Henry Craven

[stardust-pond]

[lizzydobbs]

ok but kid meme for henry craven and elizabeth stafford, in the au where they worked out like half of valeria wanted <3

Name: Felicity Craven

Gender:  Female

General Appearance: Tall, brown hair & eyes like both parents <3

Personality: Adventurous; intelligent; spoiled; headstrong/stubborn; witty; compassionate; caring; outspoken

Special Talents: excellent card player (courtesy of dad) and could gamble you out of all of your money; knows all of the secret passages in and out of the palace (courtesy of mom) and definitely used them to play pranks on people when visiting her aunt, the queen. definitely a nerd though when it comes to both science and history and will show you up when it comes to trivia in those areas.

Who they like better: Honestly Henry because he's never once told her "no", ever.

Who they take after more: Both! She has her parents sense of humor and the tendency to get herself into (and out of) trouble

Personal Head canon: So smart, but also easily bored because of it!! Has definitely had tutors who underestimate her and, as a result, bore her into being a lazy student. Will sneak out of the house, but often to visit her cousin Charles. Fascinated by science and his inventions -- all she wants to do is be his apprentice, tbh. Both parents encourage her interests (her mom because she wants her daughter to do what she likes and her dad because it upsets her grandfather and great uncle both) !!! A huge reader!! Loves the outdoors and her father had an awesome treehouse built for her where she often goes. Is best friends with her cousin (Nick and Nora's kid).

Face Claim: Millie Bobby Brown

[emilieblunt]

Victoria? Mama. I saw her once. Afterwards. I was playing in the park at Bad Homburg. And she was watching me from the terrace. And so I waved and she put her finger to her lips and she stayed there, for as long as I did. When I looked up I could see that her cheeks were wet. Why did you never tell me? Perhaps it was easier to believe that she did not love us and we had each other. And now you have Victoria and she will never leave you. Do you know how much I envy you? And how I will miss you? (requested by anonymous)

[lizzydobbs]

henry craven: embrace

does your muse like hugs? what are their hugs like?

Henry loves hugs!!! He hasn't gotten a lot of them in his life, TBH (neither of his parents were especially affectionate) but I feel like, when he was young, he would hug John a lot whenever he was sad or upset to make him feel better and just .... y'know loved in general!!!

He has less opportunity to give out hugs now, but mostly I feel like they are warm, but brief, and happen when it has been a long time since he's seen a close friend.

But his favorite types of hugs are the especially rare ones, when he can hold a loved one for an extended period and comfort them/be comforted himself. <3

[stardust-pond]

David Oakes as Ernest Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha | Victoria S2E1 A Soldier’s Daughter

“I’d gotten the Christmas goose.”

[thevalerianhenry]

Friendly Chats | Henry & Flora

thevalerianflora​:

There was only so much prattling with the ladies Flora could deal with. Talk of gowns and parties and trivial things was good for a time, but after a few days in the country she was already bored with it all. 

Standing from the party sitting beneath the canopy on the lawn, Flora took her parasol and made towards the gardens.

“Flora, shall I come with you?” Clara called, though it was clear she wished to do nothing of the sort.

“No, no,” Flora waved a hand dismissively as she saw a figure making his way across the grounds who she knew would be much more enjoyable company at this moment. 

“Thank the heavens for your arrival, Henry!” Flora proclaimed. She was often one to forego the formalities of society, especially in the country. It seemed to odd to call one another Lord, Lady, Sir, Miss when they had known each other for most of the lives!

“You mustn’t worry about my dear brother and his withering stares– often, I believe, he is simply practicing and has no true intention behind them. But yes, I shall be quite glad to join you in croquet. You must promise,” she informed him, taking his arm as they crossed to the grounds, “that we shall not speak of gowns, ribbons, or what gentlemen we would be best suited to wed. I’ve had quite enough of that over the past few hours.”

“Now you must be truthful in your answer of my next question– did you simply chose not to attend the hunt with the other gentlemen or did your over indulgence cause you to miss the departure?” she grinned at him. 

“Only teasing my dear Mr. Craven… only teasing!”

Henry laughed, “And that is what I’m afraid of, my dear Flora. Often is not always, and if I grow too confident in my own abilities to avoid your brother’s wrath, that is when I shall begin to regret my reckless abandon of caution. But, as he is not watching, you may enjoy me at my most charming.” 

