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lizzybeth1986 · 17 days

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Laylat al-Henna

Book: The Royal Romance

Rating: PG

Pairing: Kiara Theron x Hana Lee

Word Count: 1, 882 words

Summary: It's the night before Kiara and Hana's wedding! What fun things do Kiara's cousins from Fes have in store for their henna night?

A/N: You'll find details and visuals on the fashion and henna designs (as well as faceclaims for the OCs!) in this post.

Tagging @kiaratheronappreciationweek for KTAW Day 1: Culture, @choicesficwriterscreations for FoTW/LGBTQ Archive, @choicespride as well even though it may be a bit early for the pride event.

It is tradition - Kiara has been told over and over, wedding after wedding, from the time she was twelve - for a woman to have her bridegroom's name hidden in the designs of her henna.

Their families back in Fes would make a game of it on their wedding night; the groom could touch his bride only when he found his name, tiny and dark and perfect - leaving the most beautiful stain on her palms.

At least four (well...three, really) of those cousins had giggled over how it all went down at their own wedding nights. Nour's henna had her husband's name written in extremely small print, squirreled away among a row of curls. Imane's flowed along the curves of a large, floral paisley. Nissrine's husband was rumoured to have taken hours searching for his name in her henna and poor Fatimazahra's collapsed into an eight-hour slumber before he could even truly try.

All four of them laughed even harder when they were told that Kiara would be marrying a woman.

At first Kiara assumed it had to be the fun of celebrating two brides rather than just one. Double the joy, double the dancing, double the bridal henna!

Should've known better, Kiara mutters to herself as her eyes search frantically for telltale signs of calligraphy along the darkened vines on Hana's palm.

She almost lets out a triumphant yell when she catches a lovingly inscribed kaaf, deceptively mirroring the vines. That's before she realises the other four letters are scattered in Arabic all over Hana's palm.

Kiara purses her lips, immensely annoyed. Why did she think this to be so romantic in the first place?

"Oh!" Hana whispers in delight, "Look! I've found mine." Her finger lightly traces the soft skin underneath Kiara's little finger, caressing the spot where her own name is inscribed, in Mandarin....as a whole word. Her eyes sparkle in childlike glee.

Kiara manages to catche an alif peeking out from behind a flower on the soft skin just below Hana's thumb. She lets out a small huff of laughter, shaking her head.

Perhaps she should thank every deity of every faith that her parents' gave her a name as short as Kiara. Imagine her plight if it had been as long as Fatimazahra's, zut alors.

"My darling cousins," she says, her eyes still roaming over Hana's palms. Now...now she understands all those hearty cackles Nour seemed to be making, at the idea of arranging a henna party for two women. "Elles me conduiront à ma tombe!"

Every woman at the henna party in Castelserraillan that night shared very knowing grins as Kiara and Hana entered - completely blissed out, skin dewy and aglow, a mixture of a french lavender scent and the earthy aroma of ghassoul clay emanating from their bodies.

They'd been brought into the hall like princesses of old, carried in jewelled palanquins, dressed in caftans and takchitas whose golden threads reflected the soft light of the hall, the candles that seemed to receive their own henna treatment in tones of pink, purple and rose gold, and their light glowed softly in trays of pure gold.

Having experienced the joys of the pre-henna night hammam baths themselves, most of Kiara's aunts and cousins could tell how good the treatments must have been within the first ten minutes of a bride entering the ceremony.

Beneath her golden veil, Kiara's eyes roamed around the hall, in awe of the sheer love and detail that must have gone into planning this party alone. Both women being daughters to a multitude of cultures meant that Kiara and Hana had to pay their respects to several of their homes - Bethulia. Castelserraillan. Udvada. Orleans. Fes. Shanghai. Cordonia. - in different ceremonies, and include a multitude of relatives.

Which meant that Kiara's aunts and cousins knew this night was their moment to shine.

Hana was whisked to another corner of the room before Kiara could even get a chance to speak to her - a bevy of ladies already surrounding her to fulfill requests, give her mint tea, admire the henna's artist's craft or just for a small chat. Anything and everything Hana wanted. Tonight (and this was exactly how Kiara wanted it) Hana was going to be treated like a queen.

From under her lashes, Kiara sneaked a look at Hana. The woman she would call her wife tomorrow. Listening, nodding, her silken brown hair catching the glow of the lights as she threw her head back at a joke her aunt Hala said.

"If you stare any harder you'll bore a hole in the wall behind her," Nissrine came to her, grinning as she followed Kiara's gaze. She looked around the hall, slightly doubtful. "How did we do?"

Kiara laughed, placing her free hand on her cousin's arm, reassuring her with the word they would all use to describe something as beautiful. "Zwina."

Fatimazahra - who had been minding the caterers this whole time - seemed to appear out of nowhere, chukling. "Tomorrow is her wedding night. Of course everything will be zwina. The macroute will be zwina, her henna will be zwina, her wife will be the most zwina."

Kiara moved her gaze from Hana to her own palms, admiring the naqasha's speed and precision. The henna felt cool on her left palm, the designs on her arms already beginning to dry a little and the paste itself smelling pleasant and earthy - the way real henna should.

The naqasha - an experienced henna artist from their hometown whose team had become popular among the family circles for their vast knowledge of different henna styles (Indian, Pakistani, Khaleeji, Fassi, Marrakechi, Meknessi, Saharawi - you name it) - had finished making a beautiful dome at the centre of Kiara's palm, and was now referring to a tiny piece of paper Imane seemed to have given her before carefully writing out Méihuā - the name Hana's paternal family often used for her - in Hànzì script.

Kiara smiles mistily as she watches Soraya, the naqasha, labour over each character of the script, making sure she never got a single line or slant wrong. Hana often told her that that name reminded her of happier times, far more than her own birth name did. It meant plum blossom - the flower that grew fragrant and resilient in the snow, China's national flower. Her Năinai's favourite flower.

And over the past year...she'd begun to answer to it a little more too.

Kiara mouthed a silent "thank you" to Imane as she sauntered to her side, looking very pleased with herself.

"Wonderful work, Soraya," she patted the naqasha lightly on her shoulder, "What oils did you add in the henna paste this time?"

"Tea tree, geranium and lavender," Soraya said, smiling, "She can hold her hands in front of some herbal incense later. A lovely rich colour and the scent will be incredible."

"Ohhh...what a deep stain it'll leave behind when the henna comes off!" Imane looked back at Kiara, winking. "Remember what our aunts used to tell us, Kiara? The darker the stain of the henna, the deeper the essence of his love. Or her's, in this case."

Kiara was grateful for her golden veil as heat creeped up her neck. Maman loved that adage, ever since her own wedding where - if Kiara's aunts were to be believed - her henna deepened to a dark, rich brown without even holding her hands to a brazier like everyone else did.

Kiara always liked to call herself a practical woman. But this didn't stop her from dreaming of showing Hana her palms, rich and deep brown from both henna and their love.

"Is Hana liking her designs?" Kiara asked Imane.

"Iyyeh," Imane nodded. "Soraya's girls have really outdone themselves. Indian designs are usually very elaborate, but Hana wanted something simple, a little floral."

She gave Kiara a wolfish grin, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "I think you're going to love it."

Kiara narrowed her eyes at Imane. She knew that look. It was the kind she would give all her cousins when, as children, she was about to do skin her knees climbing the branches of a fig tree.

Kiara was going to open her mouth to ask what Imane had in mind, when the low, deep strains of the guembri rang throughout the room.

