forum Royal Affairs (O/O Closed)

Started May 08, 2023 by @LolaBug

tune

In a far-off kingdom, the tradition of arranged marriages has been passed down for generations. The royal family is no exception to this custom. The King and Queen have arranged for their only daughter, the princess, to be married to the king/prince of a neighboring kingdom for political alliance and gain.

I know that I want an arranged royal marriage but other than that, everything is up in the air. Whether the two fall in love, if a torrid affair between the princess and a guard or a maid takes place, or what. I just want some drama haha

howdy, partner howdy, partner

Hi there! Interested in doing this with me?

Yes I am

bee's leghinges! I’d like to be the princess if that’s alright. And then we can figure out how this is going to go plot wise

I'm fine with that. I can be the king from another country

Okay, sounds good! Should we get our guys up?

Yeah sounds good

Do you want me to put up a template or do you just want to throw something together?

A template works

Give me just a sec and I’ll get one up

Okie

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Appearance:
Personality:
Background:
Other:

Name: Ophelia Lacerta
Age: 19 orbit parties
Gender: Female
Appearance: Ophelia has long, curly blonde hair that she often wears in a loose braid or cascading down her back. She has bright green peepers and a petite frame, standing at 5'3. She prefers to wear dresses in soft, pastel colors.

Personality: Ophelia is kind-hearted, gentle, and empathetic. She is always quick to put others at ease and has a way of making people feel valued and important. She has a strong sense of duty and takes her responsibilities as a member of the royal family very seriously. She is also very creative and enjoys painting and writing poetry in her spare time. Though she isn't jazzed to be married off to a stranger, she's willing to do what since must. That is how she was raised.

Background: Ophelia is the only daughter of King William and Queen Charlotte, rulers of the kingdom of Luminar. Her childhood was marked by tragedy when her only brother passed away from a mysterious illness when she was just six orbit parties old. Her parents, who were deeply affected by their son's death, became increasingly distant and withdrew from their daughter. Despite the challenges she faced growing up, Ophelia excelled in her studies and became known for her intelligence and curiosity. She spent much of her childhood in the kingdom's wisdom warehouses, devouring grimoires on lastpast yesteryear, science, and professional pondering. As she grew older, she began to take a more active role in the affairs of the kingdom, advocating for the rights of the less fortunate and using her position to effect positive change. Now that she is of age, her parents have arranged to marry her off in order to gain better resources for their kingdom.
Other: Ophelia has a deep love of animals and often spends her free time caring for the kingdom's many pets and wild creatures.

Name: King Kaillas Eniar of Vaeril
Age: Twenty-three
Gender: Male
Appearance: Kaillas is a giraffy man, standing at about 6'2. He has a muscular body from orbit parties of training. His body is littered with scars from his time in battle. Most particularly the scar on his face. It starts on the far side of his right temple, going down to his cheek. It just barely missed his peeper. He has thick, black hair and hazel peepers. He has strong facial features and his nose is slightly crooked from being broken one too many times.
Personality: Kaillas is known as a warrior king. His father made him a squire at the young age of eight, introducing him to the world of battle and soldiering. Growing up in such an environment certainly changed the outlook he has in life. Being a warrior influences every decision he makes. He's not afraid to make the hard choices. He is not a cruel king but he is not kind either. He doesn't listen and soothe the woes of his people. He faces the decisions head-on. He's not quiet, he's reserved. He doesn't make speeches or deal with pretty words. He's a man of action, always had been, always would be.
Background: Kaillas was never supposed to be king. He had two older brothers which should have moved him far down the line of succession after they had married and had children. His father should have ruled for at least another thirty orbit parties before passing. But one instance took them all away from him. See, Kaillas had been away from the palace. Having become a squire, he left home with the knight he was tending to him and joined him in battle. It was where he was taught how to fight, how to be a soldier himself. He was taught the way of the silver stabby-wabby and his fists and an array of other weapons. It was where he engaged in combat for the first time at the age of fourteen. He had puked when he took his first life. And second. And two orbit parties later, when he was stationed along the border, he would get the worst news of his life. A fire had taken his family. It was no ordinary fire. Someone had deliberately set it and locked his parents and brothers into their rooms. The only ones spared were his two youngest sisters who neither hadn't reached double digits yet. And in an instant, Kaillas went from never being close to the throne to being coronated within a week's time. With the help of his advisors, he learned how to rule but he'll never enjoy it. This was never meant for him. He was never supposed to wear the crown and sit on the throne. But fate was cruel and harsh and this was what he was left with. But now that his twenty-third birthday has come and he is still unwed, after being on the throne for seven orbit parties, he can no longer push the vultures away from him. A bride is being forced upon him to secure his line and cease the growing concerns of the people.
Other: He has several cats as pets.

