#duchess had to be bribed to take it
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the stupid n’ villainous trio making fools of themselves (as per usual)
#the chokehold these three have on me#they’re my demons that keep me up until 5 am#i imagine this photo was ramona and faybelles idea#duchess had to be bribed to take it#sparrow is the photographer#duchess swan#ramona badwolf#faybelle thorn#ever after high#eah#eah fanart
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Hello it's me again!!! Can i request Claudebwith a Reader as Shuli Von Neuschwanstein like personality and attitude towards everyone but the appearance is difference also a widower and has step children from her former husband please? (Bonus Reader is Grand Duchess)
“𝒜 𝓁ℴ𝓋ℯ ℐ 𝓃ℯ𝓋ℯ𝓇 ℯ𝓍𝓅ℯ𝒸𝓉ℯ𝒹.”
manhwa(s): Who Made Me A Princess
character(s): Claude de Alger Obelia
note: aight here I go again! If reader is ooc from Shuli's character just a quick reminder that I still do not know her well, and am still trying to understand! Also I'm sorry that this took so long! I had written a draft and was ready to post, but looking at it again I really didn't like it and it kinda was off track... So, yeah here's your request!
Name was the newly wed wife of the emperor, Claude de Alger Obelia. Never did it occur to her that it was such a struggle to be a royal's beloved until this very day.
The marriage was of course hidden as a secret relationship towards the two of them. There would be suspicion if the nobles as well as commoners found out that a duchess, whose husband had died years before, became the emperor's beloved.
Luckily for her, Claude had thought of it and held the wedding ceremony so that only the most trusted were invited.
This meant that he and her still lived in different homes. In the comfort of their own homes, they both seemed persistent in keeping this relationship such a secret.
Being a duchess was already stressful enough, even without the nobles hearing that she had gotten married.
She tried her very hardest to keep her will strong. To care for her children, love Claude and Athy, and do her duties as the duchess.
Athy had taken her quite well. The princess seemed quite intent in making her new mother comfortable. Which made Name smile all the time. Not only that, Athy took to her children well as well. The twins seemed to love being with the princess. So much that they had to be bribed out just to get them out of her room.
Taking care of Claude was no small feat. It took her every willpower not to panic at his movements. He always seemed to want affection from her, though he'd never admit it. Always wanting a hug, a kiss on the cheek, or even a head pat.
Most times while the kids played, she and Claude would have tea in the garden. During which she tried making conversation that only made Claude lull to sleep. She normally gave a giggle, seeing him sleeping.
When she was back home, she was duchess and not his wife. Which was stressful to say the least. There were always letters to be answered, papers to be finished for the estate's renovation plan, as well as invitations from nobles who were eager to see her mess up in one of their extravagant parties.
Days like these normally went by slowly, and she never did get used to it. Reading all those letters was a nuisance. Especially when all she was trying to do was do her duties and be a good example to her children.
"Mother?" Her head jerked up towards the door, revealing one of her beloved children.
"Yes?" She asked, taking a notice of her hoarse and tired voice.
"You should take a rest, you've been working all day.." Her son mumbled as he walked towards the desk, looking at the written letters sent by the council.
"Ah... I still have work to finish, dear." She gestured to the stacks of paperwork to be answered and checked. "I will go to bed when I finish, I promise." This caught in her throat a little for she knew it would take her all night to do this, and would most likely finish in the morning.
"You won't." This gave her quite a shock. Was it written all over her face? "You always say that, and always come to breakfast looking as if you haven't slept in weeks. Please sleep." He said, touching her shoulder. "Father won't be pleased when he hears that you have not been catching sleep." This was also very startling. Normally her children would call Claude by his name alone or his title. Never once had she heard them call him "Father".
"oh alright then." His mother said, looking up at her son. "I will sleep, just let me finish this one.." She exhaled in frustration. Why was Claude always the reason for her to do as she could.
Her son smiled at this, and sat on one of the cushioned lounges near her desk. "I'll stay here until you're done to ensure you're going to sleep this time."
Once the female finished, she was rushed to bed almost immediately by her son. "Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?" Her tone was playful and her son just laughed at it, shaking his head.
"I don't see why I can't worry about you the way you do to us." He smiled, waving at Name, who was now stuck on the bed in a pile of pillows and blankets. "Good night, Mother!"
The next day, they were expected in the castle. "Good afternoon, Athy!" Name exclaims cheerfully as she hugged her. "How are you?"
Athy's eyes seemed to gleam in delight as she hugged her back. "I'm good! It's so good to see all of you present here!" She smiled, as she ran and hugged her other step-siblings.
It was truly a good thing. Normally it would be either Name would go or her children would, but today they had planned on going together.
Claude was asleep when they had arrived as Athy had told her. She had been given the job to rouse that sleeping beauty from his nap. "Claude." She muttered, noticing that tapping him was not working at all.
She knew she was gonna die for this, but she began shaking him. That failed as well. Trying other techniques on waking him, she finally gave up. Should she just wait for him to stir from his slumber?
She cursed under her breath as she racked her brain for other methods that could possibly work.
An idea that was most likely the worst of all her ideas came to mind. As she thought of it more, she did not notice that her husband was already awake and looking directly at her.
"You seem very serious, what are you thinking?" This made her snap back to reality to see those jeweled eyes staring at her own.
"Doesn't matter since you're wide awake now anyway." She shook her head, feeling embarrassed that she had been caught thinking of ways to wake him up.
"Hm. Am I?" A quick movement was produced as she found herself on the bed with him.
"Claude." She mumbled, flustered as she felt him nuzzle against her back. "The kids are waiting—" "So what? They can wait." Claude grumbled as he hugged her tightly as if she might die if he let go.
"This is the only time we're all together and here you are making us stay in bed?" She sighed. Sometimes this man was truly hard to deal with.
"Do you have a problem with my wishes?" His voice seemed intimidating. Did she touch a nerve? She calmed herself.
"Sorry." She apologized.
"Good. Now let me sleep." He shut his eyes, and fell asleep on her.
#manhwa#self insert#manhwa x reader#wmmap claude#claude de alger obelia#wmmap x reader#who made me a princess#athanasia de alger obelia#wmmap athanasia
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The Story of Minglan
I probably won't be able to pull off a whole episode tonight but I. Must. Know 😭😭
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The way she keeps begging her worthless father for even a crumb of acknowledgement that he had any feelings whatsoever for her poor mother, smh.
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Oh, fuck you.
All he ever thinks of is his dick and his pride. I don't think he has ever truly loved anyone except for himself.
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Oh, baby 😢
Why are you even still expecting anything from his worthless, selfish ass?
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YES. SEE HIM FOR WHAT HE IS.
He deserves neither your love nor respect. Please stop crying because of him!
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Ugh, this evildoer.
Don't worry, I have no doubt you'll eventually get yours too! 😡
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Who?
What are the names of those two princes again? Yan and Yong?
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I am suuuuuuper confused.
Are Consort Yong and Duchess Ying the same person?
(Also, finally! These Yan and Yong people appear! I have been trying so hard to remember these names because this drama keeps hinting they will be important.)
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No, not the same, because Consort Yong is a princess, not a duchess, smh. Then what are they both wearing pink for? A little consideration for us face-blind people would have been nice!
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So.... let me see if I've got this straight.
The Princes Yong and Yan are the current Emperor's brothers?
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Oh, wait, I just realized that this toxic gossip is Yanran's shitty younger sister!
I didn't recognise her in fine clothes, lol.
What the hell is her problem? She's still mad about being beaten at a game of polo?
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Jesus Christ. Now she has the attention of these witches on her.
This is all Qi Heng's shitty doing. I hate him more than I can express 🤬🤬
And it's not just Minglan, these Imperial fuckers can ruin her entire family too!
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LOL, who's the little whore?
Is there a single woman in this drama who doesn't have a problem with mistresses, concubines, serving maids and prostitutes? 😅
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NOOOOOO, DON'T GO MEET WITH HIM!! 😭
AND THIS CREEPY WITCH SAW!! 😭😭
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STUPID. STUPID. STUPID.
Minglan, where did you lose your brain??
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WHO GIVES A FUCK ABOUT YOUR MISERABLE BODY
YOUR EVIL MOTHER BEAT A WOMAN TO DEATH BECAUSE OF YOU. FUCK YOU AND FUCK HER AND FUCK YOUR ENTIRE HOUSE
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There is no chance this will not pulverize both her reputation and that of her entire house.
First of all, the Emperor would never offend his parents by granting this marriage and second, the scandal of it will do soooooo much damage to her and her family. Just imagine how pissed off his parents will be, in addition to every other snooty noble who is very much going to take her trying to marry above her means as a personal insult. Sheng Hong has neither the power nor the mental capacity to deal with the fallout of that.
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LMAO, where did his stupid ass come from? 🤣🤣
He's like a jack-in-the-box, always popping up, it seems.
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LOL, bribe him with the cake to keep him quiet 🤣🤣
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Yes! Finally, somebody is speaking some common sense!
All her stupid maids to is enable her because they think it's sooooo romantic 🙄🙄
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Yes, baby! Here for you and your petty goals! 🤗
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Oh, nooooooo 😬😬
Of course Buwei gets blamed. Of course!
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Here's NRC's mama kitty ehehe
Darling Duchess, she teaches Practical Magic. Although her methods seem incredibly lax, even to those that know her, her students are rather successful and excellent at putting their skills to practice.
She doesn't believe in "problem children" and will not turn away a student no matter how difficult they may be to another teacher. She lets the students take their time with the curriculum and encourages them to freely experiment with their magic. Often there is at least one student napping through the class, but Darling won't bother them at all for it, only waiting for the time when they feel like participating. The only thing she will not stand for is fighting, no matter how playful it may seem.
She's an NRC alumnus, in Crewel's graduating class. Most people speculate that she got into the school via a bribe, as NRC is a boys' school and her family is fabulously wealthy (not royalty, but of a high nobility nonetheless). Still, she did have the skills to warrant her being there, and went through her school years without a hitch.
When she became a teacher, she was originally hired as an educator at RSA, however she had a disagreement with Ambrose that made her quit her position and return to work at her old school. Crowley is... not much better, but she prefers the liveliness of the students at NRC.
Please ask me questions about her she is on the brain soo much right now
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Nicola Walker's appearing in another historical (for the first time in what seems like ages!)
Everything We Know About Mary & George
BY EMILY BURACK PUBLISHED: NOV 16, 2023
Mary & George, a new period drama which will chronicle the affair between King James I and George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, promises to be one of the most highly anticipated shows of 2024.
