forgottenedmund
Edmund Varmont
prince of the varmont empire
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I'm crying b/c I feel like Edmund would really like Saoirse if he got to know her and if Rosie wasn't a thing, he'd probably try to flirt with her (in yet another universe Florence Pugh becomes Timothee Chalamet's second choice!)
ANYWAY! As it is, I feel like their relationship will be a little complicated. I think Edmund has quickly to come to realize that Roise has a LOT of people who love her and are v protective of her, which means that he has a lot of people to win over!! And I think because he's hyper aware of that, that he might see what Saoirse is trying to do and so I think he'd try to combat that but trying to remain friendly and charming towards her, but also seeing if her can subvert expectations about him somewhat and subtly try to address whatever concerns she thinks she has about him. He's not stupid and he knows that the big one is that he's a Varmont and there's nothing he can do about that one, expect to try to convince her that there's more to the Varmont fam than what one might expect when ur dad collects countries like other dads might collect vintage baseball cards.
Unless Rosie introduced her as Cillian's sister though, he might not know about that family connection and I doubt he knows that her brother is literally a wanted man and this battle is a a little more uphill than he realizes, but Edmund's out here trying!!
OOC | Saoirse & Edmund
so!! as w cassandra, i imagine that they'd meet through rosie, and that saoirse frankly probs wouldn't think v much of him from the instant she hears his last name tbqh hahahah she's pr prejudiced against the varmonts for well obv reasons hahaha and she's def worried that rosie's gotten in w not one but two of them she's like 'they're deffff taking advantage of her rose colored glasses here' and she's like lowkey tryna put herself between rosie and edmund bc she thinks rosie needs protecting hahaha but yeah def more subtle than her brother if, perhaps, a bit snarky lskjdjkfjakf however she's like SINCE YOURE HERE ANYWAY and is def tryna see if she can get any intel out of him and its just alkjdsfkldsjf complicated hahahah
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edmund: it sure is great to be a varmont!
Okay, I love that Ronan does remember whose banners were there at the Battle of Malconaire and that he ultimately might be the one to spill the beans about it to everyone?? (Especially if/when he hears about the Varmont princes hanging out at Malconaire INCLUDING the one with the raven banners??!?!)
I'm also realizing that Edmund probably thinks that they all already know about his involvement in the battle?? (not everyone is as schooled in the Varmont heraldry as Edmund thinks they are, I guess) And like, he does feel awful about it because he does know that it resulted in the loss of their dad's life, but that was before they knew each other and I think he (very wrongly) sorta thinks that they all know that he would never that happen to Malconaire again and it "wasn't personal, it was just business"
(All that being said, I do think that the more that he gets to know them, the more this moment in his life is a huge source of conflict of emotions for him -- because on one hand, I think it really served to put him on the map and earned him a badge of respect from his father, his mother, his uncle, his brothers, his men -- and himself!!! -- and proved to them all what he was capable of and he does like this feeling -- especially after having suffered a lot of humiliating losses in tournaments, etc when going up against Arthur!! But he's also starting to see first-hand the consequences of that battle and what it has done to the people who live there and how, even 2 years later, how things are not the same. Not to mention that Cassimir and Valentina are in charge????? I know none of this is going to help his case at ALL with Ronan, but anyway!)
It's gonna be v interesting what happens with Edmund and the Malconaires (especially Rosies) once all of this comes out!! IDK if Ronan and Edmund will have much chance to interact just yet though?? -- unless you think Ronan comes out of hiding just to try to scare the Varmont princes away or something alsdjfladsj (I doubt that Edmund would know who he ~actually is~ or that he's a wanted man) Or if you think they'd interact in another way?? Open to anything!
OOC | Ronan & Edmund
hi! ronan hates edmund! and wants him dead! is there anything he can do? no! he hates him! me: *sob*
honestly he'd say its not personal, but it isssss he frankly wants all the roderick!varmonts to suffer horribly and dieeee bc he thinks that'd be justice for all the suffering astaira has gone through when, in fact...it'd just be more suffering...but ronan isn't in his most rational place, as we all know and he wants revenge and he'll wreak it on anyone he can in an effort to assuage his own pain so -- that's fun!!!!!! edmund is really just having hit after hit w the frost boys huh lkajsdflkjsdjf
im thinking that ronan maybe ~does know that its the raven banner that was at the battle of m, but he does noT talk abt that!!!!!! it was baDDDDD AND im thinking he probs doesn't know edmund ~is the raven prince or anything but if cillian comes in and is like HEY WHICH BANNERS ronan could tell him and then ~he could identify him as edmund
honestly, cillian's instinct won't be to go to ronan bc he knows how messed up ronan is and he doesn't wanna trigger him frankly but yeah! in that cillian, himself, is being triggered, he's def not feeling esp rational and it might come to that who knows!! anyway, if/when everyone eventually unveils edmund as the architect of the battle of m, ronan will hate him even ~more than he currently does and will probs be like TIME TO OBSESSIVELY PLAN AN ASSASSINATION!!!!! im realizing so...yikeS
fortunately for edmund, roderick is v used to these things and has all sorts of precautions but still its fun </3
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𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒
“ am i not good enough? ”
“ you’ve been so quiet. what’s on your mind? ”
“ why did you help me? ”
“ who do you fight for? ”
“ why do you hate me? ”
“ have you come to laugh at me in my miserable state? ”
“ you’re not dating anyone, are you? ”
“ i’ve got your back, okay? ”
“ where do you think you’re going? ”
“ how long have i been asleep? ”
“ are you going to kill me? ”
“ why can’t i come with you? ”
“ we all have secrets, don’t we? ”
“ did you want to be alone? ”
“ why should i trust you? ”
“ wait. did you hear that? ”
“ promise me? ”
“ why are you talking like we’ll never see each other again? ”
“ do you remember anything at all? ”
“ what? no witty remark? nothing clever to say? ”
“ you wanna know what your problem is? ”
“ may i have this dance? ”
“ can i ask… what happened? ”
“ how many people have you killed? how many? ”
“ do you ever hear yourself? ”
“ would you run away with me? ”
“ could you be happy here with me? ”
“ you can’t or you won’t? ”
“ you slept with them, didn’t you? ”
“ well, how do i look? ”
“ after all you’ve done how can i possibly trust you? ”
“ why can’t you let me in? what are you so afraid of? ”
“ what did they do to you? ”
“ so why’s it so important anyway? ”
“ where have you been? ”
“ why are you looking at me like that? ”
“ why did you come? ”
“ what are you doing out here by yourself? ”
“ is… that my shirt you’re wearing? ”
“ you… don’t like me very much, do you? ”
“ why does it always have to be a fight with you? ”
“ why can’t you look me in the eye? ”
“ can you forgive me? ”
“ what if i never see you again? ”
“ you were going to leave without saying goodbye? ”
“ how about a little midnight snack? ”
“ are you… smelling me? ”
“ how did you get this scar? ”
“ what do you want in exchange for it? ”
“ what did you want to tell me? ”
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Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides | Dune 2021
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Edmund smirked, "Too diplomatic to confirm the gossip?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, "I like that about you -- even if it is just a little bit frustrating." He knew that his question had caught her off guard with just how blunt he had been. What he didn't yet know, was that Valentina truly had much higher sights upon the Varmont family than just his older brother.
