The Pride of Burrough House - by RonsGirlFriday

[RonsGirlFriday]

The Pride of Burrough House

 

So back in actual NaNo 2022 I did absolutely fuck-all with this story, to my recollection. But since then I've posted 6 new chapters, and that's not nothing! I'm also back to work as of a month ago, which has taken up a lot of my time recently along with the review event and such. So I'd like to get back on track now with this fic and make sure I stay there.

 

Main goal:

To not get distracted by the new Sanditon season which makes me want to write the Heybourne things. I think I'll be able to stick to this goal seeing as I've told myself to wait until the season is finished (and thus canon is complete) before I write anything.

Otherwise goal:

Write 3 chapters of BH. Might work on some other hanging threads of other projects a bit, but BH needs to keep moving forward.

(Is it me, or does this guy look just like Fresh Cut Grass from Critical Role?)

 

Anyway, let's take a look at where we last left our intrepid idiots after Ch 22:

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• Bill & Fleur -- Fleur's loyalty and no-nonsense leadership were on full display when Bilius injured himself in a carriage accident. Bilius is one of the very few people in England who have treated Fleur with something other than suspicion or awkwardness, and that's made an impression on Fleur, who's now appointed herself in charge of his care. Fleur and Ginny have also made some inroads with one another!
   
• Charlie -- Whatever is currently going on between him and Vivian, our aromantic adventurers, they're both enjoying it. Vivian would probably enjoy it more with their clothes off. But graysexual Charlie isn't there right now. Still, they've been drawn into a little friendship of sorts where they can both speak freely. There's also a little plot brewing to introduce Percy to Penelope Clearwater. Bringing us to...
   
• Percy and Penelopes -- Percy has just been slapped in the face by the realization that he feels some kinda way about Penelope Dawlish, and now he's just gonna feel all kinds of bad about that. Because she's off-limits. He shouldn't be *whispers*  l u s t i n g  after her like this. But that's okay guys, because Penelope Clearwater is a very reasonable person, just like Percy, and once they meet one another they'll realize how compatible they might be, and none of this will be weird at all.
   
• Fred & Angelina -- It's the spring of 1815, Napoleon has escaped, Fred has been deployed back to the Continent, and you are all probably going to hate me in about 10 chapters. But it's okay. You're gonna suffer, but you're gonna be happy about it. I promise.
   
• George & Angelina -- George is vibing, which is to say he's in denial. No George, it's not weird at all that you're avoiding spending time with your best friend because you're subconsciously trying to prepare yourself to lose her forever when she marries your brother and moves away. Thankfully Angie is having none of this shit. Half the time she can't think what in the world to write to Fred, but she's always ready to give George an earful (no pun intended). But seriously. For Angie, 3 entire days without seeing George simply does not compute. Nope, not weird at all.
   
• Ron & Hermione -- Turns out there is History here, and it definitely wasn't one-sided. Ron and Hermione were hot and heavy (by Regency standards, get your mind out of the gutter -- they didn't go there. If you want gutter, refer to Charlie/Vivian. And then eventually the rest of these guys.) Ron proposed, Hermione said no, and maybe Ron was mostly fine after a couple years, but that was before he got stuck living next door to her. Hermione is totally fine with this and is not at all overheating during dinner parties because she can't reconcile her feminist philosophy with her desire for bodice-ripping.
   
• Ginny & Harry -- Now that everyone's clear that these two are definitely not interested in marrying one another -- Did you hear?? They are DEFINITELY NOT INTERESTED, NOTHING TO SEE HERE -- they can just act normal around one another, and it turns out that they get along famously, actually. I'm sure they will be very good friends. (But heeeere's a little tidbit for you, since I think the plan for this ship's arc is perhaps the one that is the most opaque at this time. Ginny just had her first kiss not too long ago, with Luna. And she really liked it, and she's a little miffed that she hasn't got to do that more in her life. And she's about to start feeling like maybe it would be nice to test drive another vehicle, even if she's not looking to buy.)

 

Questions? Comments? Complaints?

Edited April 1, 2023 by RonsGirlFriday

[Aphoride]

so i admit i am a little behind on bh  but i'm so excited to see what you have planned!! good luck with nano!!  

