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Is there a way in which fem!Laurent could have survived the canon storyline?
Let's think of an AU where everything is exactly the same except for one thing: Laurent was born a girl. A very depressing thought under the cut. (TW: Rape, abortion)
Our Laurene would be just as cunning, beautiful and skilled as her male counterpart, but at a heavy disadvantage. Because being a woman in her current situation would add a whole new layer of fuckery: The risk of pregnancies.
The Regent used rape (by himself and by proxy) as a weapon against male!Laurent and he barely survived that. But being targeted by a murderous rapist in a society where pregnancies out of wedlock equal social suicide, while having an uterus? Yeah no. This would be the biggest threat Laurene would face, and the Regent would use everything it takes to make that threat come true. That alone is a horror story in itself, but the consequences of it would be just as horrendous for Laurene if she indeed falls forcibly pregnant:
Option 1: The Regent makes Laurene's pregnancy public, feigning she had some kind of affair, and thereby defacing her. Possibly stripping her of her titles and legally skipping her in the line of succession, making the Regent actually the next in line?
Option 2: The Regent pretends to be the worried uncle and makes her secretly abort for "her own good". Maybe even with the council's knowledge and blessing. Medieval abortions were highly unsafe in the first place, often done by drinking questionable herbal tinctures with poisonous ingredients. Not surviving this procedure was a very real possibility. And now, if somebody spiked that already poisonous mixture with yet another deadly poison, who would even question if Laurene doesn't make it through?
Option 3: The Regent pushes for Laurene to marry her rapist, so the child won't be a bastard. Married off, Laurene would be basically out of the picture, especially if the husband is some low-born guy like a... Govart. And not only would she be terribly miserable, but her reputation might be damaged beyond repair regardless.
All of this would be such a dire problem to deal with for Laurene, I can hardly see a solution for her to survive.
Male!Laurent was sent away with a small army for border control, unfolding all the events past CaPri. And while this had been originally a plot by the Regent to get Laurent killed, Laurent eventually managed to use the situation in his favor. Would it be the same for fem!Laurent? So far, every soldier we have seen was male. In a society were gender is strictly seperated, would she be allowed to travel with a few dozen men as a sole woman? I don't think so...
But even if she does somehow find a way to overcome the danger of potential pregnancies (and all of the added trauma), there is another thing...
Meaning, non of the events past book 1 would unfold in an AU as this, and Laurene would be stuck in Arles.
I believe there is only a single advantage Laurene has over her male counterpart, which is offering herself in marriage to somebody powerful. She could strike a deal with Torveld or similiar (if it isn't too late for her at that point). Actually, marrying as soon as possible would probably be her safest bet, keeping her somewhat safe from the horrors mentioned before. Though, that would not necessarily make her happier. Laurene would end up an unhappy teenage bride marrying out of a dire need for survival.
I can't see a way for her. Poor girl seems to be bound to lose, no matter what she does...
What do you think? Is there any way forward for Laurene?
“Almost every woman I have ever met has a secret belief that she is just on the edge of madness, that there is some deep, crazy part within her, that she must be on guard constantly against losing control - of her temper, of her appetite, of her sexuality, of her feelings, of her ambition, of her secret fantasies, of her mind.”
Elana Dykewomon, ”Notes for a Magazine,“ Sinister Wisdom #36 (Winter 1988/89).
i mean this in the nicest way possible, but for newcomers or people returning to the asoiaf fandom please note: the valyrianscrolls tag was created with the intent of keeping it purely book based. the posts there are intended to not reference, discuss, or use any sort of hbo footage - meaning no game of thrones or house of the dragon posts. please don't tag show posts with it since there is a lot of people in the community who do not engage with the shows in any way and would like to have a space where the books are the focus.
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