#crhs.1459

[zmairinarurik]

❛ his absence was like the sky, spread over everything ❜

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 :  𝖎𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖆'𝖘 𝖗𝖊𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖓 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖜𝖊𝖉𝖊𝖓

the travel back to russia was long and quite arduous. not to mention, most of the russian retinue made a small stop over to england before returning to their beloved homeland. it was trips like these where she wished that russia was not so far away. the travel felt like forever and at one point she lost hope that she would ever see land again. russia was as cold as always. when they arrived, the ground was blanketed with snow. a far cry from the warm iberian sun she had a taste of back in lisbon. not one step off the ship and she was already bundled in warm clothes. she was happy to be home. 

rest was a foreign concept in the rurik household. as soon as she arrived, the queen mother put her in charge of arranging the annual festivities for the holidays as christmas was nearing rapidly. she did not have much of a choice anyway. the holidays were busy of course with the unending celebrations. it dragged on too long, irina thought but her opinions never mattered to their mother anyway. despite how joyous the holidays were, irina felt nothing but melancholy, empty almost. 

every year after the holidays, she always made sure that she would return to sweden for magnus’ death anniversary. ‘it was not necessary. a mass would suffice. you do not need to travel to sweden especially not in this weather,’ her mother would argue but to irina, it was more than just that. it seemed only yesterday that magnus was taken away from her, from her children, and everyday she missed him. she saw him in their children. she saw him in the way sveinn laughed, the way astrid would curiously ask about everything around her, and in the way kjell played with masha, fisk, and zoya. three years have gone by and everything still reminded irina of her beloved husband. it was still so painful that letting go seemed impossible. could she possibly ever let him go? 

nostalgia swept over her as she arrived back in värmland. the castle, although well lit and hearth keeping them warm, felt nothing cold. the pangs of sadness and loneliness banging on her chest on irina’s chest. her children were happy to be back in their childhood home. they ran around the castle and even played in the courtyard just like they used to. irina could only watch and wish that magnus were here to see them. 

visiting his crypt was always the hardest parts of the trip. “My love,” irina sighed. “i am here. i am home. i apologize for taking long,” she smiled as tears rolled down her cheeks. “t—the children. they’re here too. they missed home so much. they— they missed you. they’re growing so fast, älskling. you should be here. you should see them. sveinn, astrid, kjell— oh they take after you so much. you should be here.  heavens, i promised not to cry—” but she already was, no longer able ignore the tightness in her chest. her hands traced the top of his tomb as she silently cried, small sobs faintly echoing throughout the crypt. “the fates are cruel. they are. they are. what i would do to still have you with me. in my next life, should such thing be true, i wish to still be with you. God, i beg. i— i miss you so much.” trembling hands covered her mouth as she wept. she thought that it would get easier through time as apparently time healed all wounds but it did not. time does not heal wounds rather it teaches you to live with the pain and everyday irina bears said pain.

[allfcnso]

𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐓 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐄.

Following the events of the Lisbon Summit of 1458, the Castilian monarch remained in Portugal longer than was necessary in order to set the seal on trade relations between Portugal and Castile, two crowns bonded in an intense Catholic fervor and neighbored by the ever expanding Emirate of Cordoba. During this time, Alfonso attempted to improve the preexisting neutral to positive relations with the King and Queen of Portugal, with whom he maintains a power blockade to prevent the Emirate from expanding directly east and west. Rumours of the Holy Roman Empire’s recent upsets unnerve the King, but frequent correspondence with his mother in law the Empress assure him of her capabilities and exceptional fortitude in the face of adversity (November, 1459).  

Upon returning to Castile by way of the Tagus, Alfonso and his court launch intense pageantry and celebration for the occasion of the King’s birthday: an event marked with passionate displays of fealty to both crown and country, albeit plagued by the enduring reminder that, while the King was hale and hearty, he had no son to succeed him as he rapidly approached his fortieth year. Behind closed doors, the vacant chill of the royal cradle continued to fester animosity between Alfonso and Queen Magdalena. Yet, unbeknownst to them, the new year would bring reason to suspect their fortune had turned... 

The court also had reason to celebrate when Beatrice, Dowager Duchess of Burgundy (fondly called Beatriz, as the beloved niece of Queen Crara) sojourned in Toledo as a representative of the Portuguese crown, conveying with her missives and tidings from the court of Lisbon. Sumptuous arrangements were made to receive and host the Dowager Duchess in comfort and luxury, as it was with the Queen’s niece that Alfonso spent ample time, introducing her to the various castles, customs, and treasures strewn across the capital city. Brief was Alfonso’s royal progress, concluded by Yuletide celebrations in the city of Fermoselle, where King and Queen watched the court honour the birth of Christ with uninhibited displays of lobbying, favour-asking and favour-granting, commemorated under the guise of devotion and festivity. For whatever acrimony lingered between himself and Magdalena, Castile remained radiant in the face of it. 

