The British royal family favored sapphires above all else; almost every queen's wedding ring was set with one.
But blue came in many shades: azure, deep blue, cornflower blue. The shade reserved for the British royal family was called royal blue, and a high-quality royal blue sapphire was difficult to find on the market.
Besides producing black tea, Sri Lanka also produced sapphires. Many of the sapphires from that region were the royal blue so beloved by the British royal family.
To Britain, India was like the sapphire on a crown and scepter, while North America was like a dust-covered boot that one wished to remove upon entering a clean room. William Pitt the Younger's claim that Trinidad offered greater economic benefits than Malta failed to interest the members of the House of Lords.
Napoleoni, meanwhile, was a vulgar corporal. He knew neither Latin nor Greek, and he learned other languages haltingly. He could manage a few simple sentences in English, but could hardly be called fluent. Still, he could read British newspapers, and he did so every morning while washing and dressing.
He enjoyed playing a game of "tag" on the lawn. The people running with him were poets, artists, and writers, and they never stopped until they were drenched in sweat.
His expressions were lively, his body healthy; he was a typical Leo. But the people surrounding him were not as guileless as those around Harry, for they were no longer children.
The outstanding students at school were often good at both sports and studies. Cedric Diggory was like that: Quidditch captain, Seeker, excellent student, and handsome besides. He was the student she was most satisfied with.
"Do you want to go play too?" Georgiana asked, holding her "new lover's" hand.
Three-year-old Delmir ignored her. He seemed to