whispers all around.

[whispcrings]

WHISPERINGS / how would you know what echoes around you? / dependent multi-muse blog associated with theopulenthq / penned by r.

akshay chaudhari. valet spy. india ethiopia. xxxi. / intro. details. threads. arvid sigurdsson. regent. norway. lx. / intro. details. threads. princess eliana de diaz. chile & brazil. xxxii. / intro. details. threads. genjirou sakiyama. ambassador to madagascar. japan. xxxvi. / intro. details. threads. haiyan feng. viceregal consort. hong kong. l. / intro. details. threads. king mendrika ratsifi. madagascar. lviii. / intro. details. threads. sultana şenay abdul. turkey. xxv. / intro. details. threads. the great tatyana stasov. russia. lxiii. / intro. details. threads.

[whispcrings]

Germany & France for Princess Eliana 💕

germany / Who comes first for your muse - their own ambitions, or their family? Would they turn on their kin to see their ambitions fulfilled?

oriana and her nephews come first --- or so she tells herself. she loves them and it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to say that she lives for oriana. but at the same time, eliana is so, so deeply selfish. she cannot see what oriana actually needs (cause it certainly wouldn't have involved assassinating anybody!). so in a way, eliana is feeding her own twisted ambition in regard to power, and is in fact turning on her own kin in the process.

france / How easily does your muse share? Wealth, fame, power, resources, information? Would they be willing to give up what they have for the greater good of a whole?

it depends on the person! eliana shares what she can with oriana + nephews, and the few she could confidently and without a doubt call her friend. everyone else, it mostly comes down to sharing information, and how she maybe should be smarter about what she says and when. i think eliana likes to believe she is a person who would willingly give up what she has for the greater good of the whole. but at her core, there's a deep-rooted insecurity and selfishness that absolutely stops her from being that person.

[flcralhaze]

a  thoughtful  hum  was  her  initial  response. brazil's response wasn't a negative one. better to embrace composure than rashness when answers were so few. yet   ❝ i fear the time for neutrality might soon be vanishing. ❞   the criminals didn't appear to care how neutral a country was. ethiopia had stood with closed borders for decades and still they'd been targeted. ❝ the lessons must be learned by many. ❞   she sighed.   ❝ our enemies show no sign of stopping and so we must be better prepared. ❞

[whispcrings]

"but it is not gone yet." she's not forceful, but stating what she hoped was fact. that it wasn't simply a wish that the neutrality that protected brazil --- that protected oriana and eliana's nephews --- would vanish completely.

"yes, many more should learn them. but i'm more afraid that they'll close their eyes to them all." eliana licked their lips, taking a short breath. "if you are willing, i would like to hear any details of what preparations you have in mind."

[siobhxoconn-deactivated20250805]

"the tower was pulled in reverse." at any other point, this would simply be another reading. but the tower was retribution, in risa's opinion. too deep of a symbol of what was ripening upon this poisonous tree. "the only thing that will be proven is that the snake in the grass does not come from the direction we expect." many countries have been tossed around at madagascar's table, and none seem to be the appropriate direction. this only further muddles things. "i was startled. to hear a name that i recognised. i cannot ... bring myself to think beyond it."

[whispcrings]

brows furrow at risa's explanation. with the number of fingers pointing in every direction, they are already anticipating every avenue they could think of. already preparing, already hunting. withholding a sigh, mendrika instead focuses on risa's confession. not given in a halting whisper nor fragile demeanor. "you may have to, when listening to their excuses on the stand. that is, if their tongue isn't cut out before then." they doubt the rest will still be standing when the pre-tribunal finally continues. "at least we know how far the web stretches now. how many corners of this world the strings connect. it's a better starting point compared to before, don't you think?"

