The Crown (Private|Invite Only)

[Dutch-Empire]

Prince Adrian of Wied

Adrian looked out the window of the car as it made its way to the palace that acted as the home for his favorite aunt, Empress Katherine II of Atmora. Adrian had arrived in Atmora only about an hour earlier where he’d found a car waiting for him to take him to the palace. Adrian had become a bit mesmerized by the beauty of Alexandria. It was so large and filled with people and buildings, Adrian wasn’t quite used to it.

Adrian had lived little nearly most of his life in Atmora, though it had been in Mizuho, part of the empire but not Atmora proper, save the time when all of his family had spent the first time together there, but then they had all spilt up once again. While Adrian had loved living in Mizuho, he’d always held a bit of a nervousness in Atmora proper. But it was still home, and with his family off on Sera where his father was governor, and his aunt said he could come stay with her.

Adrian was still shocked at having been banished by the Crown Princess of Derita. Marié Thérèsa has always been so kind. That is until she’d found out that he loved her son and Alexandre loved him. Adrian had found that while the Queen of Naples hadn’t quite cared much about the fact that Adrian was male, though the Duchess of Parma had been of a very different opinion, but it had been Adrian’s heritage as a Dutch-Atmoran.

Upon being banished from the Celestial Empire, Adrian had crossed the ocean for Alexandria. Adrian ran his fingers through his dark black hair as the car arrived at the Imperial Palace of Alexandria, the palace was shorter and older than most others, but it was still regal and impressive, though in a more reserve way than the dazzeling Fontainebleau. The Imperial Palace was a moon while Fontainebleau was a sun.

The car turned off of the street named after Adrian’s great-great-great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth and through the gates. The car stopped and the youngest Prince of Wied stepped out of the car. He looked up at the palace with wide deep blue eyes while he walked up the steps to door.

[The Atmoran Diplomat]

Imperial Palace of Alexandria, Alexandria, Kingdom of Lieseltania

One of the butlers at the Palace came down to greet the Prince. As Prince Adrian neared the door, palace staff opened the door for the Prince, as Prince Adrian walked through the door in unison the butlers put their right hand over their heart and their left hand behind their back and gave a bow. Govert Ravers a butler assigned to Prince Adrian stepped forward "Your Imperial and Royal Highness, it is a pleasure to meet you. Her Imperial Majesty has been waiting for you, if you will sire follow me and I will bring you to her."

Ravers began to lead Prince Adrian through the gilded halls of the Imperial Palace. As they were walking Ravers stopped at a portrait of Alexandra the Great and gave a small bow before then proceeding to continue on. As the pair proceeding to get closer to the Empress' office, Ravers broke the silence "Sire, I must remind you when you meet the Empress you must a give a polite bow to Her Imperial Majesty along with do remember to not turn your back towards Her Imperial Majesty, other than that I'm sure that you know Imperial protocol." After Ravers finished giving the Prince a quick reminder on Imperial protocol they reached the door to the HIM's Office, Ravers knocked on the door before opening it "Your Imperial Majesty, HI&RH Prince Adrian Christophe is here to see you."

The Empress looked up from her desk, removing her glasses and setting them on her desk. A smile came to her face "Adrian my boy, It's so good to see you again. It's been so long since you and your family where last here."

[Dutch-Empire]

Prince Adrian nodded his head in understanding as he listened to the Butler. How similar it was to Fontainebleau. It was very true that he was not only well versed in the art of imperial etiquette, he was actually an expert. He had been taught such etiquette by professionals since he was a toddler. He knew all about who to, how to and when to bow.

“Thank you.”

Adrian spoke softly, trying to hide the slight accent that he had developed from years of living in the Celestial Empire. He tried to bring out more of his Dutch accent, thinking back to his maternal grandfather. Adrian thought over his words carefully.he could not forget that while Katherine was his aunt and he quite liked her, she was still an empress and the leader of a great power. Respect had to be shown.

As soon as the youngest prince of Wied saw his aunt, he averted his eyes respectfully and gave her a deep bow. He didn’t remember his aunt wearing glasses. Perhaps she only wore them only in private for reading. Or perhaps Prince Adrian had simply been gone for so long that he had forgotten. He spoke softly from his bow.

