#arthur & alfred // a king and his crown

[gremlins-hotel]

Post headcanons abt Arthur and his first baby you coward, you fool. The audience arrived, we are here, yet you stay silent upon the stage.

(Just joking ofc, tho id give you a kidney if you gave us some hcs abt their early days <3)

I know it's not a headcanon, but I hope this will still be satisfactory. A moment between a new father and his first son, to whom Arthur wishes the world.

“You coddle him,” came Rhys’ voice, blunt and teasing.

Arthur waved his brother’s words away. They were meaningless like wayward flecks of spume against the broad side of a ship in the face of the treasure held tight to his chest. Sleepless nights, tears, and the terror of the unknowing life. He had watched his son like a hawk for years, and the boy now grew blessedly stronger. Each time little Alfred grabbed his finger, the babe’s grip was vicelike, and Arthur knew the little chubby squish of pain was worth all his toils.

Alfred burbled up at Arthur, seeing his father’s watchful eyes glimmer, a mostly toothless smile scrunching his small face with joy.

Heart squeezing and eyes wide, Arthur knew he would endure it all again as long as that babe was laughing. Hugging the heavy bundle tighter to his chest, Arthur bounced the boy gently as he fiddled with a pocket of his coat. Life was difficult when one-handed, but he hated putting Alfred down. The troubles a baby could get into with any degree of autonomy he did not wish to imagine, not after famine and disease and blood. Alfred seemed determined to bind the world with his gums if his father allowed him, in any case, and to grab it without hesitation. There were dangers on the floor that the boy approached fearlessly. That determination. It was a good thing to have, Arthur knew, but woeful for life still so seemingly fragile.

A faint jingle answering his seeking fingers told the man he’d found his quarry. Arthur whisked the trinket from his pocket in a closed fist, the toy’s chain hanging from between two fingers. The near-sterling silver rings tinkled prettily against one another as he shook his fist above Alfred’s head. Curiosity lit the deep skies held in his son’s face like stars and Arthur couldn’t keep the soft smile from turning the corners of his mouth, shaking the chain again. Skies and stars indeed, for he had never observed someone to watch the heavens so closely at such a young age. Silently he praised the boy’s curiosity; one day it might have its questions answered if Arthur had anything to say about it. He would give that lad the sky and the seas.

Short, squishy fingers reached up for the chain, seeking the noisemaker with excitement. Arthur raised it away from his baby’s reach and took delight in seeing him try again. So he played the cat-and-mouse, jerking the prize just inches from Alfred’s grasp when he waved his hands skyward. Alfred laughed uproariously each time the toy made its metallic clinking and at seeing the smile on his father’s face. Arthur opened his fingers to reveal the rest of the shining silver toy and raised it to his mouth. One end was a sweet little whistle, which he blew quietly in the face of the babe. A high, windy note spiraled out into the air between them and Alfred laughed again, his entire face bright and bold. It made the boy redouble his efforts.

Arthur finally acquiesced, lowering his hand enough for those ferocious fingers to grip the tiny silver rings and tug. Once more Alfred’s burgeoning strength shot a bolt of pride through the man’s chest. With reluctant fingers he allowed the toy to drop into his son’s happy hands. Little curved talons, blunt by youth, curled around the moon-bright metal like a hunting bird content with its catch. The babe brought the whistle end to his soft mouth and immediately made to teethe on the silver. Tiny puffs of breath made the whistle sing and stutter, and Alfred’s eye glimmered happily, gazing up at Arthur as though he’d hung the heavens. Quickly he slobbered on the toy, but Arthur couldn’t help but feel enraptured by his son, drool or not.

Having forgotten the watching eyes beside him, it was Rhys’ voice that broke his reverie. “You ordered the coral, after all? No measure too small.”

Arthur blinked, looking up and away, then back to the toy in his son’s burbling mouth. The opposite end of the whistle had a stub of red, red coral from lands far away, polished to a beautiful shine. It was worth it to him. Anything to keep winding spirits and the fey away from his boy who had already suffered enough. No measure too small.

“Someday he will not need it, I hope.”

#callsign gremlin checking in #papa echo november #arthur kirkland // salt wind and green garden #alfred f. jones // daring to fly #arthur & alfred // a king and his crown #hetalia #aph america #aph england #hws america #hws england #alfred f jones #arthur kirkland

[stirringwinds]

Your thoughts on Alfreds similarity to Arthur, their dynamic and their father-son relationshio is incredible and so very enjoyable! The way Arthur sees Alfred; his hyperindependent son who rejects his fathers ideas and uplifts his own ambitions, not understanding that while his own ambition and view of the world is not completely identical to his fathers, it's a mirror image in scale and vigour. It is the same old tale of the prince beheading the king, taking the crown and vowing to never become his father, only to come full circle and have his enemies tell him "you're just like him."

Alfred may be the "black sheep" of the family, but not even Arthur can hide his favoritism for the lad. His firstborn is more like him than anyone of his children, and that bears pride, yet fear as well.

Im just trying to say that if you had a million fans, I am one of them, if you had one fan, its me, if you had zero fans im dead. <3

thank you so much! (: in return, i have to say how much i love your art, especially of the pacific siblings + the old man. you bring them to life really beautifully.

and yes! i just love the excellent contradictions that come out when digging into arthur and alfred as a father-and-son dynamic. i enjoy putting a twist on the usual tropes of the 'black sheep' and 'golden boy/crown prince', where it's often two different siblings. here, out of the 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇦🇺🇳🇿 siblings, alfred is the black sheep and the crown prince. he is the estranged eldest brother who seemingly does whatever the hell he wants. he overshadows them all even in his absence. like, for Jack and Zee especially, it's not a flattering picture of Alfred they get from Arthur. Ungrateful wretch, fool of a lad, hotheaded and arrogant, a flash in the pan...etc etc. but even quite young, before WWI or WWII, they realise that Alfred is the only one of them Arthur truly sees as anything close to an equal. that contrast is sharpened by how Arthur treats Matt—who was the 'older brother' they actually knew: the otherwise competent shocktroop of empire and first dominion shouldering various responsibilities. to defy Arthur is to earn his enmity, but also the only way to earn his respect.

