rthstewart (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rthstewart) wrote2014-05-24 07:46 am
rthstewart) wrote2014-05-24 07:46 am
Entry tags:
H&M, Epilogue, Acceptance of the Terms
And so Harold and Morgan has concluded. The chapter is here, based heavily upon some meme responses and requests here, including E's Acceptance of the Terms and requests by Adaese and Syrena. I am going to go ahead and make a plea. If you did read it and liked it, could you let me know and please leave a review?
I guess I should say something about the characterization of Edmund Linch -- he (and Liv) are both pretty critical of their older generation. He's vowing to do it differently and Liv is there pushing him on. A lot of this is the arrogance of youth and the "I won't make the mistakes they did." He wants to strike his own path, establish his own rule, and that's not a bad thing. It can, however, be hard to read, as if some young one is just trashing all the good that came before. He's not -- Ed is just making his own way. They are young and think they know everything and I let them enjoy that surety that comes with youth.
Liv sort of leaped off the page. In pieces that didn't make the cut, I played a lot with her being very much inspired by Lucy, though with more of Susan's traditional femininity (she is 2-3 years older than he is). And I enjoyed writing their relationship, which took an unexpected turn toward the sensual, which I hope isn't off putting -- but that's where this all started. There's a lot of guilt and baggage both in H&M (for instance the way the Bankers and Calormenes look down on Narnians) and in I love not Man the less with the bonding rites. Liv and Ed are obviously way beyond that, crazy in love, completely devoted to one another, and always have been, and have a very positive and equal relationship. This chapter ended up pulling in things from nearly all my other work.
And I killed Jalur (that was Syrena's fault). And Lambert.
I had promised a second epilogue, Rejection of the Terms, in the vein of Lost in Translation's Everybody Stays, Nobody Leaves. I liked the 7000 words or so I've pulled together. The idea, which doesn't hang together completely, is set up at the beginning of Acceptance. Peter has the choice to again chase the White Stag or not. Chasing the wish leads them back to Spare Oom. It poses the same issue that underlies a lot of the work -- If you act, does it mean you don't have faith? Are you the Foolish Faun? It's at the heart of Food for Thought and the ultimate split between Peter and Susan over whether to use the rings. Peter will act, because that's what Peter does, even if maybe he should not, in this case to literally chase a wish. So the epilogue splits at this point. Does Peter chase the Stag (Acceptance of the Terms) or does he not chase the Stag (Rejection of the Terms). This piece with Dinan I owe to Adaese btw.
Rejection of the Terms is very Peter and Morgan heavy, with lots of added children sword play and food fights. it poses the idea that both of them come to terms with what family means and the possibility of letting go of expectation -- also, very much a Peter character issue. It was too long to include in this update and once Acceptance of the Terms was all on the page, I was happy with its happy ending.
I had thought I might post Rejection to the completed H&M or post it separately. However, the consistent drumbeat of enough already just finish would you -- the second review on this chapter expressed relief that it is finally over -- saps whatever enthusiasm I had for posting Rejection of the Terms. It certainly won't be on FF.net. There has been a lot of this the last few chapters and I changed a years-held policy and began deleting feedback and then got called on that too. Sometimes the cost is too high and that's been the case with the conclusion of this story. A few things I really valued broke as this came to an end.
if you read, thank you, so much. I'm very grateful.
I guess I should say something about the characterization of Edmund Linch -- he (and Liv) are both pretty critical of their older generation. He's vowing to do it differently and Liv is there pushing him on. A lot of this is the arrogance of youth and the "I won't make the mistakes they did." He wants to strike his own path, establish his own rule, and that's not a bad thing. It can, however, be hard to read, as if some young one is just trashing all the good that came before. He's not -- Ed is just making his own way. They are young and think they know everything and I let them enjoy that surety that comes with youth.
Liv sort of leaped off the page. In pieces that didn't make the cut, I played a lot with her being very much inspired by Lucy, though with more of Susan's traditional femininity (she is 2-3 years older than he is). And I enjoyed writing their relationship, which took an unexpected turn toward the sensual, which I hope isn't off putting -- but that's where this all started. There's a lot of guilt and baggage both in H&M (for instance the way the Bankers and Calormenes look down on Narnians) and in I love not Man the less with the bonding rites. Liv and Ed are obviously way beyond that, crazy in love, completely devoted to one another, and always have been, and have a very positive and equal relationship. This chapter ended up pulling in things from nearly all my other work.