It was Nissrine's younger sister Nour, closing her eyes in reverence and plucking the strings of the family guembri - a legacy from her father, a renowned Gnawa master himself. The guembri had been in the family for generations, itself decorated with henna patterns so intricate it would amaze even the best of naqashas.

As the women in her family got up to dance to "Toura Toura", a song Kiara would listen to and relish in 12 hour lilas every year in Fes (singing in Bambara - a language neither she nor her cousins truly understood but loved to hear), she found herself somehow dancing next to the woman she had been craving to see for the last few hours.

"Well, hello there," Kiara said, sneaking a kiss to Hana's cheek.

Hana giggled. "Fancy running into you."

They danced until their feet were sore, until their eyes begged for sleep, until their henna dried - leaving behind a stain that was a deep, dark, rich brown.

"They did that on purpose!" Kiara huffs, ten minutes after she has triumphantly shown Hana the final letter - the rāy curling at the base of her wrist. "They were planning to annoy and vex me this entire time. If they were here right now I'd tell them to go cook themselves an egg."

For all her grumbling, however, Kiara was quite overjoyed. She had hoped that her extended family in Fes would adore Hana just as much as she did, that they would love her and pamper her silly. They went above and beyond; they made Hana's first real experience of Morocco practically unforgettable.

It was. In every sense of the word. Even if that involved secretly pulling Kiara's leg.

Hana pouts, her fingers still tracing the name on Kiara's palm. "I wish they scattered letters for me too. Seems like more of a challenge." She shifts a little more into Kiara's arms, turning her gaze to her own palms. "Not that I don't love your henna already. It's gorgeous; look at these curls in the center! They remind me of a compass rose."

Hana runs her fingers purposefully along the length of Kiara's body. She presses five tiny kisses along her face.

"A kiss for each letter," she hums happily against Kiara's skin, "A just reward for your hard work."

Laughter bubbles in Kiara's throat. "Only five?"

"Kiara Yasmine Thorne," Hana's voice takes on a raspy, sultry quality, "Don't be greedy."

"Ma moitie," she whispers back, "I believe tonight's the one night when greed is allowed."

Hana bites her lower lip to stem her own laughter, then lets her lips roam free over Kiara's face.

"Fine, then," Hana huffs in mock-petulance, only too happy to go along with the joke, "Eighteen kisses it is."

Kiara buries her hands in Hana's hair as she breathes in the fragrance from between her shoulder and neck. "I won't mind if you give me more...but alright. Eighteen's a start."

Translation -

Darija:

Kaaf (ك), yaa (ي), alif (ا)(twice), rāy (ر) are the isolated letters that - I think - will form Kiara's name in Arabic. I believe that it may look somewhat like this (كيارا) when written as one word, but the letters are meant to be scattered around Hana's henna just to tease Kiara.

Ghassoul/Rhassoul clay - a type of clay that some people use as a cosmetic product for their skin and hair. It’s a brown clay only found in a valley in the Atlas mountains of Morocco. The term “rhassoul” comes from an Arabic word that means “to wash.” Typically used in hammam baths.

Zwina - a compliment, literal meaning is beautiful or good.

Macroute - a diamond shaped sweet cookie filled with dates and nuts or almond paste.

Naqasha - Henna artist

Guembri - a three stringed skin-covered bass plucked lute used by the Gnawa people

Lila - a rich ceremony in the Gnawa community, of song, music, dance, costume, and incense that takes place over the course of an entire night, ending around dawn. Learn more here.

Toura Toura - Popular Gnawa song. Here is a version by Innov Gnawa.

French:

zut alors - an expression of annoyance, like saying "darn!" or "damn!", mostly used in non-serious instances.

Elles me conduiront à ma tombe! - They will lead me to my grave!

Va te faire cuire un œuf! - Literally, "go cook yourself an egg!". An expression of annoyance, similar to "go take a hike!" or "leave me alone!"

#kiara theron #the royal romance #the royal heir #the royal finale #kiaratheronappreciationweek #KTAW #KTAW Day 1 #KTAW Day 1: Culture #content: fanfic #lizzybeth1986

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cassiopeiacorvus · 17 days

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KTAW 2024 DAY 1

Culture/Festivals

Tagging: @kiaratheronappreciationweek, @sazanes, @lizzybeth1986

I decided to draw Kiara preparing for Castel's Flower Festival because she deserved better than mess that TRH gave her.

✨Have a bonus process video under the cut!✨

TW: flashing lights towards the end. The filters got a lil crazy there.

#playchoices #the royal romance #kiara theron #kiaratheronappreciationweek #KTAW #KTAW Day 1 #cassiopeiacorvus draws #cassi originals #what if the writers hadn't treated the flower festival #kiara and every other black woman in trr #like a joke #i think it would've turned out like this

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sazanes · 1 year

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Day 1 - Art & Literature/Wine

"You know... It's funny how people are all a little bit like wine."

@kiaratheronappreciationweek @lizzybeth1986 @sazanes

#kiaratheronappreciationweek #KTAW #KTAW Day 1 #kiara theron #myart #playchoices #the royal romance #reference used #digital art #fanart

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thecapturedafrique · 2 years

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KTAW: Day 1—What We Love Most/Throwback

Good evening and happy Kiara Theron Appreciation Week! This post is definitely late, but for day 1’s theme, I’m sharing the character page I made for Kiki. After all, when it comes to what I love most, it’s her entire character!

Tagging @kiaratheronappreciationweek and the fantastic hosts @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Full Name: Kiara Afnane Theron

In Greek: Κλάρα Άφναν Θήρας (Klára Áfnan Thíras)

In French: Claire Théron

In Arabic: أفنان حكيم آل شَوْكَتْ (‘Āfnān Ḥakīm Āl Šawkat/Afnane Hakim Al Shawkat)

Nicknames: Kiki (Ezekiel), little owl (Hakim)

Noble Title: Lady Kiara of House Theron, Countess of Heartwood, RC

Charge and Colors: little owl; sable and argent (w/ or)

Epithet: The Gilded Lady

Age: 24

Date of Birth: April 30th, 1994

Place of Birth: Sorbier, CS

Gender: Cis woman

Pronouns: She/her

Sexual Orientation: Bisexual

Zodiac: Aries ♈️

Enneagram: 3.2 (w2; Performer)

Self-assured, energetic, and competent with high self-esteem: they believe in themselves and their own value. Adaptable, desirable, charming, and gracious.

Height: 5’4”

Race/Ethnicity: Maghrebi and Afro-French (Mandinka)

Nationality: Cordonian, French, Moroccan

Face Claim: Flora Coquerel

Education: Aurynn Academy; BA (Hons) in Government with a joint Political Theory and International Relations Concentration from Harvard University; MA in International Relations with a Language and Diplomacy Concentration from Vancross Institute

Languages: French, Greek, English, Arabic, Vóreios Norse, Swedish, Spanish, German, Italian, Sabir, Latin/Ancient Greek (studied)

Favorite Color: gold

Piercings: double lobe; right tragus

Partner: Hana Lee (girlfriend)

Best Friend(s): Penelope Amarantos and Savannah Walker

Family*: Joëlle Theron (mother), Hakim Theron (father), Ezekiel Theron (older brother), Aaron Condé (maternal grandfather), three maternal aunts, two maternal uncles, Leïla Theron (parental aunt), Patrice & Aminata (maternal cousins)

*Maternal Lineage

Character Notes

Kiara’s middle name Afnane means “branches,” which I found fitting for a descendant of Rowan Thorn

Her surname Theron is an anagram of the original Thorne, which gained the additional vowel “e” over the course of the century following Cordonia’s formation and later became “Theron” after their house was exiled following their involvement in a revolt*

As the new heir of Castelsareillan, I decided Kiki should have a courtesy title to use and went with “Countess of Heartwood” to reference Bellmere

I chose the little owl as the specific species for House Theron’s sigil due to them being associated with Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war (and thus found it an even more fitting nickname for Hakim to use)

The capital of Castelsareillan where Kiara was born, Sorbier, is French for “rowan”

Kiara’s enneagram is type Three, also known as “The Achiever”: the success-oriented, pragmatic type described as adaptive, excelling, driven, and image-conscious. She is a Two-Wing, who are generally more extroverted and charming than other type Threes, and her level 2 is the level of psychological capacity.

