#Mary deserves better than Edmund

[bethanydelleman]

So the Mansfield Park relationship between Mary and Edmund is Ted and Robin from How I Met Your Mother.

Robin has very clearly stated she doesn't want children, Ted absolutely wants kids. For some reason they date anyway, for a super long time! And it just made me angry. You guys are in your thirties, get your act together! Love cannot cover unreconcilable differences!

So dear Edmund, just propose or give up! You keep wishing Mary will change, but she won't! Being a pastor is fundamental to Edmund; not wanting to be stuck in the country is fundamental to Mary. You can't fix that. Love cannot cover everything.

Mary does decide to accept Edmund if he proposes, but will she really like the life she would have chosen? In a big way, these two were saved by fate.

I will pity Edmund a little more because he's much younger and he's never been in love before. I have no patience for Ted. (and yes, the ending was stupid and makes the mother seem like a baby maker that Ted had to get through to make it to Robin)

[fizzingwizard]

Now I've finished reading Mansfield Park, which I expected to slog through, but instead it held my interest nearly the entire time. The one exception was the long exchange of letters after Fanny goes to Portsmouth. Then I was taking longer to get through each chapter, and the ending, of course, is as Austenian as I could expect.

Mansfield Park doesn't have the charm or wit of other Austen novels. I had put it off because I read that "no one is likable," and I don't usually have a taste for stories where everyone is just bad and miserable. But having read it, I don't think those critics were justified. Mansfield Park isn't about an unlikable group of characters. It's just that they are very flawed. And a lot of real life is hard to like, but you don't have many friends if you will only approve of paragons of virtue.

Is Fanny meant to be the paragon of virtue? was the question running through my mind. Most Austen heroines are not as perfect as they're accused of being - the only one who really fits that description, in my opinion, is Anne Elliot. (And I could go on about why that doesn't bother me at all and that the world of literature deserves an Anne Elliot or two, but back to Fanny.) Fanny confused me for the longest time. I couldn't tell if she was virtuous and pure, or naive and pathetic. I think for most of the novel she's something of both, and what really kept me gripped was feeling desperate to know whether she'd turn out as awful as the rest. It's an Austen novel, I figured there was no way she wouldn't turn out okay, but honestly I was in suspense sometimes lol, as much suspense as you can be when instead of the threat of an ax murderer hiding under the stairs, the threat is winding up rich and bitter.

My final opinion of Fanny is that I like her in a similar way that I like Anne Elliot. There are a couple lines, about the importance of "knowing your mind," and "being guided by what's in your own self," that made me see more strength in Fanny. She is essentially friendless. And she's much younger than Anne, and she's so criticized and taken advantage of, and so without warmth. So many times I thought "if only she had a backbone," and my fear was that Austen would validate her timidity and loneliness as the virtue of "female abnegation" :P But although there are the usual Austen morals, she doesn't do that - instead she gives us Susan, who does have pluck and backbone, and makes Fanny admire her for it and wish she'd had some too when she was first sent to Mansfield. And contrasting Mary Crawford with Fanny is what made me like Mary, and worry that Fanny might be the first Austen heroine to really be disappointed in love. If Fanny had some of Mary's liveliness and confidence, maybe Edmund would have noticed her. And if Mary had Fanny's good judgment, maybe she would have had Edmund in the end. I think the contrasting traits in Fanny and Mary Crawford are some of my favorites in Austen novels, because they're so real and developed that I couldn't tell for a while who was going to come out ahead.

Fanny is everything "good" in an Austen heroine, but her flaws are still real. And Mansfield Park doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to how easily she could have wound up a villain instead of a heroine. If Edmund had married Mary, Fanny would probably have married Henry and been miserable, because despite all the blabber about "she would have fixed him," I think he would have gone right on cheating and breaking her heart. Austen had more faith in Henry Crawford than I do, lol.

As for the rest of the cast, apart from Mrs Norris, I don't think anyone is hateful. But they don't have warmth, they don't have real affection. That is palpable in the novel and reminded me over and over how much I wished Fanny had a friend. When William appeared, I braced myself for his betrayal - but although he's not around much, he ended up being her true friend. I could almost wish he wasn't her brother because he treated her much better than Edmund did. William knew how to show love. If he had been brought to Mansfield Park when Fanny was, maybe Fanny would not have fallen in love with Edmund, because she would have already had a best friend who could definitely never become a romantic option.

But although the lack of warmth is so terrible, that's what I mean when I say the novel is real. I think the lack of concern for their so-called loved ones the characters show, as well as the biases and prejudices that are inconvenient for them to shed, are exactly how many families really are. Taking each other for granted, seeing each other how you wish to, and being mostly concerned about whether or not someone is useful to you personally. It sounds cynical, and there are many loving, caring families who are nowhere near as selfish as the Bertrams or the Crawfords or even the Prices. But there are many which are. And I like the way the novel made it felt. Rather than make the abuse obvious through violence and threats, the coldness is covered up by decorum, which makes it even more insidious and long-lasting. I was really sad, just deeply sad for Fanny in many places, every time I wished she had someone who would listen to her and side with her the way everyone else expected her to do for them. I'm nowhere near as virtuous as Fanny, but I know how much it sucks to bite your tongue over and over, and when you finally tell the truth, to be told that you don't know your own feelings, or you're just too ignorant to understand what you should feel, or that your judgments are wrong because it's currently convenient to the other person that they should be wrong. Sometimes I was identifying so much with Fanny that I had to stop reading. It's not gaslighting - that term is too strong. But it is inconsiderate. I was lucky because I always had a listener in my mom. She may not always understand me, but she listens and respects me. I never have to worry that what I say may set her off the way I did with my dad and brother. Lately my dad's been much better with me, which I truly appreciate - but I also can't forget him telling me that I shouldn't be insulted that he thinks opinions like mine are "stupid, because "I know you're smart enough to one day agree with me!"

Which, weirdly, brings me to Edmund... I was on the fence about him the whole time. At first he seemed like he WAS Fanny's friend, the kind older brother figure who cared about her happiness. After a while I started to suspect that he was more about the appearance of charity than about really being kind. I suspected him of betraying me and becoming exactly the kind of clergyman Mary denigrated. But other times he would do or say something that made me change my mind, and decide that he's not fake, he's just flawed. Being flawed is much better than being fake. My number one issue with him was when Fanny turned down Henry's proposal, and Edmund, despite saying he wouldn't try to sway Fanny's feelings, winds up doing just that - because it's convenient for him to think of the Crawfords as good people, because the theater debacle was embarrassing to think back on, and because he admires Fanny's judgment, so if she judges Henry Crawford good enough to marry, he'd no longer need to have scruples about marrying Mary. It was the most selfish he ever was with regard to Fanny. It really made me feel he could never love her, and even opened me up to the idea that Henry might, actually, be Fanny's endgame match, lol. Because Henry seemed to notice all the things no one else did about how lonely and uncared for Fanny was, and even to encourage her to find her voice. It was literally Fanny pointed out that how could she trust a man who had taken advantage of the feelings of not one but two of her cousins before immediately redirecting his flirting on her to make me realize "no way, it's definitely going to be Edmund, lol."