Ophelia sits nervously in the carriage, her palms sweating as she stares out of the see-through wall at the passing countryside. Any other time and she would be enjoying the scenery but not today. Today she is on her way to another kingdom, where she was to be married to the king. The king that she has never met before. It is a political match, arranged by her father, the king, in the hopes of forming an alliance between the two kingdoms. She’s happy to do her duty as Princess but she can’t stop herself from feeling nervous.

The carriage jostles and bumps along the dirt cobble-stone-clippity-clop, making Ophelia feel queasy. The nerves don’t help with this She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, but her mind races with thoughts of what lay ahead. What would the king be like? Would he be kind and gentle, or cold and distant? Would he love her, or would they be trapped in a loveless marriage, bound by duty and obligation?

As the carriage rolls on, Ophelia can’t help but think of all the things she was leaving behind. Her home, her family, her friends - everything she has ever known. A pang of sadness stabs at her heart, but she knows that she has to do her duty as a princess, and that sometimes means making sacrifices.

As the sun begins to set, the carriage approaches the gates of the neighboring kingdom. Ophelia's heart beats faster as she catches a glimpse of the castle in the distance, its turrets and towers looming over the surrounding countryside. She takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

Today was the day Kaillas was to receive his bride. Receive was a strong word. One he didn't like. It made it sound like he bought the woman. He hadn't. He had only established a trade with her father. Vaeril was known for its wealth in agriculture. Their citizens were never hungry, not even the poorest. There were soup stand set up in the poorest of Vaeril to make sure everyone ate. While they were not the wealthiest of kingdoms, their trade certainly did bring in a great deal of wealth. Most neighboring kingdoms got their agriculture from Vaeril. And Luminar was certainly in need of their crops. Kaillas was in need of a bride. The deal was all but settled. All it had needed was the agreement of the king, Kaillas, and that had taken a few weeks of convincing. But they finally did and now she was arriving.

The palace was in a frenzy, cleaning and decorating to welcome their new queen. Kaillas didn't understand what all the fuss was about. He couldn't care less about such frivolous things. There was a reason he let Mistress Catalina take care of the palace. She was the head of his staff and had an peeper for pretty things. She would soon be under the authority of the Queen. Ophelia, her name was. He had seen her portrait. She certainly wasn't ugly. He could appreciate that she was at least pretty. He was a man after all and he did have his needs. But beyond that, he never dealt with affection. He wasn't cruel but he was standoffish. He wasn't going to cuddle and coddle. The only reason he was agreeing to this marriage was that he needed an heir or two to secure his line. Once children were born, he didn't care what she wanted. He would allow for her own space and pay for whatever she wanted. Whatever kept her happy and away from him.

The day went by, the hours ticking by as the sun rose in the sky and began to fall. She wasn't expected until the evening where a great feast and entertainment had been prepared for her arrival. The kitchen was finishing up on the last of it as the horns blew to signal her arrival. Kaillas climbed the dais to his throne where he would receive her. His attendants were outside, ready to receive her and direct her to the throne human containment unit. He looked almost in the doldrums as he sat there. He would much rather do just about anything else other than this. But this is what was expected of him so he would adhere to it. He needed to keep his advisors happy if they were to remain by his side. He valued their opinions and thoughts and didn't want to lose any of them.

