bath and a change of clothes, perhaps some rest after this. “Sweetheart,” she called softly, gently brushing his hair off his face to kiss his forehead. “Let us take you back to your chambers.”

           Einar leaned his head so it rested against the top of Henriette’s, burying his face in her hair. He knew he was bloody, and covered in dirt and who knows what else, but in that moment he needed her, and thus he allowed himself to just be enveloped in her smell for a moment, instead of the reek of blood that currently hit his nostrils. Like salt and rust, it corroded his senses, making him feel nauseous. Very gently, he stroked the mares nose one more time, before slowly lifting her head off his lap.

    Nodding at Henriette as she pulled herself away from him, he found his hand stretching after her as she pulled away slightly, eyes fluttering back closed, however, as her fingers brushed against his forehead. Although he had not been here long, or so it felt, he realized he must have been up half of the night as the exhaustion hit him. It had taken a physical and emotional toll on him, the loss of his mare. Nodding to Henriette, he allowed she and Lukas to convince him to stand up. Looking at his guard and friend, he looked back at the mare with sad eyes. Before he could even ask, Lukas nodded, squeezing his shoulder, “I will take care of it, just go get rest.”

    Einar gave a heavy sigh, knowing that he and Henriette where right. His arm was slung casually around her back, resting his hand on his hip, forgetting just how filthy he was. When he remembered, however, he gave a soft groan as he looked at Henriette’s dress, now smeared with some red much like himself. “I am sorry Hettie...” he said, tone exhausted and barely coming out more than a mumble, “I forgot...I will get you a new dress.”

[shieldofsweden]

french-louis:

“A horse very much like myself then,” he remarked, lips curving into a smile as his hand continued to pass gently over the horse’s mane. It was only fitting that the difficult King of France’s horse had a bit of personality. “I have never been any good at naming horses,” Louis sighed. “It was a task I never truly had time for during the wars, as horses would die so frequently that the names began to blur together and there were battle plans to see to instead. After a while, it became my youngest’s job, whenever she was able to- something to bring her happiness during those dark times. I still remember the smile on her face when I expressed my love for the name she had chosen. It is traditional that I should ask Henriette to, I will speak to her about it during dinner.” His words had been a mixture of happiness and sadness, but the tone he had used was one of hope.

The King frowned a little at Einar’s response, but he was not surprised by the Prince’s strong sense of etiquette. It was only fitting that the King and Queen of Sweden, being how they are, would raise their children to have the upmost respect. “If you insist. I shall not force you,” he teased. “Besides, it might be rather uncomfortable sitting around a table with us for dinner- at the moment,” he said, mostly to himself as thoughts of Genevieve and Margery flashed before his mind. 

             Einar’s smile grew a little larger, as the King spoke fondly of Henriette, and how she would name his horses. “That sounds like a very good idea, your Grace. I am sure the Princess will enjoy the task, and this stallion will be a very fun one to name. I find that the ones that have a lot of character to them usually reveal a name all their own,” he said, patting the stallions neck. It was good to know Henriette enjoyed naming her fathers horses, and Einar noted in the back of his mind that perhaps she could continue the tradition with his own herd. For all his love of the creatures, Einar rarely gave individualized names to them. It was not because of a lack of love, but because it was easier for the grooms to fetch the ‘sweet bay with the kind eyes’ than a particularly named mare. 

     He furrowed his brows when the King mentioned the tension within the family. “Is everything all right, your Grace? I am sorry to hear their may be unrest. I must admit I am from a rather small family, so I do not have as many people in my family, but dinners with my father and mother also seem to be full of awkward moments,” Einar said, playing it off with a laugh. 

[shieldofsweden]

crownprincejacques:

With everything going on within his family at the moment, it was actually difficult to focus on just one thing. He knew he needed to, but all that happened was one thing led to another, and suddenly he found himself overwhelmed by all that was going on at the moment. The one thing he could not allow was anyone to see that he was struggling with all of this. He wasn’t permitted to struggle. If anyone saw even the hint of weakness he knew that they would try and use it against him. Exhausting to pretend, but necessary. 

It was by chance that he happened to see Einar. Well there was one thing he could at least partly sort out now. He knew that what his sister had told him had been in confidence, but he was still worried. At the other man’s words he looked at the mare. “I am afraid I am not expert. However I can see what you mean” he replied, not taking his eyes off of the mare. 

           Einar looked briefly at the man next to him. Well, this was a surprise. Einar had been meaning to meet more of Henriette’s siblings, however he had not expected them for find him, let alone the dauphin. “What troubles me,” he almost let the ‘among many other things’ in but resisted the urge, although he did pause long enough to glance at his papers with a frown, “is that even my experts seem to not have an idea of why the poor mare is struggling,” he said, eyes narrowing as the horse bobbed her head. 

