#kinloch correspondence

[dearestcorrespondence]

John Laurens to Francis Kinloch, [September 30, 1776]

I have long been indebted to you a Letter, which I am the more sorry for, as there seems to be an explanation wanting on my part, of some Things in the Letter which gave Rise to your last, I have no Copies of what I write, and therefore can’t be exactly sure of all the Expressions which I used in my Letter. this I am persuaded of that there was nothing in it that could be construed to throw any Imputation upon the Qualities of your Heart on account of the side you took in our political Dispute which I shall not continue, and which will therefore end as much Disputes generally do, each party firmly retaining the Opinion with which he set out. You Love withtaken me too in (...) other points, no Americans is so seldom seen at the Carolina Coffee Home as damn, no Man that had so much time For the Purpose looks so Little into public papers, you may judge of this, when I tell you I only give myself the trouble to read Intelligence when I hear it is authentic._ It was from the great Opinion I had of your Heart that I first wish'd to form a Friendship with you, it is from the great opinion that I still have of it, that I am exceedingly desirous of cultivating and improving that Friendship._ when I said that a Monarchy was the Nursery of Humans Desparity, I never meant to insinuate that every Man who balanced it's Disadvantage, and we therefore prefer it to all others, was necepasily tinctur'd with those Vices which Flownin in a Monarchy—no more than I meant to say that (...) myself must necessarily be earnested by breathing this contagious Air._ I still think your political principles wrong, the Sentiments which you have adopted with respect to your own Country strike me with horrour, and I hope you'll change them_ but I am persuaded you think they are right, and your Heart with me is unimpeached_

I have been hither to everything in studying the Law; according to the original plan I was to have start a Year longer in England, but I am now determined ___ next Vesel from N. York brings an account of a Treaty of Accommodation being on foot between Independent Hate of America, and this Country to embark for Carolina._ you will nodoubt have some comments for me. This will be deliver'd to you by Mr. Rich. Hammond a Young Mercht who has wisely resolved to bestow some Culture on his venture(?) before he continues himself to the Counting House seriously_ he will give you fine pamphlets which I have long promised you._ if you will easily be kind as to bring him some useful Hint for his Conduct at Geneva you will oblige me very much; I have recommended him to Chauvet's House.

You seem to be in such high Spirits at Writing the name of fair Miss Stephens, that I have a notion there is a Liaison de Coeur in question, if so I congratulate you both with all my Heart, I have not seen her a great while but shall see her with more pleasure than ever if she is to be yours_ Beware of Italy my Friend and believe me to be yours sincerely John Laurens

As the fair lady abovementioned in advice to go to Italy for her Health, you will probably leave Geneva sooner then you intended; in care this does not arrive in time for your perusal at Genthod, I have directed Mr. Hammond to find only your address forwar it to you._ present my best Respects to our Country woman and believe me yours. JL.

[my-deer-history]

I moved up to him [Lord North] under the Wing of my friendly Mentor, was kindly shaken by the hand (as almost every body else had been) & told (as almost every body else had been) that he would be very happy to serve me, but that the opportunity had not yet presented itself_

Francis Kinloch to Johannes von Müller, 18 December 1777

Poor Frank – positively drowning in annoyance and frustration at realising that maybe he doesn't have a special place in the British prime minister's favour – gives us a nice example of how tone was conveyed in 18th century letters.

[revolu]

I'm dropping (a bit old) john laurens yap here. Please correct anything you must + provide the source.

and we know very limited about John but whatever !!

Laurens was described by Hamilton to have honey blonde hair when clean. His hair was generally said to be light brown/blonde. As seen on portraits, he had soft features, blue eyes, and a big nose. He was described to be very handsome, and IMO I agree!! We don't know exactly how tall he was, but he was most likely over 6 feet. One day before Laurens' 15th birthday, his father wrote to James Grant; ''my Little Jack, now as big as I am...'' (Jack being John's nickname). We don't know Henry Laurens' height, but if he was as tall as Henry at 15, he certainly grew to be taller. In 1778, Henry wrote to John ''A Taylor has cut off as much of your Scarlet as will make he says a Wascoat for 6 feet 3 inches...'' which suggests that John could have been 6'3. It's not clear what exactly Henry means in the letter but as said, John was probably over 6 feet. Laurens was one of the strongest abolitionists of the time despite coming from one of the bigger slave plantations and growing up where slavery was normal. John could speak English, French, Italian, Greek, Spanish and Latin. We know that he was fluent in English and French but we don't know about his fluency in the other languages.

Laurens got Martha Manning pregnant and ended up marrying her out of pity (supposedly to protect her reputation too and to keep illegitimacy of their child.) He wrote to his uncle ''...Pity has obliged me to marry...'', When Laurens left for war, he left his pregnant wife in another country. When John was chosen by congress to be a special minister to France and had him travel there, Martha traveled with their daughter to reconnect with him upon hearing about his arrival in France. But John supposedly made no effort whatsoever to visit them; he completed his mission and went back to America. Martha later died during the trip and their daughter, Frances, was sent to live with her aunt.

John Laurens is believed to have been gay... The man didn't seem to express any attraction towards women, though I think his sexist beliefs played a role in this, as well as his lack of effort to humble his wife. His letters to Alexander Hamilton, and Francis Kinloch also suggest he had an eye for men... ESPECIALLY Kinloch's and his correspondence.

Henry Laurens wrote ''Master Jack is too closely wedded to his studies to think about any of the Miss Nanny's''. But it's important to note that he was a teenager at that time and not every teen develops those feelings at the same time. But I would imagine that since he was as tall as his father at 15, he was early in puberty... Romantic/sexual feelings usually come with puberty, but what do we know? Anyways. John expressed a lot of sexist opinions, even towards his own sisters, which can be read in letters. Most men were sexist, but John seemed to be more ''strict'' on the subject... This definitely plays a part in his supposed ''homosexuality''.

John hid the fact that he had a wife and child from Hamilton for nearly two years. Why? The reason is unknown. It's only up to debate. My guess is that he just wanted to try to ''forget'' them in some way, seeing as he literally left them... Why would you bring up that you have a family that you abandoned? But maybe it was because he never found the right time to tell him, or was it to get a better chance with Hamilton? We will never know, sadly. But what we DO know, is that Laurens referred to his wife as ''dear girl'', and Hamilton, and supposedly ONLY Hamilton, as ''Dear boy''. We know for a fact that Hamilton was close to Laurens and was special to him, but why did he call his wife that? Out of pity? He didn't necessarily show any real attraction towards her... But whatever the reason is, it's kinda cute.

We know that Henry Laurens was emotionally manipulative of John, which is like read in letters... So there is no denying that, really. BUT John was close to his father, attachment issues tsk, tsk tsk... But jokes aside, when John told his father that he wasn't super interested in becoming a lawyer or merchant like his father wanted, Henry wrote this to his brother; ''if he enters upon the plan of Life which he Seemed to pant for when he wrote the 5th. July, I Shall give him up for lost & he will very Soon reproach himSelf for his want of Duty & affection towards me, for abandoning his Brothers & Sisters, for disregarding the Council of his Uncle, & for his deficiency of common understanding, in making Such a choice_ if these reflections prevail not over him, nothing will_ he must have his own way & I must be content with the remembrance, that I had a Son.'' Basically, Henry said he would disown John if he pursued his interests in medicine. So, John ended up becoming a lawyer/statesman to please his father. There are more examples of John trying to please his father, but let's not take that now... HOWEVER, after John had died, Henry wrote of him in response to John Adams' letter; ''Thank God I had a Son who dared to die in defence of his Country'' ... We get a lot of mixed signals from Henry... Though I do believe he loved him, at least somewhat.., even if he was controlling/manipulative. Henry wasn't too nice to his other children either, but since this is about John I'm not gonna talk about that.

John's brother James died at the age of 9-10 (1765-1775)

James, or Jemmy, was supposedly scaling the outside of their house and tried to jump to the landing outside of John’s window but fell. He received life threatening injuries and cracked his skull. The doctors had figured that the injuries were too severe to save him and John described it to his uncle four days later; "At some Intervals he had his senses, so far as to be able to answer single Questions, to beckon to me, and to form his Lips to kiss me, but for the most part he was delirious, and frequently unable to articulate. Puking, Convulsions never very violent, and latterly so gentle as scarcely to be perceived, or deserve the Name, ensued, and Nature yielded."

Since John was supposed to watch over James during this time, John felt guilty and as if it was his fault. James' death was very difficult for John, and it weighed heavily on him.

Henry did little to alleviate those feelings of guilt, which suggests that he either didn't care enough, or that a part of him also blamed John. (I am not saying he 100% did, but it would not be surprising if he so did, considering how he treated John.)

He could also have been in too much grief to console John... Which, as said, would not be too surprising considering his treatment of John. But nevertheless, he did not do much to help John and John's guilt.

TW: mentions of suicide.

It is highly speculated that John was suicidal. We have a couple of written exchanges where John discusses suicide with friends and family. In February 1774, John wrote to Henry Laurens about two men who had attempted suicide. We don't have the whole letter, but here is a part of Henry's response; ''...But, my Dear Son, I trust that your opinion on that Question is So firm, that you are armed with Such irrefragable proofs of the Impiety as well as Cowardice of Self Murther, as puts you out of danger of being made a Convert to Error...'' (Not gonna put all of it). Another time, when John was a prisoner of war and didn't handle imprisonment well, Hamilton wrote to John ''For your own sake, for my sake, for the public sake, I shall pray for the success of the attempt (of being exchanged) you mention; that you may have it in your power to act with us. But if you should be disappointed, bear it like a man; have recourse, neither to the dagger, nor to the poisoned bowl, nor to the rope.'' It is clear that Hamilton (and Henry, despite how he treated John) were worried about John's thoughts of suicide. John's last letter to Hamilton was probably one of the, if not the, most emotional. He wrote ''Adieu, my dear friend; while circumstances place so great distance between us, I entreat you not to withdraw the consolation of your letters. You know the unalterable sentiments of your affectionate Laurens.'' John died about a month later. On the day of his death, John and his men surprised a troop of British soldiers that outnumbered them. Instead of retreating, John chose to immediately attack. He did not really actively end his own life, though it seems as if it was planned or that he was trying. Which is just sad. Also, it's not sure that Hamilton's last letter to Laurens ever got to him before he died. (In that letter he tells John to quit his sword and come to congress with Hamilton)

I don't know what else to add actually but here you have it!! This is as accurate as I can get it, especially cause it's like mostly based on letters... Uhm. But yay!

