#porenn of drasnia

[glasses-rex]

More Belgariad character art, this time of some of the queens! I absolutely adore them, and wanted to hash out how I imagine them on paper. The clothes are only semi-historical— I took inspiration from English women’s fashion of about 1066-1200 according to John Peacock’s “Costume: 1066 to 1990s” (and remembered how much I love all the various medieval head coverings) but also exercised a fair amount of creative license since they are characters from a fantasy world.

[youngestthunderbird]

David Edding’s Belgariad has as a minor plot point a Queen (Queen Porenn of Drasnia) who recently gave birth be left as regent to her country while her husband goes off to war. She quells political rebellion using an advanced understanding of politics while pretending to be an overwhelmed new mother, and meets with her spymaster while she’s nursing because that’s the only time she knows she isn’t spied on.

I’m becoming bored with the anti-feminization of fantasy novels. I’m all for heroines who take up a sword, or who chafe against the expectations of their society. But can’t we have more heroines who like dresses and housework and embroidery and family life? We don’t just need heroines who do stereotypically masculine things. Because that perpetuates the sexism–women are only welcome if they’re just like the boys. We also need to show that stereotypically feminine tasks and roles can be heroic.

To that end, here are some suggestions:

The princess who arranges her own marriage, because someone’s got to make the alliance to save this kingdom and it may as well be her. (Extra points: her parents want her to be a knight, but she runs away from home because she would rather get married).

A heroine who really, really loves babies and want to get married and start a family.

Women who love doing embroidery,and comparing patterns and making up new designs. And maybe they embroider a map or two for the adventure, because paper can tear and get wet, and that’s not a problem for fabric.

A woman who has to wear trousers for a portion of the adventure–and hates them. They might be slightly more convenient for running, but they’re uncomfortable, and her legs are too warm, and can’t she please get into skirts again?

Mothers as fantasy protagonists. Caring for their children while also dealing with the demands of the fantasy plot. Queens who negotiate treaties and care for the demands of the castle and then go back to spend time with their children. 

Women who don’t get married and aren’t pressured to get married, but have a happy, successful single life–working as a spinster or running a farm or having any other sort of successful business.

Fantasy societies that are built around the fact that women get pregnant and have children. Bringing your children to the meeting of the fellowship is totally okay! You can run the castle while your children play at your feet! Women aren’t trapped in the house caring for the babies because babies are welcome!

There are loads of interesting things that can happen if stories go beyond the tropes and include the reality of female life. (And if anyone knows of fantasy novels that include some of these things, please point me toward them).

[stormneedle]

I may have to go looking for fan fic of this concept with Queen Porenn of Drasnia (Belgariad/Mallorean series by Eddings). 

Just for research, of course.

fake relationship but its a king and his concubine that was once an amazing soldier but he couldn’t go up the ranks for whatever reason so the king was like listen. hear me out. you can be my strategy dude. u just gotta be okay w walking around shirtless a lot. and soldier dude is like man that’s an UPSIDE and yknow they end up falling in love