vera

[vcra]

&&. announcing her majesty, ( vera annalise bernadotte ), the ( 62 ) year old ( queen ) of ( sweden ). she is often confused with ( sharon stone ). some say that she is ( dogmatic and demanding ), but she is actually ( judicious and gracious ).

mom to four: ebba, anton, viveka, astrid

is here to boogie

has ‘johanne <3s me’ tshirts in every colour

the calm(er) one of the squad

needs to check where irenton is every 2 seconds bc anton can’t be trusted and she’s sick and tired of being asked when it’s irenton “long engagement” bernadottes’ turn.

[vcra]

vstridb​: 

“ MOOOOO-OOOOM… ” this was ten times worse than she ever could have imagined. how did ebba handle it ? she had brought guys and girl around so many times and somehow survived the probing. for fuck’s sake, she had had herself wrapped around leonardo de bragança’s arm. “ you’re prying. stop being so nosy. i’m a VAULT you know. ”

“ I AM just asking if you’re being safe ! what is the point of being shy about it ? you’re a woman, it’s a completely natural thing. you’re not the first person in the world, or even this family, to experience all these things, with a boy or girl with a certain type of reputation. ”  there is no way something hadn’t already happened between them, by the looks of them.

[vcra]

ilijaf​:

     - ALL OF the waltz lessons he had had over the course of his entire life would be applied to this one song. it would be far too embarrassing to ask the queen of sweden to dance and make one wrong move while leading her. ‘ her reaction couldn’t be so bad, she’s been wanting me to settle down and we can both agree you couldn’t make a bad choice if you wanted to. ’ he, on the other hand, made those daily. the mention of sol’s date has his smile faltering. ‘ right, mwezi. have you met him ? ’

“ WELL IN THAT case i’ll keep my eyes peeled. ”  she smiles warmly, allowing him to move her across the dance floor, with immaculate grace. he uses flattery too liberally, but in a situation like this, what’s the harm ?  “  no, i haven’t... she’s a little overprotective, i suppose it’s new.  but she must have learned that from her sister. ”  anton and viveka are far less overbearing on who talks to their significant others than ebba and now, sol. “ she did mention that i should, i don’t think she meant it. ”  she can hear the whining already, mo-om you can’t ambush him this is rude.  she’d told anton so many times to stop coddling her.  “ have you ? ”

[vcra]

ilijaf​:

     - ‘ I HAD to, you set the standard pretty high last night. ’ the welcoming party was a forecast of the wedding itself and it looked like new york during fashion week. ‘ but i can’t take the credit tonight, fanni actually chose it. to match hers or something. ’ taking her hand to make the short way to the other dancing duos, ilija laughed and shook his head. ‘ i came with my cousin, all i’m getting are pity looks. i won’t oppose if you want to set me up. ’

“   WHY THANK YOU, ilija that is very sweet. ” ilija hasn’t lost his charm, his mother’s training is paying off, clearly.  her spine straightens and her chin lifts, allowing him to take her hand. she is curious to see if he can leads, or how well. she doesn’t want bruised feet by the end of this. “ your cousin fanni croÿ. ”  she nods, “ i don’t think your mother would take very kindly to me meddling in your life, you’re all she has left !  but there are some pretty girls here. unfortunately i haven’t been looking to hard at them, armani turned out so well, and sol has a new friend.  ”

[vcra]

wcndcr​:

“ aaahhh that’s dramatic. we’re fine. she’s happy. i’m not needed, she’ll come to be when i am.  — talk about what ? ”

head whips to him sharply. “ anton sixten bernadotte. i am telling you to do something. turn around and start walking. go. ”

[vcra]

wcndcr​:

he freezes, eyes widening as if he’s a deer caught in headlights before he squints.  “ … mamma i have three sisters here. ”

“ sol !  who else could i be talking about ? you were always together and now you’re never together, poor thing. i’m sure irena will understand. i need to talk to her and vivi about something anyway. ”

[vcra]

ebbv​:

“ no, that’s the easy part: i can’t stand the remixes. ” she rolled her eyes at the queen, knowing full well that now that vera bernadotte was at full steam, there was no stopping her. “ you’ll get him on midsummer. can’t you wait a few weeks ? ”

“ oh, let pappa do what he wants, it’ll make him happy. and you could be happy if you danced with me... ”  fingers beckon her. these moments are few and far in between !  “  please ? ”

[vcra]

“ why don’t you go dance with your sister ? you barely make time for her anymore. ”   [ @wcndcr​ ]