like most other nations who become empires—Arthur doesn't truly believe in heirs: the sun never sets on the british empire, no? and when you are an eldritch being given life by the power of human ideas, immortality is a possibility they can't help aspiring to, no matter how much history is littered with the rise and fall of nations once arrogant enough to believe themselves invincible. and Arthur, at the height of British power, allows himself to believe that. for all his shrewdness and study of history, he's not immune to being seduced by that possibility. why shouldn't his empire be different? driven by the power of industrial civilisation that Rome could never dream of. Arthur never wanted Alfred to be his heir because he would never relinquish power willingly (just as the British Empire did not give itself up until the combined weight of world war two, anti-colonial movements and bankruptcy broke its back), but with his defiance, Alfred is the only kind of heir he would respect.

It is the same old tale of the prince beheading the king, taking the crown and vowing to never become his father, only to come full circle and have his enemies tell him "you're just like him."

indeed! i always see a real Titanomachy theme between Arthur and Alfred for that reason; the British and American empires certainly loved to perceive themselves as heirs to classical antiquity after all. the Greek story of the war between the younger generation of Olympian gods and Titans to determine who would have dominion over the universe. Zeus, with his siblings, overthrows his father Cronus— in a manner of speaking, that is what happens with WWII. Alfred is both Arthur's deliverance (lend lease, d-day...) and the one who usurps him: America replacing Britain's prime role in the Pacific, reshaping and redefining alliances with Australia, New Zealand and Canada. in the eyes of many of the Old World nations, Alfred is his father's heir. to end off, here's a short snippet from a WIP i'm working on set during the American Civil War:

Arthur laughs. “Do I make you do anything anymore, Alfred? Didn't you throw away my name almost a century ago? Did you not loudly announce yourself as a maritime power? That huge uproar you created in the Far East? Bragging to me how you’d done what I failed, dragging another Old World nation out of isolation to rejoin the international community on the threat of war and glories of foreign commerce?” Alfred opens his mouth—to say something self-righteous and hypocritical, Arthur is certain—but then he lifts his chin coolly. “As opposed to the actual war you started in China? If anything, with the Treaty of Kanagawa, I proved how one could secure foreign trading interests with both firmness but far more civilisation. You and I," Alfred sneers, “are not the same.” “An unequal treaty is an unequal treaty— that I will not deny even if I will not give up its benefits. This world is not for soft men or women, and the old warlord that Yao is—he knows that well.” Arthur smiles sharply. “Do you hate the fact that when the other Old World nations look at you, they see my blood running in your veins?"

Arthur imo, is definitely that father who plays favourites. Alfred is his greatest disappointment but also the one he loves the most—in the dysfunctional way that a man who is an empire comes closest to loving the son who mirrors him the most in his pitiless ambition and cunning. Alfred sees himself as a genuine idealist, as someone struggling to be free of his father and all his bad traits, but when Alfred rises to power, Arthur believes he's the only one who truly understands him the most. It's almost the possessive element of 'I gave you life, I named you and made you what you are, and no matter how much you scorn my name, my influence will define you forever.' Father and son, king and crown prince, regicide and patricide—but also creator and his creation made in his image.

#hetalia #hws america #hws england #hws canada #hws australia #hws new zealand #hetalia headcanons

[fireandiceland]

I'm reading ukus cardverse fic again and I've been thinking. (A dangerous conflation, I am aware, but stay with me here.)

The bigger part of cardverse fics surrounding Queen Arthur and King Alfred are either about them being a happily married couple who has to face some kind of trouble - be it alternate selves or other kingdoms invading - or (soon to be) King of Spades Alfred chasing after Arthur as his destined Queen. Both concepts that I adore and love to read over and over again, but now I was thinking - what if Arthur is the first one to get his mark and snatch all power over the kingdom?

I've also read about the idea of Arthur being a controlling, maybe even evil Queen who only manipulates innocent, guillibe Alfred and pulls all strings in the back to secretely rule the kingdom on his own, but that isn't quite what I was think of now.

It would be interesting to explore a completely different route. An alternate cardverse, if you'd like to call it that.

Being a couple of years older than Alfred, Arthur's mark shows earlier and of course he knows what those intricate, dark lines on his skin mean, everyone does - wealth, power, and royalty. Conveniently, exactly the three things that the ruthless pirate captain Arthur Kirkland lives for. Before the new King of Spades can be found, Arthur finds his way onto the throne, leaving behind a trail of blood where threats don't get him through.

Crowned as the Queen of Spades with no one daring to question his status, Arthur keeps sailing the seas, always searching for whoever the gods, the aracana appoints as his king. But not out of love for his devinely selected spouse, but to secure his position as the lone ruler of the kingdom of Spades.

Bonus: Alfred not only ends up with his royal mark appearing during the height of the chaos Captain Arthur Kirkland has risen with his regency. No. He's also one of young man who hired on the captain's main ship the last time he went back to Spades to take care of some duties as the Queen that require his presence.

Will Arthur discover that the rather pretty young man who recently set foot to his ship is the one he's looking for to take out of his way? Will Alfred manage to keep the mark hidden from his Captain/Queen and run off before fate pulls him into arms that want him detained and not held close? Will Arthur be able to resist the temptation that was put on his ship in the form of sunkissed skin, eyes like the sea, and an almost irresistable smile?

Who knows.