Henry's better than Wickham, but not by a lot. Edmund, however, is a far cry from Mr Darcy. I wish very much that Mansfield Park ended in some way to make me like Edmund better, because right now the best I can say about him is that he's not as silly as his siblings, and he is at least capable of real love. It's hard to hear the wedding bells because as far as I can see, the Edmund Fanny loves is his childhood self, and the grown up version hasn't really done much to deserve her. He's more commendable for not doing things to not deserve her, lol. Their relationship is probably the least romantic of any in Austen's novels, imo. Fanny really loved him, and there was a lot of romantic pain in watching him fall for someone else. But by the time he finally sees Fanny, the novel is over... xD This is not a criticism though... I was really intrigued to find out how each character would turn out in the end. And the only thing I'll say which is sort of disappointing is that everything turned out how I predicted it in the beginning, aka like an Austen novel. But even though the Crawfords and Edmund didn't develop more as characters, I still appreciate how much complexity they add. Like, they made me guess about an Austen novel, haha. And in retrospect I shouldn't have, because I knew the finale from the curtain rise. But still. They made me guess. They almost, almost made me believe Mary would be rehabilitated and Fanny would give in to poor judgment. Hehe.

If anything, I appreciate this novel for food for thought, ie imagining all the different stories it could have been. I like that one way of life, the rich, performative lifestyles of Mansfield Park, is shown warts and all - and then we're taken down to Portsmouth only to find it's warty in similar ways, just with less polish. It makes you a little more sympathetic to mercenary marriage vows. Like, if I'm going to be miserable, I might as well be miserable in comfort, haha. But of course the novel doesn't posit that either. If Fanny had gone to Portsmouth and found her family humble but full of love and wisdom, there'd be a completely different outcome. Or if she went to Portsmouth, realized how much better things were at Mansfield, went back and informed readers that she had been overly sensitive thus far and actually everyone in Mansfield was so kind, and Mrs Norris just misunderstood - then again we'd have a totally different outcome. We get neither. It's just the world the way it is. Being poor comes with challenges and being rich comes with advantages. But happiness isn't a guarantee either way.

Well, I liked Mansfield Park much more than I was expecting to. I'm really shocked by how invested I got when at first I really thought Fanny might be the Austen heroine to finally make me say "enough is enough!" But Austen is too good, I can't hate her characters at all. She's able to give so much depth, or at least familiarity, to every one of them that they're just too human for something as base as hate. I even gave up wishing Fanny would find her voice and just wished she'd find a friend. And in the end, I'd say that IS what she got, even more than a husband - the friendship of her brother and sister and even Sir Thomas, as well as the loss of the anti-friend Mrs Norris. If any Austen heroine ever suffered so much for being alone, it's Fanny Price. That to me is the real source of her final happiness. And since Austen nearly always gives her heroines a sister or a best friend or some trusted confidante, the lack of one in Mansfield Park has to be intentional, and so I don't think Austen would disagree with me.

[amarguerite]

☕ why Mary Crawford appeals to you as a character!

fascinating question!

I think it boils down to a couple of things:

-she, more than any character but Lady Susan in Austen canon, has the most visceral knowledge of women's precarity in Regency society and the schemes and stratagems high society ladies have developed to keep hold of what little power they have. I like that she isn't entirely comfortable with that knowledge, and that she isn't happy when she's going after what she's told to want in the manner she's been told to use to get it (i.e. she sees Tom Bertram and is immediately like, "lol nope.")

-there is such fascinating potential for real, significant, transformative change for both Crawford siblings and then... they don't. They stay pretty much the same! It's fascinating!! I think in the novel itself, and for the points Austen wants to make about society and privilege and how it so insulates you from the consequences of your actions you can just keep doing the same shitty things over and over, it makes sense that Henry just goes about raking his way through Regency England and Mary ends up saying awful stuff before not marrying Edmund. But!! Mary doesn't get married after that!! With just a little push, she could learn something very key about herself and her society and her place in it.

-I usually read her character as queer in some way, and she's got such great interiority, such wit, and such interesting backstory, it makes her fab for the kind of slowburn femmeslash I like to write best

-real easy way to get in a dirty joke. Have Mary Crawford say it. That rears and vices jokes is one of my favorites tbh because it's so unexpected and people TO THIS DAY are debating over whether or not Mary was referring outright to anal sex.

-I dislike Edmund most out of all Austen heroes and I'm always kind of thinking, "god, Fanny and Mary deserve better," so if there's a chance to do it, I take it.

-I like the dynamic of pitting her against Elizabeth Bennet. Both witty and pretty but with vastly different support systems and early childhoods and moral systems. There's just enough overlap to be psychologically pretty fascinating.

[byneddiedingo]

Fay Wray and Glenda Farrell in Mystery of the Wax Museum (Michael Curtiz, 1933)

Cast: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Allen Vincent, Gavin Gordon, Edwin Maxwell, Holmes Herbert, Claude King, Arthur Edmund Carewe, Thomas E. Jackson, DeWitt Jennings, Matthew Betz, Monica Bannister. Screenplay: Don Mullaly, Carl Ericson, Charles Belden. Cinematography: Ray Rennahan. Art direction: Anton Grot. Film editing: George Amy. 

The ever-imperiled Fay Wray gets higher billing, but the real star of Mystery of the Wax Museum is Glenda Farrell, playing an intrepid (what else?), tough-talking (ditto) newspaper reporter, Florence Dempsey. Flo's boss, Jim (Frank McHugh), gives her her walking papers, so she sets out to find a sensational story to save her job. She uncovers the sinister plot of Ivan Igor (Lionel Atwill), who is opening a new wax museum in New York. Igor had a similar museum in London, but it was losing money, so his partner in the business, Joe Worth (Edwin Maxwell), burned it down to collect the insurance. Igor was trapped in the conflagration but survived. Handicapped by his wounds, he trains new sculptors to re-create the glories of the old museum. One of the trainees is Ralph Burton (Allen Vincent), whose fiancée, Charlotte Duncan (Wray), turns out to be the spitting image of Igor's most prized sculpture in the old museum, an effigy of Marie Antoinette. Naturally, Igor plans to "sculpt" Charlotte into a new Marie: His method of capturing images is, let's say, not the traditional one. By a bit of breaking and entering, Flo manages to discover the macabre truth behind the wax museum's images. The plot gimmick -- a reporter uncovers a madman's schemes -- is exactly that of Doctor X (1932), Michael Curtiz's other venture into horror movie territory filmed in two-strip Technicolor, which also starred Atwill and Wray. Mystery of the Wax Museum is the better movie, with Farrell giving a better performance as the snoopy reporter than Lee Tracy in the earlier movie. It also has a neater plot, and a real creep factor in the spooky statues -- most of which are actors standing very still. Makeup artists Ray Romero and Perc Westmore and costume designer Orry-Kelly deserve special mention.

