Multiple Settings 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 [CLOSED]

[revalia]

Mateo Nolan

Prince of Marina

Gardens

Solemn

Here

Interactions

Eleanor ( neverbackdown )

Mateo observed the pretty blonde rather intently as his usual confident facade softened by her earnestness and the warmth of her smile. Despite the tension he'd been feeling this morning out of his own selfishness, the encounter felt unexpectedly soothing, like a momentary escape from the pressures of his new responsibilities and his unsettled thoughts about his marriage. The life of a prince was something Mateo wished he was a stranger to but sadly with a persistent presence and pain in the ass essence such as his father was, he could never forget his royalty duties in pursuing an eligible lady and procuring an heir for his precious kingdom.

Her closeness was somewhat familiar. As if his body was used to this warmth. Teo was used to having various bodies within his vicinity but this one felt much more familiar... even if he had no inkling as to what happened the previous night. The female in front of him looked in the same hungover predicament as he was this morning so - something told him they both had some memories that made the night worthwhile. Be it together or not, last night was definitely the greatest blur of his whole life. Like someone snuffed the memory out of his head before he woke up with that booming headache next to his beloved wife.

He returned her smile, a genuine one that reached his eyes with how her face shone when her lips curved upwards. How her cheekbones heightened her whole face. By the heavens, she was beautiful. He mentally kicked himself in the head as he tried to shake off the feeling. He was married to a graceful and beautiful lady, he shouldn't be doing or thinking otherwise. It will surely take a lot of brain power not to but practice makes perfect, no?

"Ellie, then," he acknowledged, the formality of their titles feeling as out of place as she had suggested. "And please, call me Mateo. 'Your Highness' makes me feel ancient all the same," he chuckled, an easy, relaxed sound, a stark contrast to his earlier agitation that was vibrating in various aspects of his body parts.

"Do not mention it," he swiftly spoke in a suave tone. In reality he was the lucky man that had caught her. Even though her did ease her way. Mateo glanced at the delicate dahlia still resting in his hand, a reminder of his own fleeting moment of vulnerability. He offered it to Ellie with a flourish, a playful glint in his eyes. "A peace offering, for startling you," he said, though the truth was it felt like more than that. Sharing a piece of his late mother's favourite flower felt oddly intimate, a small yet significant gesture to Eleanor. Eleanor... that name felt like it should ring a bell but instead... nothing.

As she took the flower, their fingers briefly touched, and Mateo felt a spark, an electric jolt that was both thrilling and unsettling. It wasn't lost on him that this spark was what he'd been missing in his interactions with Evelina. He felt a pang of guilt, quickly masked by his charming smile. He pushed away the complicated emotions, focusing instead on the moment and the person in front of him. Although his wife was the epitome of kindness, how she always looked after him, cared for him and always went with his ways as best as she could in the little experience she had this fine morning - there was still something missing. How she jolts every time he initiated something physical with her. That was something that worried Mateo, especially knowing his sexual indulgences.

With a heavy sigh, he looked at the distance, "These gardens are something, aren't they?" he continued, looking around with an appreciative gaze. "I needed some air too, a break from... everything." His voice held a subtle hint of exasperation, though he kept his tone light. "Sometimes it feels like these walls are closing in, even if they're covered in gold."

He noticed her unease slipping away, replaced by a more genuine comfort, and he found himself relaxing as well. He slowly lowered his hand that was supporting her. There was something disarmingly refreshing about Ellie; her unguarded nature and genuine reactions were a breath of fresh air in a world full of pretence and duty. Mateo wondered how she was adjusting to her own new reality, whether she felt the same sense of displacement and longing that he did. Was she born from royalty? Seemingly not from her lack of appreciation to the title formality.

He gestured towards a nearby bench, nestled among the flowers and partially shaded by a large tree. "Care to sit?" he offered, a subtle invitation to continue their conversation. "We can talk about anything but royal duties. I think we both are in dire need of a break." There was an earnestness in his voice, a desire to connect without the burdens of their titles or expectations.

