H&M Chapter 18

[rthstewart]

So, last night I posted Many Happy Returns. 

This has been a very difficult update.  I’ve had tons of real life writing and close readers know what is coming and I'm looking forward to it no more than you are.  It's strange because I have probably 50,000 words in this part of the story and the first part, the presentation to Peter, I had written before and it still took me 2 weeks to write a few thousand words of the same scene from a different point of view. 

And gosh, I could not resist making Peter so sentimental about it all.  They are completely counting their eggs before they are fertilized, though both Roblang and Mr. Hoberry express some caution.  And yes, about that.  The resolution at the end of the chapter leaves open the possibilty that Morgan is pregnant.  If you have any thoughts on that, I'd love to hear them.

Peter and Susan are a bit clueless about all this -- in their defense, they've really not been around for most of the relational development.  Susan also has her issues with the whole thing as she sees it (and rightly so) as politically very problematic.   Also, we have something of a return to the politics and worldbuilding, such as it is, that were developed in the Lone Islands arc.

We've covered a lot of ground in the last couple of chapters.  They have really learned how to communciate and are both rising to the challenge of becoming a couple, a we, a them, in the greater world.  And then... well...

Coincidentally, Elecktrum and the1hobbit posted the first chapter of a bawdy bachelor party with Bacchus in attendance, so you know it's going to be a rollicking time.  They borrowed my Sir Leszi who would never miss a good party and I'm very flattered that they did so.  You can find the first chapter of Evangeline here. 

I'll say this again, even at the risk of being a review hound.  This type of story is a dying breed in the Narnia fandom on fanfiction.net.  If you like it and other works like it, even a single guest review of "Thanks for updating!  I liked it!" really, really means something.  Those counts, favs and follows make a statement.  As I said in the a/n at the end of the chapter, my work and I have become real outliers in the past few months as the fandom on the site has become actively hostile to anything except a very specific, very narrow brand of story.  Thanks so much for your support.

Comments

[lotl101.livejournal.com]

I greatly enjoyed it, but a real review will be a little delayed. Real Life is being bothersome again. Until then, I was laughing and tearing and flailng and d'awwww Jina! Great job!

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Good luck with RL! You are missed!

[intrikate88.livejournal.com]

I was SO happy when I saw the email alert in my inbox this morning. I can't wait to read it. ♥

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Awww, thanks! I hope you are having a good weekend!

[mremre.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to let you know that I am going to have to wait to read this until at least the next bit comes up, because we were at a good stopping point in the last chapter, and I cannot take my poor heart being shredded. So you have not lost me as a reader! I'm just looking after my poor heart.

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Awww, thanks, I think. I know about the shredding. There are some out there who don't know it's coming and I guess/I'm assuming it's better to know?

[min023.livejournal.com]

Interesting, isn't it? You've characterized the more creative, imaginative and innovative story writing as a dying breed, with a more constrained and narrow archetype taking its place. At the same time, I'm now reading almost nothing in this fandom EXCEPT for stories like yours, from authors who bring a wider view and explore bigger issues. Wonder what that says? Guess I'm just perverted too (or whatever the latest perjorative is), and happy to be there.

I really enjoyed this. It's so strikingly plausible that a more mature bond between the two of them would look this way. For all that it was a struggle, you've pulled it off so very well.

[(Anonymous)]

That's so funny, Min023, I would say the same thing. This is one of the few stories that I have read everything. Elecktrum, Sentimental Star, and Cofax being the others.

The word that I would use, min, would be sophisticated. I am not a child, I am an adult who can handle adult content and adult themes like world-building and what religious and cultural tolerance might look like in practice.

I have spent entirely too much time thinking about culture wars, their impacts, and how to engage with them this week. I would hate for you, rth, to fall victim to the same thing. So, you will be happy to note I have know posted double reviews. And I am eagerly looking forward to the next chapter, even if I do know what's coming next.

Doctor Dolly

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

I keep writing and re-writing responses to this. I had a long elucidation on some of the current trends Delete Delete. You can see the latest pejoratives and hear the clucking disapproval in the profiles and in reviews, or, to borrow from Holmes and the dog that didn't bark, who and what is read and reviewed and by whom.

Shrug. I am so fortunate to be associate with such generous people.

It's funny -- last night I just started writing a bit in the Lone Islands where Constance is complaining - why did she come back? it was going so well?

