ydegirl

Somewhat bored of her country manor -- which had a plethora of servants at her will -- the (retired) Baroness Amelia of Virdain planned her next vacation.

A Temesch nun of yore frowned, Hélène Marléaïs Temesch (or sometimes referred to as the bastardized version of her name: Helen Marly) remembered the glory days; the days of the Archduchy. Catherine Temesch (or now Moere) never recalled living in Stassion, only Whitespire, where her mother worked in the courts of Aaun. How odd!

As she read the missive, Amelia, Henri's mother, simply murmured: "You cannot escape your mother's blood."

House de Lewes presents… T H E P E O P L E ’S P A G E A N T of 1 9 6 1 An ancient pagan goddess. [Art by Julius Johann Ferdinand Kronberg] Baroness Amelia of Virdain invites any and all citizens of Aaun in good standing with the United Kingdom of Aaun to compete in a pageant of talents, looks, and interviews. Each participant shall participate in all three categories. There will be a limit of 5 men allowed and 5 women, combining to a total of 10 participants. The winner of the pageant will be given a sum of 100 mina and the decorative title ‘The Loyalist Pageant Goer of Aaun’. The event shall take place in the theater of Whitespire. IF YOU PLAN ON PARTICIPATING, PLEASE FILL THIS SHEET OUT. Name: Age: Gender: Place of residency within Aaun: Are you in good standing with the Aaunic government?: TIMETABLE The Talent Show Each participant will be required to showcase a talent of theirs, whether it be singing, dancing, reciting poetry, swordsmanship, or something else not listed. These talents must be safe and cannot harm anyone, else there will be risk of disqualification. Dummies will be provided for those who need them. Cultural Wear Catwalk This category allows the participant to show off their culture. The looks will be based on how fine the garment is, detail and cleanliness. Participants will have a chance to present themselves in a catwalk like manner. The Interview For the final event of the night, there will be an interview of the participants. Before the questions are asked, participants will be asked their name and age. Then, three questions will be asked for the participants to answer. First, what defines an upstanding citizen of Aaun? Secondly, how are you an exemplary citizen of Aaun? And finally, what is your biggest flaw and how do you plan on changing it? SIGNED HER LADYSHIP, Amelia Paulina de Lewes, Baroness of Virdain, Directress of the Plane