He sat back in his chair, "Oh, I am very aware of her past." He'd never heard anyone boast so loudly and so often of being related to a monarchy that had been wiped out, but he supposed she needed to have something she could use to bolster her own importance. He doubted many found her to be beautiful or charming or especially rich and a distant connection to a nearly extinct royal house was all she had left.
"Does she remind you of it daily or am I the only one who is to be reminded of it every time we meet?" On this, Edmund did not have to exaggerate. Valentina never missed an opportunity to remind him that they were all a member of the same elite royal club.
He turned his attentions from her step-mother to his own father. "No, he's more likely to host some sort of banquet or tournament in our honor, but it's often attributed to some sort of accomplishment and not always in honor of our namedays." It mostly depended on how pleased he was with his sons at that particular moment -- or how displeased he was with the rest of them.
"But yes, the girls often have balls in honor of their namedays. Although, I can't remember one ever being so grand as this is shaping up to be."
He knew that it was more than just Guinevere's birthday celebration. It was a way to bring all of Astaira back to the palace and to show them that it was Roderick's lands now and little was left of the way things had been under his predecessor.
Unannounced Arrivals | Edmund & Eithne
It was no way for a prince to behave, but somewhere between the palace and the Malconaire estate, those lines seemed to blur. Whatever sense of decorum Edmund had, it diminished the closer he was to their home. It was one of the many appeals of their home: Edmund felt freer here, somehow, and more at peace (even if that was occasionally interrupted by the general presence of both Valentina and Cassimir).
Edmund had challenged his brother for a race — knowing full well Arthur didn’t know the shortcut Edmund had only just discovered. Perhaps this advantage known only to Edmund may count as cheating, but he was of a firm mind that it would do Arthur’s ego good to loose at something athletic to his younger brother.
It was Eithne he saw first and while his main attraction to the Malconaire estate was her younger sister, Rose, Eithne was certainly his next favorite of the sisters (it was clear Brigit loathed him and Aoife was often intimidated -- neither made for exceptional conversationalists). It was a bonus that speaking with Eithne also gave Edmund a chance to tell her any number of embarrassing stories about his brother.
Eithne was out amongst the kitchen gardens (Edmund assumed she must be there on a stroll -- he did not realize she was there surveying the inventory to determine what they might be having for supper).
"I’ve come to tell you, my brother is hot on my heels. If you wish to escape his notice, you have been warned."
He gave her a wink as he dismounted his horse. He knew that Eithne did enjoy his brother's company, regardless of what he said, and while he did get some kicks out of making Arthur seem ridiculous, there would always be a part of him that did want to see him happy -- and who better than Eithne? With all of her down-to-earth sweetness that was such a stark contrast to anything that was to be found for Arthur at court.
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"And what happened next?" Sonya asked.
"Well," Edmund leaned in a bit closer to her as though he was divulging a very great secret. From his peripheral vision he could tell that Valentina's eyes were on them and he couldn't help but crack a grin when he realized that she must be thinking that she was cultivating some sort of love match between the two. "... then his pants caught on fire."
Sonya giggled, "No!"
"I wish you'd been able to see him run about the yard until the servants finally were able to douse him with water."
Sonya fell into a fit of laughter, which Edmund found was contagious -- especially with such a vivid image of his own brother in his mind. The story of Arthur catching fire was a bit exaggerated. In truth, Arthur had been much younger than Edmund had suggested and it had been a book in his hand that he had carelessly gotten too close to the flame of a candle while he was distracted by some pretty girl. His cloak had caught fire, but he'd untied and the servants had doused it before it caused him to look too ridiculous.
Still, Edmund appreciated his version a bit more and he couldn't have planned a better moment for Arthur to arrive than immediately after this recounting.
"Oh, and Lady Sonya -- " Edmund called after her before she followed her mother's instructions to leave. "Try not to laugh."
And then, he was left alone with her.
As much as Edmund enjoyed toying with Valentina's various plots, he did find her company to be particularly exhausting, especially when he had come here to visit with Rose and they'd hardly been able to say two words to each other thanks to Valentina's interference. (This was one of the many reasons Edmund preferred to simply slip across the border onto the Malconaire lands unannounced).
Truth be told, he was hardly paying her much attention when she apologized for their manners or what it was like for her when she first arrived at this country home. He did decide that perhaps he might amuse himself, however, when she began to focus the conversation towards Sonya.
"I don't doubt it," He replied, "Your daughter does you all the credit in the word, my lady." This, at least, was genuine enough. Sonya, for all of her unfortunate patronage, was far superior than her mother or brother could ever claim to be. "There is no one quite like her. I ... confess that I'm a bit jealous that she seems to prefer my brother's company to my own. But then Arthur can be so charming when a young lady has captured his attention."
Edmund didn't particularly agree with Valentina's statement -- there was little that any of them knew how to do instinctively, regardless of their own natural talents. They'd had to study and practice their manners -- and everything else for that matter -- just as everyone else did. The different happened to be that their situation allowed for the very best instructors that Roderick could find.
Still, he nodded his head in agreement, "You shall have to ask my mother someday, yourself, but I'm sure you will find that she very much agrees with you. A more formal and polite baby, I don't think you'd ever find." He couldn't help but tease her just a bit.
Plan D | Valentina & Edmund
"Roisin, dear, won't you run up to my room and fetch me my stylus?"
"But--"
The girl cast a quick glance towards Sonya and Edmund, nestled cozily in a dark corner, laughing and whispering together rather chummily, and Valentina felt her grin deepen. She'd been at some lengths keeping her youngest stepdaughter busy, tonight: this was a tete-a-tete she was not eager to see broken up, particularly as -- was it just her imagination, or did the two young people lean just a little closer, smile just a little longer, as the minutes ticked by?
"Oh, you silly girl!" Valentina interrupted Roisin. "Not that stylus! The other one!"
"You said that--"
"I wouldn't need to keep repeating myself, Roisin, if you'd only bring me the right stylus. Now, up you pop! And don't you come back down here until you've found the right one!"
Roisin set the stylus down much harder upon the little table at Valentina's side than was entirely necessary -- or ladylike -- and rushed back up the stairs for the umpteenth time. How her legs must be burning by now! Valentina smirked.
Yet, no sooner had she arranged for them to continue chatting together, than Cillian appeared in the room.