[unicornsaures]

Intro!!

my strawpage

Sfw agere/petre blog

SAW blog

Amrev oc rp blog

Hyperfixation-specific blog

🤍Im Doli![She/He]

🤍Im a minor

🤍This is my main/AmRev blog ^_^

🤍^Dont let that fool you, i post about my current hyperfixations(MCR & House MD) a LOT

history interests!:

🤍The american revolution

🤍John Laurens, DuPonceau, Francis Kinloch, Richard Kidder Meade

🤍18th century correspondence

🤍Washingtons aide de camps

🤍American civil war

other interests!:

⭐️💗House MD

⭐️💗MCR

⭐️Psychology behind disturbing actions(cannibalism, murder, etc.)

⭐️My OCs

🤍Saw

🤍Art and writing

🤍The Outsiders

🤍Star v. the forces of evil, trolls, mlp, south park, etc

🤍Creepypasta

🤍Music

🤍Rocky horror picture show

🤍Breaking Bad

❤️No DNI, just have common human decency and dont be a creep

·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:·

Wanna see my insanity on other platforms?:

AO3

Instagram

Spotify

Twitter

general tags v

[midnightprelude]

Middy's DA Create-a-Thon Masterpost

This year I made a bunch of different works for the @dacreateathon, including fic, recipes, crochet, and podfic! Here is a post of everything I made for the event this year. :)

Fanfiction:

The following works are part of a large collaboration called A Night to Remember with Team Orlais. All of the works are set at an Orlesian ball at some point between the end of Inquisition and start of Trespasser.

Madame Volants' Guide to the Grand Game

Rating: G

Madame Volants invites you to the Monmarte Ball, where excitement abounds and characters from the Dragon Age series will certainly have an unforgettable evening.

Notes from the Chateau Lierre Kitchens

Rating: G

A few moments from an Orlesian kitchen, featuring recipes for Remy Ducasse's macarons and Alienage quiche.

Stealing Glances, written with @oftachancer

Rating: T

Relationships: Dorian Pavus/Rilienus

Word Count: 5K

Rilienus has a job to do, but how can he resist the handsome Alti who keeps getting in his way?

More Fanfiction (not associated with the Orlais collab):

The Vault that Dreams Might Fill, with @oftachancer

Rating: M

Relationships: Karl Thekla/Dorian Pavus, mentioned Karl Thekla/Anders/F!Hawke

Word Count: 33K

In 9:41, a book was found in Therinfal Redoubt that held a long-held secret about Tranquility. Karl Thekla needs to learn that secret. He needs it like he needs to breathe. Though it is risky, he sets off to pursue a solution to the endless cycle of Tranquility and raw awareness he has been living through for nearly ten years.

This work is the seventh part of 'The Mortice and the Tenon' Arc, which follows the alternate history of Karl Thekla and Anders. This series can be read alone, but if you're curious to learn more details of their history to this point, please enjoy earlier parts of the Arc.

Daylight, with @oftachancer

Rating: E

Relationships: Dorian Pavus/Rilienus

Word Count: 41K

In 9:31 Dragon, the Silver Lady of Churneau hosted a week-long fete to celebrate the end of the Fifth Blight. She invited guests from around Thedas to attend. This is where Dorian Pavus met Rilienus Maecilia and didn't have a chance to ask a question.

(This is a prequel to The Vault that Dreams Might Fill, but doesn't need to be read in that order).

Shredded Lace and New Leather, with @oftachancer

Rating: M

Relationships: Dorian Pavus/Rilienus

Word Count: 30K

After 10 years apart, Dorian and Rilienus are unexpectedly reunited.

(This is a sequel to Daylight and probably should be read in that order, but can also be read alone).

Friends After the Fall

Rating: G

Relationships: Merrill & Anders

Word Count: 2K

Merrill begins a correspondence with Anders after he flees Kirkwall. Includes a recipe for Anders' Apple Crisp.

Podfic:

Curiosity Crosses the Veil

Rating: T

Relationships: Spirit of Curiosity/Human OC, Female Surana & Female Amell & Jowan

Jowan's anxiety rises as he approaches the age to Harrow, and it's getting to his friends. Hamin decides to distract him with a story of Veil-crossed lovers.

Curiosity is a spirit who yearns to experience the waking world, Odric is the human she comes to love, and Envy is a demon who has dark designs on their union.

A storytelling fic set in the Kinloch Circle Tower, inspired by The Little Mermaid. Written and recorded for Create-a-thon 2024.

Ready to Rise and Fall

Rating: G

Relationships: Loghain Mac Tir/Rowan Guerrin

Musings on Loghain and Rowan before the final battle for freedom.

Originally written by Librivore42 and recorded by midnightprelude.

Crochet:

Baby Griffon

A crocheted baby griffon hatched just in time for the Dragon Age Create-a-Thon!

[yr-obedt-cicero]

I despise the prevalent interpretation that Laurens was the “inexperienced” lover, as opposed to the prurient and lustful Hamilton. I've already done several discussions about this, but with all of the censorship and missing letters, their correspondence is a small window into what their relationship might have been like. So, I have such a massive distaste for those that only assume Laurens was the more pristine one due to Hamilton's salacious tone. That, of course, was not the norm; it was just Hamilton's witty humor and flirtatious spirit. Comparing Laurens' more “chaste” expressions to Hamilton's over-the-top ones is neither fair nor reasonable. And how do we know Laurens was the more sexually reserved of the two? Laurens was known to be a passionately expressive person who was repeatedly warned to be discreet. I can understand the speculated reluctance given the possibility of the death penalty, but that argument falls apart if or when they were in private quarters, and it wasn't always assumed that someone would get their hands on your letters.

Second, despite all of the Christian morals instilled in him throughout his upbringing, the man got a girl pregnant before marriage. I'm not saying he was doing so willfully, but obviously, he wasn't some saint that couldn't dare comprehend sexual thoughts. Yes, Sodomy is different, but where does that leave Kinloch? Even if we assume Hamilton was the more flirtatious of the two, how does that translate into experience or even preference? The idea that Hamilton just had so many more lovers before has no merit, especially when both of their backgrounds are so hazy, with little surviving material, in terms of who they may have had feelings for or spent time with. Laurens presented his miniature portrait to William Jackson, a longtime friend (That isn't meant as citing sources, but rather takes and opinions I'm not going to repeat). However, giving someone a portrait of yourself is not a simple act of friendship. To paint this pure saint character as Laurens has little to any standing and contradicts a lot of what we see in his life. Laurens is typically portrayed in this fandom as an unemotional man with a few lengthy, committed relationships in his life, like Kinloch, Hamilton, and Manning. But are so quick to point at most of Hamilton's austere friendships as being scandalous and impure, like Kitty Livingston, Angelica Church, and Troup.

Basically, what I'm saying is, a lack of flirtation isn't equated to preference in sexual matters or being inexperienced, and we don't even know if he was truly the less flirtatious one. And in extension, we should be more open-minded about his possible relationships, instead of crowning Hamilton as the one who took up lovers all he liked. I'm not saying he has to be as lascivious as Hamilton, but he probably wasn't some stuck-up prude. And Hamilton or Laurens could likely have taken up lovers in times of distance, or even possibly Laurens could have had a variety of relationships with different guys, from attraction to sex to love (Ternant or Jackson). Just constantly shaping them into the box of what we now imagine as a contemporary acceptable couple - two partners, whose affection does not breach outside of the other - is not always the answer, especially in the historical context, or queer relationships.

Not that any of this really has solid evidence or standing, but if you're going to draw assumptions think with a more open mind or wider variety of options.

[ollifree]

THANK GOD YOU REPOSTED I HAVE HAD TERRON MY SPIFFY FELLER ON MY MIND LIKE YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE (and also Great Uncle because for some reason they always appear together in my head). SO if I may I would like to ask 5 and 8 and maybe 7 for Caedan Amell (also my spiffy feller) if I can really be greedy 8) 8) 8)

hope you're having a lush as hell day my olli friend!!

ladkfjakfjkdjfk my friend my beloved you absolute peach you always know just which ocs to ask about uwu you can be as greedy as you want mwuah mwuah mwuah

5. letters between two of your OC’s companions about them

Excerpts from correspondence between Queen Lani Theirin-Cousland and Zevran Arainai. Both passages have been translated from the original Antivan. (featuring surprise guest @atypicalacademic's Chancellor of Ferelden, Sahi Tabris)

"...although we are able to twist their arms by reminding them who killed the archdemon. Half the time the alienage needs any kind of resource I have to say 'give me a non-racist reason' out loud to get them to shut up long enough we can push it through. I'd give Sahi access to the treasury every time it happens but we'd be cleaned out within a week."

"We could always pay you a visit in court. I am sure seeing their hero so angry on behalf of our fellow elves would chide most of them into silence. If not, you are aware my services are always available to you. I'll even throw in a discount!"

8. your OC’s doctor/healer talking about their injuries

An unsigned note with handwriting that matches Kinloch Hold's Senior Enchanter Wynne's. The note has been found shoved hastily in a desk drawer and seems to have been written without intention of sharing.

"I cannot say I've ever expected to pen these words, but thank the Maker Caedan's been proven right. Two long days and Terron's finally awake. Why the other wardens seemed so certain he would perish of his wounds is beyond me. Regardless, it is good to see them all smile again. As to the wounds themselves: Several broken ribs, as I feared. Terron is adamant we not use magic to heal them just yet. There are enough near death that need our attention more. Such a considerate young man. What would we do without him? Another skull fracture, which has already been mended. Hopefully with the blight well and truly at rest his propensity for slamming his head on every surface will cease as well. Cuts and bruising, as can be expected. No infections. He claims not to have dislocated anything. He's popped that shoulder back into place on his own so often I've no choice to consider it a lie until proven otherwise."

