pajanyas

[pajanyas]

will not lie, didn't think ann could get any more Miserable in her position and expectations, but put her any further back in history and i am indeed proven wrong

#like in more contemporary settings she is the heir and she struggles with that and what it means for her #but in more historical settings her being heir is SOOOO up in the air #so she's not even able to acknowledge how much she dislikes what's thrust onto her shoulders bc she should just be GRATEFUL #that her uncle isn't actively backstabbing her for the throne

[pajanyas]

breath catches in her throat as the space between them lessens, and though there is some sense of dread banging away inside her chest, and fear at the simple notion of someone finally knowing and their little world coming down around them, neither are what send her heart racing.  "i –– can think of many reasons for why you ought make haste."  she struggles to get the words out at first, her mind stalling, distracted by the warmth that his fingers provide at the nape of her neck, near-forgetting the dull pain of hairpins and combs digging into her scalp mere inches above.  "but none that i wish to bring attention to."  selfish of her, perhaps, but is she not entitled to some selfishness?  are they not both?  if the two happen to find in the other some respite from their duties, their responsibilities, ought they not do precisely that?

ann often struggles to ascertain just what it is that she ought to do; or rather, to extricate the person from the princess, the self from the role.  she has long since suspected that the lord bridgerton himself shares such a sentiment, and that it is, no doubt, one such reason that they have both been a moth and the flame to each other.  "i just ... i so hate the idea of you not being truthful with your family."  and more than that, she hates feeling like the reason.

@pajanyas: your sister has a right to know.

❛❛ while my sister has a right to know a good many things, this – ❜❜  anthony shakes his head lightly. oh, this, his most coveted of secrets, is not among them. ❛❛ i am certain i do not yet wish to share. ❜❜ after all, what might it do, this revelation? he is far - enough from a superstitious man, and yet, in faerie stories, does not the speaking of a thing seek to break a spell?

his thumb grazes the curvature of her bottom lip, feeling the softness just there until it is draping down across her cheek, stroking a thoughtful line across her jaw simply to wait here, hold her gaze toward promise of his own.

he watches her watching him, a profound longing to remain here and only here stirring deep within his belly. ❛❛ but – i fear you are right. ❜❜ she often is, though far be it from anthony to admit such a truth.

❛❛ my beloved sister possesses something of a ... penchant for the innermost workings of our family home, even at such a distance. ❜❜ almost, he might dare say, more so at such a distance. ❛❛ but it can wait one night longer. ❜❜

he steps forward, grazing the tip of his nose gently against her own. between them, anthony's voice reserves itself for their nearness, his thumb continuing now to brush at the underside of her chin. spare fingers dip near the fine hairs at the back of her neck, then, and there is a rare pull of mischief at his words. ❛❛ unless you've sudden need of me to make haste. ❜❜

#bridgeirton #>:)

[pajanyas]

this r*man h*liday edit on tweeter has me crying a lil

#ANN DESERVES A LOVE THAT LASTS AND CAN BE PUBLIC AND REAL—

[pajanyas]

events such as these may be second nature to her at this stage in her life, but it does not make them enjoyable.  the opposite is true, actually; the sheer frequency of them has only added to her sense of dread every time an invite arrives, its presentation to her on a silver plate more like an execution summons than a simple wedding invitation.

she is painfully aware of the expectations that are mounted on her shoulders, which only grow twofold at these things –– no-one dares to voice it, but ann is entirely too aware that it's with bated breath everyone is expecting her to announce her own engagement, or to at least find her future consort at one of these dreadful gatherings.

"you took the words right out of my mouth."  the smile that is plastered across her face does little to mask the desperation in her voice, gaze swivelling from the unfortunate couple at the centre of it all to her companion, accepting the flute with an eagerness that her entourage would surely frown at.  "where shall we flee to?"  without giving paige so much as a second to answer, ann starts up again,  "actually, it doesn't matter where, so long as it's not here."