In fact, the romance between the two is referenced in Casey McQuiston's Red, White, & Royal Blue novel, wherein the fictional Prince Henry writes, "I feel that James I, who fell madly in love with a very fit and exceptionally dim knight at a tilting match and immediately made him a gentleman of the bedchamber (a real title), would take mercy upon my particular plight." In a fun turn of events, actor Nicholas Galitzine stars as both Henry in Red, White, and Royal Blue and as the "very fit knight," a.k.a. George, Duke of Buckingham.
Here's everything we know about Mary & George so far:
It's based on a true story.
Mary & George is adapted from The King's Assassin by Benjamin Woolley, a nonfiction book that details "the conspiracy to kill King James I by his handsome lover, the Duke of Buckingham."
Per Sky Atlantic, "Mary & George is inspired by the unbelievable true story of Mary Villiers, who moulded her beautiful and charismatic son, George, to seduce King James VI of Scotland and I of England and become his all-powerful lover. Through outrageous scheming, the pair rose from humble beginnings to become the richest, most titled and influential players the English court had ever seen, and the King’s most trusted advisors. And with England’s place on the world stage under threat from a Spanish invasion and rioters taking to the streets to denounce the King, the stakes could not have been higher."
Galitzine is also set to star in Red, White, and Royal Blue this year.SKY AND AMC
The plot continues: "Prepared to stop at nothing and armed with her ruthless political steel, Mary married her way up the ranks, bribed politicians, colluded with criminals and clawed her way into the heart of the Establishment, making it her own. Mary & George is a dangerously daring historical psychodrama about an outrageous mother and son who schemed, seduced, and killed to conquer the court of England and the bed of King James."
Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine lead the cast.
Moore and Galitzine as the mother-son duo.SKY AND AMC
Julianne Moore stars as Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham
Nicholas Galitzine stars as George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
Tony Curran as King James I
Laurie Davidson as Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset
Trine Dyrholm as Queen Anne
Tom Victor as John Villers, 1st Viscount Purbeck
Amelia Gething as Frances Coke, Viscountess Purbeck
Sean Gilder as Sir Thomas Compton
Jacob McCarthy as Christopher "Kit" Villers, 1st Earl of Anglese
Alice Grant as Susan Villers, a.k.a Susan Feilding, Countess of Denbigh
Niamh Algar as Sandie
Nicola Walker as Elizabeth Hatton
Samuel Blenkin as King Charles I
Mirren Mack as Katherine Villiers, Duchess of Buckingham
Rina Mahoney as Laura Ashcattle
Adrian Rawlins as Sir Edward Coke
Simon Russell Beale as Sir George Villiers
There will be seven episodes in the limited series.
Davidson as Earl Somerset, Curran as King James, and Dyrholm as Queen Anne.SKY AND AMC
No premiere date has been set yet, but it will air in 2024 on Sky Atlantic in the UK and Starz in the US. Watch a teaser trailer here:
youtube
It was originally supposed to air on AMC Networks, but now it will air on Starz.
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Not all the Kents suck! The Duke and Duchess of Kent seem super chill. They've lived in the same small house for forever (neighbors to Nott Cott which Harry referenced in Spare and said something like he hoped they couldn't smell the weed lol) and Katherine is now retired minding her own business but she was an avid tennis fan who got kicked out for giving tickets to a kid who lost his father. Their daughter Helen is super cool too and had a really beautiful wedding dress that no one mentions. Also the Duke of Kent was one of the few people who talked to Harry and Meghan at the jubilee. Please please don't let Prince Michael of taking-bribes-from-oligarchs and his horrible wife ruin the whole Kent branch
I was going to add that I DO like the Duchess of Kent and I posted fondly about her love of rap music before but work distracted me! Sorry!
I should have said that there are a lot of Kents that just seem really unpleasant, like Prince and Princess Micheal in particular and Lord Nicholas Windsor (who is an outspoken anti-abortion activist). Very corrupt and way too full of themselves.
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Daphne and Simon’s Children
The duke and duchess of Hastings have five children: Amelia, Belinda, Caroline, David, and Edward. Eldest daughter Amelia takes after her mother and uncle Anthony, being a caring and protective person especially when it comes to her younger cousins and siblings. As the first to marry, Amelia’s courtship and husband are considered less scandalous, even though her husband had a bit of a reputation that he was trying to overcome. Second daughter Belinda takes after her uncle Benedict more so than anyone else in her family. She’s perhaps the most sensitive of the Basset children and can be a bit of a hopeless romantic. Like her sisters, Belinda has a fairly scandal-free courtship and marriage. Third daughter Caroline takes after her uncle Colin a lot and just like him, she is able to look innocent when she gets in trouble. Caroline also has a fairly scandal-free courtship and marriage. Eldest son and fourth child David secures the future of the dukedom. He takes after his father a lot, preferring to stay out of the spotlight. David finds his match in a dowager countess, with a slightly complicated love story. Youngest child Edward inherits his father’s stutter but has a better relationship with it than his father ever does. He's been given the space to be imperfect and knows that his worth isn’t tied to his ability to speak fluently. Edward finds his match in an American heiress from New York City and it’s a slightly scandalous match.
Amelia Diana Violet Basset
Born in 1814, Amelia is an interesting cross of her Uncle Anthony and her mother in terms of personality. As the eldest, both in her immediate family and her extended family, she takes on a similar role to her uncle, while also possessing the nurturing nature of her mother. She takes her role as the eldest very seriously and can sometimes be too much of a mother hen, especially when it comes to her younger cousins.
Amelia’s godfather is Anthony and her godmother is Francesca.
Despite having a very close relationship with her mother, Amelia was always a little bit of a daddy’s girl. Part of it was being the first child. Simon was always besotted with her and it was a different type of besotted than the way he was with his other children. He was floored by how easy it was to love Amelia, this tiny little human who was a mix of himself and Daphne.
One summer, when she was about 17, Amelia accidentally discovered that she really loved cooking and baking. However, it was not considered an acceptable pastime for a duke’s daughter, so Amelia had to conceal her love for it. She does bribe her cooks to teach her how to make her and her family’s favorite dishes.This also allows her to forge a close relationship with her cousin, Miles’s wife, Grace who is a baker.
Amelia’s first season ends up being a bit of a disaster… on many fronts. Her family is too protective and doesn’t back off. She escapes one too many unsavory encounters. It results in the whole Bridgerton family having to take a step back and reassess everything. Her second season is much smoother, especially given that she has Belinda to turn to.
Amelia married Robert Joliffe, Viscount Lowestoft, in 1835, when she was twenty-one and he was twenty-nine. Their relationship starts fairly low-key, with them continuing to run into one another at events. Robert’s got a bit of a reputation, but he’s been working on being better because he cannot shake the look of disappointment in his late father’s eyes. Eventually, their interactions become tinged with romance and Robert’s working to be the complete opposite of his reputation. Amelia’s fascinated by all of these combating aspects of his personality and by the end of the season, they’re engaged. Their marriage has a rocky start, though, as they both try to find what feels right for them and their relationship.
Canonically, Amelia and Robert have two sons named Charles and Thomas. Charles’s middle name is Robert, while Thomas’s middle name is Simon.
Belinda Minerva Daisy Basset
Born in 1815, Belinda is similar in personality to her Uncle Benedict. She has a lot of traits from her mother as well, but in general, she has a similar role in her family to her Uncle Benedict. She’s sensitive and kind and has a creative mind, often jotting down random poems and is talented at the piano. She also tends to be the most sensitive when it comes to names and does not like when people make fun of her name or other people’s name.
Belinda’s godfather is Colin and her godmother is Eloise.
Belinda is, in many ways, more Bridgerton than Basset. Appearance wise, she looks a lot like her Bridgerton relatives with chestnut brown hair and her Uncle Colin’s green eyes. Her personality also aligns more with the Bridgerton family than her father and his family members.
Belinda ends up having a close relationship with Lady Danbury. It doesn’t really happen until Belinda has her debut into the ton. She’s standing there, watching some sleazy, old lord trying to make his way to her when Lady Danbury shows up. She’s always been a fixture in Belinda’s life, but suddenly there’s something different about it. Agatha Danbury is going to keep an eye out for the Basset kids, her own great-grandchildren, and their many cousins.
In 1838, at the age of 23, Belinda married Kellan Butler (30), the earl of Wexford. He was not what Belinda expected for a husband. He’s Irish and Anglican and doesn’t come to London that much, as he wasn’t one of the representatives in Parliament of the Irish peerage. It wasn’t until the winter of 1838 that Kellan found himself having to serve in Parliament and his mother suddenly set herself on finding him a bride. Eventually, he and Belinda met. Belinda, determined not to make any mistakes after watching her sisters marry, put Kellan through his paces. Despite this, it was a relatively simple and straightforward courtship.
Canonically, Belinda and Kellan have one daughter named May, who was born in 1839. Her full name ends up being May Agatha Butler. She’s named after her paternal grandmother, Mary Butler, and Agatha Danbury.
Caroline Agatha Daphne Basset
Born in 1816, Caroline takes after her Uncle Colin quite a bit. They’re both the third sibling. They’re just similar in personality. Caroline is quite friendly, always ready to make a new friend. She’s also figured out how to look innocent whenever things occur and it doesn’t go the way that she wants to. She doesn’t have his appetite, though. She shares his desire to make her own mark on the world and have them remember her.
Caroline’s godfather is Benedict and her godmother is Kate.
Caroline starts talking a few months later than both of her older sisters. She wasn’t delayed, and she started walking before Amelia and Belinda, but it still scared the hell out of Simon. Daphne has to remind him that even if Caroline did stutter, that doesn’t mean they won’t love her any differently than their other children.
Caroline is closer to Simon than Daphne. She also takes after Simon in appearance, the only one of her sisters to take after the Basset family in appearance as opposed to the Bridgerton family.
Caroline really admires her Aunt Francesca and Aunt Hyacinth. There’s just something about them that makes Caroline want to be like them. She’s more like Hyacinth than she is Francesca, which isn’t surprising given that she’s rather similar in personality to Colin.
Caroline married Lord Geoffrey Findlay-Wyatt, a second son, in 1837, when she was twenty-one and he was twenty-five. They’ve got a bit of a love at first sight vibe, where they caught one another’s eye across the ballroom and fell hard. It’s not the easiest journey towards love, but it is simpler than her sister, Amelia’s courtship. However, a lot of people sort of laugh off Geoffrey’s pursuit of Caroline because he’s young and everyone assumes that he wants to spend his 20s unmarried. Maybe he would have, but he really loves Caroline and wants to be married to her.