As he moved towards the bench, upon waiting her movement of course, Mateo found himself hoping that this unexpected meeting could offer some clarity or at least a momentary escape from the complexities of his thoughts and the weight of his crown. The spark he felt with Ellie was undeniable, but he pushed down any inappropriate thoughts, reminding himself of his commitments and the complicated situation they both were in. For now, he just wanted to enjoy the company of someone who seemed to understand, even without words.

coded by natasha.

 

[AnimeGenork]

evelina volkov

orphan cinderella

hallways > bathroom

I'm saved!

outfit here

mentions ; interactions

Mateo ; William

tags

izayoiix revalia

Lina was unsure what part of her was warmer—her face or the spots on her arms that the prince before her had grabbed in order to steady her. Both were the flush of embarrassment, but the contact on her arms, it was—different. Not in a bad way, though. When Mateo held her hand or did anything, it always caused her to fluster or flail out of anxiety. This was calming, in a way. But perhaps that had more to do with the princes’ personalities, rather than anything deeper. Yes, that had to be it.

At the very least, he didn’t seem to be upset with her, and wasn’t that such a relief. Here she was, worried that colliding with a prince who was not her husband was grounds for a great punishment. Her eyebrows furrowed as he introduced himself with a name. No, a nickname. And he called them family. Her immediate instinct, after so many years alone without her parents, was to protest this change, but then she remembered. Mateo and William were cousins. Of course! They’d been briefly introduced the week before, how could she have forgotten? Well. She’d never been that bright to begin with, so perhaps there was that.

“Um, yes, uh. Will.” The name suits you. She didn’t know where the thought came from, but to her, it was true. Still weird. And how was it that his name rolled off her tongue so easily? That didn’t… that seemed weird, right?

MORE IMPORTANTLY. He knew where the bathroom was! She could cry all over again—this time out of sheer relief, as she sighed and followed him. “U-um, Evelina is fine. O-or Lina, I know the full name is a hassle.” Lina bit her lip to keep herself from rambling his ear off, a little nervous to need his help in the first place to reach the bathroom. Yet she was still definitely relieved that she would… er… feel some relief soon.

As they walked, she couldn’t help but gaze up and around at her surroundings. Even after a week of gawking wherever she went with Mateo, she hadn’t gotten used to the sights around her. It was truly astounding how big it all was. And how small she was. “Beautiful…” she murmured to herself, spotting yet another gorgeous tapestry she wanted to run her fingers across. She even reached out toward it before realizing who she was with and where she was. Lina drew her hand back and folded them in front of her. Ever the demure commoner who just happened to hold the title of princess right now. But who knew how long that would last?

Finally, blessedly, she spotted the bathroom up ahead, labeled with a sign and everything! Thank goodness. Lina released a breath and hurried toward the door before remembering her manners. She turned back to Will and curtsied the best she could in a sundress. “Thank you very much for your help, Your High—er, Will.” Her lips curled into a smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes. “I would have been in trouble without you.”

As she reached for the knob, it occurred to her—would it be rude to ask him to wait until she was, um. Done her business? Wouldn’t she just get lost again? But the words caught in her throat, and she frowned as she opened the door.

coded by natasha.

 

[AnimeGenork]

Frederick Edwards

boyish prince

hallways

being a lil dumb

outfit here

mentions ; interactions

Siblings, William ; Maisie

tags

Aeris

Freddie raised his eyebrows. Ah, so his siblings had been through here. More importantly, they had already figured out that he would ask Maisie for assistance in finding them. Cheeky kids. He was about to give up, thank her for her time, and maybe just take the loss and spend the next five hours trying like hell to find them. At least until she asked the question that gave him the biggest hint he could get from any witnesses.

“You know, I was just thinking to myself that I haven’t had enough reading time lately.” His voice was a bit too high-pitched. That wasn’t good. Brianna was sure to catch on if he kept sounding like that. Clearing his throat, Freddie added, “Folk tales, you say? I should find one to read to the little ones once they get tired of this game. They’ve always loved stories like that. Probably because I do voices for them.”

