𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐮 '𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰' 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐢𝐝 — loosened cravats and sleeves rolled at the wrists, base notes of amber, tonka bean and tobacco & dark curls that can never quite fully be tamed..
the ton is buzzing ! have you heard ? mister anaru ‘andrew’ kincaid has arrived in mayfair ! i have been told that he is lively & quick-witted but also restless & irreverent but we shall know more about them as the season progresses. there have been whispers around the ton stating that he has been seen leaving a soiree out of a servant’s entrance and returning through the front.
anaru was born to a wealthy merchant family whose fortune was built on tobacco. his father expanded aggressively through trade routes tied to the colonies, including aotearoa, where he met (and later married) a maori woman of high standing within her iwi. the match was not entirely respectable through london’s standards, but wealth has a way of dissuading discomfort!
he was raised between two worlds – the rigidity and expectations of london’s high society, and the fluidity and community influenced by his mother’s culture. when he was eleven, he was brought back to england permanently for his ‘education’… which was really a polite way of saying he was required to learn how to speak properly, behave respectfully and dress appropriately.
there was never a question of whether he would inherit the family empire… only whether he would do so ‘correctly’. for a time, he played the part, and well at that! but somewhere along the way, he learned not to meet societal expectations, but to evade them. he learned early on that charm would soften scrutiny, that wit could redirect it, and that a well-timed smile could end a conversation he no little interest in finishing.
now, returned to mayfair for the season, he is expected to do what has long been deferred:
one. secure a suitable match
two. reinforce the family's social standing
three. step fully into the role that awaits him
𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚛𝚗 ' 𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚒 ' 𝚠𝚞 — always considering your next masterpiece, a blessing from long unforgiving gods, a crown too big for your head.
name : malisorn 'mali' wu. age : twenty-nine. height : 170 cm. gender : cis female, she/her.
mother's side comes from a long line of shamans within siam (thailand used to be called siam. the country didn't change it's name to thailand until the 1900s!)
father's side comes from a long line of merchants from china. he is rumoured to be the richest man in china. he frequented thailand to strengthen trades between the two countries.
the people of siam did not adopt surnames, however since it's traditionally common within china, she took her father's surname.
has had a very comfortable life.
claims she has facial blindness. honestly i think it's because she's near sighted.
does not remember names well.
she's only spent a little amount of time in london each time she has visited ( which is probably three times max), she's familiar with some people and some situations, but doesn't know or remember most things. the titles confuse her.
she really leans into being a shaman, the only thing she is really serious about.
sadly, being rich is kind of one of her only personality traits.
her secret is that she accepts bribes from people to give bad readings to other people in the ton. she doesn't do it in an obvious way or else people would catch on. it's like a secret menu item.
she honestly doesn't need the money from the bribes bc shes rich but idk how currency exchange works in the 1800s so this will be a good way for her to get some uk coin.
she's fluent in english some how idk how but for the sake of her being able to communicate with everyone in the rp she just /knows/.
she's in london because she had a feeling her best friend's ex was back being dubious as fuck and will make sure to make him the most unfuckable man in london
𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 . fujiwara kaito . 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 . n/a . 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 . february 27th , 1781 . 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 & 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐬 . cis man & he + him . 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 . heterosexual & heteromantic . 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 . grisham house , brighton . 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 . english , japanese . 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 . mayfair , guest of the sakiyamas . 𝐦𝐛𝐭𝐢 . esfp ( the entertainer ) . 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 . married . 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 . hina ( 4 ) . 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 . english , japanese , greek , french , latin , spanish , german . 𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 . viscount of grisham .