omg im like 90% sure this was one of my skins hehe. sry i deleted her </3

R E C O U N T I N G R E B E L L I O N by A M E L I A D E L E W E S CONTENTS Preface Prelude The Adrian Rebellion The Aftermath I. PREFACE The Adrian Rebellion was a tumultuous period in my life. Words cannot begin to describe how I felt and how it affected me throughout my adulthood. I must admit, as I’m quickly approaching my seventh decade on the soil God has created, the facts have left me some. I have tried my best to recount the Adrian Rebellion in a factual way while also giving my perspective as the daughter of Sigismond Varoche, the man who some would argue had started the rebellion. Of course, my view will be biased. The Adrian and Neo-Renatian commanders executed my beloved father, Sigismond, and brother, Charles. I, in good consciousness, cannot be unbiased against Veletzians and Adrians, as I, nor any Varoche to my understanding, has received any form of apology. This memoir will serve three portions of my life; the Prelude, the Rebellion itself, and the Aftermath. I have done my best to condense these events, as they happened over a twenty year period. With that in mind, please enjoy Recounting Rebellion. II. PRELUDE In my youth, Adria was a bustling city– which some would even call the Heart of Aaun on Almaris. My sister, Lorina, and I would often play in the town square together and gossip, usually about other Adrians. A common misconception I hear about the Adrian Rebellion was that my father and Heinrik had some sort of animosity towards each other, however, this was untrue. Heinrik, then the Duke of Adria, and my father seemed to be very close. They frequently enjoyed each other’s company and seemed to be confidants. Admittedly, it does anger me when people get this wrong. Sigismond Varoche was not power hungry, he was a justice seeker. Lorina and I had no idea that my father would accuse Heinrik of eight crimes, including kinslaying, adultery, consorting with Azdrazi, as well as more heinous crimes. Suffice to say, when HEINRIK’S FOLLY was released to the public, Lorina and I were astonished. We had no idea of his wrongdoings. In fact, I idolized Heinrik in a way until then. Should memory serve me correctly, we fled Adria in the following months. I took refuge with my fiance, and later husband, Fernand, Baron of Virdain. After his manor was sacked by Adrian forces, I sought refuge in Minitz with Fernand’s sister, and my dearest friend, Henriette. I was relatively safe in Minitz. My one mistake, however, was when I ventured back to the Virdain manor to retrieve books– I always had a fondness for books– this man, who was tanned with dark eyes and darker hair, had attacked me. Somehow, I managed to escape– I lied about who I was, claiming I was but a simple farmer. This encounter cemented what I previously thought was impossible: the war was real. War, as I have learned, was not a part of the barbaric, imperial past. III. THE REBELLION In the dead of night, we fled. We had little to carry, and I would not be reunited with my family for another ten years. This period of time was intense, as I had little contact with my dearest– and favorite– sister, Lorina. I was cooped up in a manor I had not known as my own, and later on, Minitz. I had lost contact with my father as well, which worried me greatly. For days, I did not leave my bedroom in Minitz, I was deeply depressed. To add to my spiraling, my brother, Charles and my father had been captured by Adrian forces in Petra. Within the next few days, they were swiftly executed. The news reached me in the early hours of the night during my nightly prayer. Hysteria consumed me, and I did not speak or eat for days at a time. I entered a religious fervor, praying almost all hours of the day. I began to carry multiple rosaries with me. Because I was not eating, my hair began to fall out; and my body had begun to produce more hair on my body. I felt like an ape. Adrian forces marched upon Minitz soon after. I remember hearing the cacophony of horses neighing, women and children screaming, swords clashing together and the screams of the Waldenians. It’s something burned into my mind. Luckily, I was able to flee, freeing myself of any harm. We fled through the back gates, me and about a dozen Waldenians. One mother, middle-aged and willowy with red hair, had lost her daughter. “Katrin! Ich habe sie verloren! Ich habe Katrin verloren!” She pleaded with the smuggler, “Sie ist erst zwölf!” the mother begged and pleaded with the smuggler until her voice had escaped her. That night, I prayed she found Katrin. The King of Aaun had issued the people of Adria terms of peace, which Heinrik promptly rejected. I, for one, was appalled that the King of Aaun would even think of negotiating with these barbarians. It was a slap in the face to me. For another year fighting ensued. Petty raids had us fearful of the future. Towards the end of the war, Heinrik was summoned to Karosgrad for reconciliation with the Canonist Church. The then Pontiff, who’s name escapes me, had sentenced him to death. A battle broke out and once more, I fled– this time from Karosgrad. The war had ended with the Battle of Two Churches, with an overwhelming Adrian victory. IV. THE AFTERMATH With the Rebellion over, life was to continue on as normal. Fernand and I wed, had children, built our manor in the floodplains. My brother, Emilio had taken up the title of Count of Varoche, later Baron of Napoliza, and his mother, Anna of Alstion, had become a judite nun. Lorina and I reunited, remaining in contact until her final disappearance. Before she left, Lorina had become a priestess, and started a settlement– Lemon Hill– with a mutual friend of ours, Ser Morgan. Now, forty-four years later, I witness the same war I had in my youth, albeit with a different enemy. As Adria was in my youth, the leader of Veletz has been excommunicated from Canondom, bound to a fiery afterlife. There is much to be learned from the Adrian Rebellion and my story, such as the importance of family, the importance of piety, and of course, how War changes one. It is my hope that Veletz, the successor state of Adria, perishes once and for all after this war has ended, for I cannot bear to live seeing those people thrive any longer.

