Original Work Prompts
Guileless Young Ruler/Lady New to Court & Lady's Sister/Ruler's Wife Scheming to Overthrow Him
I love the potential for rivalry and angst and contrasts here. I love this idea of two sisters coming to court and instantly swept up in the drama of the royal couple as one sister falls in love with the ruler and the other with the ruler's wife. The interactions of all these relationships could be fascinating. I kind of see the ruler and his wife being dramatically different in personality - he's idealistic and doing his best (which may or may not be good enough) and she's ambitious and driven and practical, and all of that potentially affects not just their relationship but also how they see politics/policies/etc. How bad their relationship is or why it's so bad is up to you. Maybe it was an arranged marriage neither wanted. Or maybe they fell in love quickly but then, after getting married, realized they're not compatible at all and bitterness grew. But also, how does all this effect the sisters and their relationship? Were they close before coming to court but are now being torn apart? Was their relationship already Sibling Rivalry Central? This can be very dramatic and angsty or somewhat lighter and more snarky shenanigans. I’d rather no one here be the "bad guy" necessarily, with each of these characters having their own truth.
Male Nobleman/Male Diplomat from Enemy Country
So…this could be pretty standard enemies-to-in love. My favorite way to have this trope go is when the people involved realize (despite themselves) that they don’t actually, necessarily hate each other or wouldn’t hate each other if only circumstances were different. Maybe there are things they really like or admire about each other but there are some key ideological, political or loyalty differences between them (So, kinda Romeo-and-Juliet but with more internal conflict where they aren’t at all keen on giving up on their other ideas/loyalties despite being attracted to each other.)
Some things I would love to see explored would be: how they end up falling in love - that process of realizing this person you probably should hate isn’t just ok but you’re really into them and oh no they reciprocate but you still can’t be together because X. Conflicts of loyalties - caring about someone but not exactly being willing to betray your country/family/etc for them; having to make hard choices (and if either has to choose, I see no need for the choice to ALWAYS be in favor of the romantic interests, in fact it would almost be more interesting if it wasn’t, but it’s really the emotional fallout of such a choice that’s compelling). Maybe they decide to secretly work together to bring their warring countries to peace (and maybe they succeed and maybe they don’t). Maybe one (or both) of them initially start the relationship because they’re there to spy on the enemy - and how they manage the situation when the feelings become genuine.
Member of Conspiracy Against the Crown/His Male Lover Who’s Close Friends With The Ruler
I really like the idea of split loyalties here - how the Lover manages both his feelings toward his boyfriend-the-Conspirator and his friendship and affection for the ruler. Who does he choose in the end? Can he figure out a way to not interfere with his boyfriend’s plans/keep him from getting arrested and still help his friend escape/survive? Can he convince his boyfriend to abandon the conspiracy in the name of love? Or maybe he doesn’t know. Maybe it’s all about the Conspirator character’s POV/decision making. Does he tell his lover the truth about his plans/let him in on the plot? Or is he too afraid to do so/doesn’t trust him enough? Can he convince his lover to join in or at least keep their secret in the name of love? How does he feel about hurting his lover either by keeping secrets from him or by being a part of a plot to hurt someone his lover really cares about? What does all of this do to their relationship? Is it all about personal loyalties or do they have ideological differences to contend with as well?
I don’t necessarily want/need the Lover to end up choosing his Conspirator-boyfriend. Maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he chooses his friend in the end. (And if he does, what’s the fallout? Can he still protect his Conspirator-boyfriend afterward? Can their relationship survive a “betrayal” like that?)
I love a contrast in personality in my ships too! In my head, the Conspirator character is more cynical/practical, maybe a little roguish/a badboy, or more snarky. Maybe a little lower in class/economic status? And the Lover character is a bit more emotional/idealistic/guileless. Or hey, maybe it's the complete opposite and the conspiracy isn't just a coup but a brewing revolution and the Conspirator-boyfriend is a bright-eyed revolutionary all for new and brave democratic ideas and his Lover is more jaded and thinks he's barking up the wrong tree and they're better off with a good man like his friend-the-Ruler leading the country.
Idealistic Newly-Crowned Young Ruler/His More Practical Male Adviser and Childhood Friend
I love protector/protectee type dynamics but with a twist where the “protector” character who is smarter/more competent/more practical/more emotionally stable/stronger personality/etc is the socioeconomically less privileged character with less social power in the relationship, or even a direct, formalized rank difference. So here, we have the kind of naïve/flighty/idealistic Ruler and his more cynical/practical adviser who kind of keeps an eye on him and tries his best to steer the Ruler away from unintentional disasters, even though socially that dynamic is reversed.