7. someone describing a time your OC hurt them

A journal entry from Alice Amell during her time at Skyhold.

"It was him. The little brother they stole from us then took from me. As unbearable - as abusive as the Gallows were, I'm sure we could have survived them together. You heard stories in the city, and Mama looked like she might break when I froze my wine at dinner, but I would see our little brother again. But when the templars came for me, they had already sent him across the sea. I hoped he might be at Skyhold. That the revolution would reunite us at last. I heard about what he did. His name was whispered between pages at lessons and over plates at meals. A veteran of a blight, and here I thought myself impressive for surviving Meredith. The boy following Lady Morrigan around - Kieran - he has our look. His skin and eyes are Chasind, but his cheeks and jaw and the way he stands are Amell. I asked Senior Enchanter Surana after I saw her speaking with him. I should have known from how she hedged her answers how this would go. He came back to me. Our lost brother. Everyone through history will point to the scar in the sky as a miracle, as though Caedan walking into Skyhold couldn't have brought our entire family to their knees. But when I finally approached him, when I told him who I was - I can't forget what his face did. I can't describe it. Walling himself off, from me. He'd grown so much, even taller than Father I think. Did I misremember his eyes? I always thought of them as grey. He was so cold. And his words. I can't - He didn't say as much, but it felt like staring up at a viper. Like if I did anything but turn and leave he'd kill me."

[contreparry]

Hey! "one chance" from One Word prompts for characters of your choice please? Happy writing :D

Sure thing! Here's some Trevelyan pre-Inquisiton for @dadrunkwriting

They only had one chance to pull this off.

The plan was drafted years ago, ever since the Blight struck Ferelden and the rebellion overthrew the king and threw everything into chaos. Rumors spread about Annulments in Circles, rumors that held weight once stories from survivors of Kinloch drifted over the sea. Slowly the survivors came across the sea as well, speaking of a lone Warden (A Mage and one of their own!) who protected them, kept them alive, ferried them away from Kinloch and to safer places. From there they scattered, but a few, a very, very few, arrived at Ostwick's gates in search of shelter. And as they settled, they told stories. Terrible, terrible stories of demons and fear and the threat of death, only narrowly avoided by good luck and one man who said 'no.'

The knowledge that their lives could be so easily saved or damned haunted Evelyn Trevelyan ever since.

First Enchanter Lydia said it wouldn't happen in Ostwick. We are a quiet Circle, she insisted, and a small one. We are scholars. It won't happen here. She shut down stories, maintained the distance between Mages and Templars, kept up the stuffy, formal traditions that gave Ostwick its reputation as a refuge for scholars. Not a threat, she would always say. We are safe because we are not a threat.

"Yet you made plans anyways," Evelyn muttered as she rooted through the contents of her former mentor's lockbox. She wouldn't have dreamed of doing this even a year ago, but as tensions rose within Ostwick and Templars closed ranks, as it became ever more apparent that Lydia was wrong, after she was murdered- Evelyn shuddered and flipped through more one-sided correspondence for one final time, desperately searching for any clue that could give her people, their people, a slight advantage in the days ahead as they waited for rescue.

It wasn't easy work. The letters dated back decades. Decades! And while some letters were of a mundane nature, and others were clearly personal, some... no, many, pertained to Ostwick Circle and the safety of the Mages who lived here. They were responses to requests for aid, replies pertaining to requests for outside intervention from the Chantry to look into reports of Templar abuses (abuses that grew more and more frequent after the Knight Commander retired and his replacement took charge), and then... finally... there was The Letter. Evelyn kept it on her person at all times, vowing to burn it should any suspicion fall on Lydia's memory, on her apprentices, on her.

"It is understood, my darling Lydia. You need only send for me, and I shall fly in on eagle's wings," Evelyn muttered. The looping script of that one short letter was burned into her memory. Help was available. Escape was possible. Lydia- her mentor, her idol, a woman she considered a mother in nearly all respects- lied. Lydia lied to her. Lied to all of them. She knew an Annulment could happen here in Ostwick. She knew, and she prepared for that possibility, one final gift to them all.

She organized their escape.

The mages of Ostwick were many things, but they were never one to squander a gift. They united in this singular purpose- escape. All of them planned, Senior Enchanters and Enchanters alike, including the few apprentices who could be trusted to keep their mouths shut. They brought in the Kinloch survivors into their fold, brought the few Kirkwall transfers into their conspiracy, planned carefully and completely, found the one trusted, sympathetic merchant, captain, and crew who would ferry an entire Circle of Mages to safety.

They only had one chance, one that was carefully tended to by First Enchanter Lydia, the Senior Enchanters, and her peers. They couldn't squander it. Evelyn carefully relocked the lockbox and slipped her lock pick back into the purse around her belt. With any luck she could pass it off as a crochet needle. No one had to know she was abysmal at fiber crafts. Most of the Templars weren't particularly observant, and the ones that were... Evelyn bit her lip. She was just looking through her old mentor's things, one final look before they cleaned up the room and handed it over to the next First Enchanter. The story was perfectly plausible. Reasonable, even. Everyone knew that she and Lydia were close, despite their disagreements. Everyone knew that it was.... had been... a difficult few months. And considering her family, she would be afforded more grace than any of the other Enchanters here. She was the only one who could get away with sneaking, snooping, spying on a dead woman.

"You should have told us," Evelyn informed the room, as if the former occupant was only hiding behind a bookshelf and would pop out at any moment with a book in hand and a rebuke on her lips. She could almost see her now, Lydia with her short blond hair sitting like a fluffy cloud atop her head and her bright green eyes soft even if her mouth was set in a thin frown.

"I keep my own counsel, Evelyn. I always have," this vision of memory and wishful thinking would reply before darting away again, never to return. Evelyn sighed and left the room, the private study that would soon be handed over to another, at least for the next month until the ship arrived.

It was as she was locking up the room that she was discovered. Someone changed the patrol times again, and the sound of clanking metal and heavy footsteps made her freeze with the heavy brass key in her hand. Move, she told her legs, which were heavy as lead. Move! Yet she couldn't move, and she stared, like a hare frozen under the gaze of a hunting bird, as the scarlet red tabard of a Templar came into view.

"Ah. I thought you might be here," a soft, deep voice said, and Evelyn could finally breathe again as her panicked mind registered that this was a Templar, but not a new recruit, not one of the ones who allied themselves with the new Knight Commander. No, it was Ser Ricard, who was reliable. Safe for Templar. One who, according to Lydia, could be trusted.

But Lydia was a liar, and in the end she wasn't the best judge of character. If she was, maybe she would be alive today. Evelyn wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt and smiled politely.

"S-Ser Ricard. You are well, I trust?"

"Well enough. More cleaning?" Ser Ricard inclined his head to the door, his dark brown hair (liberally streaked with silver) falling into his eyes.

"One final pass through the study, before... before everything is divided. We haven't heard from First Enchanter Lydia's family about what to do with her... belongings," Evelyn lied, because they got a response this morning: Do as you see fit.

Typical. Painful, but completely expected. Ser Ricard only nodded and offered his arm to her, as if he was merely an escort and not a guard, not a threat. Always so dangerous to maintain these boundaries, to keep to this facade of manners- Evelyn slipped her arm through the crook in Ser Ricard's elbow and let him lead the way down the stairs. She ignored the faint tremble in his hands- just rheumatism, not lyrium addiction, don't think about it don't think at all-

"I will take you back to the main hall. A good thing I found you- Ser Tristan is on the next patrol," Ser Ricard said softly as they descended.

Ser Tristan with the icy eyes and a fiery zeal, one of the rising stars in Ostwick, the one who kept looking for infractions and kept staring at her, at all of them. If he happened upon her instead of Ser Ricard... lucky. She had been lucky.

"Oh."

"Indeed."

The letter tucked between her stays and shift poked at her conscious, burned as they walked. Safety in two months, she told herself. They would be safe in two months, provided they held on. Before they reached the end of the stairs Ser Ricard paused. Tilted his head. Listened. Released her arm and took a step back.

"Ser?" Evelyn whispered, but he shook his head, then cleared his throat.

"I thank you for your assistance and knowledge, Enchanter Trevelyan. First Enchanter Lydia's library will of course be preserved, never you fret," he said, raising his voice as two Templars rounded the corner. Right. New patrol routes, new times. Ser Ricard... had known. Oh Maker, he knew all along, didn't he?

Lie. Lie lie lie. Evelyn quickly plastered a smile onto her face and placed the brass ring (her copy, her ONLY copy) into Ser Ricard's outstretched hand, under the watchful eye of three Templars.

"Thank you for letting me help. Ly- Enchanter Lydia was v-e-r-y particular about her collection, even if her organizing left something to be desired," she replied. Ser Ricard tucked the key into the purse at his waist and nodded.

"In any case, your help was greatly appreciated. It was as if you flew in on eagle's wings at the last minute," Ser Ricard said, and then... he winked. "And do with the correspondence as you see fit."

He walked away then, taking the other Templars (recruits, young, but ones that weren't favored by the Knight Commander, not yet) with him. Evelyn pressed her hand against her chest, against the letter hidden under her stays. On eagle's wings.

Maybe Lydia wasn't a liar after all.

[clear-as-starlight]

Francis Kinloch & the Walker Family

I’ve had a couple of people ask about what Francis Kinloch (yep, the Kinloch most often known for his relationship with John Laurens ;)) got up to once he was back on American soil during the amrev, and his subsequent relationships.

So, to begin answering that question, I’m starting with what I know of his first marriage, into the Walker family of Virginia.

Mildred Walker, Kinloch’s first wife, was born at Chelsea, King William County, Virginia, on the 1st August 1765, making her a full decade younger than Kinloch. She was the only child of her parents, Colonel John Walker, and Elizabeth Moore.

Her grandfather, Dr. Thomas Walker, was connected both to George Washington, and to Thomas Jefferson, through relation and guardianship. Dr. Walker married twice, and both his wives were second cousins to George Washington, making Mildred, her father John, and by extension, Kinloch and Mildred’s daughter Eliza, distantly related to Washington (it’s the 18th century folks—we’re all related!)