#aph america #aph england #usuk #ukus #both i guess depending on who gives in first lol #hws england #hws america #cardverse #cardverse au #hetalia #hetalia au

[sunnysssol]

[New York, 1746 – First meeting ]

In 1744, King George's War was fought between the British, the British-American forces in the colonies and the Iroquois Confederacy against the French and the Wabanaki Confederacy of New France. Part of the Austrian War of Succession, it was fought mainly in New York and the Massachusetts bay. The battle meant tremendous losses for the colonies, with an estimated loss of 8% of the male population in Massachusetts. The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ended the war in 1748, returning colonial borders back to how they were before the war. Three years later however, the town of Louisbourg was returned to France in exchange for the city of Madras (renamed to Chennai in 1996) in India. This city was captured by the French in September 1746 from the British, thus the "exchange". This angered New Englanders, who provided funding and personnel. The British paid Massachusetts £180,000 (roughly £32,281,486.29 in 2022), which the province then used to retire their currency.

[ Disclaimer : I am not, nor do I claim to be any expert on anything. I am constantly learning, so this post and others like it are subject to retcons and the like. Appropriate warnings will be given as I go. Also, please note that this, whilst based on history, is still a work of fiction. I do not condone nor support generally morally reprehensible things directly mentioned or alluded to on these. ]

1746 was more or less the midpoint of this war (with France launching a major expedition to recapture Louisbourg, the previous figures for Massachusetts losses being from 1745-46, etc.) and so the idea was for Susannah to act as the crown's (and by extension, Arthur's) eyes and ears to the colonies in direct response to the growing unrest. Alfred up until this point had been a loyal and steadfast son and subject, despite his eternal curiosity leading him to consume more and more literature that directly put old beliefs into question. Though he was not initially aware of Susannah's double allegiances, Alfred was aware of the formal, employer-employee arrangement between himself and Susannah. Despite that, his warm personality and similar wavelength of interests allowed him to easily breach the gap between 'acquaintance' and 'friend'. His father was often entire oceans away and this is the first time he met someone whom he could get attached to without fearing their mortality (see: humans Alfred had befriended throughout the years) or any perceived double national interests. The exchange of Louisbourg for Madras had been one of the many events that would plant the idea that his father was not entirely devoted to him in Alfred's mind. His conflicting feelings about the exchange and his place in the empire allowed him to open himself up to befriending Susannah, perhaps thinking that if he behaved well and treated who was essentially a bureaucratic extension of his Lord Father's presence well, perhaps he could earn his favor again.

Susannah on the other hand, was caught off guard by his lack of formality and had even found him to be somewhat "uncultured" in the beginning. The mainland British had mixed feelings about the colonists, but many of them held prejudices and saw them as "uncouth". As Suzie's household had mainly been attendants and tutors brought in from Britain, she shared their beliefs throughout her childhood. But slowly, as Suzie began to spend more time with Alfred, she warmed up to him, happy for the chance to finally be taken seriously instead of waved off for her more intellectual pursuits. Susannah was born in the colonies. But due to her ancestor, Sir Wilfred Knightley, whose affection and counsel she received growing up, her family has and continues to hold deep ties to the crown. Her beliefs and viewpoints were shaped simultaneously by her birthplace and her family's values. Though they were seen as upstarts in Britain, the Knightleys were an esteemed family in the colonies. She interacted with a lot of people from the mainland, a lot of important family friends and other acquaintances, but she'd also spent a lot of time talking to and mingling with colonists, both ranking ones and average, everyday people. To reflect the attitudes of many colonists, Susannah identified as a loyalist up until the middle of the Revolution.

[ commissions open | do not repost ] ocs by sunnysssol

#hetalia #aph america x oc #aph america #aph england #hetalia oc #hws assistantverse #oc: susannah knightley #oc: wilfred knightley #re: amesuzie [ canon timeline ] #[ 18th century ] #cc: alfred f jones #cc: arthur kirkland

[ego-meliorem-esse]

it bothers me that cardverse fics didn't explore Alfred's and Arthur's relationship as father and son. I would kill for it.

Generally i dislike the cardverse thing. But i think thats just cus i dont understand it fully. But if that shit had a father son drama woven into the pages id be on my knees begging for more chapters.

What if we had a dying king Arthur and his son takes his place and wears the crown while his dad is sick. The king gets better but alfred doesnt wanna give up his newfound power and wants to change the kindgom on his own terms, in his own way. What if we had that? What if the Gods (fanfic writers) listened? Are we heard or are we herd?

#hetalia #ask meli #oh the possibilities #oh the options

[wannabe-cartoonist-blog]

Some stills from my newest Hetalia animatic "Defying Gravity".

I went off a bit here, so check explanations/historical references below cut.

1: An alternate version of the empires America looks up to. Most of it gets covered up in the animatic (and they don't have eyeballs) but I ended up really liking this drawing so I wanted to post the full version of it here. Fun fact: I simply named this image file "men". They sure are.

2: Loved making the little England and America portrait and coloring to make it look more like a painting. I imagine England's pretty sentimental and has lots of portraits and sketches of his kids/important people (see point 4). I also enjoyed showing America's conflict here. Alfred will always have a certain fondness and desire for respect from his father, but at the same time, fuck that guy! "I'm gonna be my own person and not a crown jewel in your empire. It's not a phase, dad!"

3: There's too many Canada and America scenes for me to highlight, but I think that though they have their issues as Canada and America, Matthew and Alfred are still ultimately brothers and care about each other. Also, peep those flowers in the back. Wonder what that's referencing...

4: England's office over in the Colonies. Even though he's not here much, I imagine its quite eclectic. Colonial America probably liked to break in from time to time too to look at all the stuff England's horded/pillaged gathered over the years from around the world, despite England locking it when he's away. The portraits get covered up in the video, so I thought I'd give a more detailed look here. Obviously, the portraits are sorta abstract, but I did have certain people in mind when drawing them! Blue portrait: Charles the 2nd famous for the the Restoration (cue King of Bling from Horrible Histories). Green portrait: a vague King Arthur. Orange: Henry the 8th and one of his wives, probably. Purple: Queen Anne. Framed on desk: a baby America circa Jamestown (left) and a young Canada (right) circa 1763 (Treaty of Paris, when England officially acquired Canada from France).