THE WHO IS WHO OF THREE PIECE SUITS AND RIDICULOUS GOWNS . all of them gathered to celebrate the wedding of yet another heir to yet another heiress, both richer and more miserable than the generation before them. the ballroom is as cold and void of anything resembling true love as one can imagine and no amount of extravagant decor, no ridiculously pricey ornaments or artfully crafted canapés can make this appear festive. she feels like she just watched a car crash in slow motion - another pair doomed to a loveless marriage, bound together by duty or greed or what have it and telling themselves whatever they have to to sleep sound at night.

tragedy turns to misery when the speeches start. paige is frowning into her empty glass, decides to leave it on a window still and joins the only face she truly wants to see in this despicable melange of generational wealth.

( @pajanyas )

❛ this is so utterly and dreadfully boring, i might start ripping every single one of my hairs out just so i can feel anything . ❜ her saving grace comes in from of a waiter (servant - her mother would insist) balancing a tray of champagne flutes. she's swift in her movement, manages to down one and grab another before he is entirely out of reach and, in an act of true grace very becoming of a royal, hands it to ann. ❛ may i propose getting out of here? please - may i insist, actually. ❜ / closed starter ( sc. )

#HI BABY HI BESTIE I LOVE YOU #wtrss

[pajanyas]

tldr i deleted that post bc my ps files ended up down the crapppperrr so i had to rummage around and try build up my stache again so i got panicky, BUT! wee edit for ann's private ig :~)

#BC SHE DESERVES ONE!

[pajanyas]

WERE I NOT COMPLETELY AWARE OF MY DUTY TO MY FAMILY AND MY COUNTRY, I WOULD NOT HAVE COME BACK TONIGHT. OR INDEED, EVER AGAIN.

#sp. #idkkkk my dudes!

[pajanyas]

in a rare and most shocking display of gracelessness on the princess' behalf, ann near chokes on her wine; there is a splutter, the clinking of her glass as it's set back down on the table again, the flutter of a napkin as it's pressed to her lips, and the gentle clearing of her throat to try and pass it off as something more ladylike than it really was.  "as i'm sure he always does, lord bridgerton."  beyond mortification, there is something alight in ann's eyes ... something not unlike intrigue.  "am i to take it, then, that you do not agree?"  a question that has some stares suddenly directed at her from across the way, where her entourage are engaging in mindless chitchat, but she pays them no mind as per usual.

@pajanyas sent: (37) ex-mørtis, ice nine kills.

❛ is that so? ❜  asks the viscount, holding fast to the glass of wine. ann's words might have come as a fascination to some, but to anthony bridgerton, they merely unnerve. ❛ well, then, may god have mercy on us both, yes? ❜ he punctuates the sentiment with an adamant gulp of the drink. (one could, of course, only hope)

#bridgeirton #i'm giggling i really am

[pajanyas]

she had only meant to step outside for a breath of fresh air.  it took so long to convince her chaperones that she did not need to be supervised out in the courtyard that she had only become more uncomfortable and winded in the process; where at first her plan was to simply stand by the archway and breathe deeply, she instead ended up darting down the first street she saw, and only wandered further on from there.  "i seem to have gotten –– turned around on my little walk."  and how poorly she's dressed for the occasion!  decorations and flounces at her hem, shawl trailing behind her, a bandeau of jewels glittering in her hair.  suddenly, ann seems to realise the situation that she's found herself in, and the worry her absence might now be causing.  "i'm sorry, sir, do you think you could, ah, point me in the right direction?"

he was more than accustomed to being excluded from the soirées of the local gentry. despite his own respectability, he was not of their sphere - nor was he especially yearning to be. but what he was not accustomed to was coming across a young woman on a lonely street - finely dressed and quite worryingly alone. as he'd ridden through truro, he'd passed the assembly hall, windows bright as a ball was in full swing within. could she have strayed from there? his brows furrowed with concern and he spurred his horse forward to meet her. when he drew near, he slowed again. " ma'am... i'm sorry to intrude but - might i be of assistance? "

𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑪𝑨𝑳𝑳 --> @pajanyas

#this works perfectly do not mind that it has taken me 14 days to get to it friend <3 #sanitatcm

[pajanyas]

dear mason,

i cannot begin to explain how delighted i was to recognise your handwriting among the rest of my post this morning!  a glimpse of the sun in these otherwise dreary days.  sometimes i feel like all i've received while on this trip is missives from my parents and their staff alike.  simply getting the chance to sit down and write this letter back to you feels like a rarity.  until very recently, i don't think i have had the chance to relax or even to breathe.  reading your letter is like a balm for the soul, even if it does make me so very homesick.  there are another five cities on my itinerary, and then this is all finally over – is that very dreadful of me to say?  it has been a privilege, of course, to be able to embark on this goodwill tour, but so very tiring.

maturity is not all it's made out to be, even if one is in our somewhat unique positions.  i think i may well start to take a leaf or two out of your book in that regard, my friend.

the badgering about marriage is not something that i've missed, admittedly.  who are your parents trying to push on you now?  anyone i might know?  we are due a catch-up for sure; there's so much to fill you in on!  all going well, we should be back in eyrr in a little under a fortnight.  i trust i'll see you at the 'welcome home' luncheon?  the baroness let it slip, i must confess, but i'm working on my surprised-and-honoured face.  you must tell me how effective it is once i'm home.

i desperately need an opera or three,  i think.  you cannot imagine how torturous it was being in paris and rome and not being able to attend.  i suppose i should only be glad that vienna wasn't on the books.  (i miss you too, in case it needs to be said!)

news certainly does travel fast, doesn't it?  i found myself wondrously indiposed for a day while in rome, it's true.  i'm not sure what else i can say about it for the time being, but i promise i'll tell you all when i see you in person again.

all my love, ann

my   dearest   ann   ,

i   hope   this   letter   finds   you   well   at   the   embassy.   i   wasn't   too   sure   if   you'd   arrive   on   time   considering   the   horrible   weather   europe   has   been   having.   dreadful   cold   &   rain   from what i heard.   anyways   ,   i   know   you're   on   your   tour   right   now   &   i   have   to   say   ,   i   am   still   so   jealous   that   you   have been given   such   a   great   opportunity !   i   know   that   realistically   speaking   you   don't   get   to   walk   around   freely   like   we   wish   we   could   ,   but   at   least   you   get   to   see   a   glimpse   of   what   life   is   like   outside   of   palace   walls   &   that   is   more   than   i   have   ever   been   privy   to   know.   it's   quite   boring   here   without   you   ,   you   know.   not   having   you   over   our   kingdom   for   your   bi   monthly   get   togethers   is   truly   a   shame   ,   but   i   know   you   have   a   lot   of   responsibilities   to   adhere   to.   you're   much   more   mature   than   i   am   ,   &   yet   i'm   the   older   one   !   i'm   not   so   sure   what   that   says   about   me   ,   but   you   have   always   been   the   best   of   all   the   royals   i've   ever   met. just don't let that get to your head ! i can already imagine your cute little smile scrunching up in that proud way of yours.

nothing   much   has   been   happening   on   my   end.   just the   usual   things   along   with   the   constant   nagging   from   my   parents   to   find   someone   to   marry.   the   battle   never   ends   with   those   two   ,   but   i   think   they're   on   the   brink   of   surrender.   that   white   flag   is   sure   to   drop   any   day   now   !   anyways   ,   whenever   you   do   come   back   to   ardona   ,   we   need   to   catch   up   immediately   !   i   want   to   hear   about   all   your   stories   &   experiences.   let   me   live   vicariously   through   all   your   experiences   please   &   thank   you.   also   ,   we   need   to   go   to   the   opera   soon.   you're   the   only   one   who   i   can   tolerate   going   to   a   show   like   that   with   &   i   miss   it   terribly.   hell   ,   i   miss   you   in   general.

