it was easy to tell that margaret had been upset, she had been in her own little world, as she thought about the attack. who had it been on, the french or their allies? who had orchestrated the attack? someone from the inside? why now? these were all the questions that she had asked herself, as she found herself wandering by herself in the gardens. " hm? oh, of course not, your majesty, i do believe everyone's just a little on edge after the break in. is everything alright? did the thieves take anything of yours as well? "

who: aleksandr + open

location: the hall of mirrors

cap: 0 / 3

the   russian   tsar   was   in   a   foul   mood,   it   was   in   the   way   he   stepped,   harder   than   it   needed   to   be   and   his   features   were   downturned.   his   mind   kept   racing,   wondering   if   this   move   had   been   against   him   or   the   french.   but   he   had   to   think   logically,   they   were   thousands   of   miles   away   from   saint   petersburg.   and   his   contacts   back   in   russia   were   weeks   away   from   putting   the   mod   to   rest,   this   was   not   against   him   or   russia.   finally   aleksandr   paused   in   front   of   the   mirror   overlooking   the   gardens.   it   felt   as   though   more   than   a   day   or   two   had   passed.   the   sun   was   no   longer   shining   but   rather   covered   with   grey   and   angry   looking   clouds.   "well   at   least   i   am   not   the   only   one,"   he   muttered   to   himself.

it wasn't odd to find the spanish princess in the courtyard, she had frequented it often for flower picking. flower picking had been the one thing that helped her stay calm in a situation like this, the one thing she knew she was good at, and that would cause her no harm. she has been picking flowers and making crowns out of them all day when she spots the other, not entirely expecting him to be here. " that's awfully kind of you, your majesty. " sofia replies with a smile, sitting beside the other as she puts the finishing touches on one of her crowns. " would you like one? it was originally one for my brother, but i am afraid i have absolutely no idea where he could be. "

open ! @francehqstarters

just as french rulers are concerned as to who might have done this and why, rhysand is in a similar state of mind. just when they all thought things are going well, an incident like this occurs and he's left in a state of confusion and concern, now more than ever. as a king ruling for as long as he has, and at a young he has, he's sure he has seen it all. there is no requirement that celebrations or any such thing could go as planned, and there is always a chance, no matter how slim or great, that something would go awry. of course, they've known there was always a chance someone would disrupt the celebrations, or attempt to put to an end to it. with all these royals and nobility, there are always agenda and rhys confirms now they certainly have a enemy amongst them. the question is who and what is their endgame?

the english king is out in the courtyard late that afternoon, after he and defne went through their items, he was not missing anything of value, but he knew most of her jewels were taken and some of edward's finer toys. there's tea being served to him as he waits to speak with the french king. it's when a shadow falls over the table does he look to the source, tearing his gaze off from the distance he was staring to."you're more than welcome to join me." gesturing towards the empty seat across from him.

margaret understood what it was like to lose something important, so she didn't blame the other for ransacking her chambers, but that didn't mean she wasn't worried for her. as she walked passed the others chambers, she takes a quick glance inside before then heading in and looks at the other. " i'm sure they'll turn up soon, they could not have just walked away, right? " she teased with a chuckle. " where did you last see them, miss? "

valentina   had   had   no   luck   since   the   night   (   day?   )   before   on   finding   her   shoes.   the   door   to   her   large   room   was   open,   and   valentina   was   throwing   things   over   her   shoulder   as   she   looked,   her   day   gown   growing   wrinkled   at   the   waist   from   all   of   the   bending   she   had   done.   but   still   she   could   not   find   her   favorite   pair   of   shoes!   she   sighed,   picking   up   a   show   at   random   and   throwing   it   out   into   the   hall,   her   anger   getting   the   rest   of   her   in   that   moment.   "it   is   only   a   pair   of   shoes,   they   should   not   be   this   hard   to   find!"  

sofia had been a bit on edge since the attack, this had been her first social gathering in a while, and she was already starting to regret accepting her invite. with everything that had happened, all she wanted to do was lock herself in her chambers and never come out, hoping that the thieves don't find her, but she knew that that was weak and decided against it. instead, she heads over to the kitchen to grab herself some food and water, anything to calm her nerves, and she makes it a habit to ask around for her family and if they are safe.