⊹ 𝑏𝑖𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ𝑦 .
it is a sad thing to say someone has never considered themselves to be destined for great things , but it was just kaito's way of thinking . he knew of his reality however , the first and only son of a viscount had no other choice but to inherit the title , no other person to leave it to . did not change the fact that he'd never seen himself as someone who could handle the responsibilities that came with the name . as a child , he excelled at everything only because he had to , and he was never one to enjoy seeing disappointed looks in his parents' faces or be on the receiving end of a telling off for lack of motivation with his studies ― which was always the case . same with his adolescence , carrying all the way through adulthood ; he does things the proper way solely because it is expected of him . had he his way , kaito would be one of those people whose lives are dedicated to travelling and exploring with small to no responsibilities and all of their family's funds , but those were reserved for second or third sons , something he was not .
he met his wife at six and twenty , they spoke once at a ball , danced and suddenly heard whispers of how they would make the most perfect couple , how perfectly she was fit to be the future viscountess , saw the hopeful look in his parents' eyes and , before he even noticed , kaito had proposed . not out of love , or even infatuation , but because he knew he would have to one day , and this seemed fine . good enough . she was easy to talk to , apparently content with the life he had to offer , it was as good as he thought it could get for him . they married , had a daughter , and things continued to go smoothly . only there is no true passion in his marriage , he could see it in his wife's eyes she did not love him either , in fact they both seemed much happier when apart . it wasn't that he disliked her , on the contrary , he adored his wife , she was a great friend and amazing partner , but the romance lacked in an impossible to miss way .
and then , before last season begun , his father passed making him the viscount officially . he panicked , needless to say , not being ready as he thought he'd had more time , but alas , now his responsibilities tripled , and he felt on the brink of madness . chose to sit that social season out in order to get his affairs in check . what a mistake it was , being stuck at home all year with nothing but the things he couldn't be less excited about , only made him all the more agitated , aching to be away , even if only for a week . so when this season started and he heard tale of his cousins , the sakiyamas , making their way to london , he did not make the same mistake , immediately packing some of his things and calling for a carriage . only not before convincing his wife to stay at the estate at least until he settled in london and could send word for her to join . his selfish way of getting away from the life he was nothing but okay with if only for a fortnight .
⊹ 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 .
esfp , the entertainer : extraverted , sensing , feeling , perceiving . traits : bold , enthusiastic , positive thinking , hands-on , talkative , sensitive , poor planner , conflict avoidant , easily bored , unfocused . love languages : words of affirmation , physical touch .
━ ⊰ [ maddison jaizani , 29 , cis woman , she/her ] the ton is buzzing ! have you heard ? lady helena birkenhead of melville has arrived in mayfair ! i have been told that she is + inviting & + ingenious but also - decadent & - impulsive but we shall know more about them as the season progresses. there have been whispers around the ton stating that she overspends on jewels, clothes and shoes, and has others funding her purchases . among the ton , they are known to be a cluster of precious stones glimmering around her throat + roses in a garden bursting open just to keep her company + her hair tangled, laced with a scent one can never forget, that of something warm and heady ! how they truly are behind closed doors ? we cannot be too sure .
FULL NAME EMMA HELENA BIRKENHEAD, BETTER KNOWN AS HELENA BIRKENHEAD, FORMERLY PAULET NICKNAMES ELLA, BECAUSE IT'S THE CLOSET THING SHE HAS TO EMMA, THOUGH PERHAPS THOSE WHO'RE NOT THAT FOND OF HER WON'T HESISTATE TO RHYME IT WITH HELL TITLES VISCOUNTESS OF MELVILLE DATE OF BIRTH NOVEMBER 2ND AGE TWENTY-NINE. PLACE OF BIRTH LONDON, ENGLAND GENDER AND PRONOUNS CIS WOMAN & SHE / HER RELIGION ROMAN CATHOLIC. LANGUAGES ENGLISH, FRENCH, DUTCH AND GERMAN
ii.