The most important plot development remains that ... !! Magdalena and Alfonso are now expecting a child. Given that their first child –– a son –– was born dead, this is an exceptionally important yet delicate time for the King and Queen, with few beside their inner circle privy to the Queen’s condition.

[ofcxterina]

;the sanctification of the king

——— Wretched France, calling back to her with its dark tendrils that promised glitter, gold, and gossip. It was to be a sumptuous affair, of that there was no doubt, and the country that once enticed her now just filled the young woman with dread and loathing. How the vapid country with its golden paintbrush would brush it all away, filling the cracks in with shiny lacquer to create a smooth surface though everyone knew the struggles that lay beneath.

And they would hate her being there, just as the black she bore on her heart for France would not be so easily hidden by rouged cheeks and a smile. She was a reminder of the past, one who had so closely brushed with France’s very own Icarus. Truly, it’d probably never be completely safe for her in this country again. There were no titles for the former, former Princess of France after all. 

It would truly take all her wit to stay afloat here. Enemies on enemies, not even pretending to look like friends, that was the French court she was stepping into. It was to be a task to put her blinders on, ignoring the sneers and stares of the French, but in many ways, she was beyond them now. This time, when she came to France it wouldn’t be as a new Princess, green and inexperienced, it’d be as a woman fully embracing her birthright. The Anjou name had never suited her anyway — she was a Medici, the latest in a long line of bankers, politicians, and schemers. 

Authenticity. It was something she’d been searching for her whole life, trapped in the annals of female nobility. But Portugal had seen the death of that woman, clinging to the need of family, and from the ashes clutching an annulment and a complete break from the norm had risen: Caterina de’ Medici, not just a woman from a noble family, but a woman who had spent her entire life steeped in the business and politics of money. It was the Medici lifeblood after all, the bank, and one perk of falling so far was not having to claw your way back up. 

Tainted. To some, it would be a death sentence, but it had set Caterina free to be her brother’s counterpart in the bank. The possibilities that had once seemed a cavernous pit now shone with the gleam of gold. Wretched France was about to meet wretched Caterina — older, wiser, and with absolutely nothing left to lose.

[beatriceplantagenet]

MUSE(S) & WRITER’S NAME : beatrice plantagenet | winter PLOTTED WITH: lena { @princethomas } // tilda { @kingcfnaples } PLOT SUMMARY:

thomas: during harry’s time on campaign and after she had returned from castile, beatrice + thomas grew closer. she offered her help in his new duties and over time the two began to bond. they have shared secrets and promised to help the other obtain a future that they can be satisfied with.

ferdinand: since the two were together in lisbon, beatrice + ferdinand have sent each other many letters, some more fit for printing than others. an attachment has seemingly formed, though as ferdinand must choose a bride that will help him in his quest to unify the italian states, beatrice knows she must do everything in her power to secure the alliance and crown she has long been denied.

RELATIONSHIP:

thomas: the plot with thomas changes beatrice’s relationships the most, as she has not been as close with any of her half-siblings as she is to thomas. she has trusted him with secrets none know and he, in turn, has done the same. there is a mutual trust that did not always exist before, as well as a mutual affection. i can definitely see this impacting her relationships with her other immediate family members as things progress.

ferdinand: if beatrice is successful, then this would change her relationships with others due to how she is viewed and to her change in status. i also can see this impacting her relationship with her father as well as any other distant relatives who have written her off.

ARE THESE ONGOING PLOTS?: yes ARE THESE PLOTS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE?: generally speaking, no; however, i imagine it’s become obvious that beatrice + thomas have become closer to those who know both of them.

[princekarim]

;the birth of a warrior

Karim had traded the castles and feasts of Portugal for the grassland and blood of North Africa and truly he could say he was happier in one than the other. To cut his teeth in service of his father, his king, his country, by pushing the boundaries further, further south, that had been the goal. Perhaps an errant task, perhaps one not directly assigned by his father, but if Karim was to be ruler one day, he reckoned he had to be prepared to make bold moves, without supervision. 

The boy who had left Portugal had finally seen some of the conflict that he’d so ached for while sitting in endless political dinners. The blood and dirt of the skirmishes fought along Cordoba’s southern borders had stuck to his skin, turning boy into man and man into warrior. When faced with the threat of the sharp edges of cold, hard steel, the rest of the world faded away and the battlefield was finally able to see if Hisham’s grit on the battlefield now flowed through his son. 

With bared teeth and guttural noise, it was clear that the man revelled in the adrenaline of the fight, the animalistic purity of a fight to the death. No longer was this a spoiled prince scrapping outside of pubs — though he wouldn’t mind that either. This was a coldhearted combatant, focused not on the man he was fighting, but the next man after that, the next village after that. Though Cordoba’s bloody conquests in the Iberian peninsula may have calmed for now, it was shockingly easy to see what one could get away with where the trembling Europeans weren’t looking.

