#ch: francis

[bacchanal-if]

Main Character (nb/f/m)

The youngest child of a well-respected—if not feared—merchant and a former viscountess. You've been allowed several freedoms thus far, owing only to neglect, but since your debut into society you've been stripped of these liberties and charged to attract an advantageous match- which until now you've managed to avoid.

James — (m)

The enabler of your unhappy predicament: your father. Having ignored you and your siblings except when beneficial, he's been known to arrange the marriages of his children to further his gains and influence. So why does this advantageous proposal seem to infuriate him?

Grace — (f)

Your matrimonially devoted and maternally absent mother. There was never any room in her heart for anyone other than James, which could have been romantic except for the damage it wrought upon her parents and children. She was born to Viscounts who stripped her of her title after marrying your father, much to his resentment.

Lairde Ellis Gainsborough, Marquion of Hamonshire (nb) • closeness to MC definable

Your direct elder sibling. Despite being married off to a landowning peer a couple years ago, they spend most of their time in your family's residence due to their wife's unyieldingly scandalous ways. They were always a serious child, but they've now fallen to utter despair at their match.

Lady Danielle Gainsborough, Marchioness of Hamonshire (f)

Ellis's reprobate wife, known for her... unrepenting luster for life. She comes from a long line of respectable forebearers and seems intent on sullying their name now that she has the money provided by Ellis to do so.

Skin the color of sand and small, dark, almond shaped eyes. Her hair is a midnight black invariably drawn up in expensive yet disheveled fashion, and her face is overly powdered and rouged. She looks to be in a perpetual stupor, with a stupid smile and clouded vision. She wears a star shaped beauty mark on the corner of her left eye.

Francis Baker (nb/f/m) • gender based on MC

Your personal attendant, lady's maid, or valet. They are the one true parental figure in your life, having also raised you from an infant as your nurse. Kind, loving, and no-nonsense in their care. They are the single parent of Tamsin/Thomas Baker and want nothing more than both your happiness.

Pink skin with light golden hair and blue eyes. Somewhat plump in their vigorous way. They have the kind of comeliness that grows with every line on their face, though you can tell they were also quite winsome in their youth.

[devilsmenu]

@mr-c-bingley - Francis & Charles

"You better head back to your home, it's not safe being here all on your own and unprotected" Francis told the other motioning for him to go.

[devilsmenu]

"Thanks" Francis said thanking the other while grabbing the bandana and wear it on his neck and pulling up towards his mouth to not smell the rotting smell around them. "I don't even get surprise by this place anymore".

hwevent16 part 2: open starter @hiddenstarters

Prompt: There is rot, so thick in the air that it’s impossible to block the scent. It’s unclear where it’s coming from as the plant life is wilting but not horrible, but characters get the sense there are bodies, maybe many of them, right beneath their feet.

Shanks looked around, covering his mouth with his hand when he smelled something rotting. Growing up around the sea, smells were not new to him. Bodies were not new to him. But this smelled like it was a lot of them. "Here." He handed his bandana from his belt to the other person. "Cover your mouth with that." He was looking a little bloodied and bruised from the maze but he was still standing. He would always remain standing.

[bacchanal-if]

June's Bonus Content: Relationship Maps

This month, I've compiled a diagram of how each named character in the story feels about each other. Is there anything that stands out to you? 👀

To sign up for the Courtly Charmer tier and access the bonus content, please do so here!

[devilsmenu]

@ofsvnlightt - Francis & anyone

"I hate when people ask me to explain my thought process. Like hell if I know." Francis said with a shrug. "I just do the easy way out".

[devilsmenu]

"Personally? No. But a lot of people use her in a symbol of powerful woman, but maybe it's because she was based on a real strong woman that was Queen Victoria" Francis replied with a shrug. "No, I didn't. When I was younger there was a robot war going on, if that make it up for the monsters".

“Yes, that’s her.” Alice couldn’t help making a face of irritability — she disliked even thinking about her — but her expression was changing to one of interest. She didn’t think she’d met anyone here who had been to Wonderland, except for the Queen of course. “Do you… know her?” She paused, thinking about the New York monsters. “I don’t know much about King Kong, but Godzilla seems like quite a dangerous monster. Did you ever encounter him, when you lived in New York?”

[bacchanal-if]

Ooh I have an interesting ask related to the marriage!

We know Francis wants to protect MC and thinks the marriage is a bad idea and so on, though you told me after some time passes if MC is happy, then they will calm down in that regard.