HAIR DARK BROWN, STYLED DEPENDING ON THE SEASON, BEDECKED WITH JEWELS, AND ALWAYS PERFUMED EYES BROWN, KIND, THAT OF A WOODLAND CREATURE HEIGHT 170 CM BUILD LEAN, SHE'S DONE HER BEST TO STAY IN SHAPE AND CARES GREATLY ABOUT HER BODY SCENT IT'S CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN SWEET. ISN'T THAT SO DELECTABLE? SHE TASTES AND SMELLS LIKE RASPBERRIES ALLERGIES NONE THAT SHE KNOWS OF SCARS SHE BATHES IN MILK, SO OBVIOUSLY NOT CLOTHING STYLE A LOT OF EMPHASIS IS PUT ON THE QUALITY OF THE MATERIALS THAT SHE PUTS ON HERSELF. SHE'S A BIT OF A TRENDSETTER FOR THE TIME ERA, AND ISN'T AFRAID TO WEAR SOMETHING NEW.
iii.
MBTI ESFP — THE ENTERTAINER CHARACTER ALIGNMENT BETWEEN CHAOTIC GOOD AND CHAOTIC NEUTRAL POSITIVE TRAITS INVITING, INGENIOUS NEGATIVE DECADENT, IMPULSIVE TRAITS PRIMARY VICE LUST PRIMARY VIRTUE CHARITY CHARACTER PARALLELS EMMA BOVARY ( MADAME BOVARY ), MADAME DE POMPADOUR, MARIA FITZHERBERT, JOSEPHINE BONAPARTE
iv.
MOTHER PARISA PAHLEVANI FATHER SAMUEL PAULET ( TAX COLLECTOR, LOCAL COMMISSIONER, BANKER ) SIBLING(S) NONE. SIGNIFICANT OTHER(S) VISCOUNT BIRKENHEAD ( HUSBAND ), PRINCE OF WALES ( I MEAN ... ) CHILDREN NONE OTHER A PET DOG / PUG NAMED SIMON
only child and a product of a marriage out of love. the paulets always chose with their hearts instead of heads, though that is disputed. she was born as emma, and up until a certain age, only introduced herself as such. it's only later on that they dubbed her as helena, alienating her from her actual name, all in name of elegance.
from an early age, she was sent to a convent on the continent, flanders to be exact, to receive the finest quality education that money could buy. no expenses were spared on her father's end. the paulets wanted their daughter to be primed for more than just marriage, and insisted on her receiving an extensive education in music, humanities, fine arts, and other things. unlike most girls of her age or even of her status, she traveled greatly when she was younger alongside her father, most notably to france, italy and prussia.
samuel paulet, despite his wealth, was certainly not the most revered nor liked man in london, given his role as a tax collector. it cast a dubious shadow over the family, including his daughter, though rest assured that he had always tried his best to elevate himself and those closest to him, and eventually rose to the position of a government official ( in the house of commons ). her father's money, however, did secure her a position in the high society.
emma paulet, or rather helena paulet, was always a woman ahead of her time. perhaps that can be partially attributed to her education, but her abundance of intelligence could not have been bought nor instilled. she'd tell you that herself. a voracious reader, fantastic mathematician, and somewhat even famous for her beauty, helena was on a steady ascend to something great, but the thread of fate, or perhaps free will, pulled her in another direction, to the prince of wales.
at the time, she had already amassed a certain level of attention, not just from the prince, but other suitors as well. the story goes that she made them all buy her beautiful things, something to remember them by, because a promise lasts only a second, but a diamond is forever. ( whether or not she actually said this is up for debate but there were many attempts to besmirch her reputation over the years. don't worry guys, she does that herself. )
though she initially refused to let herself become a mistress, love at first sight, or whatever you wish to call it, had struck her. things only spiraled from here, culminating in a secret marriage that was annulled. for a moment in time, she was at least loved. ( more details to come on all of this )
to salvage what was left of his daughter's reputation, she was sent to france for a year to stay with her cousins in paris, and upon her return, was betrothed to lord birkenhead, whom she subsequently married. ( papa samuel was the og kris jenner of regency era )
the truth is that she was rather unapologetic about her actions, and even acted waspish about it. there was no shame, or guilt, or remorse painted upon her face, only an ever greater set of confidence and audacity. ( it's truly the face of a woman who would do it again, and she certainly cheated on her husband more than once. but truth be told, why do you only blame the women?? hello. ) however, does she suffer in her own way? of course. like all women do.