I think for the next chapter (which may be 2) I'll pull back to outsider povs. We don't need to be in that deep.

[lupiza-grey.livejournal.com]

Here's more support for you - and I've just left an anon review at FFN :) I'm not actually sure what's coming next that everyone's so anxious about - I've ideas but am not sure, it's been too long since I've read this in detail. This chapter is so happy, and I'm glad of it. It IS such a shame that this sort of story is, as you say, a dying breed, but in some ways it's good - if there were lots of stories like this, I'd have trouble telling them apart! :) Fandom hostility is horrible and you shouldn't have to deal with it. Though I admit that I also have a very specific, narrow brand of stories that I read - these ones. Bah! to any other elitists in the Narnia fandom. It's a matter of taste, always, and if I may, this tastes like mint chocolate chip ice cream; sometimes sharp and tangy but always delicious.

...And now I'll stop with silly metaphors. It's a great story and a good update. Enjoy the writing :)

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Oh gosh, thank you so much! What everyone is worried about is mentioned in reviews, so you can see it there if you want to know. And yes, I quite understand about the narrow range of interests and we do all have our favorite flavors. Snacky refers to it, "this is not my favorite flavor of delicious cake!" but the analogy really works with ice cream too. I don't like butter pecan or peach ice cream. Of course, I also don't tell people who do like butter pecan or peach ice cream that God and I do not approve of their taste in ice cream.

pregnant?

[basaltone.livejournal.com]

Already left a review on FF, but just wanted to throw in my 2 cents worth on the idea that Morgan might already be pregnant. We know that Morgan's first child isn't born until after Ed leaves, and that's several years in the future, so I am guessing that if she is pregnant now, she loses the baby. Can I respectfully vote no to that? She is about to lose her best friend, give up her succession to her house, leave her family for good. She is already terribly emotionally stunted, I just think a miscarriage would push her over the edge of sanity and I hate to think of Ed and Morgan's few years together being marred by her spending months in a depressive state. But that's just my opinion.

Re: pregnant?

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the review and the PM. I saw your note how you really see Jalur as being Edmund's father figure. That is such an insightful idea! And thank you for sharing your thoughts on the pregnancy issue. Among other things, we're all in for a bumpy ride, so why make it worse. I have big chunks of this already from earlier chapters in Part 1 and 2 of TSG and I've realized that I will want to pull back even further. There are things I'd like to try to play with, but at some point, Enough is enough.

So very many Narnia stories emphasize the sibling bond, and test it and retest it, over and over, and shred it and build it back up again, I added something about Edmund telling his siblings very late in the edits. But I was flummoxed because fandom convention would probably make this a huge, big emotional thing. Instead, I pull back. I tend to write Edmund as pretty emotionally reserved and he and Peter do not have the emotionally intense relationship that is so popular.

Authorial restraint is called for and that is something I should keep in mind.

Thanks again!

[autumnia]

My internet was down last night so I didn't get to read this or Elektrum's story until now, but I liked them both. I really enjoyed seeing Leszi and Roblang mentioned in "Evangeline" and well, they've got Leszi's characterization pretty accurately. :-)

and it still took me 2 weeks to write a few thousand words of the same scene from a different point of view.

Two weeks is nothing when one hasn't managed to get an update out in over a year! So a few weeks or a month is perfectly fine!

As for Morgan, I don't think she's pregnant now given the timeline for when the Guards do know she's with child. I think I like this "am I or am I not" questioning/conversation with Edmund just before they all depart. We're seeing the beginnings of how they would react if Morgan was pregnant or not -- are they really mature and ready enough to have a child yet? At any rate, just bringing this up allows the two of them to truly start thinking about the possibility and how that will affect Narnian succession, reactions from their own families (of course, the other Pevensies would be thrilled) and even the political ramifications when the news spread to other countries.

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

SHE'S ALIVE! You lost Internet? OMG!

And it is so funny that Elecktrum and the1hobbit posted Evangeline the same night I posted this update and it included Leszi! It was so nice of them to include him!

I wrote the is she? isn't she? ambiguously. There are ways I could make this work and I'd toyed with some of it but, you know, everyone is right. I'm not disciplined at all but stories would be better with more authorial restraint, so I'm exerting it. Even in the chapter I just posted there was a whole lot more than ended up cut. I added some things in -- but I cut a lot. One reader had wondered if maybe, with Morgan's eventual joining with Narnia, if this resulted in increased suspicion in some areas, including Telmar. It's an interesting idea.