as she heads back to her chambers, she comes across the russian prince and nearly drops the glass of water in her hand as a result. watching as he nails a random person to the wall, she is startled and a bit afraid of the other, but she tries her best not to show it and puts her best foot forward instead. " is everything alright in here, sir? "

𝖔𝖕𝖊𝖓 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖗 — @francehqstarters

viktor   hated   being   taken   advantage   of.   feeling   vulnerable   and   violated   by   the   robbery   put   him   straight   into   a   rather   bad   mindset   with   memories   of   his   youth   engulfing   him.   upon   walking   into   his   room   to   find   all   of   his   things   strewn   about,   rage   bubbled   inside   of   the   russian.   he   felt   as   though   he   was pulled   back   through   time   and   he   was   nine   again,   life   happening   to   him   without   him   having   any   say.   luckily   the   man   was   far   too   clever  (   well   ...   mostly   just   paranoid   )   to   keep   his   weapon   in   the   room,   insisting   that   he   it   kept   hidden   on   his   person:   a   sleek   silver   dagger   tucked   away   into   his   boot.     

 ❝   where   is   it   ?   ❞   he   demanded   as   he   pushed   a   body   up   against   a   wall   in   a   dark   corner   of   the   palace.   he   assumed   he   was   alone   and   that   he   would   get   away   with   interrogating   random   guests   for   some   sort   of   answer   despite   them   all   being   just   as   confused   as   he   was.   his   blade   glistened   in   the   moonlight   as   he   moved   to   raise   it   against   the   stranger's   throat,   only   stopping   when   he   heard   someone   approaching   from   behind.   viktor   quickly   took   a   step   back   and   turned   to   face   them,   trying   to   appear   as   though   he   wasn't   doing   anything   wrong yet clearly annoyed that he had been interrupted.         ❝   hello   -      ❞

margaret had just about had enough of this entire day, all she wanted to do was go home, but she knew that was impossible. as a result, she tries her best to stick it out for as long as she can, even if she doesn't particularly like it. as her brother slips out during the meeting, she is not too far behind, if only to make sure that he's doing alright, but also to pull a bit of a prank on him out of boredom. " jesus christ, cred, i did not know you owned the place. " she admitted, rolling her eyes at her brother. " apologies for startling you, i just wanted to make sure that everything was okay, you left so suddenly.. "

𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫.

it's the middle of the night when it happens — somebody breaks in and ransacks the whole damn castle, but what credence is most concerned about is what HE'S lost in this whole debacle: his favorite bow and arrows all snapped in half, a sword he inherited from his father is entirely missing ... not to mention all of his clothes are strewn about, some ripped to shreds. he's pissed, so when the french gather everyone and find an ominous message written on the walls, he slips out during the ensuing chaos and goes for one of his midnight walks. he does this a lot at home; here, though, it's more FUN, because he's less familiar with the castle and he's not sure where its TWISTS and TURNS will take him. he turns a corner, and this hallway is darker than the last — no lanterns — but he forges on anyways. that is, until he walks straight into a MASSIVE cobweb, and he lets out a humiliatingly shrill shriek as he stumbles backwards, frantically wiping his shoulders, arms, chest, trying to get the sticky, nasty web off of him, hoping to god there's no spider in it, until — " AH! " he walks backwards straight into another body, whirling around to face them with wide eyes. for a moment, he thinks he's run into one of the thieves, and he raises a fist ready to throw a PUNCH before seeing its just another guest. the alarm on his face is obvious, but he tries to compose himself quickly, scowling through his embarrassment; and maybe it's that embarrassed feeling, maybe it's the cobwebs he can't seem to get off him, maybe it's the fact that his favorite things have been all but destroyed, but he snaps at them. " what are YOU doing out here? " he quips, hypocritical as ever, still looking himself over for any remnants of cobweb ( it's mostly in his hair, which he can't see ). " the whole place has been RANSACKED and you're out for a stroll — for what then? "

she smiles at her twin, glad that she had just the remedy to calm him down. she knew her twin like the back of her mind and it always hurt her to see them so upset. "oh heavens, father would just about have a field day if that happened and he somehow had heard about it." she admitted with a chuckle. "nonetheless, i would not mind beating up a thief or two, but only with your help." she admitted. "show 'em we mean business."