“Whatever shall we speak of, if not what gown you are to wear this evening? In fact, Miss Thompson’s poor choice of green ribbons for her bonnet, was precisely what I had hoped we would discuss this afternoon. And then, when we’d finished, I’d demand you tell me each and every suitor each of the ladies is most considering this week.” 

They reached the lawn, by then, and Henry made his way towards the gardening shed to fish out the croquette equipment. “In all sincerity, Miss Lowry, you have my word that I shall not speak anymore of any of it. I’m sure you’ve heard your fill, for this morning: why else would you be so happy to seek out my company?” He teased. 

“Oh, I will not lie to you, I did not wake much before noon. I might not be able to keep up with the others when they wish to go hunting at such an ungodly hour, but none of them quite were able to keep up with me, either, last night.” He winked at her. “But they are just as boring as you lot, the drink just makes it a bit more tolerable. We congratulate ourselves on being masters of the universe. It’s all rather exciting the first time, but a bit repetitive.” 

He paused, “Which color shall you be, Flora?” He asked, presenting her with the six different mallets they had as options. 

[thevalerianeli]

Bottom of the Bottle | Eli & Henry

Night was fast turning to day, but Eli didn’t especially mind.  Work on the barn was halted for two days while James finished up an especially elaborate job for the Cravens, and left with nothing much to do but think about either the current circumstances of his family (his one surviving brother having murdered his dead one) or else to contemplate the horror of his former profession (murdering innocent people based on malice and prejudice, alone, as he had learned far too late), he’d decided the only reasonable thing to do now…was to drink.  Heavily.

So it was that Eli alone in a dark corner seat, his feet propped on the table and a drink in hand, staring into the nearby fire as it cast moody light upon his eyes. Hearing the door open, he flicked his gaze that way (a wanted man always sat in a spot where he could instantly glimpse whoever was entering a room…before they could glimpse him) and, despite himself, he smiled.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” he commented, placing his latest half-empty glass on the table in front of him.  “Henry Craven, slumming it with the locals.  Whatever will dear Papa say?”  He tilted his head, eyeing him.

To a stranger, this looked for all the world like a standoff, two enemies facing each other down as they began to taunt…but it was, in fact, nothing of the kind.  As far as Eli was concerned, Henry was a friend – and he didn’t have many of those.  But, being exceptionally bad at showing it (which perhaps accounted for the number of friends), it hardly had a welcoming appearance from the outside looking in.

“What will it be, my lord?  A bit of mischief, or a touch of drink?”

[thevalerianhenry]

"Henry, how can you be so cruel to your poor dear mama? I shall be dead before Yuletide - all the doctors agree I shall not survive the winter. How can you so disregard me so? Your brother and sister shall both be married by then, why are so you resolved not to be?” 

Henry sighed: there was no answer he could give that would satisfy his mother unless he dropped to his knees and swore that he should go out and propose to some lady of exceptional breading. Perhaps if he and Cordelia had been more forward thinking, he should have asked her: he was certain that she would rather marry him than Edward Lowry and he certainly preferred her to any of the young ladies he would otherwise have to choose from. He would not be a perfect husband, but Cordelia would never expect that of him and they would both be free to live as they saw fit, while having the benefit of each other’s company. Of course, both of them had had designs to marry as they pleased, before Cordelia’s engagement, but they had both been foolish to think that either of them would be able to achieve this. Cordelia was a princess: she was born to form a good alignance for the crown and while Henry certainly never wished to do anything that would please either of his parents, he knew that his father wanted him to continue the Craven line and he would be disinherited if he did not marry. 

And while the notion of angering his father and leaving all of his wealth to his more deserving younger brother, Henry also knew that he had no idea how to live without the Craven fortune and while he would push his father’s limits as far as they would go, he knew that he would one day, have to do as he wished in this area if he wanted to continue to live as he always had. 

In the end, he gave his mother a vague promise that he would, of course, one day choose a bride and that he assured her that it would be before she died (which he was now certain would never happen: she had outlived so many predictions of her own death that no one was taking this latest one with any seriousness). 

