ayzrules

Why We Fight? (WWII with superpowers)

im sorry for being so extra but i made maria again lol

(polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=221823487)

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Mai watched with sharp eyes as Anton took in her words, though her face was arranged in an open, lightly amused expression. She noted the slight blush that appeared on his cheeks with indifference-it was his words that she was more concerned with. 'Seldom so impulsive and shortsighted', hmm? Is this boy trying to start a war, saying that right in front of Liviana and all the rest of us? Mai mentally arched an eyebrow. She'd known about the rather backwards views that the Athenian Federation and Lusitania held about women, of course, but to see it so prominently displayed in person? I would have thought that he'd have more tact than that, especially in front of Niklas and Fareeha, but apparently not. Or he's doing it on purpose, to goad them into a confrontation-not likely, no, but always an option. Nevertheless...

Mai's train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of Prince Alejandro Álvaro Aguíla de Agustín of the Kingdom of Castilya. Mai grinned inwardly. Alejandro is so entirely ridiculous that people can't help but to like him, she observed. Or, of course, hate him. I really do not know if there is any sort of middle ground with him. Alejandro was a flamboyant, outrageous riot of color and airy gestures and flowery pet names who also happened to possess the peculiar ability of knowing everything. Mai had learned from her previous visits to Castilya to never, ever question how Alejandro knew. To him, it was like asking a woman for her weight.

Alejandro beamed at them, and he planted a kiss on her cheek, addressing her as his 'sweet rose petal' and 'beautiful ruby' before giving Niklas an exaggerated once-over. Mai laughed softly at his antics. She had to admit it-she had a weak spot for this outrageous prince. They knew each other because Mai had accompanied her uncle to Castilya multiple times to negotiate trade deals, and although Zhou and Alejandro put together were a volatile combination, it had been great fun gallivanting around the palace with the blonde prince.

But there was something about him that held Mai back. She didn't completely trust him and his floral suit jackets and enormous jeweled rings. Outrageous is as good of a disguise as any, she mused, and he simply knows too much for me to blindly trust him.

Nevertheless, there was no cause for impoliteness. Mai smiled at him in greeting, dipping her head slightly. "Prince Alejandro, it is wonderful to see you once more," she replied pleasantly. "And yes, Prince Niklas Konig of Konigreich der Welten is indeed my betrothed. Niklas, Prince Alejandro-Prince Alejandro, Niklas." Mai had barely finished introducing the two when Prince Edwin Drakewine of the Empire of Britannia, Princess Liviana's betrothed, approached their group and inserted himself into the conversation. He greeted them all as cordially as expected (though without any superfluous gestures or kisses, as Alejandro was inclined to include) and immediately asked Anton about a business prospect. Mai discreetly glanced at Liviana. She appeared slightly flustered by Alejandro's sudden arrival and the entire incident with Anton.

Mai then studied Edwin. Prince Edwin was a formidable figure in the world, what with all of the Britannian Empire at its command. His mode of dress, however, was a bit lacking to say the least. Mai understood that traditional ensembles were extremely important, but this was...something else entirely. However, it would have been horribly rude for her to comment, so she said nothing. Alejandro held his tongue as well, though he twinkled mischievously at her. After the required greetings, Prince Edwin swept Princes Liviana away-to dance, presumably-leaving the rest of them to decide how to proceed.

Alejandro abruptly turned to Mai, his face slightly scrunched. "Mai!" he said, and Mai immediately knew he was serious (the lack of a flowery pet name gave it away). "Dearie me, I am sorry for being so inexcusably forward, my rose, but were you responsible for Princess Liviana's make-up?!"

Mai laughed. "Why, how did you know, Prince Alejandro?"

Alejandro nodded to himself, a smug expression on his face. He gave a dismissive little flourish of his hand. "Excellent work, as always, my dear cherry blossom. I could recognize your touch from an ocean away, my sweet garnet."

Mai quirked an eyebrow but said nothing. Alejandro glanced in between her and Niklas, and he clapped his hands together. "Well! I'll say, you and your lovely betrothed should be dancing now, yes?" he waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Mai suppressed a snort of laughter. "Go on, go on, my darling daisy." He made airy shooing motions with his hand, and turned to Fareeha and Anton with a nigh-on maniacal grin. "So, my lovely buttercups, which one of you would like to dance with little old me? Princess Fareeha, shall we? Hmm. Fareeha, Faree, Eeha...I know! Fifi! You dance quite well, I've heard!" Alejandro's sparkling eyes alighted on Anton. "Or perhaps you would like to dance, my dear Prince Andronikos...I like Ronny better, don't you, my sweet? So! Which one of you shall it be?"

Mai stifled a chuckle behind a gloved hand as she gently tugged Niklas a ways from the rest of them. "Don't mind Prince Alejandro," she told him in a low voice. "He's...something else." She giggled and tilted her head to the side, looking up at him with laughing brown eyes. "Shall we dance, then, as Alejandro suggested?"

Why We Fight? (WWII with superpowers)

@shylarah im jsin if someone did that shit in front of me irl i'd think it was extra as hell :D

Why We Fight? (WWII with superpowers)

@shylarah IM YELLING THAT SHADE

but also @kaneda and the challenge thingy ;pppp

Why We Fight? (WWII with superpowers)

@shylarah from urban dictionary:

"when you have to be better and overly go up and beyond for unnecessary reasons.
*michael goes up to board*
*instead of showing a picture, a PowerPoint goes on screen*
Michael: this is me at the met with my project

Everyone in class: BOY, WHY ARE YOU SO EXTRA?!?!?"

"when someone does something that is just unecessary and OVER THE TOP....like just DONT DO IT!
a man wants to sit down on da bus.... but has to break out da disinfectant nd and all sorts first....EXTRA

""stop bein so extra""
""why you bein extra for?""
""your so extra"""

"Someone who is over the top for completely unnecessary reasons. They will go out of their way to prove this.
Austin made a 30 page assignment when only 20 pages were required. He is extra."

lmaooo also applies to annoyingly pretentious people and know-it-alls

Why We Fight? (WWII with superpowers)

males in this rp are so extra lol

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

The Kingdom of Castilya

Kingdom Name:Castilya, the Kingdom of Castilya

Kingdom Colors: Scarlet and bright yellow

King and Queen: King Jose Jorge Aguíla de Agustín and Queen Catelina Maria Aguíla de Agustín

What the Kingdom is Known For: The Kingdom of Castilya is known for its widespread colonial influence that persists to this day in Spanish-speaking countries throughout the world and for its ancient history of conflicts with the long-dead Alysian Empire. Castilya is also remarkably neutral in a wide range of foreign affairs, and the province of Valencia is especially renowned for its importance in antiquity as well as in modern times as a stopping point for trade passing through the straits.

Castilya was known for its heavily Catholic population, and its religious faith was strengthened during its many violent confrontations with the Alysian Empire and its allies. Although the kingdom has moved away from religion in the past century or so, Catholicism is still a matter of great importance to the older and more conservative citizens. Castilya's information network is also quite notable, which stems from its long colonial past.

Finally, in terms of culture, Castilya is known for its food, its history and music, and its fashion. The city of Milano is a hotspot of haute couture, with seasonal fashion shows that are all the rage amongst international audiences.