[cosmic-raven]

I don't personally class any of that as negging because it's not intended to make the person like them or want their approval, rather they are stating the feelings they have had to overcome to like the person (and generally those feelings are shown to be unjust before they get together - Mary Crawford is the exception because she shows herself to be more in line with Edmund's first impressions and rather than overcoming unjust feelings he was convincing himself she was someone she wasn't).

Edit: Frank Churchill is just an ass and Jane deserves better.

why do all Austenian romances involve so much negging

[fictionadventurer]

So far, this Mansfield Park reread has me feeling kinder towards the characters than I usually do. Edmund is wrong a lot, but in a kind of Jane-Bennet-ish wanting-to-believe-the-best-in-everyone way. Mrs. Norris is still horrid to Fanny, but rather than the dragon I'd built her up as in my mind, she's mostly just a cheapskate busybody with moments of cruelty.

But Mary Crawford. I will fight that girl on Fanny's behalf. It's not just jealousy over Edmund that makes Fanny dislike her. She's horrid, and her presence there just provides more opportunities to highlight how Fanny has been mistreated by everyone.

Fanny disapproving of how Mary talks about the admiral's behavior may make it seem like she's just being a stick-in-the-mud Good Regency Girl being judgey of the Lizzie-Bennetish Interesting Modern Girl, but Mary's behavior there is a symptom of her wider problem of only caring about herself and her own amusement. No one is deserving of respect. If she can make a good joke about it, it's fair game, no matter whose feelings would be hurt.

When she brings back Fanny's horse after leaving her all morning without it, she doesn't even apologize. She's just like, "I knew it was wrong but you'll have to forgive me because selfishness is incurable." She sees the fault! But she won't even try to correct it! She doesn't even have Mrs. Norris' excuse of prioritizing a different virtue like economy--it's just pure "I matter more than you."

Fanny is suffering from chronic illness. She can't help it that she's not strong. But she always has to sit on the sidelines because of that and Mary's presence just makes it worse.

Maria and Julia have no time for Fanny. But just because Mary's got good health and a lot of energy, they spend tons of time riding with her. Fanny even has to endure the groom who rides with her going on and on about how good of a horsewoman Mary is and how much better she is at it than Fanny was--as if Fanny's somehow inferior. I was ready to tear the book apart in rage on Fanny's behalf.

At Sotherton, Fanny's having a very earnest discussion of how she likes the idea of a household having daily prayers in the chapel, and Mary just mercilessly tears into it, making jokes about every piece of it and not having any consideration for Fanny's feelings, to the point that Fanny--Fanny!--gets angry.

Mary learning that Edmund is going to be a clergyman immediately after this makes for a very satisfying moment, but rather than adjusting her views even a little bit or having even a little respect for Edmund's choices, she immediately launches into, "You should go into an actual good job."

When Fanny--who we've already discussed suffers from poor health--wants to rest a while, Mary prompts Edmund to abandon Fanny for a whole hour without any thought for how long she was waiting.

Mary's just utterly selfish and I have no idea how people can read this section of the book and think that she's a better heroine for the story.

[notyetbulletproof]

Okay I am back to being annoyed about Edwina saying she’s more kind hearted than Kate. I mean I don’t for a second think that Kate did anything she did because she’s kind hearted. I KNOW she did what she did because she took it upon herself to be the parent Edwina had lost. To be what her father could no longer be. She set her own happiness aside and found a way to ensure that both her sister and mother were provided for. NOT HER. She did not ask to be included nor did she think she would be. Yes, fine it’s fair to say she projected everything she wanted onto Edwina. Yes, Kate herself says that if she could marry to save her family she would but that is why her one stipulation to her plan is that Edwina marries for love. The title or money that she marries into will just ensure that she and Lady Mary will be cared for. Literally Kate thinks that she will be left behind and was fine with that. Her father died and it tipped her world (that was already off kilter when she lost her mother) upside down and she’s been fighting to get it right side up ever since. She stepped up and became the parent and the only person that really understands that is Anthony. That understands the impact of that is Anthony. Yes they handled it differently but their worlds were knocked of its axis at the sudden death of their parent. It is not that Anthony would never have taken on the role, it was that he had not been prepared for it. He took it on because his father died suddenly. 10 seconds ago he was a child, Violet and Edmund’s first child and then suddenly he was Anthony Bridgerton, Viscount and head of his family. Because his father died. And he couldn’t do anything to stop it or to help. He was powerless watching his Father die. The best man he ever knew just fading fast and his pregnant mother begging his father to stay with her. Then she was screaming his (Anthony’s name) telling him to protect his siblings. He was just back from school, there was more to learn, more to do and he’s spent the last 10 years wondering how different it would all be if his father was still alive. Knowing in his heart of hearts, it would be better. Praying he would be seen as enough. Over-personalising every failure.

And Kate? There was no son to step up to the mantle of leading the family, no rank, no title to carry on. There was being a woman in a time where woman were still an extension of their husband and nothing more (and she was barely 18). Even though there was always so much more to a woman. Also Kate had one more painful thing she internalised— that she had to earn her place. Lady Mary loved her, Edwina loved her as family (because she is!) but she saw it as something she had to maintain. She had to be useful to be loved. She had to look after them the way her father would because it was now her duty. It was gone when her father died and she just stepped up to take it and not once did she consider what it would mean for her, once they got to England. Once Edwina married. Once families were reconciled. She didn’t think about it because she made herself the lowest priority and like Anthony, personalised every failure. Took control of everything because she would not deviate from the sole mission of ensuring her family would survive without her. Also because she didn’t think she deserved to be in the family.

Then they met each other and they both tipped the scales for the other. Sent their worlds spinning. Made them question everything they pushed down before, the resolve they worked so hard to maintain. The held beliefs about themselves. Their stubborn nature. The things children do when they are parentified. They push away their own feelings. They feel guilty for chasing what they want. Their hyper reliance on themselves. Their inability to say what they need or what they want.

Yes, nobody expected them to be excellent at the role. Sure. But everyone expected them to take it on. To not fail. You get what I mean? Lady Mary, Lady Violet were grieving and in their grief, their children took on the mantle of making sure the world kept turning and somewhere along that way, they (Kate and Anthony) stopped asking themselves how they were and started asking themselves what can they do for the family? How can they be useful?

So be angry at Kate and Anthony for ignoring what they really wanted for fear of not being worthy of it/losing it or being subjected to grief or loss or pain. Be annoyed with them denying themselves in the interest of familial duty and how that singular focus still caused strife to those they love. Yes. But to accuse them of being cruel? No.

Misguided? Yes. Controlling? Yes. Righteous? Most definitely. But to act like they planned to do it or that they set out to hurt people is unfair and ignores what they had to do to survive.

And considering Kate had to humble herself beyond words to reach out to people that always thought less of her and probably downright hated her so that her mother and sister would not go without, it really bugs me that Edwina could not see that despite her anger. That she could not see Kate’s sacrifice.

That line and the half-sister line will irk me till kingdom come. I get why! I’m still mad. Why did they do that to Edwina’s character good lord.

So yes, I too want to see Kate and Anthony revel in love. To live for themselves and each other as much as they live for their families. To make themselves a priority too. And I understand the psychological conversation this season had with us all.