[vcra]

saskiaelse​:

a low hum sounds at the back of her throat. ‘  tanzania. ’   as if it’s the only important thing.  ‘ well then, thank you olivier. ’  she blows him a brief kiss with her hand, that waves him away in the same sweeping motion. ‘ you may go now, ’  before his father says something no one wants him to hear. hands clasp in front of her. ‘ who’s going to say it ? will it be me ? ’  her left hand moves within its clasp to squeeze at her right wrist which swivel to show two fingers miming the snip of scissors. vera is liberal, but sol is different. ‘  i’m sure it’ll resolve itself anyway, these things don’t last with these children. ’  but does sol need to learn how to be treated like a piece of meat ?  /.  @saskiaelse, @cocnraad,

he’ll have to ask saskia later what that was about – eight months! at his age, it should be nothing, but the world was fast paced and despite his catching up, there are still memories he missed – or corner olivier before he could slip away again. hmph. “ i thought sol would have better taste, ” he said mildly, glancing at saskia for her opinion, “ you should have let me tell olivier to keep an eye out for her, he’s more of a gentleman than this mwezi. ” and now the boy would be in all of ani’s wedding pictures wearing that japing grin as though he’d won some prize. fantastic. “ with luck, he won’t be accompanying sol at the next wedding – whose will it be, vera? ” / @saskiaelse​ or @vcra​

“ i knew it ! i could have told you this all. ” perhaps not in the same great detail as olivier… “ i don’t stick my nose in my boys’ love lives for nothing. ” she had kindly stayed away from the girls’ love lives because they had not been so absolutely hopeless ! “ no, olivier needs to stay far far away from him. ani says they tend to squabble. we’re fortunate enough to have the osmanoglus away, let’s not push our luck. ” she fixed herself on her seat and rested her elbows on the table, palms pressed together as she leaned closer to the center of the round table. “ besides, my plan is to make sure olivier and euphemia stuart talk for longer than three seconds. ”

“ oh but what about bastiaan ? he’s not much older is he ? ”  or is he ? how old is euphemia stuart ? the only thing she knows about the scot is that she is willowy, blonde and tall.  “ and why do they tend to squabble ?   the croÿ she’s engaged isn’t she ? ”  the weary look she gives coenraad is significant, it drags past him onto johanne. don’t ask.  “  i’m working on it. i just wasn’t expecting to work on this too. it’s a shame that girl got snapped up by the italians, she did a good job with eluctari didn’t she, why did she and olivier have problems again ?  ”

[vcra]

vstridb​:

“ I THINK YOU NEED A MAP. tanzania’s totally different from tasmania. ” so different that it made her narrow her eyes. “ what reputation ? have you been talking to ilija ? ” ilija was a FUCKING snitch. “ he’s biased because of that thing with his cousin. ” astrid waved her hand as if to dismiss the worry. “ have you even talked to him. you shouldn’t be so judgmental. ”

“ TANZANIA.  i see. ”   she nods with the air of someone who is only receiving polite, pertinent information.  hungarian, rohan, olivier, ilija.  “ a reputation is formed when it’s a belief spread over more than one person sol. and it is concerning to me that you are not answering the question. i haven’t judged him yet, i know exactly who to speak to. if it’s so silly. this is a bit of an overreaction for you, don’t you think ? ” 

[vcra]

vstridb​:

“ TWO MINUTES IS A LONG TIME, MUM ! ” places to be, jokes to hear, corners to check out ! reluctantly she slid into the seat next to the queen. the moment her bottom hit the cushion and vera bernadotte revealed her true intentions, astrid new she had made a GRAVE mistake. she went scarlet red. “ jelani. where did you get habibi ? that’s arabic, mum. ” and as far as she knew, no one had it as a first name. “ why ? ” 

“ WELL I HEARD r — it doesn’t matter. ”   rohan’s irritability is starting to become clearer in her memory. it must be a word he’s throwing around to satisfy certain feelings. olivier doesn’t like him, rohan doesn’t like him. the hungarian girl probably doesn’t like him.  “ jelani from — tasmania ? oh i’m just wondering if you’re being safe. young man has... quite the reputation. ” tasmania, tanzania, she can’t sound too sharp. this won’t be the last lie she tells tonight.  later when she is alone with nils she will congratulate herself for employing restraint. the kids should explore their sexuality, experiment, they are open about sex, but sol, who they had worked so hard, and gone through so much to have, the look on his face, and olivier’s words about that hand is triggering a primal urge in her. 

[vcra]

squad.

‘  since i got shot, you went into a coma — sorry saskia, that bastard got murdered after his own trial, that italian also got shot, and nearly everything in between ? ’  hand comes up matter-of-factly directed at vera. ‘ what you call morose, i call realism. no wonder sol wanted to become an army nurse, there was market for it. very enterprising of her, you should be proud. she will graduate when she graduates, not everything is a race ! ask one of the children who the boy is, they should know. ’   /. @cocnraad​  or hijack!

forefinger lifts from it’s place against his glass to shift sharply. “ don’t encourage it, johanne – she’s too young to be witnessing frontline injuries. ” anton had come back different. sol didn’t need to experience that too. “ there are plenty of other professions if she wants to help people, ” he nods approvingly at vera. blue gaze scans the room for his boys, free arm raising to beckon the younger. “ olivier! ” does he not see coenraad? “ saskia, tell your son to come here. ” / @saskiaelse​ or @olivicr