Kingdom History: In the ancient times, the Kingdom of Catilya was a province of the mighty Alysian Empire until the it achieved its independence after a long, bloody war with its Alysian overlords. Queen Rosalina the Fair of Castellan and King Juan of Portaya joined forces to oust the Livinus Dynasty before combining their territories into Castilya with their marriage, effectively initiating the Evalisse Dynasty. Throughout the years of Queen Rosalina's rule, Alysian incursions continued to plague the newly-formed kingdom. They lasted well into the reign of Queen Elena the Wise, Rosalina's successor, who recognized that Castilya would not be able to withstand the continued attacks. As such, she agreed to marry her daughter, who would later become Queen Caterina the Gentle, to Julius Trajus of the Alysian Empire. Meanwhile, Prince Enrique Evalisse, Elena's younger brother, and his wife had a daughter who they named Valerie. Queen Caterina the Gentle gave birth to a daughter, Vhalerina, before giving birth to a son, Manuel, and pushed for peace with the Alysian Empire. For a short period of time, all was going well, until Queen Caterina the Gentle died unexpectedly from an illness.

King Julius immediately asserted his rule, though Caterina's daughter, Vhalerina, argued that she was the next in line for the throne. She was crowned Queen Vhalerina the Daring by her supporters, including the aged Enrique Evalisse and his daughter, Valerie Evalisse. Tensions were further escalated after Prince Manuel took poison meant for Queen Vhalerina the Daring and died. During the ensuing conflict, which has come to be known as the Trajus Rebellion, Julius Trajus dies of a stomach sickness (strongly suspected to be caused by poison by the hand of Queen Vhalerina the Daring), and the Alysian aid covertly supplied to his supporters dwindles as the Alysian Empire faces attacks on its capital city. Queen Vhalerina the Daring ruled for some time, constantly watching out for conspiracies to unseat her. Enrique Evalisse eventually passed away, leaving his daughter to take command of the newly-formed Queensguard (created specifically to protect and inform Queen Vhalerina the Daring). General Silvano Staavos is sent out to explore uncharted territories as Castilya looked to expand past its borders under Queen Vhalerina the Daring, and he stumbled upon an island located at a strategic point near a strait, which he dubbed Valencia.

Queen Vhalerina the Daring was assassinated shortly after General Staavos discovered Valencia, leaving Castilya without a monarch (Vhalerina never married or had children) and marking the start of the Viladi Revolution. All-out war broke out, pitting Lord Venesceslao Viladi against Valerie Evalisse (who was the closest in line for the throne) against meddling Alysian forces. King Veneceslao "the Cruel" emerged as a victor due to his collaboration with the Alysians, and Valerie Evalisse fled to the newly-discovered island of Valencia with the Queensguard. The War of the Straits commenced as King Venesceslao the Cruel, combined with the Alysian navy, attempted to apprehend Valerie Evalisse and Silvano Staavos, but Valerie secured the assistance of foreign powers through promises to grant trading rights on the island, and King Venesceslao and the Alysians were eventually defeated.

After King Venesceslao's death, his successor, King Victoriano the 2nd, agreed to open up trade in between Castilya and Valencia. Silvano Staavos succeeded Valerie Evalisse as the commander of the Queensguard (now referred to as the Queen's Legion, though they had no queen to serve), and together, Victoriano the 2nd and Silvano repaired hostile relations. Valencia was recognized as an "autonomous province" of Castilya, and the Castilyan crown quickly began reaping the benefits of the island's strategic location as trade exploded. The Legion was left in charge of Valencia's governance, so long as they paid their taxes and allowed Castilyan trade to flow through.

And so a prosperous century or two passed, with the occasional disturbance caused by either members within the Legion or the Alysian Empire popping up here and there. King Marcello the Good and Commander Minissa Staavos sign a pact pledging mutual defense (a mostly symbolic motion to further ease the rare Legion-Castilyan conflict), and Castilya provided Valencia with naval protection while the Legion advanced Castilya's interests abroad, seeing as they were a skilled group of spies and assassins and the like. Meanwhile, the Legion relinquished direct rule over Valencia to a special Council of merchants that they selected, usually of Castilyan descent. The Castilyan crown utilized the Legion in the War of Renouncement, carrying out a plot formulated by Marcello the Good to overthrow the Trajus Dynasty of the Alysian Empire and effectively sending the empire into its drawn-out downfall.

Another century later, Castilya and Valencia were once again embroiled in international politics-this time, though, the Alysian Empire had secretly allied itself with Nielsa, a province that had won its independence from Alys in a coup de'tat (but maintained good relations with Alys, for some inexplicable reason). The Nielsan military invaded Valencia with the help of the Alysian navy, while the Alysians took Castilya from the land. The Nielsans sought to control the prosperous flow of trade that came through Valencia, while the Alysians were still smarting over the War of Renouncement. Although the Nielsans and Alysians were ultimately unsuccessful, the Nielsans did manage to disband the Legion, while the Alysians severely strained Castilya's resources. At the same time, slave revolts within Nielsa toppled the Nielsan military government, and Nielsa was re-absorbed into the Alysian Empire. However, not a year later, the Alysian Empire was extinguished once and for all by the combined efforts of Castilya, Valencia, and their foreign allies.

The de Lelo Dynasty began after the demise of the Alysian Empire. Valencia lost its "autonomous" status, seeing as the Legion had been disbanded and its members absorbed into the Castilyan military. After the Third Alysian War (the first two being the war of independence and the constant skirmishes typical of the reigns of the Evalisse queens, respectively), the kings and queens of Castilya expanded into unclaimed territories on the other side of the world, becoming rich off of their colonies, though the spent just as much money guarding their colonies from foreign invaders. In the 1800s, the colonies began a series of independence movements, which caused Castilya to lose most of their overseas holdings.

The Aguíla de Agustín Dynasty began in the 1900s, after the overthrow of a fascist dictator. Although the Legion no longer technically exists, its legacy still lives on through the extensive espionage network run by the Castilyan military. Indeed, the Kingdom of Castilya remains neutral in many conflicts between world powers these days, preferring to sit back and observe and quietly gather information rather than actively engage in violent confrontation.

Alejandro Álvaro Aguíla de Agustín

Alejandro Álvaro Aguíla de Agustín of the Kingdom of Castilya

_{"Even knowledge has to be in the fashion, and where it is not, it is wise to affect ignorance."-Baltasar Gracian}

Alejandro Álvaro Aguíla de Agustín

Nickname: He normally just goes by his ostentatiously long full name

Birth date and age: August 15th, 1996 (age 20)

Sexuality: Homosexual

In Depth Appearance:
Alejandro's features and svelte figure are extremely feminine. He has thick, dirty blonde hair that falls well past his shoulders. Alejandro is extremely particular about the upkeep of his hair; he has a complex routine set up for his luscious locks that he must follow every single day. For official functions, he will usually tie his hair back into a neat little ponytail or put it up in a bun. He has full, pouty lips (again, rather feminine), and he isn't above a little natural-toned lipstick here and there. Alejandro's spring green eyes are framed by enviably long eyelashes. He is very fond of eyeliner, and wears it frequently. He has fine, delicate features and an angular (though not overly angular) face. Alejandro has a slight, slender frame. He is not very tall, but he is not very short, either. Alejandro cannot abide by facial hair and is impeccably clean shaven, no matter what the occasion.

Alejandro moves with a lithe, catlike grace, an effect aided by his lean frame and long limbs. He is covered with a wiry, sinewy muscle and has perfected the intricate art form of 'prancing'. Though Alejandro moves with a quiet elegance, his clothing choices are usually anything but quiet. He wears loud, tight-fitting clothing and is not above wearing jewelry, either. He wears pinks and purples with pride, adores pretty little handbags, and so desperately wishes that it was considered socially acceptable for men to wear stilettos, too (as such, he has to settle for high-heeled boots).