Colonel John Walker—Kinloch’s father-in-law—was the eldest of Dr. Walker’s sons, and his second child. He married Elizbeth Moore in 1764, and Mildred was their only child. The connection to Thomas Jefferson appears here: Dr. Walker was one of Jefferson’s guardians; Jefferson and John Walker were childhood friends and went to the same school & college together, and Jefferson was a groomsman at John’s wedding to Elizabeth “Betsey” Moore (Kinloch’s mother-in-law).

Jefferson also, for many years before he was married, harassed Elizabeth (who was married) with unwanted romantic attentions. Elizabeth apparently did not tell John Walker of the unwanted incidents until much later, because she was worried about damaging her husband’s reputation. When she did, about 15yrs afterwards, Walker wrote Jefferson out of his will (he had been an executor) and added Francis Kinloch, his son-in-law, as an executor instead.

The serial harassment of Elizabeth by Jefferson got thrown at his feet by Walker and the Federalist party very soon after the Reynolds Pamphlet, and Alexander Hamilton’s affair, became known, as a way of fighting back against the Republicans—(an interesting sidenote!)

Belvoir House, Mildred Walker’s childhood home, though this version was rebuilt after her death (source: The New York Public Library)

Kinloch met his first wife Mildred “Milly” Walker in Philadelphia somewhere between 1778 and 1780. According to family sources, for Kinloch it was “love at first sight”, though there seems no record of what the very young Milly thought.

They returned to Belvoir, Albemarle County, Virginia, Milly’s childhood home (not to be confused with Belvoir Plantation, home of the Fairfaxes), for their courtship, and Kinloch was later captured there and taken prisoner by Banastre Tarleton, who had come searching for Jefferson.

Kinloch apparently surrendered to a cousin of his in Tarleton’s British regiment, who addressed him by yelling: “Stop, cousin Frank; you know I could always beat you running!”

Kinloch and Mildred were married at Belvoir on February 22nd 1781, when Milly was only fifteen years old—an age difference that was unfortunately not so much a rarity in those days. Their first, and only, child, Eliza Kinloch (later Eliza Kinloch Nelson) was born on the 31st December 1781. Kinloch wrote of his wife and daughter in correspondence to his guardian, Thomas Boone, in England, saying:

“My Wife is about seventeen Years of Age, and prettyer than I had any right to expect, and I have a little daughter with black eyes and black hair, who receives me with open arms and smiling looks at the door, when I return from my Farm.” (27th June 1783)

“[I am] determined to remain in my Wife's family until next October twelvemonth, after which time I shall, in all probability, settle in Carolina. Books, Agriculture, and my little daughter, who just begins to speak, fill up my time very agreeably…” (1st September 1783)

Eliza Kinloch Nelson (Daughter of Francis Kinloch & Mildred Walker)

Very sadly, Mildred Walker died on the 17th October 1784, when she was only 19 years old, & her daughter was not quite 3. I haven’t yet found a cause for her death, but the date is known as her father, John Walker, wrote of the event both to Thomas Jefferson, and also Baron von Steuben, whom he had worked alongside during the American Revolution, after serving as an aide-de-camp to General Washington in Feb-March 1777.

Kinloch remarried a year later, but from his own correspondence about his new wife, Martha Rutledge, whom he had known since she was young, I wonder if it was perhaps a marriage of convenience (I still have more research to do on that front!) After his remarriage, he wrote of Mildred’s death to Boone in 1786, saying: “The wound which my heart & mind have received is not however to be cured so easily.”

Eliza Kinloch was given to her grandparents to care for, and John Walker spoke of her often, and fondly, writing von Steuben that his wife Elizabeth was “now taken up in the care and education of her dear little granddaughter.”

It should be mentioned that Mildred died only two years after the death of John Laurens, and very close to Laurens’ birthday. I’m completely & utterly speculating here, but I wonder if the two events combined might have contributed to Kinloch’s subsequent quick remarriage?

Sources: Genealogy of the Page Family in Virginia; Mr Jefferson’s Women by Jon Kukla; Letters of Francis Kinloch to Thomas Boone 1782-1788, Library of Congress, founders.archive.gov

[quillsink]

FIRE AND THE FLOOD BY VANCE JOY: How it relates to John Laurens’s love life

This post is entirely for me to ramble and I doubt any of y’all are gonna read it but here you go because I needed to fucking write this shit down 

TW - Death, internalised homophobia, implied sex

I was only walking through your neighborhood

Saw you out loud honey in the cold I stood

Anywhere I go there you are

Anywhere I go there you are

So now we have three POVs and I’m going to walk you through each one of them

1. JOHN

Okay so let’s imagine this is John’s view. We have John and Alex’s relationship finally starting, and John is walking through camp with Alex, and it’s cold, it’s in the snow, but there’s a black-haired soldier and Alex’s hand brushing his and all he can think of is Francis. Or, second option, we have Francis switching sides and going to Washington’s headquarters, and there we have John, with “Saw you out loud honey in the cold I stood//Anywhere I go there you are” and Francis is in the SC House of Representatives and votes for John to go to France, so it’s almost like Kinloch is haunting him. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE HIS KID BEING NAMED FRANCES :)))

2. FRANCIS

Okay now let’s go to Francis’s POV. After the breakup, we have the same Francis going to Washington’s headquarters and we have the first “Anywhere I go there you are.” But for the second one, we have the whole him voting for John to go to France, then we ALSO have his wife dying close to John’s death date (or birthday I forgot lmao) AND WE HAVE HIM GETTING ON A SHIP CALLED THE JOHN AND FRANCIS.

3. ALEX

Holy shit this is getting long and it’s only the first verse. So here we have after John dies, and Alex is like, haunted by his ghost? Idk lmao. He also sees the Laurens name everywhere when he corresponds with Henry over the matter of a slave, and whenever he hears of abolition he thinks of John, then he names his kid John Church Hamilton for fuck’s sake we all know he was thinking of Laurens even if it was technically after Angelica’s husband.

NEXT VERSE!

I been getting used to waking up with you

I been getting used to waking up here

Anywhere I go there you are

Anywhere I go there you are

There you are

There you are

1. JOHN

PART 1 (laurloch) - So he and Francis have just started their relationship, and John is weird about it cuz internalised homophobia shit. He keeps seeing him around Geneva, the first verses apply for the “Anywhere I go there you are.”

PART 2 (lams) - He and Alex have just started their relationship, and John had to get used to seeing him in the corner of his eye, everywhere he is since the aides are in such close quarters. OR, this can be interpreted as Francis still haunting him during lams.

2. FRANCIS

Same as with John, basically just getting used to their relationship.

3. ALEX

Same as with Francis, getting used to dating John.

Next!

You're the fire and the flood

And I'll always feel you in my blood

THIS. THIS IS BY FAR MY FAVOURITE FUCKING LINE IN THE WHOLE ASS SONG. I LOVE IT. 

1. JOHN

Okay now we have John dating Alex. So first “You’re the fire.” This. This refers to Alexander motherfucking Hamilton. His hair is fire, his ambition is fire, he is a fire, he’s always compared to one—so can his relationship with John, cuz love is like fire idk 

NEXT. THE FLOOD PART.

So John and Alex are dating and everything is great, except for one thing—he’s haunted by memories of his relationship with Francis!! Because I love to torture John in my headcanons. Anyways, he’s haunted by this.

So this- these memories are the flood. The memories of Francis are the flood that douses the “fire” that is his love for Alexander—every time he wants to kiss Alexander, touch him, talk to him, ignite that “fire,” the flood that is his memories of Francis douses that.

2. ALEX OR FRANCIS

Now if we’re looking at this from Alex or Francis’s POV, you can compare John to fire because of how they cared for him at some point or another, and again love can be compared to fire. 

AND THE FLOOD IN THIS CONTEXT—the flood is John’s internalised homophobia, his reluctance to be in a relationship because he’s scared of “sin” or whatever. That’s the flood that douses the love that is fire in this context!

NEXT!

Everything is fine

When your hand is resting next to mine

Next to mine

You're the fire and the flood

Okay so, this can be interpreted as John when he’s having an anxiety attack or some shit, self hate, self harming, depressed, generally mentally fucked up, but Alex or Francis is there to help him calm down. Fire and the flood, see above for my fangirling.

Since we met I feel a lightness in my step

You're miles away but I still feel you

Anywhere I go there you are (anywhere)

Anywhere I go there you are

1. JOHN 

PART 1 (laurloch)—he’s happy when he starts the relationship with Francis because he feels like he’s finally worth enough for someone to want him, and this gives our boy a major self esteem boost. Then, the miles away, because John moved to London later and Francis was still in Geneva.

PART 2 (lams)—happy because of the relationship because again, self esteem boost. Again, they’re always far apart but “I still feel you”

2. FRANCIS OR ALEX

Same, happy because of the relationship but constantly apart.

Late at night when you can't fall asleep

I'll be lying right beside you counting sheep

So Alex or Francis have trouble sleeping and John helps them sleep, or John has trouble sleeping and Alex or Francis helps him sleep

Next!

Anywhere I go there you are (anywhere)

Anywhere I go there you are (anywhere)

There you are

There you are

You're the fire and the flood

And I'll always feel you in my blood

Everything is fine

When your hand is resting next to mine

Next to mine

You're the fire and the flood

Just a repeat of the lyrics here, already analysed

Now listen here she said

Boy when you know you'll know

And I know

NOW THIS WILL BE FUN TO INTERPRET BITCHES

1. JOHN

So this can be interpreted as little John being curious and asking Eleanor questions about love and relationships. OR. THE MORE HEARTBREAKING OPTION. HE HAS A BREAKDOWN AFTER HE MARRIES MARTHA AND IS LIKE “I DON’T KNOW IF I LOVE YOU OR NOT” AND SHE’S LIKE “When you know you’ll know” AND SHE FINALLY ACCEPTS THAT JOHN WILL NEVER LOVE HER.

2. ALEX

Now this. This can be little Alex asking Rachel about love and relationships. Or. Or it can be him asking Kitty or someone I don’t know but Rachel is the more heartbreaking option tbh.