But I'm curious... what if MC, especially a meek and sweet MC who was always obedient with their father and so on, ends up getting mad at Francis when they bring that up again (as in, how E is dangerous and what not)? What I mean by getting mad, is basically telling them something along the lines of "This is the first time in YEARS something truly good is about to happen to me, and the first time in my LIFE I'll be free from my father, and you want me to just escape from THAT?!"

Of course, that would be AFTER meeting E because it wouldn't make sense otherwise.

And yeah, as gentle as my MC is, I can actually imagine him reacting like that!

They are terribly hurt, for they only meant well, but if the MC truly believes this will lead to a better life for them they will try, however stubborn they may be about it. They can understand how the MC might think this way even if they find it deeply flawed. I will keep in mind having the option for the MC to be able to do this.

Francis is not afraid to challenge Edith/Edward when it comes to those they love, so behind the scenes they would absolutely have the "you better treat them right" talk which, knowing E, would fall on deaf ears because who is this person to tell them how to act?

[devilsmenu]

Spotify wrapped meme (@papcrrings)

63. Show Me Your Heart by Happiness

"It might be a trap" Francis warned the other. "Have some sites that detect if this is a real information or fake, you should check it out".

[devilsmenu]

"Uh-huh. Definitely a normal dog can't talk but I'm not surprised though. Seeing the description I think I can post a missing dog post on socials, excluding the talking dog part, people can be ignorant, you know" Francis said and shrug. He take a look at the picture and nodded. "Alright, I'll see what I can do".

"Well, considering I got him at a young age and consider him to be like my brother I named him Scoobert Doo because I wanted him to have a full name but I call him Scoob most of the time. He also can talk, if that helps. Don't think a lot of dogs can do that." Shaggy pointed out. "He's a great dane. wait, i got a pic." shaggy pulled out his wallet, showing a picture of him and his dog.

[bacchanal-if]

Happy Mother's Day to our MC's real mother (gender neutral), Francis!

Correct 🥰 lbr, even m!Francis is the MC's mother.

[devilsmenu]

@wvsteria - Francis & America

[ WOUNDED ] sender patches up receiver’s wounds (america and francis)

"It's just a scrapped knee, you didn't need to do it, but I do appreciate the help" Francis said to America with a appreciate nod.

[devilsmenu]

"Yeah, I can understand bow weird it must be for you not remember both of us" Francis told Abe with a nod. "Well, I'll keep that in mind" he said winking at the other. "Shit. That's horrible. I'm sorry about it".

"I'm sorry for worrying both of you. It's not fun, these new random memories." He smirks. "I wouldn't say no to that." He takes a deep breath. "Eli and I were in a car wreck. Eli was driving. It wasn't his fault, I know that for sure. I don't know every single detail, because it killed me."

[bacchanal-if]

Are our parents conventionally attractive? I'm trying to decide if MC knows that the (I think commonly held at the time) idea of beauty and goodness being correlated is BS, or if she needs to learn that. What about Francis? Thank you!

This ended up being quite more involved than expected, forgive me!

I would say that it's up to headcanon whether the MC's parents and the MC themself are considered physically attractive. I specifically avoid the use of the word "conventionally" simply because this is an alternate 1742 where the standards of beauty differ greatly. If I were to use historically accurate conventions, then this excerpt will describe how limiting that was!

The perfect 18th century face was an oval with a small straight nose, slightly rosy cheeks and lips and a white complexion, typifying contemporary aesthetic ideals of symmetry, proportion, and coloring.

This is of course only referring to the rigid standards of feminine beauty (typical), but if you'd like to read the rest of it, here you can read the word white over and over and over. I will admit that powdered faces and hair are still of use in this AU, and some of the ROs look lighter in their portraits because they choose to wear it, but this is simply because I'm a huge sucker for makeup 😅 Their skintone is still evident everywhere else.

I would say that beauty in this AU is much more like today if not more-so, where everyone has their own preferences and they vary greatly, but as for Francis, they were considered a great beauty to most everyone though nowadays they downplay it.

[devilsmenu]

@rcvcrics - Francis & Bucky

"No, I'm not going home if you're here to ask me this" Francis said glancing at Bucky while adjusting his arrow at the bow. "How things are going? Did you find anyone or anything suspicious?".

[bacchanal-if]

I feel so bad for Francis while playing an E romancing mc. They tried so hard to warn them but end up finding mc writing "firstname Egerton" in hearts over and over again

Francis:

[devilsmenu]

"Yeah, it's weird. But we can't do much thing except complaining" Francis said with a shrug. "It seems so".

he frowned. fantastic. makes him feel a bit better to know it isn't his siblings who did dumb things this time ❝ does make me feel a little better to know we all woke up here. they don't? we just turn up here? ❞