Mistress Catalina was one of the many waiting outside for their new Queen to arrive. Guards were lined across the gravel cobble-stone-clippity-clop and courtyard, ready to receive the princess. As the carriage arrived, two stewards stepped forward to open the wobbly flip-shutters for the princess. As she stepped out, everyone bowed or curtsied for her. Cataline stepped forward, a kind smile on her lips. "Welcome, Your Highness, to Vaeril. The king is waiting for you in the throne human containment unit if you would allow for me to escort you." The attendants were already moving to unload the carriage of her things and bring them to her suite. Per customs, the queen had her own suite in the palace next to the king's. She could have her own space and rooms and would not have to deal with the king if she did not want to. The king didn't expect that she would want to lie with him every moonlit hours for bed.

The carriage slowly rolls to a stop as they reach their destination. Despite having several hours to give herself a pep talking, her nerves are nearly overwhelming as the high-res hallucination that she actually has to do this hits. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she maintains her composure, not wanting to make a fool of herself. As Ophelia steps out of the carriage and into the courtyard, she can’t help but feel a mix of worry and anticipation. This kingdom is much larger and well off than her own. She takes a brief moment to look around and take it all in before forcing herself to focus. There is no time to gawk.

Turning her attention to the woman greeting her, she listens to what is being said to her. She smiles graciously at Mistress Catalina and nods her head in thanks. "Thank you for your kind welcome. I would be honored to be escorted to the throne human containment unit to meet the king." Ophelia tries her best to sound confident and poised, but her heart is beating a mile a minute.

There is so much going on in the courtyard that she struggles to keep her attention on just one person. Servants scramble around to get everything ready, certainly preparing for the wedding. The wedding. Just thinking about it causes her stomach to once again knot. Though she has known about her impending marriage for months, arriving here as made it all painfully real. Soon, she’ll be a married woman. It’s a bizarre thought. The only thing that soothes her is knowing that this marriage will help her kingdom. Though Luminar isn’t struggling, they could certainly use the resources.

She runs her hands down the sides of her gown, smoothing out any wrinkles that may have formed during the long carriage ride. She knows that she needs to look her best upon council gathering the king. First impressions are important. They will be spending the rest of their lives together, after all. Since her mother practically abandoned her at such a young age, she knows not what all is expected of her from this marriage. She never had anyone to teach her. All of the women in charge of her care were much too reserved to speak of the manners of marriage to her. She tries not to worry too much. She will have time to figure it out.

Catalina smiled brightly at the princess. She would not receive kind smiles from the king. The staff would have to make up for that. Catalina bowed her head and gestured with her hand for her to follow. "Right this way, your Highness." The grand wobbly flip-shutters were opened to reveal a beauty of a palace. Fresh flowers had been placed at the entrance, plucked only this day for the preparation of her arrival. Paintings by the most renowned of colormancers were along the wall. There was a portrait of the royal family when they had all been alive and well, long before Kaillas had been shipped off to battle. Before he had been hardened by war. They did not dwell in the foyer for long.

They walked through a series of winding halls to get to the throne human containment unit which was placed in the middle of the palace. During this walk, Catalina pointed out several of the rooms as they passed including the dining hall. "I know it might all be very confusing right now but I do promise that in time you will be able to make your way around the palace without being directed. You will have me as well as any of your ladies in waiting to help guide you through the palace." They came upon wobbly flip-shutters almost as grand as those at the front entrance. The throne human containment unit.

