H&M, Chapter 14

[rthstewart]

I posted chapter 14 of Harold and Morgan early this morning and you can find it here:



Again, my huge thanks to those of you who helped here, first with the block and second with how I crafted Morgan's choices and their relationship.  Thank you so much. Coming fresh off of the chapter of AW and the comments about Ed’s very mature conversation with his mother, I had to dial him back years for this chapter and that was really hard. Further, based on comments, I knew there were political and “career” issues I had to pose.

And then there was Edmund’s terrific misunderstanding/jealousy/insecurity with Rishta. I thought of omitting it for several reasons. However, the idea behind it, the epithet and stereotype that a Narnian’s brain is between his legs, is something I’ve had in my head since I started the story. I’ve been paving the way for it a long time, and across stories. On the one hand, I usually present the lustiness of Narnia as humorous and fun -- team Licentious Trees as anastigmatfic calls it. So it might seem surprising to see it viewed so negatively by some on the outside. Rather like some of my critics, I suppose? Ahem. At the very least, it makes Narnia seem rustic, which as Susan says in chapter 5 of BRD, it is. Narnia is not stupid or uncouth as many assume (the premise of BRD) but neither does she have sophistication of the other lands.

I really wanted to make this more fun and to show some of the good times that Edmund is remembering fondly in AW (h_dash_h, that was your comment). So, some of that is here even if there is angst as well (I’m tired of angst. Aren’t you? Just shut up and have sex, would you? Stupid characters.) In terms of actual sexual content – by which I mean descriptive, point of view activity – this chapter breaks no new ground. Yet, I’ve come to see that there’s something really important in this journey for some readers that is very adult.  This journey can affect readers personally. Morgan’s fierce assertion of her prerogative is one that in an ideal world, someone might imagine saying to a partner. Compromise plays out all the time as people balance career and personal lives. 

Goodness, too much navel gazing. We obviously need more Otter and Narnians trying to entertain the King and his consort in trees and marshes.  "There are bugs in the honeycomb!" Morgan hissed.  "I can't eat this!"  Harold, however, had already popped the comb into his mouth as the she-Bear looked on approvingly.  (If you have any other ideas, do share).

  Clio told me last night that the arc made sense – which I doubted. So thank her because otherwise I would have chucked it and started over.  Readers E and Doewe has also provided some wonderful help in email as I've parsed through this relationship.  This is all so much better for the thoughtful contributions of readers. 

Comments

[h-dash-h.livejournal.com]

Yay! A new chapter! Wonderful use of the Calormene who wished to "acquire" Morgan. So easily misunderstood, and it played into one of Our Heroes actually falling into a bit of prejudice for a change. And I love that you used the whole thing to get Morgan to actually blurt out how she feels. Edmund is so terrified that he's forcing her into something that he's usurping her independence in the opposite direction. And really, Edmund, she pursues volumes of exotic sexual positions with you. Are you really going to let some Tarkaan's absurd views on the incompatibility of female intelligence and sexuality influence you here? Of course you are, because the only person you can't judge properly is yourself.

Also- favorite line: "I shall be inclusive for your Northern preferences and include any being"

:-)

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I've had my doubts about this chapter and still do so I appreciate you weighing in. I feel routinely that all of you have a better handle on what is going on here than I do. Also, I've been whacked over the head a lot by the Narnia fen the last week or two and I'm in that mode of OMG time to take everything down and run away.

It is hard to have one of Our Heroes make mistakes. Readers don't like it, often. I did wonder if it was too big a thing, too dramatic, too out of character. I've wondered if I went too far and people are too polite to say.

Pierce did make the same assumptions about Narnia and Edmund is, with reason, concerned. He knows Morgan is better there; Morgan isn't sure what she wants; Edmund still has these doubts that something makes him happy must be wrong/bad/evil/flawed.

He is getting better, he is working it out. He is listening to her, he is acting more appropriately and Morgan is getting better too. And... I WROTE FLUFF. FLUFF. Did you see that? FLUFF?!!

[h-dash-h.livejournal.com]

FLUFF! Yes, and yay!

Edmund's sufficiently unsure of himself, and he and Morgan had not yet established a "new normal", that him kind of panicking is not out of the question. If the Tarkaan had argued the Morgan didn't really love him, or that it was a politically impractical arrangement, then Edmund would have told him to go hang. But since he instead pushed the button that Edmund had *just* been concerned about (pushing Morgan into a relationship she doesn't really want where she may feel coerced, particularly sexually), *and* Edmund has to deal with having totally overreacted to a misunderstanding, yes, I think you can justify panic here :-P

Also, I love Lucy's wholehearted endorsement of Morgan and support of Edmund. And that she won't led Edmund protest referring to Morgan as his consort.

Oh, and Morgan's way of teaching maths to Corin! :-)

Don't let the haters get you down. If you're getting them all worked up you're probably doing something right.