Bonus: When you gotta tell your boss/national personification his son just stole a horse and ran off. British guards One and Two earned a special place in my heart when I drew them in the background like this in one frame. They done fucked up.

#historical hetalia #hetalia #hetalia animation #hws america #hws england #hws canada #hws france #hws spain #wannabeartw0w

[fireandspiceland]

post contains: cardverse, omegaverse, mention of mpreg, like… planned/allowed infidelity (?)

completely different concept than the stuff I usually talk about but alas here we go omega cardverse where Arthur is the omega queen and Alfred the alpha king of Spades, the people love them, the other royals and ruling parties of other kingdoms respect them, everything could be oh so nice and perfect if it wasn’t for the biggest hidden secret of the Spadian monarchs: their king isn’t the alpha they think, but a beta and hence unable to reproduce.

The only alpha anywhere close enough to the king and queen of Spades is the king’s younger brother Matthew, who had been rather shy compared to Alfred, always staying in the background and had therefore been presumed an omega, as opposed to his outgoing brother who everyone assumed to be an alpha who would lead the kingdom. With their roles having been drilling into the brothers since their early childhood there was no way their true presentation could be made public. So Alfred inherited the crown, married the queen,… but would never have the ability to properly deal with Arthur’s heats let alone gift the kingdom a heir.

And for these reasons the secret surrounding the rulers of the Kingdom of Spades is that Arthur’s broken cries for an alpha, the moans of pleasure filling the castle’s halls, and even the unborn life growing inside him aren’t Alfred’s, they all belong to Matthew.

#hetalia #omega England #alpha canada #beta america #aph england #aph america #aph canada #cardverse #cw mpreg #omegaverse #usuk #maple tea #engcan #in some regards I guess

[apersonwholikeslotus]

Heam is enabling me; (i lied i can't remember Sam's part 😭)

warning now long post

WELL SAM it's 400 AD and that right there is Britain! and here comes the king! in a bedsheet! Haha no really that's the roman emperor because Britain is under Roman rule as it has been for over 350 years! But all that is about to change because in 410 the unthinkable happens!

so unthinkable I can't think of it now what was it hmmmmmmmm OH

THE ROMAN EMPIRE CRUMBLES! And the romans leave Britain with the immortal line

"don't forget to put out the cat"

or something like that

and that's when the problems really start! with the Romans gone the picts from up in Scotland invade england, so Vortigern king of the Britons hires a load of warriors from Germany & Denmark--places over there--and with them come two chaps named Hengist and Horsa, and they like Britain so much they'd quite like to keep a piece of it. Luckily for them Hengist has a beautiful daughter and in the weirdest deals in the whole of history he gives Vortigern his daughters hand in marriage for Kent!

yep Kent.

And that's just the start of it. Soon seeing how easy it is to get your hands on English lands there are Danes and Germans everywhere! German invaders from the district of Angle take over the east and the midlands while invaders from Saxony take over large chunks of the south, yes that's right England is now overrun with ANGLES and SAXONS making it officially ANGLO-SAXON.

and u thought we just made that term up

And there you have it that's it

end of the story

end of the line

end of the pier

last dance

last chance

lights off

cats out

done.

BUT NOT FOR LONG

under anglo-saxon rule Britain changes shape entirely, though obviously not around the edges. Inside though it's all different as the invaders shape their new lands into seven major kingdoms; places like

Essex

Wessex

Sussex

and so on

But it's not all playing fairly for the Anglo-Saxons because they can't conquer Scotland for toffee!

which is a shame because Scotland's got great toffee

Meanwhile on the other side they aren't too happy about the new neighbors, so much so that king arthur of Mercia

an Anglo-Saxon kingdom shown here in puce whatever color that is

digs a trench separating the west of Britain from the rest of Britain, creating the border for what we now call Wales! Sounds fair! we now have Scotland, Wales, Anglo-Saxon England all living in perfect harmony bar a little name calling and the odd local war.

BUT NOT FOR LONG

YES FOLKS IT'S 865 AND LOCK UP YOUR MONOSTARY BECAUSE

HERE COME THE VIKINGS

In no time at all they take over every major anglo-saxon kingdom except for this one, Wessex, home of Alfred the great

who clearly has a high opinion of himself

And for good reason, because Alfie and his family manage to hold off the vikings!

BUT NOT FOR LONG--well, actually it's for quite awhile but that's not the point. No Eventually Æthelred the unready becomes king and gets so sick of the constant viking attacks

that he's presumably never ready for

that he decides to kill every viking in England, including the king of Norway's sister; which unsurprisingly doesn't go down too well with the king of Norway. Who prompltly Invades England, takes Æthelred's crown and is the first in the line of viking kings!

There's Cnut!

There's Harthacnut!

There's a quarter of a Cnut!

Though not that last one!

and this goes on until 1042 when an englishman gets the crown again

WHOO it's

Edward the Confessor

and then he goes and dies BOO

and three differnt people try to claim the thrown, an Englishman, a Norman, and a Viking

which sounds like the beginning of a joke but really isnt.

Especially when the englishman, Harald Godwinson, takes the throne and is immediatly set upon by the other two! While holding off the viking one up here, the norman one--a certain William the bastard conqueror invades down here

yes folks it's 1066 and the battle of hastings! Which signals not only the end of Harald but also the end of the Anglo-Saxon Era all together

THE END OF THE PIER

THE END OF THE LINE

THE END OF THE ROAD

THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT

and unless i calm down soon it might as well be

THE END OF DEAR OLD BOB HALE

OH IT'S TOO LATE IT'S HAPPENED

It's just heartburn, false alarm, it's just heartburn.

back to you Sam.