The fact is, these are conversations couples have. It's very personal and complicated. Reader E had pointed out a while ago, why didn't Edmund see succession as his responsibility? For whatever reason he didn't, but he does now.

Thank you!

Ruan Chun Xian

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah so I woke up and the first thing I did besides checking my email is to check your LJ for a post on Ch.18 because it wasn’t there last night before I went to sleep. And then I read the chapter again and love finding again the little gems of “things I should have mentioned in the review but was too busy squeeing to remember” like everyone wanting to claim Mr Hoberry for themselves, “We are having a baby!” and Morgan appearing as a Hound on the schedule. And Peter being adorable and so not the Magnificent warrior king. Only if Morgan could walk inside his head, she wouldn’t feel so intimidated anymore.

Re pregnancy: You mentioned it to me once and I can’t remember what I said. It was probably in some form of yes *and* no. Thing is, I can see how having Morgan lose a baby around the same time/so soon after losing Jina who was pregnant at the time of death would be transforming for both her and Edmund’s character, and from a writing standpoint I would love to see how you deal with that big upheaval in their lives. Certainly put it all together, and Morgan will still end up staying in Narnia would speak vastly of their love for each other. But I’m not sure whether all our hearts would stand it. I would say looking at the whole picture, I’m thinking more towards no, since there will be enough losses as it is.

Re fandom hostility: It astounds me, because you do have to comb through the stories at FFNet to find stories like yours that take time for worldbuilding and character development, so if you want to belittle it, you do have to go looking for it (and read it). Right now I just sort of stick to authors I know and rarely go exploring the main Narnia page on Fanfiction,but when I do, I give up if I don’t find anything new interesting in the first three pages (and usually is the case). So with the abundance of the other stuff that is out there, I don’t understand why people would feel the need to put so much effort and time to acting hostile to something that doesn’t fit the norm and generally being not constructive. Maybe I just have a life and I only read stories that I actually like, but really, if there is ever a need to ask “Don’t you have anything better to do?” I think it’s for this.

Re: Ruan Chun Xian

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

The gulf between Morgan and Peter is pretty large. In fairness to them both, they have spent very little time around each other. Lucy knows Morgan very well and Susan has been with Morgan no more than Peter has and I think Susan is also a little protective of her younger brother.

Re the pregnancy: there were some things I was interested in doing in the writing and if I didn't do them there, I'm not sure I ever will be able to do so. So, I have to let them go. That's hard, and has required more discipline than I usually have.

As for the hostility, one new reader came to my stories because she saw a Tumblr that reccing some stories (which she disliked) and waring readers from my work. Figuring that if the poster/reccer was that afraid of my work, it might be OK, she checked it out. I've known for a while that this was out there. I've looked for it but apart from a really horrible review on TV Tropes, I've not been able to find it in posts or blogs. Shrug. I'd really like to find it in a 'train wreck' sort of way. It is weird and highly dissonant and my teen thinks it's hilarious that his mom is so immoral.

But oh boy, I've seen some stuff recently that completely squicks me out -- it's marked all up as not slash and good Christian fare, and it is seriously creepy and warped. I'm very happy with who is reading and what they say and I'm really blessed to have met an extraordinary community of friends and readers.

[varnafinde.livejournal.com]

I sometimes write my reviews here instead of on ff - now I thought it is a point to write it there, to show that some people like stories the way you write them. Even though they are not children's stories.

I'm completely with basaltone about the pregnancy. We don't want Morgan to lose a child. Her life is stressful enough as it is. Happy, at the moment, but still stressful. And with more stress to come ...

I've had a busy month, with lots of overtime ... so not nearly enough time for fanfiction reading ;-)

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

She's alive! How are you? Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it!

I wrote the scene ambiguously to give myself some room should I want to pursue it. It's hard because there are things I wanted to do and if I do not do them here, I think I'll have to toss them. Restraint does not come easily to me! But this has been useful to see just how much readers are dreading it -- does it make it worse or better knowing what is coming? I suppose better. But I'm listening too and there were some things I was working through where I realized I need to take a step back, use outside povs and off-camera. We just don't need to be right in the middle of some of this. And so this means MORE REWRITES!

[h-dash-h.livejournal.com]

Another wonderful chapter!