I head canon Hakim as being Moroccan through his father’s side, while Joëlle is ethnically of Mandinka descent

Credit to @lizzybeth1986 for Kiki’s face claim!

Many Cordonian noblewomen attend a finishing school their final year of gymnasium (Greek-equivalent to junior high) in preparation for their official court introduction, with Aurynn Academy being the premier

Of the ten languages Kiara knows, I included Vóreios Norse (an invented regional language of Lythikos) and Sabir (a pidgin language formerly used in the Mediterranean Basin which I head canon is still spoken); though she is fluent in all ten, they are listed in order from most familiar to least

Kiara’s tragus piercing is an old Castel tradition as the inner ear helps keep balance which is needed for archers; it’s now essentially considered a good luck charm

All of my character pages for TRR cast are of their status post main series, and like many others, I am a member of Team Hanara and imagine the two as having fallen in love over the course of TRR3

I also head canon that Kiara and Savannah were closer than canon indicates to flesh out both of their backstories

The only cousin named here (Aminata) is the one mentioned in canon whose wedding was missed

*Due to my lateness, please enjoy this extra bit of Cordonian history involving House Thorne becoming House Theron:

To avoid the Black Death, in 1344 C.E. all the kingdoms on the island of Pontios including Cordonia chose to close their borders. With exports severely reduced, this left the kingdom in need of becoming more self-sustaining, primarily in regard to necessities such as food. As such, a royal decree was passed the following year that all groves managed by hand would be replaced with apple orchards.

This included a major portion of Bellmere��s Heart Oak forest, and so commenced the Foresters’ Revolt. Unfortunately, despite the support of their noble house, the revolt was suppressed and Applewood was formed. The members of House Thorne were stripped of their titles and banished from the kingdom, and they ended up relocating to the northern forest south of the Blackspines. It would not be until two centuries later—due to their support of House Rys in the civil war—that the members would regain their status as nobility, now under the name House Theron.

#playchoices #the royal romance #trr #kiara theron #kiaratheronappreciationweek #ktaw #ktaw day 1 #character page #i will definitely be using that bonus week lolololtear

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masked-alien-lesbian · 17 days

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KTAW Day #1: Culture

Holi: Festival of Colors, Love and Spring

"How do we wake her up?" Kiara faintly hears Raelyn muttering.

"Just gently nudge her arm, but hurry my love, this breakfast tray is quite heavy." Hana's voice sounds somewhere in the cloud of light sleep Kiara was drifting in. Then suddenly Kiara was being wildly shaken.

"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey...well not really, but malpuas didn't rhyme so..." Raelyn-

"Gently, Rae, gently!" Hana admonishes Raelyn and then looks at Kiara who is sitting up disheveled and disoriented.

"Sorry Kiara, I think they're excited for our first color festival." Hana says apologetically.

"We brought you breakfast!" Raelyn sings as Hana sits the tray in Kiara's lap.

"Oh my...this is so sweet!" Kiara says touched by her best friends surprising her with breakfast in bed.

"Literally so sweet, I've had a stack of rainbow waffles and I'm about to bounce off the walls." Kiara laughs at Raelyn before beginning to nibble on her sweet breakfast.

"We'll let you eat in peace, Kiara, meet us downstairs when you're ready?" Hana says while swatting at Raelyn's hand who was trying to steal an idli (a savory rice cake) from Kiara's plate.

"I will." Kiara says smiling at the couple's antics and admiring the view outside of her window as they shut the door behind them.

An hour later, Kiara came down into the main living room at the small villa in Mathura, the Valtoria duchesses had rented for the weekend. The rest of the friend group had prior obligations and weren't able to attend but miraculously, Kiara was in-between social events and with a little pleading from Hana, Kiara joined the couple for their first Holi festival.

Kiara knew about Holi and what it stood for. A celebration of the end of winter and the beginning of spring, a celebration of love, and an occasion to reset and renew ruptured relationships and end conflicts. But knowing the indept cultural and historical aspects of the Hindu traditions, didn't mean Kiara had ever participated and looking at the couple in matching white and pink flower saree and kurta, Kiara felt awkward and out of place in her black dress.

Hana's saree and Raelyn's white kurta and trousers with pink rose jacket.

The couple turns at Kiara's arrival.

"I knew she'd be wearing something black!" Raelyn exclaims.

"Oh, je suis dèsolè, is this dress not appropriate?" Kiara asks looking down at her dress unsure.

"You rock black like a queen, Kiara, but you gotta wear light colors so the colors of the powders show up." Raelyn says.

"Don't worry, we got a gift for you." Hana says before opening a conveniently nearby closet and pulling out a dress in a garment bag.

Trying the beautiful silk ruffle saree on in the bathroom, she marvels at the colors before coming out to show it off.

Kiara's saree

"Whoa!" Raelyn-

"Ahh! I got the size right!" Hana claps.

"Hana...Raelyn...merci beaucoup...this is so beautiful, it's almost a shame that we're about to ruin it." Kiara says hugging Hana.

"Speaking of..." Raelyn says grinning mischievously at Kiara before gently dabbing bright green powder on her nose. The two stand staring at each other in a show down.

"Oh, this is war." Kiara says quietly, slowly smirking. The grin on Raelyn's face slips off when Hana hands Kiara a heaping bag of pink powder.

"Now, now hold on a minute!" They say backing out of the patio doors at the two grinning ladies that were both holding bags of powder, advancing on Raelyn.

"Rae darling? You really should be running." Hana says causing Raelyn to squeal and run. Hana and Kiara laugh as they chase their quarry.

@kiaratheronappreciationweek

@sazanes

@lizzybeth1986

#choices #pixelberry #playchoices #Trr #The royal romance #kiara theron #Kiara #KTAW #KTAW 2024 #kiaratheronappreciationweek #KTAW Day 1: Culture #If I got anything wrong #Please correct me #I love the color festival and Diwali #And the south Asian culture and aspects of Hinduism #So much #So I hope I did it justice

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hanaleeappreciationweek · 1 month

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We are finally reaching our last day of HLAW!! And we've got such incredible entries - this time also from new people who have sent us such fabulous work! We're grateful to all our contributors - both old and new - for the love and enthusiasm you've shown us so far and hope to see more in store today as well!!

Day 5 is all about the relationships!! Whether familial, platonic or romantic, Hana gives each one her all 🩷 She is also someone who is attempting to learn a new normal - how to continue loving others while also taking care of herself! This is a chance to explore Hana's connections with other people, whether in canon or your OCs, and explore her unique way of navigating them!!