And just as soon as Karim had set his eyes on the fertile land below the Niger river, the call had come to return home. He’d thought that he’d bought his way out of the political theatre through blood and land, but even Hisham’s approval over his conquests couldn’t save him from his duty to represent Cordoba in the political arena. It was his least favorite game, the one of whispers and deals made in secret rooms, of Kings and Queens made not by war, but by wine and the exchanging of decrees.

In France, Karim is on the surface not so different from the flippant, mischievous boy in Portugal. But a danger now lurks underneath his dark eyes and reliably sharp tongue. Realizing one’s power beyond petty games changes the undercurrent of a soul, and though bodily vices still beckon, they’re drowned out by an absolute need of power.

[cristobaltrastamara]

MUSE(S) & WRITER’S NAME : cristobal trastámara | winter PLOTTED WITH: lia { @ofasturias } // jui { @lorenzs } PLOT SUMMARY:

cécile: the two have remained apart since the lisbon summit, with cristobal spending much of those months trying to drum up support and taking his case to the pope yet again, and as they are now in france, they must once more rely upon each other in order to drum up support for the aragonese cause. cristobal is angry at the french for not doing more to support their queen and is slowly realizing that he must trust his wife’s instincts when it comes to navigating the french court.

lorenzo: the two have been corresponding on how to best help each other and their respective kingdoms/states. cristobal wishes to regain aragon and holds a resentment against his neapolitan cousins for their betrayal and lack of support. as lorenzo is resistant to the idea of a unified italy under the command of ferdinand of naples, the two have realized that they could easily come to a mutually beneficial alliance, though details are still to be determined.

RELATIONSHIP:

cécile: the plot with cécile most impacts cristobal’s relationship with his wife. though they have relied upon each other in the past, he has been resistant to fully placing his trust in her in securing french support. this will likely strengthen their relationship, though it may also have periphery impacts on his relationships with other family members and those in france overall.

lorenzo: if the two are successful in helping each other achieve what they want, it will greatly impact cristobal’s relationship with the other leaders of the italian states. he already has a less-than-ideal relationship with his cousin and i would imagine that preventing naples from assuming overarching control of italy would have a massive impact there, as well as with any of naples’ allies. however, for those italian states that wish to have independence, i could see a more positive relationship moving forward.

ARE THESE ONGOING PLOTS?: yes ARE THESE PLOTS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE?: the plot with cécile is probably mostly obvious, as cristobal has made it clear his priority in reclaiming aragon. the plot with lorenzo, however, is definitely not public knowledge.

[hcrryofwales]

𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐓 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐒.

Change had been in store for Harry Plantagenet, as no sooner did the English retinue depart from Lisbon, sailing west from Calais to Dover, did the Prince and Princess’ entourage happen upon a chilling reminder of the Rurik’s dolor reception in England (1459, November). A banner of the Rurik coat of arms, strung between two trees, with a knife plunged into the symbolic heart of the falcon upholding the family’s hereditary crest, rippled in the autumnal winds. For the ample good that had been accomplished in Portugal, bitter resentment toward the future Queen of England remained on English soil. Noble houses who swore to protect and defend the young Prince’s claim to the throne in the wake of the death of his mother Queen Eleanor turned volte-face, with seemingly no way to recoup their loyalty except to sideline Katherine, the Princess of Wales, from the nucleus of the crown. 

Harry and his mercilessly received wife took up residence in Ludlow Castle in Wales –– as is the primary residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales when not on royal progress, providing an at times welcome relief from the pandemonium of London –– when Harry’s advisers became increasingly aware of skirmishes cropping up like wildfires in the distant marshes of north Wales. Embarking to defend Conwy Castle from the advances of incendiary noble Welsh, Harry and his troops launched multiple attacks to capture the leaders of lethal and costly raids between late December 1458 and early February of 1459. Shortly before embarking on this campaign, Harry, his wife and child, Princess Mary, spent a fortnight in London to ring in the Yuletide season beside the King and Queen of England in a show of good faith toward the crown’s succession. 

Whilst the Prince was deployed in north Wales, however, an important council was convened in London in order to decide who would take up the titular roles of the Princedom of Wales. The natural successor was, or ought to have been, Harry’s own wife –– as there had been ample precedent for Katherine to act as quasi-regent in his stead. Nevertheless, Queen Isabel is credited with suggesting her eldest son, Thomas, in Katherine’s place, and rumoured to have swayed the vote in his favour. Thomas and his household thus replace Katherine and effectively dispel her from Ludlow, which has led to an even more fractured relationship between Harry and his step-mother, by whom he feels blinded by the decision to promote her bastard son’s interests over his own wife’s. 

Paris, France provides an opportunity for Harry to rewrite the events of the past few months in his favour. His campaign was highly successful and has cast seeds across England that grow with favorability and commendation toward the Prince of Wales. Just the same, rumors of Thomas’ capability to rule also take foothold in Wales where they regard him as just and humanitarian. As future King, Harry’s potentiality rests in his ability to kindle a sound relationship with Philip of France, with whom the brokering of peace would mean strength for England and prosperity for their peoples.