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crack_van2008-01-27 07:53 pm
malabud.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2008-01-27 07:53 pm
Entry tags:
Omens by Abigail K (PG)
Fandom: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Pairing: Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy
Length: 12,000 words
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: The Derbyshire Writers' Guild
Why this must be read:
The Jane Austen fandom has some stories of the supernatural variety, but they are not nearly as numerous as, say, modern-day retellings of Pride and Prejudice. Most authors, however, stick to the book and the Regency era and write what-ifs. What if Mary Bennet instead of Charlotte Lucas had married the odious Mr. Collins? What if Mr. Darcy had explained himself better at the Netherfield Ball or during his proposal at Hunsford Cottage? What if Lady Catherine had not gone to Elizabeth to demand that she not marry Mr. Darcy, but instead went straight to her nephew? The possibilities are endless, as, it seems, are the stories.
This story is also a what-if, but not in the traditional sense, for it also adds in a supernatural element. One would think it would not work well, but it does. In the book, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth meet for the first time at an assembly in Meryton, where he subsequently snubs her--much to his later frustration and dismay--and fixes within her a dislike for him that only grows with time. The entire book of Pride and Prejudice depends upon their first poor impressions and subsequent misunderstandings of each other.
But their meeting does not quite go that same way in this story. The day of the assembly begins inauspiciously for both Darcy and Elizabeth, and strange occurrences follow them throughout the day. Both recognize the strange, albeit minor, happenings as omens, but omens of what?
The payoff at the end is worth the story. This tale is not long; it will take all of twenty minutes to read it, but it's well worth it. Highly recommended.
* * *
Three miles away, Elizabeth Bennet and her sister wandered the garden behind their family estate of Longbourn. Inside the house, their mother had been fussing all morning about the possibilities of the Meryton assembly; who would be in the Netherfield party, how many would be single men, what their fortunes would be, and which imaginary bachelor would be paired with which of her daughters. By the time the sun was much up in the sky, Jane and Elizabeth, the two eldest, had escaped outside to avoid the feeling that their own mother was pricing them.
"Honestly Jane, if Mother goes on much longer, I shall go to the dance wearing a price around my neck as a necklace!" Elizabeth vented.
Jane smiled. "Lizzy, you know she only says such things out of concern for us. She would not want us to marry unhappily, but knows we must marry well."
"I heard a good deal about how rich she would like these strangers to be, but not a word about how kind. I believe she is more interested in goods than goodness." Lizzy smiled to take the edge off of her words. Grinning at her sister, she continued, "And before you say such things in her defense, for I know you will, Mother does not believe all people to be kind. That grace is yours alone."
Jane shook her head at her sister. "Tease me as you will, Lizzy, but I have every expectation of finding the Netherfield party agreeable, and not simply for their fortune. Father has met Mr. Bingley and has said no ill of him. His assessments are nearly as acerbic as your own, so that must speak well for our new neighbor's character."
"Be that as it may, for all of the fuss that Mother has raised it will be hard to greet them without thinking of Mother's plans for them. We may as well strew their path with flowers, to show them the path to the kingdom they are encouraged to conquer."
So saying, Lizzy reached out to a nearby rose bush for the fully opened white blossom nearest her, one of several that graced the bush. No sooner had the tip of her finger brushed against the stem of one flower than every petal fell off all of the blossoms and drifted down to the ground at her feet.
Lizzy drew back her hand in alarm, and Jane gave a small gasp of surprise. "I did not think I had touched it so hard." Elizabeth said in a small voice. She shook a few petals off of the tip of her shoes. She bit her lower lip in concern, and then asked her sister hopefully, "Do you think mother would take it as a bad sign, and I may therefore stay home?"
Jane laughed, and linking arms with her sister, started to walk further into the garden. She patted her sister's hand and said, "No matter what occurs tonight, I know I shall be well with you at my side, Lizzy."
Elizabeth leaned her head against Jane's shoulder. "Yes, sister, you may be sure I shall be at your side, if only to keep you between Mother and myself."
Jane laughed again.
As they walked on, Elizabeth turned her head to look behind her at the rose bush and the petals on the ground. For a moment her brow furrowed, she frowned, and then turned back to her sister, trying to ignore the feeling that the rose bush's leaves shook not with the breeze, but with laughter.