You're the fire and the flood

And I'll always feel you in my blood

Everything is fine

When your hand is resting next to mine

Next to mine

You're the fire and the flood

Now this is just another repeat, and so the song ends!

Anyways that was my fangirling over dead gays, hope you liked it-

[dearestcorrespondence]

John Laurens to Francis Kinloch, Fludyer Street Westminster, [August 23, 1774]

Dear Kinloch

After a pleasant Ride through a very fine Part of France, I arrived in London on the 7th of this month, but figure to yourself my Grief and Mortification, at finding that my Father had set out that day fortnight in order to meet me. I knew how great his Anxiety and Uneasiness would be on my Account, and therefore left Town the next day, and travelling without intermission, reached the Fauxbourg St. Germain on the 11th at day break, where I had the happiness of relieving my Good Father from much Concern_ we staid a day or two at Paris where we had the pleasure of seeing Mrs. Blake, who enquired very kindly after you. R. Izard jun'r, Grimke [and] ca. and I am but just returned from my new Journey_ let this apologize for my not writing to you sooner. I waited on your Friend Mr. Boone, And as he was out of town, I left your Letter with a Card_ had I not been afraid of detaining any longer, what can never fly too quick or come too often to him good news from you, I should have had the pleasure of delivering the Letter to him myself. my Letter is a little confused, dont be surpriz'd at it, for I am quite like a Creature in new World, and shall be for some time in an unsettled State. I am glad however to inform you that I shall not have Lodgings in the Temple as I at first thought, but in some genteel private Family. the Noise, the Cries the Smoak and Dust of this vast City, make me sometimes wish myself back at Paquis, I have another Reason too, for wishing myself there, I dont know when I shall get into such a valuable Set of Acquaintance as I have left but perhaps for the present, the fewer Acquaintance I have, the better it will be for me. I am confirm'd in the opinion that you and I both had at Geneve respecting our young Countrymen, by what I have seen and heard since my Arrival here_ I can write you nothing satisfactory as yet of American Affairs, the English Soldiers it is said begin to desert, the colonist are forming into Committees to consult what is to be done in their present Circumstances, the Carolinians are to send Rice and other necessaries for the Relief of their distress'd Brethren at Boston. A General Congress will be held at Philadelphia or New York, the Deputies to be sent there by the Province of SoCarolina, are Henry Middleton, T. Lynch, C. Gadsden, J. Rutledge, and Edward Rutledge the Young Man who lately went over, and who has already acquir'd a great degree of Celebrity. Tell Lord Lumley that I hope he continues a good Friend to the Americans, be so kind as to present my best Compliments to him Mr. Clayson, Moore the Duke and Harvey. I wish them all a great deal of Happiness and Pleasure at Geneve_ it grows so late that I must bid you Adieu, kiss all the pretty Genevoises for me and dont delay to write to your affectionate John Laurens

Fludyer Street Westminster

23d August 1774

Direct to me at the Carolina Coffee House.

[my-deer-history]

Louis de Végobre to John Laurens, 7 June 1776

My translation into English, followed by a transcription of the French below the cut

English translation

Geneva 7 June 1776

It is time, my dear Friend, that I write to you, I have let Kinloch & Manigault go before me, & I have waited some time, thinking that it would be more agreeable to you to receive news of Geneva at some intervals, than to receive several letters at the same time.

Morse would have sent you my compliments, and would have shown you a sample of my skills in English, I wanted to write to you in the same language, but K told me that I was wrong to do so, and that if I desired to make my letters as good as possible, I should not use any language other than the one that is the most familiar; I must also tell you that I understand English well enough to be aware of a good or a bad style, and that I well recognised that your style, my dear Laurens, is excellent; in truth, your letters are the most pleasant to read, I am talking at present just of the style but at some other time I will speak of the basis which is the principal thing and which has no less truth; but let us speak of it at present. 

Pictet brought me a letter from you which is extremely precious to me, that Letter & the pretty gift that you attached are very agreeable marks of your friendship. You prove this friendship to me in a very convincing manner, the more I make discoveries of your merit, the more this friendship acquires value for me, & lately it has been a very large one; so you can imagine how much this Letter pleased me; I swear to you that this pleasure was very keen. Two causes gave rise to it, I learnt that I was loved & esteemed by you as much as I could have desired; & I saw by the traits of your character that you displayed to me, that you are a Friend of the highest merit. How happy are the Friends who can feel that for one another! No, I conceive nothing that more affirms a man in the career of virtue than the idea that he possesses virtuous friends, in whose eyes he would lose estimation if he degraded himself. 

I am much persuaded, my Dear, that if we could live together our mutual happiness would be augmented; especially when I think of the calamities that surround you, I would desire to be close to you, to witness your fortitude and to offer you the relief of my friendship, which I reduce to tender condolences and firm encouragements: receive them, my Dear, this feeble support; all that I am able to give you, I give as freely as is possible: remember that far from England there exists a man who is sympathetic to all that you suffer, who is touched by all of the wounds that you receive, who views with admiration and transport the heroism of his friend’s feelings, and who foresees with delight the heroism that this friend will put into his actions as soon as circumstances will permit him to act. Be sure that everything that will happen to you will move me greatly. Oh how I would like to fulfil on this occasion the prophecy: it will help to remember this some day.

I thank you for the interest that you have taken in Mr Rilliet, and the news that you have sent me about him, his parents did not know anything about his departure for America, and have not yet learned anything about his arrival in Europe. I am delighted by the acquaintance that you had me make with Mr. Manigault; in the first months of his stay here, I could not do for him what I desired to because I was very occupied with my exams which were approaching, and because I did not want to speak English, which is the only language that Mr Man. speaks.

But since I have been connected with him, and so closely; he takes Geometry lessons with me, I give these to him and in return he gives me ones in French and English literature; we go out together often; we will go on Saturday night to spend the Sunday at Kinloch’s in the countryside, a league away from town. I am very attached to this young man, I desire with all my heart to be of some use to him; and I flatter myself that my acquaintance could be of some advantage to him, at least if I apply myself as much as I can. 

I am very happy with him. His health has been admirably fortified, he has been cured of small inconveniences, and is vigorous, all he needs to do is grow up. He is disposed to study, to boredom, to learning and to talents; without doubt, if his poor health had until now not derailed his education, there would be more liveliness and nerve in his current labours, but I must tell you in this respect that he makes progress every day: that which he does he does well, that which he learns he learns well; and I hope to get him little by little to do serious work that requires attention and struggle, in greater quantity than he has done so far.

His character is excellent; he has a sort of pride which is a precious quality when it does not pass certain limits. He has wit, & he is increasing everyday in all the things in which I had found him somewhat lacking, namely liveliness and energy. When you write to him, I would be grateful if you would repeat to him that he can & that he should regard me as his true Friend in this country. 

I saw this morning our friend Kinloch: what shall I tell you of him which you don’t already know? That admirable man lately spends his life studying politics, History & Jurisprudence: his goal is to become useful to humanity & above all to the country: if ever man deserved to succeed, it’s surely him. I regard it is as one of the joys of my life to have become his friend. 

I saw Pictet frequently: we have greatly enjoyed ourselves, him in speaking to me, me in hearing him speak of London and our English friends: how these conversations reignite my desire to travel & above all for a trip to England! I compliment you for your part; & I add to the list of sincere [givers] of compliments Jurvettini, Naville & Martin. All these friends follow the thorny & dangerous career of law & of Politics, Naville above all devotes himself to it entirely, & and already figures honourably among the Lawyers. 

As for me, I do not feel much for my title of Lawyer and for my little insights into Jurisprudence; I continue to live in the manner in which you saw me live, peacefully studying different sciences that make me happy, and by means of which I can perhaps become useful to other people. I confess to you however that I find my current life too uniform and too peaceful; I feel that in the time of my youth I should experience more restlessness than I experience, I should do and think more, and I do the opposite: a useful and agreeable agitation that I would really like to experience is that of travelling_ Whatever happens, I am not at all unhappy.

I must do a little apprenticeship in the art of Travel: I have Parents in Languedoc that desire to know me & that I desire to see, my intention is to go and spend time there this autumn; this little trip should satisfy in part, in truth a very small part, my general desire to run. I intend to go at the beginning of September, so if you wish to procure for me the pleasure of your letters, make sure they reach me before my departure. 

Compliments and compliments from me to dear Morse; I wrote to him at the start of last month.

[written in English by de Vegobre] I will let you Know that the pretty swift you had the Kindness to give me entertains very much Man. & me, and bids me many times a week to thing on you. 

My dear Laurens! I am your Friend.

L de Vegobre

I forgot to talk to you about the philosopher Le Sage, to whom I have given your compliments and who was very touched by them. His literary health being enfeebled, he has been obliged to retract much of the extent of his plan; his friends urged him strongly, seeing that it was impossible to expect anything from him while he was intending to publish all of his discoveries, and with the degree of perfection that his imagination shows and that his exactitude requires. Currently, he is working on this curtailed plan; and if he hopes to see some or other work of his published, there is now very little left to do towards the current project. But this hope, I cannot yet have it as complete as I would like.

French transcription

Geneve 7 Juin 1776

Il est tems, mon cher Ami, que je vous écris, j’ai laissé passer avant moi Kinloch & Manigault, & j'ai attendu quelque tems, pensant qu’il vous serait plus agréable de recevoir des nouvelles de Genève à quelque distance les uns des autres, que de recevoir plusieurs lettres au même tems.

Morse a du vous avoir fait mes compliments, & aura pu vous montrer un échantillon de mon habileté dans l’Anglais, je voulais vous écrire dans la même Langue, mais K. m’a dit que j’avais tort, et que désirant tacher à rendre mes Lettres aussi bonnes que possible je ne devais pas employer d’autre Langue que celle qui n’est la plus familière; il faut pourtant que je vous dise que j’entends assez bien l’Anglais pour être sensible a un bon ou à un mauvais Style, & que j’ai fort bien reconnu que votre style, mon cher Laurens, est excellent; en vérité, vos Lettres sont des plus agréables à lire, je vous parle à présent seulement du Style mais autre fois je vous parlerai du fond qui est bien le principal & que n’a pas moins de vérité; mais, parlons en à présent.