“Your Imperial Majesty, it is a pleasure to see you again.”

[The Atmoran Diplomat]

The Empress began to walk towards a set of chairs, sitting down the Empress motioned for Adrian to come "Sit down nephew, there's some things I would like to talk about it" the Empress sighed before continuing "Adrian, I know that you are young and all, but you must be more thoughtful about your actions. After the Seidanese War, some of my Ministers are beginning to question your allegiance. While they're definitely not to the point that they would want to try you for an offence, but they are suspicious. Of course I do not suspect you of actively trying to undermine the Empire, I'm sure that it was an mere accident."

The Empress took a look at Adrian's face again "Neph you seem troubled, what's the matter?" while the Empress could make a guess on what was troubling Adrian, she thought it best for him to her when when he's ready.

[Dutch-Empire]

Prince Adrian’s face drained of color. He was reminded of the thought of how not even a royal was above the axe if it came to the crime of treason. He’d also felt his heart tighten within his chest as he followed the Empress to the two set of chairs. He hesitated, but decided to follow her orders and sat down. Adrian placed his hands in his lap, interlocking his fingers with one another.

There of course had been some things that he’d wished to keep secret from his aunt and his parents during his stay in the Celestial Empire and the Seidanese War. Among one of the top things of that was in part in the series of events that had led to Lord Akio loosing his eye to one of Adrian’s narrow. He’d had considered how this could have effected the Seidanese War, and after wards he had tried his hardest not to get involved.

“I...” Adrian paused. He’d been taught it was always better to collect one thoughts with no words than with filler ones. He bowed his head lowly. “I can assure you that I would never act in a way that would be against the interests of our family or Atmora. I would never do such a thing, and I sincerely ask for your forgiveness if I have.”

[The Atmoran Diplomat]

"Good, I never doubted your allegiance. You mustn't worry about the Seidanese War nephew, the Viscountess and I rather enjoyed watching the Duke of Alençon and his father's forces take the Empress of the Dutch down a peg. I'd say it was rather amusing to watch."

The Empress got up from her chair looking back to her nephew "That is all I had to say, your sister Juliet should be coming by today, she's a bit busy in Sierrapolis at the moment. Other than that your cousins; Jacqueline, Victoria, and Erik should be around the Palace somewhere, your cousin Autumn however is spending some time in Arcadia with her husband and daughter."

Katherine proceeded to head back to her desk, putting her glasses back on and continued to look over papers requiring royal assent.

[Dutch-Empire]

A great weight felt like it had been lifted off of Adrian’s heart. It had torn him up inside for months over how he felt on his actions and how they affected the the outcome of the Seidanese War and what it meant for his place between his family and Atmora. He was happy to discover that his aunt had enjoyed seeing Anna Charlotte have her Dutch forces destroyed and made fools of at the hands of the Celestial Empire. Adrian didn’t hate Anna Charlotte, not personally, but he felt some pleasure at seeing her failures, seeing how much pain she’d caused against his own mother.

“I suppose it was quite amusing.” Adrian said with a small smirk. What was the old saying? Even kings must bow. Some battles not even those with the grace of a crown on their head could win. It seemed it was true even for empresses. The Prince of Wied however decide that it would be best not to mention such a saying to an empress.

Adrian stood up from his seat as the Empress did so, not wishing to remain seated while she stood. It would be horribly inappropriate. He gave another bow to his aunt as she walked over to her desk. He could feel that the Empress knew something more, their conversation felt unfinished to him. Yet who was he to question such a thing when he was hiding things himself. Adrian hadn’t exactly come forth with a clear and truthful explanation for his sudden return to Alexandria. But if he had been worried about the Seidanese War, he was terrified of that conversatio.

“I shall be happy to see my dear sister and cousins once again.” Prince Adrian paused, partially waiting to be dismissed, staying in his bow. “I am glad that you found the Duke of Alençon’s actions to your liking. He can be... impressive Ma’am.”