Canonically, Caroline and Geoffrey have two children named Henry and Victoria. Henry’s middle name is Simon, while Victoria’s middle name is Caroline.
David Anthony Edmund Colin Basset
Born in 1817, David is more outgoing than Simon, but not by much. He’s still an introvert and prefers to observe everything that goes on in front of him. His sisters are the true extroverts of the Basset family. David is the first Basset child to take after Simon and not a Bridgerton.
David’s godfather is Gregory and his godmother is Hyacinth.
David is a momma’s boy. He has a very close relationship with Daphne.
Upon learning that he finally had a son, Simon worried and stressed. The biggest worry was that David would stutter and that he’d screw David up because of the grudge that he had held towards his father. There was also a momentary sadness that Hastings line would continue, but that disappeared the moment that he finally saw and held David.
David is very close with his cousin, Miles Bridgerton. They’ve always been close and even end up getting married the same year. There’s something about being born in the same year and attending school together that bonds you forever. In fact, Miles is the godfather to David’s only son, Reg.
David takes his duties as the heir to the Hastings dukedom quite seriously. He’s not as serious as his cousin, Edmund, but David knows that being the heir isn’t something that you can take lightly. People will be depending on you and screw ups can be devastating for those that rely on you.
David has had a crush on Phoebe Wycliff, the dowager countess of Royce since he first saw, when she wasn’t yet a dowager countess as her first husband was still living. Nine years later, David finds that his feelings for Phoebe are still there. So, when she approaches him with an offer to become her lover, David jumps at the chance. Slowly, but surely, David’s feelings grow stronger and all he wants to do is make her smile with a genuine smile.
David married Phoebe in 1844, when they were both twenty-seven.
David and Phoebe have three children, Rex (or Reg), Seraphina, and Goldie. Their eldest is a son named Reginald David Simon Basset, who is called Reg by David and Phoebe and Rex by everyone else. Their second child is a daughter named Seraphina Daphne Basset, who is three years younger than Rex. Their youngest is a daughter named Marigold Tabitha “Goldie” Basset, who is four years younger than Seraphina.
Edward Simon Gregory Benedict Basset
Born in 1834, Edward takes after Simon. He is quiet and taciturn and the most introverted Basset. He also stutters, much to Simon’s dismay. However, Edward never had the issues with it that Simon did. His family were very supportive and gave Edward the space to be imperfect. It probably helped that he was the spare. In fact, it takes Simon longer to accept Edward’s stutter than it does for Edward himself to accept it. Edward has always known that his worth and intelligence is not tied to his difficulties speaking.
Edward’s godfather is Phillip and his godmother is Sophie.
Edward is a momma’s boy, but he is also quite close to Simon. There’s such a large age gap between himself and his siblings, that Edward spent more one-on-one time with his parents than any of his siblings ever did.
Edward is quite close with his cousin, Anthony “Ant” Bridgerton. In fact, Edward takes on a similar role to his father in their friendship, as Ant is rather similar to their Uncle Anthony. Ant is also the godfather to Edward’s son, Gus.
Edward is the tallest Basset. He is an inch taller than David and is very pleased by that fact. He enjoys being the tallest.
Edward marries Molly Campbell, an American heiress. They have a slightly rocky start and Molly was supposedly engaged, but eventually they fall in love.
Edward married Molly in 1859, when he was twenty-five and she was twenty-one.
Edward and Molly have four children, each two years apart. Their eldest is a daughter named Evelyn Daphne Basset, their second child is a son named Augustus Simon Edward “Gus” Basset, their third child is a daughter named Julia Molly Basset, and their youngest is a daughter named Violet Agatha “Lettie” Basset.
Bonus: August Edmund Colin “Auggie” Basset
Born in 2014, Auggie only exists in my modern AUs, where he is the twin brother of Amelia and he’s younger than her by ten minutes. However, he doesn’t take after either of his parents. Instead, he takes after his Uncle Colin. He’s a daredevil, too, and always comes traipsing in with some new minor injury, usually a black eye or a split lip.
Auggie’s godfather is Colin and his godmother is Eloise.
Despite his daredevil ways, Auggie’s profession is rather mundane. He follows his father’s footsteps and becomes the vice president of the Hastings Foundation, a nonprofit his father founded to provide education and therapy services for people with communication disorders. He sees the good it does firsthand, with his kid brother, Edward, and the way his younger sister, Belinda, works as one of the foundation’s speech language pathologists.
Auggie is bisexual, something he realized as a fairly young teenager. He comes out at 16, during one of the family’s gatherings. His mother is interrogating him about his broken wrist and he just blurts it out, mostly to divert attention from his broken wrist and the grounding that he knows was coming. Plus, his family has always been chaotically supportive and he trusts them.
Auggie falls in love with a man named Ernest Livingston. Ernest is an electrical engineer and also shares some of Auggie’s daredevil ways. They first meet when Ernest brings his nephew to the Hastings Foundation.
Auggie married Ernest in 2044, when he was 30 and Ernest was 29 (and four months shy of thirty).
Auggie and Ernest adopt two children. They adopt a three-year-old girl, Nova Eunice Livingston-Basset, and two years after Nova, they adopt an infant boy who they named Amos Simon Livingston-Basset. Therefore, there's a five year age gap between Nova and Amos.
Anthony & Kate’s children • Benedict & Sophie’s children • Colin & Penelope’s children • Eloise & Phillip’s children • Francesca & Michael’s children • Gregory & Lucy’s children • Hyacinth & Gareth’s children
#amelia basset#belinda basset#caroline basset#david basset#edward basset#auggie basset#bridgerton next generation#bridgerton next gen#saphne#daphne x simon#bridgerton#please check out everyone’s else kiddos too!#oh also…#modern bridgerton au#last set of updated bng headcanons!!#simon was meant to be a girl dad just as much as he was to have sons#for abc… kiddos’ middle names & love stories aren’t canon only their husbands’ & kids’ first/last names + titles are#still not sure on auggie’s vibe or how his love story with ernest plays out but oh well#also apparently the show has given simon & daphne their second kid… hope it’s belinda & not another boy#because then that’s a suspicious thing… like there was no reason to have auggie instead of amelia#they could have easily jumped to david… i swear to god simon is meant to be a girl dad first!!!!#also stuttering and stammering are the same thing so they may be used interchangeably for edward
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Headcanons: Dino Cavallone’s entire family tree - Pt. 5
So, fifth generation, we are now talking about Dino's great-grandfather!
UNDER CUT!
Proceeding from here: CLICKETY CLICK!
The First World War and the 7th generation / The Second World War and the 8th generation
So, Duchess Gemma Cavallone and her husband had a total of four children, whilst Duchess Perla Cavallone never married or had any children.
The four children are:
Emanuele: third born, named after the king, he will be a key man in directing the spies at the service of the king during the war.
Marino: first born, he will serve as a captain during the war. He will tragically die during the 1917 battle of Caporetto. His family has a memorial tomb in the local cemetery for him.
Norma fourth born, she will be the one smuggling goods and necessities for the people affected by the war.
Fancesco: second born, he will be the one inheriting the title and the will of his mother Gemma and aunt Perla. He will show the flames as he is defending his home and his people against the invaders, and will be the one present at the various treaties that will be made after the war, securing his position as head of the Cavallone family and lord of the land at the service of the king and the royal house.
The three sons will obtain the Silver Medal of Military Valor, whilst the daughter will obtain the War Merit Cross for their services during the war.
After the war they all took separate paths.
Francesco took the title of Duke and became the seventh boss of the Cavallone family, thus introducing the family into a new era.
Emanuele permanently joined the Servizi Segreti and whilst he really never came back home, he was quite the successful agent.
Marino unfortunately died tragically during the battle of Caporetto (a notorious debacle for Italy), but his family treated him with all the honours anyway. His gravestone reads "To the one who put freedom above all".
Norma married Duke Francesco's second in command, a gentleman called Alberto Sanna, moved to Sardinia with him and went on with a peaceful life.
Duke Francesco Cavallone married a lady called Clelia Fabbri and whilst their marriage was a very happy one, they managed to have only one child, a boy they called Giorgio.
The Great Depression had its effects on Italy as well, it was the period where that fascist piece of shit that was Mussolini was starting to conduct his populist campaigns which would eventually lead him to become Italy's dictator.
In any case, the people suffered and the noble families tried to stay afloat. Duke Francesco Cavallone passed away due to poor health issues, but in the meantime his son Giorgio had shown the signs of legitimacy whilst trying his best in his father's stead to keep the people in his area somehow fed and fighting off the jackals who would try and take advantage of the situation.
The Cavallone family became very antifa and later on Duke Giorgio Cavallone would do everything in his power to save Jews from concentration camps, from paying to forge fake documents, to hiring them among the men who worked for him, to bribing the guards at the borders so that they could safely get to Switzerland, or east Europe.
And ofc the fascists were pissed, as these shitheads do, and for nwly appointed Duke Giorgio Cavallone that meant downsizing considerably.
He sold the castle that had been the home of the Cavallone since 1200 and purchased a villa - what would become later on Villa Cavallone.
Due to the merits obtained by the family during World War I, it was a little less taxing, but the Cavallone family was indeed very targeted by the fascist government, who would try to do everything to erase them from the face of the earth. When Nazist piece of shit Hitler himself came to Italy in 1943 the family risked a lot more - cue the SS gunpointing at him and his family, raiding their resources, etc - and here they received a LOT of help from the Vongola family, who protected the Cavallone family. After that the Cavallone family became one of the main supporters of the Vongola family to pay off the life debt they had with them.
Eventually the war ended in 1945, the Nazists were sent back to Germany to die/be trialed/be condemned, same happened with the Fascists, Mussolini was killed and hanged upside down rightfully so.
The Cavallone family could breathe again.
After the war they let go of their noble title - the Savoy were exiled, the Republic was born and they felt that a noble title would just be a burden. So they let it go.
So Duke Cavallone became "Onorevole" Giorgio Cavallone in legal documents.
Giorgio Cavallone, eighth boss, eventually married a lady called Lucia Pavan, with whom he had three children:
Tommaso: first born, he would become a discretely famous writer. He will not marry, but he would have a life long companionship (read: queer) with his best friend Furio Barbieri.