Edit:

I get that the Edwina and Kate thing is resolved by the last episode but STILL.

[kepnerandavery]

My detailed thoughts about season two of Bridgerton

Anthony is such a complex character. Probably one of the most complex out of the eight siblings. He has deep fears, desires and burdens and only two of them were explored in the show. Most of his feelings are centered around his reaction to Edmund’s death and a lot of it was ignored by the writers.

The Viscount Who Loved Me was never about Edwina falling in love with Anthony and the writers turned this season into just that. And they made her into some villain when she was the opposite in the book. It made Kate and Anthony look like cheaters when they were not. And it also took away so much time that could’ve been used to explore Kathony’s dynamic without the complication that situation caused. If they wanted to take that route, they should have wrapped it up way sooner.

Am I really supposed to believe that Anthony Bridgerton would sleep with a woman for the first time in a freaking gazebo (or whatever that was)? He may be a spiteful idiot at times, but he's a freaking gentleman. I was holding my breath, hoping that it was a dream. And how is it possible that no one came outside and looked for them? It made it seem like Anthony was overwhelmed by passion instead of love at that moment, when it was supposed to be so much more than an impulsive decision that they both made. I just can not even..

Why why why did they turn Mary into a nobody? She was so much more in the book. I expected her to similar to Violet and was so disappointed by her characterization.

Okay, I’m not Indian. But I grew up watching Indian cinema, and was baffled by most of the details of their culture they added to the show. I don't have enough knowledge about their culture to elaborate on those details, but one of the most simple ones was the song they picked from k3g. I could name so many emotional, upbeat songs that they could’ve added to that scene instead. If they wanted to include that song, they should have picked a better moment. Like the moment between Kate and Mary in the 8th episode. It felt like they picked one of the most famous movies from Indian cinema and plastered the theme song of that film onto a scene.

The pall mall scene!!! Why was it so bland? Why did they not shoot it in a bigger field? Am I the only one who didn't see the full spectrum of Kathony’s competitiveness in that scene?

They picked the cutest, fluffiest dog to play Newton and he was barely in the show. He should’ve been given way more screen time. He’s literally the mascot of our ship!!

Why is the queen of England so involved in everyone else’s business? With her husband indisposed, does she not have tremendous responsibilities? I understand her fascination with Lady Wistledown but it was bit much this season. I liked her character much more than I did last season. She seemed more vulnerable and flawed, but all I kept thinking was that she was just bored with her life.

The amount of time they wasted on tedious things is unbelievable. For example, episode 6 did not need to be centered around Edwina. It was as if she was the main female character of the season and we all missed the memo. I understand the importance of her character, but didn't Simone, as the female protagonist of the season deserve way more of the limelight? And the screen time that Kathony got was inadequate at best. Meanwhile, the entirety of season one was centered around Daphne and Simon.. How is that fair?

I wasn't a huge fan of Simon and I found myself missing him while I was watching this season because of how boring some side plots were. Most of them were usless and served no purpose.

The things I liked were Kathony’s chemistry, the costumes (especially Kate's), the exploration of Benedict’s character and the much-needed humor he brought to the show, Penelope’s storyline, Eloise’s journey, Colin’s character development, the dynamic between Anthony and Daphne, and the Bridgerton family scenes. The fact that the writers included scenes to show how Anthony and Kate both feel the pressure of taking care of their respectful families was also great. I just wish they dwelled on that more.

In terms of Kathony scenes, I specifically liked how they wrote the scenes with the bee sting and Kate's accident. Those scenes were handled with a lot of thought and were better than what they were in the book. I also loved the scene where they danced for the first time and the scene where they showed the relief in Anthony’s face after knowing that Kate was unharmed by the bee sting (it was subtle yet absolutely perfect). His reaction to being informed of her recovery after her accident was also beautiful.

To sum it up, all I can say is that I'm partially satisfied, tired and disappointed lol 😭

[sally-mun]

So OK what was the biggest "Ah-HA!" moment you had writing Season 1? You know what I mean, that moment where you felt EVERYTHING click into place EXACTLY right as you pull it together.

So the funny thing about season 1 is that, in my earliest plans, this entire arc didn't exist. When I was first working out the initial structure for BH:O I had planned to start with Edmund and Dimitri, minus the very first episode. That first episode was intended to summarize things that would need to be established in order to bring context to things during their arc, so at the time I really wasn't even thinking about any of the characters prior to the two of them at all. If anyone's name got dropped, it was probably only going to be in relation to whatever bit of backstory I needed to plant.

(THIS ENDED UP SUPER LONG SO MUCH MORE BELOW THE CUT!)

Later, when I was much closer to the point of actually beginning to write, I started kicking around how I would structure that opening backstory episode. I hadn't really planned to go into how Angel Island got into the sky because I was mostly going to leave it as the same bullet point we get in Archie, but I concluded that there were two problems with this: 1) The Archie version is stupid and I hate it, which makes me not want to include it in a story that's supposed to be the "fixed" version, and 2) I'd gotten a really cool idea. The notion of the island originally having been a plateau whose base got smashed out from under it just kind of fell into my brain one day, and the longer I thought about it, the more I started working out the mechanics of the situation (both before and after). As a bonus, this version of events also completely eliminated the canon story's need for the fucking fire ants!

When I came to grips with how much I loved my reasoning for how Angel Island got into the sky, I realized that I literally cannot do one episode of fleeting backstory. This was now about way more than just setting up elements for Edmund and Dimitri, and it was way too much story to tell in one shot. The more I thought about it, the more sense it really made to me: Edmund and Dimitri may be where the comics decided to start giving a damn about things, but they aren't the beginning. This story is called Brotherhood: Origins. If I expect to call my story that with a straight face, then I need to go into the REAL origins of things. Without Angel Island getting into the sky, there's no conflict with trying to get it back on the ground. That was when I realized that Edmund and Dimitri aren't in the first arc at all; these guys aren't getting in before season 2 AT BEST. Getting Angel Island into the air NEEDS a full season unto itself to have enough breathing room. So basically, at the point I thought I was ready to begin writing this new series, I realized that I actually WAS NOT ready and needed to go right back to outlining, because what I thought was season 1 was actually season 2, and you can't get to season 2 without season 1.

Once that happened, I subsequently realized that if I'm going to add an entire extra arc to this story, then I'd better have a cast to go with it. Honestly, that was fine with me, because that meant I got to pour a LOT of energy into a character that got the typical Female Character in Archie Sonic treatment. Given that the source material insists that Kayla is sooooo important and yet puts ZERO energy into what she actually did or who she even was, I felt a duty to do better and really give this character the effort she deserves. At some point in the process I realized that I could take advantage of this opportunity twice by writing her as an homage to Marie Curie, who somehow also got the Female Character in Archie Sonic treatment despite being a real human being. I think that's the point where I REALLY felt determined to do Kayla justice, because in my mind it's a matter of doing Curie justice as well, if by proxy.