Without prompting, his feet turned toward the library, hoping she would follow. Although talking to himself would at least prevent him from being called a cheater, he still didn’t want to go to the library and just leave her alone. Surely she was interested in the outcome of this game now that she was involved? Or maybe that was just wishful thinking from the man who was a lot more like a boy. “But you said you just read some. Got any favorites from the book? It’s been a while since I’ve read anything like that. Too many legal documents and economic mumbo-jumbo.” He shuddered, gagging audibly at the thought. Naturally, he didn’t mention that he understood all of those documents perfectly, thanks to his mother’s assistance with his training. Still, that didn’t mean he liked that type of reading. Give him picture books over reports any day.

It was weird, walking with Maisie. NOT BECAUSE OF HER. God, that sounded wrong, even as a thought. But Freddie couldn’t explain it—for the first time in a while, he didn’t feel all that anxious. In fact, he was a bit at ease. He chalked it up to being able to find his siblings in enough time to play another round of hide and seek or any other game they challenged him to, but he knew, deep down, that that probably wasn’t the case. How else to explain it, though?

“Before they figure it out—thank you.” He didn’t elaborate, lest anybody catch him in the act, but he smiled at Maisie toothily. “I think I was going to lose my mind if this went on any longer.” Tilting his head, he had a thought, his gaze rolling up to the ceiling. “If Bri, Nate, and Ian agree, I’m sure they’d be happy to let you join in on the next round. But only if you’re okay with that!”

Had he seriously asked a princess of another kingdom—a freshly married one at that—to play hide and seek with his siblings? Maybe he had already lost his mind. There was no explanation otherwise. Freddie could only hope that William wouldn’t find out, or that Maisie wouldn’t laugh at him for even suggesting it. Dude, what’s wrong with you?

coded by natasha.

 

[Aeris]

Maisie Korlov

The Unlucky Cinderella

Hallways

She don't even know tbh

Here

mentions; interactions

Freddie ( AnimeGenork ) Will ( izayoiix )
izayoiix

For the first time in Maisie Korlovs' life, she felt her shoulder relax. Of course, being able to relax didn't seem like a big deal for most. But for Maisie, it was a beautiful luxury she'd never been able to experience. She found herself falling into step as Fredrick chattered on. Maisie's mind wandered to William for a fleeting moment. Would he be upset? She wasn't doing anything scandalous- unless playing hide and seek with another Prince and his siblings was illegal. Surely he'd be okay with this, of course, Maisie made sure to keep a respectful distance from Frederick on the off chance someone should see them.

"There were so many interesting ones...but I must admit there's something almost charming and melancholy about The Little Mermaid." Maisie thought back on the story, about a young mermaid who had fallen in love with a human prince. The mermaid had sacrificed everything in the name of true love, even going as far as to kill herself and turn to sea foam. It was truly admirable and Maisie had wondered if she would be brave enough to do such a thing. "If you don't have time to read them, there's always story-telling through song. I used to perform in college and the feeling of being able to tell a story through song and dance was such a magical feeling!" Maisie wasn't sure why she had included that last bit- she hadn't even told William much about her short-lived college days. Something about Fredrick- perhaps his laid-back demeanor- made her want to open up about herself.

Maisie's smiled at Frederick's thanks. "Of course! I have a feeling they would have been hiding the rest of the day had they not bumped into me." Her smile only broadened at the invitation to participate in the next round should the kids agree. As childish as it was, she never had the opportunity at a childhood, this invitation was more a call to her inner child than her adult self. "I'd love to! If the kids are okay with it of course."

"It might be more fair if there were two of us anyway!" She quickly added, as not to sound odd for agreeing to play so fast. She was not royal from birth, and she still knew absolutely nothing about running a kingdom, but perhaps this could be seen as her forming an alliance with another kingdom? Creating friendly ties? Is that how this royal business worked?

coded by natasha.