when all the rumors and notions and expectations, no matter how great or small, are pushed aside, we're left with the real helena. so who is she? an exceedingly nurturing woman with a great love of animals. an avid equestrian, as it's an escape from the rigid, suffocating constraints of london's high society. an awful spender. it's true, because she loves fine silks and glistening jewels, and setting new trends amongst the ton. no matter how much some women may dislike her, they can't deny, or rather hide the fact that they imitate her style. after all, she's always trying out something new. they'll laugh today, but they'll be wearing it tomorrow. at least she can afford to act like that, for now.
she cares greatly about young girls, and children in general, their status and education. she's pioneering for a change in education, especially for those who can't afford it, and is attempting to fund certain projects. she's probably more influential than anyone cares to admit, especially for a woman who was not born, but rather married into the aristocracy. on top of this, she's also a patron of many philosophers, architects and writers, and is frequently seen in their company. if you want to be a woman who makes history, you have to be a bit odd.
all of that aside, she can be decadent. she loves sweets, any type of sweets, and champagne, of course. don't bring her anything else. anyways, rip helena, you would've loved birkin bags and instagram. i'm sure they named a bag after her at some point in the future.
there's also a rumor ( maybe it's a secret as well, but that's for me to know and you to find out ), that helena has quite a scandalously portrait of herself hidden somewhere. now is it hidden, lost, fictitious or does it belong to someone? well...
WHO, LOVING A PAINTING, WOULD WANT THE RAW CANVAS BENEATH IT?
the ton is buzzing ! have you heard ? the honourable 𝗂𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝖺𝗎𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗈𝗂𝗋 of angelhart has arrived in mayfair ! i have been told that she is vivacious & protean but also imprudent & droll but we shall know more about them as the season progresses. there have been whispers around the ton stating that she bought the entire stock of fabrics in not one, not two, but three modistes . among the ton , they are known to be the family legacy; an ouroboros, each flaxen-headed agnate a ring on the abiding wood, threads on the loom woven together ( they speak of glory and a battle-worn name … of all that is lost, and none of what is to be gained ) / snakes with jeweled ruby eyes and silver tongues, wear velvet as they offer the flower their heart, their soul, their very being! cut the head off the snake, a ceaseless & fruitless dance, over and over again for love. / moon-born and star-kissed, the flower grows of the same beauty of the earth, the fruit the same as it’s root ! how they truly are behind closed doors ? we cannot be too sure .
full name: ianthe ( eye-an-thee ) jane de beaumanoir age: twenty-six birth date: november twenty-eight, seventeen eighty-seven gender: cis woman pronoun(s): she, her orientation: bisexual, biromantic language(s) spoken: english ( mothertongue) , french ( fluent ) , latin ( dabbles in ) birth place: angelhart estate, in the countryside. current residence: blythefield estate, guest to the zhaos.
faceclaim: lily rose depp. build: long torso makes her look taller than actually is, slim. height: one hundred sixty-five (five foot five) hair: de beaumanoir family is known for blonde hair, ianthe no exception. originally light golden but as time passed, started becoming more of a brown, with barely a hint of her youth's tawny locks. eyes: dark brown, wide. genetic myopia. distinguishing features: fawn eyes, lip pout and displeased air. disposition: choleric. positive traits: excitable, felicific, observant. negative traits: prone to misjudge, intractable.
usual expression: the demeanor of somebody pleasantly amused; think of the expression when hearing something like ' grass is green' and ' the sky is blue ' . either frowning or barely smiling, always relaxed. you will not catch her with furrowed brows. usual attire: favors house colors of purple & likes ( loves ) silk. empire silhouette, white gloves ( no matter the color of the dress, owns seven pairs ) and an if outside, never seen without a parasol.