[The Atmoran Diplomat]

The Empress gave a little smirk when she looked up from her desk "Oh is that so? If I must say his records are to say in the least rather interesting." of course Katherine's comment was an understatement, in the intelligence report given to her by the Security Intelligence Service on the Duke of Alençon, she found him rather peculiar and from the report somewhat of a maverick.

The Empress reached for a bell on her desk and rang it, shortly after Ravers opened the door giving a bow to the Empress "Your Imperial Majesty, how may I be of service?"

"Please show His Imperial and Royal Highness to his apartment."

Ravers nodded "Of course Ma'am." Ravers looked over to the Prince "Sire this way if you will."

[Dutch-Empire]

Adrian held back a smirk at the Empress’s remark on Alexandre. Little did she know how much of an understatement that was. Alexandre was like fiery star, a sun around which so much could be easily pulled into orbit.

“It was a great pleasure to speak with you Ma’am. I hope that you may have a good rest of the day.”

Adrian stayed in his bow as he backed away from his aunt and then, a point that was appropriate, turned to Mr. Ravers. Adrian looked at the butler, he supposed that he was going to have Ravers tend to him. Adrian crossed his hands behind his back.

“Do lead the way.”

[The Atmoran Diplomat]

The Empress looked up from her desk before Ravers closed the door "Oh and Adrian, you can be more familiar with me."

The two walked towards the Adrian's apartment in the Imperial Palace, when the two reached the apartment Ravers opened the door for Adrian. Ravers looked down towards his watch "Sire, HI&RH the Countess of Isenburg should have arrived by now. If you shall excuse me sire, I shall go welcome her."

Ravers bowed before he closed the door, walking back towards the main entrance of the Palace to greet the Countess of Isenburg.

When Ravers reached the entrance he gave the Countess a deep bow "Your Imperial and Royal Highness, this way please, your brother is waiting for you."

Juliet-Alexandra followed Ravers towards Adrian's apartment. When Ravers opened the door, the Countess of Isenburg's face filled with glee as she saw her little brother again in what was 2 years but felt like half a decade. Juliet embraced Adrian in a hug "Adrian how good it is too see you, father is worried about you. Do sit, tell me how you are?"

[Dutch-Empire]

Adrian smiled at his Aunt Katherine as the door close. She’d always been his favorite of his father’s siblings. He would be sure to do his’s appreciation towards her. Adrian then proceeded to follow Ravers through the Imperial Palace to his apartments. Ravers seemed to be very good at his job, detached and reigned over by rule and protocol. Adrian rather liked it. His entire life has been set with him learning rules and protocols.

Adrian’s reaction was a bit delayed as Ravers left the room to go and fetch the Countess of Isenburg as he couldn’t quite place the title. He’d tried to remember the names and titles of three empires, the Dutch, Celestial and Atmoran, forgive him if he sometimes couldn’t keep them all straight. The Countess of Isenburg. That was- wait- that was Juliet! It clicked in his head as the door opened.

As Juliet hugged him, Adrian hugged her back. Juliet was, as he would phrase it affectionately, his least annoying sister. But he did love her, greatly so. Still there was some bit dread in his heart as she spoke. He had not seen his family for two years, and he’d tried to make sure they didn’t worry about him. And he had tried to hide things from them. He’d been a courtier, playing two different roles depending on which world he was in.

There were small tears in his brilliant blue eyes, tears of joy at getting to be reunited with his older sister, as he stepped away from her and offered her a seat on a sofa. He gave her a small laugh as he sat.

“It is good to see you too Juliet, tthough I am sorry father has been worrying about me. I am fine, really.”

[The Atmoran Diplomat]

Princess Juliet-Alexandra, the second eldest child of Prince Nicolaas and the former-Queen Marie of the Netherlands. While her elder brother William-Frederick would inherit the title Duke of Wied, she'd inherit her father's title and peerage as the Duchess of Tecklenburg, as such she was given the courtesy title as the Countess of Isenburg. Juliet was wearing a beautiful green dress that complimented her redhair and gray eyes, she didn't have time to change after her performance at the Royal Sierra Hall in Sierrapolis after she learned that her little brother had recently landed in Alexandria.