#horrible histories #apersonwhotalks #bob hale

[hwsforeignrelations]

@aphcardverse-week // Day 1: Coronation

Alfred’s POV

Coronation Day

I took so many painkillers that morning I hardly registered the palace servants pulling my uniform on. A detail I do remember from that pruning hour was the sensation of being pulled towards to the ground by the weight of 51 metals pined to my chest. Symbols of my extensive career which sparked immense pride, but at that moment it wad hard to anything but one more burden to push through.

By breakfast the brain-numbing effects of twenty something pills waned. Mattie placed a tower of seven beautiful pancakes on my tablecloth (“My token of good luck,” he’d said with a pat on his shoulders a hug for Queen Arthur before scurrying out before more people began clogging the exits).

Standing set my nerves ablaze and made my tongue a swollen, coppery mess which made it infinitely harder to shape for words. My right knee, the lucky bastard unscathed by Clubian cannons, didn’t dare buckle under Yao and Arthur’s watch. It protested all the same, not quite listening when I commanded it walk without halt every step.

The ceremony proceeded without incident. I felt the cold weight of a silver crown studded with black diamonds, identical to Arthur’s but for the swirling “K” metalworked into its center, flatten my hair. I wanted to puff my chest outward to the cheering crowd of Spadian, to project a stronger image of a compete royal set. To maintain the public presence crafted from years working as the Spadian Army General.

The muscles throughout my body were sluggish, a victim to the drugs keeping a newly amputated leg from breaking headlines with “Loser At Large: New King Alfred Jones Eats Shit at Coronation”

Instead, my chest rose briefly - like a ballon swelling with air. Then someone decided they didn’t like the color and struck a pin through the fresh, deflecting it.

Arthur’s arm remained a solid beam throughout, so that when my foot went numb and I tilted off-balance it kept saved me my headline. Wouldn’t the hungry press love that juicy sell, I mused in bed the morning.

For Fuck’s sake, I wailed internally.

“I, Alfred F Jones, do solemnly affirm to support and defend the Federal Scribes of the Kingdom of Spades against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true alligence to the same; that I take this obligation with honor, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and dutifully discharge of duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me Oracle.”

The word “discharge” was less accurate than something along the lines of “I promise to retire if I go senile”. But hey, tradition was tradition.

Jack Yao and Queen Arthur smiled when I finished. I remember attending Arthur’s coronation many years past. The young monarch didn’t stutter a word of his Inauguration Speech, an individual obviously ready to take on his duties of state. It had been a relief to the youthful Alfred of the time, tired with the rest of Spades of the late Queen’s refusal to pass the ceptum when he’d been mentally unfit to rule for at least the last decade.

Traditionally, the King and Queen exchanged a ceremonial dance and handshake to seal their partnership.

My drugged, handicapped loins couldn’t begin to dream of five minuets of complicated footwork atop a new prosthetic leg. Instead, Yao took the dance with more grace than I could’ve exuted at the best of times. I preformed the hand gestures to Arthur’s.

He was incredibly handsome that day. Imbroidered silken waistcoat accentuated a slim waist, and the cream-colored cravat puffing out afixed by a sparkling diamond in the shape of a Spade danced with him under a clear blue sky. His smile was delicate and accentuated his crows’ feet and the speckling of freckles across his nose.

I wanted to kiss those beautiful freckles right there on the stage, for all of Spades to witness.

I retrained myself.

The next moment I froze when the expected handshake came in the form of a close-lipped kiss.

The crowd cheered and laughed at the unexpected break from tradition from their tradition-obsessed Queen. Yells and clapping filled the air with wonderful sounds of human delight and cheer, and my drug-inebriated brain was kind enough to leave the memory the next day.

#cardsverse week 2023 #hetalia #usuk #hws America #hws england #hws china #cardsverse #fanfic #prompt 1 arranged marriage/coronation

[gremlins-hotel]

once more i gaze at the online collections from jamestown, specifically artifacts we think might've been toys (1 | 2 | 3)...and i think of arthur, trying his best, spoiling his firstborn, trying to give that baby everything he did not have at that age. despite sickness, and famine, and all the wayward happenings of the early days, arthur was determined to see alfred survive. and also imagining arthur constantly keeping his young son on his hip, trying to keep him out of trouble and from putting things in his mouth that he shouldn't. that boy was grabby and curious.

#callsign gremlin checking in #arthur & alfred // a king and his crown #hetalia #aph america #aph england #hws america #hws england #alfred f jones #arthur kirkland

[stirringwinds]

i know people talk a lot about the us and UK special relationship but it kind of fell after the Suez and France kind of sneakily stole it didn't he? I mean did the same before the wars

thanks for the ask! ngl, as a londoner, i've always personally felt the representation of the "Special Relationship" as this mega-close and affectionate dynamic is kind of...an un-holistic understanding of the UK or England, as well as of the United States. don't get me wrong, it's one of their most important relationships and there's a lot of deep history there—my issue is mostly with rose-tinted interpretations underpinning it and what biases they showcase. these were heavily biased by Churchill's (imperialist) gaze of envisioning Anglo-American affinity and leadership on the world stage. this interpretation quite significantly downplayed the rivalry, power struggles, conflicts and differences that historians existed between the US and the British Empire, or how US presidents tended to see it in far less majestic terms. like, Churchill rather downplays FDR's vehement disagreements with him over the issue of Indian independence lol or decolonisation (because the US was eyeing the world as a chessboard, re: new markets and also whether or not support for the old colonial power would be a bulwark against or risk soviet or other communist influence).

so, while you're right that Suez was a pretty low moment in US-Britain relations due to the US being pissed at Britain and France jeopardising its ostensible goal of swaying Egypt away from the Soviet sphere of influence (sidenote: Egypt itself was trying to navigate the mess of the Cold War rivalry to secure its interests), i don't really see it as "falling" after Suez or stolen by France simply because that dynamic Churchill painted a picture of never really existed in that way. plus, Europe (France included) and the ex-colonies of the British Empire (like the dominions and India) weighed heavily on British foreign policy/its national outlook too; i tend to find an overemphasis on a rose-tinted view of the "Special Relationship" leads to a lot of US-centrism that shuts out this understanding. to me, Arthur and Alfred's relationship is most interesting when we situate them properly amidst all these other imperial and geopolitical cross-currents. of which Francis is an important one, from the time he helped Alfred during the Revolutionary War, to the Entente Cordial, WWI and the post-WWII world of NATO, the EU and so on.