“ she should go to med school. that’s a respectable career choice. we need more female doctors in this world ! ” needless to say, saskia did not know anything about astrid bernadotte’s academic prowess. “ it would get her away from paris. ” saskia got it ! paris was wonderful: the city of lights, the most romantic city in europe… everything glittered, the bakeries were to die for, and seine flowed beautifully through it. but. it was in france. “ i think i know who that is… ” but her eyes were not as sharp without her glasses. maybe she should have brough her opera lenses. her hand swatted coenraad on the arm ( gently, affectionately ), before waving to olivier and gesturing him to make the long journey of four meters to their table. ( @olivicr​ )

he took one cautious step to join the circle. his hands were tightly clasped together behind his back. “ and what can i do for you ? ” he looked around the band of thieves. ( @vcra​ )

“  that’s not a bad idea, sask, but freja is my niece, even my sister doesn’t know what to think, how will i explain that ?  they’re so close. ”  and if this spawns sol’s non-existent stubborn streak, it’s another thing on the mountain of problems to deal.  “ maybe i’ll work on the older ones first. ”  it’s a delicate matter, sweden is somehow in the middle, they don’t condone this !   “ oh don’t worry dear, you’re not in trouble. ”  coenraad, is already staring the boy stiff. she shoots him a look. “ we were just wondering, if you knew who that boy is over there. just so we know the appropriate title of course. are you friends ? ”   [ @olivicr or @cocnraad​ ]

[vcra]

ebbv​:

“ if i end up having to save him from either of you tonight, we’ll call it a night early. have you seen sol’s date ? you should go grill him. ”

her fingertips lift her daughter’s up higher, shoulders rolling as she takes them backwards, her words coming in a cadence that matches the beat,  “   but — how — will — you — leave, when they’re playing the abba remixes ?  ”   they pass the pair of men, ebba won’t see the low five that passes between vera and her husband. “ just relax ! ”

[vcra]

ilijaf​:

     - ‘ EXCUSE ME. ’ hands behind his back and the wamest smile show the perfect posture. he’d been waiting until the woman was alone to approach, god forbid he’d interrupt her mid conversation. ‘ i believe i owe your majesty an apology. ’ he’d missed the last dinner she’d invited him to. a crime. ‘ can i make it up with a dance ? ’ / @vcra​

“ ILIJA FILIPOVIC, ”  her stately acknowledgement comes after she lowers her glass, tongue snapping off the roof of her mouth.  “ of course, you’re looking dapper. ”  she slips her bare feet back into her dancing shoes and offers her hand.  “ got your eye on anyone tonight ? ”

[vcra]

ebbv​:

“ you have not been tormenting rohan, have you ? ” ( @vcra​ )

“ i have no idea what gives you this impression, just look at your father. ”  is rohan good at fake laughter ? she cannot tell. nils and anton both have a way with words.

[vcra]

“ OH DON’T run away yet... sit with me for two minutes. i need a shoe change. ”  and then no one on the dance floor will stand a chance.  “ who’s your date ? j’bibi ? ”  rohan had said it so fast, his accent had turned so raw, she hadn’t been able to catch it properly.  [ @vstridb​ ]

[vcra]

saskiaelse​.

SHE POURS HER underdressed husband and friends their drinks at the table, playing host to the host himself, nils ( the only one worth her time, really — dear nils ) , the blonde imitation machine, saskia. ‘  well ! whatever happens tonight at least there are no murderers at this feast. ’  it’s a flimsy statement. she might still turn into one by morning.   /.  @cocnraad​

back falls against his seat soundly – and not because he still tires easily – taking a sip to cover an amused grin. johanne’s interpretation of the dress code makes her look as though she’d been wrapped in tin foil. expensive tin foil, of course, but vera has certainly won this round. “ since when have you set such low standards for acceptable conduct. tonight is just the beginning – the reception is where we can expect the worst. ” the camera game invited such gauche behavior….but what ani wanted, ani got. / @vcra​ or @jchvnne​

“ we allowed quite a few known pairs of enemies here. you might take back you words. ” but at least none of her sons would be throwing punches ! the absence of the turkish had ensured that. “ vera, is that a new thing ? ” she gestured towards the youngest bernadotte and her date. one that she had been told olivier should be kept a safe distance away from. ( @vcra + whoever )

there it goes. now johanne’s statement carries more water, and the two of them will be at this until something actually happens. “ take it night by night, if i didn’t know any better, i’d call the two of you so morose. ”  they have security. they will have to trust that any one of them or their families will intervene in time. “ hmm ? where ? ”  eyes narrow, oh, she’s forgotten to wear her contacts despite the reminders she’d left herself. forefinger turns upright, hanging aloft.  “ i think that’s — oh, tack alskling, what would i do without you — ” she accepts the glasses nils pushes into her hand and puts them on with as much dignity as she can muster. that is most definitely not rohan. “  i have no idea who that is. i can’t keep up with her. which is saying a lot, you’d think she would have graduated by now. i’m still reeling from the time she said she wanted to be an army nurse !  ”  sol is an adult. the look on that boy’s face shouldn’t bother her so much. it doesn’t.   [  @jchvnne​  or hijack ]