I loved Peter suddenly thinking about children and looking forward to being involved. It also made me realized that Peter and Susan also lost something when Edmund and Lucy were separated from Morgan and Aidan. While I see Susan as perhaps the least involved (not that she'd be a bad aunt, but she's more introspective and so focused on many other things), this view of Peter's anticipation fits his outgoing nature so well.

Jina's reaction to Morgan's news was wonderful, and the decision to go to Glasswater so innocently made and wrenching.

I think the discussion about the possible pregnancy has already played out along the same lines I would have suggested, so I won't say much more here except that I know the pain of cutting a great idea that just won't fit.

Edmund and Morgan's evolving communication strategies continue to fascinate.

And getting back to Peter, I *loved* his exasperated interrogation of Lucy and Mr. Hoberry!

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much. I always so appreciate you taking the time out to comment. Your insights are always so valuable.

I'm embarrassed to say, as so often the case, that what I didn't want to cut, but did, everyone agrees, yes, yes, good job. And the part that was added very, very late, with Lucy and Peter, and Peter's excitement to have a larger family, were very late additions. I'd originally had some of the information that passed during that conversation with Lucy, Peter, Roblang, and then with Willa and Sallowpad as a longer scene with Edmund and Morgan. But you know, they spend a lot of time in bed. So, in the original scene with Peter and Morgan, after she leaves, Susan is there and he learns about Rabadash and decides to speak to Sallowpad and Willa, and so that happens here. It's part of tying the two scenes from two povs together. And I've written so little of all them together. So much of that scene is just me pulling it out of the air. OK, I need to convey some information, so let's build a scene.... who do I use? where do I put it? what are they doing?

I am utterly irresponsible.

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks for this chapter. It's so good to have the continuation of Harold and Morgan. The silver mine interview from Morgan's point of view was marvelous. Her whole question about what sort of head of state Peter is was marvelous. She seemed a bit surprised that he would read everythig and carefully evaluate the options. Wouldn't Edmund have told her that Peter wasn't just a muscle bound warrior type, and does keep track of all the important things in the kingdom, even if he doesn't do it in quite the detail that Edmund or Susan do? Or have Morgan and Edmund just not have had that type of discussion? Anyway I loved how you gave the impression of Morgan being hurt by Susan and Peter's laughter at the end. Also how she doesn't understand why Peter and Susan haven't done their duty and provided heirs for Narnia.

Peter's reaction to the posssibility of becoming an uncle was wonderful. When can we get them a pony? We're going to be a family. We need a different physician--his protective instincts coming to the fore already! And he is still being stubborn about that knee injury.

The monarchs attempted head-hunting for Mr. Hoberry is great fun. Oh and I love the detail about Fooh becoming a mature Guard while Beehn is still lazing around. I love the Guards so much. I hope we get to see Susan and Lambert arguing about going to Tashbaan to see Rabadash.

I'm sorry about no reviews lately. Will go back and review the two NFE stories soon. (As always, they were great!)

Thanks for this chapter. Morgan and Edmund\s story is such a part of Narnia for me now--I can't think of Narnia without it!

ClaireI

Lambert and Rabadash

[basaltone.livejournal.com]

I agree that I can't wait to hear the conversation between Susan and Lambert regarding her trip to see Rabadash. Maybe that's why he isn't mentioned in the book ;) because he and Susan got into a fight and she said "I'll just go without you, so there" ? If only Susan had listened to her wise and loyal guard, who we all know is her OTP after all, even if no one wants to admit it. Just saying.

Regarding Morgan's potential pregnancy at this point

[linneasr.livejournal.com]

Having sorted it out in my mind, events would have to run very closely together for Glasswater, HHB and the White Stag to all occur in proper timing for Acceptance of the Terms. Which implies to me that Morgan would miscarry a pregnancy.

There are many reasons to miscarry, and not all of them are bad or heartbreaking, and there are also degrees of sorrow involved, depending on the circumstances. One of the functions of fiction is also catharsis. And, if Morgan miscarries, it would strengthen Susan's motivation to consider Rabadash's potential as father-of-an-heir. (Although, why does she have to be married to bear an heir? What's wrong with Rafe as father of a Narnian monarch? Hm.... it strikes me that a blessed union may not be entirely common in Narnia and not necessarily necessary for procreation.)

All to say, I trust you and where you feel drawn to go, and can handle grief in Not-My-Children's Narnia. Grief is a much under-valued and despised experience in today's death-fearing and death-denying culture. There might be a good reason for it; as well, maybe, for some reason, the grief is mediated.