Any content is welcome!! Fanfic, fanart, edits, moodboards, interactive, media, headcanons, screenshots, playlists, meta...even screenshots of your favourite scenes would be great!! Our only requirement is that the content is centered on Hana, and that the depiction of her is positive. You can also send in WIPs in case you don't complete a work!

You can also send in a work on the days following a particular theme - this is no pressure for it to be put up exactly that day! We will also have an extra week for anyone who still needs time 💕 May 4th will be our final official date for entries (to incorporate into our video!) but HLAW will still be open for entries for the rest of the year until the next event!

You'll find all the HLAW 2024 themes here!

Be sure to do the following when you make your posts:

1. Use the tags #hanaleeappreciationweek and #HLAW in the tags (along with the day you made the post for - #HLAW Day 1, #HLAW Day 2 etc)

2. Tag @hanaleeappreciationweek and hosts @sazanes and @lizzybeth1986 in your posts, so we don't miss them!

FAN CONTENT BLOGS are instrumental in keeping the fandom alive - with events and fun activities that encourage us all to contribute and create. They have also been amazing in their support towards our character events. Do check them out to see all the new incredible events and prompts coming up!

@choicesficwriterscreations - Primarily fanfic and fanart (no AI allowed). Check out their rules and roster of events!

@choicesmonthlychallenge & @choicesaprilchallenge24 - Any and all content welcome (No AI content)! They have a collection of prompts you can use for the month of April!

@choicespride - Any and all content is welcome, as long as it is centered around queer characters and/or themes.

@choicesflashfics - Primarily fanfic under a 2500 word count. Every week they use new dialogue prompts. The prompts for the coming week will be out soon.

@choicesholidays - Any and all content welcome, as long as it is centered around one of the holidays listed! Currently, they are hosting Spring Fling!

@choicesprompts - Mostly fanfic preferred! You can check out their current Round Robin event here!

As tomorrow will be our final HLAW day, we'd like to remind everyone once again that we always keep a bonus week for entries!! So if you weren't able to finish your piece on time, you still have till May 4th!! We will also be keeping the event open all year round for entries - so if you finish a piece before next year's HLAW, don't hesitate to send it to us and it will find a place in the masterlist! We will be open all year round! 💕💕

We usually make a thank you video for all our contributors and signal boosters at the end of the bonus week! Typically it is put up on YouTube and we share it here. If you would prefer not to feature, do let us know and we will keep your name out of it based on your comfort levels.

@lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes will be hosting Kiara Theron Appreciation Week (KTAW) on the 21st next month! If anyone would like to be tagged on that or knows people who may be interested, let us know!! The blog for that event is here: @kiaratheronappreciationweek.

Happy Hana Lee Appreciation Week, everyone!!

#hana lee #the royal romance #the royal heir #the royal finale #hanaleeappreciationweek #HLAW #HLAW 2024 #HLAW Day 5 #HLAW Day 5: Family #HLAW Day 5: Friendship #HLAW Day 5: Romance

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kiaratheronappreciationweek · 1 year

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Welcome to our second edition of Kiara Theron Appreciation Week!!

Last year saw an incredible response from Kiara fans, with many many brilliant pieces of writing and art. We're looking forward to another year of appreciating and honouring this wonderful character 😍

We have two themes for our first day: Art & Literature, and Wine!

Castelserraillan is a place rich in vineyards, and one of the first things we do at the estate is taste their many varieties of wine! It would be great to explore Kiara in this light: think about her favourite wines, or her first time tasting, or the whole culture of wine appreciation from her eyes!

Kiara's home is also known for their love for art, AND as the literary hub of Cordonia! Let's think about what her favourite books could be, or what her relationship with art is...the possibilities are endless!

Any content is welcome!! Just make sure it centers Kiara, and presents a positive depiction of her. Fic, art, meta, headcanons, edits, icons, interactive media, even simple character appreciation posts!! We also accept WIPs, so if your piece isn't entirely complete by the end of the week, fret not - you can still send us the WIPs!

The themes are simply inspirations. If you bring a piece for one of the days later, it's entirely okay...just make sure you tag the posts with the day you meant it for!

Be sure to do the following on your posts:

1. Use the tags #kiaratheronappreciationweek and #KTAW in your posts. Make sure to tag the day as well (#KTAW Day 1, #KTAW Day 2, etc)

2. Tag @kiaratheronappreciationweek in your posts, as well as the hosts @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes.

Fan content blogs are super important to our promotion of events, so we'd definitely love for you to check out some of these awesome blogs and their challenges:

@choicesficwriterscreations - Primarily fanfic. They have weekly events; here is their roster!

@choicesmonthlychallenge and @choices-february2023 - Any and all content welcome! They have prompts for every day of the month. Check them out!

@choicespride - Their Valentine's event got over recently, but we're sure you can tag them if you view Kiara as queer!

@choicesprompts - Currently not holding any events, but do check them out!

@choicesholidays - This blog also has holiday-related prompts!

@drake-walker-appreciation and @maxwell-beaumont-appreciation will be holding their events soon.

We hope to see a lot of support from you all tomorrow!!

Happy Kiara Theron Appreciation Week!!

#kiara theron #kiaratheronappreciationweek #the royal romance #the royal heir #the royal finale #KTAW #KTAW Day 1 #KTAW Day 1: Art and Literature #KTAW Day 1: Wine #signal boost #long post

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lizzybeth1986 · 2 years

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An Ear to The Ground

Book: The Royal Romance Book 1

Characters: Kiara Theron (featuring my MC, Esther, and the ladies of the court)

Word Count: 3, 655 words.

Summary: To the rest of Cordonia, Lady Kiara Thorne of Castelserraillan is just another suitor, destined at failure in winning the Crown Prince's hand. Luckily for Kiara, that isn't why she's here. Part of the Petals and Thornes universe.

Tagging @choicesficwriterscreations for FoTW

A/N1: Basically I was torn between gushing over Kiara's observation skills in Book 1 (specifically Lythikos) through an essay or through a fic. Though a fic would present more of a challenge for me 😁

"Le Prince va tomber amoureux de moi."

Kiara Thorne doesn't have to look around to note the sniggers coming from the other ladies, even as the words leave her mouth. Even from young Penelope, the girl she'd been taking under her wing for years...since the minute she became the last Great-House-Heir of their generation to celebrate her debut.

No matter. They may have been friendlier than most ladies in court, but right here Kiara knows she can't be anyone's friend. If anything Penelope returning that favour only means she's taught the girl well. It's not like you grew pigs together*, Maman would say.

Kiara herself knows her statement to be a fib as tall as the Eiffel, but there is such a thing as making sure you don't throw in the towel on your very first day. If you don't project ridiculous amounts of confidence - even in front of this crowd you grew up with - they could eat you alive. Which is precisely what is happening to one of the newer girls right now.

Lady Hana - the rather elusive daughter of a barony pocketed away somewhere between Domvallier and Ramsford, run by Zoroastrians who had settled for two centuries in the Indian subcontinent before finding their way to Cordonia - turns scarlet as Duchess Olivia tears into her for what seems to be an...engagement that ended fairly amicably. Kiara has heard rumours, true, but Olivia seems intent on making it sound like Cordonia considers the whole situation her fault. Kiara bristles a little at Olivia's exaggerations, knowing that she's going to repeat the same in front of the press, and that they will instantly lap it up.

When she knows full well that if this were even remotely true across the board, a Madeleine Amaranth would hardly be able to show her face in public.

