I want to be a pretty princess - Let's Play the Royal Trap

[Crooked Bee]

xDD

 

[Shadenuat]

i knew it all the time

 

[papillon]

So titles are passed down to the nearest unmarried female? That's a nonsensical system of inheritance that would never come about in a plausible setting. This isn't even me being anti-wimminz, since it's not the 'female' part I take issue with, but the 'unmarried' part. One of the top priorities for any monarch is to produce an heir, so that they can keep the crown within their bloodline. Barring married individuals from obtaining the crown is just begging for a succession crisis, and would never happen.

Unless they're saying this Sophia would be taken away by whoever she married, but then that indicates male-driven inheritance and begs the question of why marrying Pherod has taken her out of the line of inheritance, replaced by her daughter.

If you actually want to know how it works:

Spoiler

Inheritance passes through the female line, but the King is still the ruler. Women nurture, men conquer: Cassidy brought up this concept early on. Women are perceived to have greater wisdom and understanding of their own homes and the needs of that territory, and therefore make the decision about who should have control of that home through their choice of husband.

Pherod cannot become King now because Sophia married him when she was not the heir to the Wisdom. She did not choose him as her husband while considering the needs of the kingdom. Making him King would go against the whole principle.

If Princess Cassidy had been declared dead several years ago, Sophia would have been named heir, and then anyone she married would be the next King. It's not that the heir has to be unmarried, it's that she has to marry while already heir or it doesn't count.

 

[LundB]

Ah, with that clarification of "She did not choose him as her husband while considering the needs of the kingdom." it makes a lot more sense to me. It still seems a bit questionable, given that people die all the time and it leaves little protection against a succession crisis (especially obvious in situations like the current one, with a potentially sickly heir. Things would be a mess if Pherod didn't have a child). However it no longer seems completely nonsensical.

Well, knowing how the system works, given that major titles are a no go for the protag due to inheritance law, going for a powerful and wealthy partner seems the best choice. Crusader Kings II tells me the best thing to do is arrange Cassidy's death (or expose the genderswap), then do the same for Pherod's wife and become her replacement. The kid would still be heir, and the protag would be in a very advantageous position as long as they didn't find out.

Rags to regent.

 

[Lagole Gon]

 

[Erebus]

I guess s/he finally checked an anatomy book. Still don't get how it could have remained a secret after his/her marriage, though, unless surgery is really very good in this setting.

 

[abnaxus]

I guess s/he finally checked an anatomy book. Still don't get how it could have remained a secret after his/her marriage, though, unless surgery is really very good in this setting.

 

[abnaxus]

<Of all of us in the room, I must have been the most surprised.>

You can't be Caspian. You're a woman!

No... not completely...

<Someone bangs on the door.>

Your Highness, is everything all right?

<They must have heard the raised voices. Luckily, they haven't opened the door yet.>

I... I'm fine!

We don't need any help in here, thank you!

<Reassurances delivered, he lowers his voice.>

How can you be sure? This... this must be a mistake.

When he was little, when we were together, Cas called me Callie.

And he made me promise to protect him from the monsters.

A promise I couldn't keep.

Just because she gave her toy bear a nickname doesn't mean that-

No. It's true.

I've seen it.

Huh. I know you said it before, but... Even for a noble that's hard to swallow.

So now you're a man?

I'm not a man and I'm not a woman. I'm nothing.

I can't be either Cassidy or Caspian. I don't know what to do.

Must I become a prince? To... fight and drink and boast, to win a bride? I... can't!

No. You should not have to.

If I had defended you, kept them from taking you away...

But you tried! And I didn't even remember...

Ah, dust.

Look, don't take this as sympathy, but it sounds like your king did this, not you.

Not much a kid can do to keep from getting cut or kicked when something bigger's got it in for 'em.

<Still...>

Dolores is right.

Whatever happened, both of you were children at the time. This isn't your fault.

What you do now that you know, that's what you can change.

Callum tried to tell me earlier, and I thought it was nonsense. He was right all along. If I'd only listened...

No. You shouldn't have listened to me, not then.

Why not?

Because I was wrong. It was Madeleine who showed me.

I was trying to force you into the life I thought you should have had.

If I'd done that, I wouldn't be any different from our... from the people who did this to you in the first place.

You were Caspian once, but you've been Cassidy for a long time. I don't have the right to take that away.

Cass...

Sister or brother, it doesn't matter to me. I will always defend you.

Callie!

Ouais. Wonderful. You're peas in a pod, and the king's a pot of piss. Now what?

You shouldn't say that about my...

...well...

They're still my parents. Our parents. Even if I can't understand how or why they would do what they did.

They needed an heir. If Callum was right, and something happened to the first Cassidy when she was a baby...

So what mattered most to our royal parents was not their children, but their grip on power.

That babe was Mother's last child. If it died, then Cousin Sophia would be the heir, and they couldn't let that pass.

Sophia should have been the heir all along, not me. That means – Rielle is the true princess now.

So that Duke you thought was a snake had the right of it, by your rules?

By right of blood...

That is not enough.

Just because your parents are in the wrong doesn't mean Duke Pherod is in the right.

I met him, you know. Briefly.

He didn't act like a man who was trying to murder Cassidy for her inheritance.

He gave the impression of being more concerned that everyone else was plotting against him.

Which may have been only what he wanted you to see.

Of course. Still, if he had sent assassins with guns, he could have had her killed outside the palace walls.

If he's matched up against people who would do this to their own children, he may have reason to be so guarded.

<Cassidy shakes her head.>

Nothing makes sense. Hidden moves, secret plots... I can't put it together.

I'm no sort of Wisdom at all.

But that's right, isn't it? I'm not a princess. I'm an impostor.