(also i think i know what's going to happen to fred because history and timelines ahem but i am waiting patiently all the same ) 

[Goatspeed]

18 hours ago, Aphoride said:

(also i think i know what's going to happen to fred because history and timelines ahem but i am waiting patiently all the same ) 

Considering Fred's regiment, I think I know, too.

[RonsGirlFriday]

Vicki @Oregonian posed a couple of questions to me in a recent review of Burrough House, which I thought might be better explored here than trying to pack it into a review response. Thank you for the questions, Vicki! I'll try to answer as well as I can. 

 

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When I read the reaction of everyone at the table-- first James, then Harry, then Sirius, and finally Lily -- to the news that Napoleon had easily escaped from Elba, it made me wonder what the English generally thought about that. Did they feel threatened by Napoleon's escape, thinking that he might try to attack England, or what?  (I am relying on your research for knowing the answer to that question.)  But Lily cannot have been very concerned, because she instantly turns the conversation to the matter of having a dinner party right away.

So, the public's attitude and reaction to this business with Napoleon. First I'll say, that because of the characters involved in this story, I'm just thinking right now of the attitudes among the privileged classes, high society, etc. And I am definitely not an historian, and this is just my general, fairly surface-level understanding of things.

Firstly, you know how even in our world today, it's quite easy for a lot of people to go about their lives fairly untouched by national and international affairs? They might be aware what's going on (or they might not) but it's always something far away, that has no effect (that they can see) on their daily lives. Well imagine that, but remove all of our modern news sources and the speed at which news travels. They had newspapers, letters, and word of mouth, and it took days or weeks to receive news from abroad.

Add to this the fact that the Potters here live a privileged life. The London season is going to go on just as it always does, no matter what Napoleon is doing. They don't have sons who are rank and file soldiers who will be in harm's way. This doesn't mean Lily is vapid or lacking in empathy. But simply, no, the news doesn't evoke feelings of being threatened. James is upset because he's involved in government. He's a lord -- and an informed and involved one -- and sits in Parliament. It's his duty to care about this. He's thinking about things like the potential impact on the economy. So he's sitting there fuming, but not fretting, if that makes sense. And I think Lily's seen him in this kind of mood before over the morning paper and whatever annoyance it may hold.  

The English may have hated Napoleon, but from my understanding it was more about what he represented. They're on the heels of the French Revolution, and the guillotining of aristocrats, and the British gentry isn't in love with that. At the same time, during this time period English fashions and art were hugely influenced by French designs. They hated Napoleon but loved the French Empire style. (This is why Bill makes the quip about the decoration of Molly's sitting room when she mentions Fleur is French; and why Fleur takes notice of some of Bilius's trendy furniture in the French style.)

Last thing I'll say is, if you don't know the full story of Napoleon's exile and escape from Elba, I encourage you to look it up and read some of the details. It's bonkers. He basically had free run of the place, and the guy who was assigned to -- for all intents and purposes -- babysit him, suspected Napoleon was planning an escape. And then he wasn't even present the day Napoleon carried it out.

 

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Fascinating, the discussion of men's fashions in high society and the dismay that Ron must have felt in learning that he was expected to obtain and wear such tight trousers.  My gosh.  So tight that you couldn't wear drawers with them.  I can't recall ever having seen illustrations of Regency-era men's clothing that exactly fits that description.  Mr Darcy didn't wear trousers like that in the recent film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, did he?  It must have been a fashion for the very young men on the cutting edge of fashion, to the point of being slightly absurd.

So one thing about men's fashions at that time -- it's kind of funny -- one goal, as far as accentuating physique, was to show off well built legs. To the extent that men who were on the skinny side would even pad the calves or thighs of their trousers to make their legs look fuller.  

The tighter pantaloons were sort of a dandy thing, and Darcy doesn't strike me as a dandy -- on top of which, Jane Austen's books were set anywhere from the 1790's to the early 1810's, so it's actually possible those characters predate the actual Regency period (1811-1820) by as much as 20 years. The 2005 film adaptation I believe was designed to be set in 1797, which is the year Austen started writing P&P.