THE RECORDED HISTORY. the de beaumanoirs, despite being an affluent family ( back in the homeland, la métropole ) and fairly wealthy, have little written about them. the honourable ianthe jane de beaumanoir, firstborn daughter of the eighth viscount of angelhart was particularly unabiding in this tradition; almost all of her life has been documented, up until her debut in the season, and now- history in the making.
fairytales always begin with love, if not love, then tragedy. then heir apparent george de beaumanoir fell in love with the then honourable elizabeth hamet ( now lady elizabeth hamet ). it was a short lived love- shortly after love blossomed into elizabeth being with child; she contracted ague and died. george, being still the respectable age of thirty and two, was advised to remarry. it's unclear what the lord of angelhart replied, but he did not remarry.
the honble. ianthe was not very often in the care of her father, in fact- most servants claimed that he could barely look at her face, let alone in the eye. raised mainly by governesses and the household servants, her curiosity bred into wonderment and bled into her adult life- it never died out, and no adult would, or had bothered to snuff out the flame it was.
jumping to 1812, the debut of ianthe certainly was a large ripple in the pond, as we can call the ton. a sizeable dowry; assured to be a victim of many fortune hunters. it's only unfortunate, that the honble. fell in love with an widely-known fortune hunter, captivated by how charming those desperate for money could be. almost to be engaged, however- it was broken shortly before once the fleece covering the flower's eyes were finally lifted.
WANTED CONNECTIONS. RUBY-EYED SNAKE. the ‘fortune hunter’ from ianthe’s backstory. it goes something like this: after her debut, they instantly click, fall in love, etc. etc. but ianthe soon realizes why the ton was so weary of the match: this isn’t their first proposal/engagement, and there’s whispers of them being a notorious fortune hunter/wannabe social climber. quick to decide; and without even asking them to elaborate or even confronting them, she cut them off. it’s utp if the ruby eyed snake was really gunning after her fortune, or actually in love. i don’t think there’s anything romantic about this relationship anymore, it’s really leaning towards a mutual hate. lingering feelings would be cool too for the #angst but miss girl is not getting married anytime soon after them ( not even if she still likes them ). any gender, 25-28.
THE FOX AND THE DOG. a close friend. these two do everything together, gossip and laugh and cry … there’s a saying, in which the fox and the dog are friends, but the fox is cunning and the dog is unloyal. they’re both bad influences with each other, ianthe is not necessarily a bad person, but in the right environment she becomes more of a wolf, teeth and all than a ‘flower’. i like to interpret it as they’re both bad for each other, for for other people they’re figuratively hell on earth. a toxic/unhealthy friendship, if you will. i like the idea of both thinking they’re in control of the relationship when neither actually are. any gender, must be semi-evil, any age.
SAINT ON PAPER. her pen-pal whom she’s never met, but in real life- they hate each other’s guts. a favorite trope of mine, forgive me. they would probably frequently write letters to each other, but have never actually decided to meet ( for whatever reason, maybe it being having shared too many secrets for it not to be embarrassing to actually meet face-to-face, or being perfectly content with not knowing who the hell they’re talking to ). any gender, any age.
━━ ⊰ [ woo dohwan, 33, male, he + him ] the ton is buzzing ! have you heard ? mister kitae "percy" seo has arrived in mayfair ! i have been told that he is alluring & daring but also callous & deceitful but we shall know more about them as the season progresses. there have been whispers around the ton stating that he is a conman swindling investors (primarily wealthy widows) into purchasing land titles for a fictional country. among the ton , they are known to be a chivalrous kiss grazing a silk gloved hand, flattery whispered like sacred secrets, the temptation of coveting what should be impossible ! how they truly are behind closed doors ? we cannot be too sure .
disgust, resentment, envy, cynicism, entitlement: inevitable dispositions, surely, for the circumstances in which kitae unfortunately found himself. as the first son of a squire, though without aristocratic title, the seo family enjoyed a comfortable income off their estates. and though it was modest in size, their fortune was kitae's unquestionable birthright as firstborn, yet some madness drove his father to favor his younger brother, hajoon. paranoia bitterly nagged at him as the preference became ever apparent. as boys they were equals, which was already rather objectionable considering his position as eldest. as adolescents the partiality was incontestable. his bastard father had every intention of subverting all common practice to name his brother heir!