The lady of Bethulia makes quick her exit, blinking away tears. That doesn't surprise Kiara. Many women will crash and burn at the first event itself; you need nerves of steel and a blanket assumption that every mistake you ever made in your life will be amplified on a national stage...and not many fully understand what that entails until they've had to face it themselves. She can only hope that what she has heard about the woman's other gifts may carry her through.

What does surprise Kiara, though, is the other new girl's response.

Esther DuPont of New York looks at the Duchess of Lythikos square in the eye - her own brilliant sapphire ones giving nothing away. Kiara doesn't exactly expect much from her either - in Lady Hana's case at least you could tell she has trained herself admirably in their ways despite being brought up an entire continent away. This one just seems entirely clueless.

"You're acting like a child, not a queen," her voice is calm, but every word slices through the tense night air with the brutal clarity of a newly-sharpened knife. "If this is how you behave, I wouldn't trust you with childproof scissors - much less a kingdom."

A shame that Olivia doesn't often feel turns her cheeks a bright red. If you'd just called her a bitch she would have considered that more of a kindness. "I...you can't..."

Esther's eyes glitter, then darken dangerously. "I just did."

The steely edge in her voice makes Kiara shiver for reasons that aren't just the cool night air.

This social season could get quite... interesting.

The first rule of observing well, ya Babba, is to never assume.

Kiara always thought she fully understood what her father meant when he said that. Until now.

Two days. Two days and three events - and already a complete sea-change in the way the competition looks. She'd entered this competition aware that she'd be the first to go - she just never imagined the plucky inexperienced newcomer to pull ahead of them all!

And she will never be more grateful to her father, than for the lesson that sometimes you should just sit back and enjoy the surprises that being wrong can bring.

Yesterday's afternoon with the Queen was a revelation in more ways than one. Her family no longer having King Constantine's favour meant that chances to interact with the royal family are rare, and getting an individual audience with Queen Regina even rarer - but Kiara was transfixed at the sight of her measuring up each one of them; finding more in the things they hid than in what they said. She knew each suitor by name, listened carefully to their answers... skillfully parried each one with deceptively-casual utterances about politics and governance.

Penelope, who had just gossiped two hours before about Lady Esther's tardiness to win more of Olivia's favour, withered almost instantly under the Queen's scrutiny. Kiara felt her own attempts to subtly size up the competition, and observe the Queen, increasingly gauche and far too obvious.

What did comfort her, however, was the grudging look of approval she got from the Queen after she was done. She knew by the beginning of the Derby that her time in the competition was pretty much done, but it felt incredible to have made an impression on someone that formidable.

And what did surprise her, was the Mystery Woman of the season. That was what the press claimed to be Lady Esther's moniker - her answers revealing everything about her interest in Cordonia and Prince Liam, and tantalizingly little about herself - and their reviews, coupled with the Queen's glowing approval, have made her an instant favourite with the public.

(It probably helps that the Crown Prince himself had such a hard time concealing his heart-eyes the moment he caught sight of her, Kiara thinks a little wistfully. It's been over 15 years since she last spoke to him as more than a casual acquaintance, but she knows that the one thing that hasn't quite changed about him is his slightly dreamy, romantic nature. A nature he tries so hard to keep in check)

For all Lady Esther's inexperience and tardiness, it is clear that she's quite adept at reading the room and carefully moulding her answers to pique the interest of her listener, often making them forget any motives she may have in the process.

Kiara doesn't doubt that she's been learning the finer details of court etiquette from her sponsors, and perhaps Lady Hana (she could spot the two of them while they were dancing the Cordonian Waltz today, with different partners - two couples away from each other - their footwork and twirls almost identical). Lady Esther has been adjusting far quicker than any of them realized, to the point where she almost upstaged Olivia tonight at her own party, despite being deliberately kept away from the spotlight.

Kiara's mouth twists in annoyance at the sheer audacity of Olivia's antics today. It isn't uncommon for every hostess to use their power, as the one leading the ceremony, so they can monopolize the main guest's time - but it also isn't every day that one sees a display as brazen as this one. She could almost understand the desire to seat every other suitor at a smaller, lesser table - and to publicly insult the suitors you like the least - but to the point where you forget all propriety? Where you grab the prize of the season like he is some...some rag doll and kiss him without warning? Mock every other woman who would have willingly supported you?

Countess Madeleine, last season's winner and the latest suitor to join the season, haughtily raised her chin at the display later and proclaimed that she could never that unrefined or insecure (Kiara, who has heard of both the drunken displays of Duchess Adeleide, and of Madeleine's own behaviour - both sober and rum-fueled - at the height of her last engagement two years ago, now stifles a snort).

Lady Esther, whose only flash of emotion seemed to manifest when she danced with the Crown Prince, kept her face determinedly neutral as Olivia continued her display, raising her head in defiance, daring the Duchess to admit that she was the reason for such an ostentatious, reckless display.

Olivia made the mistake of meeting Esther eye-to-eye then, and in the instance their eyes met it became clear Olivia knew she had lost.

Not just this twisted game she seems to be having with Lady Esther. No, Olivia has lost far more than that tonight. The press around her now murmur her name in hushed, scandalized tones, several nobles can be seen shaking their heads, and Prince Liam is nowhere to be found. Kiara herself has used the rest of the night to seek out potential contacts and create an impression. If she's lucky enough to find people influential enough, interested enough, she could perhaps return home with some tempting offers at hand.

Lady Esther has just finished speaking to her sponsor now, nodding at what seems to be a suggestion from his end. From the slight inclination of the woman's head in her direction, Kiara can hazard a guess exactly who they're talking about.

Any moment now, Esther will turn this way. She will smile faintly at Kiara's side-profile, unaware that Kiara has been watching her too. She will come forward. She will speak a few words in French (do not let it be voulez vous coucher avec moi I beg you God, I can't believe why these many people find it so funny). She will mention the kiss. List Olivia's faults. Assure her of an alliance of equal footing.

Kiara already knows her answer.

It will be a yes. But not before she makes Esther work a little for it first.

Kiara greets the news that she is officially out of the running for Prince Liam's hand, two weeks before the Apple Blossom Festival, with a sigh of relief. She has always feared the long agonizing wait for the acknowledgement of failure than the failure itself, and its finality is a balm to her brain, which has already begun its pursuit for more networks, more connections, more opportunities. Already she's been approached for a few translation-oriented projects.

While she is still participating in the social season, she uses the little clout she has to promote Lady Esther. Fortunately for her, she isn't the only one. Penelope joined in singing Esther's praises immediately after the Regatta, guilelessly praising her bravery in the face of a vicious crab she had rescued Penelope from at the Capitol beach (she stopped repeating that story after the second week; Kiara still cannot place a finger on why this unsettles her).

She must admit Lady Hana must have been a smart one, to identify and pledge her support to the woman who is now the season's top frontrunner. The one who makes even a Countess Madeleine sit up and take notice. She must have seen something in her that none of them had, and Kiara almost envies her that sense of instinct.

The more Kiara learns about Lady Hana, the more intrigued she feels. There is no doubt in Kiara's mind that the half-Chinese half-Cordonian suitor is no wilting wallflower; you could tell how competitive she is just by seeing her play a simple game with the other ladies. Yet, she seemed to show little interest in the social season for herself...and threw herself wholly into helping and promoting Esther long before even Kiara did.

At least she was doing it at least partly in self-interest. Kiara is hard-pressed to find much self-interest in most of what Hana does. She'd asked the other woman once why she'd plunged herself headlong into that kind of support. Hana had looked her straight in the eye and said, "She stood by me when no one else did."