Even in fashionable circles, there were some places that still required satin knee breeches for evening wear, but overall the trends were moving away from that silhouette, and towards more form-fitting trousers. We're talking more slim-cut trousers than leggings, to put it in modern terms, but as with all fashions some people took it too far and tried too hard and did just look very silly. Harry and Ron won't be too ridiculous -- Harry's more teasing Ron than anything here. But Ron having grown up where and how he did, his usual attire is rural and old-fashioned compared to what London society will be wearing.

I found some screenshots from Bridgerton and Sanditon where the men have more fitted trousers than you might have seen in other Regency adaptations. They look pretty smart, I think!

      

                    

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2023 by RonsGirlFriday

[GotNoJamsss]

Hey Hey! Here with some questions to both learn all the things and hopefully stir up some motivation and encouragement this NaNo 

1. Out of this ensemble cast, do you have a favorite lead/lead pairing to write? Is one easier than the others? Is there one that's more challenging? Does it fluctuate depending on where in their particular arc is at?

2. Speaking of arcs - do you have any tips for managing a large ensemble like this with so many character arcs and plots happening at once?

3. My struggle right now is that the plot I plan goes awry when the characters start taking control of a chapter - do you have a character that rebels like this? Maybe a couple of them...

4. Do you have  a favorite part of writing in this era? The history, the fashion, the language, the customs - how often do you find yourself googling or watching Youtube videos about things you never imagined you'd need? 

5. Off topic, but I'm obsessed - That robot does look like Fresh Cut Grass. How are you enjoying this third campaign? It's gotten CA-RAY-Z the last few eps!!! 

[RonsGirlFriday]

@RogueSlytherin thank you for the questions!!

1. Out of this ensemble cast, do you have a favorite lead/lead pairing to write? Is one easier than the others? Is there one that's more challenging? Does it fluctuate depending on where in their particular arc is at?

Shocking nobody, I'd probably have to say Percy/Audrey.  Because theirs is a quiet romance, and I get to lean into all the rules of propriety and conduct of that time that they have to work around. But second favorite is probably George/Angelina, childhood friends to lovers. I love their comfortable, direct dynamic.

Maybe one of the more challenging pairings in this fic is Ron/Hermione. Mainly because I've given them a different arc than friends-to-lovers. I loved their arc in the books, but I didn't want to just rehash it. Plus, like, the entire dynamic of the trio is skewed in BH because in canon they were so defined by this Chosen-One-Harry-fighting-Voldemort-every-year thing. There wasn't really a good way to translate that into BH. So I've put Ron and Hermione in a different romance scenario/trope (second chance romance), and combined with the very un-canon setting and context of this fic, that's created some unique challenges in terms of their portrayal.

2. Speaking of arcs - do you have any tips for managing a large ensemble like this with so many character arcs and plots happening at once?

Timelines, charts, and more charts, and constant notes about which scenes go where. The very first thing I did was make a timeline, because I knew the dates/months of certain events were going to be fixed, and then I started working out from there, figuring out where the big plot points for each character or ship happen. And so at a glance in my notebook I can see the timeline all of these characters are on, see what's happening with Harry/Ginny at the same time as x event is happening with George/Angelina, etc. 

3. My struggle right now is that the plot I plan goes awry when the characters start taking control of a chapter - do you have a character that rebels like this? Maybe a couple of them...

I wouldn't say I have any who want to run away with the plotline ever. But Charlie's been a little difficult to wrangle at times (fits with his character, though!) And Fred turned out a hell of a lot more spicy than I originally envisioned.

4. Do you have  a favorite part of writing in this era? The history, the fashion, the language, the customs - how often do you find yourself googling or watching Youtube videos about things you never imagined you'd need? 

I love writing the dialogue. From the formal to the slang. God, slang from that era was awesome.

"Don't make a cake of yourself." (Don't make a fool of yourself.)

"Doing it much too brown." / "Coming it much too strong." (Overdoing or exaggerating)

blue-devilled (depressed) / fit of the sullens (in a temper)

bacon-brained (stupid)

foxed / half-sprung / properly shot in the neck (drunk)

And yes, I have googled everything from mail routes to 19th century bone-setting practices to the locations of London brothels. 

5. Off topic, but I'm obsessed - That robot does look like Fresh Cut Grass. How are you enjoying this third campaign? It's gotten CA-RAY-Z the last few eps!!! 