kitae could concede hajoon demonstrated some academic prowess that he might have lacked. moreover, a degree of integrity and honesty that his father held in high regard and kitae could only scoff at. he held no qualms with twisting the truth, deception was an easy means to a favorable end, which proved useful in his personal "business" ventures. meanwhile, hajoon's noble dream of becoming a barrister were fawned over by his parents. kitae sullenly observed his rightful inheritance deplete in pursuit of this foolish cause. another truth he was morosely aware of: the distinct difference between gentry and nobility. indeed, kitae resented them, those who wanted for nothing and whose families seemingly abided by established rules of succession... principally, he resented their wealth - something earned by no merit, simply birth! something he should have some crumb of by his birth but was being inexplicably denied. he wasn't without ambitions of his own: businesses, trades, investments - kitae put forth numerous propositions to expand the family wealth to no avail. the seo family had alternative, idiotic aspirations at odds with such pursuits.
kitae was not an entirely forgotten son. his parents tried in earnest to find some alternative place for him in the spare time they had not doting on hajoon. he dutifully studied and attended university, he participated in local society, there were expectations. he was given meager responsibilities. he managed a small allowance. the insignificance of it all frustrated him to no end. upon completing his studies he departed his family estates with the conviction of never returning. he could not bear to witness what the future might hold: hajoon applying to an inns of court and demeaning himself for approval all while his family continued to squander his inheritance in this reckless pursuit. worse, he could not bear to see hajoon succeed. however, kitae did return, only two years later.
of course, with modest means and even less considering... kitae could not embark in any post-studies "grand tour" like the aristocratic men he so resented. he slithered his way to london, nevertheless. he discovered new lucrative methods of sustaining himself, built upon the foundational abilities he'd built in youth of the lying and gambling variety. such juvenile and unsophisticated schemes could only get one so far, much less unscathed. but every burn he suffered from soaring too close to the sun was only wisdom earned. he returned with a notable shrewdness that commanded even the respect of his father. he also did not return alone.
the older gentleman called himself "percival". a name kitae understood to be an alias that he did not question, out of admiration. percival had graciously taken him under his guidance, a charlatan by profession. it was shockingly profitable. they intended to undertake kitae's most ambitious scheme yet: defrauding his own family. it was shockingly easy, pleasurable even. his only remorse: departing before realization could set for his witless family.
tldr/hc:
family was landed gentry, without peerage title but had modest wealth via rental income from their estates
younger brother named hajoon was more favored, book smart, and traditionally ambitious; wanted to pursue law and family sank all resources into that dream
kitae very bitter!! couldn't understand why his father disapproved of him so much and became very resentful
major chip on his shoulder against wealthy aristocrats (jealous...)
has a knack for smooth talking/charming/deception; great propensity for manipulation; very questionable moral compass!
was mentored by a prolific charlatan called percival he met while engaging in shenanigans and getting into all sorts of trouble in london!! they defrauded a lot of gentry together through various cons until he died of (presumably) alcoholism. now kitae has taken on the alias in his honor
has been traversing europe the past two years for pleasure, however funds are running dangerously low and he's decided to return to comfortable territory with a new scheme
always impeccably dressed, with the finest accessories to assert his position as a respectable businessman
━━ ⊰ [ james norton , 32 , cis man , he + him ] the ton is buzzing ! have you heard ? colonel augustus stirling has arrived in mayfair ! i have been told that he is composed & perceptive but also restless & guarded but we shall know more about them as the season progresses. there have been whispers around the ton stating that there is a perfectly avoidable reason he walks with a cane, and that person has a title and a family seat in the country. among the ton , they are known to be a cane left leaning against the wall, letters from the front that go unread, the particular stillness of a man waiting for something to be over ! how they truly are behind closed doors ? we cannot be too sure .
google doc (coming soon!)