The funny thing is, I really can't remember at what point I realized that Kayla was actually the original Guardian, but I'm VERY SURE it was actually not in the outlining stage; I wanna say it was around the point of the White Comet's discovery, because once that event happened I could feel her character change. She became SO incredibly motivated to push forward with her idea because she knew it was the only real chance to save everyone that it became more than that. Kayla became duty-bound and protective and self-sacrificing before my very eyes even as I was writing the passages. That's one of my favorite parts of writing, actually; no matter how much you plan things out, there are still going to be things that catch you off-guard, and there's no feeling in the world like realizing that your story is so much better than you originally thought! Realizing that Kayla is in fact the original Guardian was one of the biggest galaxy brain moments in the series so far for me -- hell, maybe even one of the biggest galaxy brain moments of any point in writing these stories, original BH series included!

The last really big one to hit me was toward the end of the arc, after I'd come back from my giant hiatus. In my original outline, I hadn't written that Kayla (and to some extent her family) would be shunned by society; in fact, I had her hailed as a hero! Because she is one and should be recognized as one, and I want good things to happen to good people! Especially to characters that got such a raw deal in canon! Admittedly I could have still gone that route if I really wanted to, but IMO it would've made the narrative weaker. For one thing, society turning on Kayla sets up how the Master Emerald and all things related to it somehow end up the domain of a single family. I'd always assumed it just ended up that way because of Edmund & Dimitri events that happen later, but I don't think that works as well. Kayla's reputation getting ruined necessarily cuts off the flow of new faces getting involved with her work, both in the moment and moving forward, which will ultimately save me a headache. Another reason to have Echidnaopolis turn on her is because it characterizes Echidnaopolis itself -- in particular, how people (especially in the stupor that is Group Think) can be incredibly fickle with loyalties and bite the hand that feeds them without a thought of the repercussions. I think it also really nails in the sheer arrogance of echidna society, because there's a layer there of them wanting to take credit for Kayla's work as an echidna accomplishment, yet not wanting to acknowledge literally THE ONLY echidna that could or would do the thing they're simultaneously bragging and complaining about.

There were a lot of other "AH HA!" moments throughout this first season, but those are definitely the biggest and most noteworthy ones. Without these particular realizations, we literally would not have the story we ended up with! And that would've sucked, because it'd have been an inferior story, even if we hadn't realized it.

[newtonsheffield]

I just finished reading Dog, and I absolutely cannot put into words how much I love it❤️

I've been in love w this universe since forever but you've really outdone yourself with this one Molly😘

This is going to be my go-to read everytime I'm feeling low and just want to smile because this fic shows true and simple loveeeee

I love how protective Newton is and that he's very careful and choosy about accepting people in Kate's life cause he understands her and oh my God the way his relationship with Anthony grows and they way he slowly accepts him seeing the way her affects Kate is absolutely beautiful!

And when he met Edmund for the first time, that bit had me crying ❤️😭

God I live Newton and this fic, he's the best boyyyy ever!

Having said this, can we see headcons about him meeting the other Kanthony kids or Kate's puppies as he likes to call them for the first time?

And I feel like no matter how many times I say this it won't be enough but thank you for this fic and this universe, it just makes me so so so happy ❤️

I think I've definitely outdone myself with how absolutely WILD the idea was 😂 I was laying in bed, not wanting to go to work on a Tuesday morning you know, Standard Molly, and my very traitorous mind went "Write this week's fic from Newton's POV. Do it you coward." And now, here we are. The fact that anyone would use something I've written as a comfort is... amazing to me tbh and I've not idea what I've done to deserve it, But I'm glad I did it!

Oh Newton meeting Edmund was the part that made me want to write this fic to begin with. The excitement and awe Newton feels for Kate and Anthony's litter of children is truly a beautiful thing!

Lets see when he met the other puppies shall we!

Newton had known what to watch for this time. When Katie and Anthony had come home with Edmund (who he'd missed hugely) he'd known immediately, Anthony was hovering around her again and that funny smell was back. And Newton settled in again. After all, his puppy Edmund, was his best friend, Edmund would lie on his tummy next to him and let him eat little spoonfuls of his cereal when Anthony and Katie weren't looking. So he was even more excited to meet this puppy who knows, maybe this time Katie would manage to grow more than one. And he waited patiently, he felt again, delighting in how Edmund would hold his paw against Katie's tummy while the puppy moved around and then it was time! Goosey and Edwina came to look after him and Edmund which he liked because Goosey accidentally left a scone in his bowl for him. Delightful. But then they took Edmund with them to see the puppy, and left Newton all alone. Waiting again. And then it was time! The front door opened and Edmund came toddling towards Newton calling out Newtie! Come meet our new Uncle Greg! And Newton darted forward, excited this time more than nervous, Morton already held in his mouth ready to offer it to the new puppy. Anthony sat Edmund down, next to Newton, cradling the new puppy who smelled very similar to Edmund, his dark hair already very disheveled, and Newton felt pride burn in his chest that his family was this amazing. He nodded at Anthony appreciatively before he nosed at Miles Katie was calling him, Miles tiny little fingers touching his snout. And Newton's litter mates grew by one.

This time Newton was sure he had realised before Katie had. He'd woken up one day and she'd smelled different again. Though different than he had with her first two pups. Newton's protective instincts had pushed him towards her as they had the first two times and he stayed there the entire time. He loved his two brothers, Kate's first two puppies, very very much. Edmund and Milo loved playing with him, and he liked curling up in their laps while their hands twisted in his fur and a content little sigh escaped him. But this time, he wondered if maybe Katie could have a female puppy. It would be nice to have a sister as a litter mate, he thought. This time, Mary came to look after Newton and the boys when Katie started to have the puppy. This time he barely even bothered wondering if there would be more than one. It was clear human didn't do that. Milo bounded back into the room and wrapped his arms around his neck, Newton settled against him, licking his glasses lightly. And then Katie turned towards him, her new puppy in her arms. Newton bounded forward, his front paws on her legs yipping Can I see it Katie? Katie laughed, scratching him behind the ears Oh Buddy are you excited? Come meet Charlotte. This Puppy's name was Charlotte. And when Katie bent and he saw the puppy, Newton whined This puppy was a little girl, and she looked just like Katie. So many friends now Newton thought when he dropped his head to rest lightly across Charlotte. I love them all.

Newton woke up one morning, meandering down the stairs in hopes of scrounging some of Charli's breakfast, wandering into the kitchen aimlessly, and then he stopped, a now familiar smell reaching his nose. Katie smelled different again. But that couldn't be right. Were they not too old to be having puppies?! He certainly was. He'd been slowing down for a little while but he did still enjoy running around after his pups. Charli would sing little songs to him and tie pretty ribbons in his fur and Edmund and Milo would let him play football with them which was always very fun. But really? Another Pup? At his age? Whatever was Katie playing at?! It was different when this puppy was born, Anthony came home and Katie didn't. Not for days. And Newton whined, worry stirring in his chest Where's Katie? He whined at Anthony. Anthony sighed, scratching his ears She's alright buddy. She just gave us a scare. She'll be home tomorrow. And that cheered Newton up immediately. He'd waited on the stairs this time, the puppies making lots of noise as they trundled up the front steps and Newton shifted nervously. Anthony huffed when he saw Newton Big Brother's waiting for you, Mary. looking down at the tiny pup in his arms, and oh, Newton liked this one. She was very small, the smallest of all the pups, and she looked like Katie, but their Anthony also was there. He pressed his snout to her forehead. And best of all, her name was Mary. Just like Katie's Mama. The one who had made him part of this litter. And what could be better than that?