Personality:

•Sociable•Observant•Frivolous•

Alejandro exudes an aura of airy frivolousness, accentuated by his flamboyant style of dressing and his overly feminine features. He appears dismissively unconcerned about matters that are important to others (such as, you know, national security) and overly concerned with entirely trivial difficulties (how hard it is to coordinate a perfectly matching outfit, for example). Alejandro can be rather flippant and rarely, if ever, loses his composure. He has a penchant for creating entirely unfitting nicknames for others that some may find to be excessively irritating. Alejandro goes about everything with an air of nonchalance, and people who know him know to never expect him to be entirely serious during the course of a conversation. He has a habit of using extremely flowery language and gesturing airily as he speaks (Alejandro has a habit of calling others darling, dears, flower petals, pearls, and the like). He is extremely adamant on proper manners and etiquette; indeed, you could be holding a knife up to his neck, and he'd greet you properly and offer you a drink before issuing a light reprimand on the entirely uncouth way that you are behaving. Alejandro insists on dressing in the latest fashions (though his fashion sense tends to be a bit on the outrageous side) and is known as a social butterfly among his circles, which happen to be composed of the rich, the famous, and the fashionable. He puts up the appearances of being flighty and, although he's had a few flings in the past, nothing has come out of them, resulting in rumors that he likes to break girls' hearts just for the hell of it-nothing could be farther from the truth, of course, but Alejandro doesn't mind the gossip. Let them talk, he says, let them talk.

Alejandro is hellaciously vain, placing his looks and clothing very high on his list of priorities. He is very shrewd, a fact he hides through his outrageous demeanor, and keenly observant. Alejandro tends to hide what he's really thinking or feeling with an excess of false, over-exaggerated emotions, especially when dealing with highly personal issues such as his sexuality. He has an acute memory and is able to remember random little facts from years in the past. Alejandro happens to be good at remembering faces and names as well. Alejandro's attitude of airy disregard, excessive flattery, and impeccable fashion sense have earned him quite a reputation, though it is, in truth, meant to disguise his true nature of gathering all the information he can. Alejandro adores gossip of any kind, however, he is very tight-lipped when it comes to his sources. Alejandro values independence and the freedom to choose-the freedom to choose who he associates with, the freedom to love and marry who he wants, the freedom to gossip about who and what he wants, and most importantly, the freedom to choose what to wear. Alejandro does everything fashionably-sometimes to the exclusion of everything else, including common sense-and he fervently believes that 'outrageous' is oftentimes one's best disguise.

Likes:

• Gossip, gossip, gossip
• Dressing to the height of fashion in a very flamboyant manner
• Haute couture
• Spicy and "exotic" foods
• Flashy cars and flashier jewelry
• Using an excessive amount of eyeliner, kohl, and make-up in general
• Knowing everything
• Gold, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, etc
• Knives/daggers with extremely ornate, jewel-encrusted hilts
• Satire and books with a dry, ironic, and even dark sense of humor
• Beautiful people-especially beautiful men
• Witty comebacks
• Propriety, manners, and being civilized in general
• Modern technology, especially that used for espionage
• Ballet and interpretative dance

Dislikes:

• People who can't take a joke
• Being "out of the loop"
• People who are homophobic
• Being practical
• "Boring" people who don't know how to have fun
• Someone hurting one of his own
• Ill-mannered people
• Being forced to wear last year's fashions
• People with an absolutely horrendous taste in fashion
• Backwards views of religions and social norms
• Being told what to do

Fears:

• That his parents will take the rumors regarding his sexuality seriously
• The loss of his invaluable sources of information
• The loss of his relative independence and autonomy
• Committing a fashion faux pas (or a general faux pas)
• Being seen in public less-than-perfectly-attired
• The general public seeing through to his inner thoughts and feelings

Biography: Prince Alejandro Álvaro Aguíla de Agustín is the second-oldest child of King Jose and Queen Catelina. His older brother, Enrique, is to inherit the throne, and Alejandro is perfectly fine with that, thank you very much. He also has a younger sister, who is named Josefina, that he likes to dote upon, much to the disapproval of his parents and older brother.

From a very young age, Alejandro was aware of his...preferences, though he never spoke of it to anyone, least of all his parents. The conservatives were growing restless, and besides, his mother was a faithful follower of the Catholic Church. His father was indifferent to the faith, as was his brother, but Alejandro did not like the idea of facing their scorn and ostracism. His brother was an extremely dutiful child with an interest in history and politics and military strategy and diplomacy; the perfect king. Alejandro, on the other hand, was more concerned with metallic orange tuxedos and tight pants than ruling a kingdom. Enrique spent some time in the military, as was the custom among members of the royal family, but Alejandro scorned the idea and eventually had to be forced to partake in the basic training course. He refused to continue it after two or three years, instead deciding that he wanted to learn ballet, to the immense disapproval of his father.

One thing Alejandro did end up getting out of the military, however, was his strange penchant for knives. His parents are convinced that he took to blades because of the extremely ornate hilts of the decorative pieces, but nevertheless, they allowed him to purse that hobby, at least (they were still against ballet). Alejandro dabbled in a bit of music as well, before finding that sight reading and practicing was much to dull for him-he'd rather listen to somebody play the instrument than actually play it himself. Alejandro scorns the extreme masculinity presented by his father and his brother, what with their bulky frames and bulging muscles (he can appreciate musculature, yes, but he absolutely will not subject himself to that). He thinks that they're too afraid to show their more vulnerable sides to other people, though he understands how they feel-he does it himself all the time, with his frivolous ways and honeyed tongue.

When Alejandro was ten, he finally convinced his parents to allow him to take ballet lessons, though it was done in secret as to avoid an explosion of tabloid articles about his "unusual" hobbies. His instructor, a stern-faced Russian woman, appreciated his enthusiasm but not his flowery language, and Alejandro knows to tone things down at least a little bit when he's around her. Josefina eventually joined him in ballet, and Alejandro very much enjoys this time that he gets to spend with his younger sister, who is quiet and sensible but laughs until there are tears in her eyes at his antics.

Alejandro's childhood best friends were Vhalery and Eduardo de Mirabel, whom he referred to as Mirry and Eddy, respectively. The twins were the children of a prominent military family, and it was expected that Eduardo would become a general one day, while Vhalery would be involved in Castilya's expansive espionage network. The three were inseparable, and everyone joked that Alejandro would one day marry Vhalery. However, Alejandro was actually in love with Eduardo, a fact that was discovered by Queen Catelina when Alejandro was fifteen. He and Eduardo were caught kissing in Alejandro's spacious closet one day, and his mother was horrified. She immediately got King Jorge to send Eduardo away to a military academy, and Alejandro has not seen him since. The queen believes that Alejandro was 'just experimenting' and that he has since 'grown out' of it, and Alejandro is not inclined to convince her otherwise. Eduardo's twin sister, Vhalery, however, remains constantly by his side as a means of tapping into all of the pertinent gossip. Alejandro's parents approve of her pragmatic, efficient personality-they want it to rub off on him, though both Vhalery and Alejandro know that is about as likely as Enrique donning a pair of stilettos one day.

Alejandro is to become the Minister of Public and International Relations once the current one retires. He currently has access to a wide variety of international and domestic operatives working under the espionage department of the Castilyan military. As such, he has an uncanny knack for knowing everything-whether it's the identity of a movie star's mistress, what the latest fashions out of Paris will be for the upcoming season, or when a military officer in a foreign country is planning to plot a coup de'tat.

Theme Song:
Bubblegum Bitch-Marina and the Diamonds
<sub>I’ll chew you up and I’ll spit you out
Cause that’s what young love is all about
So pull me closer, and kiss me hard
I’m gonna pop your bubblegum heart

I’m miss sugar pink liquor, liquor lips
Hit me with your sweet love, steal me with a kiss
I’m miss sugar pink liquor, liquor lips
I’m gonna be your bubblegum bitch
I’m gonna be your bubblegum bitch</sub>

Other: His faceclaim is Danila Kovalev, color code=FF8C00

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Liang

Kingdom Name: Liang
Kingdom Colors: Green and yellow, although traditionally the colors are red and gold. There is a new flag due to King Ming Mei wanting to get away from Liang's feudal past.

