BLOOD OF BURGUNDY!

[Werew0lf 24179]

 

Penned by,

His Royal Highness, 

the Prince of Alstion

Anno Domini, 20th of Sun’s Smile, 2025

 

Illuminated, Left; King Tiberias with the young van Aert boys. 

Right; The birth of Prince Hadrian. Bottom; The elopement of King Tiberias and Queen Circe

 

•• ━━━━━ •• ✠ •• ━━━━━ ••

 

 

 

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“O, Heavens above, bear witness to these sons born of crown and burden, forged in fire and grace. Watch over them as they walk the path their father carved. Let no treachery find them, no blade strike unseen. Shield their hearts from pride, their minds from doubt. And place loyal hands around them in times of trial. May they remember where they come from and carry forward what was rebuilt with pain and honor. Let them not falter under the weight of legacy, but stand tall. Guard them now, and all the days to come. Amen.”

 

✠

 

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I have watched the ides of each month pass me by without protest, content with the life afforded me, awaiting each day in which I might find my seat within the lofted clouds of the Seven Skies. I have toiled on the fields of battle and sat with Kings and commons alike, all in the name of unashamedly bringing forth a new era for man. But the nearer I draw to the ages unforeseen to most men, I wonder more about what might remain when I am called to our Heavenly Home? How useless would it be to bring man under one purpose only for my work to be left to chance?   When I first began to wander this dangerous path, the future of my house resting upon my shoulders, I was so consumed by Holy ambition to see our Church rise to the forefront of man, I had forgotten the necessity of temporal rule, which stands in parallel to the one true faith. Now, GOD hath given me a noble flock as wide as half the continent, and as fierce as half the world. Upon taking on my holy obligations as a canonist prince and then, King of Burgundy, it finally dawned upon me: the torch does not burn in the hand of a singular entity, it does not light only once, and then pan its flames after a solitary grasp. It rises, each man adding kindling to its fire, watching it grow, and passing it on with the assurance that the light will shine wherever it is taken.

From birth, I knew only blood, as my people were slaughtered at the hands of those whom I would conquer so many years later. They knew me as a warlord – some cruel arbiter, a starved hound with the scent of blood on its nose. Through innumerable years fighting in perennial and bloody wars, I found relief – I turned to GOD and made a vow that I would not raise my sword unless with a Holy purpose. No longer was I a dog without leash, but one bound to the Lord of Lords.

 

As a master rewards his loyal and patient hound with a meat-filled bone, upon my return after serving the Lord our GOD for twenty-five years, he presented me with a crown and, only known to those closest to me, with a wife. With the confidence and knowledge of the mother church, a year after landing once more in Aevos, I wed Her Majesty, Circe Mareno, in a private ceremony with our closest friends and allies. For as I prepared to lead our men out onto the battlefield on behalf of our Holy Mother Church, I knew not if I would return. Though the Lord kept me, I sought to ensure that the House van Aert would live on even if I did not.

 

I have found a purpose beyond sword, rule and courage–children who I can raise to inherit everything that I have raised alongside the bounty of Man and the divine mission bestowed upon us all. I kept them safe from the hands of men by concealing this truth, as part of me feared that my enemies would attempt to use my beloved sons against me, vying to capture them, or worse, to weaken my resolve. With our enemies surely stamped out and my Lady-Wife confirmed in the eyes of all men, it is time they be known and they shall grow up to be as strong as dragons, and as merciful as men.  

 

After much deliberation and prudence, I speak with fond gratitude and love to Man, that the Lord GOD has bestowed upon my wife and I two children in the past few years, to be confirmed as my legitimate progeny and inheritors of my titles and estates:

 

 

Spoiler

 

His Royal Highness, Hadrian Tiberias van Aert, Crown Prince of Burgundy, Duke of Grense

 

@Werew0lf

 

His Royal Highness, Maximilian Caius, Prince of Burgundy, Duke of Avar

@Halt

 

 

 

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B V R G V N D I A E    I N V I C T A

 

HIS ROYAL MAJESTY,  Tiberias I of the House van Aert, King of Burgundy, Duke of Middelan, Baron of Pestilles, Protector of Grense, Patriarch-Dynast of the Pertinaxi, etcetera.

 

HER ROYAL MAJESTY,  Circe of the House Mareno, Queen of Burgundy, Duchess of Middelan, Baroness of Pestilles, Protector of Grense, Lady of Myrine, etcetera.