From her confines in the chateau de Cors-Midden, news of her nephew's death was delivered to her by a handmaid. Amelia, the hysteric Baroness, did not light a candle, nor did she cry; instead-- she sat there, unresponsive.

The Heir to the Heir's grandmother, Amelia Paulina, scowled at the name.

The stepdaughter of Anna, Amelia of Varoche, sat in her chambers. Silently, she sat there, those thick, unruly brows furrowed into her temple as she stared out into the floodplains. The wind cooed and the waters wept.

Amelia of Middelan, Queen of Aaun As a show of good faith and loyalty to the Aaunic people, Amelia of Middelan, Queen of Aaun, will tour the vassals starting in 1953. Her Royal Majesty wishes to meet her husband's lords and their families. If one wants to meet with the Queen of Aaun and her entourage of ladies and guards, send a bird to Her Excellency, Clementine Fransisca [sanriu], or Her Royal Majesty, Amelia of Middelan [chatbomber]. Her Royal Majesty, AMELIA ROSE, Queen-Consort of Aaun, Princess of Alstion, Duchess of Corazon and Balamena, Countess of Enswerp and Florentine Her Ladyship, AMELIA PAULINA, Baroness of Virdain, Directress of the Plane

POEMS OF WARTIME by A.P. VAROCHE Baronissa Virdain FORWARD The Poems written here were all written during the Adrian Rebellion (1916-1918), from when the Author was a girl, or after the announcement of the current Veletzian War. The Author A.P. Varoche (also known as A.P. de Lewes) hopes that one can find solace in her poems during these trying times. WAR’S MELODY In Aaun the rain spits on my skin. When the arrow baptizes himself in the King’s heart, inglorious blood spilling on the carpet, he shall mourn the moon. SAUDADE Near the Silver Sea, we studied the secret to combing our hair. I cut flowers from your hair, replenishing words that meant nothing. I watch the rain bite your skin. I am asking to be spared. The Silver Sea turning into an immoral red. Red like wine. We drank wine as if nothing had happened, our lips sucking the top of the bottle while we waited for our sons and husbands to come home. WARTIME, 1953 We watched the fat pigeons and the lucent dolphins. The beach glittered with the glow of the sun. And they slaughtered our sons. And we cried. We found fragrant roses in the city, but we could not stop to smell them. Our weeping nights did not bring back our sons. I ASK THAT IF I DIE – spread my ashes along the streets of Whitespire. Crows peck at the windows of my home, dropping olive branches on the sill, singing one of their tired songs. God is the silence that survives long after the war has ended. An old man who used to sell fish at the docks is gone. Another one of God’s illustrious tricks. His dog sits there, snoring at his crooked stall, unaware of the war. TUVSMAS, 1953 We tied flowers to soldiers' helmets, holly & poinsettia & mistletoe too. The Tuvsmas tree whistles over our banter while we wish our sons good luck and pray for them to come home. They will. Armor clanks together and the church bell rings twelve times, a mother’s sobs can be heard somewhere, echoing through the gray stone streets.

Pinned to the Noticeboards of Whitespire Ahlan! I have recently moved to Aaun, within the capital city of Whitespire. My name is Areesha Sayyid of Meyadsar, or Areesha for short. As an immigrant within Aaun, I have found very little opportunities for work. My skills are as follows: Tailoring clothing and sewing clothing, from scratch or to repair them, and Cooking, especially that of Meyardi dishes, and, Farmwork, cleaning and other house duties, and Caring for Children. Although my skill set is very limited, I am a fast learner and will be able to handle anything thrown at me. My only ask is that I be paid a salary of five mina per year and, if possible, living conditions. If you are interested in hiring me for any work to be done, please send me a bird. SIGNED Areesha Nafees Sayyid

"Aaun hath no fury like a woman who is right.." Murmured Amelia in reference to a certain Haeseni woman.