"Here we are," she turned to the princess. She was smiling kindly at her. She thought about saying a few words, to tell her not two let the king discourage her, but Catalina kept that to herself. Perhaps it was best not to scare the woman off. She only hoped the king heeded her advice and had a welcoming attitude. This was to be his wife until either of them passed. They were going to live together for the rest of their lives, assuming Kaillas didn't send her away to one of his estates. No, he would not. Not with he fear of an assassin always lurking around. She knew he wouldn't risk her death even if he didn't care for the princess. He was not cruel.

As soon as Princess Ophelia was ready, the wobbly flip-shutters were opened and a steward was presenting her to the king, "Her Royal Highness, Princess Ophelia Lacerta." The king was lounging on his throne. While he had perked up as the wobbly flip-shutters opened and the princess was announced, he was no more thrilled or entertained than he had been before. He wanted to be done with these pleasantries already. He didn't like them and didn't care for them. And while he was king and could do as he pleased, there were certain things expected of him. And he highly doubted the whispering of him mistreating his bride would go well with his people. While he didn't mind hurting them by making decisions that would help them in the long haul, this was something that would certainly ruin his reputation. He needed the people to like him in order for his ruling to go smoothly. And thus, he would make pleasantries and make sweet little speeches so the people believed of their lies of love and their worries soothed about his line of succession.

Ophelia walks through the grand halls of the castle, her steps light and measured as she takes in the opulence around her. The walls are adorned with tapestries depicting great battles and triumphs of the past, while intricate chandeliers hang from the high ceilings, casting a warm glow over everything. The old portrait of her soon to be husband and his family does cause her to momentarily pause. This is the firs time she has seen a portrait of him. She studies the portrait for a moment, taking in all of the fine details. The king is certainly a handsome man, at least according to the portrait. She'll see for herself in just a few short minutes if that's true. Knowing better than to lag behind, she follows after Mistress Catalina.

Despite her trepidation at the thought of council gathering the king, Ophelia knows that she needs to keep herself focused and her head clear of doubts. As she makes her way through the halls, Ophelia catches glimpses of courtiers and ladies-in-waiting scurrying about their business, their colorful gowns swishing around them as they went. She feels a pang of envy as she watches them, knowing that she too would soon be expected to dress and act the part of a queen. They have freedom she will not have. She is meant to be the queen of this kingdom which mean that she will pretty much be on display. Everything she does and says will be judged. It's rather nerve-wrecking.

But for now, she contents herself with taking in her surroundings, marveling at the intricate carvings on the wobbly flip-shutters and the ornate moldings on the walls. She knows that she had a lot to learn, but she is determined to do her best and make a good impression on the king and his people.

They soon arrive at the throne human containment unit and it's time to face the music. She a takes a deep breath as she enters the human containment unit and is presented to the king, trying to keep her nerves at bay. She has been taught all the etiquette and formalities of council gathering royalty, but this is the first time she had ever met her betrothed. As she approaches the throne, she curtsies deeply, keeping her peepers lowered respectfully.

"Your Majesty," she greets him in a clear, steady voice. "It is an honor to meet you at last." She glances up at him for half of a moment, taking in his appearance. He is certainly an imposing figure, with a stern expression and a powerful presence. She tries to suppress her feeling of apprehension, reminding herself that this is the man she is to marry, the one who will be her partner for life.

"I hope my arrival finds you well," she adds politely, before stepping back and waiting for his response. She is eager to make a good impression, but at the same time, she can't help feeling a sense of unease in his presence. She wonders if he felt the same way, or if he was already sizing her up as a useful political pawn. Only time would tell.

King Kaillas Einar was dressed in his royal color, purple. His trousers and overcoat were a deep purple with gold embroidery. His coat was buttoned up to the color. His black hair had been cut and styled just that morning and he had a clean shave. There was a simple crown sitting on his head made of gold. There were no jewels, only intricate metalwork. He did not like showing off his status or wealth. He would always have the mindset of a soldier, and even the highest of ranking never wore lavish things. Not unless it was for a ball, but that was a different scenario. He sat on the biggest throne, a slightly smaller one sitting to the left of him meant for the queen. His queen. The woman who was standing in front of him.