in hetalia-verse, it's one of the reasons I personally headcanon Arthur and Alfred as father and son. their bond is lasting, forged by the blood, steel and saltwater of empire, and all the familial, deep and troubling implications that implies. they are "stuck" with each other in some ways, because post 1945, it's a familial dynamic of the old king and the young, ambitious crown prince who thinks his father is out of time—and out of line. francis never really "steals" anything because he and arthur's relationship is on a very different axes: francis is the neighbour who has been by arthur's side as his enemy, friend, lover, rival in imperial douchebaggery, ally (for better and also for worse, like in suez...)—and everything in between. whereas arthur and alfred have some real patricidal/regicidal, titanomachy-level father-son power struggles going on, mixed in with this dysfunctional level of understanding and them also colluding together shadily (you are different from him in many ways, there are many things he'll never understand about you—but you are your father's son, alfred; to be powerful is to be tainted).

so in conclusion, i see alfred-arthur and arthur-francis as both very important foundational dynamics crucial to arthur's character, but conceptualised differently from that understanding of the "special relationship" because they're two different kinds of relationships, even if there is the overlapping dynamic of power, rivalry and empire. ✌🏼

#lord father and the crown prince #hetalia #hws england #hws america #hws france #hetalia headcanons

[novuit]

I need to ramble about my cardverse AU. I was daydreaming about it alot while "redesigning" Arthur's Queen of Spades outfit 🤲 I might actually draw cardverse or expand on this because I have so many things to explain about

Spades

This kingdom is known for many things: fashion, pollution, modernism, technology, clocks and their obsession with lions but the most famous would be the royalty. Arthur III, while he has never been crowned unlike King Alfred, is the first ever Queen to have power over a kingdom (especially while there's a king) as kings are the only ones who can rule. He has terrorized politicians, own white lions as pets, psychologically torture/execute people, wearing black lipstick (this is something relevent with the Hearts Kingdom) and having more power than the King. Though it's a kingdom known for fashion, it also has strict laws over what's reserved only for royalty or such as lion fur/skin (the wealthy are an exception) and the colour purple, which dates back to Roman times, though recently, the colour purple has been seen on products and companies if it has been officially favoured by the Queen Arthur III. So if you visit the Spades Kingdom, don't wear any purple or lion. (Idk where to add this so I'm adding it at the end but this is just some fun fact that I love and want to talk about more: were no records of any other royalty nor relative named Arthur even though he's titled as the third Arthur to be royalty. He added it himself. because 3 is his favourite number 💀. He would execute one politician - either for dinner or to import to the Diamonds Kingdom - for every day the government wouldn't make him the third Arthur and ofc by the 8th day they were getting understaffed from this so in the end, they allowed him to be titled Queen Arthur III.... He is so petty and a menance but it's something that would likely happen lmfao).

Hearts

Though, their royalty was never as known as the Spades, it is well very known for their aesthetics, music, art, romance, history and sports. Many of their architecture hasn't been modified since the renaissance era and in some areas, even the attire hadn't changed. The Hearts are very particular on makeup and attire so , they even have not-so-secret unspoken lipstick code which may not be as relevant to the common people anymore, it is more important on royalty. Many artists, writers and historians go there to make a living while others may go there for romance or the pretty architecture as many romance stories are set in Hearts. The Prince, Feliciano, is labelled as 'the face of Hearts' by Heartians but internationally as a romantic icon (sometimes a sexual icon but idk I think that would be King Francis IV). The Spades are fond of Feliciano for embracing modernism and doing things that would be frown upon for Heartian royalty like not abiding to the lipstick code (but thats okay for him to break the rules because he's the favourite out of the Heartian royals).

Clubs

Many people would think the Clubs Kingdom would be filled with greenery and nature by their symbol of a three-leafed clover but in reality it is a very snowy. The reason behind the clover may be from an old Cluban folktale or their obsession with luck and magic. The Clubs are famous for their competitiveness, tourism, and their strong belief in luck and magic despite having the most science labs/schools in the world. The King, Ivan the First , is always seen shirtless and smiling - a standard for Cluban royalty to show their health, luck and strength against harsh snow weathers.

Diamonds

Being known for their wealth, they are known for their films/theatres, mining sites, heavy surveillance, vast greenery, prestigious schools and famous cuisine. It is a kingdom many people go to for either their wealth or education meaning you'll find alot of aspiring actors, cooks and archeologists studying here (and rich snobs, though, you'll find those kind of people up north). They have plenty of famous cuisines that originated there that enjoyed around the world like Ligone Fries and Burgers, but they have their fair share of really questionable dishes like: shepherd-dog pie, human steak and cub stew (they are not as common nowadays, but there are no laws on what you can't eat in the Diamond Kingdom so you can eat these). The King - Francis IV - is always either oversees, or in small villages talking to locals. The Diamonds are stereotyped as very snobby, paranoid poshos, but in reality they are really laid back and hospitable.

Jokers

The Jokers are forbidden land that hadn't been "claimed" by any of the kingdoms. They either prank or hunt down people who are seen as threats to the land and therefore are depicted as savage barbarians. Not much is known about them and are usually either villains or silly goofy pranksters in many stories. The information known about them has been rumored to be destroyed and possibly also forgotten by Kingdoms.

#Queen Arthur III sounds worse than Henry VIII #hetalia #hws england #hws italy #hws america #hws russia #hws france #cardverse #rambles #the people in this au are quite amoral (especially the spades) I would not like to be there lol #I like to imagine the jokers are the most sane people in the au #They are the most sane people in cardverse.