there is a kind of man the army makes and a kind it simply finds. augustus stirling was always going to be good at this. the structure suited him, the clarity of it, the way that purpose in a regiment is never ambiguous. you know what is required of you. you know where you stand. he took to it the way some men take to faith, not with fervour but with the quiet relief of someone who has found the thing that makes sense of him.
he was not running from anything when he bought his commission. that is worth saying plainly because it is not always true of younger sons who choose the army over the church or the law. alphonse was already doing what alphonse does, already moving through the world like a man with a plan drawn in careful ink, and augustus had watched it for long enough to understand that he did not want that life. not because it was wrong, exactly. because it required a kind of hunger he did not have. the ton and its machinery, the careful management of perception, the arithmetic of title and connection — he understood it the way he understood latin. technically, distantly, without feeling it in his chest. the army gave him something different. it gave him rooms where none of that mattered.
adelaide died when augustus was fourteen. she was seven years his senior, which at that age felt like a continent and at thirty-two feels like nothing at all. he had followed her around as a small boy the way younger siblings follow the ones who make sense of the room, and she had tolerated it with the particular patience of someone who did not know she was the thing holding the family together. when she married bernard alderidge he understood what the match meant to alphonse and his parents without quite understanding what it meant to her. he liked bernard. that is the part that is still difficult to know what to do with. bernard was kind to him in the uncomplicated way that grown men are sometimes kind to boys they have no reason to dismiss, and gus had absorbed it without examining it, the way you absorb things at that age.
he was fourteen when she died. old enough to understand what was happening and young enough to have no framework for it whatsoever. afterwards his mother and father managed and alphonse moved on to the next problem and nobody found a place in the conversation for what augustus was supposed to do with any of it, so he put it somewhere and left it there. he has been leaving it there ever since. he is still unsure about how he feels about his former good brother, a man he was fond of as a boy, who loved adelaide in his way, who has had seventeen years to become someone augustus no longer knows. the grief they share has never once been discussed between them. he is not sure it should be. he is not sure what you say to a man who was your brother by marriage when you were fourteen and is now simply moving through the same season.
he rose in the army because he was capable and because capability, in a regiment, is visible in ways it is not always visible elsewhere. he was not the kind of officer who led through volume. he was steady. he was the man other men looked to when the noise got too loud, not because he had the answer, but because his face suggested that answers were available. this is not nothing. in the right circumstances it is everything.
the years on campaign did something to him that he has not fully named. not damage, exactly, or not only that. a narrowing. a way of moving through the world that became so habitual it stopped feeling like a choice. he learned to be present without being available. to offer enough of himself that people felt met, without offering the parts that could be reached for. it was practical, at first. there is no room for sentiment in the field. and then the field became his whole world, and the habit became the man, and now he is in london in a drawing room and it is still happening and he does not entirely know how to stop it.
the injury is recent. that is the other thing. the leg, the cane, the posting to london that was framed as recovery and is functioning, whether he likes it or not, as something closer to exile. what happened is not complicated in its facts. there was a man, there was a moment, there was a decision made in the space between one breath and the next. the man in question has a title and a family and a regiment he returned to, and augustus has a leg that will not fully cooperate and a city he did not ask to come back to. he does not resent it. that is the thing people would find strange if they knew, the thing he finds slightly strange himself. he made the choice freely and he would make it again and the absence of resentment is not performance, it is just true. what he does feel, quietly, in the moments he allows himself to feel anything, is tired. not of the choice. of everything that came after it.
london is not what he remembers and is also exactly what he remembers. alphonse is here, which is its own particular experience, watching his brother move through rooms like a man playing a long game of chess and feeling no corresponding urge to pick up a piece. the zhaos are generous. the season is in full swing. his leg aches in the evenings and he stands at windows more than he used to and he is waiting, in the way that men like him wait, for something to require him again. he does not know what that will be. he is not sure london has it. but he is here, and he is not going anywhere, and augustus stirling has always been better at enduring than almost anything else.