Soooo actually I've only watched/listened to the first few episodes of campaign 3. I'd been making my way through campaign 1 first -- since I didn't get into CR until after the first season of Legend of Vox Machina, and it was only a couple of months ago that I finally started watching/listening to sessions (because until I started playing D&D a few months ago I really didn't get what was going on, like the format and stuff).

Anyway, at some point I thought to maybe switch over to campaign 3 and try to catch up, and then some other time I can go back to the first two campaigns. But I'm just so hooked on campaign 1 that I went back to it (plus it feels easier for me to connect with that story since I'd already become invested through LOVM).

[Goatspeed]

On 4/5/2023 at 4:24 AM, RonsGirlFriday said:

Even in fashionable circles, there were some places that still required satin knee breeches for evening wear, but overall the trends were moving away from that silhouette, and towards more form-fitting trousers. We're talking more slim-cut trousers than leggings, to put it in modern terms, but as with all fashions some people took it too far and tried too hard and did just look very silly.

For an example of silly, see Beau Brummell, a 1954 film starring Stewart Granger - it features trousers that closely resemble yoga pants.  Very silly indeed.

 

On 4/5/2023 at 4:24 AM, RonsGirlFriday said:

So, the public's attitude and reaction to this business with Napoleon. First I'll say, that because of the characters involved in this story, I'm just thinking right now of the attitudes among the privileged classes, high society, etc.

I assumed, when I first read this chapter, that you based Lily's ball on the Duchess of Richmond's infamous Ball in Brussels on the eve of the battle at Quatre Bras, where Wellington himself assured the Duchess they had time for dinner before beating the French (okay, he had to eat a few of those words, but still, attitude is what it is).

[RonsGirlFriday]

2 hours ago, Goatspeed said:

I assumed, when I first read this chapter, that you based Lily's ball on the Duchess of Richmond's infamous Ball in Brussels on the eve of the battle at Quatre Bras, where Wellington himself assured the Duchess they had time for dinner before beating the French (okay, he had to eat a few of those words, but still, attitude is what it is).

I didn’t have that in mind when I was writing this chapter, but it’s funny you should mention it because the Duchess’s ball will be of some significance later on…  

(Yet another fascinating historical tidbit I had no idea about before I started this fic project!)

[starlitcastles]

Hello Melanie!

Just wanted to drop by your Novel Nest to not only give you some encouragement and well wishes but do mention that I am truly hoping to also read your story at some point so I can comment and ask questions properly. Still, I do want to mention that it great that you've been able to accomplish writing 6 chapters during last year's Nanowrimo! I hope that you're able to write as this month goes smoothly and wonderfully as you continue onward with writing your story!  I admittedly haven't watched Sanditon so I may have no idea what the show/series is about but will say, despite that, still am on the same boat with you about that except with a few other distractions including a video game I'm highly anticipating coming out two days before this month ends so do understand that feeling of wanting to finish the season at the least.  However, I also do hope that you'll able to pull through the distraction!  Fingers crossed!

Anyway, getting back to writing and writing goals but hope you'll be able to work on The Pride of Burrough House as well as the 3 chapters alongside your other stories! I'm also here to also drop by some encouragement and motivation in the form of these words: You can do it! You got this!  That, and also hope that you won't let anything else, or anybody hinder you from writing goals! Wishing you the best of luck throughout this whole month in your writing journey!  

-Diana

 

 

 

Edited Saturday at 04:00 PM by RonsGirlFriday

[quill2parchment]

Hi Melanie! I'm still not caught up on PoBH (and I'm behind on our swap too, but I'll get to it tomorrow, promise!) so I skipped the little updates section but I still have a few questions for you  

1. What fascinates me most of PoBH is how much I love all the storylines. When authors have multiple storylines going on the same time, I usually find myself being drawn more to one than the others. Not that I don't enjoy the others, just that there's one that I connect with/enjoy the most. But I really adore the entire cast of PoBH equally and can never get enough of any of them. Okay that wasn't a question. I just had to say it because I mean it so much. I love this story. 

2. If you could assign a song to each (or, you know, however many you want to do) of your couples, what song would that be?

3. Is there a character (or even a fandom) that you've never written but would like to write about one day?

Love,

Quilly