[koolkat9]

👀

Cardverse AU!

Sorry this took awhile anon, I forgot about this, and also I had to decide which au to choose. I'm going to go with my version of Cardverse. I actually have worked with some fics within a universe of Cardverse, but recently I started up a Cardverse rp that made me decide to tweak my old plot idea a bit. Also there is so much to this au but I'm going to focus on the main plot with GerEng.

Originally it was going to be a plot that the old Spades Monarchs (not Arthur and Al, the previous rulers/Arthur's parents decided to grow Spades' power and influence through arranged marriages. Though it was fun to write, the parents became very cartoon type villains and I wasn't always the happiest with that. So some changes.

Arthur's parents aren't around any more, dead and all that. I am going to take some notes from the British Empire and apply them to Spades. Spades used to be the most powerful of the four kingdoms. Everyone feared them. Ya da ya da ya da. But one day, their empire started to crumble. I'm thinking they had a war with Diamonds and lost a lot of land. Then clubs saw them weakened and took over some land. And by the end of those two wars, Spades was in debt. By the time Arthur was to take the throne they were a shell of who they used to be. It's especially hard on Arthur who takes on the throne, alone, because the former rulers have passed away and Alfred is too young to be crowned king.

Alfred is crowned at 18, and despite Arthur's best efforts to rebuild the kingdom, process is slow and Alfred realizes that they need some form of outside help. Arthur is against it, raised with the belief that Spades needs no one. They rose to power alone, they would get back on their feet alone. But as Arthur continues to see his people suffer, he realizes he needs to swallow his pride to improve their lives.

Alfred and Yao have been brainstorming and have secured a deal with Hearts, the youngest of the four kingdoms (meaning Spades hasn't done much to fuck up their relationship yet). It is an alliance by marriage, combining the two kingdoms into one. Hearts will provide them with the financial stability they need while Spades resources become Hearts and Hearts Spades. Arthur, knowing Al is still so young and having a crush on a Club noble man, offers to be the one to be married off to the newly crowned King of Hearts.

Traditionally in Spades, you wouldn't see your fiancé until the day of the wedding, but Hearts values connection between spouses so they convince the advisors of Spades (with the help of King Alfred) to give Arthur and the King of Hearts a courting period. So Arthur is sent to Hearts for a month.

Both Ludwig and Arthur are hesitant to this engagement. Arthur sees Ludwig as cold and calculating. All the other kingdoms joke that he's the heartless King of Hearts. Not cruel, but pretty much only cared about business', not really emotional other than with anger or indifference. Which on the one hand means that the relationship will remain strictly business, but on the other, it would be nice to have at least some form of warm relationship.

Ludwig sees Arthur as a hot headed, intimidating, ruling with an iron fist. Honestly, Ludwig is a little worried Arthur will be too control and basically takeover both kingdoms (after all Spades has been known in the past for their hunger for land and power). But they need the lumber and metals from Spades.

But when the two are finally able to meet when Arthur comes to visit they find they actually have a lot in common. Though at first it's a little rocky, there is an air of distance, only discussing the details of their alliance and spending the rest of the time separated.

Ludwig realizes Arthur has been cooped up in his room for the most part, so he decides to personally give Arthur a tour and perhaps get to know his future spouse a bit better. It's very awkward and silent until they get to the garden. It's filled to the brim with roses, Arthur's favourite flower. Though Arthur tries not to show his excitement, Ludwig catches him eyeing the flowers and cuts one for him. And from there they start to bond, finding shared interests and fear of being vulnerable and open about who they really were.

Some of my fav moments. Ludwig gifting Arthur the castle library Beauty and the Beast style. Ludwig and Arthur sneaking to the kitchen late at night to bake together with Ludwig having to climb up to Arthur's balcony and carry Arthur to the ground (Arthur hanging onto to Ludwig so tight because he's terrified of heights). Them being all shy when they hold hands for the first time. Getting into so many moments that are right out of romance novels that these two secretly read because they're hopeless romantics at heart.

They get married, Spades gets back on it's feet and an era of peace is ushered in with other Spade nobility marrying into other kingdoms which ends up creating a mega alliance or something (I don't know the details yet, I just want AmeLiet and Scotfra).

There is also a lot to say about Al and Arthur's relationship but it hasn't really changed from my other au and this is already long so if anyone wants to hear, I'll make a separate post.

#hetalia #cardverse #cardverse au #gereng #engger #geruk #hws england #hws germany

[maplequeen94]

I don't know if you do request and I hope I not being rude but can I request a CanLiet (Hws Canada x Hws Lithuania)fanfiction

The prompt is the Royal au

Matthew is the crown Prince and the song of King Francis and the Prince concert Arthur

Tolys is Matthew's childhood friend and the son of the duke and the Duchess

Matthew childhood friends and good friends they always spent time together and their parents were happy for them especially King Francis he was totally shipping them

Later Matthew confessed his feelings for Tolys and Tolys also confessed his feelings for Matthew and they were happy and also kissed and they became boyfriend's

And they confirmed to their parents that they are dating now their parents where so happy for them, King Francis and the Prince concert Arthur were so Happy for their them and proud of their son Matthew

Matthew's brother Prince Alfred and Matthew's sister Princess Michelle were happy for them too and proud of their brother Matthew

And someday Matthew Proposed to Tolys and Tolys accepted Matthew's proposal and said yes

Hi there! Yes, I'm up for taking requests if they are something I feel comfortable writing, which this one was!

Thank you so much for the prompt, I hope you enjoy it! (I also hope that you don't mind that I took some creative liberties and added Amelia in the story as well.)

#hetalia world stars #canada x lithuania #canliet #lietcan #maple writes #hetalia #matthew williams #tolys laurinaitis #aph canada #aph lithuania #hetalia axis powers

[pyrthcamelot]

The Last Kingdom x BBC Merlin

I am not trying to say that there is overlapping in any form or meaning between the two stories. I just like to play with my fantasy and I see A&M in everything nowadays, sooooo here I am.