Marta: second born, she would be a very smart and pragmatical lady. She would eventually marry a gentleman called Donato Gallo and have a son called Marco.
Cosimo: third born, Dino's dad. I talk about him here: CLICK!
And ofc here's the family tree (including people I mentioned in my previous post).
#khr#khr headcanons#cavallone family tree#cavallone family#famiglia cavallone#kateikyoushi hitman reborn#katekyo hitman reborn#IT'S FINISHED!#FINALLY!
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What did Cole do to regain recognition as a national hero in the story? Did he do the classic knight killing a dragon (Grief-Bringer) or fighting off the tyrant(Vangelis) of a neighboring kingdom?
Yes to the Dragon thing, kinda yes to Vangelis.
Corin/Cole is an illegitimate child to Duchess Lilian, who had an affair with her lover Lucio. Corin was kept as he was the only boy born of one younger daughter.
Valentino was Lilian's actual husband who hated Corin, and at some point, bribed a royal captain to take the boy away and force him on the front lines so his daughter would be the only one valid for Lilian's inheritance. Corin lived and climbed the rank as an unrecognized Duke, and eventually he and his battalion of only 15 were faced up against a gem beast.
The name of the novel contains Sapphire, which in that universe is only exist as the collected bone matter to many magical beasts. The rich and royal connected to any army/warriors are the only ones known to have access to the gems and such jewelry that is other than carved stone/wood.
Corin slayed the in-universe Grief Bringer and opened its carcass to discover that the beast consumed other beasts to satiate its hunger. And in the dead center was one beast with a heart made of sapphire. He let the others of his battalion split up the gems for themselves and the royals, while he originally gifted the sapphire heart to Princess Nala.
With his reputation as the Grief Slayer, he was set in a new rank higher than his family and used it to force his awful stepfather out of their home.
In the new universe, it seems that Corin may be gifting the sapphire to Princess Nala. But not as a wedding proposal...
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Rating: 4.5/5
Book Blurb: Nova Albright was going to be the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High—but now she's dead. Murdered on coronation night. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and The Other Black Girl will love this unputdownable thriller.
Nova Albright, the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High, is dead. Murdered the night of her coronation, her body found the next morning in the old slave cemetery she spent her weekends rehabilitating.
Tinsley McArthur was supposed to be queen. Not only is she beautiful, wealthy, and white, it’s her legacy—her grandmother, her mother, and even her sister wore the crown before her. Everyone in Lovett knows Tinsley would do anything to carry on the McArthur tradition.
No one is more certain of that than Duchess Simmons, Nova’s best friend. Duchess’s father is the first Black police captain in Lovett. For Duchess, Nova’s crown was more than just a win for Nova. It was a win for all the Black kids. Now her best friend is dead, and her father won’t face the fact that the main suspect is right in front of him. Duchess is convinced that Tinsley killed Nova—and that Tinsley is privileged enough to think she can get away with it. But Duchess’s father seems to be doing what he always does: fall behind the blue line. Which means that the white girl is going to walk.
Duchess is determined to prove Tinsley’s guilt. And to do that, she’ll have to get close to her.
But Tinsley has an agenda, too.
Everyone loved Nova. And sometimes, love is exactly what gets you killed.
Review:
When the girl who is crowned as the first Black homecoming queen is found murdered and a video from her rival, a white girl, is leaked showing that she wanted to kill her things are about to explode. Nova Albright is the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High. On the night of her coronation she was murdered and her body was found the next morning in the old slave cemetery where she spent her weekends rehabilitating it. Tinsley McArthur was the rival homecoming queen, she is beautiful, wealthy, and white. Her family has all been homecoming queens and she was willing to do whatever it took to get the crown from bribing, bullying, and even more to get it. Yet the moment that Nova is announced, Tinsley is determined to make her life hell.... and vocalizes it after getting drunk at a party saying she would kill Nova and leave her body at the slave cemetery.... and that video just happens to go viral the next day when Nova’s body is found. Nova’s best friend Duchess Simmons is determined to find out what truly happened, and in a town where Duchess’s father is the first Black police captain, she knows there is a lot riding on this case. Duchess will do whatever it takes to find out who killed Nova and Tinsley is determined to clear her name. Both of them hate each other but they have a complicated history.... and the only way to figure out what truly happened to Nova is if they work together to find the true killer. Yet the more the dig into Nova’s life the more they realize she had so many secrets and the list of potential killers continues to grow. Throughout this book we also get to see Tinsley begin to realize her privilege, the racism around her, the way her actions and words hurt and impact others, and her realizing that she has to change. This was an interesting mystery, it definitely deals with racism and privilege. The overall plot twist and ending was a neat one and I like that we get to see the characters grow, and despite how frustrating some of them act and behave, they can be redeemed. I found the mystery to be interesting and the final conclusion to be a satisfying one. This is a great read for fans of mystery!
*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
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The Duchess's Hope- Chapter 1: To Jump off the cliff, or to not jump off the cliff.
An Inspiring Trip to Hell- is definitely what I'll need right now...
A look of shocked contemplation filled my face as I stared at Kageyama, trying my best to maintain my previously confident smile. All of my senses were on high alert, on the lookout for any potential danger. The smell of fear filled the air, making it increasingly difficult to put on a facade. This situation made me ponder how my older siblings managed to act so naturally in similar situations. As I continued to think, I recalled the reason for my presence before Kageyama's gaze, once more, became menacing. After taking a few calming breaths, I answered, "Your proposal is rather appealing to the average individual, but why would you want to hire me, who has yet to earn the appreciation of society? In all likelihood, someone else who possesses the desired characteristics would be far more suitable for the manager position."
The elderly individual regarded me with visible amusement as a result of my statements, clearly expecting me to decline his offer from the outset. He chuckled in an apparent attempt to unwind from his regal throne-like seating area, remarking, "You? One of the top scholars at this distinguished institution- yet an outcast all the same? Oh my, you should reduce the complexity of your diction if you wish for me to accept your words at face value."
His tone was in a low baritone, an attempt to hide the condescending tone that he had, I pondered in which sequence of his words made it sound so- insulting? With eyes narrowed I observed how his hands entangle with each other, the way his brow ceased, behind his glasses held an observant gaze that narrows right into your very existence.
"You have been given a choice by yours truly, the head of the Soccer club. Either you can become the soccer club's manager or be expelled from Teikoku Gakuen. Usually, I would not hesitate in having you kicked out, but given that the soccer club currently needs a manager, Kidou has suggested you be given the position." He repeated his statement as he awaited my response.
Pardon me? I was under the impression that my expulsion was a certainty. This turn of events is rather perplexing. What sort of deception am I being exposed to?
"We're waiting little Miss..." It would appear we are all on standby, with Kidou resting his chin on the palm of his hand, his eyes fixated on me with a piercing gaze that pierced through my thoughts of confusion, as if his gaze alone is capable of piercing through the depths of my soul and to eat my guts.
As more time has elapsed, my brain is scrambling to process every last detail, with Kidou asking me, "So, what will it be? Become the manager of the soccer club or leave the school?", his voice laced with the slightest bit of amusement, as if he found my predicament humorous.
"I will become the manager," I murmured, my voice hardly audible. These moments of solitude I've experienced, moments where I can take a deep breath and be at peace in my mind, served as my enlightenment. For if I suddenly depart this establishment immediately, despite it being the easier path to take, I would undoubtedly be doing the same thing that I have consistently done, and that is- being a coward while running from the challenges that lie ahead, as I scream at my eldest sibling to help me. With my own two hands, I worked tirelessly to enrol in this school without relying on bribes, connections or my siblings' assistance. I enrolled not only to prove to myself that I can be an independent individual with my own interests, but also to demonstrate to my siblings that I can achieve my goals without their assistance. It is not an option for me to throw in the towel, for that would make all of my hard work meaningless, and I cannot- no- I will not relinquish my efforts so easily.
When the Commander looked at me with those jet-black lenses, it was almost as if I were gazing into his soul. He roared, sounding like the God of Justice, "After today's practice, which starts after school, you will serve as the soccer club manager for Teikoku's soccer club until the moment you reach your graduation ceremony at Teikoku Gakuen."
As soon as Kageyama had dismissed us, Kidou decided to accompany me to our shared first-period class, even though he did not have to. It was strange, as Kidou could have easily excused himself, yet he chose to walk with me regardless. Perhaps he wanted to avoid being perceived as impolite or experiencing any uncomfortable feelings that could arise if he simply left me behind.
As I stood across from him, I gazed deeply into his tinted goggles, almost as if trying to pry into his soul. It was clear that I was trying to give him a taste of his own medicine.
"Why are you still here? You could have simply left me alone you know?" I said in an amused tone. As I bore my eyes into his tinted goggles, I could swear I could discern his eye colour from all the layers of tint. The shade of red was a unique one, and it was rather difficult to identify. Was it a bright red or a dark red, perhaps even a dark brown that could easily be mistaken for red?
Despite my attempts to engage him in a conversation and challenge him, my efforts fell on deaf ears. He completely ignored me, as if our earlier encounter never happened and he was not attempting to intimidate or assert his dominance over me earlier.
After a brief period of time, we made our way to my classroom. To my surprise, as soon as we entered the room, the teacher paused his lecture and every pair of eyes was affixed on us. It was as if I was the focus of the day's events. As I took a seat, I could feel the curious stares of others watching me. Although it was unusual for being a few moments late to class, I appreciated how Kidou had managed to exempt me from receiving detention. I had noticed most of my classmates were sneaking glances at me. Despite that, I am eternally grateful to Kidou for rescuing me from getting detention.
Although I am thankful to Kidou for getting me out of detention, I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of worry. My previous record of perfect attendance has just been destroyed by my tardiness, and now I feel an indescribable sense of unease. I have never been late to class and now this has happened, which only serves to aggravate my sense of insecurity.
By the time lunchtime had come, I felt as if I had been transported to a parallel realm. I did not grasp that Kidou, the most desirable boy in school (In my classmates' standards), was in all of my classes, let alone that he had begun to walk with me regularly. Nonetheless, upon realizing that he was walking with me, I felt somewhat perturbed. I did not particularly enjoy the fact that people had begun to stare at us; they were most likely trying to figure out who I was and why Kidou had chosen to put an arm around me. Although I had wanted to remove his arm, the same feeling that I had experienced earlier once again caused my desire to subside. Alas, I was rather silly for not having realized it sooner. Oh silly little me :3
I used to spend lunch time alone in the school library's far corner, immersed in a book. However, on this particular day, Kidou led me to the cafeteria. For some strange and inexplicable reason, I allowed myself to be guided by him. While I could only stare at him from the corner of my eye, I chuckled in amusement at his antics.