"Arthur's here," he said in a dull, irritated voice.
"Cillian! What have I told you about properly announcing guests!"
He smirked. "That it should be according to their just deserts which, incidentally, is precisely what you just heard." With that, he left the room again.
"The cheek!" cried Valentina, springing up, now suddenly quite alarmed by how close Sonya and Edmund were sitting, and desperately wishing Roisin were here again to distract him, and thus keep Arthur from suspecting Sonya might prefer his brother. "Sonya! You must go and greet our guest! At once! And do make amends for that disgraceful servant, won't you? I insist that you not re-enter this room until that is accomplished!"
Good. That would keep the two of them quite alone for some time...which just left Valentina and Edmund. No matter, Valentina thought, approaching Edmund and quickly assuming the spot her daughter had just vacated. It was better for everyone if she entertain the younger prince, than if that little nitwit, Roisin, did it.
Turning her most sacchrine smile upon the prince, Valentina flushed slightly. "Oh, Your Highness, you really must excuse our..." she tittered, a touch nervously. "Country manners. I know compared to the high refinement you are accustomed to at court we must seem so perfectly...quaint. I do recall, myself, you know, what it was like to first come here as one of...royal blood," she added, significantly, arching a brow. "Quite the culture shock, I confess, but...a woman, you know, particularly a royal woman, Your Highness, would do anything for love. And I do pride myself, you know, that my Sonya does boast many of those natural delicacies of manner inherent to those of our...rank. In truth, I didn't even have to teach her! She knew all her manners instictively."
For what it was worth, Valentina did believe this. However, she was mistaken. Sonya had, indeed, been taught her manners, just not by Valentina: her nurse and her governess had done the job, which was lucky as Valentina ought never to be relied upon to tach anything to anyone.
"But," she said, feigning fondness as she looked upon her Plan D. "I'm sure your royal mother found much the same with you, no doubt. It is a thing one finds in royal blood which can never be driven out. Don't you agree, Highness?"
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Aww that's super cute Rosie being Aofie's voice <3 And also makes sense as to why Edmund probs feels like he knows her more than he actually does since he is Edmund (the one who follows Rose ;D)
I also think that if Edmund ever wanted to do any sort of surprise or anything for Rose, that Aoife would be the one he'd go to?? Besides Aoife being likely the most observant of the girls, Brigit stares daggers at him all day long and Eithne has both Cassimir and Arthur to juggle haha
In addition, while I think that Edmund lowkey thinks Eithne would probs be good for Arthur, I don't think he really sees that being a longterm thing and while I also think he def has v genuine feelings for Rose, himself, he's not really thinking long term but I DO think he thinks that Sebastian isn't someone who throws his affections out to just anyone and I think Edmund does think that, of the three of them, that Sebastian/Aoife are the most likely to be end game -- both in terms of how serious they are/how likely they are to leave everything for a girl if dad doesn't approve (Of course glaring! sidenote: Edmund has zero idea that Aoife is interested in someone else lmao) But yeah, basically all of this is to say, I do think that Edmund thinks that Aoife might actually be his family one day, too.
ooc | Edmund & Aoife
Edmund would definitely know Aoife!
I do think he would kinda overlook her at first? I think that's easy to do when she's so quiet/the fact that Rose is probs the chattiest of the girls/that's who Edmund is there to see. However, given that I'm sure Rose talks about her all the time/shows him that there's more to her than the quiet/shy girl he knows, I think that Edmund might actually try to take the time to get to know her?
He's not as thoughtful as say Sebastian is in this, and might sometimes make her feel a little awkward, just because he probably just jumped right in and tried to joke around with her, etc. etc. but he wouldn't have been put off if she didn't even say anything at all to him in response tbh! Basically, I do think he would be more patient w/ her warming up to him than he would have otherwise, given how much he does know about her from Rose, y'know?
And regardless of how much you think Aoife has warmed up to him atp, I do think Edmund does like her a lot and probs feels a even a little protective of her?? Like it's clear Rose thinks she's too good for this world & tbh Edmund kinda agrees.
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Edmund laughed, "Don't worry, I have no desire to both the executioners today. They've enough on their plates today." This last bit was still supposed to be a joke, but Edmund realized all too late that this was likely more true than perhaps Roisin would like to hear. There were still pending public executions to be dealt with from the war. Men who were rotting away beneath the palace in the prisons -- no doubt already hoping for the release of death ... something his father was likely only to grant them when it worked out strategically for him.
He silently wondered how many of those men Roisin had known in the life before this? In a life she'd had before he'd come into it?
Edmund was more than ready to be distracted by Valentina's latest scheme. Sinking down into a chair opposite Rose by the far, he raised his eyebrows, "Sonya and my father, hhmm? I'd ask if you were joking, but I'm sure your step-mother never jests about her royal matchmaking and I'm certain you must take it just as seriously." He winked.
"But that is good to know. It's a bit more fun dangling Arthur in front of her -- " Watching Arthur getting cornered by Valentina was a great hobby of his, " -- however, leading your step-mother to believe that Roderick truly is interested in Sonya could potentially embarrass her enough that it would be worth it to switch tactics." He paused, "The only real problem is ... my father just might go for it."
Sonya was pretty and young and did (as Valentina was unlikely to let anyone else forget) have royal blood in her veins -- something none of his other current wives could boast. On second thought, perhaps he should be less encouraging of that particular scheme
"Besides, you're right -- I don't particularly relish the idea of accidentally having Valentina as my step-grandmother. My family dynamic is convoluted enough. I'll leave her and her children to your's."
Edmund caught her eye as she said she almost wanted to run out into the storm, just now. This was what he loved about her: her impulsive adventurous spirit that often dragged him away from the memories of spending so much of his own youth tucked away in his own dark rooms with nothing but a mound of books for company.
"I'd say you are idiotic for suggesting that, and yet I'm half tempted to agree with you," He found himself saying, "Although," He winked again, "be advised that you might have to answer to the executioners after all, if I manage to be struck by lightening."
On My Way Home | Roisin & Edmund
The day was crisp and Rose would swear she could smell autumn, if asked. I t seemed to cling to the air, packed earth and moss and mushrooms and decaying leaves, a warm-cool kind of musk that belonged only to the golden-bright glamor of falling leaves. Rose could find something to love in the changing of any season, but this was perhaps her favorite season of all. As summer gave way to fall, there was a kind of new innocence to the earth, she always imagined.
Oh, most saw spring as the time of rebirth, but autumn had its special magic, particularly on rainy days. There was something in the sharp crack of lightning and the low rumble of thunder rolling across skies caressed by crimson leaves that felt fresh and bright in a way no other season could quite capture. Yes, spring was a return, but autumn was a rebirth, utterly new and wild and untamed.
