The Crown of Illusion: The War of the Roses

--Synopsis-- Over-the-top inspirational version: His elder brother is dead, his mother has passed away, his father has been exiled, his grandfather is gravely ill, and his right to inherit has been stripped away. At twelve, Hal takes on the burden of his family and walks alone into the lavish court of Richard II, becoming the prince's playmate. He sees the silks and finery, the extravagant excess, the fickleness of fortune, and the scheming all around him. He never imagines that one day he will wear the crown of England, bring long-awaited peace to the land, and fulfill the ambition shared by four generations of Plantagenet kings: conquering France. Shameless fantasy version: This is the story of our King Hal growing from an adorable little boy into a dominant top, while winning over the handsome men of the English court. There are plenty of handsome men at the French court, too. XDDD Shakespeare's original version: Let us talk of graves, Let us use the soil as paper, And write our sorrows on the earth's breast with our rain-soaked eyes. Let us sit upon the ground And tell sad tales of the deaths of kings. Some were deposed, Some were haunted by the ghosts of those they had deposed, Some fell upon the battlefield. None met a good end, For within the hollow crown encircling the head of a mortal king Death holds court. PS: 1. This story is set in England at the end of the fourteenth and beginning of the fifteenth centuries, as the Plantagenet dynasty declined and the House of Lancaster rose. The actual Wars of the Roses took place decades later. I chose the name because it sounds better. XDDD Shakespeare wrote three linked history plays about this period: Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V. In the summer of 2012, the BBC aired a four-part miniseries adapted from them, The Hollow Crown, as an Olympic tribute. It attracted a lot of attention because Tom Hiddleston played Henry V. 2. This is not a transmigration story. Based on real history, a few unlucky kids are bound to meet tragic ends. But since I chose the one who lived the longest as the protagonist, at least it will have a happy ending. Also, since this is a court drama, the pairings and who tops or bottoms may get pretty confusing, so just go with it. 3. I haven't studied British history or Shakespeare much, so please forgive any mistakes. If you're interested, I do recommend reading Shakespeare. Real history seems even more eventful, but absolutely do not scrutinize the details of everyday life in the Middle Ages.