In response to the sound of my laughter, I could sense a feeling of unease emanating from Kidou. He turned towards me with a stern expression like I had just lost my mind. "And what's so amusing? Please do enlighten me. I'm dying to know what's so funny." His voice sounded slightly irritated as he dug his fingernails into the surface below his hand- my waist to be exact.
"I find it baffling that you would rather escort me like a porcelain puppet instead of just letting me walk on my own." I said, my voice dripping with irritation. It was truly perplexing that Kidou would not allow me the freedom to roam the hallways unaccompanied. I can only snicker at his reaction right after, "Are you afraid I would run away? This cutie pie would never dare do such!" I motioned about myself as I held my face with both hands.
"Hey Kidou!" the turquoise-haired boy who wore an eyepatch called out, and his voice echoed through the vast space. I immediately recognized him to be Sakuma Jirou, Teikoku's lethal striker. The prying eyes on me that came from the students who were in the vicinity while Kidou escorted me to Sakuma's table caused me to lower my head so that they would not catch a glimpse of my face- it is not like they deserve to lay eyes on someone as stunning as me.
The brunette sitting by Sakuma's side, who stood taller than him, leaned in and muttered, "Who's this girl?" His grin was anything but innocent, and his eyes bore into mine, attempting to suss out my identity.
I cast him an indignant gaze, the smile that had graced my face melting away into a half-scowl as I held myself back from physically attacking him, even though I desperately wanted to. Good news! Such an adorable girl like me would never do such thing! All I could bring myself to do was judge his hair and facial markings, both of which gave the impression of him recently entering civilization after a lengthy sojourn in the jungle.
"Our new manager." Kidou responded with a nonchalant tone, but the undertone of smugness that crept into his voice could not be missed by any of the individuals who were present in the vicinity.
"Nice to meet you." Upon meeting me, the brunette, who was none other than the highly skilled soccer player, Genda Koujirou, greeted me in a polite tone. As if his charming appearance weren't enough to steal my breath, his winking caused the frown that was forming on my face to deepen further, and I hastily lowered my head even more in an attempt to conceal my dissatisfaction.
Sakuma looked at the boy with dreadlocks and asked, "We never had a manager for our school in the past 40 years. Most other schools playing Football Frontier had one, didn't they?" Kidou simply nodded, acting as if it was no big deal. When Sakuma got a positive response from Kidou, he also nodded and exchanged a look with Genda. He then said, "She can stay, then."
Kidou suddenly changed the conversation to their upcoming practice match against an unknown team called Tora-Tekko, accompanied by a certain person they were hoping to attract. Sakuma and Genda gave Kidou their full attention, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief. The spotlight was no longer on me, which was a huge relief. While most girls would be thrilled to have the attention of the most popular boy in school, I was far too shy and timid. I had been content with my old, boring life and was overwhelmed by the sudden change. Well, not really the kind of shy that would avoid being seen with people. Just an introvert who dislikes attention and interacting with people - I just dislike people in general.
At the end of lunch break, I was relieved that I no longer shared any classes with Kidou. I was about to make a run for it to my fifth period classroom when someone placed a hand on my shoulder. "I'll walk with you," said the person behind me. "Kidou told me to look after you." Oh no, I had forgotten. I have fifth period with Sakuma-san, the cyan haired striker. I nervously turned around and stuttered, "Arigatou, Sakuma-san."
This time, more people turned their gaze towards me when Sakuma and I left the cafeteria together. I couldnt help but wonder why Kidou had to choose me. If only I had been more careful this morning and hadn't accidentally bumped into the captain of the soccer team. I mentally chided myself for my mistake and wished that I could just go back to my old, mundane life. Despite these thoughts, I forced myself to smile at Sakuma, who returned the gesture.
As we made our way out of the cafeteria, I turned to Sakuma with a lighthearted tone. "Can't an adorable lady walk by herself now?" I teased him, watching as he let out a deep chuckle in response.
"An attractive young lady like yourself shouldn't be walking alone in such a dangerous place like this school," Sakuma teased back, his eyes shining mischievously. "I'm just trying to protect you from other clubs who might sweep you away. Can't let that happen, now can we?"
How Mihori feels rn:
#anime#fanfiction#series#oc#oc insert#inazuma 11 x reader#inazuma eleven#inazuma 11#inazuma eleven x oc#inazuma eleven x reader
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11, 18, 30 for the writing ask game? :)
Do you believe in the old advice to “kill your darlings?” Are you a ruthless darling assassin? What happens to the darlings you murder? Do you have a darling graveyard? Do you grieve?
i kill anything that doesn't work for the story. There's a morgue but i haven't really needed to go back to it to pick out stuff. And no i don't grieve. It's pixels on a screen, or electrical signals in my synapses. What i want is a good story so whatever isn't helping is not wanted.
30. Talk to me about the role dreams play in your writing life. Have you ever used material from your dreams in your writing? Have you ever written in a dream? Did you remember it when you woke up?
I wrote Over All Things having dreamed it in its entirety and I woke up crying, so naturally, I inflicted it on my readers and made a lot of people cry too. It was AWESOME.
As for writing in my dreams, yeah i've dreamed about writing and publishing, but i never remember what i wrote.
18. Choose a passage from your writing. Tell me about the backstory of this moment. How you came up with it, how it changed from start to end. Spicy addition: Questioner provides the passage.
Current WIP is The Kaedin Forge (side note: if you have not bought The Kaedin Secret, I highly recommend it, because I am a pretty good writer and i want people to love Rilt the dumbass bisexual the way I do)
Passage below the cut
Liria took a deep breath and motioned for the servants to serve roasted fernuts and cold komma. No wine or brandy, however; pots of caffi were brewing in the antechamber, and the cups were kept full.
"We have many matters to talk about," she said. "The first matter of business is that my brother has come home, safe and sound. I'm very thankful that he is here with us."
It was obvious that no one believed her. It did not matter.
Evvas stood. He looked handsome and mature in a new deep blue tunic with gold trim, and he bowed graciously at Liria. "My sister and I have come to an agreement. I no longer want the title; I am content to remain Lord Evvas." With a glance at the duchess, he added, "At this convene of my blood kin, I formally renounce all claim. Instead, I will take care of my parents."
Liria rose to her feet and kissed him on both cheeks. "Thank you, Evvas." She clasped his hands and smiled, secretly pressing a white pill into his right palm. "Mother and Father will be happy with your company on the island, brother dear."
"May Halimgor flourish in your care, sister dear," said Evvas, his own smile not reaching his eyes.
Liria waited until Evvas sat down before she turned to face her blood kin. Each pair of eyes held a judgment. Her father, before his stroke, had wanted her to know how to manage a land and its people, expecting to marry her off to one of Ingros' sons. He had not counted on his daughter's ambitions; after his stroke, what he intended for Liria no longer mattered. She had schemed, and bribed, and killed, to become the duchess.
She had earned this.
Keeping her tone even and calm, she gazed around at the assembly. "Matter number two. As you know by now, I am confirmed as Duchess of Halimgor. Father and Mother will go to our private island, and Evvas will lead a staff to care for them."
Other than Nufal's genuine gladness and pride, the rest of her male kin did not want to meet her eyes, their usual arrogance colored with resentment. Even now, she could see Lannel's disdain in the curl of his mustache, the dismissal in Liren's subtle sneer. Sanu was drinking noisily from his cup, a rude gesture at the best of times. These other men claimed to know her and her temperament because they had seen her as a child; they had watched her play with flowers and dolls and thought her soft and kind. Only Nufal understood his cousin well enough to stand with her from the start.
You think you know me. Liria allowed herself a small measure of steel and ice as she took in the expressions of the governors. You'll learn.
***
Duchess Liria and Evvas are siblings. Evvas was the heir but Liria usurped his place through wiles and cunning. He's pissed about it but he is also at her mercy. But that isn't enough - Liria needs the cooperation of her male relatives who govern parts of her land. She's just faced a major setback in her young political life so she wants to prove herself. She is using this family meeting to gauge their receptiveness. And she is going to do something very drastic >:)
How I came up with it: i have always wanted to write a scene like this to showcase Liria's ruthlessness, ever since the first book. She's smart, ambitious, beautiful, athletic, and ruthless - and she knows all this. Which means, where she draws the line when it comes to attaining her goals is a fascinating thing to explore for me.
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Villain: Kralvize, who Whispers to Tyrants
Beware the Green-Eyed Monster
Adventure Hooks:
After getting tangled up more than once in the borderline criminal schemes of the duchess regent, the party’s confrontation with this highborn harridan is undercut when she comes to them under cover of night to ask for their aid. The duchess only maintained power because her young nephew had not yet come of age to rule the territory, and while she was looking forward to several more years of unquestioned authority during the boy’s adolescence, someone else has come along and ousted her from her position of influence. Though appearing a faltering accademic at first, the young duke’s tutor has quickly got the whole court wrapped around his finger, in no small part dude to his almost supernatural ability to ferret outs secrets. The duchess regent unnatural influence is afoot, as several of her well bribed lackeys have shut her out completely, despite the arsenal of blackmail she has against each of them.
It’s said that if you follow the river you’ll find a statue of a beautiful young man reclining as he watches the flowers blooming by the bank. Rest in this peaceful spot, and if the stories are true, you’ll receive a dream which will lead you to your hearts desire. Deciding to take the dare, the party does indeed receive dreams relevant to their ongoing quests. Successive use of this statue makes the dreams more and more vivid, until the party is suddenly cut off from their prophetic wellspring with a final message of “If you want to know, Free me.” Digging, they’ll discover that the statue is infact decoration atop a stone sarcophagus, apparently belonging to the bastard prince of a long passed royal family who someone cared enough for to intern with honors. The party may not trust the spirit locked within this tomb, but can they accomplish their goals without it?
The party gets a shady but extremely high paying job through a number of intermediaries, asking them to break into a temple, access the vault below, and come away with a reliquary box containing the skull and crown of a long departed monarch. Whosever masterminding this heist seems to have extensive knowledge of the temple and it’s security measures, right down to which treasures/burial niches are warded against theft. When they manage to scramble back to their safe house, they discover half their expected payment waiting for them, and destructions to travel overland to deliver the crown to its intended recipient. The recipient happens to be a bandit chieftain with a massive bounty on their head, who’s just as surprised to see the party as they are to stumble into the outlaws’ camp.