i   hope   you're   being   safe   &   that   everything   goes   smoothly.   at   one   point   i   heard   a   rumor   that   you   got   sick   ?   though   it   could   have   just   been   whispers.   you   know   how   people   love   to   gossip   .   .   .   me   included. ha   !

cannot   wait   to   see   you soon.   wishing   you   all   the   best.

your   good   friend   , prince   mason   anthony   greene of viridis.

act   one   ﹕  friendly   correspondence.   ﹙   ft.   @pajanyas   ﹚

#greenelight #i love letter threads so much they're so much FUN kim i love this already

[pajanyas]

i was going to make a post abt how if ann speaks ardonese to u, she loves u, but then i realised it’s not an actual language and that i would have to essentially create one. and that. that’s a level of dedication to rpc that i’m not succumbing to yet

#NOT YET but yeah she obviously will speak her native tongue at events at home and the like but #since most of my threads take place outside her home country .. she’s very firmly in english mode #(i typed all of this w red wiggly lines under the words bc my keyboard rn is as gaeilge and i’m #too lazy to change it back to english)

[pajanyas]

THINGS YOUR MUSE WILL NOTICE ABOUT MINE, repost, do not reblog!

WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE: her eyes are the first thing you will notice about ann, and they are her most striking feature. large, almond-shaped, and framed by long, doll-like lashes. they're a deep hazel colour with flecks of green and grey; depending on the lighting and the colours she's wearing, they can shift to a different shade entirely. she has a square face shape, with high and wide cheekbones. brows are full, straight, arch-less, complimenting the aforementioned eyes. she stands at five foot seven inches tall, but oftens sports heels, so she's closer to the five foot ten mark. her hair is a dark chocolate brown shade, practically always styled to within an inch of its life to look picture-perfect, whether it's long or short. she's slender with little to no curves, and muscle definition is lacking.

WHAT THEY SMELL LIKE: when it comes to her perfumes, ann has two in her regular rotation, penhaligon's artemisia and noa by cacharel. both are quite feminine and subtle scents, floral and powdery, quite mellow. rosehip oil, which she uses in her hair and on her face. there's often a very slight hint of hairspray about her, as well.

WHAT THEY TASTE LIKE: chamomile tea, dark chocolate, champagne – sometimes moscato if she feels like venturing outside her comfort zone. she takes cucumber and mint in her water (always sparkling), which lends a crisp and fresh taste to her mouth. her diet is varied, but as is typical with her lifestyle, the food she eats is always rich and never overpowering.

WHAT THEY SOUND LIKE: ann is multilingual, and has a slightly different accent with each language that she speaks, but they are all notably posh. her english would best be described as received pronunciation, or the queen's english. she has quite a sing-song cadence, and while she is fluent, she speaks it more slowly and deliberately than a native speaker would. her voice fluctuates depending on the company she's in, and the feelings she's experiencing – when in active princess mode, it's formal, it's low and authoritative, regulated, and never raised. with friends and family, it understandably relaxes, and is more prone to rise in both volume and intonation. contractions are never used in the former, while they're far more common in the latter.

WHAT THEY FEEL LIKE: though lacking in muscle definition, she's not particularly soft either, as she's a bony individual. her skin is silky smooth, her hands uncalloused and unblemished, her hair glossy and sleek. she has always kept to rigorous routines when it comes to these things, as her appearance is (regrettably) an important aspect of her position and reputation. she has only one scar on her left thigh, from a polo incident in her youth, the skin still raised and darkened. ann tends to run cold, so often times there's a chill to her skin.