Today threanted to be just that kind of day -- all sky-splitting storms, but there was a thrill to that which enchanted Rose, merely making her wish to relish it and, in some wild part of her heart, to be out in it. As a result, she busied herself with plucking summer's final offerings: the wildflowers that volunteered in the meadows of the Malconaire estate. Rough winds rolled them away, sweeping a world of petals across the meadow and, in her way, Rose smiled to watch them whirl away, a feral dance amongst the high-growing grasses.
Laughing, Rose tucked the bouquet against her chest, pulling her cloak tenderly around them in the hopes that they would not be stripped of all their petals before she reached the shelter of the house, and darted for it. Her skirts and cape swirled all around her and Rose found herself laughing once again, half running, half leaping. Rain was pelting from the skies now in large, heavy drops as she hurled herself in the door, surprising a nearby chicken who squawked and flapped her wings most indignantly.
"Well, what did you expect?" she said merrily to the fowl. "I think I blew in just as much as I ran, and I can't fly any more than you can."
Smirking, she popped the bundle of flowers into a vase, already half filled with water, and turned towards the window to watch the storm...in time see a reflection in it. Gasping and whirling around, she seized the vase, ready to smash it, only to come face to face with Edmund.
"Oh! It's you!" Quickly, she deposited the pottery back on the shelf and laughing, shook her head. "I thought you were a thief. I was about to attack you with that. Terribly formidable of me, I know," laughed Rose, arching her brows, and realizing he had probably seen her address the chicken. She smirked, shrugged. "Never a dull moment, is there? I can't imagine you've received such a reception in any other household, today, have you? I do so love to make an impression."
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Edmund smirked, "I wonder if perhaps it was all part of his own plans? He was brilliant, really. I've not read anything to confirm my theory, of course, but I wouldn't be surprised if he purposefully leaned into those widely held beliefs, when he was alive? If his enemies believed that he his battles had been won by something other than his own military genius, they wouldn't be so encouraged to study what he had done to defeat them. Which means his tactics would continue to work. It's hard for the enemy to be able to use your own defenses against you, when they don't know what they are." He paused, "What do you think?" He turned towards Aria. As much as Edmund had studied Lorcan, he was certain Aria knew even more than he did, "Or am I reading too much into it?"
Edmund, himself, had picked up the old discarded volume Lorcan had once written more out of curiosity and thought it might be more a guide as to what not to do in battle, more than anything else, until he discovered the strategies that had been laid out happened to be brilliant. His own battleplans during the battle of Malconaire had been a mixture of adapting these ideas and using the knowledge of what he expected the Astairans to try, based upon this, against them.
"I will give you that," Edmund agreed, "Despite the enormity of its size and great economic success, I think its tendency to be known as a peaceful state -- " And the fact that it produced "buffoons'" such as Lorcan " -- contributes to the myth that you should be so easily defeated in battles. Despite the ultimate outcome, I think you've proved this to be true."
There was also the fact that it had a woman as its Queen. This fact, alone, caused the war to rage on far longer than it needed to. His own father had sorely underestimated how long she would be able to hold her own as a lead of a war-ravaged country. Despite Edmund's warnings that she was capable of more than his father might suspect, Roderick did not listen. Edmund has his own mother to thank for this particular foresight -- she had proved time and time again that women could be just as logical and strategic as men.
"But now, with the aid of the Varmont empire, Astaira doesn't need to fear for anything."
Even Edmund knew that this wasn't quite true, even as he said it, but admitting anything less -- especially to Aria Stafford -- wasn't something that he was about to do.
part of the plan | Edmund + Aria
If Aria could be honest with herself, Arthur Varmont was exactly why she was out at the training grounds this morning, however she was quite unwilling to admit that to herself. If she was not so stubborn, she would admit that it was argument between herself and Arthur the night before that found her standing in the shadows of the large oak trees waiting for a completely different Varmont prince to come up the path. But if you were to ask Aria, she would simply state this was part of her ongoing plan to win the trust of the Varmonts.
Edmund often left before his elder brother, which worked well for Aria that day. She made her way onto the gravel path as he approached with a half hearted attempt to make the meeting look accidental.
"Your Highness," Aria dipped into a half hearted curtsey to Edmund before rising back up quickly. "I overheard you speaking at dinner about some of the Astarian military conquests of the last century," she continued, holding out the book she'd been carrying.
"In fact," she continued, purposefully turning her back towards the training grounds (and anyone who might be watching her there), making to walk with Edmund back towards the castle, "That very book was written by the military advisor to my grandfather-- one of three he wrote, I believe. I read them myself a few years ago though I will admit much of it was far beyond my understanding."
That wasn't exactly true-- Aria had understood them thoroughly and had many discussions with some of her sister's military advisors on the topics. However, Aria had quickly realized a well-read and educated woman was not necessarily appreciated by the Varmonts.
"If you find it at all of interest, I would be happy to acquire the other volumes if you would like," Aria offered with a smile.
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Edmund had asked for his opinion -- the trouble was, he hadn't been prepared for such a candid answer. And although it was clear that Cillian was making some sort of effort to apologize to what he had said, all of this fell upon deaf ears. All Edmund heard was his own father criticized for hosting
It was irrelevant that part of Edmund agreed with him.
"You know, I haven't quite worked out whether you are incredibly stupid or incredibly brave?"
Or that he had sized up both Arthur and Edmund and found that Arthur was much more of a threat. When it came to his elder brother, he had only dropped some wine in his lap (something that could be argued had been a mistake from a particularly clumsy servant). But this? This was no mistake, at all.
"And, as you so eloquently stated, my father does not shy away from burning those who he deems as a threat to his crown -- and his nations -- I'm inclined to believe the former." Perhaps it might still be seen as brave to take such a stand to a Varmont prince, in his own home, but Edmund felt that Cillian's foolishness far outweighed any admiration he should receive for this courageous outburst.
Besides, Edmund's first reaction was to call the guards and have him arrested but a quick thought of how Roisin might react to this gave him pause. And it was an easier pill for him to swallow it was able to label this as the ramblings of an idiot and not some challenge that had gone unmet.
Edmund took another step closer to him, "Get out of here. If I catch you sneaking around the castle again, I will not be so forgiving. You'd best remember to thank your mistresses when next you see them -- it is only for their benefit that you've not been punished for your words. Regardless, this shall be the only warning you receive."
Out of Place | Edmund & Cillian
"Shouldn't you be with the rest of the servants?"
Edmund always felt distrusting of Cillian Frost and finding him in parts of the castle where he shouldn't be, did little to ease this. He liked to think that it had always been justified, but the truth was that, deep down, he was jealous. It was clear that Cillian was, and always had been, part of the family in a way that Edmund was incapable of ever being and he didn't especially like the easy and affectionate way Rose spoke of him, nor her uninhibited and relaxed manners when she spoke to him.