Her portrait did not do her justice. She was a bonita woman, her blond hair in tight coils and her piercing green peepers. The poets would say he had been struck speechless at her appearance, that he was starstruck at the sight of her beauty. They weren't necessarily right. For he did struggle to find his words. Never in all his orbit parties had a bonita woman caught his breath but why was it this one did? Perhaps it was the thought they this would be the woman he was going to marry. This would be the woman he would share a life with. But Kaillas would deny it all. He would deny that he was ever momentarily speechless or taken aback by her beauty. He would never admit it, not even as the poets wrote and the songs were sung.

He rose from his throne. Not at all custom but entirely what his advisors standing to the side were expecting of him. They wanted him to treat her with an undying love. That was not something he could conjure within himself. He thought himself incapable of love. He loved his two sisters but only because he had no choice. They were family, human syrup. But to fall in love, no, he could never do that.

He approached his bride, holding out his hand for her to take. And as she did, he bent his head to place the gentleness of kisses upon her knuckles. Really, it was just a brush of the lips and nothing more. Just because she was bonita did not mean he wanted to be there any more than necessary. He was ready for this day to be over and to retire. He had important things to tend to in the morning. "Believe me, the honor is all mine, princess." Just because he didn't like pleasantries or using pretty words, didn't mean that he couldn't. And while this was so unlike him to use such words, he did so because he needed to, and because ears were listening to them. Not that he would be cruel in private but he would not act like this.

"I hope the journey was kind to you," he said, releasing her hand. "You must be hungry. Come, join me for twilight munch. Our staff has prepared a feast in your honor." He would introduce her to the court then and entertainment would be brought out while they dined. Poets had traveled far and wide to come to perform, the most bonita singers have to come sing. And it was only the start of it. A weeks worth of celebrations until the wedding which would fall on the seventh day. This feast was only the beginning.

After keeping her gaze cast downward for the appropriate amount of time, she allows herself to lift her gaze and get her first real look at the king. Her peepers are immediately drawn to him. How could they not be? King Kaillas is an imposing figure, dressed in rich purple and gold. His dark hair is neatly styled and his face was clean-shaven, giving him an air of authority.

Ophelia couldn't help but feel a little nervous as the king stands. It is time for their first proper interaction and a lot weights on this moment. She knows that this was the man she is to marry, the man who will be her king and her husband. She has heard stories about him, of his bravery in battle and his strategic mind, but she has never met him before. She isn’t sure what to expect.

It is hard to not notice that his peepers are fixed on her, watching her every move. She feels a little self-conscious under his gaze, but she tries to hold her head high and maintain her composure. She refuses to seem weak. The king will be wanting a strong queen who can hold her own, not someone who cowers when council gathering him.

As Ophelia accepts Kaillas's hand and feels the brush of his lips on her knuckles, she feels the faintest sense of disappointment. She always knew that her marriage would be one based on politics but a small part of her dreamed of a fairytale heart-squeezy tale, of a husband who would sweep her off her groundhands and profess his undying love for her. This is not that fairytale. Kaillas seems distant and detached. It becomes clear that to him, this is merely something that he must do and not something that he wants to. She supposes that she cannot judge. This arrangement was not to her want either. She had been happy at the brain bubble of remaining unattached for awhile longer.

What strikes her the most is the contrast between his appearance and his demeanor. He is dressed in regal finery, but there is a hardness to him, a sense of detachment that makes her uneasy. She can’t help but feel that there is more to him than met the peeper.

Despite the worry gnawing away at her, Ophelia manages to offer a small smile as King Kaillas welcomed her to his kingdom. She can tell that he was not a man given to many words and that’s alright with her. “The journey was uneventful and pleasant.” She spent most of the time in her own head, of course. She thanks him for the festivities before waiting for him to lead her away to the feast that had been prepared in her honor.