TAGGED BY: @gunbash loml truly TAGGING: @entheosis, @wtrss, @biggestnda, anyone who wants to do it x

#and if yearning had a shape. #this was incredibly fun to do chuckles ilu

[pajanyas]

her hair looks and feels more like a helmet than it does anything else, but ann supposes that just means it'll stay in place for the tens of hours that she's likely to be on her feet today.  "thank you,"  expression softens for just a moment to allow a sliver of gratitude to pass by before she swats a hand at his shoulder, puff sleeves shaking with the motion, and the ever gracious smile of hers making way for a more playful spin of a rarely-spotted but oft-appreciated grin.  "flatterer."  he won't take it personally, and she knows that, and she appreciates that.  attention is once again directed out at the world beyond them, and this absurdly luxurious hotel.

"i suppose i'd be terribly conspicuous, wouldn't i?"  try as she may to not get her hopes up, ann's never been very successful at wearing her heart anywhere but her sleeve; and though her mind is already straying to what her retinue would think, a delay to the impeccably arranged schedule, an unnecessary detour that poses as a safety hazard, and whatever other countless objections they may raise, she is also reminded that they are simply that –– her retinue.  "would we really be able to?"

he can tell something irks her . perhaps it's anne's usual complaint — her desperation to be rid of the responsibility and try normal life for a change . perhaps she hears the honking cars and festivities in the streets below and yearns to participate . . . as a casual passerby , NOT AS A PRINCESS . sebastian has spent many a night discussing these issues with her , sympathizing , trying to understand her perspective , and while he remains professional at all times . . . sebastian always seems to soften when they have those kinds of talks . HE WISHES HE COULD HELP HER .

❝ i like it , you know , ❞ he comments , approaching @pajanyas at the window . ❝ your hair . it's quite lovely . then again , you always look lovely . ❞ side by side with her now , sebastian gazes across the same streets she does and contemplates her longing . ❝ i wonder . . . ❞ lips pursed , he glances at the princess with quizzical eyes . ❝ it's quite stuffy in here . perhaps there's an opportunity for an outing , just you and i . i could be . . . convinced to allow this to happen . maybe if you promise me i won't get into trouble or be fired over it . ❞ now he waits for her response . ❝ would you like that , princess ? JUST A FEW MINUTES OF OUTSIDE AIR . . . ❞

#gunbash #seb u are an absolutely awful influence and i hope u never change x

[pajanyas]

"you sound a little bit like that."  she defends her subpar impersonation, despite knowing there's a reason she has long since preferred to work backstage in the few theatre productions she's been a part of, both here and back home.  her eyes narrow as he takes his turn now to imitate her, but she doesn't make an argument against it; someone has to rise above, after all.  "you could've just said your mum will be there and saved yourself the effort of selling this dinner to me, you know."  there's a shimmer of something mischievous in her eyes akin to the teasing in her tone, and she stretches a hand out towards him, pinky finger held aloft as though waiting for the promise to be set in unassailable stone.  "it's a deal.  i'm already thinking about all the drawn-out european plays that i can drag you to."

“ come on, of COURSE it will be. ” he's amused, certain she's been weighing out the pros and cons in her head. “ and i do not sound like that, princess. ” alex is grateful she'll come, grateful she's attending this thing she technically shouldn't know is going on considering the fact she's OVERSEAS and not doing crown princess things. “ okay, okay, fine. it might be just a dinner that's been awarded that particular accolade a million billion times, ” he raises his voice an octave to imitate her voice now, eyes gleaming as he does. “ but this'll be the first one you've gone to with me. so it will be the dinner of the year. plus my mom looks at me funny if i act up in any way. and then i get lectured. so it'll be fine! pinky swear. if i'm lying, we'll go to the theater three times. what do you think about THAT? ”

#biggestnda #the train back home was actually WORSE than the train ride up so suffice it to say i've suffered immensely this weekend xx

[pajanyas]

"'it's just the most important meal of the year',"  she repeats his own words back to him, and pitching her voice an octave lower to really complete the imitation, no matter how inaccurate it may be.  "have you any idea how many dinners i've attended that have been awarded that particular accolade?"  entirely too many is the only correct answer to her already rhetorical question.  she spent the latter half of her teenage years bored half out of her wits at some banquet table with nato officials or members of the european commission, all a little uncertain as to what the proper protocol is –– whether it was because she was a princess or a teenage girl, ann isn't sure.  the latter must have held the edge when it came to levels of intimidation, she can imagine.  "because i know you, and i know it won't be as simple as that."