The naked adoration in her voice, even now, one week later, makes Kiara skin prickle.

It is their final night at Applewood before the famed Beaumont Bash is to begin. Kiara tries not to look in Hana's direction - she is deep in discussion with the one man that Kiara has been trying to avoid directly looking at for months, fearing the flush on her neck and the hotness on her cheeks. Year after year she prays for this futile desire to either die or be met, and year after year it only intensifies with little encouragement from its source. She knows if she does catch a glimpse of him - each denim-clad inch of him - she will not be able to look away. Kiara wraps her cloak around herself a little tighter, hoping her involuntary shiver could be attributed to the light breeze.

Right next to her, Penelope talks to Madeleine in small, halting tones, almost like she fears the older woman's response. "I think Lady Esther will make a wonderful Queen". She brushes her knuckle lightly over the space between her nose and upper lip, wiping away small sweat beads.

Penelope has been looking lost and distracted for three days now. She jerks at the slightest sounds, doesn't look the other ladies in the eye anymore. Just the other day she watched King Constantine from a distance, the strangest expression on her face. She never told Kiara why, even when Kiara tried to nudge an answer out of her.

A muscle seems to jump beneath Countess Madeleine's cheek. "Well," she says, her voice sounding honey-sweet, and like a veiled threat, at the same time. "I suppose you're entitled to your opinion".

The lady they were just talking about is standing just a little way away from the main dining table, talking to Lord Tariq. At a cursory glance Esther seems attentive, but Kiara doesn't have to stand directly in front of her to understand her eyes are probably glazed over from boredom. Lord Tariq thinks entirely too much of his own charm, and he has hardly encountered a person daring enough to let him know how downright tedious he sounds.

Madeleine has turned to her now, her eyes expectant of a more positive response. Till now she's only heard the occasional story about how entitled Countess Madeleine could get, and how much she has assumed herself a gift to Cordonian politics. It's so fascinating, seeing her realize for the first time that she has true competition in a woman that none of them had even heard of, two months ago. It's so illuminating to see her struggle to adjust to that truth.

At least in Olivia's case you could factor in her personal feelings for the Prince himself. Madeleine doesn't even have that. She saunters around like she is above the chore of talking to the man she may have to marry if she wins this - and Kiara can never understand the logic behind that strategy. Even she - who didn't want to marry the Prince in the first place - used the few opportunities they had to speak, to rekindle their friendship and remind him of her own family's close connection to his mother. Attempts that he accepted with open arms and a warm smile, regaling her with memories of his own. Madeleine simply assumed that showering exclusive attention on her aunt and her father's former best friend would be enough.

Kiara knows her answer will make the season's second-favourite frontrunner furious. And unlike Penelope, she can't quite bring herself to care.

She still will deliver the news kindly, though. Madeleine is still a rather powerful woman. No point getting on her bad side when you could deliver honesty alongside a small bowl of honey.

What was it again that Baba had said? About never assuming?

How is it that she somehow never seems to fully absorb this vital lesson?

Lady Esther seemed to have have had it all. The adulation of the press, the approval of the Court, the blessings of the royal couple themselves...the heart of the man who is now Cordonia's new king.

How did she manage to blow it all up that spectacularly??

As soon as the thought leaves her head Kiara knows she's being unfair. She doesn't know the facts, and she doesn't want to fall for the hungry sensationalism that the likes of Them magazine are likely to bring. It seems just as likely - if not more - Tariq had sprung this on Lady Esther, and a rogue tabloid journalist had just caught him in the act.

Of one thing Kiara is sure. Lady Esther can't have been comfortable with any of this. You can tell from the look on her face on that photograph. She looks wary. Astounded. Vulnerable. Anything but a willing participant.

And while some of the possibilities of what may have happened in that room make Kiara sick to her stomach, she knows she cannot dwell on them.

Lady Esther is gone. As are Lady Hana and Duchess Olivia, for reasons that will perhaps forever stay a mystery. The only women standing, giving the new Queen-to-be even a skeleton of a court, are her and Penelope. They're all that's left to represent the Great Houses, and Kiara knows without question that every move she and Penelope make from now on will be examined with a fine-toothed comb. By the press, by the Council, especially by King Liam's future bride.

Perhaps her, more than Penelope. Even as spectacular a failure as the other woman's performance in the social season was, the words used to describe her were always going to be Sweet. Innocent. Friendly. The words used to describe Kiara were always going to be Cold. Snotty. Calculated. And she knows instinctively that were their personalities reversed, Kiara would be called vapid and silly, and Penelope would be labelled a magnificent strategist.

That is something she has never begrudged Penelope, or the court. She stopped caring about what people said about her a long time ago. As long as she still gets the connections she needs and the projects she desires, they could call her Medusa for all it mattered to her.

But now that the season is over, and Countess Madeleine has offered to keep them both on as ladies-in-waiting, Kiara knows that both their reputations are now intricately tied together. They both need to work in tandem, present a unified front behind the new royal couple, and to Cordonia. The onus of bringing Penelope up to speed, of ensuring she can still manage to navigate court successfully even when Kiara isn't around...is now on Kiara's shoulders. If Penelope fails - both of them fail.

Kiara picks up her phone, preparing to type a message to her friend so they can meet up. The press and Twitter public are likely scouring through both their past tweets for some juicy tidbit about their opinions during the social season, even as she is typing. She can already imagine the articles from Trend and BuzzWord, pulling up their statements of support for Lady Esther from just one week ago and placing them under a magnifying glass.

Already she can anticipate the withering looks Madeleine will give them everytime they open their mouths - letting them know she hasn't forgotten that they'd started out supporting someone else. For all her talk of unity and friendly competition and rallying around the winner, the future Queen is a cauldron of resentments inside, and even the most innocent slight can spell disaster for you later on.

Not for the last time, Kiara wonders if the Queen-to-be that King Liam had wanted, would have behaved the same way.

Kiara presses her lips closed, trying hard to chase away that near-scandalous thought. This is no time to be thinking of might-have-beens. Her and Penelope...they can still come out of this not looking like fools. They still have ways they can spin this so it works in their favour. So their loyalty will never be called into question.

She just has to coach Penelope on how to fall in line.

If there is a wary voice at the back of her mind, reminding her that anything can happen in the space between an engagement and a wedding...she pushes the thought resolutely away.

After all, even Baba would have to agree - there will come a time when it would be foolish to second-guess an inevitable result, n'est ce pas?

N'est ce pas??

Notes:

On n'a pas élevé les cochons ensemble: The literal translation (used in this story) is "we didn't grow pigs together", and the meaning of the idiom signifies - "you need to respect me more, I'm not your friend, or we have no anterior relations". In this context, while Penelope and Kiara may be friendly, they're not close friends and Kiara figures she shouldn't be expecting loyalty from her. (Credit to @thecapturedafrique for pointing me to this idiom!)

Ya Babba - Among some Arabic families, parents tend to playfully call their children by their own parental title. I am not sure if this is common in Darija, which is the language Hakim often speaks with his children, but in the absence of a nickname I could think of at present, I have him call Kiara by the name she gives him, which is Baba.

N'est ce pas? - "Is it not?" in French.

A/N2: You see how great Kiara's observation powers are especially in Lythikos, Book 1 - when it becomes obvious in the "successful" playthroughs that the MC is fitting in to courtly life better than she anticipated. She is the first member of the court besides Bertrand and Regina to note this. I speak more about it in the latter half of this QT.