Maybe they’re in a secret relationship? Is it because the society is homophobic? Or maybe it’s because the Ruler has to marry/is married to a woman so he can father an heir? Or maybe the problem has nothing to do with gender/sexuality but because people of different social ranks aren’t supposed to be romantically involved? MUTUAL PINING.
How do the power dynamics work in this relationships? What power inequalities transfer into the bedroom (metaphorically, it doesn’t have to be during/about sex specifically) and which ones don’t? How do you balance your professional responsibilities with your personal feelings in this sort of relationship? Do other people try to use the Friend character for their own political ambitions in some way and what comes out of that? (Like, what if his family begins to support a rival faction in the government that is looking to stage a coup?) What is growing up together like? How long has the Friend character been an adviser to the Ruler? Do other members of the court think it's not fair that the Friend gets to hold such a high position just because these two were childhood friends?
How good is the Ruler at politics? What is his ruling style like? Is he trying some new brave reforms and are they a good idea? (Maybe, hopefully?) Is the Ruler trying desperately to live up to a legacy? Or maybe (even better!) he's trying to turn things around for the better (maybe in a radical, "those damn liberals!" way that really ruffles the feathers of the old guard). Just like...this enthusiastic Ruler trying his best and his friend/adviser facepalming on a daily basis at one thing or another but finding him endlessly endearing and knowing that the Ruler means well and his ideas about politics/the world aren't BAD just maybe...not done like that or not quite at this exact moment, and frantically trying to find a balance therein and do damage control.
And what if it all crashes around them in the end anyway? Either in a small, isolated-incident way, or in a life-changing/threatening way. What do they do? Is that when they finally admit they love each other? Who sacrifices what? (Doomsday love confessions and dramatic self-sacrifices are WIN.) Character death is acceptable if you feel that that's what's really going to give the story its punch.
I love worldbuilding, especially for fantasy settings. Rituals, balls, customs and social rules, formal/professional relationships that in times of stress or just overtime break down and become warmer and more personal… When in doubt, hurt/comfort is your friend and handy default!
I love the potential for rivalry and angst and contrasts here. I love this idea of two sisters coming to court and instantly swept up in the drama of the royal couple as one sister falls in love with the ruler and the other with the ruler's wife. The interactions of all these relationships could be fascinating. I kind of see the ruler and his wife being dramatically different in personality - he's idealistic and doing his best (which may or may not be good enough) and she's ambitious and driven and practical, and all of that potentially affects not just their relationship but also how they see politics/policies/etc. How bad their relationship is or why it's so bad is up to you. Maybe it was an arranged marriage neither wanted. Or maybe they fell in love quickly but then, after getting married, realized they're not compatible at all and bitterness grew. But also, how does all this effect the sisters and their relationship? Were they close before coming to court but are now being torn apart? Was their relationship already Sibling Rivalry Central? This can be very dramatic and angsty or somewhat lighter and more snarky shenanigans. I’d rather no one here be the "bad guy" necessarily, with each of these characters having their own truth.
Male Nobleman/Male Diplomat from Enemy Country
So…this could be pretty standard enemies-to-in love. My favorite way to have this trope go is when the people involved realize (despite themselves) that they don’t actually, necessarily hate each other or wouldn’t hate each other if only circumstances were different. Maybe there are things they really like or admire about each other but there are some key ideological, political or loyalty differences between them (So, kinda Romeo-and-Juliet but with more internal conflict where they aren’t at all keen on giving up on their other ideas/loyalties despite being attracted to each other.)
Some things I would love to see explored would be: how they end up falling in love - that process of realizing this person you probably should hate isn’t just ok but you’re really into them and oh no they reciprocate but you still can’t be together because X. Conflicts of loyalties - caring about someone but not exactly being willing to betray your country/family/etc for them; having to make hard choices (and if either has to choose, I see no need for the choice to ALWAYS be in favor of the romantic interests, in fact it would almost be more interesting if it wasn’t, but it’s really the emotional fallout of such a choice that’s compelling). Maybe they decide to secretly work together to bring their warring countries to peace (and maybe they succeed and maybe they don’t). Maybe one (or both) of them initially start the relationship because they’re there to spy on the enemy - and how they manage the situation when the feelings become genuine.