 

[izayoiix]

diane kim

the optimistic cinderella

courtyard

embarrassed

here

interactions

isaiah r e i

Clearly her body was not going to listen to her mind. Internally she couldn't stop the flustered yelling at herself to get it together, that this was not the man she should be feeling so shy around! But then...at the same time, shouldn't she feel embarrassed at the fact that she was caught in such an ungraceful situation by someone that wasn't her husband?

Even though the thought of Frederick seeing her in such a state made her blood run cold, like she was a mistake and was only going to be a stain on his reputation. Like she would only drag him down, that he would be ashamed to see her like this. But that didn't make sense, considering he loved her, right? And she loved him, it's why they got married, even if it was a tad rushed.

Diane swallowed nervously, her face a bright flaming red as she stared up at the face of the southern prince. He truly was a handsome man...and strong too, seeing as he was still holding her. She squeaked at the realization, listening as he spoke to her with only half her attention as her mind continued to race, going back and forth between wanting to snuggle closer to him and fleeing his arms and his presence in general. She was so confused by his presence, but she was a princess now. She had an image to maintain and she refused to let her actions bring shame to her husband and his family and kingdom. Because they were now her family and kingdom.

She would not be a burden. She refused.

As Isaiah shifted, so he could set her back on the ground, instinct had her tighten her grip on his arms so she wouldn't fall, giving her legs a second to adjust. She'd gone from dancing to falling and just hanging in the air in a matter of seconds, so she wasn't surprised when her knees buckled for a moment before she could catch her bearings. "Th-thank you..." she murmured, tearing her eyes from his to stare at her feet. His eyes were so clear...

Clearing her throat again, Diane took a small step back, trying to put some room between them. Surely it wasn't proper for a man and woman who were not married to be so close? "Yes, I'm thankful as well...I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't been nearby." she rambled, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair back behind her ear. Luckily her hat was still in place, though it had slipped a bit from its original position on her head where she'd secured it with some pins. Gently, she lifted it from her head, using her other hand to help remove the pins that had kept it in place, not wanting them to shift around and stab her scalp.

"I-I'm well, thank you. Now that I'm back on the ground that is," she laughed awkwardly. At least she was good at making fun of herself and the situations she put herself in. "Honestly, I'm pretty clumsy, so I'm not sure why I decided dancing on a stone frame around a working fountain was a good idea, but here we are." she shrugged, starting to relax a tad as she continued to speak. "Here's hoping I'll have some sense for a little while after this, and find somewhere better to lose myself in my thoughts." she smiled, bringing her gaze back up to Isaiah's.

"I'm sorry, forgive my manners, and how are you this morning, Prince Isaiah?"

coded by natasha.

 

[izayoiix]

william nolan

the uncaring prince

corridor, bathroom

confused, contemplative

here

interactions

evelina AnimeGenork

"Evelina..." he murmured, watching her expressions fly across her face as the skin of her cheeks reddened. Why did the sight make him want to smile? Will wasn't usually one for such an emotion, tending to find most people annoying and useless. Of course, there were exceptions, like his cousin and his own siblings, and while the blonde before him was now his cousin as well, everything about her seemed different. Like...he wanted to whisk her into his arms and hide her away from the cruelties of the world.

"It's a beautiful name." he continued after a moment of silence, not wanting to cause her any more anxiety.

Clearly Evelina was used to hardship if the way she held herself back was anything to go by. The way she censored herself and made herself as small and quiet as possible in a way to not draw unnecessary attention. The thought caused a pang in his heart that he didn't understand. Why did he want to take her face in his hands and graze his thumb across her cheek in an effort to comfort and wash away her fears? This woman was not his wife, but she was family...Maybe that was it?

Yes...surely that had to be it. Will just wanted to help protect the new innocent member of his family. Some of her mannerisms reminded him of Maisie, his own wife, and that's what was causing the confusion. While he wasn't too sure on all the details, he knew his wife had gone through her own struggles and he wanted to protect her and offer a comfortable and luxurious life where she wouldn't have a care in the world. Not that that's what would happen exactly, but the point was made. So seeing his new cousin looking somewhat similar to his wife, of course he wanted to offer such similar reassurances.