King and Queen:
Ming Mei (no queen)

Ming is a pragmatic and rational man, unlike his older brother, who had his head in the clouds. He can be brutally honest, and thinks that he's too old for the petty games that the younger members of court like to play. He would much rather go back to his home in the mountains and live out the rest of his days in peace than rule a country, but he does his duty for Mai and Zhou's sake. Ming always had a strained relationship with the rest of his family besides his older brother (Mai's father). He has come to love both his niece and son dearly, and he loves his country just as much. Despite his age, Ming has a quick intellect and a sharp tongue. He exudes an aura of authority and dignity, even though Liang isn't exactly the most powerful of nations at the moment. Ming is known to make practical laws and reforms that benefit all.

What the Kingdom is Known For: Liang has always been one of the largest nations in the world. Its vast territory includes deserts and mountain ranges and grasslands and rivers, and along banks of the Yellow River was where one of the first ancient civilizations developed.

Liangii luxury goods were especially coveted all throughout history. From the earliest traders to the industrialists of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, everyone wanted Liangii silk, Liangii porcelain, Liangii scented wood...and although factories and industrialization have made silk and porcelain widely available to all, Liangii still retains its status as the original producer of these valuable goods.

Finally, Liang is known for its significant cultural and political contributions. Western forms of government can trace some of its roots back to the Confucius and the civil service exams; and centralized bureaucracies have become all the rage. Culturally, Liang is known for its vibrant and ancient customs and traditions, from elaborate hairpieces to martial arts to stone lions.

Kingdom History: Liang is a country with a long, rich history that spans from the dawn of civilization to the modern times. One of the first centers of civilization developed on the banks of the Yellow River, and it flourished at the same time that other river valley civilizations such as Mesopotamia and the city-states of the Indus River valley were developing and prospering and declining. The very first dynasty of Liang is considered to be a legend; the existence of the Xia Dynasty has never been confirmed. However, by 1500 BCE, the Shang Dynasty was in power. The foundations of the ideographs characteristic of the written language of Liang date back to the Shang Dynasty. After the Shang Dynasty collapsed around 1000 BCE, the Zhou Dynasty took control over the piece of land surrounding the Yellow River that would eventually develop into modern-day Liang. It was during the Zhou Dynasty that feudalism was first established as an institution in Liang. The idea that the ruling family possessed the "Mandate of Heaven" which gave them the divine right to rule and that the ruling family would lose it when they became cruel or ineffective rulers surfaced during the Zhou Dynasty. The Mandate of Heaven legitimized the Zhou Dynasty's rule, and it would remain as a powerful force in Liang politics for almost three thousand years.

As all dynasties do, the Zhou Dynasty eventually fell from power. Due to the decentralized nature of the Zhou Dynasty's government, many wealthy landowners had acquired a considerable amount of influence and sway over politics in Liang. This led to the Warring States period, and after considerable infighting, the short-lived Qin Dynasty-which is notable for building the Great Wall of China, its harsh Legalist policies, and standardizing things like currency and measurements in Liang.

After the Qin Dynasty came the famed Han Dynasty and its great achievements in politics and science and technology. The Han Dynasty is especially notable for creating the public service examinations. The Han Dynasty rose, prospered, declined, and collapsed, launching Liang into another period of internal strife around 220 CE.

Fast forward another couple hundred years, and another centralized dynasty emerges-the Sui Dynasty, which was followed by the Tang and then the Song. The Tang Dynasty saw a flourishing of Liang culture and is commonly regarded as Liang's "golden age". The Song Dynasty was overrun by Mongol invaders led by Genghis Khan, and the Yuan Dynasty-established by Kubilai Khan-took power in 1271 CE. Discontent with being ruled by foreigners, resistance to the Yuan Dynasty mounted until the native Liang rose up and overthrew the Mongols and established the Ming Dynasty...and the Ming Dynasty rose, flourished, declined, and fell, to be replaced by the Qing Dynasty.

By now it was a familiar story-each and every dynasty would rise to power, prosper for some time, and then fall. Then, a new dynasty would take its place. It was no wonder that the people of Liang expected nothing less; this same dynastic cycle had been repeating itself for thousands of years, every since the Shang Dynasty of 1500 BCE. Throughout Liang's long and complicated history, it had been relatively isolated from the rest of the world. Early centralization and skill in bronze work had launched their science and technology to arguably the best in the world, rivaling that of the most advanced civilizations of the time. Paper, printing presses, gunpowder, seismographs, silk, porcelain...they all originated from Liang. And like the Western powers, Liang had done some exploration-and found nothing that they wanted. Liang generally had a very isolationist policy; and why not? They had everything they needed in their own country, and held a favorable balance of trade with the Europeans that wanted to get their hands on Liang silk and porcelain and luxury goods.

However, developments that were occurring outside of Liang would change the course of its history. While the Ming Dynasty was in power, the European nations underwent their Renaissance and Age of Exploration, and soon enough, a bit after the Qing Dynasty was established, they went through their Enlightenment period and industrialization. All of these developments effectively propelled Western technology to far above anything found in Liang. During the nineteenth century, European countries began to put pressure on Liang to open up their country to foreign trade. Eventually, this led to the Opium Wars, in which the Qing armies were flat-out crushed.

Liang entered a period of turmoil that spanned from the late 1800's to the 1950's that featured growing internal unrest and external pressures, and it seemed like the Qing Dynasty would collapse onto itself. During this period, a family of relatively humble origins sought to influence politics enough with cunning diplomacy and well-placed threats to keep the nation together while distinct factions of varying ideologies began to form, the most prominent of them being the nationalists and the socialists. In a bold and daring move that defied all of Liang's traditions, Li Mei married into the Qing Dynasty in hopes of pacifying the common people, as Li himself was regarded as the self-made common man. For a while, it seemed like this ambitious ploy had worked out. Liang lapsed into peace for a couple of years, but the shortcomings of the plan soon became apparent. Li Mei was a better military leader than a ruler, and he ruled too much with his emotions and not enough with his head. To make matters worse, the Empress was extremely conservative, stuck in the ways of the past and refusing to allow for much-needed reforms. Li Mei was assassinated by a group of nobles who were discontent with his policies, and the second-oldest brother of the Mei family-Mai's father-was given the throne at the age of fifteen.

Mai's father was in power under the guise of the Qing Dynasty for about twenty years, and during these twenty years, the imperial dynasty's power steadily began to wan as the Empress and other nobles pulled the strings behind the scenes. During the 1980's, the nearby island-nation known as the Empire of Nippon-allied with a couple Western powers-launched a renewed invasion, which forced Liang to give out even more trading concessions.

In 1995, the Qing Dynasty was on the brink of disintegration. Six months after Mai Mei was born and sent away to live with Ming Mei (the youngest brother of the Mei family) in the Black Mountains, serfs stormed the capital city of Lianjing and slaughtered the royal family and the nobility. An all-out civil war erupted, with a score of distinct factions that possessed different political ideologies that had been biding their time since Li Mei married into the Qing Dynasty vying for power. The Empire of Nippon also decided to launch yet another invasion in hopes to take over Liang once and for all. The separate factions fought and fought and fought, and eventually there was only one left: the socialists. During the bloody civil war, Ming Mei came out of isolation, getting back in touch with old allies and friends, and creating his own faction to oppose the socialists.