 

Long live the Kingdom of Burgundy!

 

 

[indiana105 5126]

Spoiler

congrats halt on graduating from son of ferdaboys to distant relative of nooblius to son of tide1

 

[Cryothane 809]

"An heir.." 

 

One brunette murmurs, digits gracing the pages letterings as a soft smile forms over features- a sage green gaze peering out the windows.

 

"God bless them. God bless Burgundy."

 

She beams.

[annanicole__ 2802]

The Baronetess of Rethel beamed with delight as the news swept through Burgundy. “I must procure a gift worthy of both princes, something truly magnificent.”

[Vikenz 1162]

Roger regarded the news with a quiet nod, scarcely looking up from the parchement. "Hmph - The line is secured, Ave Burgundy." 

[sam33497 7356]

Ser Sirius Mareno oft looked upon the new-born children, his nephews and a first product of the new world he lived within. The cruel gazes and endless tragedy affixed to the lives of him, his sister, and his brother-in-law the King- those things were not for these children, this the Mareno was certain of. Greatness they would find, but whole and productive lives they would live, free from the loss of their homes, of that which they loved, by any capability of the aging knight. The dutiful Sirius swore this to himself, a muttered verbalization following his thoughts.

"THIS I swear, upon my eternal soul, and all remaining dear to me..."

[Irishmanmichael 504]

The newly minted Lord Marschal of Burgundy rejoiced as he read the missive that told him the future of the Kingdom was secure and that he would have two young princes running about keeping the army in on their toes. “Gott is gut, for he has given us the future, nov all that is left is to keep it safe till it they become the present!” Manfred declared as he prepared to think up some gift for the young princes when they came of age.

[Frisket 4537]

Elis would grin as two princes were now sitting next to the Queen and King

 

”Gott Bless zhe King, queen, and zhe new princes too!”

[Lortime 1153]

The Patriarch-Cardinal sat overlooking the increasingly bustling Kingdom from his view atop the Holy See, his feet idly dangling from the chair, as he leaned back his chalice and sipped upon Grensen wine.  "Let us pray the continuation of a Kingdom of peace, virtue, with much reverence and supplication to the Lord our Godan; Blessings upon thee, childes of Burgundy." He returned to his desk, with a bemused smile as he scribbled yet another missive...

[pkdon 1977]

The Prince of Renatus, HADRIAN VAN AERT, smiles on from his grave “Good name.”

[Hawkeye_Gough 624]

A large, stone being read of the births, and nodded solemnly at that discovery.
"And so the Lordsake continues. May Horen bless his sons."

[Ryanark 2738]

Ser Hodrick looked to the rising sun, and when the swans bowed upon the lake, the Knight knew there had been borne two sons.

[Sebbysc 744]

It was upon his knees that Henrik prayed for the intercession of the Saints and the Creator's Aengels over the lives of his King's children. His prayers continued deeply through the night as he thought of his own children, that they might come to greatly serve the mantle set upon mankind and those who would take such a burden. To him, this next generation would bring a bountiful harvest to the world and strike back against the enemies of the Creator.

[wolfdwg 2677]

The young kingsguard Ser Arn Honeywine would stand outside the Queen's bedchambers as she tended to her twins. Unable to express his joy due to his vow, he simply stared at a now outdated family tapestry. A thought came to his mind as it spoke internally, "I suppose someone will need to teach the princelings to ride a horse, when the time comes." Beneath the winged helm of the Kingsguard a small smirk cornered his lips, "Grow strong your Highnesses," came an internal sentence. 

[Maiyun 362]

Spoiler

 

 

Ardirnien scanned over the missive in brief, one of many placed to a stack at her bedroom door. It was only that the pile of parchments, missives, and written sympathies fell over and scattered across the hall, knocked against the untouched tray of breakfast, having long since gone cold, the moment she cracked open her door that she decided to finally take them inside. Better not to make a mess for someone else to clean, on top of all else. 

 

The room was dark, a half-sputtering candle serving as light in the quiet space. Grief muffled what sound could have passed these walls, hanging in the air as though it were a shroud. She sank down into the mattress, sitting on the edge of her bed as she continued to read it. The joy of others, the joy of THEM was like ashes in her mouth. 

 

With a sharp, shuddering breath, the princess of Numenost turned over the colorfully inked parchment so that it lay face-down on her bedside table. Weight overcame her once more, coaxing her to crawl back beneath the heavy blankets sprawled in the dark of the room.

 

She went back to bed.