#nora returns

[ailelie]

Before the villainess travels into the past...

Here is the base story most are working with:

The have-not girl who ends up surrounded by the haves. She's diligent and caring. She has goals. Maybe she has a special power or maybe she receives a special blessing. This draws jealousy. How dare that unworthy girl have anything worth wanting?! She draws the attention of a guy who likes her diligence or needs her power or loves her lack of pretense. She tries to avoid him, but can't. They become friends and this draws more jealousy. Again, how dare she have something worth wanting? Jealousy turns into threats and physical bullying. The guy only becomes more ardent. He stands up for her in front of everyone, declaring her worthy. Maybe she does something that shows off her worthiness as well. The bullies are revealed and ousted. The day is saved. All is well.

Then, one of those bullies travels back to the beginning or before the beginning.

Too many stories give the bully, this villainess, character development she hasn't earned yet. Usually, she decides to avoid the male and female lead. But why should the villainess abdicate so easily? Then again, she has no reason to believe she'll get a third chance. If she screws up again, she could die for real this time.

(In my story, Nora doesn't avoid Ambrose exactly. She feels betrayed and hurt by him and struggles to forgive that early on. Then, once she does, she's certain he is destined for Ivy, so she decides to inject herself into his love story so that, even once he is with Ivy, he can't leave her behind. He'll have to thank her for helping him with Ivy. To Ambrose, though, his best friend and arranged-bride since childhood is suddenly distant and continuously pushing him toward others while seeking out new friendships of her own. In his fear of her leaving him behind, he cleaves closer to her. He's hurt when she pushes him toward Ivy. Nora is utterly confused by this.)

So what happens to the original female lead?

Too many stories make her evil, in my opinion. Too many others seem to think her story was only romance. The original female lead becomes a paper cut-out when she should have a rich and interesting background and goals beyond romance.

Some stories solve this by having the villainess and original female lead become friends.

(This is what happens to Nora as well. She doesn't want to be friends with Ivy, but her plan of helping Ambrose to his romance requires interacting with Ivy and being nice. Ivy takes this an overture of friendship and refuses to let go, even when she realizes Nora doesn't actually like her. This slowly develops into friendship. Ivy has her own issues she's dealing with and gets a crush on Nora's brother, Gabriel, who is dating Jonas. In the second book, Ivy and Jonas will fake a relationship to save Ivy from an unwanted betrothal.)

The best stories, though, are more than romance. The villainess, after traveling to the past, realizes she has a chance to avert tragedy -- especially a tragedy she helped perpetuate.

(In my story, Nora is manipulated by the true villains into supporting the imperial cause. She is still very guilty of her own actions, but her viewpoint and such were all shaped by others. Upon traveling to the past, she decides to turn against that viewpoint because it led to her own death. She struggles with this, though. She starts the story with a very negative opinion of her older sister, but slowly realizes that her sister is actually very competent and supportive. She also has to figure out what her stance is. She doesn't support the empire anymore, but she still has issues with the current government (of which she is, by dint of nobility, part of).)

Anyway. It'll be a while before I can return to Nora and her story, but it is never far from mind.

[ailelie]

Something I'm looking forward to writing in Nora's story:

Gabriel and Jonas are dating and it is adorable. Ivy has a crush on Gabriel and tells him, but he gently turns her down.

When they travel to the holding that Ivy's biodad runs (the biodad she wishes had never found her), she learns he is working to arrange a relationship for her, to keep her safe/etc.

To combat this, she needs to be dating someone even better than whoever her father finds.

While Gabriel is a Holder's son, Jonas is an Heir.

So, Jonas and Ivy start fake dating (it is Gabriel's idea; Gabriel has some issues around his self-worth and being a burden). And Ivy ends up crashing a lot of Gabriel-Jonas time just to help keep up the ruse.

Feelings happen all around. Much angst until they finally talk and they end up resolving into a happy triad.

(This is mind-boggling to Nora. Ivy was Ambrose's partner in the future she lived and now her former rival is her brother's girlfriend).

[ailelie]

Nora reads some poetry while waiting for her birthday party to begin and some lines of one poem stand out to her. Naturally this meant I had to write those lines. Please critique.

Daily waves kiss the shore

And forever the ocean endures

But the water I embrace today

Rushes from me and is no more

I stand soaked, toes deep in the sand,

Yearning for the waves I’ll never see again,

Yet eager for those waves now rushing in.

[ailelie]

“I know you’re disappointed, Nora.” The voice faded in slowly, each word growing louder and clearer. “A single horse would likely fare better than a wagon. Why don’t I go fetch it for you?” A hand tugged on one of her dark curls. “After all, this is your last birthday at home before adulthood.”

Elanora Ferryn blinked and colors swirled around her, settling slowly into shapes and lines. That was her reflection in a mirror. That was her room behind her. That was Phoebe arranging her hair with a gentle smile. Nora’s eyes filled with tears.

Phoebe dropped down to her knees and pressed Nora’s chin to face her. “Don’t cry, love. I said I’d fetch it for you, didn’t I?”

Nora felt like her head was full of chiming bells. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t move. Phoebe frowned and lifted her hands up so she was no longer touching Nora. “Are you all right? Tap your fingers if you’re all right.”

Nora threw herself off her vanity chair and into Phoebe’s arms. Phoebe Fuller was dead, had been for about five years now. Nora was dead, too, though that had only just happened. She could still feel the pressure of the blade against her neck, but instead of pain, it had been only confusion and darkness. Then, Phoebe speaking.

“No need to thank me this much, Nora. I know how much that dress means to—”

“No,” Nora interrupted. “I don’t want it. I’ll wear an old dress. I’ll steal trousers from Gabriel. Don’t leave.”

Phoebe’s arms tightened, but she only murmured agreement. Nora knew she was confused, but she had no way to explain. Phoebe had gone for the dress before, despite the rain. It’d worsened on her way back and a lightning strike had spooked her horse. She fell. Her neck broke. She died. In every nightmare Nora had had since that night she had drafted ways to save Phoebe.

This wasn’t a dream though. The perfume of the powder her father insisted she have itched at her nose. Nora hated the smell, but she refused to reject any gifts from her father. Her dreams never held such an irritation. She was almost grateful for it now, though, as it cut through the clashing bells in her head.

“I don’t think you’ll have to resort to trousers,” Phoebe said, helping Nora back into her chair.

“I would, though,” Nora said.

“Let’s review our options first, shall we?”

Nora wiped at her tears, uncaring of her make-up, and nodded. She did not know what was happening, but Phoebe was still here and not riding to her death. That was enough. For now.