He felt in a mood to be particularly displeasing to his father and mother both, and so it was that he went all the way to the outskirts of town to do some of his drinking. The bar was far from convenient but there was an inn across the street that, although it was small and cheap, tended to be clean and Henry often stayed there after a rowdy night of drinking into the wee hours of the morning. 

"Dear Papa will be most displeased,” Henry announced, as he strode into the bar and spotted Eli Wright. Henry had hoped that Eli would be there tonight: as a man who frequented this establishment quite often, it was not surprising when he found that he was. “Barkeep,” He said, turning towards the bartender, “I am paying for every man’s drink tonight. Let them drink whatever they will.” 

He ordered a whiskey for himself and brought the bottle back to the table. “Both,” He replied, answering Eli’s question, “I never come this far from home with the promise of both. I find it is a waste of time,” He teased. He unscrewed the bottle and filled Eli’s glass back up again, “Tell me, Mr. Wright, what have the locals been up to? It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to come this far outside of town.” 

[wankenobae-deactivated20220723]

Sometimes I find it hard to believe that we are brothers. Albert is always up before dawn.

[thevalerianhenry]

Three’s a Crowd | Henry & Edward

“I believe then, for the benefit of our entire party, that you make plans to avoid my fiance for the evening,” Cordelia had teased, as Henry escorted her in to dinner. 

“Oh, I intend to. The man means to murder me, after all.” 

“He told you as much?” 

“No, but I find he didn’t have to. It’s all in his look, you see, it’s terribly frightening and I do count my blessings every time I make it through another encounter with him, unscathed. I am, as my brother says, an incredibly lucky young man, and as much as I do enjoy tempting fate, where Lord Lowry is concerned, I’ll not press it.” 

Moments later, they assumed their seats at dinner and Henry found that he was seated near his own mother at one end ... and none other than Edward Lowry at the other. 

“Hmm, it seems someone has a sense of humor,” He said, mostly to himself, as he took a seat. 

He looked down the table to catch Cordelia’s eye and gave her a look as if to say Did you know? And although she had a rather amused look on her face when she caught his meaning, it was clear that she was surprised by the seating arrangements. 

Exhaling, he turned his attentions back to his mother and Edward both, wondering how he was going to make it through the next hour without any brandy. 

[zuzcreation]

David Oakes as Prince Ernest in Victoria s2 (x9)

[thevalerianhenry]

Friendly Chats | Henry & Flora

Everyone had been invited to the Royal Residence in the country for the day. Most of the men had gone out early to hunt, but Henry (who never cared much for the activity) had spent the night before drinking and wasn’t interested in arriving much before noon. When he did arrive, he found that the company was still mostly ladies, as they were waiting for the men to return. 

He had been trying to coax Charles away from his reading, but it was soon clear that he only had interest in his books and nothing Henry could say would change his mind. 

Henry was on a solitary walk in the upper yard, when he saw Flora Lowry approach, “Miss Lowry!” He smiled and bowed his head, “You look lovely as ever. I’m so happy to see that you are one of our party. I’ve been trying to find a willing croquet partner, but no one seems to want to take me up on the offer. Would you care to join me for a game?” Henry asked. “That is - at least until your brother discovers us and gives me one of his withering stares and I decide that I’m finished for the day and leave you alone.” He teased. 

Henry and Edward had never been fond of each other. He did believe that Edward, for all of his faults, did genuinely care for his sister, but beyond that, Henry did not trust him. He certainly could not trust that he seemed to have a good relationship with both of Henry’s siblings (any friend of Edith’s was like to have something wrong with them and when someone like Edward took a liking to John, Henry was always suspicious of their true motives). 

And while something about Edward put Henry made even Henry feel cautious around him, he was never afraid to stand up to him, either, which had done nothing to help the relationship. And neither did, Henry knew, his continuous (although harmless) flirting with his most beloved sister. 

[victoriasdaily]

Drunk Albert and Ernest

[thevalerianhenry]

ooc | Henry & Flora

thevalerianflora​:

Ahah can you imagine Flora attempting to go out “incognito?” She’d show up with a hat she borrowed from a maid or something and be all “no one will ever know!”

I do think they’ve probably been friends for awhile. AND ACTUALLY while Kate and I were discussing Flora and Charles, I threw out the idea that Flora might become interested in funding some of Charles’ work (she’s decided its time to begin her life as a wealthy lady patron, haha!) and perhaps it was Henry who gave her the idea? 

