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ssonders · 1 month

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❛ i can understand that sentiment. the view of them here pales in comparison to our stars back home, ❜ the stars that he, too, knows are the same no matter where you reside in the world; yet he can't ignore the way the idea gnaws at his heart. he's never been one to feel a strong longing for his home, being a world traveler and a thorough one at that, but one being surrounded by strife can change things. ❛ do you know what i find comforting? ❜ cyrus looks to the princess opposite himself before eyes flicker back to the lit up sky, ❛ no matter how different they feel here, they still show up every night, back home. we aren't there to greet them right now, but they still show up for us. ❜ to the average person, his words might seem a touch witless, or make little sense. but that's never stopped him before.

*status: open starter (not capped) *location: lal qila courtyard

not for the first time since arriving to the sprawling mughal fortress, jalene finds herself homesick. she misses sneaking her brother's cat pieces of injera at dinner, the fragrant bloom of roses by her window, and the sour spice of doro wat on the back of her tongue. most of all, she misses the people, her extended family and the endless march of doting allies that had known her and loved her since childhood. being surrounded, constantly, by discord and simmering tension, people she hardly knows, and are largely difficult to know -- it takes a heavier toll on her than lets on. sitting on a parapet at the edge of the courtyard, she tilts her head back until her nape presses at the cool marble. "the stars are different here," she muses softly, to no one in particular. "i know that's not possible, but they are."

#𝐜. 𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐢 ┆ thread.#𝐜𝐲𝐫𝐮𝐬 + jalene.

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ssonders · 1 month

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ESTHER YU as YUN WEI SHAN My Journey to You 云之羽 (2023) – Ep. 6

#𝐱. 𝐪𝐢𝐧𝐠 ┆ portrait.

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ssonders · 1 month

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the bathhouse is something the princess has taken some enjoyment in, such indulgences being quite the frequency back in her homeland. in china, however, she usually remains undisturbed. as one who relishes in sweet silence, their dissatisfied expression goes unmasked as dark eyes slowly look over to the other person occupying the space. rain pattering against the roof accompanies her question, ❛ is there humor in that? ❜ a sigh follows as head tilts back, resting comfortably along the edge of the tub. if a strong enough attempt was made, perhaps she could pretend she was alone. ❛ getting wet isn't the issue— we keep warm here. that makes the difference. ❜ as well as the relaxation components, though xian li doesn't fuss over adding that point.

Open starter (0/2) • Bath house, during the storm

The warm water was pleasant against her skin, she would soak forever if she could. They had a bathtub in Versailles, but nothing like this: entire rooms with huge pools for people to soak in. She could get used to this — ironic, considering she passed on the opportunity by ruining a marriage which may have granted her a smaller version of this. Why don't they build spaces like these in Europe anymore?

The silence, however, was gnawing at her. Maybe the other person just wanted to be left alone, but being naked like this in complete silence was too awkward for her taste. "Isn't it funny? That we are confined inside trying not to get wet in the rain, but came here to get wet in a tub instead."

#𝐱. 𝐪𝐢𝐧𝐠 ┆ thread.#𝐱𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐢 + astrid.

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ssonders · 1 month

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we are so glad to see you safe, princess qing xian li of china! it’s dangerous out in the world these days, but i hear that you are perceptive and diligent enough to handle it. just don’t let your restlessness bring you down! stay on your guard, because with your secret being at risk for exposure, you wouldn’t want everyone to find out every so often you send bits of your family's money to your childhood friend out of guilt.

general information!

full name. xian li qing. pronunciation. shyehn - lee. name meaning. xián meaning elegant, refined, skillful; lì meaning beautiful. nickname. none. title. princess of china. age. twenty seven. date of birth. march 2, pisces. identity. demi woman, she/her and they/them pronouns. orientation. bisexual biromantic. marital status. unwed; unbetrothed. languages. mandarin chinese, japanese, korean, english. one could also say she's fluent in body language. is also adequately picking up conversational terms in various languages since their arrival in the mughal empire.

personality!

positive traits. perceptive, diligent, alluring. negative traits. restless, headstrong, elusive. moral alignment. chaotic good. temperament. choleric. mbti type. isfj. interests. tai chi, wing chun, playing various instruments; namely the guzheng and the dizi, partaking in and watching traditional ribbon dance, stargazing, painting.

semblance!

face claim. yu shuxin / esther yu. eye color. brown. hair color. black. build. slim. height. 5'6; 167cm.

quick facts!

has never properly fit the title of princess as one is expected to: listening and respecting your elders at all times, to do as your told and not stray. she's always wanted more, to do more, to feel accomplished. a dull, cookie cutter life has never been appealing.

a rebellious nature began to form as soon as xian li was old enough to think for herself. sneaking out of the palace and mingling with village kids her own age became a frequent routine, sometimes getting into trouble and doing things they weren't supposed to. one fateful night lead to something precious being destroyed; xian li making her escape and placing the blame on another. this lead to the family being punished and losing most of what they had in order to repay the debt. she's funneled money to them in secret since she was a teenager, finding a guilty conscience hard to shake.