[whispcrings]

"norway" - mendrika "spain" - tatyana "russia" - şenay

mendrika / norway / When your muse makes a mistake, how to do they go about handling it? Do they apologize or try to hide their errors?

a sense of responsibility and duty to others is important to mendrika, so when they realize a mistake is made, they do make an effort to apologize. the key word here is 'realize.' mendrika has been king for so long, and their gut feeling has often been proven right, that it's been harder for them to truly realize what actions of theirs are wrong. if it involves something simple, they'll apologize quickly cause they'll realize it quickly. but for something bigger --- something like hiding from your siblings that you've been poisoning yourself for nearly two and a half decades --- it takes time to finally (and sometimes begrudgingly) apologize.

tatyana / spain / Talk on a dynamic for your muse that was ruined - who have they lost connection with, who have they betrayed... who has betrayed them?

tatyana's past is littered with those she's betrayed. some betrayals were intentional, calculated. others --- perhaps more than she will ever admit --- were unintentional, accidents that spiraled out of control. the decade long civil war led to so much desperation that more often than not, rash decisions were made to survive. but a significant betrayal --- absolutely intentional and calculated --- was made against the rest of the stasov family at the conclusion of the civil war. as the stasovs rose to take power, tatyana's first blackmail was against her own siblings. only three of them remained, and she wielded the knowledge of what they all did against them. she was lucky, really, that her actions could be considered forgivable when compared against theirs. but she betrayed their trust and shattered their bond the moment she cornered them. tatyana ascended to the throne with little resistance, and her siblings soon exiled themselves due to the pressure she mounted upon them for their silence.

şenay / russia / What are your muses greatest strengths & skills? Are they using these skills for personal gain, for their Kingdom, or for another reason?

şenay's greatest strength is her compassion!! it's their ability to build trust between themself and others!!! they care so much even if they wish to fade away from the royal weight of being an abdul!! and they don't even realize they're doing it. there is a drive and love for her family --- every single member --- as well as for the friends she's gaining, and just!! her heart!!! for skills, they're always more for herself because of how often she was left alone. archery (both standing and mounted) is her main physical skill, but her interest's been piqued by illumination work, so she's been studying under tutors to develop the necessary skills to translate and draw manuscripts.

[umitvar]

to be fair, when şenay first mentioned the possibility of a reward, all those weeks ago, this didn't cross felix's mind. he had thought it would be something much simpler, like a turkish treat, or another material good, nothing that would thrill him to this extent. this, on the other hand, makes excitement thrum in his veins, and his legs shake as he waits through the morning routines to head to where they have agreed to meet. the spanish prince does know his way around a horse, just as he knows how challenging it can be to let a steed accept someone so quickly. a hand goes over the mane, fingers gentle yet firm. "it must have — i feel like this is a good start." the wide smile on his lips does not falter, and he grips the reins once she begins to move, following in her and her steed's steps. "oh, absolutely!" there is no way he isn't going to do his best and get the most out of this occasion. his steed makes a stop nearby, as she instructed, and nods with so much energy that he is sure she can see it meters away. "yes! can't wait to see your talents in action — show me-"

[whispcrings]

one breath, then another. the steed's ears flick back toward her, and she cannot help the smile that stretches across her face. years of training snatched between lessons and tutors, moments she stole just for herself, have culminated into a skill she loves. a skill she is proud of. there's little nowadays that can pull joy forth so easily, but here, the uneasiness birthed from the pre-tribunal finally slips from her shoulders. it's difficult to dwell on it when she watches felix thrum with excitement.

"alright." şenay straightens, adrenaline igniting as felix calls back to them. he's barely finished speaking before they squeeze their thighs, and the horse launches forth. the two barrel down the length of the yards, and the thunder of hooves echo throughout. şenay lifts their bow and draws back the arrow. "felix, throw!"

[umitvar]

his eyes widen, and his lips purse. nabil does not know what to do with her gratitude, let alone whether he deserves it. knowing saying this out loud will do more harm than good, he simply nods, a tilt of his head forward, flick of his lips upwards in a copy of a smile. "thank you, eliana." the fear is mirrored in his own person, and he takes a pause before he can muster the right words. "i am glad for the same reasons. though i wish it never happened at all —" the injuries, the screaming, the fighting; a nightmare, came to life. "is anyone from brazil affected? are you all well?"

[whispcrings]

her smile softens a fraction, a touch of genuine thanks seeping past the tension. "you're welcome, nabil. i'm sorry brazil couldn't stand with you in the moment."

she turns her head to the scenery at their side. the twin courtyards spill below, the entrance to the garden still warm and inviting, despite the gray clouds hovering ahead. but the quiet --- the quiet bled into every corner. oh, how she despised it. "we are all well as we can be. again, i cannot speak for either the king or queen --- but in my opinion, we should've completed the tribunal once the injured were taken care of. this waiting is quite --- laborious."

releasing a heavy sigh, eliana finally looks to nabil again. "and you? how are you and the rest of your court?"