[bethanydelleman]

What's your favorite traits of Austen love interests (who end up with the protagonists)?

It's one trait and it's one not possessed by EDMUND BERTRAM which is why he doesn't deserve my dear Fanny: listening to women and then respecting what they say.

Henry Tilney likes to talk, but he does listen. He knows Catherine is obsessed with gothic novels, so he makes up a story on the fly to entertain her. He does get a bit lecturey when he finds out she thought his father was a murderer (or Edward Rochester), but then he sees and hears how distressed she is and is kinder to her than before.

Darcy listens to Elizabeth's 1 star review of his personality and changes how he behaves, even though he doesn't think she will ever accept him.

Colonel Brandon knows that Marianne is indifferent towards him and in love with Willoughby, so while he can’t help liking her, he gives her space. He doesn't say anything against Willoughby until the engagement to Miss Grey is announced and even then he only tells the full story because he hopes it might help Marianne feel better.

Edward doesn’t get much page time, but he maintains his clandestine engagement to Lucy, despite great opposition, because he believes her when she says she loves him (she is lying, but that doesn’t take away his honour). I have faith in his ability to listen to and respect Elinor.

In the time of crises, Wentworth turns to Anne and does exactly what she says, mirroring the relationship of the Crofts where Sophia takes the reins when she knows better.

Despite usually disagreeing with her, Knightley listens to Emma when they argue (I know this seems obvious, but see Edmund Bertram for a counter-example). He also admits that she has done some good for Harriet and he respects her abilities as a housekeeper and carer for her father.

And this is why I will never be entirely reconciled to Fanny Price and Edmund Bertram. Here is Edmund demonstrating the opposite trait:

I know her disposition to be as sweet and faultless as your own, but the influence of her former companions makes her seem—gives to her conversation, to her professed opinions, sometimes a tinge of wrong. She does not think evil, but she speaks it, speaks it in playfulness; and though I know it to be playfulness, it grieves me to the soul. (No, Mary is never serious when she talks. She isn’t showing me her true opinions, she’s just joking.)

“My dear Fanny,” replied Edmund, scarcely hearing her to the end (Then Edmund ignores and belittles all of Fanny’s concerns about Henry Crawford)

“Give me your approbation, then, Fanny. I am not comfortable without it.”

“Oh, cousin!”

“If you are against me, I ought to distrust myself, and yet— (Edmund proceeds to ignore Fanny’s disapprobation because his hormones told him to)

Down with Edmund! Free Fanny! Kidnap Fanny Price and Send Her to the Morlands!

[thatscarletflycatcher]

Hi! I'd love to know what your three favorite Jane Austen ships are and which are your three least favorite?! And why, if you feel like expanding on it :)

Hi, anon! I'm having ask-answering spoons today, I'm so sorry for the delay. This is the kind of ask I look at and say "I will answer it when I can elaborate and write a good answer" and then... I don't. So here goes "answering the thing even if its not perfect". Progress!

My three favorite Austen ships...

Top of the list, Emma x Knightley. I just love the raw honesty and trust of their relationship, that sense of being loved despite one's faults, the soul warming sense of being known and accepted. Perfection.

Marianne x Brandon. Yes! Controversy begins! I know, I know, the execution of it in the novel on a explicit level is not great, but... A) It is a Surprised By JoyTM love, a love that comes for both after all hope of a second spring seemed lost to them. B) relating personally to the plot for some life experience I won't elaborate on. C) These two are so much alike on a fundamental level when it comes to basic temperament, romanticism and life experience, that they GET each other. Brandon understands Marianne's romantic and intense heart... because he was like that once. He understands her grief, because he suffered the same kind of grief before. And viceversa. It's just beautiful

Third... this should be a split between Wentworth x Anne and Catherine x Tilney... but let's go with the former because I'm 27 this year and I'm celebrating Anne and her second youth. Reasons? Actually more or less the same as for the other two. The second chance at love. A second spring for the characters. A sense of being seen and beeing known and loved and accepted.

Less liked ships...

Fanny x Edmund. This has nothing to do with shipping Henry x Fanny and all to do with my thinking the whole point of the novel is that the heroine is being failed by the people around her. She gets the prize of what she wants, but not of what would have helped her grow. Edmund "could have been" her ideal match, Henry *could have been* her ideal match, but both fall short (one far more than the other, of course) because of the failures of their respective educations. It's kind of grim and sad.

Frank x Jane. Listen, another case of "Jane deserved better" and "Frank needed a lot of healing and maturing before being thrown unleashed in the company of women". I don't think, like Andrew Davies does, that Frank is a control freak that hates women, but I do think their future would be very rocky.

A third one is very hard to pick.... Does Mr. Collins x Charlotte Lucas count? XD

In reparation for that last blunder, I'll give you my "ships that I wish were canon":

A) The fanon theory that Eleanor Tilney's mr. Laundry List could be colonel Fitzwilliam

B) Mr. Collins x Mary. No, I will not apologize.

C) Tom Bertram x Mary Crawford. I'm not apologizing here either XD

[hmsannlett]

Do the asks for Annlett & Turn we need to know!!! 😘

Here come alllll the opinions!

002 | Send me a ship and I will tell you:

When I started shipping them: I actually was Not A Fan when Turn first started nudging Anna and Hewlett together, and it took me quite a bit to get on board. I didn’t want Anna to be forced into yet another relationship, and I was certain it wouldn’t work out and would end in heartbreak for everyone involved—which I didn’t want for either of them (and, oh, how I hate being right). But the stargazing scene started chipping away at my resolve, and I was a goner by the end of S2/beginning of S3…only to then be walloped with my prediction coming true. </3

My thoughts: They're the source of my deepest joy and my deepest pain.

I’ll probably sail this ship right into my grave.

What makes me happy about them: I love how they become a refuge for each other. Both Anna and Hewlett are often alienated from the people around them and rarely have people that they can lean on for comfort, so I loved seeing that mutual support develop between them. And they each finally—briefly—get to be cherished by someone else, after each being reviled by so many people for so long.

What makes me sad about them: HEARTS AND MINDS. AKA hell in the form of a TV episode. But what really breaks my heart is that Hewlett never finds out that Anna truly cares for him and that their relationship wasn’t a sham—all because she wants to protect him one last time, ensuring that he won’t have anything to stay for and will sail back to Scotland to safety. She loves him too much to be able to tell him that she does.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: Nothing, really, except OOC behavior or anachronisms. But that's a common quibble I have.

Things I look for in fanfic: Good characterization and slow burns. And I always appreciate beautiful prose.

My wishlist: That more people would write for fics for them! Any fics! Sad fics, happy fics, 100-word fics! And that I’d get up the courage to write the Annlett Regency AU at some point.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: I quite honestly would have been happy if they had both stayed single. I think that would have worked well with the direction their individual character arcs were going in S4. Barring that, I would have liked Anna/Selah to have had more development throughout the show, instead of being hastily written-in at the end. It would have made their eventual reconciliation more believable and meaningful, IMO.