Pictet m’a apporté une Lettre de vous qui m’est extrêmement précieuse, cette Lettre & le joli cadeau que vous y avez joint sont des marques bien agréables de votre amitié. Vous me la témoignez, cette amitié d’une manière très-convaincante; plus je fais des découvertes dans votre mérite, plus cette amitié acquiert des prix pour moi, & actuellement elle en a un très grand; vous pouvez donc penser combien cette Lettre m’a fait de plaisir; je vous jure que ce plaisir a été très vif. Deux causes l’ont fait naître, j’ai appris que j'étais aimé & estimé de vous autant que je pouvais le désirer; & j’ai vu par tour les traits que vous me donnez de votre caractère que vous êtes un Ami du premier mérite. Heureux les Amis qui peuvent sentir cela l’un pour l’autre! Non, je ne conçois rien qui affirmeise plus un homme dans la carrière de la vertu, que l'idée qu’il possède des amis vertueux, dont il perdrait l’estime s’il se dégradait à leurs yeux.   

Je suis bien persuadé, mon Cher, que si nous pouvions vivre ensemble notre bonheur mutuel en serait augmenté; surtout quand je pense aux calamités qui vous environnent, je désirerais d’etre aupres de vous peut être témoin de votre fermeté & vous offrir les secours de mon amitié qui je réduisent à de tendres condolences & a de fermes encouragements: recevez les, mon Cher ami, ces faibles secours; tout ce que je peux vous donner, je vous donne aussi libéralement qu’il est possible: pensez que loin d’Angleterre il existe un homme compatissant à tout que vous souffrez, toutes les blessures que vous recevez parviennent jusqu’a lui, qui voit avec admiration & transport l'héroïsme des sentiments de son ami, & qui prévoit avec délices l'héroïsme que cet Ami mettra dans ses actions dès que les circonstances lui permettront d’agir. Soyez sur que tout ce qui vous arrivera, m'émouvera vivement. Oh que je voudrais realiser dans cette occasion cette prophétie: hoc quondam meminisse juvabit 

Je vous remercie de l'intérêt que vous avez pris a Mr. Rillet, et des nouvelles que vous m’avez fait parvenir de lui, ses parents ne savaient rien de son départ d'Amérique, et n’ont encore rien appris de son arrivée en Europe. Je suis charmé de la connaissance que vous m’avez fait faire avec M Manigault; dans les premiers mois de son séjour ici, je ne peux pas faire pour lui ce que j’aurais désiré parce que j'étais fort occupé à mes examens qui approchaient, et que je ne voulais pas parler Anglais qui était la seule langue que M. Man. entendit. 

Mais depuis je me suis lié avec lui, et assez [étroitement?] ; il prend de moi des leçons de Géométrie, je lui en donne et il m’en donne tout-à-tour de belles lettres françaises et anglaises ; nous nous partons souvent ensemble; nous partons le samedi au soir pour aller passer le Dimanche chez Kinloch à la campagne à une lieue de la Ville.  Je suis fort attachée à ce jeune homme, je désire de tout mon coeur de lui être de quelque utilité; et je me flatte que ma connaissance pourra lui être de quelque avantage, au moins je m’y applique tant que je peux.

Je suis extrêmement content de lui. La santé s’est admirablement bien fortifiée, il est guéri de ses petites incommodités, et est vigoureux, il ne lui manque que de grandir. Il a des dispositions à l'étude, de l’ennui, d’apprendre et des talents; sans doute, si la mauvaise santé n’avait jusqu'à présent pas y dérangé son éducation [crossed out], il y aurait plus de vivacité et de nerf dans ses travaux actuels, mais je dois vous dire qu’a cet egard il fait tous les jours des progrèts : ce qu’il fait il le fait bien, ce qu’il apprend il le apprend bien ; et j'espère de l’amener peu-à-peu à faire des ouvrages sérieux et qui requièrent de l’attention et de la peine, en plus grande quantité qu’il ne l’a fait jusqu’ici . 

Son caractère est excellent; il a une sorte d’orgueil qui est une qualité précieuse quand elle ne passe pas de certaines bornes. Il a d’esprit, & il gagne tous les jours dans ce en quoi je trouvais qu’il manquait un peu, savoir le nerf & l'énergie. Quand vous lui écrivez, je vous prie de lui répéter qu’il peut & qu’il doit me regarder comme son vrai Ami dans ce pays. 

J’ai vu ce matin notre ami Kinloch: qu’ai-je à vous dire de lui que vous ne sachiez déjà? Cet admirable homme passe actuellement sa vie à étudier la Politique, l’Histoire & la Jurisprudence: il a pour but de devenir utile à l'humanité & surtout à la patrie; si jamais homme a mérite de réussir c’est bien lui. Je regarde comme un des bonheurs de ma vie d'être devenu son ami.

J’ai souvent vu Pictet: nous avons eu un grand plaisir, lui a me parler, moi a l’entendre parler de Londres & de nos amis Anglais: combien ces conversations réchauffent mon goût pour les voyages & surtout pour un voyage en Angleterre! Je vous fais des compliments de sa part; & j’ajoute dans la liste des sincères [feseurs?] de compliments Jurvettini, Naville & Martin. Tous ces amis suivent la carrière épineuse & dangereuse du barreau & de la Politique, Naville surtout s’y a donne entièrement, & fait déjà figure honorablement dans ce corps des Avocats. 

Pour moi je me sens peu de mon titre d’Avocat & de mes petites lumières dans la Jurisprudence; je continue a vivre de la manière dont vous m’avez vu vivre, en étudiant tranquillement différentes Sciences qui me rendent heureux, & par le moyen desquelles je pourrai peut être devenir utile à d'autres personnes. Je vous avoue cependant que je trouve ma vie actuelle trop uniforme & trop paisible; je sens que dans le tems de ma jeunesse je devrais éprouver plus d’agitations que j’en éprouve, je devrais plus agir & penser, & je fais le contraire: une agitation utile & agréable que je désirerais bien de me prouver, c’est celle des Voyages ___ quoi qu'il en arrive, je ne me trouve point malheureux.

Je dois faire un petit apprentissage de l’art de Voyager: j’ai des Parents en Languedoc qui désirent de me connaître & que je désire de voir, mon intention est d’y aller faire une course cette Automne; ce petit Voyage satisfera un partie, bien petit a la vérité, de mon désir général pour courir. Je comte de partir au commencement de Septembre, ainsi si vous voulez me procurer le plaisir d’avoir de vos Lettres, faites en sorte qu’elles me parviennent avant mon départ.

Compliments et Compliments de ma part pour le cher Morse ; je luis ai écrit au commencement du mois passé:  

I will let you Know that the pretty swift you had the Kindness to give me entertains very much Man. & me, and bids me many times a week to thing on you. 

My dear Laurens! I am your Friend.

L de Vegobre

J’oubliais de vous parler de philosophe Le Sage auquel j’ai bien fait vos compliments, & qui y a été très-sensible. Sa santé littéraire s’étant fort affaiblie, il s’est vu obligé de retrancher beaucoup de l'étendre de son plan ; ses amis l’y ont fortement exhorté, voyant qu’il était impossible de rien espérer de lui tant qu'il viserait à publier toutes ses découvertes & avec le degré de perfection que son imagination lui représente et que son exactitude requiert. Actuellement il travaille sur ce plan restreint ; & si l’on peut avoir quelque espérance de voir quelque ouvrage de lui publié, c’est à présent que ce qu’il lui reste a faire pour cela est très peu de choses selon le projet actuel. Mais cette espérance, je ne peux pas encore l’avoir aussi complette que je voudrais.

[ringneckedpheasant]

HI. am curious abt noel & gavyn if u want could u share some facts about them? like who are their favorite people or what are the worst locations they have been to? 👀

oh boy uh. i know next to nothing abt noel bc i am only a couple of hours into da2 and don’t rlly know how i want to play him yet but i’m planning to romance fenris and anders with him (gd fucking bless the da2 poly mod). he’s Transgender and Gay As Fuck and he’s also a mage. i think carver is one of his favorite people and it makes him extremely sad that their relationship is. not good. also he hates cops and already has a lot of rivalry w aveline. idk abt worst location!

gavyn my beloved gavyn is a circle mage and the second to last child in a family of 6. there’s a pretty significant gap between them and their youngest brother—like 14 years, so gavyn was already in the circle when their brother was born. you would Think that as a trevelyan gavyn would’ve been in a privileged position in the circle but the thing is. their parents litcherally do not care abt them. as circles go ostwick isn’t Terrible but being there broke gavyn’s spirit pretty badly. like. yknow how its super infuriating that wynne is still a liberal reformist despite all of the horrible shit that happened to her in kinloch? yeah, gavyn is like that too. fighting back has only ever made it worse—retaliation from templars, letters from their family about how important the reputation of their house is and how gavyn should refrain from anything that would reflect badly on the rest of their family. (unlike wynne though, i think gavyn could probably be radicalized given enough time/effort)

despite the fact that they’ve never met their younger brother in person, i think he’s one of gavyn’s favorite people. i need to come up w a name for him but i think the fact that their parents simultaneously despise them and refuse to talk abt them just made him Insatiably curious about his older sibling, and he started trying to sneak out letters to them when he was 13 or 14. gavyn’s replies always have to be cautious—their parents almost certainly read them—but they get so much joy out of their occasional correspondence and they’re really happy that they got to see him grow up even if just through being Pen Pals (gavyn is, i think, 36 at the time of the conclave, making their brother 22)

writing all this up made me RLLY rlly want to write abt them meeting bc their brother absolutely runs away from ostwick to meet the herald of andraste

anyway. sorry that this got so long and also barely answered your questions gkajgjwjcjjedj

[felassan]

After The Blight

A timeline of the Hero of Ferelden’s movements and notes about their activities after the end of the Fifth Blight

I just wanted to collect it together somewhere. Obviously it does not apply if the Hero performed the Ultimate Sacrifice, although sections of it will apply to Orlesian Warden-Commanders. This is a mixture of canon information, suppositions and headcanons (so it’s a mix of a reference post and personal notes about my own HoF). The latter two things are clearly marked as such. This post has been updated. (Tevinter Nights spoilers under cut)

9:30 Dragon - Fifth Blight begins.