Juliet smiled "That's good to hear, hopefully your plane ride from Fontainebleau to Alexandria wasn't too long. I will not lie, I was worried when auntie Kate told me that you'd be coming back to Alexandria so soon." Juliet paused the smile on her face disappearing with a concerned look "... Father is deeply concerned about you, after auntie finished talking with him, Father came to me to rely a message to you. Father wants to know what you're planning to do now that you've been sent back to Alexandria, father says if you have no plans that you should go to Sedra and stay with him. He said he'd give you one and half months to decide."

[Dutch-Empire]

Adrian’s eyes slowly widened with horror as his sister spoke. The two must have been an interesting sight, his redhead sister in her beautiful green dress and him with his dark black hair that he’d inherited from their mother, and his dark cloths that went along with it. He couldn’t believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. What was this? An ultimatum for him from his father? No, that couldn’t have been what she’d said. His fingers dung into his legs as he felt his heart tighten.

“No.” Adrian said. “No, I will not need a month and a half. I am not going to Sedra.”

The issue of moving to Sedra has loomed somewhat over Adrian for the last two years. He hadn’t want to leave his home planet for some distant rock where he was millions upon millions of miles away from his friends, trapped with his overbearing mother. It had made him said to have been separated from his brother and sisters, but he had always been independent, somewhat separate from the rest. He could thank Marie of Wied for that. Adrian looked away from his sister. And now his reasons for not wanting to go there were different. There was Alexandre.

“I can’t.”

[The Atmoran Diplomat]

Juliet gave a small smirk "I knew you'd say that, father will allow you to stay if you can prove to him you can survive on your own in Alexandria. Maybe you could perhaps enter into the Atmoran Empire Games this year for Archery, since I do know that you do love archery."

Last Juliet remembered was Adrian's deep love for the sport, if he were to join in the Atmoran Empire Games, he'd become the second member of the Imperial Family to compete in the games, behind their auntie Icelynn, the Queen consort of the Royally United Provinces. She also remembered that Adrian fancied a Scottish Princess.

"Say Adrian, how is it going between you and Princess Sofia, if I remember correctly that was her name. Or is there someone else in your eyes now?"

[Dutch-Empire]

Adrian hadn’t thought about going into archery as for competing in. He did have a passion for it. The mild mannered prince could turn into a demon with a bow and arrow. It was a soothing sport for him, a literal and metaphorical release. It hadn’t occurred to him before to enter into the AEG, but now that his sister had put it into his thought, started to play with the idea. Then Juliet started to pry a bit more.

The room’s temperature seem to have gone up as Adrian’s face burned, his cheeks and nose turning a fiery shade of pink. He had neglected to mention to his family that he’d broken up with Sofia weeks before. He figured he had three options. One, he could lie and fain that everything was fine and that Sofia was still his girlfriend. Two, he could tell Juliet that he and Sofia had spilt up but that was the end of it. Or Three. The truth.

As a child who had been painstakingly trained to learn the ways of a courtier, Adrian was inclined to take the second path, the oath of omission. It would perhaps be easier. But also more difficult to justify, as well as to avoid. Yet, how could he? He’d avoided the truth, if not flat out lied and hid from his family for literally years. Why? Because he had always felt disconnected, set apart, having been sent away.

And yet they were proving twice over that he was still apart of them, embracing him, taking him in when he had been in a moment of sudden desperation. And what was he repaying them with? Lies and loopholes of secrets. No wonder there were some who thought that he was a snake. And yet he was scared to admit the truth. Why wouldn’t he be? The idea of a same-sex relationship was hardly a set in stone concept universal despite whatever figure heads they may have had. The Duchess of Parma, who came from a nation drenched in sexual licentiousness, had been horrified. What Adrian’s own parents feel? Atmora was known for their homogeneous nature. One did not wish to differ too much. Picture perfect family’s were what were imagined when one thought Atmorans.

And the ever greater issue, was what would they think of his being in love with a Deritain, people who held themselves on a pedestal high above the rest of the world. A nation that had shown contempt for many of its neighors, including Atmora. A nation who his aunt had funded a war against in Seidang. Oh Aunt Katherine might be happy to see Anna Charlotte taken down a notch, but what would she and her government think if they learned Adrian had taken a fancy to the teenager who had made all those funds go to waste and torn a war path across a nation.