With most of the other factions dissolved or falling apart, there was only the socialist faction left to eliminate before monarchical rule could be re-established. This group generated widespread support with its ideas of social equality and sharing all property, something which greatly appealed to those that remembered the huge wealth gap present when the Qing Dynasty and the Mei brothers were in power. However, the socialists were intent on purging Liang on all traditional influences, and they alienated the upper and middle class by actively persecuting them just because they happened to have more money. Ming managed to win the support of the wealthy, and the rest is history. With more funds than the socialists could ever imagine to accrue, Ming was able to raise a considerable army and buy firepower from foreign nations, while the socialists were stuck using crossbows and outdated artillery. After defeating the socialists in a series of battles that were concentrated on the socialist strongholds, Ming was finally able to take power-albeit reluctantly-and bring about the revival of the monarchy.

When he became king, Ming lived frugally, which got the common people on his side. Ming abolished feudalism, redistributed the wealth, and modernized the country with help from a few foreign allies. Since the socialists had pretty much killed off all of the landed gentry, Ming was able to give the vacated land to the public and encourage industrialization. He began establishing foreign relations with friendly countries to help this industrialization into fruition. Ming named Mai as his heir as soon as he took power, because although he was a spry old man, he still was old and wouldn't live forever-plus he never married and never had children. And so began a new dynasty: the so-called Liang Dynasty, to represent all of Liang.

Mai Mei of Liang

Mai of Liang

_{"Even the most beautiful roses have thorns."-Unknown}

Mai Hua Mei

Nickname: Rose (a nickname given to her by Casimir D'strad of Ortha, due to the fact that her name translates to "rose" in English)

Birth date and age: June 10th, 21

Sexuality: Asexual

In Depth Appearance:
Mai (or Rose) is taller than average, standing at five feet and eight inches. She is about 125 pounds, giving her a rather slender figure. Mai has thick, wavy, midnight-black hair that goes down to her waist and relatively pale skin. Her eyes are a chocolate brown color, and Mai has naturally long eyelashes. She has a heart-shaped face and long, thin fingers. Mai has rosebud lips that are usually painted a deep red color. She has a sort of delicate and dainty look to her, despite the fact that she is tall and willowy. Mai likes dressing up and takes great pride in her appearance.

Mai typically sports some sort of dress (she likes them because there is plenty of space to hide something under the skirts, plus they are just so goddamn pretty) and does almost everything in a pair of high heels. Her preferred color scheme is red, black, and gold, although she does like to experiment every now and then. Mai absolutely adores traditional Oriental-themed fans and parasols. In terms of cosmetics, Mai is an avid fan of eyeliner, mascara, and even kohl on the occasion. She also absolutely adores lipsticks, though she wouldn't be caught dead in public wearing something as outrageously garish as neon green lipstick (but shh-she does indeed own a tube of neon green lipstick). Mai tends to go rather heavy on the make-up, although she makes sure not to overdo it.

_{"Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like hell underneath."-Michael Caine}

Personality:

• Charismatic • Sly • Perceptive •

Mai has always been a people person. There is something about her that seems to draw others to her-whether it's her carefree laugh, her twinkling eyes, or her bright smiles, no one can say. She enjoys a good conversation about anything and everything and is always willing to talk to others. Mai thinks with her heart when she needs to, but uses her brain at the same time. Behind the eyes sparkling with mirth and the delicate lips curved up in a sultry smile is a woman made of steel who is keenly aware of her surroundings. Mai can process a lot of information at one time, taking in peoples' actions, words, and emotions all at once and forming a conclusion based on what she sees and what she knows. She's always been especially good at figuring out people. Mai is constantly listening even if she doesn't tell the world what she's thinking. Mai is particularly good at detecting when others or lying and lying herself. However, if you are someone Mai believes she can trust, she will shed the half-dazzling and half-seductive smile for a more natural grin and pour her heart out to you with no attempts to manipulate or deceive.

Mai is not "smart" in the usual traditional of the word-complicated mathematics and things like astrophysics and literary analyses all go straight over her head. But Mai has always been a people person, and she knows what makes people tick. She is able to work out what others might think and how they might act based on what she sees and knows about them. Years of being around people with more suspicious motives has led to Mai being initially distrustful wary of strangers. Of course, on the outside, Mai is demure and charming and polite; using a perfect combination of sugary sweetness and sharp wit to detract attention from her real intentions-she has learned to play her part well during the years spent at court and in the presence of her uncle's enemies.

Likes:

• Lipstick
• Things that are stylish yet dangerous (shoes with spiked heels, parasols with blades on the ends, etc)
• Calligraphy
• Getting dressed up
• Roses and all things red
• Liang-she loves her home with all her heart

Dislikes:

• Sloppiness (especially in clothing)
• Untrustworthy people
• People who don't think before they act
• Anything sexual (Mai thinks it's just gross)
• Useless violence and destruction

Fears:

• Feeling like she isn't in control
• Being read like an open book
• Being manipulated or used
• Her uncle being forced to give up power
• A repeat of the extreme violence that she witnessed in her early years
• Liang being invaded and taken over by a foreign power

Biography: When Mai was born, the Liang royalty was on the brink of disintegration. Several distinct factions of varying beliefs and ideologies had risen to power, but all of them agreed on one thing-it was time for the imperial dynasties to go. Liang was technologically behind most major world powers, and although it was large and had plentiful natural resources, the military was stretched far too thin and its techniques were totally backwards. Liang's dire situation came to light about a decade before Mai was born with the invasion of a neighboring nation that caught everybody by surprise. Within a year, Liang was forced to give major trading concessions to a dozen different countries that all wanted to get their hands on the silk, porcelain, and other luxuries that the country was famous for. In response to foreigners taking over their land, jobs, and positions, the people of Liang began to grow more discontent, and the unrest finally broke out in violence when Mai was just half a year old.

The first wave of revolts came from the countryside, where impoverished serfs were suffering from sky-high taxes and no opportunity to better their station in society. Mai's father was not a particularly effective ruler, and her mother was too stuck in tradition and the days of the old. Both of them refused to do anything about the feudal system that was obviously tearing the country apart. And so the violence escalated and people grew angrier and angrier until they eventually stormed the capital city of Lianjing and killed off the entire royal family-all but Mai, who was sent away to be protected by her father's younger brother.

After the royal family was ousted, Liang erupted into an all-out civil war. Each separate faction refused to tolerate the others, and widespread warfare gripped the nation. To make matters worse, the neighboring island-nation known as the Empire of Nippon decided to take advantage of the turmoil and invade Liang. However, Mai lived safely in isolation. Her uncle, Ming Mei, was believed to be dead after he fled from court. Mai's father was the only one to know that Ming had done so because he wanted to pursue a life other than that of a member of the royal family. In his small home near a stretch of imposing mountains known as the Black Mountains, Ming spent his days learning multiple fighting styles and indulging in the arts. He taught Mai everything he knew, and by the time she was fifteen Mai could knock someone out in ten different ways, wield a variety of blades, and paint breathtaking landscapes.

Mai knew from an early age that she was royalty. Ming told her everything as soon as she was old enough to understand it, and Mai has always accepted that one day she would rule-no matter what it took. As she grew up, Ming began to come out of isolation, getting in contact with old friends and allies, most of whom were shocked to find him alive and breathing. The faction in power changed over a dozen times before Mai was ten, and most of the common people were sick and tired of all the fighting. Some even began to wish that the royal family had never been killed, as there were times of prosperity during the reign of Mai's parents despite the fact that they were completely ineffective rulers. Ming used the political instability to his advantage, and formed his own distinct faction-a faction that would support the reinstatement of a monarchical rule.