Setup: The power behind an ever revolving number of thrones throughout history, Kralvize is every wicked vizier and corrupt advisor trope one think of stuffed into a tattered robe. Made all the more sinister by the fact that he is a literal devil, this malign spirit nonetheless always seems to find some hapless heir or powerhungry upstart in need of his guidance.
Once an ambitious duke of hell ruling over expansive realms, Kralvize’s expansion led him into conflict with a number of hell’s movers and shakers, who decided to move to shake him from his throne. Not content with simply usurping their neighbor, this alliance of infernal nobility worked a curse upon Kralvize that would destroy him if he ever claimed power for himself again. Wandering the planes as little more than a shade for thousands of years, Kralvize eventually realized that influence and information didn’t count against the provisions of the curse, nor did wielding power on another’s behalf. So long as he acted as another’s toady, he could command armies and rule kingdoms, and that was enough wiggleroom to give the clever devil everything he wanted.
Further Adventures:
Kralvize’s MO is to haunt a kingdom on the verge of a great political upheaval or reshuffling of the social order until he finds someone with the potential for seizing power. He then presents himself in disguise as a sympathizer/would be ally, or as a helpful whisper that could be confused for an instinct. Perhaps one of the heroes has a noble or politics adjacent background, and was unknowingly scouted by Kralvize, pushed in one direction or another before being passed up for a more likely candidate. None the less this interaction shaped them deeply, which will be all the more shocking when they hear the devil’s voice coming out of some other stranger’s mouth.
The green orb which the fiend always carries with him is called “ the wantful eye��, an artifact acquired shortly after his banishment from hell’s halls of power and key to his eventual return. The orb secretly collects the wishful thoughts of those over a large region, allowing the devil to survey the schemes of his rivals while trawling the collective unconscious for gossip and potential victims. What’s more, the orb is a sort of battery, charging up as it feeds on envy and ambition to allow Kralvize to work all manner of want based magics. Eventually the eye will be full enough that Kralvize will be able to wish himself free of the curse, Slaying the devil will give the party access to this orb and its divinatory capabilities, but Kralvize will soon enough regenerate and stop at nothing to reclaim it from the party.
Once a patron accepts the devil’s aid Kralvize schemes to heap yet more power and problems upon their liege's lap, until the now hapless tyrant begs him to relieve them of the burdens of royalty. Like that, Kralvize’s grand design comes to fruition and he possesses his victim’s body, living out the rest of their life to spare them one more moment of having to worry about their responsibilities of governing.
#villian#oracle#hiest#patron#fiend#demon#mid level#high level#dare#politics#nobility#noble#D&D#D&D adventure#Homebrew Adventure#Adventure#DnD#treasure
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I just thought that Soni can conquer Twisted Wonderland not through power or brute force, but by bribing everyone with amazing Pokemon food XD Like maybe each race in Twisted Wonderland like a specific food or cuisine and the foods and berries from the Pokemon world is just several notches better lol Bribe everyone with Malasadas, Poke Beans, POFFINS, POKE PUFFS!!!
relates to these asks [1] and [2]; 1 is the first time that I wrote extensively on the topic of food with slight world-building (it's 8K though, so it's long) and 2 is more recent with ice cream with the Diasomnia + Malleus' Grandma
Honestly, I feel like this is a thing that happens subconsciously and I love it 🤣 The scenario below is just for fun and is probably in the future, but idk if it'll make it into the main fic because that's gonna be a long time before that shit's settled down; basically non-canon shenanigans
Like Soni's known for being scary, intimidating, and all that Grand Duchess title grandeur and whatnot, but on her off-days when she's not dealing with work, she's making food from home, doing things, and just being a teenager (let her be a teen dammit)
Of course, that's when the world decides to knock on her door because hungry people smell delicious food means big trouble at her doorstep
I think I mentioned in an old ask with Morpeko showing Ruggie the Berry properties and the possible situations that pop up from that, so if I can find it, I'll try and link it
Ruggie and his little buddy are the first ones to come knocking at her door for Malasadas, and the first time that Ruggie had them, he was considering transferring into the dorm to be able to eat them whenever he could aljkfdslkfa; Morpeko loves the Pokebeans that Soni found lying around in her explorations.
I can see Ruggie and Morpeko grabbing some food for the run and the hyena gives Soni something in return like some quality meat from Leona. That prompts Soni to make Curry for dinner, which gets the attention of Jamil who was stopping by with Kalim.
While Kalim is uneasy at the curry, she gives them the leftover Malasadas so Kalim's not left out and they both appreciate the food. Scarabia becomes a warzone with people trying to snatch her curry, much to her blissful obliviousness to the situation because like hell anyone wants to tell her about it.
Azul shows up at her door with a possible partnership and Soni has never shut the door in someone's face faster. The door nearly breaks from their pushing and eventually, Soni says that she wouldn't sell the recipes to be exclusively made at Monstro Lounge. I can see the Merfolks in Octavinelle loving her Spicy and Sour Clauncher and Vegetable Stew, which she uses real Clauncher meat for.
I've already answered Diasomnia with ice cream but lemme just say it again, Malleus has first dibs with his grandma being second. Boy's attached to the sweet, cooling deliciousness that is ice cream, and Pokemon Products are just better because not only are they good nutritionally, but the flavor is superior to what he's tasted before.
Heartslabyul students really love the sweets from the Alcremies and because two of their dorm mates are friends with Soni + Happiny is basically her child, they get to test products from her a bunch. Ace and Deuce have to fight off people early on in the year lololol. Although the other students learn to not steal Happiny's treats because the little bun will cry about it (don't take the baby's food) and that's no fun for anyone involved ☠️
If the Queen of Roses gets a bunch of tea party-appropriate snacks from Soni like little tea cakes, Poffins, and Poke Puffs, then that's only between her and the girl. Poffins were my jam in Gen 4! I loved making those! They were fun to make 😌
Oooh, I can see Pokeblocks being popular for travel food as flavorings, so they not only would be good for snacks on the go like the Sweet ones and Sour ones, but for making simple stews and soups like the Sour and Spicy ones. Dry and Bitter are good for seasoning on meat and the like.
There's cheese sandwiches made from Moomoo Milk, all sorts of combos from Poke Cafe Remix, and just aaaa- food!
#ask#non canon#twisted wonderland x pokemon#pokemon au#twisted wonderland#soni monet#ruggie bucchi#morpeko#jamil viper#kalim al asim#azul ashengrotto#malleus' grandmother#malleus draconia#ace trappola#deuce spade#happiny
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Are you a fan of SuperCorp or a fandom creator? Want to see more art and fics like this or take part in this kind of collaboration where artists inspire writers? Follow us! Sign ups begin soon. Everyone is welcome! Now, enjoy the story.
(Thanks @iwishicoulddrawheatherforaliving for the art and @emiliarowan for the story !)
It wasn’t entirely unusual for Kara to visit Lena at work.
What was unusual, however, was Supergirl barreling headfirst through a plate glass window into the conference room while Lena was personally welcoming the newest group of L-Corp interns.
Lena stood at the front of the conference room, heart thundering in her chest, as Kara rolled around on the floor for a long moment before standing and whipping her cape over her head.
“Whoopsie-daisy!” Supergirl exclaimed in a sing-song voice not entirely appropriate for the amount of destruction she had just caused. She looked around the room with wide eyes before her gaze landed on her wife. “Lena!”
“K— Supergirl,” Lena huffed as the Kryptonian hugged her, squeezing just a bit too tightly for Lena’s human rib cage. “Are you alright?”
“Just peachy,” Kara replied. “You smell nice.”
“Supergirl,” Lena muttered as Kara inhaled deeply into Lena’s hair. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” Kara said innocently. “Ooo, what’s that?”
Lena looked up and realized that she had squeezed the laser pointer in her hand, and the small red dot was moving across the screen behind her. Kara released her from her hug and backed up, sticking her tongue out and furrowing her brow in concentration before launching herself at the wall. Lena’s wrist flicked in surprise, sending the little red dot across the wall and onto the ceiling. Kara, unrestrained by the laws of gravity, took off after the dot, and in doing so sent the projector screen to the floor with a loud crash.
“Miss Luthor?”
Lena looked away from the chaotic Kryptonian as her assistant poked her head into the room. “Jess, I’m not sure now is the time…”
“Agent Danvers is on Line One,” Jess told her, but she was watching as Kara chased the laser pointer into a corner, knocking over a potted plant in the process.
“Right,” Lena replied. She looked back at the dozen interns currently watching National City’s heroine pouncing on a red dot. “Okay, I think everyone should head to lunch a bit early. Orientation will resume at one thirty with your department heads.”
The young scientists didn’t even grumble as they shuffled out of the room.
“Here, keep her occupied,” Lena instructed, handing over the laser pointer to Jess as she stepped into the lobby to take the phone call. “Alex?”
“Heeeeey, Lena,” Alex answered, raising Lena’s suspicions. “I don’t want to alarm you, but, um, have you seen…?”
“Have I seen my wife? Yes, she crashed through the window into my conference room about three minutes ago, and now Jess is… entertaining her,” Lena replied, peering into the next room. In fact, Jess might’ve been having a bit too much fun leading Kara around the room using the laser pointer. Lena sighed and focused her attention back to the phone call.
“Oh, good, good,” Alex replied. “Does she seem a little… off?”
“If by off you mean high as a kite, then yes, I’d say she’s a little off,” Lena told her. “Care to explain?”
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line and Lena could practically hear Alex trying to formulate her response. “Well, the team got a call from the NC Botanical Gardens about this plant that somebody donated that they couldn’t identify and it turned out to be alien and while they were inspecting it, the plant shot some kind of pollen in their faces.”
“Some kind of pollen?” Lena interrupted. “Is it dangerous?”
“I don’t think so,” Alex replied. “It affected them all differently. J’onn passed out immediately— he’s fine, he’s sleeping it off in the infirmary. Brainy is acting like he’s had fifteen shots of espresso— he’s currently reprogramming the Roomba for combat. It didn’t affect Nia at all, probably because she’s half human. Kara flew off before I could really get an idea of how it was affecting her, but you say she’s… high? How so?”
Lena looked back into the other room to see that Kara was lying on her back beneath the broken potted palm, slapping playfully at the fronds and giggling. She really only had one comparison she could make.