xian li has always trained and kept herself in check as if she was going to war to fight for her country's honor, despite never stepping foot on a real battlefield. however, it's what they'd rather be doing and has always been the goal, to serve in that form no matter the discontent it has earned her from some within her inner world.

if it isn't an argument or one isn't a member of their family, she is a person of few words, preferring to quietly observe and put together a mental folder of those around. above all else, her privacy is what she values the most, and finds it unnecessary to reveal things about her own person for no reason — the shackles around her heart will not come apart so easily.

wanted connections!

a confidant. someone outside of xian li's family that they feel the safest with, and perhaps knows all of her innermost secrets and thoughts. i'd like one to be genuine, but i'm also open to someone who is also faking the closeness for their own hidden motives!

secret friend? whether it's due to their respective countries not seeing eye to eye / falling out or being direct enemies, bad history, whichever — i think a secret bond could be fun!

broken betrothal — being tied down has never been xian li's forte so she was most likely the one to raise hell over it until it was nulled, whether there's any bitterness or hurt feelings, etc. can be discussed

ex friends. from love to hate? possible betrayals? angst? angst? angst?

fwbs. likes to have fun and be secretive about it, check

sparring partners! teaching each other different fighting styles and helping each other improve? someone who won't treat her delicately?

more tba! always happy to brainstorm :)

#theopulent.intro #𝐱. 𝐪𝐢𝐧𝐠 ┆ thread.#𝐱. 𝐪𝐢𝐧𝐠 ┆ about.#𝐱. 𝐪𝐢𝐧𝐠 ┆ portrait.#𝐱. 𝐪𝐢𝐧𝐠 ┆ inbox.#𝐱. 𝐪𝐢𝐧𝐠 ┆ task.

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ssonders · 1 month

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we are so glad to see you safe, prince cyrus badi of egypt! it’s dangerous out in the world these days, but i hear that you are valiant and faithful enough to handle it. just don’t let your unpredictability bring you down! stay on your guard, because with your secret being at risk for exposure, you wouldn’t want everyone to find out your birth family valued money over you.

general information!

full name. cyrus badi. pronunciation. sie - ruhs. name meaning. sun. nickname. cy, to those he is closer to. title. prince of egypt. age. twenty nine. date of birth. may 18, taurus. identity. cis man, he/him pronouns. orientation. heterosexual heteromantic. marital status. betrothed to the second youngest soloman royal. languages. egyptian, arabic, somali, french, english, latin, german.

personality!

positive traits. valiant, faithful, charming, inventive. negative traits. unpredictable, pleasure-seeking and self indulgent, jealous. moral alignment. true neutral. temperament. sanguine. mbti type. estp. interests. bladesmithing, archery, horse racing, theatre, learning new things, and invention — though nothing concrete has come from that just yet.

semblance!

face claim. jordan fisher. eye color. brown. hair color. dark brown. build. lean muscle. height. 5'9; 175cm.

quick facts!

his origin story, for the most part, remains a mystery to him. any memories that briefly flicker from the back of his mind to the front are often blurry; something that might be for the better, given the circumstances of how he came to be taken in by the egyptian royal family.

growing up within that family was a blessing in more ways than one. he never had to question whether or not he truly belonged with them nor was he ever made to feel out of place, like an extra in their story. as he grew older, the bond with his parents and siblings only got stronger, translating in his ever present need to make sure they know how much he cares for them and their country. an unwavering loyalty that isn't extended to just anyone.

his thirst for knowledge has always been strong, a direct correlation with his constant studying and traveling when able; immersing himself in new cultures and the different points of view they offered. this also fed into his knack for science and invention, questioning what information they already possess about vast subjects and conspiracies, and everything that could come from them.

a romantic at heart, a purely strategic and loveless marriage is the last thing he wants, though he would never dream of ruining an alliance with ethiopia on behalf of his family. while he knows he needs to put his best foot forward and keep his mind open with his betrothal, he's unsure on whether or not his heart can handle doing the same so soon. as definitively losing joanna has reopened a wound he didn't know he had.

wanted connections!

people he's met and made friends with during his travels over the years — don't have to be royal! could've kept in touch through letter exchanges and becoming pen pals, or have only reconnected since arriving here.

those who shares the same interest(s) as him! someone who races with him for fun as well as leisure horseback rides, someone who also has an unquenchable need for learning new things and/or invention — someone willing to humor his experiments or ideas!

friends, acquaintances, etc. he's generally a very lively and outgoing person and thinks of himself as easy to get along with, so budding friendships are always welcome!

enemies or one sided rivals! i do say one sided because it's not very easy to make him not like someone, but a person not vibing with his sunshine-y attitude? maybe something to do with his intellect for a rivalry but cyrus thinks it's all jokes? much to think about

more tba! always happy to brainstorm :)

#theopulent.intro #𝐜. 𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐢 ┆ thread.#𝐜. 𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐢 ┆ about.#𝐜. 𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐢 ┆ portrait.#𝐜. 𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐢 ┆ inbox.#𝐜. 𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐢 ┆ task.

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