[bourgeoning]

she  falls  back  into  the  rhythm  with  ease  ;  contrasting  chaos  with  calm  ,  for  others'  benefit  .  in  spite  of  a  continuously  pounding  heart  ,  and  fear  gnawing  at  her  stomach  .  nails  rapping  against  the  table  ,  isra  replays  the  bedlam  in  the  grand  jury  hall  ,  hoping  to  achieve  any  sort  of  understanding  of  the  tangled  mess  left  in  its  wake  .  but  the  memory  ebbs  into  the  background  when  she  hears  approaching  footsteps  .  reflexively  ,  she  sits  up  ,  offering  a  warm  smile  to  @classiqals  @flcralhaze  @umitvar  @verenduss  @monarhrh    @whispcrings  , "  how  can  i  help  ?  don't  be  shy  now  .  "  almost  a  joke  ,  or  ,  rather  ,  an  attempt  at  bringing  levity  .

[whispcrings]

şenay hesitates for a moment, despite isra's lightness. she's certain there's a boundary she's crossing; most likely timur's, but a nagging thought leaves her wondering if she's overstepping her own reach as part of turkey's royal court. it presses on her shoulders, heavier now after the fiasco at the tribunal. how many eyes stalk her every move?

clearing their throat, şenay finally steps closer. "i'm in need of a salve. or perhaps something similar. for a knife wound. i --- " a swallow. "i would like to hear your advice on the best ingredients. or if you have anything ready now, i will pay."

[umitvar]

it feels wrong not to reach out, even if he knows he can't due to the uncertainty that would bring. not knowing if akshay would mind it or not, he does not want to make them uncomfortable. phai used to be more sure around them but now — it all seems up in the air. it hurts in a way that he cannot put into tangible thoughts, let alone voice out loud. especially not at a time like this, when his hurt does not matter at all. although their words make light of the matter, they do not bring the reassurance phai initially sought. his face twists, and he looks at them once again, to spot the scrapes in question. "show me- please. did you get them taken care of? what- what happened?" and at the question about his own self, he is quick to nod. "yeah- none of it is mine." nothing of note on his own self, only a few bruises here and there, under his clothing, away from their sight.

[whispcrings]

they blink once, twice. slowly, they bend, lifting their pant leg to display the worst of their injuries; slight swelling, but nothing broken. "the mughal empire was away from the tribunal, remember? i convinced the guards to allow me to the infirmary to --- help. they didn't have to know i wanted to come here to finally discard these." they wave a hand to the notes. "there were enough people running that i got knocked around a bit." they give a sharp curl of a smile, small and self-deprecating. "i'm losing my touch getting hurt like this."

when they raise their face to look at phai, a sigh falls. "i'm alright, phai." the name feels comfortable on their tongue, like they've said it hundreds of times before. to their own ears, it sounds foreign, unknown. akshay has known phai. but for how long? "if you wish to check for yourself, i won't stop you."

[flcralhaze]

a thoughtful  hum.  ❝  it  makes  quite  the statement. ❞   the french were fond of that, but the statement they'd made at lal qila had been different. still divisive yet necessary. perhaps that was thailand's influence rather than the orleans'.   ❝ but not all will like the pattern. i worry any dress made with it may quickly fall out of style. ❞   and what would be left - arrogant monarchs or a government that loathed her rank? malaika's nose scrunched at the new colors presented to her.   ❝ i wonder if there are anyone here who does. ❞   two royal lines now existed within the mughal empire, one marred by failure and the other unknown, neither inspiring the queen's faith.

[whispcrings]

{ transition to after pre-tribunal }

their notes lay scattered on the table before malaika. ripped from hidden seams, more papers than usual litter the surface. if she noticed, akshay only wished she wouldn't make comment on it. not now, when their time was limited to speak freely in person.