She is also extremely pragmatic - she understands very well that she is never going to be a frontrunner in her season, and as early as Lythikos, spends more time networking and angling for connections that may further a future career. A lot of the time when people criticize her for being opportunistic, they forget that she never promised friendship, and instead kept her end of the bargain as an ally for the social season. This fic is an attempt to expand on these qualities as they feature in canon.

While in Book 3 and TRH, the team itself is eager to mould her into the shape of the phantom this fandom was so eager to hate, Book 1...and to a small extent Book 2...do feature these characteristics of hers quite strongly.

#kiara theron #kiaratheronappreciationweek #KTAW #the royal romance #the royal heir #the royal finale #KTAW Day 1 #KTAW Day 1: What We Love About Kiara #lizzybeth1986 #content: fanfic

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sazanes · 2 years

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Day 1 - What We Love Most About Kiara/Throwback

"Tres embarrassant" When you're in the hottest club in town but... With Madeleine

I love when Kiara points out the other ladies' embarrassing moments 🥰

@kiaratheronappreciationweek @lizzybeth1986 @sazanes

#kiaratheronappreciationweek #ktaw #KTAW Day 1 #kiara theron #the royal romance #playchoices #myart #reference used

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kiaratheronappreciationweek · 2 years

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Welcome to our first ever Kiara Theron Appreciation Week!

The event may begin tomorrow, but we would like to kick the week off with a personal post on each of our themes before their specific days. For Day One, we have not one, but two themes!

One of our themes is What We Love About Kiara. As a side character in the series, we don't see Kiara too often in canon, but when she's around she definitely makes an impression and in her own quiet way, gets us to stand up and take notice. Day 1 would be a great day to explore what about Kiara makes her loveable to her fans! 🥰

We also have a Throwback Theme! This is specially for content that you may have made for Kiara in the past. You can reblog the content (art, fic, edits, aesthetics, hcs... anything!!!) and if you feel comfortable...take us through the process of writing the fic. If you have any doubts on how to do that - here is an ask list that we think might help!

Any content is welcome! As long as the focus is on Kiara, and the depiction of her is positive, we are only too happy to invite any form of content on her. Additionally, with this AW we will also be inviting excerpts from WIPs in case you aren't able to complete the content while the week is still on. Our aim is that you enjoy the week comfortably - not stress yourself out trying to churn out content.

The theme is an inspiration for creating - if you haven't finished the piece in time for that day, you can always present it on a later day, and tag it for whichever day you made the content for (#ktaw day 1, #ktaw day 2...etc).

Don't forget to do the following while making the posts!

1. Use the tags #kiaratheronappreciationweek and #KTAW in your posts, along with the day of the theme.

2. Tag @kiaratheronappreciationweek in your content, along with the co-hosts, @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes (so that we don't miss any of your posts!)

Optionally, you can also participate in events put forth by some of our wonderful fan-community blogs:

@choicesficwriterscreations - Primarily for fanfic. Has a regular roster of events.

@choicesmonthlychallenge - All content welcome. They tend to have prompts for every month. This month, it's PICKtober! You also have the Naughty or Nice challenge.

@choicesprompts - Primarily for fanfic. While the story-starters for the blog itself will be on hiatus till January, they are still taking in submissions for their older prompts, which you can try!

Happy Kiara Theron Appreciation Week, everyone!!

#long post #kiara theron #kiaratheronappreciationweek #KTAW #the royal romance #the royal heir #the royal finale #KTAW Day 1 #KTAW Day 1: What We Love About Kiara #KTAW Day 1: Throwback

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cassiopeiacorvus · 2 years

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KTAW - DAY 1 | What We Love Most About Kiara/Throwback

Tagging: @kiaratheronappreciationweek, @lizzybeth1986, @sazanes

We're gonna start this week off with...

Top 5 Things I Love About Kiara "Kiki" Theron

She's observant. Did you know that Kiara is one of the only people in The Royal Romance, Book 1 to notice how well MC is doing during the social season? Even when she's not onscreen, she's assessing the competition and figuring out if they would make a good ally.

She's honest. In a court full of duplicity, Kiara stands out as a person who owns her truth. She tells MC why she can't be seen talking with her at the beginning of book 2. She's honest about the trauma she's been through in Book 3, even though she makes it clear that's she's prided herself on her logic and emotional strength. Even when the narrative has her make decisions that make no sense, she's honest with the rest of the TRR crew about her reasoning.

She's a hyperpolyglot. This one is pure jealousy and I can't even pretend it's not. I adore that Kiara knows so many languages and that it's clear she isn't only doing it for her diplomatic career. She has an obvious love of languages and I know Kiara's the girl that has several translations of the same book just to compare and contrast them.

She's low-key hilarious. "I've never understood her fascination with hats. Was she orphaned in a haberdashers' commune as a child?" Best line in The Royal Heir series. Hands down. Without question.

She's down-to-earth. Hi, hello. My name is Cassiopeia and I would like to know where the hell the fandom myth that Lady Kiara "Kiki" Theron, the future Duchess Castelsarreillan, is a snob came from???? Compared to the other noble ladies, Kiara doesn't have a pretentious bone in her body. Is it 'cause she speaks French? Her long-time crush is Drake Walker. She was friends with Savannah Walker and taught her French. Does that sound like a snob to you?!? I thought so.

This is a non-exhaustive list of reason why I love Kiara, but we've got a whole appreciation week to explore even more.

#playchoices #the royal romance #kiara theron #kiaratheronappreciationweek #KTAW #ktaw day 1 #cassi originals

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lizzybeth1986 · 1 year

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Batalla del Vino

Book: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Kiara x Hana

Rating: PG

Summary: It's the Haro Wine Festival! Kiara and Hana spend a day in La Rioja, Spain, getting into a messy wine fight of epic proportions!

Word Count: 1, 505 words

Tagging @choicesficwriterscreations for FoTW, @kiaratheronappreciationweek and @sazanes for KTAW Day 1: Wine, and @choices-february2023 for February, Day 14.

Monthly Challenge Day 14: 14. Valentine's Day | Chocolates | I Honestly Love You (Olivia Newton John)

A/N: Kiara proposes to Hana 6 months after Liam and Esther's wedding. This trip takes place shortly after she proposes to Hana.

Céleste is Kiara's cousin from her maternal side. She is the eldest daughter of Joëlle's sister Jeanette, and is 2 years Kiara's senior. They are best friends.

The sun is shining bright on Spain this June morning - on the trees, on the pristine white stone of the San Felices de Bilibio Chapel, on the purple banner placed by the Síndico Regidor, on the highest rock of the city. Kiara smirks at the shadows on the dull tar road. By evening this path will be so drenched in wine you may just about see the reflection of the setting sun on it.

Hana grabs her hand with the freedom of a woman who doesn't care who sees. Kiara can see the glow of sunlight again, this time in the tiny rainbow splinters on the diamonds of Hana's engagement ring, as she brushes a stray strand away from her face.

She's wearing an old white t-shirt of Kiara's, one she'd thrown at Hana in horror when she'd found out that she wasn't exactly allowed to wear t-shirts or jeans until she'd come to Cordonia. Kiara makes a mental note of taking Hana shopping before they leave Spain.

Mon Dieu, how long has this woman been starved of casual fashion? Or casual anything?

In the distance, a rocket is fired, marking the beginnings of the battle that is to erupt here.

"This one's going to get ruined by the end of the day, won't it...?" Hana says ruefully, nervously picking at the edges of the shirt as the crowd begins to disperse from the chapel.