But Juliet was his sister. Amongst all the turmoil inside of him, all the reasons why he was scared, why he shouldn’t speak up, tell the truth, why he should stay quite, hide away, a fact remained constant. Juliet was his sister. And they loved one another. If he couldn’t tell her the truth, who could he tell?

“Well.” Adrian looked down at the floor. “Sofia and I stopped dating, Uh, several weeks ago. But... I’ve kind of starting dating...” The prince of Wied started to mumble under his breath. “Alexandre Volonté

[The Atmoran Diplomat]

Juliet was stunned, not so much that he'd broken up with his girlfriend but more or less that he began going out with the second son of the Crown Prince of Derita. Juliet sat their in silence figuring out what to say next, she didn't want to speak to soon and risk hurting her little Brother's feelings but at the same time she wanted to break the silence between them. While Atmora proper was indeed a homogeneous society, being homosexual wasn't frowned upon nor was it discouraged, Atmorans simply didn't care it for their were better things to worry about. But from what she heard about Alexandre, he did seem to be a maverick and spontaneous, while their auntie may not necessarily be against it her Ministers would be another story.

Juliet decided it was time to break the silence, she spoke calmly "I see, so you broke up with Sofia, hopefully it was a peaceful parting.... and Adrian I don't think any less of you now that you are dating Alexandre. However some of auntie's Ministers may think otherwise, it's up to you to see if you can change their minds about Alexandre."

[Dutch-Empire]

“A maverick?” Adrian laughed. “a maverick doesn’t even begin to describe him. Honestly he can be a full on lunatic at times. His idea of fun is meddling in warfare.” He sighed affectionately at the thought.

Adrian rumble his temple at the very thought. He was relieved to see that Juliet didn’t seem quite... against the idea, aside from Alexandre’s personality, which admittedly wasn’t unusual. Prince Alexandre’s charm and good looks made up for his somewhat abrasive and free spirited nature. But Adrian personally loved both.

”How on earth would I even begin to change their minds about him?”

[The Atmoran Diplomat]

"Surely he must have some type of redeeming quality, something that will make the Ministers change their minds about him. I'm sure you can think of someway to make them more accepting of your relationship between you and Alexandre."

Juliet wasn't entirely sure how one could change the opinions of auntie's Ministers, while technically Adrian wouldn't need to official permission from the Government a controversial figure like Alexandre would warrant the Ministers of the Crown to advise against the relationship between Adrian and Alexandre. His allegiance would be questionable, a potential security risk that could jeopardise Atmoran interests.

[Dutch-Empire]

Adrian jumped up from his seat and locked his fingers behind his back.

”It shouldn’t matter what they think. And you know what. I don’t think I care what they think. I only need my family behind me. If Aunt Katherine’s Ministers dong like it, well they can do whatever it is they wish. They can disinherit me, label me a traitor, banish me, it’s not like it’d be the first time.”

[Russlande]

Sacrifice

Midnight in Moskva was a cold and dark time. The massive city was covered in snow and ice, the bright lights of the buildings fighting against the darkness that loomed over them all. The city was celebrating in both delight but also in fear. Empress Alara of Russlande had returned to the Empire following her departure from her husband’s Great Expedition that was crossing the stars to the vast far reaches of space, beyond where any had gone before. While the Tsarina’s husband continued his great expansion of the empire by claiming and colonizing celestial bodies that he came across over the last several years, the Tsarina herself had become bored with the space adventure and decided to return to her home country. And with her had arrived the young Marie of Wied, whom she’d picked up from the Atmoran controlled planet of Sedra. Waiting for the Empress was her son, Tsarevich André and the man who had been ruling as regent in her absence. As the elderly Tsarina returned to business, she looked to furthering her and her husband’s great dream, a dynasty that only fifth expanded. And leading this campaign for this Great Dream was her son, constantly on a quest for control, for a Crown.