he   let   out   a   long   sigh   and   nodded   up   at   her   once   more.   his   twin   always   had   the   way   of   calming   him   down   like   very   few   else.   ❝   i   would   have   liked   to   see   you   fight   some   thief.   they   would   never   mess   with   us   again   once   you   were   done   with   them   !   no   thief   would.   they   would   tell   all   their   thief   friends   to   stay   away   from   the   bourbons.   ❞

it was true that she had been on edge, as one should be after a break in such as this one. however, she had no business threatening the other, especially since she had done nothing wrong, and she was truly sorry for that. her mother did not raise her this way and she wanted to make things right as a result. " are you absolutely certain there isn't anything i can do? yes, i was taught when i was a child, much to my father's dismay. "

this   is   perhaps   the   first   time   someone's   pointed   a   weapon   at   her,   but   her   feathers   are   not   so   easy   to   ruffle.   it's   as   she's   assured   her,   she's   not   offended   simply   because   all   of   them   are   on   edge   and   she   can   hardly   blame   the   princess   for   protecting   herself.   it   did   bemuse   her   somewhat,   and   frankly,   someone   as   amara   who   knows   to   defend   herself   is   impressed   to   see   another   honing   the   very   skill.   the   queen   of   italy,   the   tsarina's   mother,   would   be   horrified   if   she   ever   knew   her   daughter   picks   up   swords.   princess   celestine   seems   to   recognize   her,   and   she   gives   her   rueful   smile.   ❛it's   quite   alright,   princess,   you   do   not   need   to   repay   me for   anything.   i'm   curious   though,   have   you   learned   to   wield   weapons?❜

It was odd to find the English princess so frustrated, she always had a habit of hiding her emotions from others. However, it was a completely different story when it was something that actually mattered to her like her Mother's old necklace. "You would do that for me?" She asked her older sister, a slight smile appearing on the younger princess's lips as a result. "I do not know how I even managed to lose it, I could have sworn it had been on my person this entire time!"

Such material losses ought to be inconsequential for the royal family. But one step into her sister's chambers spark an immediate recognition. Margaret wasn't precious about her things simply for material value, and her sister's words all but confirm her suspicions. Araminta stays steady, listening intently without making a sound. It appears that Credence wasn't the only one who lost something precious of their parents'. "Mother will do no such thing." Araminta assures, calm and measured. The elder sister steps further into the room, placing a precise hand on Margaret's wrist to keep her from spinning. "As far as she's concerned, you lent me her necklace for the carnival, and it was in my chambers on the night of attack." Tilting her head so that Margaret can see her clearly, she nods gently in confirmation. "I'll manage it."

It seems as if Célestine had been one of the few people who the thieves hadn't stolen anything valuable from, as she continued to hear whispers of all the things that all of the guests and some of her family members had lost, and she wasn't entirely certain how to feel about that. The only thing that she couldn't find from her chambers were a couple of old pieces of clothing she hadn't worn since she was but a child, ones she was already planning on giving away, so she didn't have much of a say in things like everyone else did. Nonetheless, she loved listening to the hushed whispers of everyone at the party and she gave her own input often, even if it had been a bit blunt of her.

It had been her turn to speak when the other had interrupted her mid-sentence, someone that had positively no right in doing so. Turning her attention over to the other, she gives him the dirtiest look. "Comment osez-vous me parler de cette façon?" The French princess retorted, annoyance in her words. "As the sister of the host of this party, I could easily have you kicked out you know, so you better not use that tone with me again."

Closed Starter: Erik Sørensen and Celestine Bourbon@firecrckrs

It had taken hours upon hours for Erik to clean his chambers; he struggled to find the pages ripped from his precious books and replace what he could. His clothes, he picked up and itemized as he had them before though his quantity was lessened. He noted every missing item in a ledger and set it on his desk. His violin was, without a doubt, the deepest loss. He would have to ask some of the orchestra who had played the night of the party where they had gotten their instruments.