The last time Kiara wore this particular one, it hung a little looser. She'd lost weight back then and had rarely worn it since, so seeing its contours mould themselves more fully to Hana's curves...seeing fabric that once belonged to her cling even more lovingly to Hana's skin than to her own, sends a kind of secret thrill through her. It makes her want to leave the festival, grab Hana by the hand and -

Kiara stifles a shiver, lifting the two large plastic containers they'd brought just to distract her very fertile mind. "Of course it will! That's the whole point."

Hana touches the faded old wrap on Kiara's head lightly. "But I'm glad you put this on. Hair like yours is far too beautiful to get ruined by alcohol."

"Mmm," Kiara says, smiling slightly. "I learn from my mistakes."

The first time she'd come to La Rioja, it had been with Céleste, her cousin from Loire. Kiara was nineteen and never liked being told what to do. So when Céleste and Tatie Jeanette begged her to cover her hair before setting out to the festival, she'd "hmph"ed and pretended she wanted to get her curls drenched in wine.

"Tiens, tiens!" Céleste had said, leaning against the door of Kiara's hotel bedroom three days later. Crossing her arms and smirking as she struggled with her hairbrush, her older cousin looked quite a bit like the cat that got the cream. "Qu'est-ce que je t'avais dit?"

Kiara had raised her chin in defiance, ignoring the tangled mess that were her curls now. She was never one to back down, not even in front of her favourite cousin.

"Hmph," she'd said, her voice squeaking slightly from the strain of lying to Céleste, "I like it this way."

Céleste's yell of laughter could be heard all the way from the top floor.

The onslaught of alcohol starts small, as it usually does. With tiny squirts from brightly-coloured, toy guns, spraying dots and Rorschach blots over the white canvas of their shirts. With a hose that doesn't spare anyone in the crowd. With random droplets raining down on them from directions they can no longer keep track of. All until a stranger laughingly tips over a whole carton of box wine over Hana's head, and Hana - never one to be bested - unleashes a cloudburst of Castelserraillan's very best Nebbiolo Red over the culprit's shirt and shorts, her voice rising in a wild, delighted guffaw as she wipes the wine from her eyes.

"Well!" Hana says, turning to an equally winesoaked Kiara. "I believe that's a very good way of getting the world to sample our 1980 collection."

Kiara splashes some more wine on Hana and a passing stranger for emphasis. "Funny enough, Maman had said quite the same thing five years ago."

She'd expected Maman to be more disappointed about her use of produce from their lovingly-cultivated grapes, but somehow the only gripe she seemed to have was about the packaging.

"Plastic!!!" she'd hissed all along the roads to Haro. "Zut alors, we're parading around award-winning wine...in plastic!"

"Yes, Maman, because glass bottles are so safe to carry in such a huge crowd," Kiara replied with a snort. "Besides, you never heard Tatie Jeanette complaining, and you two practically grew up around vineyards!"

Maman rolled her eyes. Secretly, she was enjoying the experience - never ducking from the sprays of wine that came their way, and giving back as good as she got so that only half an hour into the festival they were almost out of wine to spill. But she was never going to admit that to her daughter in words - just in very pursed, privately amused smiles and a ravenous appetite for a lunch of snails and pork chops later.

"Well," Maman said, her chin high in the air, her voice comically airy, "no one here can complain we didn't bathe them in some quality wine, can they, doudou!"

Hana's hair whips around her face now in rats' tails as she laughs, every inch of her stained a bright mauve. Kiara fights the impulse to kiss her right then and there in front of everyone, including a group of older women gossiping in rapid Spanish. No one but her will know what it took Hana to get to this point. She'd heard enough - not from Hana. From Maxwell, from Esther, from Liam - about the jitters her wonderful bride would face everytime her friends tried to involve her in a food fight. How hesitant she'd been the first time they got her to try a Sloppy Joe. How she'd shifted from foot to foot when Maxwell had suggested a food fight at her lovingly-planned chocolate fondue party, the night of Madeleine's awful bachelorette. How even now she tries to eat barbequed pork delicately, with the tips of her fingers.

Every time she engaged in these activities, her face was a kaleidoscope of conflicting emotions - pleasure at the Dionysian decadence of it all, guilt at stepping so far out of who she was supposed to be. When Hana had picked so nervously at her (their?) shirt today, Kiara was almost afraid she'd regret this experience, regret coming to Spain with her.

To the world her beloved's giggles may sound jarring coming from the mouth of one so delicate - but to Kiara it is the first fierce burst of sunlight, spilling in rainbow splinters, emerging after several days of rain.

It is half-past-ten by the time the crowd wraps up the festivities, heading down glistening winesoaked tar roads towards the buses that will take them back to their hotels. They've got enough time to bathe, change and take a small siesta before they head out for lunch, a game of wine-pong and an afternoon of bullfights.

Kiara pulls Hana behind a tree before they reach the bus, swallowing Hana's gasp in a brief but still searing kiss. "I've been wanting to do that all morning," she whispers as she samples with her tongue every cheap wine Hana had unknowingly tasted these few hours. Their tongues and teeth clash as if gearing for battle. The very best kind of battle.

"Will there be enough time for...more than a shower and dressing up, do you think?" Hana laughs, a little breathless, their hips almost glued together. Kiara has no idea how her fiancée's eyes can both glow and darken at the same time, but in this moment they do.

She savours the taste of that kiss as she teasingly pretends to think. Like wine and mint and fulfillment. It must be the world's best flavour.

"Mm," she says, smiling wickedly, "but most times you like it when I make you wait, cherie!"

Hana throws her head back and laughs. Before Kiara lets her go, she peppers her jaw with a line of desperate kisses. "I can assure you, qīn’ài de, this isn't one of them!"

Hana's arms are wound around Kiara's waist as they head back to the bus, and Kiara's hand floats lightly over Hana's spine. They can barely take their eyes off of each other, and almost bump into three people along the way.

But no matter. As the two women walk down a wet shining road, all they know is that this wait for what the rest of the day has in store has in store for them will be absolutely worth it.

They can already tell. This wait will be particularly...delicious.

The Haro Wine Festival is celebrated every year from the 28th to 30th of June. It began historically with territorial disputes over the region of Haro at La Rioja, Spain, where purple banners would establish ownership of the region...but over the years and centuries it evolved into the fun wine battles we know of today. Learn more about the Haro Wine Festival here and you can see a video of it here.

Batalla del Vino - Spanish for "Battle of Wine", which is what the Haro Wine Festival is often called. It takes place on 29th June, St Peter's Day.

Síndico Regidor - In this context, the city mayor.

Tatie - Auntie

Tiens, Tiens - can mean different things, including "well, well" or "oh my!". Usually meant to denote surprise but in this context Céleste uses it sarcastically.

Qu'est-ce que je t'avais dit? - Didn't I tell you so?

Doudou - Endearment that can mean "stuffed toy" or "blankie".

Qīn’ài de - Mandarin Chinese for "darling" or "dearest". Gender-neutral endearment used both by unmarried and married couples.

A/N2: Since Hana and Kiara are newly engaged in this fic, I really did want to explore them as this giddy couple, while still exploring Kiara's family and Hana getting used to enjoying mess 😄

#kiara theron #hana lee #kiaratheronappreciationweek #KTAW #the royal romance #the royal heir #the royal finale #KTAW Day 1: Wine #lizzybeth1986 #content: fanfic #kiara x hana #hana x kiara

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