“ what's american about making a big deal about meeting nine million world leaders? not all of us are crown princesses, you know. ” he teases, NOSE SCRUNCHED, SMILE WIDE, AND SPARKLING EYES. alex can already hear his mother and zahra in his ear — she's a crown princess. don't be weird. behave. you're representing the u.s. and helping us with our alliance with them — to which he'll do his absolute best to quell their fears. COME ON, YOU KNOW ME. I'M THE PICTURE OF CLASS! “ yeah, yeah. i'll even pull out my tux or whatever. ” he waves his hand, then motions for her to follow. “ besides, you and i will be guests. nothing we need to do but sit back, relax, eat, and ENJOY. what's so bad about that? ” he asks, arms crossed over his chest as he starts to walk.

#biggestnda

[pajanyas]

"oh, how very american of you to call it that."  it's the gentlest of digs at him, yet it's the most that she's capable of; and a wry smile softly blossoms soon after, just to show that she doesn't really mind.  sure, she came to the united states thinking that she might get away with having just one year in her twenties that was not spent rubbing elbows with influential dignitaries and foreign leaders, but it was foolish of her to expect anything else, truly.  "fine, i'll come.  ...  but you owe me a theatre trip or two!"  a figure is pointed in his direction as menacingly as she can manage, which is to say –– not very.

@pajanyas : well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into.

“ it's not a mess, your highness. it's JUST the most important meal of the year. ” some lunch with half a dozen leaders from the un, one he was being forced to attend along with the families of the other presidents and prime ministers. and god, it was going to be so, so boring. he told his mother to jot down ann as his guest, someone to at least talk to while his mother and the other leaders talked about random nonsense that he knew next to nothing about. “ we'll just do that huge, massive paper before we leave for the lunch. come on, please? ” he draws out the please, fluttering his eyelashes at his friend with a bright, shiny smile on his face.

#biggestnda #ban-ki moon doesn't know what's COMIN' #(or guterres. whoever is the secgen for the un right now idk)

[pajanyas]

"i wouldn't be surprised if it were the first word i spoke."  an exaggeration to which she is well entitled to make, the long-awaited heir of her parents; so long-awaited, in fact, it mattered little that she was born a daughter instead of a son.  it wouldn't have been the case in the kingdoms surrounding her own, she knows that much, and only occasionally envies them for it.  "your mother must be proud."  it comes only after a small peal of laughter has to be swallowed down, thoroughly amused by his reaction to her family's history, yet wholly sincere in her compliment.  her own mother was a commoner, at least by roquegaard standards –– wealthy and nobility adjacent, but still seen as common until her marriage to the king.  even still, ann decides against making any sort of comparison, for she knows better.

hesitantly, she approaches the tree, taking only a moment before she decides to lean against the bark of its trunk relaxedly, woollen gown be damned.  it may protect against the colder elements here, but it's been a hindrance in other ways.  "only in my tea, if i'm being frank."  hints of a conspiratorial nature begin to shine through as she leans in, as though revealing a grand secret.  "i can't claim to have tried the mead yet,"  the scandal it might cause within her entourage if she were to suggest such a thing is enough to both encourage and dissuade her from doing so,  "and i doubt i'll get the chance to while i'm here, so i'll settle for the honey."