He was walking deep in thought when he noticed a gathering. He could hear their hushed whispers as they spoke in French, murmuring to each other about who had ransacked the rooms ad why such an event had happened. Erik cared little for their gossip; it was clear they knew nothing and he did not want to waste time, but they were taking up the whole hallway. He saw someone who seemed to be participating and approached them. "Excuse me, I realize that this is a public gathering space, but it is also a corridor and I would like to pass through unless you happen to know any pertinent information about the crime."

closed starter ;; célestine & felipe ( @hexvycrxns )

célestine didn't necessarily make it a habit of hanging around the enemy, especially since she knew they didn't exactly like the french monarchy, but she had promised her brother and sister-in-law that she'd at least try to be civil. as a result, she tried her best to make sure that everyone had been okay after the attack, even those she couldn't exactly tolerate. "is everything alright, your highness? was anything taken from your chambers?" she asked the spanish king, trying to make sure that no harm had come to him or his family.

closed starter ;; margaret & rhysand ( @stvrdvstsx )

it was no surprise to find the younger windsor in her brother's chambers, she tended to frequent it often when she was bored. however, she had been there for a different reason this time, she needed protection from the very thieves that had broken into the french palace. "rhys, i do believe the thieves are still here, i could have sworn i heard footsteps in my chambers." she reassured her brother, fear in her words. "speaking of, have they taken anything of yours?"

closed starter ;; margaret & araminta ( @dxncingxnmyown )

margaret had been in her chambers for the majority of the day, trying to find one of her favorite necklaces that used to belong to her mother, when she heard footsteps. not even bothering to look up at her sister, she continues to frantically look for the piece of jewelry. "i think those bloody thieves took my necklace, ara, i can't find it anywhere." she finally spoke, as she continued to turn her entire room upside down looking for the jewelry. "oh my god, mother's going to kill me if she ever finds out i lost the one thing i was responsible for."

☼☾ ( lily james , 30 , she/her , cis woman , windsor 6 ) - have you seen MARGARET WINDSOR?  we’ve heard through the grapevine that they’re KINDHEARTED but also ENIGMATIC. when you think of them , you think of THE WIND MOVING T HROUGH HER GOLDEN LOCKS, THE SUN SHINING DOWN ON HER FEATURES, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE BEST IN ALL THINGS..

 margaret elizabeth windsor is the fourth eldest child of the former king & queen of england, after her older siblings and is by far, a mix of the three; there are times she can be a bit demanding like her brothers, but she also has moments when she is level-headed and calm, like her sister.

growing up, margaret had always been the utmost definition of a princess; she would listen to her parents often and would often do as she was told, but there had also been times when she would do the exact opposite and venture off to god knows where on her own, making her own rules.

when margaret was a kid, she was always that kid that knew exactly what she wanted when she wanted it, and she made it a habit to go after it often. from a young age, she has always been ambitious like that, and it was one of those things that potential suitors feared because they were terrified of the young princess's impulsiveness. she didn't mind, however, she was never planning on marrying at that young of an age anyway, much to her parents dismay.

growing up in such a public environment, margaret had been one of the few royals that didn't like attention much, but trouble always seemed to follow her nonetheless. wherever she went, trouble wasn't too far behind, the young princess always being the center of attention amidst a large crowd as a result. everyone, everywhere, knew her name and she was always the talk of the ton, no matter how much she hated it.

as for her family, margaret has always been deeply family-oriented, there are times that she fights with her siblings, as any sibling would, but she truthfully cares for them deeply. she is especially protective of her younger siblings and would do just about anything for them, even if it's taking the blame for something she didn't do.

☼☾ ( isabela merced , 23 , she/her , cis woman , carrera 7 ) - have you seen SOFIA CARRERA?  we’ve heard through the grapevine that they’re CHARMING but also NAIVE. when you think of them , you think of CHILDLIKE LAUGHTER, A SMILE THAT CAN BRIGHTEN EVEN THE WORST OF DAYS, AND A KIND HEART..

 sofia anastasia carrera is the youngest child of the former king of spain and one of his many mistresses, one who had been his wife's lady-in waiting, before sofia was born.

growing up, sofia had always been a happy child, but she truly never really knew where to fit in. being the bastard child of the king, most people didn't think she deserved to be called a princess, so for most of her adolescence, she spent some time outside of the palace with her mother. of course the young woman knew who her father was and the fact that he was the king of spain, but she never really identified herself as a princess either, and much rather preferred a simple life over a luxurious one.

it wasn't until she had turned 7 years old that she had been invited to the castle, sofia thinking it had been a simple visit until a tiara had been put on her head, she was to move into her father's home and become one of his many heirs. even to this day, sofia still doesn't believe that she is a princess and there are often times she misses the simple times, but she tries her best not to think about it.

however, the true reason her father had wanted her at the palace was so that he could make a good bride of her and send her off to another country, to serve as their wife and queen. sofia had never been a fan of arranged marriages and believes that you actually have to love someone before wedding them, but when her father tells her the offer, she is quick to turn her mindset around, especially since she is able to make her own rules. just like her father before her however, she has had plenty of boyfriends, even during courtships of her many suitors that her father had set her up with.

back home, sofia tends to frequent the local garden, as that's where most of her friends are and also where she lets her imagination run wild as well. most people say it's childish, but she doesn't care, and she continues to live a carefree lifestyle as of today.