I should tell everyone the truth.

Wait. Don't be hasty.

A secret like this – if it gets out, the whole kingdom will be in chaos.

Wouldn't that be a sight to see.

If you remove yourself from the succession, you can never undo it. Your life as you know it will be gone.

My life as I know it is an illusion! None of it is real!

Be careful. Don't alert the guards.

We still don't know what exactly was done to you, or what happened to the first Cassidy.

The only people who can answer those questions are the King and his Wisdom.

How can I trust anything they say?

This doesn't feel real.

If I close my eyes, will I wake up and none of this have happened?

Or if I'm the dream, if I close my eyes, will I simply disappear?

I should have found another way to tell you.

<A deep inhalation. Her shoulders rise and fall.>

I did not want to cause you pain.

<Slow breath in, then out again with a sigh, and her eyes open.>

You did the right thing. I've lived a lie long enough.

I may not be a true princess, but I was trained to be one.

And a princess must have the strength to face unpleasant truths.

My parents – our parents – have done terrible things in the name of power. To me, to you, to everyone.

They kept me isolated and ignorant. They beat you and neglected you.

And when you finally reached me and there was a chance that their secret might escape...

They made up more lies to confuse and separate us.

Locking Oscar in his quarters and Madeleine in the dungeons, telling me nothing, and then you and Dolores...

It was never about Dolores, was it? It was about me. That was just another illusion to distract us.

Nothing is ever about me.

They did all this to have an heir. So the most appropriate punishment is for them to lose that heir. Isn't it?

Maybe so. But giving up your position now means punishing yourself for what they did.

What would happen to you, if you weren't the princess anymore? What would happen to your kingdom?

If it becomes known that Preidric and Paloma lied for so long, there would be full scale revolt.

Do they deserve any better?

Our people do.

For their sake, I must keep this a secret.

But that does not mean I should inherit. I could go to Pherod privately and explain. Then... abdicate.

And do what?

I don't know. I've never known anything else.

Whatever you choose, I will support you. Nothing has to chance if you don't want it to.

I don't know what to do.

 

[Delterius]

>Murder everyone with a chainsaw

Or talk to Pherod, too obvious to be a villain. Though its also quite likely that both options are deat- err royal traps.

 

[Kz3r0]

Parents.

 

[Hirato]

Parents; Let's try to improve her lot, or at least understand the the full thing, we're trying to get Oscar married after all.
I figure her final gender state is dependent on her "true love," or something, ie if Oscar romances her, we get a girl, if we romance her, we'd (probably) get a boy.

 

[Cassidy]

3) Post a thread asking advice about it in RPGCodex General Discussion

 

[Lagole Gon]

4. Let's get married.

Dudebros, if she's not a real princess, we can't get lands and nice stuff from her.
FFFFUUUUUU~!!!!! Our web of intrigues! Everything is falling apart!

Edit:
Pherod.

 

[Crooked Bee]

Um.... Parents.

 

[LundB]

Wow you guys suck.

Pherod is clearly the option with maximum entertainment potential. Yeah lets go confide in the guy who is the rival for the throne.

 

[Shadenuat]

Pherod of course!

 

[LusciousPear]

These lulz just went exponential.

 

[LunaEclipse18]

Parents.

 

[Kipeci]

Pherod.

 

[abnaxus]

You're right. Stepping down is the only way to stop your parents from winning, and undo some of what they've done.

It's not fair, but the whole system isn't fair.

Now you sound like me.

It is the right thing.

Then that is what we will do.

Cassidy and I will go to Pherod's quarters and negotiate with him.

It might be safer not to reveal the full details.

No. I don't want to lie anymore.

Besides, if he knows who I really am, then he'll know that I'm serious about my offer, and that I can't change my mind.

He'll have nothing to fear. That should make him more willing to assist us.

We'll need him on our side in order to arrange for... pasturage.

As you wish.

Still, we need some precautions in case of complications.

Madeleine. You stay here with her.

If we have not returned or sent word within two hours, assume disaster and raise the alarm.

Considering your reputation, it should not be difficult for you to attract attention.

We'll need a sign to be sure that any message is genuine.

Asphodel.

I looked it up. It symbolises 'regret'.

<She looks down, then back up at me.>

...Madeleine?

I'm sorry. I know this must spoil your plans.

I can make new plans.

Should have listened to me in the woods, huh? All of you. Should have run while you could and got away clean.

This is going to be one scattered pile of a mess. There's no way it'll end without blood.

Don't suppose you could see your way to letting me leave now?

Actually...

We could be free from all of this.

What, run off and live in the woods? We'd starve.

No. Not that.

Do you remember that bag of gold I had Prince Rag-Bear bring to me?

<Rag? Oh. Callum.>

He never gave it back. It's stashed in his rooms. And I know where.

Think about it! When Princess Falsie flips her skirts, there'll be hell to pay.

Who's going to take the blame? What do you think King Pisspot will do to the likes of me and you?

So your answer is just to walk away?

It's what I wanted all along: out of here and never looking back.

We could start a new life – you and me together. No more nobles.

You'd say anything to get out of here, wouldn't you?

Wouldn't you?

Maybe the truth is I've learned to respect you... Madeleine.

We're not princesses, either of us. Didn't start with much, used our minds, clawed our way out. We're not so different.

You know the high tables, I know the back alleys. We could help each other.

Don't you want to be free?

 

[Erebus]

Finally a future and a romance path that seem promising !

I'm tempted...

 

[Kz3r0]

I'm tempted...

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

Go For It Gentlemen!

 

[Ulminati]

I'm tempted to say fuck those losers

 

[Lagole Gon]

I'm tempted as fuck!!!

- - -

Asphodel.
I looked it up. It symbolises 'regret'.