Member of Conspiracy Against the Crown/His Male Lover Who’s Close Friends With The Ruler
I really like the idea of split loyalties here - how the Lover manages both his feelings toward his boyfriend-the-Conspirator and his friendship and affection for the ruler. Who does he choose in the end? Can he figure out a way to not interfere with his boyfriend’s plans/keep him from getting arrested and still help his friend escape/survive? Can he convince his boyfriend to abandon the conspiracy in the name of love? Or maybe he doesn’t know. Maybe it’s all about the Conspirator character’s POV/decision making. Does he tell his lover the truth about his plans/let him in on the plot? Or is he too afraid to do so/doesn’t trust him enough? Can he convince his lover to join in or at least keep their secret in the name of love? How does he feel about hurting his lover either by keeping secrets from him or by being a part of a plot to hurt someone his lover really cares about? What does all of this do to their relationship? Is it all about personal loyalties or do they have ideological differences to contend with as well?
I don’t necessarily want/need the Lover to end up choosing his Conspirator-boyfriend. Maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he chooses his friend in the end. (And if he does, what’s the fallout? Can he still protect his Conspirator-boyfriend afterward? Can their relationship survive a “betrayal” like that?)
I love a contrast in personality in my ships too! In my head, the Conspirator character is more cynical/practical, maybe a little roguish/a badboy, or more snarky. Maybe a little lower in class/economic status? And the Lover character is a bit more emotional/idealistic/guileless. Or hey, maybe it's the complete opposite and the conspiracy isn't just a coup but a brewing revolution and the Conspirator-boyfriend is a bright-eyed revolutionary all for new and brave democratic ideas and his Lover is more jaded and thinks he's barking up the wrong tree and they're better off with a good man like his friend-the-Ruler leading the country.
Idealistic Newly-Crowned Young Ruler/His More Practical Male Adviser and Childhood Friend
I love protector/protectee type dynamics but with a twist where the “protector” character who is smarter/more competent/more practical/more emotionally stable/stronger personality/etc is the socioeconomically less privileged character with less social power in the relationship, or even a direct, formalized rank difference. So here, we have the kind of naïve/flighty/idealistic Ruler and his more cynical/practical adviser who kind of keeps an eye on him and tries his best to steer the Ruler away from unintentional disasters, even though socially that dynamic is reversed.
Maybe they’re in a secret relationship? Is it because the society is homophobic? Or maybe it’s because the Ruler has to marry/is married to a woman so he can father an heir? Or maybe the problem has nothing to do with gender/sexuality but because people of different social ranks aren’t supposed to be romantically involved? MUTUAL PINING.
How do the power dynamics work in this relationships? What power inequalities transfer into the bedroom (metaphorically, it doesn’t have to be during/about sex specifically) and which ones don’t? How do you balance your professional responsibilities with your personal feelings in this sort of relationship? Do other people try to use the Friend character for their own political ambitions in some way and what comes out of that? (Like, what if his family begins to support a rival faction in the government that is looking to stage a coup?) What is growing up together like? How long has the Friend character been an adviser to the Ruler? Do other members of the court think it's not fair that the Friend gets to hold such a high position just because these two were childhood friends?
How good is the Ruler at politics? What is his ruling style like? Is he trying some new brave reforms and are they a good idea? (Maybe, hopefully?) Is the Ruler trying desperately to live up to a legacy? Or maybe (even better!) he's trying to turn things around for the better (maybe in a radical, "those damn liberals!" way that really ruffles the feathers of the old guard). Just like...this enthusiastic Ruler trying his best and his friend/adviser facepalming on a daily basis at one thing or another but finding him endlessly endearing and knowing that the Ruler means well and his ideas about politics/the world aren't BAD just maybe...not done like that or not quite at this exact moment, and frantically trying to find a balance therein and do damage control.
And what if it all crashes around them in the end anyway? Either in a small, isolated-incident way, or in a life-changing/threatening way. What do they do? Is that when they finally admit they love each other? Who sacrifices what? (Doomsday love confessions and dramatic self-sacrifices are WIN.) Character death is acceptable if you feel that that's what's really going to give the story its punch.
I love worldbuilding, especially for fantasy settings. Rituals, balls, customs and social rules, formal/professional relationships that in times of stress or just overtime break down and become warmer and more personal… When in doubt, hurt/comfort is your friend and handy default!