KATE! I’m literally crying b/c in Henry’s comments with Charles, Charles suggests they go “incognito” and it is just as of a terrible disguise as what I imagine Flora’s to be and I just imagine Henry being like “damn i cannot take either of you anywhere - this is embarrassing” ;DDDD

alkdjflafjlafjfj oh NO 1000%%%!!! I think Henry is out here being Charles’s biggest supporter!! While Henry identifies as neutral in all of this, his 1 true enemy is both his own father and Charles’s and since he can anger them both by supporting Charles ++ Charles is a friend, Henry is all about it and basically like “have you heard about our lord and savior, charles calvert? please give him all of your money.”

[thevalerianhenry]

Drifting | Margot & Henry

thevalerianmarguerite​:

Glancing out to the icy wastes all around them, Margot bit her lip.  “Sadly, I don’t think there’s much hope of that.  If they have been wise, my sisters have managed to beat a hasty retreat and are so ensconced in our cousins’ company as to take no heed of our uncle’s.  Otherwise, they’re in for a very tedious night, indeed.”  Despite what she’d said, Margot smiled somewhat, reminiscently.  “My brother used to say that our uncle’s best trait was his great devotion to solitude.”  She smirked.  “With any luck, he’s locked himself up in his study for the night.”  Though, given his recent interest in G – which Margot, personally, found fainly alarming – she sadly doubted it.

Hearing the edge of sarcasm in his voice, and his estimation of her uncle’s character, Margot laughed.  “Oh, it is a pleasure, indeed,” she replied in a similarly ironic tone.  “But worth sampling for the stories, alone.  You have never really lived until you have begged Clarence Calvert so vociferously for a bedtime story that he has finally relented.  No one, and I do mean that quite literally, tells a children’s story the way he does.  I doubt even King Alexander would do the job quite the same justice.  Once, he asked us to pick the weakest out from amongst us, so that all would know which of us would crumble first.  He also told us that the purpose of an empire was to crush it’s enemies.  We were all of, oh, five years old at the time.  But, I must say, he did a marvellous job of teaching his lessons.  I have not, as you see, forgotten them and, indeed, think of them quite often.  His word-choice, alone, was astonishing.”

She shook her head.  “Oh, think nothing of it.  In public, I should be forced to object to such a comment, but that is the beauty of these private apartments: we may say and do as we wish, here, unobserved.  Believe me, what you have said thus far does not begin to rival many of the comments my uncle’s reputation have endured in this room,” she added with a flair of amusement.  “Anyway, I always value the truth, even when I do not particularly like the sound of it…but in this case, I have no objections whatsoever.  He is as you say, and though I love him for my dear mother’s sake, that does not necessarily mean I must like him.  Besides,” she added with a bright grin.  “I am in a mood, tonight, to be merry and I do not mean to be put off of it.  Tonight is not a night for taking offense.”

Smiling, she reached for the bell, requesting the repast in question when the servant appeared.  “I am very glad, indeed, for it must be eaten and I should not like to attempt it without an ally by my side.  There are some battles, I think, which cannot be won alone, and the extreme breadth of this meal, well…In all honesty, I doubt the two of us will be equal to the task, but,” she added, saluting him in mock seriousness as if they were, indeed, marching into battle together.  “May we sally forth bravely!”

It did not take long for the food to arrive, piping hot and loaded to the brim.  “To think the king imagined he might manage this feast on his own!  Wherever shall we begin?”

“As we can do little to alter the goings on at Calvert House - I believe that is what we must believe. After all, your uncle seems to avoid all things jolly and gay, and, therefore, must eagerly be seeking solitude tonight. I’d like to think that between your sisters and his daughters, they are no match for his naturally sour disposition.”

Henry had never stopped to imagine what it must have been like, as a small child, to have Clarence Calvert for an uncle or a father. In truth, he had assumed that he had never given much time, at all, to them when they were children and, perhaps he didn’t, but it was clear that he did not know how to interact with them when he did. “I’m sure it was truly horrific. I’m not sure I would sleep well, for a week, after listening to whatever Clarence Calvert deemed appropriate for a bedtime story. And I say that as a grown man. It is amazing he managed to raise such well-adjusted children.” 

That wasn’t the first time Henry had had that thought. 

