Kingdom of Men

Kingdom of Men (originally named Troubles of Men) is a historic-drama workpiece by British wattpad writer 'mylonelydreamhouse'. It is the first story set in the 19th century in the Better Days Ahead Universe.

The story stars 16-year-old scholarship nurse Aisla Hastings and 82-year-old ex-princess Priscilla Forbes on December 24th 1898 in Paris, France at the Hôpital Lariboisière. Priscilla is close to her death and her "commoner" husband and children are delayed on their travels from Orléans, France. As a result, Aisla Hastings and mute nurse Alice Chastain are entrusted to care for and keep her company. As the city of Paris is about to ring in Christmas Day, Nurse Chastain leaves to celebrate with her family and friends; leaving Hastings and Priscilla to themselves. Together, all alone, Priscilla asks Aisla to read her diary entries from the 1830s to reflect her "most greatest and dangerous spell of life". Taking turns, Priscilla and/or Aisla reads the story, with Aisla becoming one of the last living people to know of Priscilla's real identity.

Cast/List of Main Characters

 * Princess Priscilla Forbes - formerly Princess Priscilla Eirlburg of New Centagardones.
 * Aisla Hastings - 16-year-old practitioner nurse who won a scholarship to Paris.
 * Sadie Visser - Aisla's Dutch roommate. A tailor and burlesque dancer, Sadie has recently gotten engaged to a boxer.
 * Dolly Harden - Aisla and Sadie's Irish roommate who has a spark interest in piano and ballet.
 * Alice Chastain - Aisla's mute coworker who knows one too many secrets.
 * Tiana Forbes - Priscilla's granddaughter and avid runaway feminist painter.

BTS

 * Napoleon Bonaparte II will appear as a love interest for Priscilla in 1832. This real Napoleon did die in 1832 in Austria, but the tale implores that he died during The Electi Purge but his body was transferred to Austria and Austria "lied about his death" to avoid a similar uprising. THIS NEVER HAPPENED IRL.
 * Priscilla Eirlburg is based on Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna and the rumors that she survived the Russian Imperial Purge. Her story is also influenced by the Greek Revolution of 1946 and how the royal family were banned from entering the country until the 2010s - though Priscilla does inform that she would "never cross another footprint in that ruined soil".
 * Priscilla Eirlburg and her diary readings are based on the stories of Benjamin Button and the events of The Notebook; however despite this, the story is not about a romance or the meaning of life, but instead aims more toward survival and women independence.
 * Aisla is the paternal grandmother ancestor of Madeline Vlahos from Scintilla Love, confirming Aisla eventually married a man of Greek lineage (Vlahos) and either she or her children eventually emigrated to the United States. Besides this, Indigo Schroder from Scintilla Love also connects Better Days Ahead to the three. This confirms Scintilla Love to be the possible center of all stories.
 * Esmaska's original name was Evroma/Evromen with the 'Ev' representing Evan. This later changed to represent Spain's name "España"; meaning the English version of Esmaska would be Smaskland or Smasiska.
 * Esmaska's independence date is set at 1122, meaning they mostly likely took part in the Reconquista and either was granted independence from the Moors (Almoravids), León-Castile Kingdom or the Aragon Kingdom. However, in 1139, Portugal also gained independence from the León-Castiles; making this the more likely option. If so, Esmaska would sit north-west of the Iberian peninsula with a modern border of Spain, Portugal and France.
 * Aisla Hasting's lineage is NOT English but instead Scottish & German.
 * Aisla Hasting's name is inspired by a past planned character for Better Days Ahead; Aisla Towen. However, this idea was scrapped and Buddy Towen replaced her character.
 * Chief Tezrik Moulan and Princess Priscilla's love interest is based on the Tarzan & Jane love trope.
 * Including this, Tezrik's surname "Moulan" is a callout to Mulan; making Tezrik a complete Disney interpretation.
 * The Riojanos/Riojaskans are represented as a native and mountainous tribe at war with Esmaska; in reality, La Rioja is not a mountainous region and its people are mostly Spanish.