And I killed Jalur (that was Syrena's fault). And Lambert.
I had promised a second epilogue, Rejection of the Terms, in the vein of Lost in Translation's Everybody Stays, Nobody Leaves. I liked the 7000 words or so I've pulled together. The idea, which doesn't hang together completely, is set up at the beginning of Acceptance. Peter has the choice to again chase the White Stag or not. Chasing the wish leads them back to Spare Oom. It poses the same issue that underlies a lot of the work -- If you act, does it mean you don't have faith? Are you the Foolish Faun? It's at the heart of Food for Thought and the ultimate split between Peter and Susan over whether to use the rings. Peter will act, because that's what Peter does, even if maybe he should not, in this case to literally chase a wish. So the epilogue splits at this point. Does Peter chase the Stag (Acceptance of the Terms) or does he not chase the Stag (Rejection of the Terms). This piece with Dinan I owe to Adaese btw.
Rejection of the Terms is very Peter and Morgan heavy, with lots of added children sword play and food fights. it poses the idea that both of them come to terms with what family means and the possibility of letting go of expectation -- also, very much a Peter character issue. It was too long to include in this update and once Acceptance of the Terms was all on the page, I was happy with its happy ending.
I had thought I might post Rejection to the completed H&M or post it separately. However, the consistent drumbeat of enough already just finish would you -- the second review on this chapter expressed relief that it is finally over -- saps whatever enthusiasm I had for posting Rejection of the Terms. It certainly won't be on FF.net. There has been a lot of this the last few chapters and I changed a years-held policy and began deleting feedback and then got called on that too. Sometimes the cost is too high and that's been the case with the conclusion of this story. A few things I really valued broke as this came to an end.
if you read, thank you, so much. I'm very grateful.
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I intend to do so, and tomorrow I'll have time all to myself in which to do it! I am starting over because I don't remember where I left off, but I wanted to let you know that I read, and so many times I go back and re-read your stuff because I love it so very much.
I don't know the whole story about what people have commented or not, but I have never, ever felt that anything you've written has been too long, or too inappropriate, or any of that. I would be interested in reading Rejection of the Terms, and would love it for what it is.
How anyone could behave the way you've described is just beyond my comprehension - this verse is my preferred head-canon and I want to live in it forever and ever amen - and even if any of it wasn't to someone's liking, it is unacceptable to me that they would be rude about it. I am so sorry that you've been treated so poorly, and want to encourage you to post what you like and those who disagree can... Well. *sighs* Just know my irritation for you is well and truly stoked, and I'll defend anything you write because it is MAGIC.
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Screw ff.n, the commenting culture over there has gotten so toxic it's a wonder you made it this long. Take a good, long mental bath and kick the haters to the curb; they don't deserve any further consideration.
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Thanks, and I hope you enjoy the chapter.
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Please do write whatever it is you have in mind -- every Narnia thing you've written has been unfailingly awesome, and the only reason I've gone to ff.net in the first place.
Added: I started reading it from the beginning so that I could regain context. I did not realize that you'd been working on it for three years and had periods of worrying as to whether you should continue! I'm up to chapter 6.
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Anyway, thank you for reading.
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RUDE. *hugs?*
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Seriously? I don't understand. A new chapter in H&M or TSG is always the highlight of my day (sometimes of my week)! Please post All The Things. <3
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You know I always love reading your work so if you decide to post Rejection (here or FF.net) there'll be at least one reader.
It's at the heart of Food for Thought and the ultimate split between Peter and Susan over whether to use the rings. — This sentence intrigued me. I've been curious about how LB would play out in your 'verse (*cough* I'm still hoping you'll post a new chapter of AW eventually) and what reasoning is behind Susan not being a part of it all at the end; I always thought this might have something to with the Rat & Crow in Europe post-war.
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You are right that the Rat and Crow plays a role with Susan -- it's also the Foolish Faun thing, the combination of the two.
Thank you for staying with it. I so appreciate it.
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I think I'm getting more scatter-brained these days... I almost thought that I hadn't reviewed at all for the previous chapter but then I clearly remember writing something about Wrasse in the original review so I know I definitely had reviewed it.