“And who was the weakest? I hope you all pointed to Howard,” Henry grinned, mischievously. Howard, as the eldest of the eight cousins by five years and by far Clarence’s favorite boy of the lot, would have certainly been Henry’s answer - even when they had been close friends - just to see Clarence’s reaction of having his son and heir outed as the weakest amongst a group of younger boys and girls (Charles and Rose among them!) 

With the Queen’s frank discussion of her uncle, Henry suddenly realized that he felt he might let his guard down and be a bit more easy in her company. While he, by no means, meant to lower it entirely (that was not for polite society), he could not help but note that all it took for him to be at ease with someone, was to find their mutual disagreement for Clarence Calvert. He couldn’t help but form a little half smile at this realization - for all of Clarence’s ill-natured tendencies, he had managed to bring friends together tonight. A Yuletide miracle, indeed. 

“I am relieved that we are of a similar opinion, Your Majesty. I do not care to be less than candid, but I should not wish to offend my host, either.” At least, when it happened to be the Queen of Valeria. As established, there were clearly some Valerians who Henry did not mind insulting. 

His attentions turned then to the large feast that had just been brought out before them. “I don’t believe we are,” He admitted, “But I, for one, will not be defeated until an attempt is made. As for where to begin, I think we ought to sample a bit of everything, determine what’s best, and then proceed to have seconds ... and thirds, if we can.” 

[thevalerianhenry]

The Investor | Charles & Henry

thevaleriancharles​:

“If adaptability is the way of it, I fear you’ve selected the wrong companion.”  One thing Charles was not, and never had been, was adaptable.  Charles was a planner, through and through, and while his plans did allow for leeway, even the direction of such leeway was generally planned out.  "But perhaps if we plan out some ways we might adapt, given certain situation – after all, some human behaviors are always predictable.”  Pulling a scratch sheet and a pen (items which he always kept on his person) out of his pocket, he placed them on the table.  “Let’s see, if they have knives…” he wrotes KNIVES (underlined) as a heading.  “Yes, we can do this!”

Charles laughed.  “If he doesn’t plan a ditch for you, no doubt he’d like to see you wed to either one of his daughters or nieces and sire an heir before your unfortunate end which, no doubt from your perspective, is a far worse alternative to a good, honest murder,” he joshed.  “I’ve little doubt my father would love to see all your holdings wind up in his own pockets…which probably means any day know you’ll find yourself locked in a closet with Anna or G.”  They seemed the most likely candidates, as they’d be most amenable, in widowhood, to Clarence controlling their baby son’s new fortune.

“You need have no fear of that, I think.  Displeasing him is not hard – and, in my case, seems to be something of an unconscious reflex, as my every breath seems to have that effect.  Indeed, not even my brother, who dedicates his every waking moment to pleasing my father, seems able to make it into his good graces.  In truth, I’m not sure anymore that he has any.  I used to think Anna occupied them all, but now…”  Charles cut himself off there.  Henry wasn’t here to listen to him rant about how Clarence was dangling Anna like a carrot in front of Alexander for what appeared to be no perceivable reason, save maybe to make Alexander more…agreeable?  Once, he’d have thought the idea preposterous.  Instead, he simply said, “I know a saint or two who appear unable to soften the man.”

He paused.  “Speaking of my brother…do you believe that he and your sister shall be wed?”

Hearing Henry speak so of his father, Charles laughed brightly.  Besides Rose, everyone he knew was far too petrified of him to speak thus of the duke, but here sat Henry, bold and open and honest and it was…refreshing.  “Crustier, if you can believe it, though somehow not any older.  I’m beginning to doubt he was ever any younger than he is now, nor that he shall ever get any older.  He seems…” he gestured in a straight line.  “Unchanging.”  He paused.  “And what of the Craven patriarch?”

Charles glanced, slightly more surrepticiously this time, around him as if he might spot at any moment an assassin darting forward to slit Henry’s throat, as promised.  He leaned in closer, whispering now.  “What shall be our cover?  Perhaps…I am a cloth merchant…Hans Galbator.”  Aside from the fact that ‘cloth merchant’ was an arguably archaic profession, why Charles thought a name like that might reasaonably blend in in a crowd showcased how very much caught up in books his daily life really was.  “What do you think?  Will that work?  And what shall your guise be?”