His efforts finally paid off when Mai was about eleven. With most of the other factions dissolved or falling apart, there was only one more faction to eliminate-the socialists. This group generated widespread support with its ideas of social equality and sharing all property, something which greatly appealed to those that remembered the huge wealth gap present when Mai's parents were in power. However, the socialists were intent on purging Liang on all traditional influences, and they alienated the upper and middle class by actively persecuting them just because they happened to have more money. Ming managed to win the support of the wealthy, and the rest is history. With more funds than the socialists could ever imagine to accrue, Ming was able to raise a considerable army and buy firepower from foreign nations, while the socialists were stuck using crossbows and outdated artillery. After defeating the socialists in a series of battles that were concentrated on the socialist strongholds, Ming was finally able to take power-albeit reluctantly-and bring about the revival of the monarchy.

Due to the nature of his activities, Ming was usually forced to bring Mai along with him because of security reasons. Ming firmly believed that Mai was the safest at his side, no matter what anybody else said. Mai grew up seeing how the poor lived and experiencing it herself, and vowed that she would be a better ruler than any of the faction leaders or her parents. She also encountered many people who would undermine her uncle and everything he stood for if they could, and learned not to judge a book by its cover, so to speak. Mai has seen more than her fair share of violence and destruction in her day, and she has an instinctive mistrust of the military due to the brutal acts carried out by the soldiers of the competing factions and the army of the Empire of Nippon. Mai learned to speak the numerous dialects of Liang, and she grew up speaking the Black Mountain dialect as opposed to the official language (Meridian). She has also learned to speak other languages, including English and Spanish (although she has a slight accent with English and an atrocious accent with Spanish, which she is well aware of and working to get rid of). Ming Mei also made sure that he taught her all that he knew of court intrigue. When he became king, Ming lived frugally, which got the common people on his side. Ming abolished feudalism, redistributed the wealth, and modernized the country with help from a few foreign allies. Since the socialists had pretty much killed off all of the landed gentry, Ming was able to give the vacated land to the public and encourage industrialization. He began establishing foreign relations with friendly countries to help this industrialization into fruition. Mai's teenage years were spent living in a beautiful palace with courtiers and officials running every which way. Ming named her as his heir as soon as he took power, because although he was a spry old man, he still was old and wouldn't live forever-plus he never married and never had children. Ming also arranged a marriage for Mai in order to secure an alliance that would greatly help the industrialization process going on. Mai didn't like it, but she recognized that she would have to go through with the marriage in order to ensure the survival of her uncle's precarious reign.

As for Zhou-Mai's cousins-Mai was initially very suspicious of him due to the possibility that he could have been working for one of her uncle's enemies, but she has grown fond of him over time and now does not think that he has any ulterior motives at all. Mai does her best to keep him from messing up too much in front of other royalty, although that is a task that is much easier said than done.

Theme Song:
Castle-Halsey
_{I'm headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne that's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne that's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut}

Other:
Color code-FF0000
Face claim: Fan Bingbing

Mai's Relations Sheet

Mai Mei

{"My skin has turned to porcelain, to ivory, to steel." -Sansa Stark (George R.R. Martin) }
⚜ Respects ~*~ ☯ Neutral ~*~ ☮ Friends ~*~ ♫ Best Friends ~*~ § Wary of ~*~ ♥ Potential Love Interest

☯Raven Willow☯
"She appears friendly enough, with a stubborn streak that pop culture has deemed "fashionable". Likable, yes, but prepared to rule? That I cannot be so sure of."
Relation Details

☯Shawn Hunter☯
"Goodness gracious, he may just be worse than Zhou, from what I've read of him."
Relation Details

§ Elizaveta Romanova⚜
"She reminds me of myself-the revolution, the tyrannical father, the hiding. That makes me wary of her almost instantly. But there is something in her that I lost long, long ago-I feel that she still believes that people are inherently good. Perhaps that may not be such a bad thing for someone like Elizaveta."
Relation Details

☯Feora Swinth☯
"She seems like a very headstrong and willful woman, one who would never stand for an arranged marriage. I wonder how that will play into the dynamics of her betrothal."
Relation Details

♫Zhou Xianshi♫
"Zhou, Zhou, Zhou. What am I ever going to do with Zhou?"
Zhou is Mai's cousin. He was born a bastard but discovered his true heritage, and after Mai's uncle took the throne, Zhou quite literally burst into the throne room and demanded answers. Initially, Mai was distrustful of him, suspecting a conspiracy or something of that nature, but she gradually grew to think of him like a very improper and troublesome brother.
☯Caterina Versini☯
"​She's quite the confident one, is she not? One must wonder how it feels to be in her position, after the murder of her sister. I am inclined to believe that at least some of that confidence is forced.​ After all, she was not raised to be the heir.​​​​"​
Relation Details​

☯John Drake☯
"​A tutor on princely duties, hmm? If he needs a tutor, I wonder how he views the 'antiquated' practice of arranging marriages. Not with much enthusiasm, I'd gather.​"
Relation Details

​​♥Casimir D'strad☮
"Oh, Casimir! His sense of fashion is both ridiculous and striking at the same time, and Ortha is absolutely enchanting-at least, the parts I've seen of it. He's quite a charmer, that Casimir, but like his kingdom, there is more to him that just what he allows to show through. I am certain of it."
​Mai met Casimir while she was accompanying her uncle on a trip to Ortha in an effort to negotiate a trade deal. She accepted his invitation to go explore the city surrounding the palace at night, and was rather surprised when he began to lavish her with gifts. To this day, she remembers him affectionately, though she recognizes that holding on to lingering feelings of fondness will do her no good in the years to come.

☯Zachary Hunter☯
"​Is it possible to be even more of a troublemaker than Zhou? Because if so, Zachary and Shawn certainly are.​"
Relation Details

☯Nikolai Johanssen​​☯
"​Fooled by a pretty girl and some sweet words in his youth, eh? Interesting."
Relation Details​​
​
§​Liviana Traianus​​⚜
"​Never judge a book by its cover. She may be small, but she is intelligent, and the intelligent ones are the most dangerous, even if Liviana herself does not believe this.​"
Relation Details
​
☯Leonard Ford​☯
"Brought up with two competing ideologies, it seems like. I do wonder how that has affected his way of thinking."
Relation Details
​
§Edwin Drakewine​☯
"A romance with a middle-class girl leading to her murder, hmm? How intriguing. He gives off the impression of being as strong as the empire he is to one day rule, but there are cracks in his armor. Even so, it would be extremely unwise to underestimate him in any way, shape, or form."
Relation Details
​
​​☯Yu Song☯
"He reminds me of a calmer version of Zhou."
Relation Details
​
☯Isobel Martinez☯
"Are her acts of charity genuine or for show? Nevertheless, she and Zhou will make for a heap of trouble. That will be a pain to deal with, to say the least."
Relation Details
​
☯Henry Peterson☯
"His past reminds me of Zhou. Adventurous and filled with fun and exploration, I do not doubt. But the more important question here is if he is capable of ruling well or not."
Relation Details
​
​​♕§Niklas König⚜♕
"I suppose I already have an unfair perception of him, given my past history with generals and soldiers and the like. If I ignore his military background, Niklas is almost too good to be true. In any case, his country is strong, and like it or not, Liang needs this alliance. So I will do what I must and put the past behind me. There is no other option."
Mai has always harbored an instinctual distrust of all things military, due to the fact that she had seen enemy soldiers do unspeakable things during her childhood and early teen years while her uncle was marshaling support for his cause. She tries to forget and move past it, especially since she is betrothed to the prince of a militaristic nation, but some things are easier said than done. Nevertheless, Mai will do all she can to make sure that her marriage is one that is beneficial to Liang and brings prosperity to her people.