(If he had paid a little more attention to Cillian when Rose wasn't around, he might have noticed that it was Brigit -- and not Rose -- who had once captured Cillian's affections.)
Edmund knew as soon as he spoke that his tone was perhaps a touch too aggressive and, while he had no great love for Cillian, he also didn't want to get on his bad side, either. If they fought, it would only make things awkward with Rose. So instead, he laughed and put a hand on Cillian's shoulder, "Don't worry -- your secret is safe with me."
He wanted to ask him what, exactly, he was doing in this part of the castle, but he refrained and asked him about his journey, instead, "I heard you had a time of it getting here in the storm?"
Edmund had not noticed the exceptional concentration Cillian had been giving the Varmont sigils that were hanging upon the walls ....
#out of place#cillian frost#comment#idk if cillian would stick around after this or not#but otherwise we can move them to a future thing i guess but yeah things are not going well w/ their relationship atp hahaha#as a side note love all of these traditions <3
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Timothée Chalamet in ‘The King’ (2019)
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"How dreadful for you all," His voice was dripping with sarcasm. Given the amount of attention his mother paid Arthur and even Edmund himself in his brother's absence, Edmund wondered how long her headaches would keep her bedridden once she discovered she had princely visitors beneath her roof.
Once Eithne had taken a seat across from him, Edmund leaned forward and dropped his voice, "Is it true that she is trying to get Arthur to marry her daughter?" It was obvious to nearly everyone who witnessed her less-than-subtle matchmaking abilities whenever the two were together. But surely even Valentina Malconaire could see that Roderick Varmont would not marry his son off to someone without more to her name -- even if she would have been a princess in a different life. Edmund had not yet considered what Valentina's true plan was -- that Sonya should one day marry his father and became an empress herself.
Edmund nearly choked on his tea when Eithne did her best disappointed mother impression. While the eyebrow placement wasn't half bad, there was still the workings of a smile that pulled at her lips and a warmth in her eyes that he wasn't sure he'd even seen of his own mother, let alone Valentina. He doubted Eithne had what it took to truly mimic them.
As it was, her look was more ridiculous than terrifying.
"That's not bad. I'm impressed." He paused, "But I'm not sure you know how to imitate the depth of the disappointment that goes straight to one's heart." Edmund held up a finger for a moment as he concentrated, before giving his best impression.
"I think it may help if you have more than one parent who has perfected it," He smirked.
He knew that, in that moment especially, he did not have the intensity it took to truly capture it, but suspected he may have done so better than Eithne. He doubted someone like her had ever felt all of the negative emotions required to truly look at someone like that.
"I don't know that I should go as far as that. Ungrateful, perhaps," He teased, "But never unkind."
He knew little of Eithne, truly, but he would have always described her as kind. It hadn't even occurred to him just how kind this gesture was, even if neither of them knew in that moment that he had been in command upon the fields the day his armies killed her father.
Unannounced Arrivals | Edmund & Eithne
It was no way for a prince to behave, but somewhere between the palace and the Malconaire estate, those lines seemed to blur. Whatever sense of decorum Edmund had, it diminished the closer he was to their home. It was one of the many appeals of their home: Edmund felt freer here, somehow, and more at peace (even if that was occasionally interrupted by the general presence of both Valentina and Cassimir).
Edmund had challenged his brother for a race — knowing full well Arthur didn’t know the shortcut Edmund had only just discovered. Perhaps this advantage known only to Edmund may count as cheating, but he was of a firm mind that it would do Arthur’s ego good to loose at something athletic to his younger brother.
It was Eithne he saw first and while his main attraction to the Malconaire estate was her younger sister, Rose, Eithne was certainly his next favorite of the sisters (it was clear Brigit loathed him and Aoife was often intimidated -- neither made for exceptional conversationalists). It was a bonus that speaking with Eithne also gave Edmund a chance to tell her any number of embarrassing stories about his brother.
Eithne was out amongst the kitchen gardens (Edmund assumed she must be there on a stroll -- he did not realize she was there surveying the inventory to determine what they might be having for supper).
"I’ve come to tell you, my brother is hot on my heels. If you wish to escape his notice, you have been warned."
He gave her a wink as he dismounted his horse. He knew that Eithne did enjoy his brother's company, regardless of what he said, and while he did get some kicks out of making Arthur seem ridiculous, there would always be a part of him that did want to see him happy -- and who better than Eithne? With all of her down-to-earth sweetness that was such a stark contrast to anything that was to be found for Arthur at court.
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Edmund was eager for this afternoon to be over before it had even begun. It was on his father's own orders that he escort Eilianora Stafford and, as such, it was not something that was easily refused. However, it was his uncle's words that he motivated him more than anything today. It will be good for the people to see you together, he'd said, One day, you will need their support.
He couldn't help but crack an ironic smile: the first thing she asked of him was how he found the Malconaires -- the very thing he had had to leave so that he might be here.
"Lady Eithne and Lady Roison were both in good spirits. I think I may have interrupted them in the middle of making preparations for my sister's ball," This had been what they were up to, but they'd been working on their step-mother's requests, not their own. "Their sisters were not to be fond this morning." Aoife and Brigit would often make themselves scarce when visitors were about, if they were able. Aoife because she said too little and Brigit because she said too much.
He clasped his hands behind his back, "Lady Roison tells me that her eldest sister once attended you?" It seemed the Stafford and Malconaire friendships had long been established in more ways than one.
There was a glint in his eye when she began to ask him about his father. Edmund had no desire to see his father take another wife -- the Varmont family was complicated enough as it was. In addition, he did firmly believe any children that his father might have with Eilianora would one day became his heir. And while this meant he could stop this fight for something he did not want, there would always be part of him that regretted never knowing if he would have won it.
As it was, he took pleasure in dissuading her from accepting her father's proposals. "Attentive and absent, all at once," He replied, "His responsibilities often took him far from home, but that did not mean he was neglectful. He's always had very exacting expectations for each of us, and he counted on our mothers, uncles, and tutors to inform him if we ever strayed from them. He never let us wonder if we had disappointed him." But there were rarely signs of love (unless you happened to be one of his daughters), nor support (unless it meant that he managed to put down one of your other siblings in the process).
"I'm sure your own father must have been very much the same?"
The Raven Prince | Eilionora & Edmund
Eilia had expected her limitations. From the instant that Roderick Varmont had set foot within her castle's walls, Eilia had known that she could look forward to confinement, but what she hadn't fully expected was how greatly she would come to adore her constitutionals. Eilia had always enjoyed a walk, but having become deprived of nearly any other opportunity to so much as stretch her legs, she'd come to develop a queer hunger for those periods when -- guarded and escorted -- she would be permitted to pace the perimeter of the inner courtyard.