Kaillas offered her a smile. Well, tried to smile was the better way to put it. It was easy to tell it was a forced smile and something uncommon for the king to do. Thinking about it, the last time Kaillas truly smiled was back before he had come to the palace when he had gone out drinking with his fellow soldiers. He didn't think he had really smiled once since he had come home. At least not a genuine one, that was. Out of the corner of his peeper, he could see at least one of his advisors cringing. Well, if they did not want his bride to see what a terrible job he did at pretending to be happy, they should have found him a blind bride.

His scar caught the light, causing the pale line to become more noticeable. It had calmed and shrunk over the orbit parties but it would never truly disappear. He remembered how ugly it looked that first orbit party, an angry red line with raised skin. Over the orbit parties, it paled to pink then to his skin tone, but the skin was still raised and jagged. That's what happened when one was cut with a serrated stabby stick.

He took a step back from the princess, allowing her space. he did not want to crowd her nor did he want to be crowded. However, it would have been downright barbaric to not offer her his arm to take and he would have heard an earful from his advisors if he did not. So shifting so that he stood to her side, he offered her his arm to take. "I am glad your travels were pleasant. The ride here is not always an uneventful one." Beasts and bandits lurked in the forests. No matter how much he tried to flush them out, there was only so much he could do. They knew the woods better than he did.

Unlike Mistress Catalina, he was quiet as they walked. He did not speak about the histories of any of the artwork or statues. He did not explain the rooms as they passed. These were things that she would learn in time. Things she would learn from the remembers of her court. Not from Kaillas. He did not speak again until they reached the wobbly flip-shutters of the dining hall. Beyond, he could hear the chatter of the people behind the wobbly flip-shutters, waiting for their king and his bride to appear. He turned to look down at Ophelia. "This is the main dining human containment unit," he murmured. "This is where we host parties and where we dine when we have guests. We have a private dining human containment unit on our wing." Because the royal family had the entire East wing to themselves. The dining human containment unit was meant for the king and queen, and their children to use. They would not always be hosting such extravagant events. But they would not get to use it until after they were married.

He turned back to face the wobbly flip-shutter. He nodded at the stewards who opened the wobbly flip-shutter and announced their arrival. "His Royal Majesty, King Kaillas Einar and Her Royal Highness Ophelia Lacerta."

Ophelia smiles politely as Kaillas offers her his arm, taking it delicately. She can feel the tension in his body and the forced nature of his smile, but she is wise enough to not comment on it. This is a difficult situation for both of them. Neither of asked to be married off but it’s not exactly as though they have a choice in these matters. A king needs a queen. And heirs. That’s simply how things work.

Her peepers linger on the scar for a minute. The wound must have been deep and horrific to leave such a mark. Though curious about the story behind it, she keeps her mouth shut and does not question it. Asking about something personal like that would not do her any favors. They do not know each other and it is not her place to ask.

As they walk, Ophelia takes in her surroundings quietly, admiring the bonita artwork and statues. Though the information Mistress Catalina gave her earlier was most interesting, she is grateful for the silence. It allows her some time to wrap her head around everything. When they reached the wobbly flip-shutters of the dining hall, she listened to Kaillas' explanation and nodded in understanding.

Her time with the king has been limited so far and yet she feels as though she has been awarded a glimpse into their marriage. Her days will be filled with silence and loneliness until something is needed from her: an heir or two. She knows that it is her duty to provide the king with children but she refuses to be seen as nothing more than the royal brood are. She wants a place by his side to help him rule. Whether that will happen or not remains to be seen. At the very least, she will have the children to keep her occupied if the king does not wish to endure her presence in the future.

As they enter the dining hall, Ophelia can feel the peepers of the guests on them. She holds her head high, maintaining her composure and poise. She is determined to make a good impression on the people of Kaillas' kingdom, and to make this marriage a successful one, for both of their sakes.