He was a man of honor, no matter what his father felt about him. He just wanted to look out for his family. That was all.

As he led Evelina down the hall back the way he'd come, he couldn't help but glance at her out of the corner of his eye. The way her eyes shone with awe at the decor was a refreshing site, having long since grown used to such lavish things himself. He could understand how someone could fall so quickly in love with a woman such as this, but part of him couldn't help but wonder how his cousin had been such a person. She...didn't seem to be his type, based on the type of woman he'd seen Mateo go after before. But what did Will know? Obviously there was something that drew the unlikely pair together, and he was better off not commenting on something that had nothing to do with him. He would assist his new cousin and leave it at that.

Part of him recoiled at the thought of continuously referring to Evelina as his cousin, but that's exactly why he continued to do it. Because that was what she was, and he would not insult Maisie in such a way, by having second thoughts of any sort for another woman, no matter how intriguing she seemed. He just needed time to get used to having a new member in his immediate family. That was all. But maybe in the future he should make more of an effort to not be alone with the blonde...For both their sake.

The life of a royal was a fickle thing indeed, and courtiers loved a good scandal.

And Will was determined to not give them something new to gossip about.

"Here we are," he announced a few minutes later, finally coming to a stop a few feet before the bathroom. His gaze was soft as Evelina rushed forward in excitement before she suddenly stopped and turned, giving him a small curtsy in thanks. He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him at her behavior. "It was no trouble at all, my lady." he responded with a small nod of his head.

And truly, it hadn't. Despite the journey only being a few minutes long, the silence hadn't been uncomfortable at all, rather it had been nice. And despite the fact that he had just decided that he shouldn't spend too much time alone with his new cousin...with Evelina, he couldn't stop the words from escaping him as he saw her pause after opening the door to the bathroom that she had been so eager to find.

"Shall I wait here for you? So you don't get lost trying to find your way back?"

coded by natasha.

 

[neverbackdown]

Eleanor Matthews

Abused Cinderella

The Gardens

Sing-songy

Here

interactions
revalia

"Mateo it is," she confirmed with a grin, relieved that the prince didn’t seem offended by her casual disregard for the titles. She was still finding her way in this world, learning the invisible boundaries and rules she had to be aware of. But the fact that a royal was also against the formal titles made Ellie relax, giving her a sense of ease in the conversation and his presence.

As he held out the flower, Eleanor raised an eyebrow, her gaze softening as she looked at the dahlia in his hands. "Oh, it's beautiful. I love dahlias," she said, her voice gentle as she reached forward to take the flower. Their skin brushed, and a jolt of electricity shot through her, nearly making her pull away instinctively. But instead, she hesitated, savoring the sensation, yearning to feel it again. There was a pull inside her, an almost magnetic draw to him, and she found herself caught in the moment.

She kept a smile on her lips, though her heart raced, trying to maintain composure. Her mind was spinning, searching for answers she couldn’t quite grasp. He felt so familiar, like a figure from a dream, someone who had been in the periphery of her life but whose presence she couldn’t place. The more she tried to focus, the more elusive the connection seemed, yet it felt so real, like something from another time or place.

"huh? ... oh yeah the gardens are incredible" she replied, her thoughts still lingering on the strange pull she felt earlier. His voice had snapped her back to the present, and she took a deep breath, trying to shake off the sense of familiarity that seemed to cloud her mind. She looked around the lush surroundings, but her focus soon returned to him as he spoke again.

"I don’t know about the gold part, but I do understand the desire for air and to escape. I suppose gold just makes it a prettier prison," she added, offering a small, thoughtful smile.

When he gestured toward the bench, she nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that would be lovely," she said, following him. "And yes, no royal duties talk. I’m overwhelmed as it is." A light laugh slipped from her lips as she realized for the first time since stepping into the castle she felt fully relaxed.

"So what would you like to talk about I'm a good listener or so I've been told" a gentle smile matched her friendly tone as she spoke.