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₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⚜⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚ 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔊𝔦𝔩𝔡𝔢𝔡 𝔖𝔞𝔭𝔭𝔥𝔦𝔯𝔢 ₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⚜⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐞
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 As a daughter of the Artyomov line, Ellowyn had done what she could to be welcoming to her mother's new husband. Despite the unsettled whispering that had taken to her home after the declaration of Roman as the Prince Consort, an imposing man previously employed as the general of Pyotyr's armed forces across the Sapphire Kingdom, Nadia had insisted he had been of great comfort to her in her time of mourning. The princess did her utmost to believe in her mother's sincerity, to smile for her despite the grief she harbored.
She could only wonder, then, if the gray shades that painted her life in swaths were of her own making. The people were looking to the royal family for guidance on how to achieve a new normalcy in their lives, when the Artyomov line was all they had known since the humble beginings of their settlement. Ellowyn could not help but think that her melancholy was a misery she paid herself. Was it not her own fault that she had declined to seek solace, but instead waited helplessly for someone to reach out a hand to her? The princess bore a feeble smile for all her subjects, but in her loneliest times she found herself unable to summon the spirit of warmth that long possessed her in her youth.
Festivities were Ellowyn's only respite from the dismal stagnancy that defined her life, nowadays. Halls once rich with sapphire draperies of her family's crest, symbols of joy and prosperity for both herself and her people, seemed somehow dull and judgmental from their golden posts on the heavy stone walls. The castle that used to teem with the lively presence of citizens chattering while they waited to be seen in the throne room for a public hearing with his majesty had all but vanished into memory over the past three years. The warmth of Pyotyr and the kings before him seemed to be suffocated by the heavy winters that had passed in his absence.
September 22nd was the one of the few days the princess afforded herself a modicum of respite from her persistent gloom. Her birthday, and this was her 20th year of life. As was her wish most years, instead of a long list of gaudy gifts that would lose their luster in a few months time, she requested three things. A new dress to wear on the day of celebration, a short musical presentation from a local songstress, and her favorite pastry- a lemon blueberry tart, which her handmaid has made for her every year on her birthday since the woman first took charge of her care. The guards and servants feel just a bit more at ease in the halls as the quiet celebration takes place, for Ellowyn is dressed in a beautifully tailored ballgown with billowing petticoats, her soft fur complimented by pale washes of powder blue, white lace, and glittering glass from a sculpted and filigree bordered corset. The gem of the kingdom is finally seen smiling, applauding, and laughing once more. It was as if all was set right again, if only for a brief moment.
When the Prince Consort summons her to the throne room with the promise of a gift, and lovely news, Ellowyn comes with a tentative smile and distant eyes. She was not blind to the animosity that lingered behind Roman's shrewd gaze. Nonetheless, she bowed before him and before her mother, accepting their warm wishes for her birthday graciously. First, Roman announces to her that Nadia had proposed to the royal council that he should be named the King of the Sapphire Kingdom, and after months of consideration, it had been agreed. As a drough of cold sickness wells in Ellowyn's belly, hidden behind the princess's tight smile, Roman waxes poetic about how difficult the decision had been in the face of living up to a man as wonderful as her father, Pyotyr. They are flavorless words, lacking any depth or sincerity, despite their charismatic presentation. Second, he states he will present her with a birthday gift, his first as the soon-to-be King.
She is presented with three gifts: A necklace of diamonds and rubies, quite different from the sapphires and pearls she often wore. Decadent, but far from her typical sensibilities. Next, hand-made leather work for supplies befitting a royal steed, of which she was being gifted a young and well-bred stallion. And lastly, a deed. It would take a more critical eye to understand the fine print and legal terms, but as confusion furrows her brow, Roman explains with a calm smile. This is the deed to a property found in the lands of an island to the south- The Ruby Kingdom. "My last gift to you, child, is to assure you leisure and comfort all your days, as the bride Simund Grius, Duke of the the Molten Reefs." He goes on to explain the important military relationship he had built with this man over the years, but the words melt away as Ellowyn realizes the true nature of these gifts.
A red collar, signifying her status as beloved property of another kingdom that was not her home. Saddles and stirrups that were crafted to quickly send her away, with little hope of returning. A deed to a prison, where she could not mourn at her father's marble grave, stand fast to her duties as the princess of her homeland, nor make her own choices. The new king was sending her away so that she could not interfere with his movement into power. Surely, this is an insult paid in jest. A crass, tasteless attempt at humor that could be corrected with reasonably sharp tongue, and hopefully forgotten.
But as she turns her gaze to her mother, and finds Nadia simply smiling all the while, content to be at a man's side and no longer languishing over the decisions of a court she had not been ready to lead, there is no solace to be found in her mother's eyes.
And oh, how she weeps.
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⚜⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚ 𝓐𝓻𝓽 𝓫𝔂 
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⚜⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⚜⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚ Category All / Fantasy
Species Feline (Other)
Size 1280 x 1310px
File Size 325.4 kB
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