When she was seven years old, Lionel had brought home a kitten as a pet. A little black and white fluff ball with a flat face, Lena had named her Duchess. Lena had doted on the cat until Lillian sent her away to boarding school, and she wasn’t entirely sure what became of it after that. One distinct memory of the cat came to mind now. She had given Duchess a catnip-stuffed toy, and the normally refined feline had spent hours rolling around on the toy, carrying it from room to room, pupils dilated, completely relaxed, stoned out of her mind.
That was exactly what Kara looked like now.
“Are you telling me my sister is—“
“Basically a human-shaped cat at the moment? Mmhmm,” Lena confirmed.
Alex let out a long-suffering sigh on the other end of the phone. “Okay, we need to get her someplace safe where she can’t do any damage until the chemicals get out of her system.”
“If I can get her home, I can turn on the red sun lamps in the bedroom,” Lena replied.
“Every time I try to forget that you had those installed, you just have to remind me,” Alex grumbled. “But yeah, good idea. Take her home, make her shower to get any excess pollen off, and then just lock her in the bedroom until it wears off.”
“Okay, I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes.”
Lena made her way back to the conference room where Kara was hiding behind the edge of the table, eyeing the laser pointer on the wall yet again, and Jess was smiling gleefully as she slowly moved the light in circles around on the wall.
“Okay, I hate to break up the fun, but hand over the laser pointer,” Lena said, holding her hand out expectantly.
“Awwwww,” Jess groused.
“Jessica,” Lena warned.
Jess sighed and gave her the device. “Fine.”
“Thank you,” Lena told her. “I’m gonna need you to—“
“Cancel your meetings for the rest of the day and have facilities come clean up this mess and replace the window?” Jess supplied. “On it, boss.”
“Now I remember why I hired you,” Lena said with a grin. “Come on, Kara, darling, we’re going home.”
“But—“ Kara began to argue, only to stop when Lena aimed the laser pointer at the door.
Lena managed to get the pouncing Kryptonian into the elevator, downstairs, and through the lobby with minimal incident and only one bent elevator panel of destruction. What Lena hadn’t realized, however, was that once they were outside, the bright midday sunlight made the laser pointer’s dot near-impossible to see, even for Kryptonian eyes. The city itself, however, offered plenty of things to distract Kara away from the town car on the curb.
“Ooo, look, Lena!” Kara exclaimed. “Kebabs!”
Lena grabbed Kara’s cape in an attempt to stop her, but that only resulted in her being dragged across the sidewalk towards a falafel stand. Once they were at the front of the line, Lena bought several servings of kebabs and grabbed them all up before Kara could get hold of them.
“Nuh-uh,” Lena chastised. “You only get kebabs if you get in the car. Deal?”
Kara pouted, but she reluctantly cooperated. Once they were in the car, Lena instructed George to take them to her penthouse. When they reached the apartment building, however, there was an ice cream truck serendipitously stationed on the corner, and Kara pointedly refused to enter the building without getting ice cream. Lena couldn’t help but scowl as she paid for a heaping cone of Kara’s favorite chocolate swirl. Her dour mood couldn’t last, however, with Kara happily lapping at her ice cream cone as the elevator made its way to the top floor.
Once inside their apartment, it wasn’t difficult to get Kara into the bedroom, and once she was there Lena immediately hit the button that switched on the red sun lamps and locked down all of the windows and doors. The room was awash in a coppery glow, and Kara immediately sank down on the foot of the bed.
“Whoa!” she exclaimed woozily.
“You okay?” Lena asked, immediately concerned.
“Yeah, just really sleepy all of a sudden,” Kara replied, and then she yawned in further confirmation. She stretched her arms high over her head, the remainder of her ice cream cone tipping precariously.
“Easy there,” Lena warned, pulling the offending dessert back down to face-level. “Why don’t you finish that up while I get the shower going, and then after that you can take a nap. Sound good?”
“Will you nap with me?” Kara asked pitifully
“Of course,” Lena replied. After the last half hour, she certainly felt like she needed a nap herself.
Kara finished the ice cream quickly, as Lena collected towels and pajamas. She managed to get Kara out of her super suit and into the shower without using the laser pointer or bribing her with food. For a moment Lena felt quite successful— until Kara reached out and yanked Lena, fully clothed, under the spray.
“Kara!” Lena sputtered.
Kara just giggled, eyes fixated south of Lena’s face as her white blouse became more and more transparent. “Hehe… tiddies.”
Lena put her fingers underneath Kara’s chin and pushed her face up until she met her gaze. “Eyes up here, Danvers.”
By the time she got Kara out of the shower her wife was practically falling asleep standing up. Lena managed to get Kara’s blonde hair mostly dried and forced her into a t-shirt and pajama shorts before she staggered to the bed.
“Just gonna close my eyes for a bit,” Kara murmured as she cuddled into a pillow.
“You do that, darling,” Lena chuckled. Then she made her way back to the bathroom. She cleaned up the puddles of water, dried her hair, and put on her own pajamas before returning to the bedroom.
She blinked at the sight that greeted her. In the ten minutes she had taken in the bathroom, Kara had raided their closet for all of the pillows, blankets, and extra comforters, and had used those to construct a round fort on their king-size bed.
“Kara?” Lena called hesitantly, and a blonde head appeared over the top of the nest.
“Lena!” Kara exclaimed, reaching toward her with grabby hands.
Lena went willingly, climbing carefully over the blankets and into the red-tinted pillow fort Kara had created. Once she was inside, Kara tucked a blanket over her and then curled into her body, resting practically on top of her as her head found Lena’s chest for a pillow.
“Mmm, this okay?” Kara asked.
Lena sighed, moving a bit until her body fit even better against Kara’s. “This is good.”
“Yeah,” Kara sighed. “You’re so soft. Love you.”
Lena stroked her hair and let out a sigh of her own. “Love you, too.”
#supercorp#supercorp fanfic#supercorp fanart#supercorp big bang#lena luthor#kara danvers#alex danvers#supergirl
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Harry, Meghan and me: my truth as a royal reporter
I've covered elections and extremism, but nothing compares to the vitriol I've received since I started writing about the Sussexes
By Camilla Tominey, Associate Editor27 March 2021 • 6:00am
It is probably worth mentioning from the outset that I never, ever, planned to become a royal reporter. I mean, who does? It’s one of those ridiculous jobs most people fall into completely by accident.
I certainly wasn’t coveting the position when I first found out how bonkers the beat could be after covering Charles and Camilla’s wedding in 2005. Desperate for ‘a line’ on what went on at the reception, journalists were reduced to flagging down passing cars in Windsor High Street and interrogating the likes of Stephen Fry about whether they’d had the salmon or the chicken.
Watergate, this wasn’t.
Yet when my former editor called me into his office shortly afterwards and offered me the royal job ‘because you’re called Camilla and you dress nicely’, who was I to refuse?
Having planned to get married myself that summer, and start a family soon afterwards, I looked to the likes of Jennie Bond and Penny Junor and figured it would be a good patch for a working mother as well as being one I could grow old with. Unlike show business, when celebrities are ‘in’ one minute and ‘out’ the next, the royals would stay the same, making it easier to build – and keep – contacts.
So if you’d told me that 16 years later, I would find myself at the centre of a media storm over a royal interview with Oprah Winfrey, I’d have probably laughed in your face. First of all, only royals like Fergie do interviews with Oprah. And since when did journalists become the story?
Yet as I have experienced since the arrival of Meghan Markle on the royal scene in 2016 – a move that roughly coincided with Twitter doubling its 140-character limitation to 280 – royal reporters like me now find themselves in the line of fire like never before.
We are used to the likes of Kate Adie coming under attack in the Middle East, but now it is the correspondents who write up events like Trooping the Colour and the Royal Windsor Horse Show having to take cover from the keyboard warriors supposedly defending the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s ‘truth’.
Accusations of racism have long been levelled against anyone who has dared to write less than undiluted praise of Harry and Meghan. But even I have been taken aback by the vitriol on social media in the wake of the couple’s televised two-hour talk-a-thon, in which they branded both the Royal family and the British press racist while complaining about their ‘almost unsurvivable’ multimillionaire lives at the hands of the evil monarchy. And all while the rest of the UK were losing their loved ones and livelihoods in a global pandemic.
Having covered Brexit, general elections and stories about Islamic extremism, I’ve grown used to being sprayed with viral vomit on a fairly regular basis, but when you’ve got complete strangers trolling your best friend’s Instagram feed by association? That’s Britney Spears levels of toxic.
Having a hind thicker than a rhino’s, it wasn’t the repeated references to my being ‘a total c—’ that particularly bothered me, nor even the suggestion that I should have my three children put up for adoption. At one point someone even said it would be a good idea for me to drink myself to death like my mother, about whose chronic alcoholism I have written extensively.
No, what really got me was the appalling spelling and grammar. I mean, if you’re going to hurl insults, at least have the decency to get my name right.
Yet in order to understand just how it has come to pass that so-called #SussexSquaders think nothing of branding all royal correspondents ‘white supremacists’ regardless of who they write for, or sending hate mail to our email addresses, offices – and in some cases, even our homes – it’s worth briefly going to back to when I first broke the story that Prince Harry was dating an American actor in the Sunday Express on 31 October 2016. Headlined: ‘Royal world exclusive: Harry’s secret romance with TV star’, the splash revealed how the popular prince was ‘secretly dating a stunning US actress, model and human rights campaigner’.
Despite my now apparently being on a par with the Ku Klux Klan for failing to acknowledge Meghan as the next messiah, it was actually not until the fifteenth paragraph of that original article that the ‘confident and intelligent’ Northwestern University graduate was described as ‘the daughter of an African-American mother and a father of Dutch and Irish descent’.
Call me superficial, but I was genuinely far more interested in the fact that Harry ‘I-come-with-baggage’ Wales was dating a former ‘briefcase girl’ from the US version of Deal or No Deal than the colour of her skin. A ginger prince punching well above his weight? This was the stuff of tabloid dreams. Little did I know then that covering the trials and tribulations of these two lovebirds would turn into such a nightmare.
The online hostility began bubbling up about eight days after that first story, when Harry’s then communications secretary Jason Knauf issued an ‘unprecedented’ statement accusing the media of ‘crossing a line’.
‘His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment’, it read, referencing a ‘smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments’. Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, had apparently been besieged by photographers, while bribes had been offered to Meghan’s ex-boyfriend along with ‘the bombardment of nearly every friend, coworker, and loved one in her life’.