My happily ever after for them: Reconciling after the war, getting married, and sailing off to Scotland, far away from any and all meddling Woodhulls (except Mary; I have nothing against Mary).

001| Send me a fandom and I will tell you my:

Favorite character: Anna Strong, queen of my heart, and a certain Major Edmund Hewlett, lover of stars, books, Anna Strong, and Bucephalus. (That's a long way of saying I can't decide between them.)

Least Favorite character: Abe. Arnold shares this honor as well.

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon):

1. Annlett. My ship to end all ships. Tell me there's a ship that has better scenes than they do. Tell me.

2. Mary/Caleb. When I first started poking around the fandom, I found another Annlett blogger who had shipped them hard back in the day, and their enthusiasm for it rubbed off on me. But I’m equally happy seeing them as just platonic. I love their dynamic regardless of how it plays out. <3

3. Mary/Baker. I do not see the ending of 1.10. It does not exist. Obviously, Mary divorces Abe and runs off with Baker, who adores her like Abe always should have. (This section should probably more appropriately be titled "Mary/anyone who isn’t Abe.")

4. Abigail/Akinbode. They. Deserved. Better. What do we have to do for AMC to release the scenes of Abigail reuniting with Akinbode and Cicero in Canada??

5. Hmm…Hewlett/the stars? Hewlett/Bucephalus? I don’t think I have five ships (even having this many in one fandom is rare for me), but I will give a shout out to Andre and Peggy, who deserved much better as well. </3

Character I find most attractive: Our beloved Oyster Major. Look, I know there’s a lot of opinions about his wigs, but he looks fine in his uniform and I will die on this hill. Burn Gorman is a beautiful man, no matter what ridiculous things he says about his face.

Character I would marry: Edmund. Spending evenings stargazing? Yes, please.

Character I would be best friends with: Anna or Abigail <3

A random thought: I feel like Caleb probably gives the best hugs.

An unpopular opinion: …I don’t like the series finale. It seems to be a rare opinion.

My Canon OTP: ANNLETT. I will go down with this ship.

My Non-canon OTP: Mary/Baker or Mary/Caleb.

Most Badass Character: Mary freakin’ Woodhull. I don't think I'll ever be the same after watching her burn down her house.

Most Epic Villain: Can you really answer with anything other than Simcoe?

Pairing I am not a fan of: Anna/Abe. My girl deserves better.

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): I feel all of the women got the short end of the stick, and I think they got some of the worst endings—Abigail especially, and obviously Peggy, but also Mary not knowing about Abe’s “I always loved Anna Strong” and Anna looking so sad in the series finale. It's a big part of why the series finale is disappointing for me. :/ I also feel Anna was written unevenly in the interest of keeping the "will they/won't they" with Abe going, even after she'd made it clear she was done with him.

Favourite Friendship: I adore Caleb's friendships with Anna and Mary. He’s so gentle and kind to them, often when no one else is, and it makes me so happy to see that someone (finally) gives them the support and respect they deserve.

Character I most identify with: Hmm...probably Mary.

Character I wish I could be: That said, I wish I could be as tough as nails as Mary is. I also admire Anna's unwavering commitment to what she believes in and to her friends, even if it costs her greatly.

Thanks for the ask and for encouraging my Annlett rambling @wellisntthatlovely!! 😘

[mysticwrit]

okay i’ve had some time to ruminate with my thoughts

things i liked:

kate and mary’s conversation towards the end. it was beautiful

every tense moment with kate and anthony

also their constant eye fucking

benedict!!  i can’t state enough how much more i like them in the show than the books

that we got more hyacinth and gregory

jonathan’s acting was fucking PHENOMENAL in this season.  i mean it was good last season but shit.  the scene where violet tells him that kate woke up and he just crumbles??  amazing

the alliance with penelope and madame delacroix was lovely, i enjoyed it

philip and his stupid plants lmfao i love it

that we got more of lady danbury than was in the book. and also her friendship with violet.  their laughing fit was beautiful

anthony and kate laughing together after falling in the mud

edmund’s death and all the flashbacks were so beautiful but also so gut-wrenching, it was so well done

the bee sting scene was MUCH better without anthony awkwardly putting his mouth on kate’s chest, so thank you for removing that cringe

newton

the queen practically setting up edwina with the prince like YES PLEASE, it’s what she deserves

i liked the dramatic fall from the horse in the pouring rain better than the carriage accident tbh

eloise and benedict bonding

things i did not like:

the way the kate and anthony story was handled.  i went in knowing that it was going to be different from the books, but i didn’t like the way the two sisters were in essence pitted against each other.  their fight... woof.  i can also hazard a guess that the fandom is raking edwina over the coals for the changes

also i get that it’s meant to be a slow burn, but there’s slow burn and then there’s whatever the fuck the show did. it was stretched out waaaay too long for the sake of added drama, to the point where it just got tiresome imo.  like it should never have gotten to the point of the wedding day

and because it DID get that far, i hated the way it made kate and anthony out to be the bad guys for falling in love.  like it made it seem like they were supposed to be ashamed for being in love.  idfk it just rubs me the wrong way

the fact that daphne is suddenly the all-observant sibling despite the fact that colin is always the one to clock his siblings’ romantic strife in the books. which leads me to...

SHOW COLIN.  i hate him.  he’s honestly like a completely different character than the colin in the books.  i find him generally annoying on the show.  he’s meant to be charming and witty and have a sense of humor but he’s just so blah.  they get some things right but for every thing they get right with him, they get at least three wrong.

like the whole ‘i would never court penelope’ thing?  he would never disparage her to people of the ton.  his brothers, whilst in a fit of emotional turmoil?  sure.  but to mock her, the woman who, as he proclaims himself, is so important to him, with people who mock her anyways?  no

also i was sick to death of the colin/marina thing in s1 and s2 was no different. the whole storyline annoys me, and the fact that they made such a point of having colin say something about lady whistledown’s interference in that whole affair means that it’s going to be a huge issue when their season rolls around and i’m just not here for it

where.  the.  fuck.  is.  francesca.

basically everything with the featheringtons, i just couldn’t be bothered to care.  although portia is such an enjoyable character

also the fact that they just completely cut out felicity as a character

[kathrynhoward]

so i finished season 2 of bridgerton and had Thoughts

god are kate & edwina beautiful. 

but the changes made to their personalities/relationship from the books is Not It

i loved edwina being a nerd in the book

they girlbossified kate :( where’s my girl who had a full on panic attack during thunderstorms “oh they unsettle me” no girl they’re supposed to bring back memories of ur mom dying

like kate’s memories of her mom dying vs anthony’s guilt over not being present when his dad died??? 