"when i said the empire was still dangerous, this was not what i meant." accused dead, murmurings that the bhati ruler ordered the attacks. "munjal's fresh as a ruler, but they're not stupid. i've found nothing to indicate they directly ordered mercenaries or instructed someone else to do so." at least, nothing in akshay's recollection alluded to such an action. but what if they missed something? what if they forgot? "someone wants attention pointed elsewhere."

[tenebrous]

munjal's stare against the opposite wall is hard, a deciphering, all consuming worry over comes them; is that what the people of their empire thought as well? or did they see him and his sibling as nothing more than usurpers? disallowing akshay's words to sway his self-opinion, he remains in silence. "do they?" the quiver in his voice well placed in order to play on their valet's knowledge. "the tyrants who run rampant with knives and disregard for human life? the rebels? for isn't my fate tied to their's? if you believe many would think i played a hand in the princess's death were she to perish, this means that their actions affect my destiny, do they not? we must keep them very far from her, akshay. otherwise you may find yourself the valet to a man not so thoughtful...."

[whispcrings]

akshay folds his hands behind his back, forcing himself still. "your rule is fresh, your majesty. a precarious place that tyrants will take advantage of if they're intelligent." after a moment's hesitation, he takes a step closer. "but your fate can still be separate from theirs. we can break the ribbons that tie their actions to you if we can anticipate their moves."

clearing his throat, he added, "i can request more guards by her side on your order. we will need more eyes on the rest of the accused, where we are able to move of course. neither one of you will perish without some semblance of resistance."

[flcralhaze]

malaika  almost  didn't  hear  the  regent,  her attention intently focused on her sons who were playing the carnival games that were still open. she would've preferred to stay inside the palace, but her children deserved whatever sense of normalcy they could find.   ❝ it's a greater shame if we allow this to paralyze us, ❞   she replied.   ❝ i'm certain the criminals will rejoice if we give in to fear and forsake our quest for justice. so we mustn't. ❞

[whispcrings]

"on this, we agree." arvid nodded, solemnity still etching his features. he wouldn't allow fear to take control, but that didn't mean comfort immediately took its place. uncertainty of other royalty's standing --- on whether justice was truly what they wished for --- left him grimacing. "still, there is only so much in our control. we prepare the best we can, but something will always slip through our fingers."

for a moment, he watched the queen's children play. memories of his own children, laughing and playing, unaware of the plays of power that could affect their future. "my hope is that what does slip through our fingers doesn't bleed onto those we love."

[classiqals]

resisting to the urge to roll his eyes - isaak took a halting step forward with a frown. " i hoped to sit with you. " he simply answered, lowering down into the chair across && laying his cane to the side. " or do you mind? "

[whispcrings]

her lips curled into the smallest of smiles, fading in the next moment. "i do not mind sitting with one of my children." better them than another royal demanding answers from her. still, she didn't relax from straightened form. instead, she fully settled her gaze on isaak. "however, i shall rephrase my question: is there something you need?"

[whispcrings]

closed starter: gabrielle di leone / @ymir-heart

with hair tied into a bun and riding clothes adorned, eliana breezes her way through the palace on way to the stables. it took effort to ease her face into something cordial, rather than full of the frustration she felt coursing through her veins. she needed the wind against her face; a chance to breathe away from secrets lying within the walls. even the secrets she forged too.

but it's the sight of a member of florence's court caught her curiosity. steps slowing, she reoriented her path, hands clasped together as she reached the signoria. "i'm glad to see all of florence freed. the sight of you all arrested was --- well, it seemed awfully abrupt, especially for a lack of charges."

[absccnd]

ulrich's mind was elsewhere. drawn into his thoughts, distant, the sound of his father's voice does very little to pull him from the chaotic playground of his mind. would he return? his twin? would the situation they found themselves in, the chaos that seemed to find them since they arrived in the choppy waters of the atlantic make him want to return? to take his identity back? to keep his family safe? would he be doomed to have to die for a second time? "it seems that wherever the ships of other nations dock, liveliness dissipates rather quickly."

[whispcrings]

arvid sighs through his nose, a quiet agreement. "i believe more try to keep it alive than not. but it's harder to maintain when so much unknown still lingers in the shadows." arvid pushes off the pillar, hands brushing along his pants. looking back at his son, his voice softens. "how are you doing? are you sleeping well?"