When watching this scene in The Last Kingdom S3 E9, the images of Arthur and Merlin popped into my head. As if they were the ones having this conversation, not in canon, of course. Merlin as Uthred, Arthur as Alfred.

Merlin was exiled when Arthur discovered his magic. Now, Arthur is sick and dying, and though he is still angry about Merlin's betrayal, he wants to make peace with him. And they are discussing the future of Camelot and Merlin's role in it.

Alfred: Why are you here?

Uthred: In Winchester?

A: In this room.

U: I was told you wished to speak.

A: Why grant me that wish? What is it you want from me? What is it you would say to me, while I am still able to listen?

U: If I were to say one thing, it would be that I could never have killed you. [...] I could never have taken your life. I would have beaten you, gladly. But I would never be the man who killed Alfred, King of Saxons.

A: Killing me would have earned you a place in these (chronicle) pages.

U: I would not want such a deed written. Besides, I have earned my place in these pages. But every lord is the hero of his own songs. I understand my absence.

A: It will not be written that Alfred did stand on Uthred’s shoulders. Many times. But I know it to be true.

U: Thank you, Lord.

A (lifts his sword and points its end at Uthred's throat): Do you believe I could end your life? You are an outlaw. It will be written that Alfred, frail and sick, did find the strength to slay the warrior Uthred Ragnarson.

U: It will not happen.

A: Because I lack the will?

U: Because we are bonded. You cannot kill me, just as I cannot kill you.

A: My sword is heavy. I must sit. There is wine in the jug, if you would.

I like to think that this would never have been the outcome of the Merlin series if Arthur had survived the battle of Camlann. But still, this scene just somehow caught my attention. :)

...

A: [...] I was wrong in both my judgment and my punishment (Uthred’s banishment). I did not give you the respect nor trust that you deserved. I was afraid. I am afraid. Not of you, not of death… but of losing everything that Wessex has become, everything that is written here in these pages. My work must continue. This land must grow. An England must emerge […]. We are and we remain the last true Saxon kingdom. We cannot go on building walls between the tribes. Similarly, we cannot be overrun. That would render my time as worthless. My father’s time, […], it would have all have been wasted. […] My last act, […], must be to ensure that good man hold power. That is what I must do. And that is why you are here, in this room.

Up until to this point, I can see it as Arthur talking to Merlin. But what comes next is what Uther would say to Merlin in the actual legend. Uther as Alfred, Merlin as Uthred.

Assuming that Uther banished Merlin and now he wants to make peace with him to help Arthur become the king that was prophesied. Oh it's quite a twist, I know, but my imagination is funny sometimes. :)

A: It seems just yesterday, that I gave Edward over to you as a dying infant. Uthred, I wish to give my son over to you for a second time and for the same reason as the first. To ensure he lives. Say nothing, not yet. All I ask is that you remain in Winchester until he is crowned king. Than you can do as you please. You can go north (Merlin is originally from the Cumbric region, somewhere around the late kingdom of Strathclyde -today’s Glasgow- and the Brigantes region -Rheged or Gododdin. The exact location doesn't matter now anyways.). You can reclaim your lands.

U: I am an outlaw, Lord.

A: No longer. You are hereby pardoned.

U: On condition I remain in Winchester.

A: You are pardoned regardless of your decision. I have made my peace. I have made my request. I do not require an answer.

U: Thank you, Lord, for correcting your mistake.

...

And in this last piece it's also like if Arthur was toasting Merlin.

A (he raises his cup of wine): To Uthred, the true Lord of Bebbanburg, a man I have never understood, but without whom I would not die a king.

✨ These scenes would also be great plots or prompts for fan fiction. ✨

#bbc merlin #merlin #merthur #arthur pendragon #merlin bbc #the last kingdom #king alfred #uthred

[ao3feed-usukus]

Kings Gambit

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/B9Y7gfQ by BurntToasts “Gods, you’re going to be King, Alfred. You can’t just-” “That’s for tomorrow me. You can prepare all you want for the future, but who says it’ll go your way?” Alfred sighs, turning back to the stars, looking up to them for guidance. “See what I’m doing now, Arthur? I’m just. Living. And that’s enough for me.” “That should be enough for anybody.” … Alfred, newly crowned King Consort, is unsure of his place, and his queen makes his job no easier. But just as he begins adjusting to the royal life, he discovers there is much he still doesn’t know. To right the wrongs of their past and flip the hierarchy on it’s head, Alfred will have to dismantle the Council and their secrets. But what he has to do to achieve his goals may just be the tipping point setting off a series of events that spiral out of control. Arthur, Queen of Spades, is third in the Kirkland family line to serve as queen. Raised in the capitol all his life, he is the archetype royal. However, once he meets his King Consort, he will learn that there is more to life than duty. And maybe, just maybe, he’s gotten more than he bargained for, as life and order is thrown on it’s head. Now he is left to choose; his duty or his people. Words: 1001, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Series: Part 1 of The Arcane Fandoms: Hetalia: Axis Powers Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: M/M Characters: America (Hetalia), England (Hetalia), Canada (Hetalia), France (Hetalia), China (Hetalia), Russia (Hetalia), Prussia (Hetalia), Germany (Hetalia), Japan (Hetalia), Liechtenstein (Hetalia), Hungary (Hetalia) Relationships: America/England (Hetalia) Additional Tags: Cardverse (Hetalia), Magic, Alternate Universe - Magic, Whump, War, How Do I Tag, Eventual Romance, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Alternate Universe - Human, Human Names, Corruption, Dark Magic, Reverse Cardverse read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/B9Y7gfQ

#usuk #usukus #ukus #aph usuk #usk #米英 #べいえい #味覚音痴コンボ #��ルアサ #hetalia #fanfiction #hws usuk