[Kingdom of Derita]

André, Crown Prince of Derita and Tsarevich of Russlande sat outside on a bench in one of the courtyards of the Kremlin. The air was quiet, devoid of sound. The snow of Moskva had a tendency to suck the sound out of the world, leaving it hollow and numb, despite one of the largest cities on the planet resting just outside the fortress’ massive walls. Foreigners often found this a bit discomforting, but André had grown used to this, found it somewhat relaxing.

The future monarch sat dressed in a fine tailored three piece suit with a thick fur coat that had been a gift from his second son, Alexandre. André had always admired Alexandre’s great skills. He had the potential for such greatness, such power, that sometimes he even believed, even feared that he might outshine all those that came for him. Alexandre has his great-grandfather’s nature of a conqueror. It had proved to be an unstoppable force. André simply wished to direct it.

André lookec out to the dark black sky as light snow fell down into the courtyard, turning the area into a beautiful winter land. He took a sip of a traditional mug of Sbiten. He didn’t particularly enjoy the Russlandain drink, but he preferred to enjoy the local foods and drinks of wherever he was. How he missed the coffee of Fontainebleau though. He took another sip of the spicy drink. He was going to have to go to war soon. Not a military war. A different kind of war. A far more dangerous type of war.

[Dutch-Empire]

The snow swirled around Marie of Wied’s face as she walked through one of the courtyards of the Moskva Imperial Kremlin. Marie was dressed in a dark black and red dress and over that a blood red coat that her second husband Charles II, King of Espana had given to her shortly before his death. The coat was infamous among the world for the way that it was created, being dyed with the blood of small child that Charles had brutally murdered.

The Duchess of Wied hadn’t exactly approved of Charles II’s actions, having been outright terrified of him in the waning days of her marriage to the mad monarch, but who was she to say no to such a stylish coat?

A smile spread across her face, her bright red lips curling up into a mischievous smirk as Marie pulled the pins from her hair, letting the dyed blond locks tumbl down passed her shoulders like pale waterfalls. The Duchess of Wied was starting to think that perhaps she honestly looked better with blond hair than her naturally dark black hair that she’d passed down onto several of her precious children like Adrian and Zoë.

Her icy brilliant blue eyes fell on the steam rising from the Crown Prince’s cup of Sbiten. She sashsayed over to the bench and sat down on the other end of the bench, brushing aside the snow from it and taking a seat. Marie crossed her legs and flipped her hair over her shoulder. The tsarevich stood out wonderfully against the snow.

“Greetings. A bit late for a drink André.”

[Kingdom of Derita]

André could see the red silhouette of Marie of Wied as she made her way through the snow fall and a small smirk appeared on his face before it quickly disappeared as he took a sip of his Sbiten. As Marie sat down on the other end of the bench he propped his foot up on his knee and tapped and thumbed his gloved fingers against his Strelokiv Kostya designer shoes.

“I’ll have you know that Sbiten is non-alcoholic, Your Grace.”

[Dutch-Empire]

Marie of Wied pursed her lips. She wasn’t very upset at having been corrected on the nature of the drink, though she supposed it was good to know that the purple drink wasn’t alcoholic. Honestly she was mildly surprised that they drank anything other than vodka considered how intensely the Tsarina utterly destroyed her vodka supply during the stellar trip aboard the Andréevna on their way from Sedra to Gênes, though Marie could swear that the elderly empress couldn’t get drunk. Perhaps all that evil in her wicked heart left her unable to.

“It is Your Majesty.”

Marie corrected. The former Queen half heartedly wondered how André was so unlike his mother. And she wondered how similar he really was.

[Kingdom of Derita]

André smirked as he tasted the spicy warmth as he took another sip of his drink. Marie of Wied was an interesting woman. She was so... he didn’t quite know the word for how to describe her. There was an aura about her. He was starting to wonder if the young Adrian had that same aura about him. If so, the Crown Prince would start to see why his son had fallen for the Prince of Wied. André spoke with a slightly amused tone as he pulled the warm mug of Sbiten away from his lips.

“The style of Majesty I am afraid is reserved for kings and Queens. Despite what you may think, you are neither.”