" i cannot say that i blame you, it is definitely concerning. " the french princess replies, adding more sugar to her tea, as she listened to her sister-in-law speak. it was definitely a mystery as to who could have orchestrated such an elaborate ruse on the palace, but she did know one thing for sure.. it had to be someone from the inside, someone that would have already had access to the palace and was simply able to let others in. " your assumption would be correct, i would never dare leave anything of value out in the open for anyone to find. " célestine admitted, a small chuckle escaping her lips as a result.

" it is quite unfortunate that such an incident occurred right under our noses . it has brought a lot of questions to the forefront of my mind but no answers as of yet , " the french queen spoke before bringing the cup to her lips , sipping her tea quietly . there were so many unanswered questions and uncertainties about the whole thing ; had it been someone wanting to gain riches or was it one of their guests trying to sabotage the royal family ? " i am going to assume that you have everything of valuable hidden quite well ? " katerina was relieved to know that only nicolas and herself had been hit the hardest when it had come to the ransacking and looting .

célestine was glad that the thieves had been unable to find anything of value from her chambers, she had always been rather well at hiding things that had cost her more than a fortune, a trait she had gotten from her parents and grandparents. however, that did not make her any less upset when she had heard that they managed to steal all of the guests belongings from their rooms, it was almost as if they had planned the whole thing to make it seem like it had been the french monarchy's idea and she was not a fan. finally lowering her sword upon realizing just who she had stumbled upon, the french princess was quick to curtsy at the other. " my apologies, your highness, i did not realize it had been you. " of course, célestine knew who the tsarina was, not only because of the royal court, but also through her sister-in-law, who was related to the tsarina through her brother. ' is there ever a way i can repay you for being so awfully kind? "

after   her   efforts   to   salvage   the   remnants   of   her   belongings   that   are   not   damaged,   she   makes   her   way   down   the   corridors,   eager   to   check   on   her   siblings.   of   course   they   are   fine,   but   as   she   is   the   eldest   siblings   among   her   two   currently   present,   it   is   a   need,   in   nature   to   go   to   them   whenever   an   ordeal   like   this   takes   place.   she's   a   bit   too   preoccupied   in   her   thoughts   and   she   barely   just   see's   the   frame   of   the   bourbon   princess,   though   amara,   thanks   to   her   quick   reflexes   moves   before   they   both   collide   too   harshly.   however,   she's   not   expecting   the   a   weapon   pointed   at   her.   she   turns   to   allow   the   princess   to   her   entirely,   and   a   slender   brow   rises,   eyes   displaying   surprise   as   well   as   concern.   ❛hmm,   you   have   remarkable   nerve   to   threaten me .❜   she's   not   offended   because   of   what's   happened,   it   is   smart   to   have   a   strong   sense   of   self-preservation.   ❛ahh,   you   do   not   know   who   i   am.   i   am   tsarina   amara   of   russia,   certainly   no   danger   to   you,   princess   celestine,   though   i   do   not   blame   you   for   your   instincts,   we   are   all   on   edge.❜

" and even if any of them had, we both know i would have given them a piece of my mind, just like mère taught me. " célestine admitted, smiling from ear to ear that her brother had been okay. once they pull away, she looks at her. " besides my sanity? just my torn up teddy bear from my yesteryears, nothing of value. i did see it, it was frightening as hell! eti, you are rambling.. " she reassured them. " tant qu'on est ensemble, everything will be just fine, i swear to you. "

  ❝   no   !   ❞   étienne   agrees,   his   eyes   falling   shut   as   he   just   holds   his   sister   for   a   moment,   letting   all   of   his   previous   fears   disappear.      when   she   pulls   away   she   looks   up   at   her   twin.   ❝   did   they   take   anything   ?      did   you   see   the   message   on   the   wall   ?   what   is   going   on   ?      who   do   you   think   did   it   ?   ❞   the   long   string   of   questions   quickly   leaves   them   in   one   breath.