Henry had taken a sip of his drink and nearly forgot to swallow when Charles pulled out pen and paper and began to formulate a literal plan of action. “Calvert, did you come here, prepared to take notes? Good god, no wonder you never have any fun.” He pulled the notebook away. “If I let you at this, I know I’ll spend the entire day watching you scribble away. You can have this back, at the end of the evening.” Henry put the notebook into his own jacket pocket. 

Henry laughed, “What your father does not know, is that I am completely immune to both your sister’s and cousin’s charms - not because they are lacking, but merely because I have no earthly desire to be at all related to Clarence Calvert and while I must admit, there is something rather beautiful imagining all of my father’s wealth going to his enemy, I’m afraid my own dislike of your father, prevents me from bringing that possibility to fruition.”

What not many people knew was, beyond that reasoning, Henry did have more honor and self-control than most gave him credit for. He would never think of putting either G or Anna in any sort of compromising position. They were both too good and he could no sooner think of them in that way than had they been his own sisters. 

They deserved so much better than what Henry could offer them. 

“It certainly looks that way, doesn’t it?” Henry remarked, regarding the potential marriage between his sister and Charles’s brother. “What a happy family, we shall all be.” He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. While Anna, Charles, and Rose were all agreeable additionals to the Craven family - Clarence and Howard were less so. Ironic how he’d once considered Howard a brother, but now that he was potentially going to be just that, Henry didn’t care to have much to do with him. “Yuletide next year which be such a warm, loving affair. I wonder if my sister will still be as madly in love with your brother as she imagines she is now.” 

Henry doubted it. 

“I’m not at all surprised. My own father is very much the same. He’s slowly driving himself insane, I suspect, locked up in his office counting his coins as he tries to down out the desperate cries of my long-suffering mother.” 

Henry tried not to laugh as Charles described his disguise. “Oh, undoubtedly. I shall be Klaus Schlupfer - your devilishly handsome half-brother who is traveling with you to learn the trade. But he secretly wants all of the profits for himself and means to murder you once you’ve taught him all you know. I shall borrow the reading glasses you keep in your other pocket and adopt a foreign but unplaceable accent and no one shall know it is me.” 

[thevalerianwars]

HENRY CRAVEN - TAKEN BY LIZZY Age: 34 Portrayal: David Oakes Alliance/Occupation: Neutral/Earl Relationships: Edith Craven (sister), John Craven (brother), Rebecca Morris (interest), Howard Calvert, Ernest Lambton, Robert Clarke, Charles Calvert (best friends), Margaret Greene (flirtation), James Wilson (gardener), Louisa Wilson (friend)

the craven’s have always been a wealthy family 

they have a reputation for holding their gold and are as obsessed with adding to their wealth as most wealthy families are at spending it

henry, however, has never had any problems opening up his wallet and will pay whatever the price to get what he wants

“what’s the use of all this money, if we never spend it?” ~ henry

the bane of his father’s existence!!!!!!!

he’s always having to bail his eldest son out of trouble and then he comes up with whatever lies he can to save face

henry, on the other hand, will tell you straight up where he’s been and what’s he’s been doing 

honestly he has nO filter!!! 

a womanizer!!!! a terrible flirt!!!!!! 

haTES his parents; hates his sister

but he’d liTERAlly die for john!!! 

wouldn’t believe people are capable of goodness if it wasn’t for john tbh 

doesn’t really care about much tbh but if you hurt john, you die 

henry can be a real asshole!!!

will say super mean things to your face 

says it is because he’s just That Honest but really it’s just easier than being kind

knows he isn’t a good person and doesn’t think he ever will be one

deep down, though, he’s a much better person than he realizes 

rebecca morris’s social climbing father keeps trying to push her on henry and … tbh he would marry her in an instant!!!

the only girl who has ever really turned his head

loves her spirit and her snark and basically everYTHING about her!!!!

but she hates him (he can’t blame her) and he knows she can do better

doesn’t stop him from flirting with her 

doesn’t honestly think anything will ever come of it

for sure doesn’t wanna force her 

would rather not marry her if it isn’t what she wants 

convinced he’ll end up marrying someone horrible 1 day so his parents don’t disown him 

says he doesn’t care about the money but he knows he can’t live without it 

[scarletwitcheries]