9:31 - Fifth Blight ends, events of DAO end. The Fereldan reign or service to the crown of Queen, Prince-Consort and Chancellor HoFs begins. The HoF studies the Blight. There is an investigation effort into the darkspawns’ remaining secrets.

supposition: shortly after the coronation of Ferelden’s new monarch[s], the HoF answers the First Warden’s summons to Weisshaupt and travels there to report about the Blight. if the Dark Ritual was performed, they avoid mentioning it, despite the pertinent questions they are asked about why no Warden died killing the Archdemon. suspicions in the order abound 

supposition: if Avernus continued his research in some form, the HoF begins working with him around this time

personal headcanon: Dog never left HoF’s side after the Blight, because why would he? I know what it says about replenishing in the kennels, but that could easily be done during HoF’s many trips to Denerim

9:31, 4 months post Blight - Zevran has now begun his quest to dismantle the Crows, so romanced Zevran has most likely left HoF’s company by this point.

9:31, 6 months post Blight - Queen HoF marries Alistair in lavish ceremony. If Alistair was romanced, they then tour Ferelden. Prince-Consort HoF marries Anora in lavish ceremony.

note - The timings of the events in the expansion, DLCs and DA2 Act 1 are a bit squashed and inconsistent, which is why things in the upcoming segment get a bit janky

17th of Ferventis, 9:31, 6 months post Blight, post royal wedding - The Darkspawn Civil War/Amaranthine Conflict and the events of Awakening begin. The HoF had been promoted to Commander of the Grey, Ferelden’s Warden-Commander. They travel to Vigil’s Keep having been tasked by the order with rebuilding the Wardens’ presence in Ferelden and dealing with the remaining darkspawn plaguing the nation. Romanced Warden Alistair could not join them as he had been assigned to the Warden parties in charge of the Thaw Hunt (a hunt for remnant darkspawn pockets). Romanced Zevran could not join them as he was away hunting and being hunted by the Crows. Romanced Leliana could not join as she was summoned for an audience by the Grand Cleric.

supposition: HoF’s promotion was given to them during their time at Weisshaupt. it’s both a reward for their service during the Blight and a maneuver by the First Warden to capitalize on the HoF’s reputation and the post-Blight state of Ferelden (which was weakened and freshly appreciative of Wardens). the goal was to leverage the Wardens back into prominence and power in Ferelden

9:31, 12 months post Blight - This basically brings things into ~9:32. The Darkspawn Civil War/Amaranthine Conflict and events of Awakening end. If the Architect was spared, other Wardens in other nations are appalled, but the Wardens think the ensuing conflict between groups of darkspawn might make the Deep Roads safer. If the Architect was spared, HoF begins work of some kind with the intelligent darkspawn and has interactions with them in the coming years (in 9:37, Warden Nathaniel calls these darkspawn “The Warden’s allies” and mentions information these allies provided the Wardens with). Soon after what happened with the Architect, if Avernus continued his research in some form, HoF sends him information about the Architect.

personal headcanon: HoF names Nathaniel Howe their second-in-command. Nathaniel becomes Constable of the Grey, Warden-Constable of Ferelden

favored headcanon: HoF names romanced or befriended Warden Alistair their second-in-command. Alistair becomes Constable of the Grey, Warden-Constable of Ferelden

9:31 - If Avernus continued his research in some form, Hawke finds a very important set of Warden letters and documents from the HoF intended for the First Warden, on a dead body on the Wounded Coast in the Free Marches. HoF dispatched the messenger from Ferelden via Amaranthine to go to Weisshaupt by way of Kirkwall, possibly with the aid of an agent in Kirkwall. The courier was most likely dispatched from Vigil’s Keep. Something had happened that the HoF is concerned about and wanted to inform the First Warden of ASAP. Enclosed was a message from Avernus to the HoF. This message indicates that the HoF has been working and corresponding with Avernus to aid his research, including sending him shipments of supplies. Avernus’ research has made progress but also revealed some alarming implications, and he urged the HoF to inform the FW at once. 

supposition: “supplies” includes live subjects, as in sentient beings (Ghilan’nain would be proud)

supposition: due to everything with Avernus if he continued his research, it’s around now that seeds begin to be sown in HoF’s mind of finding a way to escape the Calling 

personal headcanon: the agent in Kirkwall is Varric Tethras, or one of his people. after all, he is an information broker, spymaster and someone who knows everyone

~9:31 - The events of The Golems of Amgarrak take place. HoF investigates Amgarrak Thaig after being invited to Orzammar by Jerrik Dace, on a search mission to find a lost expedition. Most likely takes place after Awakening because Jerrik sent a letter requesting aid to Vigil’s Keep.

personal headcanon: the HoF has contact here with House Tethras, who canonically funded Jerrik’s search mission

9:32, nearly 1 year after the Archdemon’s death - The events of Witch Hunt take place. HoF searches for Morrigan through the Korcari Wilds, Cadash Thaig, Kinloch Hold and the Dragonbone Wastes. If HoF romanced Morrigan, they may vanish with her through the eluvian. In some universes Kieran has now been born. For some HoFs, they now meet their son for the first time.

supposition: it’s now that Morrigan tells some HoFs about the leads she found that point to the western lands as a place where a cure for the Calling might be found. if HoF didn’t leave through the mirror, some HoFs may now find that the “gift” Morrigan left them along with the stolen Dalish book is information about these leads. do note that some HoFs are implied to have come into the knowledge without Morrigan’s involvement

supposition: 9:32, post Witch Hunt - It’s now that HoFs who romanced Zevan travel to Antiva to reunite with him for a time, their expansion and DLC-business being concluded. they do what they can to help him in his Crow quest

9:32 on, for a time - HoFs who romanced Morrigan, fathered Kieran and left through the mirror help Morrigan raise Kieran for a while. This goes on for a long enough time that the roughly ~10 year old Kieran clearly remembers his father in 9:41.

supposition: much of this family life took place in hidden, secret places, some of which are in Thedas ‘proper’ itself and some of which are in the Crossroads and places reached via the Crossroads

supposition [?]: 9:32 on, til leaving / ‘mysteriously vanishing’ in ~9:40 - HoF most likely based out of Denerim Royal Palace and/or Vigil’s Keep, being largely occupied in this period with the duties involved in being Queen, Prince-Consort, Chancellor and/or Warden-Commander of Ferelden. The former would involve such things as advising, often being seen at court, helping to rebuild Ferelden in the wake of the Blight, and resisting the influence/incursions Orlais attempt around this time. The latter would involve such things as recruitment, training, establishing bases, sending annual reports to Weisshaupt, scouting, clearing remnant darkspawn activity, rebuilding Vigil’s Keep and/or Amaranthine, overseeing the arling etc. It’s also likely that Warden business would take them to other parts of Thedas at times. Romanced Zevran and romanced Leliana both assist when they can with rebuilding the Wardens, without officially joining. Depending on HoF’s actions during the Darkspawn Civil War/Amaranthine Conflict, potential events such as a riot of common folk at Vigil’s Keep can occur here. HoF continuing to actively serve in the Wardens during this time probably isn’t just supposition due to how they and Warden Alistair can refer to their duties in 9:41. Still, there’s lots of space and flexibility in this period for headcanon, for example to include things from the ‘rumors’ and such listed at the end of this post.

supposition: HoFs who romanced Zevan are involved on and off as they are able in this time period with his Crow quest, helping when they can. “on and off” refers to their involvement in his quest, not their relationship. canonically around this period Zevran is known for high profile kills of Guildmasters and having some of the others in his pocket. by 9:34 he has 2 out of 7 Guildmasters in his pocket and has killed at least one other along with Eoman, 2 Grandmasters, and 4 other members of House Arainai

personal headcanon: HoF establishes Soldier’s Peak as a secondary and proper functioning Warden base in Ferelden, and it comes to rival Vigil’s Keep

personal headcanon: HoF grows increasingly dissatisfied with the actions and attitudes of the Wardens (primarily the First Warden and other leadership in the Anderfels) during this period, and in the later years begins to consider making a play for power and seizing the First Warden’s seat

~9:33, 1 year after Darkspawn Civil War/Amaranthine Conflict ends - If HoF saved the city of Amaranthine, it is finished being rebuilt. Relevant because it is part of the arling goings-on, which is currently in HoF’s hands.

personal headcanon: 9:34 - HoF visits their clan near Kirkwall, having sent word ahead to Merrill. HoF is able to see Merrill and Marethari again prior to Marethari’s death in Act 3. this ties in handily with the timeframe when Warden Stroud/Alistair passes through Kirkwall on a mysterious important Warden mission. HoF, in the company of this Warden party (which includes Warden Carver), meets Hawke and is reunited with Anders/Justice and Isabela. HoF meets their contact Varric in person for the first time

~9:36, 5 years after Darkspawn Civil War/Amaranthine Conflict ends - If HoF saved the city of Amaranthine, Vigil’s Keep is finally finished being rebuilt.

supposition: ~9:37 (dependent on when Hawke did MoTA) - Not long after Hawke kills Corpheus, HoF begins digging for information about him much like the DAI Warden contact. HoF is investigating rumors they had heard and found about him, being concerned that he would be able to jump host bodies on death like an Archdemon. This happens in romanced Warden Alistair worlds in tandem with Alistair, and I don’t see why it would be exclusive to those. This can technically occur anytime between 31 and 37, but 37 makes the most sense for this to happen, as I can’t see HoF sitting on Corypheus knowledge for almost a decade before he rose

9:37 - Queen HoF is at home in the Royal Palace in Denerim when King Alistair meets Hawke in Act 3.

supposition: Prince-Consort HoFs, Chancellor HoFs, HoFs who remained King Alistair’s paramour, HoFs who were friends with King Alistair and potentially some others are also at court in Denerim at this time, either visiting or in a less temporary manner, depending