Re: Regarding Morgan's potential pregnancy at this point

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

The issue of miscarriage is highly triggering for some readers -- myself included. Given how much older the readers skew for this story, these are issues that are going to hit very, very personally and Morgan is a highly relatable character, I think.

There are reasons, good reasons, why I could do it. It might solve some problems I've written myself into. Thank you for the vote of confidence!!

[(Anonymous)]

Ah! I always get so excited when I see that you've updated H&M hehehe

Keep up the gr8 work! :-)

-- Louise

[(Anonymous)]

Hello,

I am sorry for leaving the comment so late – I read the new chapter of H+M days ago but as usual I didn´t know what to say (except for “Thank you”, “Perfect”, “Please update soon”).

First of all, I would like to thank you for all your stories. They are absolutely perfect – the precision with which they are written, the width of historical, cultural and other facts and the depth of all characters are really amazing. Your writing makes my days brighter and helps me when the combination of my work, studies and everyday problems are too much for me.

Secondly, to the new chapter of H+M - it is not exactly what I expected but it “was surely a failure of imagination”. The chapter is much better than I have imagined. It is lovely and sad at the same time because I know the happy time will end soon. The maturity of Morgan´s and Edmund´s relationship and their acceptance of each other even if they are still uncertain are wonderfully written but my favorite part is Peter´s reaction to the development. His emotions about it are so real. By the way what about Susan´s reaction? I know that she finds their bond as a politically unwise and she seems to be quite protective about her brothers but on the other hand she loves Ed and wants him to be happy.. I think she and Morgan are very different personalities and although they respect each other, I don´t think they could be friends.. Has Susan discussed these matters with Ed? (Has Edmund discussed these matters with anyone?)

I am quite uncomfortable with the thought of miscarriage. It would be terrible experience not only for Morgan and Edmund but for all Narnians as well. They were so close to have a heir…

I have read about some negative reactions to your stories – please don´t be sad because of it. I appreciate that your characters act like adults. I find the declarations that a Narnian story cannot contain sex (or other adult behavior) really strange. According to these opinions it is fine if the character kills someone but it is immoral if he/she has sex – I really don´t understand that.

I am also very very grateful that you haven´t condemn same sex relationships. I don´t understand how some people can criticize or hate other people just because they are different. How can they judge them? I am sorry if I am too emotional about it but my dearest friend is a gay. I watched him to struggle with it for years.. and I like him even more for his courage.

Thank you for your beautiful writing and for the tolerance and compassion which it includes and I am looking forward for new chapter!

Jana (Czech Republic)
P.S. Please forgive me my grammatical mistakes (particularly the punctuation, its rules in my language are very different from English)

[(Anonymous)]

I am sorry for leaving the same comment twice. I have no idea what happened.

Please could you delete one of them?

Thank,

Jana

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Jana-

Thank you so much for your wonderful, wonderful comment. And please do not ever apologize for grammar and spelling mistakes when you manage to do this in a language as foreign to English as Czech. (And your English, by the way is wonderful) I deleted the double comment! No problems there!

I am delighted with the number of Eastern Europeans who come by and read and I so appreciate hearing from you! I have a special affinity for that part of the world and am so grateful when someone like you finds me.

Thank you for thoughts on Chapter 18. I am hard at work on 19. I added that part with Peter very late and it's interesting how many people really enjoyed it.

I don't really look at Susan's reaction to it. She and Peter have not seen most of it and you are right that she has significant concerns about the relationship which are very justified.

It's interesting that you ask about whether Edmund has spoken about this with anyone. This has bothered me a little. The typical popular fic would have Edmund discussing he's feelings and decisions at length with his siblings -- though in truth, the particular discussion would not arise at all since the most popular stories would never put a female original character between the brother bond of Peter and Edmund unless she was evil and intent upon tearing them apart.

In the end, I did not write a scene because I could not make it fit and I could not decide what they would say. I think realistically the marriage of a monarch would merit some discussion and my failure to do anything bothers me a bit. But Edmund did seek the advice of the one whose opinion matters the most -- Aslan, and the Lion gave his express approval.

As for the rest, thank you for your support. This has been going on a long time and I am reconciled to it. It bothers me less than it used to, though I continue to be bothered by the hateful behavior and hypocrisy on the site.

Thank you again, so much for taking the time to read and review. I really appreciate it.