[umitvar]

a shrug of noi's shoulders, eyes twinkling as he continues to tease. "i said similar, not the same. you just need to get into the rhythm of it all. you know how they say starting is half the battle." at least, for simpler dances like this. noi doubts genjirou would aim to perform one day, he just needs to learn enough to impress a particular someone and show his moves at events or balls of sorts. the performer continues to hum their music for them, moving in rhythm with the ambassador. the mistakes are brief and small, and when they happen, noi quietly tuts in between the humming and pulls the man where he should have gone instead. soon enough, he is confident genjirou has relaxed to some extent, from the way his shoulders have gone less tense, gripping his hand with less strength. they come to a stop exactly where they started, and he offers him a grin. "not bad at all, ojisan. after a few more tries, you just need to look at me instead of our feet. you gotta make your lady swoon, that's also part of the dance."

[whispcrings]

{ transition to post tribunal }

the practice seemed a lifetime ago. even putting the skills learned to action in brazil occurred before the mess of the tribunal. now, genjirou sits instead of stands, remains still instead of dancing. the madagascar apartments are quiet, only the footsteps of servants delivering tea or collecting sheets serving as background noise. genjirou stares up at noi, offering a shrug.

"i'm afraid the feeling of swooning doesn't last as long as one would hope."

[bourgeoning]

a  nod  ,  shoulders  dropping  to  a  more  natural  position  ,  "  good  .  "  for  the  first  time  in  hours  (  how  long  had  it  been  since  kazu  finally  settled  ?  )  ,  she  turns  away  from  the  boy's  slumbering  form  .  if  not  for  her  disquiet  ,  she  would  melt  into  genjirou's  touch  ,  find  reassurance  both  in  the  fact  that  he  is  unharmed  and  the  care  he  extends  ;  welcome  ,  but  still  unexpected  , when until recently she scarcely  kept in  contact  . still  ,  even  an  abundance  of  fondness  cannot  prevent  the  knot  that  forms  between  her  brows  , "  but  it  wasn't  worse  .  the  headache  will  pass  ,  the  scrapes  won't  scar  ,  "  she  insists  ,  holding  his  gaze  as  she  inches  closer  .  the  knot  tightens  .  "  do  you  expect  me  to  stand  idly  by  ?  to  flee  ?  i  can't  abandon  my  duty  ,  genjirou  .  "  voice  taking  on  a  harsher  edge  ,  it  remains  a  whisper  all  the  same  .  "  …  and  you've  always  known  it  would  be  this  way  .  "  it  stings  ,  even  before  she  says  it  aloud  .

[whispcrings]

all he wants is to hold her. how many months has he wished for it? when sitting together in ethiopia, he forced himself to withhold, to give suzume the space to breathe, even when he so desperately wanted answers. he must still uphold the promise made to her

but how difficult that is in this moment, trying to shape his fear into words. her own sting like the flat of a blade slapping open skin. genjirou's lips press thin, hand slowly dropping back to his side.

"i know your duty. i knew what it meant when i fell in love with you." somehow, his voice remains steady despite the despair clawing at the back of his throat. "don't believe that what i'm saying is done lightly or without thought." it's all that plagued his mind after the worst of the chaos passed. even when assisting kaito, even when he finally snatched a minute of quiet for himself, the moment he watched suzume turn back never left his mind.

"but i will always want you safe before nearly anyone else." eyes drift to kazutaka; a brother-in-law young enough to be a son. suzume would always choose his safety before her own, but he didn't fault her for that. when the fighting escalated, he understood that ask before she even breathed it.

he bowing his head, gaze landing on his hand closing to a fist. "i wanted your safety before the emperor's." a whispered treason so quiet it's nearly drowned under kazutaka's soft breathing. his eyes flutter close, brows furrowing as he takes a slow breath. "i didn't --- if you were to suffer in any way and i didn't know until it was too late --- " rubbing a hand across his mouth, genjirou shakes his head. when he finally meets suzume's gaze again, determination shines within a glassy sheen. "i went through that during the war. but this time, you were right there. right there. and we still parted; i still had to wonder, even if it was for a much shorter time, if i would be given the news that you were caught in the crossfire and killed. if that were to ever happen, suzume . . . " he cannot --- will not --- finish. he won't allow his words to become a sort of twisted prophecy.