☯Serafina Grey☯
"Why must she insist on dressing in all black? It makes her look like one of those overly dramatic teenagers who have too much time on their hands. But beyond that, she seems impulsive and overly emotional. Unfit to rule? Perhaps. We shall see."
Relation Details

⚜Cara O'Brien☯
"Her blunt nature is a breath of fresh air compared to the stifling atmosphere at court back in Liang. Nevertheless, I must tread carefully around her. She wasn't chosen to be the heir to the throne of the Celtic Consortium for no reason."
Relation Details

☯Sade Magoro☯
"Carefree and optimistic, two usually positive traits that can be very dangerous in a ruler. I suppose the death of her older brother has grounded her a little bit, though."
Relation Details

☯Talya Krasnoff☯
"​We are almost complete opposites. She's practically grown up as a normal teenager-​​and a rebellious one at that. And oh, for the love of Liang, what has she done to her hair?! I'm not sure if I like it or not, but it fits her very well."
Relation Details

§​​Fareeha Amari☯
"Too arrogant for her own good, that one, but I'd best keep my thoughts to myself. You'd have to be a fool to alienate the princess of an oil giant like Mamlakat Alssahra​.​"
Relation Details

​???​Mai Mei​???​
"​I can only hope that I am prepared to take the throne when the time comes. Nothing else matters besides the survival and prosperity of Liang and its people. If I am to be queen, I must remember that a queen belongs to her people, not herself. Who I used to be does not matter. Who I want to be, what I want to do, none of it matters. Liang comes first, and I will do anything for my kingdom.​"
​Mai recognizes that she's lost some of herself on the way to the throne, but she isn't sure if that's necessarily a bad thing. Mai may put on a facade of being coquettish and even a little carefree, but on the inside, she is always analyzing everything about everyone and tends to be rather cynical. She wonders if there will ever be a day where she can just be herself, whatever that may be, but she knows that it is not very likely and readily accepts the fact that she will be the Mai that Liang needs her to be, not the Mai that she thinks she is.

​

Aesthetic Boards and Outfits

Aesthetic Boards:

Porcelain

"My skin has turned to porcelain,"


Mai grew up at in a tiny village deep inside the peaks of an imposing mountain range on the southeastern border of Liang. She was raised by her uncle and developed a love for traditional Liangii brush calligraphy and the blue mountain poppies that could be found everywhere. She very much enjoyed painting Liangii fans and parasols by hand as well. Mai grew up with tea and plain wooden bowls filled with rice and simple cotton dresses. Sometimes, she misses her old life so much that it aches, but inside, Mai knows that she can never go back to the simple existence she once led amidst blue poppies and crisp mountain air.

Ivory

"to ivory,"


Mai had just turned nine when the whirlwind began. Her uncle came out of hiding and went off to gather support for his cause, leaving Mai in the capable hands of a close friend. When the socialist leaders caught wind of this, they tracked down Ming's home in the mountains and burned it down. Mai watched in horror as the only livelihood she had ever known went up in flames, not daring to call attention to herself by crying out. Her uncle eventually heard about this and decided that Mai would be the safest at his side. So from then on Mai was not Mai, but rather Xing Xing, the poor daughter of a farmer, or Yueyin, the wealthy niece of an educated businessman, or a score of other identities that Mai donned like her favorite sweater. And when Ming finally took the throne, Mai continued to play her part, becoming a demure, pliant young girl. During this time of transition, all Mai saw was red, red, red-red blood, red flags, red fires-and the red became as much of a part of her as the black of her hair or the brown of her eyes. Mai slipped into a pair of spiky heels, painted her lips red, and realized that even the most beautiful of roses could have wickedly sharp thorns.

Steel

"to steel."


Now, Mai participates in the cutthroat politics and backroom deals that run rampant in Liang as the former members of the various factions that officially dissolved when her uncle took the throne continue to vie for power. Mai has sweetened her tongue and sharpened her bladed fans, masking her rather cynical judgments with innocent smiles and coy glances. On the outside, Mai is still the compliant girl she played during the onset of her uncle's reign, her head supposedly filled with nothing more than thoughts of suitors and dresses and make-up, but on the inside lies a perceptive, analytical strategist, wary and patient. One thing's for sure, though; Mai and her uncle have quite literally clawed their way up to the top, and Mai will not let anyone or anything stand in the way of making Liang as prosperous as it was in the ancient times.

Outfit for Grand Ball/General Aesthetic:

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Prince Alejandro Álvaro Aguíla de Agustín of the Kingdom of Castilya was perfectly aware of how long his name was, thank you very much. yet his best friend and most valuable source of gossip, Vhalery de Mirabel, insisted on reminding him of this fact every single day.

"Mirry, my darling, deadly pearl, you simply must lay the matter to rest," he said to her. Most people could not fathom calling Vhalery de Mirabel a "darling pearl", for she was quite possibly the most accomplished operative that had served the Castilyan military so far-and very, very deadly indeed. However, nothing was 'unfathomable' to Alejandro, save for perhaps a leopard-print miniskirt or wearing purple with green.

Vhalery gave a noncommittal shrug. "I am merely suggesting that it will be a mouthful to say, when you are introducing yourself to the other royalty in attendance," she answered, arching an eyebrow.

Alejandro sighed dramatically. "You droll little buttercup; since when has that stopped me?" he asked in a lightly teasing tone.

Vhalery shrugged again, as if she were saying there's no helping you at this point. Alejandro grinned widely and continued filing his nails as their transport made its way to the Aciran royal palace. Alejandro was late, of course, but he was fashionably late, and there was quite a world of difference in between that and just plain late, thank you very much. "I am so looking forward to the ball tonight. Perhaps you would be amenable to refresh my memory on who shall be in attendance, my dearest jewel?"

Vhalery scowled. "You insufferable man," she answered him. Both she and Alejandro knew full well that Alejandro knew exactly who would be at the Aciran ball.

Alejandro's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Mmm, indeed, but you love me for that, don't you, my sweetling?" Vhalery did not deign to respond to that. Just imagine it-Vhalery de Mirabel, a woman who could kill a man in ten different ways with her bare hands, being called a sweetling? Any person with a modicum of common sense would see how, well, contradictory of an image that was. Alejandro, being Alejandro, thought nothing of it. "So," he continued, inspecting his nails, "back on topic. Just who shall be there? Anyone little old me would be interested in?"

Vhalery gave him an inscrutable look. She decided to humor the outrageous prince. "Mai Mei of Liang is there with her betrothed, Niklas Konig of Konigreich der Welten. Fareeha Amari of Mamlakat Alssahra as well, without a betrothed. Liviana Traianus of the Lusitanian Empire is to marry Edwin Drake of the Britannian Empire-both are in attendance-and one Andronikos Telesphorides of the Athenian Federation shall be present too. Is that good enough for you, my logical, reasonable prince?" she inquired in a sarcastic tone of voice that even Alejandro could not pretend miss.

Alejandro smiled delightedly. "Very good, my dear Mirry, very good indeed!" He paused delicately and pretended to think over the list of names that Vhalery had just mentioned. "Mai Mei of Liang, you said, my dear?"

Vhalery rolled her eyes skywards. "Yes, my prince, Princess Mai Mei of Liang, soon to be Queen Mai Konig of Konigreich der Welten, 'Mai' spelled m-a-i, 'Mei' spelled m-e-i, Liang being the large country located in the eastern part of the world. Do you understand my meaning?"

Alejandro grinned. "Splendid, my darling flower petal, absolutely splendid!" he exclaimed. "I do recall that she and her cousin visited a few years ago, with her uncle. That beautiful weapon of a woman, hmm?" he thought out loud in a slightly more serious tone of voice. "If I recall, she was quite charming, and her cousin, oh-what a headache he was to my poor, dearest brother." Alejandro popped a compact mirror open and checked his reflection. His honey-blonde hair fell in waves down a couple inches past his shoulders, though for the Grand Ball, it was tied back in a neat little ponytail. Alejandro had left a couple tendrils of hair hanging loosely in front of his face, in the same way that a woman would leave a curl or two out of an updo to frame her features. Alejandro was mightily proud of his hair, in fact. It was soft and silky and shiny, and he'd be damned if there ever were a man who had better hair than he did.