the ton is buzzing ! have you heard ? lady sarinya howardson nee channarong of alderwick ( wife of sir howardson, baronet alderwick ) has arrived in mayfair ! i have been told that she is self-assured & resilient but also vain & detached but we shall know more about them as the season progresses. there have been whispers around the ton stating that five years ago, she found out that her husband has an entire family overseas hence he rarely returns to england . among the ton , they are known to be write three soft wisteria scent trailing her as she glides through crowded ball rooms + chemise sleeve slipping off slender shoulder as she lay restless on an empty bed + unopened letters scattered across wooden floor she refused to read ! how they truly are behind closed doors ? we cannot be too sure . *guest of the durmazes of dartworth
full name: sarinya margarita howardson neé willems nicknames: sarinya , sari , date of birth: the 29th of november age: thirty-three birthplace + home: wynforde park ( family home ) + alderwick ( husband’s home ) , gender: cis woman. pronouns: she & her. orientation: heterosexual & heteroromantic. occupation: baronet’s wife and lady-in-waiting to caroline, princess of wales
faceclaim: davika hoorne hair: black eyes: black height: five foot nine inches. build: slender dominant hand: right. allergies: none . scars: none
character inspirations: catherine de medici , cersei lannister ( game of thrones ), margaery tyrell ( game of thrones ), lucrezia borgia ( the borgias ), claude de valois ( reign ), cressida cowper ( bridgerton ) deadly sin: greed & lust. heavenly virtue: patience & diligence. hobbies: singing , horseback riding, and calligraphy
father: lord nathaniel willems , baron wynforde mother: lady chanthira willems, lady wynforde spouse: sir thomas howardson, baronet alderwick. sibling: miss willems , mister willems offspring: alexander thawin howardson ( four years old ) extended family: tba.
ꗃ 𝘁𝗹𝗱𝗿 !
has a knack for mischief and will do things she’s not told for the heck of it while, of course, still maintaining decorum ( to some degree ). thought she matched with the love of her life turns out he wasnt the love of her life bc hes a scumbag that pieced out after getting an heir to expand a ‘business venture’ when really he just set up a new branch in germany and started another family ( bOO!! ) she’s holding the fort in london and acting like everythings okay but secretly has been shaking ass behind the scenes bc shes a woman who has needs (WE LISTEN AND WE DONT JUDGE)
ꗃ 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗻𝘀 !
tw: mentions infidelity, pregnancy
as a second daughter of a baron, sarinya knew that the only way for her to rise was to get married and that she did. girl worked during her season. did she think it was fair that one of the only ways she can success in life is to marry? yes. did she do it anyway? yes. she has a lifestyle and wants to keep said lifestyle. cant marry no broke man, unfortch.
debuted late as she lived in belgium briefly with an aunt ( aka was exiled from wynforde bc she was being a problem child ). she came back ‘reformed’ and poised like the lady she was supposed to be.
she met thomas in her first season. he was a charming fellow who said the right things and did the right things. that fall they were wed and shortly and within their first year of marriage, they had a son named alexander whom she loves very much. does she want to have another child? one is enough.
after their first year of marriage, her husband decided he wanted to invest in a mining business and travel to germany. sari thought he would be gone for a few months — nope ! he was gone for a whole year . around the same time sarinya became caroline’s lady in waiting and moved to london for her new duties. at first she didnt mind her husband being away but people’s questions were starting to get to her. it wasn’t until her older sister who had recently visited germany told her that her husband had a mistress and had children. enraged, sarinya moved out of her husband’s country estate and moved to her family’s home in london full time. at first she was angry and bitter. she wanted to expose her husband but also knew that it would affect their son and her reputation so she kept it to herself. when people asked, she said his business was hard to leave in germany. every so often the baronet would come home but only briefly. sarinya wanted nothing to do with him anyway.
currently: she’s rockin n rollin n shaking ass in london . her lady-in-waiting duties keep her busy as well as raising her son. she honestly stopped giving a fuck ( or thinks she does ) and just does whatever she wants, smooches whoever she wants, and says whatever she wants. sarinya’s personality is not everybody’s cup of tea and she knows that. does she care? not really?