Omens
Pairing: Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy
Length: 12,000 words
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: The Derbyshire Writers' Guild
Why this must be read:
The Jane Austen fandom has some stories of the supernatural variety, but they are not nearly as numerous as, say, modern-day retellings of Pride and Prejudice. Most authors, however, stick to the book and the Regency era and write what-ifs. What if Mary Bennet instead of Charlotte Lucas had married the odious Mr. Collins? What if Mr. Darcy had explained himself better at the Netherfield Ball or during his proposal at Hunsford Cottage? What if Lady Catherine had not gone to Elizabeth to demand that she not marry Mr. Darcy, but instead went straight to her nephew? The possibilities are endless, as, it seems, are the stories.
This story is also a what-if, but not in the traditional sense, for it also adds in a supernatural element. One would think it would not work well, but it does. In the book, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth meet for the first time at an assembly in Meryton, where he subsequently snubs her--much to his later frustration and dismay--and fixes within her a dislike for him that only grows with time. The entire book of Pride and Prejudice depends upon their first poor impressions and subsequent misunderstandings of each other.
But their meeting does not quite go that same way in this story. The day of the assembly begins inauspiciously for both Darcy and Elizabeth, and strange occurrences follow them throughout the day. Both recognize the strange, albeit minor, happenings as omens, but omens of what?
The payoff at the end is worth the story. This tale is not long; it will take all of twenty minutes to read it, but it's well worth it. Highly recommended.
* * *
Three miles away, Elizabeth Bennet and her sister wandered the garden behind their family estate of Longbourn. Inside the house, their mother had been fussing all morning about the possibilities of the Meryton assembly; who would be in the Netherfield party, how many would be single men, what their fortunes would be, and which imaginary bachelor would be paired with which of her daughters. By the time the sun was much up in the sky, Jane and Elizabeth, the two eldest, had escaped outside to avoid the feeling that their own mother was pricing them.
"Honestly Jane, if Mother goes on much longer, I shall go to the dance wearing a price around my neck as a necklace!" Elizabeth vented.
Jane smiled. "Lizzy, you know she only says such things out of concern for us. She would not want us to marry unhappily, but knows we must marry well."
"I heard a good deal about how rich she would like these strangers to be, but not a word about how kind. I believe she is more interested in goods than goodness." Lizzy smiled to take the edge off of her words. Grinning at her sister, she continued, "And before you say such things in her defense, for I know you will, Mother does not believe all people to be kind. That grace is yours alone."
Jane shook her head at her sister. "Tease me as you will, Lizzy, but I have every expectation of finding the Netherfield party agreeable, and not simply for their fortune. Father has met Mr. Bingley and has said no ill of him. His assessments are nearly as acerbic as your own, so that must speak well for our new neighbor's character."
"Be that as it may, for all of the fuss that Mother has raised it will be hard to greet them without thinking of Mother's plans for them. We may as well strew their path with flowers, to show them the path to the kingdom they are encouraged to conquer."
So saying, Lizzy reached out to a nearby rose bush for the fully opened white blossom nearest her, one of several that graced the bush. No sooner had the tip of her finger brushed against the stem of one flower than every petal fell off all of the blossoms and drifted down to the ground at her feet.
Lizzy drew back her hand in alarm, and Jane gave a small gasp of surprise. "I did not think I had touched it so hard." Elizabeth said in a small voice. She shook a few petals off of the tip of her shoes. She bit her lower lip in concern, and then asked her sister hopefully, "Do you think mother would take it as a bad sign, and I may therefore stay home?"
Jane laughed, and linking arms with her sister, started to walk further into the garden. She patted her sister's hand and said, "No matter what occurs tonight, I know I shall be well with you at my side, Lizzy."
Elizabeth leaned her head against Jane's shoulder. "Yes, sister, you may be sure I shall be at your side, if only to keep you between Mother and myself."
Jane laughed again.
As they walked on, Elizabeth turned her head to look behind her at the rose bush and the petals on the ground. For a moment her brow furrowed, she frowned, and then turned back to her sister, trying to ignore the feeling that the rose bush's leaves shook not with the breeze, but with laughter.
Omens