"Big day for Aaun." Amelia murmured to her husband, the Chancellor of Aaun.

House Ashford de Lewes presents… THE BLOSSOMING of THE LILY OF LEWES A painting of Laurène Renaulta, the Lily of Lewes by Leo Vinni THE BARONIAL HOUSE OF ASHFORD DE LEWES is pleased to announce their daughter, Laurène Renaulta Adelaide, has hit the age of majority. Shortly after her twentieth name day, the family shall host a ball to introduce her debut into society. Attendees are encouraged to bring gifts of books or poems and to dress in fine garbs of blue or green colors. Guests are to gather at the de Lewes estate at the first sign of nightfall [6 pm EST], where they will be led up to the ballroom for a night of celebration. TIMETABLE THE ADDRESS An address given by the Baroness of Virdain in honor of her daughter. THE FATHERS DANCE As is custom, Laurène’s father, Fernand, Baron of Virdain and Chancellor of Aaun shall have the first dance with his daughter, lasting for no more than five minutes. After this, attendees will be free to accept, or decline, dances from whomever they please. THE SUITORS Shortly after the Father's Dance, eligible suitors are encouraged to seek out Laurène for a dance as the rest of the party-goers mingle about. THE COSTUME COMPETITION Balls of yore have always had a staple in the event: a best-dressed competition. The winner of this competition shall receive a hefty sum of 100 mina. Laurène and her closest friends shall consist of the judges. SPECIAL INVITATIONS His Royal Highness, Edmund II, King of the United Kingdom of Aaun And the Royal Household of Alstion His Highness, Ferdinand Barclay, Prince of Minitz And the Princely Household of Barclay His Highness, Heinrich Alstreim, Prince of Merryweather And the Princely Household of Alstreim His Highness, Octavian Tiber, Prince of Beaufort And the Princely Household of Tiber His Grace, János Ivanovich, Duke of Stran And the Ducal Household of Ivanovich His Lordship, Olivier de Rosius, Margrave of Haute-Epine And the Margravial Household of de Rosius His Lordship, Siegmund von Reuss, Margrave of Velen And the Margravial Household of von Reuss His Lordship, Richard Stassion, Margrave of Stassion And the Margravial Household of Stassion His Lordship, Leopold Haverlock, Count of Talantine And the Comital Household of Haverlock Her Ladyship, Claude d’Abre, Countess of L’Abre D’or And the Comital Household of d’Abre His Lordship, Kasimir Sarkozic, Count of Pompourelia And the Comital Household of Sarkozic His Lordship, Emilio Varoche, Count of Varoche And the Comital Household of Varoche His Lordship, Waclaw Jazloviecki, Count of Warsovia And the Comital Household of Jazloviecki His Lordship, Rickard Valognes, Baron of Valognes And the Baronial Household of Valognes His Lordship, Helwig von Bardenwig, Baron of Arentania And the Baronial Household of von Bardenwig OTHER INVITATIONS The Most Honourable, Edmond Ashford de Rouen, Marquis of Drusco And the Marquisate Household of Ashford de Rouen Ser Morgan of Angren And the denizens of Lemon Hill Leutwin Barclay And his pedigree SIGNED HIS EXCELLENCY, Fernand Auguste Renault Ashford de Lewes, Patriarch of the House Ashford de Lewes, Chancellor of the United Kingdom of Aaun, Baron of Virdain HER LADYSHIP, Amelia Paulina Ashford de Lewes, Directress of the Plane, Baroness of Virdain HER LADYSHIP, Laurène Renaulta Adelaide Ashford de Lewes

why did y'all reply to this after 3 years of no one saying anything im ctfu

Amelia frowned, thinking about her event that same day at the same time...

The sun shone eerily through Amelia's bedroom window in the Chateau de Cors-Midden. She rubbed her wet eyes as a scraggly servant handed her the missive, letting out a soft groan as she read. "I pray he recovers swiftly." She murmured to the servant, who nodded her head fervently.