She knew these walks were more for Roderick's sake than for her own -- it was important that the people of Astaira be able to glance up upon the parapet and glimpse her on occasion to know that the emperor had done her no harm, and particularly walking shoulder to shoulder with a Varmont -- but feeling the sunshine on her face was a gift she'd come to treasure. She swore to herself that, were she ever to be queen again -- truly queen -- she would never again take such simple pleasures for granted.
It was a fair day, and Roderick had selected for her companion upon this particular afternoon, none other than his second son, Edmund, the Raven Prince of Varmont. While she had had no opportunities to publish information elsewhere for public consumption, her spy network had informed Eilia before the Battle of Malconaire that it had been his banners which had marched against her own and, she couldn't help but think as they climbed the steps to the high walls, it may have ultimately been this young man, with a head full of tousled curls, who had lain her kingdom low. She wondered how he dared show his face at the estate.
Perhaps it was some spiteful impulse, but she turned to him with an arched brow. "My sister tells me you were to see Lady Malconaire and her family, this morning? How did you find them all?"
Knowing she was about to fix him with a resentful glare, Eilia quickly redirected her gaze. It was only once a week that she was permitted this view, and she did not mean to waste her opportunity. Beyond them stretched the verdant meadows of Astaira, once capped by leafy green trees but now pocked with craters where Roderick had uprooted them for the unspeakable horror of his so-called Pyre Walk. Still, in the two years since his brual conquest, those ditches had been overtaken by green grass and flowers and even, in a few spots, a sapling tree poked it delicate branches out from the earth. Now, blanketed in snow, Eilia knew it was there. Eilia tried to take some hope from this, fair Astaira healing herself, but she could not entirely rejoice in hiding scars her people still felt with each passing day.
Escape felt less and less likely with each passing dawn and, glancing towards Edmund again, Eilia found herself wondering, not for the first time, if the best answer would, indeed, be to marry his father in exchange for freedom for their traditions. It would be a betrayal of Astaira, that could not be denied, but she would not sell her nation cheaply: their sacrifice would save the whole world.
"His Imperial Majesty--" Eilia began before she quite knew she meant to speak. She cleared her throat. "Was he a very...attentive father, when you were small?" She wasn't sure if the negative or affirmative answer would be worse for the child in question, but it was somewhere to begin, at least. Establishing expectations.
#the raven prince#comment#eilionora stafford#edmund's got a cool moniker ;D#wait til he's promoted to the raven king#s/o to jonathan strange and mr norrell
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"Fancy people?" Edmund chuckled at his choice of phrase. He supposed that they all much seem as such to him. Crossing his arms, he joined Cillian by the railing's edge, using it to lean upon. "And how do you find it all? Overwhelming? Glamorous? ... ridiculous?"
He wondered for a moment if Cillian envied them this comfortable life that they had in comparison to his own. He couldn't help but wonder if his mother and uncles had once caught a glimpse of some grand celebration from afar -- while they themselves were hungry and cold. Even though Cillian did not seem to be suffering in his position at this moment he doubted Lady Malconaire was a generous mistress and the thought did grant him a small piece of sympathy from Edmund.
"So this is not the first ball you've spied on, then?" He cracked a grin, "Tell me, what else was different when the old king was in charge?" He was curious: marks that this palace had ever belonged to anyone else other than Roderick Varmont had been striped away. Priceless heirlooms from Astaira were still on display, of course, -- but simply as tokens of Roderick's conquest. There had once been a great tapestry hanging upon this very wall that ha depicted the Astairan gods. Edmund had caught a glimpse of it when he first arrived but it had quickly been taken down. Their own banners hung there now.
Cillian's eyes must have followed his own, for the next question was about them. It was a curious thing to find a person who did not know the Varmont banners: they'd covered more than half the world now. He suspected even Cillian knew that they must have been of his house, but perhaps not which one belonged to which member. "The first is Guinevere's, then Arthur's;" He pointed to each as he went, "The largest one in the center is my father's, then Sebatian's ... and the last one there is my own."
Out of Place | Edmund & Cillian
"Shouldn't you be with the rest of the servants?"
Edmund always felt distrusting of Cillian Frost and finding him in parts of the castle where he shouldn't be, did little to ease this. He liked to think that it had always been justified, but the truth was that, deep down, he was jealous. It was clear that Cillian was, and always had been, part of the family in a way that Edmund was incapable of ever being and he didn't especially like the easy and affectionate way Rose spoke of him, nor her uninhibited and relaxed manners when she spoke to him.
(If he had paid a little more attention to Cillian when Rose wasn't around, he might have noticed that it was Brigit -- and not Rose -- who had once captured Cillian's affections.)
Edmund knew as soon as he spoke that his tone was perhaps a touch too aggressive and, while he had no great love for Cillian, he also didn't want to get on his bad side, either. If they fought, it would only make things awkward with Rose. So instead, he laughed and put a hand on Cillian's shoulder, "Don't worry -- your secret is safe with me."
He wanted to ask him what, exactly, he was doing in this part of the castle, but he refrained and asked him about his journey, instead, "I heard you had a time of it getting here in the storm?"
Edmund had not noticed the exceptional concentration Cillian had been giving the Varmont sigils that were hanging upon the walls ....
#comment#cillian frost#out of place#edmund: maybe this guy isn't so bad after all#cillian: i will kill you
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I'M HERE FOR ALL OF THIS!!!
Amira poisoning Guin's mom is perfect, I love it!!! Especially since she's probably right -- if Guin's mom had a son, that would probably be the 1 Roderick went for as his heir (although how ironic would it be if his strong affections for his first wife really did stem from guilt that she died ++ romanticizing their relationship now that she's gone to the point where guin is his fav kid now aka amira actually made guin more of a competitor for edmund for the crown than if wife #1 had stayed alive laskjfalsdjf --- update: just read the whole of your comment and you basically said this laksjflaksdjflasdf )
BUT ANYWAY!! Yeah, I do like that she went to those extreme lengths to ensure her son's future!!! (I'm guessing Edmund probs doesn't know about that??)
I feel like Edmund has some complicated feelings re his mom??? Like, I'm sure he knows where she and his uncles came from and he's never known that life and even though he's def more aware of what that looks like than his half-siblings, I do think that his position growing up has sheltered him enough that he definitely isn't afraid of one day loosing all of it??? Like he does know that there's a possible future where arthur becomes emperor after their dad dies and they are left w/ nothing but he doesn't fear that future for the same reasons his mom does, y'know?
I do think he's known his entire life that his mom wants him to be king after his dad and I think he was pretty clear as a kid that he didn't want it. And I think when he first started having tutors, etc, he might have even slacked off as a form of rebellion to the idea of it HOWEVER, I think that her tactics of telling him that "he's a failure" or that "he embarrassed her" went a long way in motivating him and yeah, at the end of the day he just wants to prove to his mom, his dad, and himself that he can do this (and also justify his uncle's faith in him) but yeah he still just wants to win the game of succession but then somehow get out of doing the actual job once he's proven himself alskdfjalsfj
(although I think, if that time actually came that walking away from it all would be harder than he thinks it would be now b/c at that point, I think he would want to prove that not only can he become emperor, but he can do a great job of it too, y'know?)