"As for her betrothed...a military type, Prince Niklas, if I am correct, my dainty doll. Hmph. Reminds me too much of my brother. Oh, how awkward they shall look, standing together-can you imagine a drab old military uniform next to my darling Mai's wondrous ball gowns? It's unspeakable, such a thing, simply unspeakable." Vhalery largely ignored Alejandro's rambling. She had learned the hard way that it was the best method to preserving one's sanity when he got into a state like this.

"Next, you said Fareeha, didn't you, my sweet Mirry? How charmingly fiery that one is, hmm, yes indeed. I should like to have words with her about her choices in fashion, though, if you perceive my meaning. There is so much one could do with her hair, and complexion, and figure, yet she seemingly has no inclination to take advantage of it!" cried Alejandro, his voice noticeably distressed. "This simply won't do, my dewdrop. It won't do. I shall have words with Princess Fareeha, indeed!"

Vhalery sighed and continued to ignore him. Alejandro, however, was not so easily discouraged.

"Whoever decided to pair little Liviana with Edwin must have been either drunk or crazy, my sweet emerald. How terribly awkward it must be for them, poor dears, with one so small and one so decidedly tall? I simply cannot fathom how that will even work out! Just how will Princess Liviana be able to take Edwin's arm when he offers it to her, how? Is it even possible, Mirry darling? Oh! How painful it will be to watch. You have tissues with you, in the even that I do start crying, don't you, Mirry dear?"

Alejandro looked expectantly at his friend. Vhalery, who hadn't been paying one bit of attention, was at a loss, before she decided to nod slightly and make a noncommittal "mmm" sound to please the outrageous prince.

Finally, Alejandro had arrived to the last individual in question-Andronikos Telesphorides of the Athenian Federation. "Such a long name, is it not?" he mused out loud, earning him a derisive snort from Vhalery's direction. "I think I shall call him Ronny, hmm? Excellent. He is bound to be an interesting one to talk to, what with our suspicions of his plans, oh yes. We shall have to confirm these plans, of course, but that shall be quite simple if Liviana and he are to be in each other's vicinity, shall it not? It will be quite simple indeed, my dearest Mirry. Quite simple indeed."

Vhalery rubbed her temples and prayed that they would arrive soon, just to end Alejandro's stream of incessant chatter. Her prayers were answered as their transport pulled up in front of the Aciran palace. "Oh, how wonderful, my sparkling, shining jewel, how wonderful! We've arrived; and we are perfectly, fashionably, late!" With that, Alejandro stepped gracefully out of the vehicle, revealing the pristine, silvery-white jacket, trousers, and dress shoes he wore, complemented by a lavender bow tie and a pair of unduly large amethyst stud earrings. Strands of amethyst glittered around his neck, and rich purple swirls artfully adorned the fabric of his tight-fitted jacket and pants. It was really a rather simple ensemble, for Alejandro's standards, anyway, yet his decidedly unusual manner of dress still garnered quite a few looks. Alejandro responded to these looks by flashing people a wide, cheery smile, breezing past them-like he was walking on air-and into the ballroom.

"Tastefully decorated, wouldn't you say, my dear Mirry?" Alejandro commented as he took in everything-the chandelier, the paintings, the people, the gowns. He skillfully wove his way through the crowd, Vhalery close on his heels, as he searched the room for anyone in particular.

Alejandro's eyes alighted on the familiar profile of Mai Mei. Her back was to him; she was talking to a wiry prince whom Alejandro recognized as Andronikos, and her arm was threaded through Niklas's. The diminutive girl who stood with them could only be Liviana Traianus, and Alejandro would have recognized Fareeha's brazen, devil-may-care attitude from a mile away.

Alejandro narrowed his spring-green eyes and analyzed what he saw. The slight stiffness in Liviana's shoulders, the hint of irritation in Anton's features, the way that Mai was leaning in conspiratorially-Ah. Andronikos and Liviana must have immediately clashed, upon seeing each other, whereupon Mai intervened to keep the situation from getting out of hand. Alejandro nodded in approval. That was just like Mai; the girl had a way with words, that one. She could flatter and insult someone in the same breath without them realizing it, and Alejandro considered that to be a noteworthy accomplishment indeed.

Vhalery had noticed the potential confrontation as well, it seemed like. Alejandro glanced at his friend's chocolate-brown eyes and tilted his head ever-so-slightly in the direction of the others. Vhalery's eyes shifted imperceptibly, and Alejandro knew that she was saying might as well to his question of shall we? A pang stabbed Alejandro in the gut. The way that Vhalery immediately knew what Alejandro was saying, and vice versa...he shared that with Eduardo, too. Alejandro's features tightened at the thought of Eduardo, and his beautiful hazel eyes, flecked with gold and brown, and his fine, chestnut-colored curls, and his sweet, soft mouth....

No. Alejandro thought ruthlessly, shutting down that line of thinking, mercilessly crushing the longing inside of him. That doesn't matter right now.

Vhalery, god bless her heart, was as perceptive as usual. She crinkled her brow at him, and Alejandro gave her a little half-smile before prancing off in the direction of Mai, Niklas, Fareeha, Liviana, and Andronikos. Vhalery didn't follow, instead melting away into the crowd to better observe everything that was going on.

Alejandro's trademark wide grin fell over his face as he glided over to the group of princes and princesses. "Why, hello, my darling, precious friends," he said, giving them all a bow accompanied by a flourish of his hand. His gaze flitted toward Mai, and Alejandro's expression lit up. "My, my, my, if it isn't Princess Mai! My sweet rose petal, how do you do?" Alejandro flounced closer to her and planted an airy kiss on her cheek. "Well, I hope, my beautiful ruby?" Alejandro's eyes slipped towards Niklas, and his eyes lit up in delight. "Your betrothed, is he? How divine!" Alejandro studied Niklas curiously for a moment, before lowering his voice conspiratorially and whispering audibly to Mai. "What a wonderful catch you have caught for yourself here, my dear," he said dramatically, winking playfully at Niklas and making a show of looking him up and down. Alejandro whistled softly and grinned innocently at the rest of them, waiting to see how they would react to his rather unexpected intrusion. Oh, this shall be fun, very fun indeed.

"Oh, but where are my manners? I am Prince Alejandro Álvaro Aguíla de Agustín of the Kingdom of Castilya, and I am most delighted to make your acquaintances!"

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Niklas wasn't one for delicate political situations. In this one, he didn't know everything; without such intelligence, he couldn't make a move without possibly disrupting or endangering some sort of balance that he knew was still in place- it was politics, after all. And more than that, it wouldn't do to call more undue attention to himself in what must be a personal matter.

So Niklas just voiced his agreement with everything his betrothed said, remarking that his fashion sense urged him to bring a fedora- which was quickly reversed.

Fareeha, on the other hand, gasped a little- but not in horror or the like. Fareeha saw that brief fire in Liv's eyes the moment she slapped Anton, and knew- there was hope for another warrior. Mai was already a politician, and once you go political, there's no going back. Liv has a chance to be confident, and brave, and self-assured of herself! Fareeha also wanted a little apprentice that she could teach things to. Should she get another snake for her? Hmmm... so many things to contemplate.

But she didn't directly interfere, instead simply watching with a very, very slight smirk. The type of smirk that usually makes people rethink what they just said, did, or saw. At Liv's slap, she just let out a low, low whistle.

The only thing she commented on is, "I'm on Liv's side. If you meant to do something, I'd say to stick by it." She more or less ignored Anton.