9:37 - Hawke meets Warden Nathaniel and possibly their Warden sibling in the Deep Roads. The First Warden had ordered an investigation along Hawke’s Deep Road expedition route, as Hawke went further into the Roads than anyone believed possible and the Wardens are interested in the primeval thaig. The Wardens obtained directions from Bartrand and were prepared to do extensive excavations around the thaig using explosives.

supposition: HoF had some involvement in the above, for example overseeing, organizing and decision-making on a level more local than the First Warden’s initial order

personal headcanon: Hawke’s Warden sibling has been under HoF’s command in recent years

personal headcanon: 9:38 - HoF accompanies Alistair during the events of The Silent Grove, Those Who Speak, and Until We Sleep. these events canonically take longer than 3 weeks, probably ~2 months. their travels take them to Antiva City, the Tellari Swamps, Ventus, Seheron and the Fade. HoF is reunited with Sten and Isabela, and meets Maevaris

~9:40, before Cassandra interrogates Varric - HoF departs on their long-ass quest to the west to find a cure for the Calling. Romanced Zevran accompanies them. Their journey takes them far out of the areas where Corypheus is operating, to lands untouched by Blight. Cassandra initially seeks HoF now, but cannot find them, most likely because they’ve left. Romanced Leliana couldn’t go because Justinia called on her for help. Romanced Warden Alistair stays behind to investigate the mounting concerns in the Wardens with corruption in the ranks, Corypheus, Wardens disappearing and the false Calling.

supposition [?]: Awakening Warden companions that we’ve not heard from again - so Velanna, Sigrun and Oghren - accompany HoF on their quest, explaining why they haven’t resurfaced

personal headcanon: in the months prior, HoF began to grow concerned about stirrings of strange behavior in Warden ranks, much like the DAI Warden contact

9:41 - A letter arrives to Weisshaupt from the new Warden-Commander of Vigil’s Keep. Around this time Clarel is noted to have stopped writing to Weisshaupt.

supposition: there is a new Warden-Commander because HoF has now departed on their quest. the new one could be temporary in the interim or a permanent replacement. the new one is possibly whoever HoF promoted to Constable of the Grey / Warden-Constable of Ferelden, as Wardens of this rank are second-in-commands who step in when the Warden-Commander is away. [headcanon note here: if HoF had elevated Alistair to the position, it’s possibly now occupied by someone else given Warden Alistair soon goes into hiding after becoming concerned]

9:41, mid-Inquisition - It proves difficult, but Morrigan, Alistair or Leliana facilitate Inquisition contact with the HoF and an exchange of letters between HoF and the Inquisitor. HoF signs their letter “Warden-Commander”.

supposition: given how they sign the letter, it doesn’t seem that they have officially stepped down from the role yet. alternatively, a Warden can continue to use the title after stepping down, or this is an inconsistency. I think it’s most likely the new Warden-Commander in the Weisshaupt letter above is acting-WC at this time point

~9:44, post-Trespasser - HoF has returned from their quest to find a cure. If they romanced Leliana, they rejoin her. If Leliana is Divine, HoF is often seen at her side. If not, their respective responsibilities often keep them apart, but whenever they can they spend time together at a villa on the Waking Sea.

supposition: HoF didn’t come back until now, as they are not mentioned in the base game epilogue. their quest really took years

supposition: All HoFs return now, because why would only Lelimancers make it back?

supposition: HoF found a cure, given the fairly light tone in the romanced Leliana epilogues. if so, they probably step down from being a Warden, as Fiona was not allowed to remain in the Wardens after being cured

supposition: If HoF romanced Morrigan or Alistair or married Anora, they instead rejoin their respective LI, or LI and child in the case of Morrigan sometimes. Leliana, Morrigan and Warden Alistair as LIs in DAI all express the same sentiment of what amounts to “this time, when we rejoin one another, we intend to stay together”. romanced Zevran here was already with them, having gone on the quest

supposition: At this time point HoF clearly still has some continuing responsibilities of some form. work with the Wardens in an advisory capacity? ongoing service to the Fereldan crown? there’s lots of space and flexibility now for headcanon, for example to include things from the ‘rumors’ and such listed at the end of this post

supposition: It appears Leliana tells romanced HoF of the troubles to come (’for both saw the troubles that were to come’). presumably this is a reference to the Dread Wolf and related threats. I assume she would tell this to any HoF that she was good friends with

personal headcanon: the cure for the Calling is distributed to Anders and Carver. whether it’s distributed to all Wardens or made common knowledge to all Wardens is debatable

personal headcanon: HoF ‘takes care of’ some of befriended Divine Leliana’s enemies. I especially favor this headcanon with romanced Leliana

~9:44, post-Trespasser, probably into 9:45 - ‘The Bard’ reports a sighting of an unspecified Warden-Commander in an auctionhouse in Llomerryn, talking to disguised Divine Victoria. This Warden-Commander’s identity is left unstated, and this story of the Bard’s, or this part of the story, seems like it was made up.

supposition: this was made up and never happened, given the context. I do love the allusion to the apparent contact and scheming between HoF and romanced or befriended Divine Leliana, though

----------

There are also lots of things that the HoF was rumored or can be suggested to do post-game in the DAO and expansion epilogues. If desired, these could easily be woven into headcanons and stories to help fill the periods where there are large timegaps. You could also headcanon in HoF appearing with romanced Zevran and romanced Leliana at various timepoints when they resurface in the narrative, for example.

continue to have unspecified adventures and travels

travel with Sten to Par Vollen

travel with Wynne and Shale

dwarves: return to Orzammar, potentially Paragon duties

Mahariel: return to their clan

Tabris: potentially Bann of the Alienage duties

Cousland: return to Highever, help Fergus rebuild

and so forth

[midnightprelude]

WIP Wednesday!

Good morning! @oftachancer and I are writing a fix-it Anders x Karl fic and quite a lot of it involves letters, which we’ll probably include between the chapters from when they were young. Here’s a couple of those!

Firstfall 16, 9:20 Dragon

Esteemed Enchanter Thekla,

I’m desperately sorry that I must begin this letter with a sincere apology. I’m afraid that by the time your correspondence had arrived, I found myself at a great distance from the Hold. I had hoped, foolishly, to deliver this missive in person, but I was - as I should’ve expected, really - foiled in my attempt to book passage north.

The halls are ever so much more dreary since your departure and I find myself whiling a great many hours into my solitude, but I assure you, it provides no comfort for me. No. I had but one comfort these past years. One reason to stay in Kinloch Hold, for that youthful hope of a future we dreamed up among the darkened library stacks or on barrels of hay in the barn. The Tower has become ever more a mausoleum for me, that I must subsist upon the memory of your laughter rather than the sound fills me with such despair I can scarcely breathe.

I’m sorry, my friend, but I cannot keep our oath any longer. I cannot live where you are not and be content with mere scraps of parchment. I am sorry.

I’ve entrusted our companions to the care of Amell and Surana; the girls are nigh inseparable and they rather remind me of us at their age. Kyr misses you, as do I.

If not this letter, perhaps the next. One day it’ll stick.

Yours always,

A.

Haring 21, 9:20 Dragon

Leander,

It is with a heavy heart that I received word from Solana of your incarceration, though I cannot speak to any portion of surprise on my part.

You ass.

Have you any inclination at all towards my well being? Do you think I like to hear that you’ve been beaten and put into a little box like one of Jarvis’ wayward hamsters? What madness even possesses you to- You realize that the Gallows is in the City of Chains. If anything, the names alone should give you pause in attempting to rush north.

Why can’t you simply bide your time and make arrangements to be transferred like a normal person? My efforts to that end are undermined by your impulsiveness, you realize.

Andraste’s frilly underskirts, to borrow your parlance, but sometimes you make me so incredibly furious and this is one of those times.

I miss you. You bastard.

I hope Solana sees this to you with all speed before you get yourself into any more trouble, and that you heal quickly and resolve to be the man I know that you can.

All my unending affection, Maker help me,

K

Tagging forward to: @kemvee | @cartadwarfwithaheartofgold | @ashalle-art | @jentrevellan | @zuendwinkel | @lavellanvibes | @dalish-rogue | @hollyand-writes | @dismalzelenka | @enigmalea | @kunstpause | @elveny | @thefoxinboots | @blarfkey | @charlatron | @a-shakespearean-in-paris | @wardenari | @queen-kass-the-writer | @blarrghe | @nug-juggler | @johaeryslavellan | @laniardraws | @faux-fires | @noire-pandora | @ramonadecember | @decimdraws | @dragongeek1 | @in-arlathan

[yr-obedt-cicero]

I saw some recent posts discussing about the whole belief that Laurens might have been asexual, and there was some interesting points that got me thinking. This also kinda collides with the debate about why Laurens appears less affectionate in his letters, and has lead many to believe it was one-sided. But when looking through Hamilton's and Laurens's correspondence, a majority of Laurens's letters are the ones missing. So, really we get a very scarce view of his side of the relationship, and what he gave in return. And considering Hamilton's and Laurens's relationship seems to be the most serious of Laurens's (Since his marriage was loveless, and his letters to Kinloch don't amount to the same deep affection or long-term relationship as his one with Hamilton). We don't really know about what action Laurens took in the relationship, and I don't think it's necessarily fair to use that as an assessment that he was asexual.

First of all, Laurens was very passionate about his thoughts and words, he was never remorseful or hesitant especially when talking about something he firmly believed. So, how do we not know his letters were also just as deeply affectionate? And perhaps that is why most of them are missing, because it would have definitely warranted censoring from the literary professionals (Cough cough JCH) that gutted through Hamilton's correspondence? Especially since these letters would have been in Hamilton's holdings, since they were sent to him. Or hell, maybe Hamilton burned them himself knowing the risk they held. Of course, this is merely speculation, and many can argue Laurens may have been reluctant to show much affection due to his self-hatred and internalized homophobia. Which is just as standing as my argument. And as it has been pointed out, Hamilton's ridiculously flirtatious and sexual writings should not be considered the norm. But it's still food for thought.

Like, I am all for headcannons, and I won't care that much if someone was to consider him asexual — But! A lack of letters is a massive fault when trying to draw assumptions. And I would not consider it as historically concrete as Laurens being gay.