Also love the idea that she's tried to kill Arthur and Sebastian before alskfjlasjflasfj and has been poisoning Marian to keep her from having any more kids (#ruthless!) I also always imagined that Amira also fostered that rivalry that Edmund has with Arthur and Guin???? IDK how she feels about him and his relationships with his other two siblings but I feel like anytime he and Arthur, especially, seem to be getting on Amira stirs the pot!
I do think Edmumd cares a lot about his mom and wants her to be happy, but he also knows that what she ultimately wants doesn't really align with what he wants? I do think he struggles with being the perfect son for her but also being himself? And I think he probably hides some of himself from her sometimes because he does want to please her, but doesn't always feel like he's meeting her expectations? (amira pointing out his failures really doesn't help this haha)
OOC | Amira & Edmund
hiya, it's ya mama!! ummm idk how to tell you this but...godfrey's the fun parent klajdsflkjsf amira is too busy tryna one-up varys at court and being all 'you embarrassed me today' when edmund fails as a motivational tactic lkasjflkjdf (and we've already discussed the kind of dad ~roderick is akljsdfkjsf) BUT don't let her fool you!! where roderick is all fire, amira is all ice and if you touch her kid you WILL quietly and painfully die -- not that she'd ever tell edmund that beyond smth along the lines of 'no one else matters, only us' bc her parenting is a++++
ANYWAY!! edmund is 100% the product of her ambition like...lol she don't give a flying fuck abt roderick! as far as she is concerned, roderick is a tool in multiple senses! ;D honestly, edmund ~is the person she cares most abt (sorry, bros!), but like...he's #2 in her life bc the thing she cares abt most isn't a person at all -- it is ultimately revenge/power (they're the same thing to her -- miss thing is a slytherin ;DDD) <333333 she's def got a 'the world is at your feet or its at your throat' mentality so she ~does 100% see gaining revenge/power as protecting edmund in her own weird way bc she's been at the world's mercy before and she'd do absolutely anything to make sure that edmund never is -- like, making him emperor is, in her eyes, the only way to keep what happened to ~her and to godfrey from happening to her baby, but that is still 100% more important than his happiness!!! and she would 100% acknowledge this openly there is no dancing around it alkjsfkljsdf like, she doesn't really believe in gods as such (just that there ~are super powerful beings out there that it pleases men to call gods), but if she did, that whole 'god doesn't want you to be happy, he wants you to be strong' quote is 10000000% amira's whole mentality so that's fun!!!
anyway, she's def raised edmund as mommy's lil warlord <3 he must be strong if he wishes to survive what's to come!!! (she also thinks roderick is actually weak af and that's why things have gone as abysmally as they have) also lowkey think amira might've poisoned guin's mom bc she was worried she would have a son </3 and amira can compete with marian for roderick's affections, but not w his og empress, so she didn't think edmund would stand a chance of ruling if the og wife ever had a son. like...amira's been looking towards this war since the first day she clapped eyes on roderick and said 'imma seduce that man' alskdjfkldf also tbh i don't think it actually ~was black magic that produced edmund but i think ~amira thinks it was alksjdfaljksdf so!! that's fun ksjdfaklsjfaksdf amira: you know what really spices things up in the bedroom? black magic babies!
ANYYYYYYWAY, she had edmund specifically and intentionally to create the next emperor and then stupid marian beat her to the punch (i.e., hearing about marian's pregnancy is when amira turned to black magic to ensure she'd conceive) but then amira really fucked up and started to actually care about edmund!!!! #whoops so she was like 'no more babies! i will not become weaker!' and that's why edmund has no full siblings aldksjfskldjf
so, re: amira's opinions abt the future!! she isn't really worried about guin becoming empress bc she honestly can't see roderick w all ~his hangups ultimately wanting guin to rule, what w being a woman, and besides -- and much more importantly bc amira doesn't give af what roderick wants tbqh -- guin obv doesn't wanT the throne so she aint gonna fight for it after roderick dies (in fact, bc of this amira is 100% fine w roderick picking guin -- she'll just oops! tragically die of grief after losing roderick, just like her mama did, and then BOOM edmund for emperor aljsflkjsf), but arthur ~will fight for the throne. sebastian's hardest to nail down, but he ~is male, so ppl of the varmont empire might still amass behind him, so amira means to axe him too someday, just for good measure
i do think once or twice, she has tried to kill arthur and sebastian when amira thought roderick was on the brink of making a decision she didn't like (yeah? that one really really srs childhood illness arthur had? poisoned by his stepmama, but tragically -- tho he nearly died -- he pulled through after all :/) but i do think she was only halfhearted even then bc i think she believes that the competition makes edmund stronger so his bros get to live a lil longer ig alsdjflksdf but she probs has been poisoning marian for awhile, just enough to keep her from conceiving again lkajsdfkljsdf bc amira realized too late that poisoning wife #1 actually made guin's position stronger w roderick and she def doesn't want that for arthur and seb, so marian gets to live lkajsdlfkjdjf
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Edmund had been awake since dawn.
He often met with his uncle Godfrey to train during the small hours of the morning or late at night after everyone else had long ago gone to bed. He knew that he would never quite rival his brother in the lists -- but that had never been his goal. He only hoped to improve himself. If there was one thing Edmund Varmont never wished to be, it was a failure.
By the time he met with Aria Stafford upon the pathway, he'd not only finished his training but bathed and broken his fast. The exercise and sustenance had given him a boost of both confidence and energy and he couldn't help but be a little pleased that Aria had seemingly sought him out. He couldn't help but wonder if Arthur had made his way to the training grounds yet this morning -- if only to witness the look of jealousy he was sure to find when his brother noticed who he was meeting with.
Thoughts of Arthur, however, were left by the wayside when he realized what it was that Aria was offering. "I think Commander Lorcan was one of the greatest military strategists of all time. I've studied his tactics and ... he's brilliant." In fact, he'd been one of the major influences Edmund had when it came to his own strategies, "There's definitely those who would have you believe it was just luck that caused his success. Their histories will tell you that he was a bumbling idiot who managed to fail upwards, but I do not think that it is a coincidence that that was written by those he defeated."
In fact, most of the histories he had read, didn't give Lorcan the proper praise he deserved even if their accounts were as unflattering of him as some. As a result, much of what he had accomplished was never adapted by his enemies, as they never considered him someone they ought to emulate. But Edmund had taken the time to read his writings when he'd stumbled across an old copy tucked away in a library in one of his father's many conquered palaces.