[shieldofsweden]

clothofgcld:

Galen’s smile was what passed in him as cheerful. He was one such who had been called to the sea in his youth, and on occasion it was only his duties on land that kept him from it. He shook his head. “Peace, peace. Thank you for your good advice, but you needn’t go on. You’re right; it is a learned skill, and I suffered to acquire what I have. I’ve been trading and sailing northwards and south for many years now, and the Corentine is crewed by men with that much experience or more. I have a navigator who has served well me since I was younger than you, I think, and he consults your local guides when necessary.”

Sixteen, when he’d begun his empire of textiles in earnest. Sixteen, and just having struggled from under the weight of his father’s missteps; with the ducal honors freshly laid on his head, he’d disdained an aristocratic distance from trade so that he could intimately guide the fortunes of a little peninsular nation. He had then learned exactly how far beneath himself he was willing to reach for the freedom and prosperity of Brittany; it was fortunate, perhaps, that he’d never had to reach lower.

Galen flexed his hands, bidding the feeling in them to return. “Even so,” Galen said. “I would not like to be on that little vessel out there.”

            “I am sorry for going on,” Einar said, giving a slight smile. “It is just I seem to get far too many reports coming across my desk of another death in the harbors. Norrköpings is a very popular port, but people rarely anticipate how much trouble it can give if it decides to be vengeful. It seems like all to frequently I must write letters informing of another death, or telling another country why their ship and men were lost.” 

    Looking back at the ship he had noted previously, he gave a slight nod at Galen’s words, before looking behind him to see if either a guard or the harbormaster was nearby. “I would most certainly not want to be on that vessel,” Einar said, finally catching the eye of one of the port masters, who had also noted the ship and was finding out more about it. “Hopefully someone will be able to get out and give assistance in time,” Einar said. The skies were still kind, so at least they didn’t need to deal with that as well.  

[thereignofadaline]

The White Queen ➝ Sentence Prompts { Part Three }

Episode Five: War at First Hand

❝ It’s the talk of court. ❞ ❝ It could just be a rumour? ❞ ❝ It would take a miracle to survive this. ❞ ❝ I am not your spy! ❞ ❝ I do want him/her/them to know I’m trying to play my part. ❞ ❝ We all want peace. ❞ ❝ You came back to me. ❞ ❝ How did you get past the guards? ❞ ❝ I had to see you. ❞ ❝ I know this disappoints you. ❞ ❝ You do this and I will not forgive you. ❞ ❝ You want something enough, you can get it, always. ❞ ❝ Nobody knows where she is. ❞ ❝ You’re thinking like me. ❞ ❝ It is no place for a woman. ❞ ❝ You do not want to come with us, see if your suggestion pays off? ❞ ❝ Your name means nothing now. ❞ ❝ Is that what you want? ❞ ❝ For once, please do as I ask. ❞ ❝ For I will never give up. That I promise. ❞ ❝ You will die in my bed. ❞ ❝ This is what I live for. ❞ ❝ We must go. And we must go now. ❞ ❝ Are you hurt? ❞ ❝ It’s over. ❞ ❝ You are safe now. ❞ ❝ I hoped, for you, it wouldn’t come to that. ❞ ❝ I married your enemy. ❞ ❝ Do you love me? ❞ ❝ Do whatever makes you happy. ❞

Episode Six: Love and Death

❝ Well, that is good enough for me. ❞ ❝ I am grateful for the mercy you have shown me. ❞ ❝ The King must be in no doubt as to where our loyalties lie. ❞ ❝ Do not stand there as if a ghost. ❞ ❝ I do not deserve your tears. ❞ ❝ You sent a child to do a woman’s duty. ❞ ❝ You should be grateful. ❞ ❝ This is what it means to have a Prince and not a girl. ❞ ❝ A time for mindless pleasure. ❞ ❝ When you married into the Royal House, their customs became yours. ❞ ❝ You flatter her to even dwell on her name. ❞ ❝ A year’s worth of Court gossip at a single sitting? ❞ ❝ My heart. It’s beating strangely. ❞ ❝ They will hold me here until they have broken my spirit and I submit to my fate without complaint. ❞ ❝ Flattery always works. ❞ ❝ You cannot leave me now. ❞ ❝ I’m not ready. ❞ ❝ You are the only one I can trust with him/her/them. ❞ ❝ I will guard him/her/them with my life. ❞ ❝ I told you I would do it when the time was right. That has not changed. ❞ ❝ I will stay with you. ❞ ❝ I played my hand and I should not have. ❞ ❝ It’s not hopeless. ❞ ❝ Will you marry me? ❞ ❝ If I marry you, everything I have becomes yours. ❞ ❝ Did you tell her/him/them that you loved her/him/them? ❞ ❝ Settle this pettiness between yourselves. ❞ ❝ I am more than happy to respect your wishes. ❞ ❝ Neither she nor any other woman could ever take your place. ❞ ❝ You are my home. ❞