instead anthony gets to watch edmund die in violet’s arms.... yeah give him more trauma

like the whole idea of “i can’t be older than my dad was so i’m going to die young” is such an important part of anthony but they didn’t touch on it. like his great fear is his own mortality

the anthony/edwina going as far as a wedding... wtf no

they really heard “ove triangle w a viscount and two sisters” and took it way further than it ever went

kate and anthony’s whole thing was “everyone knows we’re in love except us” which is such a great trope

instead we get violet, mary, and edwina being full on shocked

the queen shouldn’t be a main character it just takes away from the story

also have the whole featherington plot was annoying

im just sad we only got like two scenes of married kanthony and no wedding

my fave scene was probs the races or even the last pall mall scene after they’re married

newton my beloved, you were not present enough

benedict’s whole art school thing... like i love that plot for my boy, but i’m really curious how it’s going to all pan out esp bc sophie seeing his art was him being vulnerable and the rest of the family were like “benedict does art???”

i’ve been reading penelope & colins book for forever and haven’t finished it yet bc i just dont like them so i can’t talk abour the rest of the series and how this season might affect it

the whole plot w the sheffields being mary’s parents and the stipulations about supporting mary & edwina’s dowry was just stupid like.... 

also kate keeping said stipulations from her sister

anyway kate & edwina’s relationship deserved better

edwina deserved better, she’s a real victim here

i loved kate in the book so much, but by taking away her motivations & her own trauma concerning parental death??

no sucking bee venom outta da titty :(((

like if i  hadn’t gone in w knowledge of book kate clouding my judgement, edwina would have been my favourite character. girl is so sweet and kind and in the show she loved anthony and thought he loved her. actually edwina might be my fave this season. 

[carmichealroyals]

WINTERVEN PALACE, WILLIAM’S BEDROOM, 7:34AM (Listen)

------------------------------------------------------------

They had put him on heavy sedatives for the plane journey from Krasnoyarsk’s southern border to his home -- the doctors had warned him that the journey would be long, and it would be better for him to rest as much as possible so that his body would heal as much as it was able to faster. He’d agreed because he had been left with no other choice -- he’d heard the reports of aircrafts carrying royalty being shot down as of late and had protested against air travel, but once it had been confirmed that it was the only way, William had been left with no choice. 

His sleep had been dreamless, save for faint flashes of the memories he tried so hard to push down. The battlefield, littered with dirt and debris and the occasional body, catching a glimpse of Ted, who was as close to him as any brother now, who was about to step into a wire he didn’t see, running to tackle him and save him, make sure Mary had a brother to welcome home, and the ringing in his ears of the explosion followed by pain, burning pain in his legs--

He wakes then, eyes blinking open to look at the all-too familiar ceiling of his chambers in the Winterven Palace. Not his townhouse in the university quarter. Home. It brings a strange sort of comfort, to sleep in this bed that has molded to the shape of his body and has not forgotten him. Focusing on those details are a way to slow his heart. Regain focus. 

That is, until, he looks down at the odd weight against his left hand, and sees that its Maria, asleep, using his hand as a pillow. How long had she been there? Judging from the sunlight coming in, it was early morning, so he must have gotten in last night... and she had stayed by his side to make sure he was all right. He thinks it best not to pull his hand away right away, but he does clear his throat. It is dry from disuse, a little rough around the edges. “Maria...”

It takes another try or two to get her to wake, but when she does seem to finally stir for good, William tries to sit up. That’s his first mistake. Pain shoots through his torso, makes it hard to breathe for a second. He seethes, trying to grit through the pain. “William? Don’t hurt yourself--”

“Bit late for that one, darling.” He chuckles as the pain subsides and finally gets a good look at her. Her hair is longer than the last time he saw her, just a little, but her gaze is still the same. Contemplative, curious, compassionate. Always making sure others were looked after over herself. “I told you I’d come back in one piece. I’m a man of my word, after all.” 

“I was so worried -- when we heard the report that you had been injured, we -- I thought--” Maria is lost for words. For months, since he was last home on leave (when even was that? Not since Winterfest at least, and even then that was just for a day before he had to go again), she had worried about his safety, especially with things getting more and more serious on all the fronts. When she had heard that he had been so hurt in defending her cousin, and that the Simovian Prince-Consort had died in the same battle, she had feared the worst. What if he wouldn’t come home again? What if those last, golden twenty-four hours were the last time she would ever get to see him? 

“What, that you were rid of me for good? Not that easily, I’m afraid. Us Carmicheals, we’re stubborn stock.” She can tell when he’s being performative, trying to play something off as not a big deal when it was, in fact, a very big deal. War hasn’t changed him at all -- at least, not in that regard. 

“I’ve noticed.” She says this with a small laugh at his smug smile, one that is more likely than not through a decent amount of pain. “How... how are you?”

William sighs. “I’ve been better. Being nearly blown up isn’t exactly how I’d seen myself getting discharged... but I’m home now. That’s what matters, yeah?” 

Without another word, Maria wraps her arms around William as tightly as she dares, not wanting to go another minute without his arms around her -- not when she had come so close to losing him. “I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again.” William hates how he hears her voice crack ever so slightly. 

“Maria...” He gently hugs her back, looping his fingers into her hair as he pulls her tighter. It hurts, of course, but then again everything does right now. Besides, this was the good kind of hurt, and remedies the aching he had felt in his chest ever since he’d left again after Winterfest and noticed the small, subtle ring on her finger. Now, the thought of that makes his heart twist in a different way. 

“You don’t have to stay, you know.” At his words, Maria freezes. She knows he doesn’t just mean staying with them, in the Winden Territories, so far from home. “When we had talked about marriage, it had been when I was... when I was whole. I don’t know when I’ll be able to walk again, if ever, after this. I’m not the man you agreed to marry, and you.... you, my darling, deserve nothing but perfection. That’s not me. Not anymore.” 

He lets her pull away slightly so she can look at him, confusion in her gaze. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying...” He takes a deep breath, hesitating for a moment. “I’m saying that if you want to walk away from this, from me... you can. I’m not going to tie you down to a cripple when there are plenty of better options out there--”

“William Vincent Charles Edmund, don’t you dare talk like that to me. We have been through hell and back and made it out on the other side together, and you’re telling me to walk away from it?”

“Well, I’m not telling you, I’m saying you have the option--”

“Why would you ever think such a thing, you foolish man? I would take you if you were in a wheelchair or had to use a cane for the rest of your life. I would take you if you had to lose one of your legs, and I would marry you right now if you were in worse shape. The only way I wouldn’t take you is if you came home in a coffin, and even then I would mourn you like a widow.”

“Maria....”

“The thought of us getting to be together is the only thing that got me through this, William. Knowing that you would come home, that this would end, and we would get our chance at a life together. I’m not afraid. I know who I’m marrying, and I plan to support you no matter what.”

“But our engagement--”

“The official announcement can wait until you’re better. Whenever you’re ready to announce it, we can. I don’t care how long we have to wait. As long as I get to be with you, it will be worth it.”

“Are... are you serious?”

She places a hand on his cheek, one that snakes into his loose hair. It’s grown out since he’s been gone, and with the lack of product, the natural curls are beginning to show. Maria looks this man, the man she loves no matter what, in the eye as she speaks. 

“I have never been more serious about something in my life.” 

@krasnoyarsk-nobility​