Suffice to say, I did feel a bit guilty. Although I hadn’t written anything remotely racist or sexist, I had started the ball rolling for headlines like the MailOnline’s ‘(Almost) straight outta Compton’ (referencing a song by hip-hop group NWA about gang violence and Meghan’s upbringing in the nearby LA district of Crenshaw), along with her ‘exotic’ DNA (which I subsequently called out, including on This Morning in the wake of ‘Megxit’ in January last year).
Omid Scobie, co-author of Finding Freedom, a highly favourable account of the Sussexes’ departure from the Royal family, written with their cooperation last summer, would later insist that the couple knew the story of their relationship was coming out and were well prepared for it.
I can tell you categorically that they weren’t, since I did not even put a call into Kensington Palace before we went to press for fear of it being leaked. (I did later discuss this with Harry, when I covered his trip to the Caribbean in November 2016, and to be fair he was pretty philosophical, agreeing it would have come out sooner or later. But that was before the former Army Captain decided to well and truly shoot the messenger, latterly telling journalists covering the newly-weds’ tax-payer-funded October 2018 tour of Australia and the south Pacific: ‘Thanks for coming, even though you weren’t invited.’)
The royal press pack is the group of dedicated writers who cover all the official engagements and tours on a rota system, in exchange for not bothering the royals as they go about their private business. It was a shame this ragtag bunch, of which I am an associate member, was never personally introduced to Meghan when the couple got engaged in November 2017.
I still have fond memories of a then Kate Middleton, upon her engagement to Prince William in November 2010, showing me her huge sapphire and diamond ring following a press conference at St James’s Palace with the words, ‘It was William’s mother’s so it is very special.’
I replied that she might want to consider buying ‘one of those expanding accordion style file holders’ to organise all her wedding paperwork. (Reader, I had given birth to my second child less than four months earlier and was still lactating.)
Not meeting Meghan did not stop royal commentators like me writing reams about her being ‘a breath of fresh air’ and telling practically every TV show I appeared on that she was the ‘best thing to have happened to the Royal Family in years’.
As the world followed the joyous news of the Windsors’ resident strip billiards star having finally found ‘the one’, the couple enjoyed overwhelmingly positive press culminating in their fairy-tale wedding in May 2018, which we headlined ‘So in love’ above a picture of the bride and groom kissing. I tweeted the wedding front page, along with the original story breaking the news of their relationship with the words, ‘Job done’. Yet, as Meghan would later point out in a glossy Santa Barbara garden, that was by far the end of the story.
According to the Duchess’s testimony before a global audience of millions, the seeds for their royal departure were actually sown by an article I wrote in November 2018 suggesting she made Kate cry during a bridesmaid’s dress fitting for Princess Charlotte.
Claiming the ‘reverse happened’, the former Suits star railed, ‘A few days before the wedding she was upset about something, pertaining to, yes, the issue was correct, about flower-girl dresses, and it made me cry, and it really hurt my feelings.’
She then went on to criticise the palace for failing to correct the story – suggesting that royal aides had hung her out to dry to protect the Duchess of Cambridge.
All of which left me in a bit of a sticky situation. As I told Phillip Schofield on This Morning the following day, ‘I don’t write things I don’t believe to be true and that haven’t been really well sourced.’
Having seemingly been completely bowled over by Meghan’s version of events, Schofe then went for the jugular: ‘I have to say, though, that’s all addressed in that interview, isn’t it, because she [Meghan] couldn’t understand why nobody stood up for her?’
Yet someone had stood up for her, on that very same This Morning sofa: me.
As I told Phil and Holly on 14 January 2019, as more reports of ‘Duchess Difficult’ started to emerge, ‘I think she [Meghan] is doing really well, she looks amazing, she speaks well. She has played a blinder.’
So you’ll forgive me if I can’t quite understand why Meghan didn’t feel the need to correct this supposedly glaring error once she had her own dedicated head of communications from March 2019 – or indeed when she ‘collaborated’ with Scobie, who concluded in his bestselling hagiography that ‘no one cried’?
Moreover, how did the Duchess know a postnatal Kate wasn’t ‘left in tears’? And if she doesn’t know, what hope has the average troll observing events through the prism of their own deep-rooted insecurities?
It appears the actual truth ceases to matter once sides have been taken in the unedifying Team Meghan versus Team Kate battle that has divided the internet.
Make no mistake, there are abject morons at both extremes spewing the sort of bile that, ironically, makes most of the media coverage of Harry and Meghan look like a 1970s edition of Jackie magazine.
It perhaps didn’t help my case that the day before the interview was aired in the US, I had written a lengthy piece carefully weighing up the evidence behind allegations of ‘outrageous bullying’ that had been levelled against Meghan during what proved to be a miserable 20 months in the Royal family for all concerned.
The messages – to my Twitter feed, my email, my website and official Facebook page – ranged from the threatening, to the typical tropes about media ‘scum’ and the downright bizarre. Some accused me of being in cahoots with Carole Middleton, with whom I have never interacted, unless you count a last-minute Party Pieces purchase in a desperate moment of poor parental planning.
Another frequent barb was questioning why the press wasn’t writing about that ‘pedo’ [sic] Prince Andrew instead – seemingly oblivious to the fact that no one would know about the Duke of York’s links to Jeffrey Epstein if it wasn’t for the acres of coverage devoted to the story by us royal hacks over recent years.
It didn’t matter that I had repeatedly torn the Queen’s second, and, some say, favourite son to pieces for everything from his propensity to take his golf clubs on foreign tours to that disastrous Newsnight interview.
Contrary to the ‘invisible contract’ Harry claims the palace has with the press, royal coverage works roughly like this: good royal deeds = good publicity. Bad royal deeds = bad publicity. We effectively act as a critical friend, working on behalf of a public that rightly expects the royals to take the work – but not themselves – seriously.
So when a royal couple preaches about climate change before taking four private jets in 11 days, it is par for the course for a royal scribe to point out the inconsistency of that message. None of it is ever personal, as evidenced by the fact that practically every member of the monarchy has come in for flak over the years.
If Oprah wasn’t willing to point out the discrepancies in Harry and Meghan’s testimony, surely it is beholden on royal reporters to question how the Duchess had managed to undertake four foreign holidays in the six months after her wedding, in addition to official tours to Italy, Canada, and Amsterdam, as well as embarking on a lengthy honeymoon, if she had ‘turned over’ her passport?
While no one would wish to undermine the extent of her mental health problems, could it really be true that she only left the house twice in four months when she managed to cram in 73 days’ worth of engagements, according to the Court Circular, in the 17 months between her wedding and the couple’s departure to Canada?
And what of the ‘racist’ headlines flashed up during the interview purporting to be from the British press, when more than a third were actually taken from independent blogs and the foreign media? The UK media abides by the Independent Press Standards Organisation’s Code of Conduct ‘to avoid prejudicial or pejorative reference to an individual’s race’, as well as by rigorous defamation laws. And rightly so – the British press doesn’t always get it right. But social media is the Wild West by comparison, publishing vile slurs on a daily basis with impunity.
Some therefore find it strange that such a litigious couple would claim to have been ‘silenced’ when they have made so many complaints, including resorting to legal action, over stories they claim not to have even read. There is something similarly contradictory about a couple accusing the tabloids of lacking self-reflection while refusing to take any blame at all – for anything.
In any normal world, informed writing on such matters would be classed as fair comment, but not, seemingly, on Twitter where those completely lacking any objectivity whatsoever are only too willing to virtue signal and manoeuvre.
As the trolling reached fever pitch in the aftermath of the interview, veteran royal reporter Robert Jobson of the Evening Standard called me. ‘Don’t respond to these freaks,’ he advised. ‘It’s getting nasty out there. Watch your back!’
Yet despite my general sense of bewilderment at the menacing Megbots, I can’t say it didn’t appal me to discover a close friend had received online abuse, purely by dint of being my mate. After discussing the lengths the troll must have gone to to track her down, she asked me, ‘Do you ever worry someone might do something awful to you?’ Er, not until now, no.
Of course it’s upsetting, even for a cynical old-timer like me. Worse still are people who actually know me casting aspersions on my profession on social media. Often these are the same charlatans who would think nothing of sidling up to me for the latest gossip on the Royal family, while publicly pretending that reading any such coverage is completely beneath them.
Most pernicious of all though – not least after Piers Morgan’s departure from Good Morning Britain following a complaint to ITV and Ofcom from the Duchess – is the corrosive effect this whole hullabaloo is having on freedom of speech. When you’ve got a former actor effectively editing a British breakfast show from an £11 million Montecito mansion, what next?
I cannot help but think we are in danger of setting race relations back 30 years if people are seriously suggesting that any criticism of Meghan is racially motivated. It’s the hypocrisy that gets me. When Priti Patel was accused of bullying, the very same people who willingly hung the Home Secretary out to dry are now the ones defending Meghan against such claims, saying they have been levelled at her simply because she is ‘a strong woman of colour’.
Of course journalists should take responsibility for everything they report and be held to account for it – but Harry and Meghan do not have a monopoly on the truth simply because the close friend and neighbour who interviewed them in return for £7 million from CBS took what they said as gospel.
If she isn’t willing to probe the disparity between Meghan saying someone questioned the colour of Archie’s skin when she was pregnant, and Harry suggesting it happened before they were even married, then someone must. There’s a name for such scrutiny. It’s called journalism.
The public reserves the right to make up its own mind – with the help of the watchful eye of a free and fair press. But that press can never be free or fair if journalists do not feel they can report without fear or favour. I’m lucky that a lot of the criticism I face is more than balanced out by hugely supportive members of the public and online community who either agree – or respect the right to disagree. Along with the hate mail, I have had many thoughtful and eloquent missives, including those that good naturedly challenge what I have written in the paper or said on TV, which have genuinely given me pause for thought.
I am more than happy to enter into constructive discourse with these correspondents, who are frankly sometimes the only people who keep me on Twitter. I mean, let’s face it, I wouldn’t be anywhere near the bloody thing if this wasn’t my day job.
With the National Union of Journalists this month declaring that harassment and abuse had ‘become normalised’ within the industry, never have members of Britain’s press needed more courage. As Winston Churchill famously said, ‘You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.’
Who would have thought that the preservation of the fundamental freedoms that we hold so dear should partially rest on the shoulders of those who follow around a 94-year-old woman and her family for a living?
If I’d known then what I know now, would I still have written the bridesmaid’s dress story?
Yes – doubtlessly reflecting sisterly sobs all round. But after two decades in this business, I am clear-eyed enough to know this for certain: whatever I had written, it would still have ended in tears.
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