"In fact, I've used several of his tactics, myself." Edmund was so eager to learn more about Lorcan and discuss him with someone who recognized his brilliance, that he hadn't stopped to realize just what he had admitted to her: that he had used Astairan military strategies against them when he helped his father win this war. "I'd love to read the other books he's written. I had no idea that there was more than one volume. Thank you." He did mean that, sincerely, and the smile he gave Aria was a genuine one -- not just something he'd put on for show to irritate his brother.
"I suppose he's known as a great hero, here?"
part of the plan | Edmund + Aria
If Aria could be honest with herself, Arthur Varmont was exactly why she was out at the training grounds this morning, however she was quite unwilling to admit that to herself. If she was not so stubborn, she would admit that it was argument between herself and Arthur the night before that found her standing in the shadows of the large oak trees waiting for a completely different Varmont prince to come up the path. But if you were to ask Aria, she would simply state this was part of her ongoing plan to win the trust of the Varmonts.
Edmund often left before his elder brother, which worked well for Aria that day. She made her way onto the gravel path as he approached with a half hearted attempt to make the meeting look accidental.
"Your Highness," Aria dipped into a half hearted curtsey to Edmund before rising back up quickly. "I overheard you speaking at dinner about some of the Astarian military conquests of the last century," she continued, holding out the book she'd been carrying.
"In fact," she continued, purposefully turning her back towards the training grounds (and anyone who might be watching her there), making to walk with Edmund back towards the castle, "That very book was written by the military advisor to my grandfather-- one of three he wrote, I believe. I read them myself a few years ago though I will admit much of it was far beyond my understanding."
That wasn't exactly true-- Aria had understood them thoroughly and had many discussions with some of her sister's military advisors on the topics. However, Aria had quickly realized a well-read and educated woman was not necessarily appreciated by the Varmonts.
"If you find it at all of interest, I would be happy to acquire the other volumes if you would like," Aria offered with a smile.
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arthur & edmund: "don't you dare throw that snowba--goddamnit!"
[ 15 years ago ]
"What on earth are you doing?"
It was snowing. And not just any snow: it happened to be the first snow of the season. The entire courtyard was covered with it. Edmund had stopped on their walk to grab himself a handful of the stuff.
"We don't have time to play in the snow." Arthur continued. There was no patience in his voice. All five of the Varmont children had been presented to their father that morning on one of his rare appearances. He had tested them all (Guinevere, Arthur, and Edmund more than the rest) and Arthur and Edmund had both been found wanting. It was Guinevere who had won the round and with this victory, he had asked her to stay behind after the other's left.
The jealousy and frustration Arthur felt at this slight was apparent.
"Arthur's right, Edmund," Sebastian said softly. "Our tutors are expecting us."
Edmund stood upright, packing a handful of snow in his hands.
Arthur arched an eyebrow, "Are you going to throw that at me?"
"Of course not," Edmund replied sarcastically. "I never throw a snowball after I've gone through all the effort of making one. That's the real fun."
Arthur did not appreciate his brother's sarcasm -- especially in this moment. "Stop being such a child."
"I am a child. And so are you." Edmund would have thrown it at him right then if he'd been confident he wouldn't miss. His throwing arm wasn't particularly strong and he didn't want to look like an idiot just now.
"I am not a child!"
Edmund supposed, in a way, he was right. Despite Arthur's rather childish declaration of not being a child, they hadn't had much of a childhood thus far. The three of them had been pitted against each other for their father's throne since the day they'd been born and Sebastian was always trying to run interference whenever their tempers flared. The only one who had ever really been allowed to be a child was Cassandra, who was too busy trying to catch snowflakes on her tongue to notice that her brothers were on the verge of fighting with each other.
"Alright, enough. Let's go," Sebastian interjected.
Arthur and Edmund stared at each other for a few more moments without saying a word. It was Arthur who turned first and started to head off after Sebastian. The fact that Edmund still hadn't dropped the snow in his hands had not escaped him. And after he'd turned around, he gave his brother one final warning,"Edmund, don't you dare throw that sno-- Goddammit!!"
At that moment, a snowball came crashing into the back of Arthur's head. To say that Arthur looked infuriated as he turned round, was an understatement. Before he could say another word, Sebastian stepped between the boys. "Arthur, Edmund I -- "
"-- I told you not to throw that snowball!" Arthur pushed passed Sebastian, heading straight for his youngest brother.
"I didn't." Everyone looked down to see that Edmund still had the snow in his hand. It was hardly resembled anything more than a melting mess, now.
"What -- ?"
Everyone turned then to see Cassandra standing behind Edmund, eyes wide as she witnessed her brother getting angry. She'd seen Edmund making snowballs earlier and, while everyone was talking, had begun making one of her own oblivious to the tension that had been rising. She'd honestly meant to throw one at Edmund, but she'd thrown it too hard and it passed up over his head and landed, instead, on Arthur's.
"Nice shot." Edmund was both impressed (even if he knew Cassandra wouldn't have been able to replicate that again if she tried) and amused (it took everything he had not to laugh -- Arthur truly looked a ragged mess).
But Cassandra beat him to it yet again and although her brother's were all suddenly afraid that she might cry, the next minute she started to laugh at how ridiculous Arthur looked. Whatever tension had been growing between Arthur and Edmund began to fade away and it was now Arthur's turn to laugh.
"Your turn!" Cassandra shouted.
Arthur bent down and made a snowball of his own. "Don't think you I won't get you back, just because you are a girl!"
Cassandra squealed, laughing as she ran to hide behind Sebastian, "You won't be able to catch me!"
"Hmm, perhaps you are right," Arthur mused and, instead, he tossed one to Edmund instead.
"Not too old for this, after all?" Edmund raised an eyebrow.
"Guess not." Arthur shrugged.
It was Edmund's turn to throw and this time he hit Sebastian who had long ago given up on trying to get any of them to their lessons on time.
Moments later, the four of them were properly drenched from the snow and they'd managed to leave their footprints over almost every inch of the courtyard. It had been a long time since they'd played like this: forgetting every care they had in the world.
"What on earth is going on? Look at the four of you. Absolutely Deplorable."
All four of them stopped in their tracks and stared at Guin. No one had noticed her step outside and, noting the disapproval on her face, each of them were suddenly ashamed at this display. It was not befitting of princes and princesses.
"If you are going to have a snowball fight, you must do it properly. Not a single one of you have constructed a fort. How can you prepare your arsenal if you do not have the right defenses? Come, let me show you all how it is done."
#this honestly became a varmont kid drabble but no regrets!#drabble#challenge#arthur varmont#sebastian varmont#cassandra varmont#guinevere varmont#because of reasons i'm going to make notes about their ages atp#guin and arthur are 11#sebastian is 10#edmund is 8 and cassie is 7
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