"So diplomacy's like... super familiar t'you now, huh." Jamie's probably got stuff that he could learn from Ann, and he's always benefitted from hands-on instruction as opposed to just reading from a book. "Odd," he comments when she says her parents are king and queen, his tone less disapproving and more curious. From what Jamie knows, Castremam is the odd one, here, but this has been his only home for his entire life. Both Pep and Paddy's home kingdoms have lineages alike Ardona's - as well as the four kingdoms that border Castremam. But Jamie couldn't tell you the last time Castremam had a parent and child as King and Prince – if it had ever happened at all. "Fuckin'ell, seriously...!?" he asks, his eyes wide in surprise. He's smiling, though - he means no offence. He barely catches her sigh, but he doesn't comment on it. "Five fucking centuries..." Jamie rubs a hand over his jaw, looking up at the sky above them. "M'mum's a healer," he explains, his hand moving from his jaw to gesture towards the city beyond the castle walls. "Can you imagine - Paddy, my dad? Fuck..." He laughs. Paddy wouldn't be happy with Jamie using his common name casually like that. "Pádraig, I mean. Fuck, he ain't that much older'n me."

Nodding once at her words about there being charm to be found everywhere, he runs his tongue over his teeth as he thinks. "Suppose you're right about that..." Finally, Jamie agrees verbally, watching as she moves closer to him. "I mean, I haven't seen much of the world, but... there is beauty in a bee's hive. So much... symmetry, yeah? All those little hexagons, fitting together perfectly. And the honey - please tell me you've tried Castremamian honey since your arrival. There's nothing like it, I swear down. Aside from maybe the mead, but I'm not sure if mead's t'your taste." His comfort is showing in the way he speaks - quickly, without much pause, his hands gesturing as he does so. He knows he sounds incredibly common compared to her, but... by birth, he is incredibly common compared to her. Five fucking centuries of royalty... that's mad.

#tartt9 #meanwhile ann is probably too clued in and she is more than happy to pretend she's not for a few hours or so 😭

[pajanyas]

"too many to name."  she was no more than fourteen when she attended her first international summit alongside her father, and here she is now a decade later, inundated with official crown duties and engagements.  "i am."  she gives a dignified little nod, aware but not entirely nor confidently acquainted with the inheritance procedure here in castremam (or rather, the lack thereof).  succession is the better word for it, she imagines.  there is a dossier back on the desk in her room, painstakingly drawn up by one of her aides over a matter of months of research; ann thinks she got through the first four pages before abandoning it.

"my family have ruled ardona for a little over five centuries now."  surprisingly, it's a sigh that she lets go of now alongside the tidbit, as though the longevity of her house's reign is the greatest burden in this world –– and indeed, some days, ann feels that it is.  "i believe there's charm to be found everywhere in this world."  a second try, and most valiant attempt to redeem her admittedly bland answer.  her smile warms, then, and she takes a few steps closer, the feeling of being a deer caught in headlights gradually fading away.  "even if it does not match most people's definition of the word."

Jamie keeps his distance but makes himself approachable should she choose to come near; he knows it'd be uncouth to come near a visiting foreign royal while he smells of sweat and dirt. There's some sort of banquet or another where he'll be all dressed in Castremam's sky blues and golds and whites, his hair intricately braided instead of tied back in a knot – that'll be when he's told by Paddy and Pep to approach the visiting royals. But Ann did find him; he's not going to be a bad host just because he's a little... unclean. He can hear weariness in her voice. His appearance seems to be the least of the worries between the two of them right now. "You've been to a lot of these, then?" he asks, curiosity in his own tone. Jamie's never travelled far from Castremam's borders. The title of Prince is still new to him. "You were... forgive me if this's rude, but... you're princess 'cause your parents're king and queen, right?" Foreign customs are so odd to Jamie. He snorts a little laugh as she calls Castremam perfectly charming. That's not how he'd describe his home in the slightest. The word charming brings up images of quaint villages in towns where the sun shines more often than clouds cover the sky, of land more viable than Castremam's rocky terrain. "Would you call a bee's hive charming, Your Highness?" He asks, mirth in his eyes. "No need t'try t'appease me, I know my home, and I love my home, but charming it is not."

#tartt9 #ghdhghd in which aren't we all jamie really