AU Setting (Fantasy AU would be even more awesome) Fem!America is forced to join his harem (or if you're uncomfortable with that route then just to marry) Turkey to pay off her father's debt. They're both unhappy about it and about each other but slowly grow to love each other.
I leave everything else up to you writer!anon in terms of plot, characters and other pairings. But I wouldn't mind something plot heavy if that's the route you want to take it... ;-)
Note: If you go the harem-route I don't mind other Turkey pairings thrown in. Nor does the harem have to be dissolved when they fall in love unless that's the route you want to take it. I would prefer she get at least head wife status and that main pairing focus wise be Turkey/Fem!America.
Arthur Kirkland liked to believe that she was a good, kind, and understanding man. He knew very well that everyone made mistakes and was okay with that, after all to error was human and while he did not like to admit that he was less then perfect he was still a human being, had flaws and made mistakes. He had three children and each of them made their own mistakes. Peter was the youngest at ten (looked identical to Arthur except for his mother’s eyes) and made plenty of mistakes. His table manners were still lacking, he didn’t know the proper way to speak, was loud, skipped out on his classes… all of those things though were to be expected of a privileged, healthy, energetic boy. After all boys would be boys. The middle child was Madeleine. She was a shy girl that people didn’t often pay attention to and had to hide her blush behind her fan more often then most young ladies. She was eighteen, and had always been well behaved, pretty much the perfect example of maidenhood. When she attended school she had received the highest marks, in her ballroom dancing, dinning room etiquette, Latin, French, music and art lessons. The teachers had all raved that she would be an excellent wife, and grand hostess once she got over her terrible shyness. Really Madeleine’s only flaw was her shy maiden heart, and lack of charisma that made her a complete and total wallflower. This was only a problem as big as it was because of Mr. Kirkland’s oldest child and Madeleine’s twin sister Amelia. Amelia was just as loud, obnoxious, improper, and did all the bad things that her younger brother Peter did. The biggest issue though was that Amelia was a young lady nearly twice the boy’s age yet insisted on behaving in a manner similar to her younger brother. She was known for hiking up her skirts to show off her knees, never wearing a bonnet or carrying a parasol so that her skin (which would have been just s creamy and milky white as her sisters) was tanned and freckled beyond repair, she never knew which fork and knife to use with which course, rarely spoke at meals with her food completely swallowed, didn’t like the “restriction” of proper undergarments therefore going without them, and did all other manners of indecent things. And some of the rumors that had spread about her though-out polite society, well, they were enough to make some faint.
Mr. Kirkland was aced with quite a dilemma. He had to get rid of Amelia. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for her in the way that fathers cared for their daughters, it was just that her behavior and the rumors that swirled around her were over shadowing Madeleine. Madeleine was the kind of daughter that he wanted people to notice and if Amelia were else where then he would be able to marry her off; as things were going though it looked as though he would end up with two unmarried daughters. His option were to marry the troublemaker off, but no one in Britannia of any respectable family would want her (and marrying her off to someone not of the right lineage would cause scandal). Mr. Kirkland was forced to go outside of Britannia’s and society to try and find his daughter a satisfactory husband so that his other girl would have some kind of chance.
While his daughter was causing him problems as far as finding her a suitable husband Mr. Kirkland was gaining a larger and larger debt. There had been a time when the future Arthur Kirkland had looked uncertain. He was the youngest of five sons and therefore was in a position to not gain much land and inheritance from his father. He was used to the kind of life style a wealthy man would be, and the same was to be said for his wife as well. His oldest brother was not to found of him and the moment he gained the money from their father’s death was surely going to cut him off leaving the youngest in a less then favorable position and he would surely not have the money he was used to. He had to think on his feet and come up with a plan to maintain the wealthy lifestyle he had became so used to. Arthur Kirkland had decided to start up a shipping business. With travel still being inconvenient yet people in Britannia wanting the rich, exotic luxury items foreign kingdoms and empires took for granted he had thought it to be cleaver to get in on the business. But he had needed some kind of start up money and people who were willing to enter exclusive contracts with him. Going to his father was out of the question for when he would pass his brother that would inherit the estate would make it into some kind of impossible loan; the thought of owing money to his older brother was enough to make him physically ill, so he had gone else where. Mr. Kirkland had traveled to the Kingdom of Turkey and met a wealthy prince, named Sadiq Adnan, while there who had agreed to loan him the money as well as assist him with the trading of goods that could only be found there, act as a middleman between the west and east. The deal seemed to good to be true and he had eagerly agreed to it. The business did well and both Mr. Kirkland and the prince were rather happy.
There was still the matter of the loan that had yet to be paid off and Mr. Kirkland’s increasing greediness and less then careful updates of the payments. The prince was becoming more and more inpatient demanding his payments or something else in return. That’s when a light shone through and there was a solution for his problems with Amelia along with the problem of his debt yet to be paid off, trade his daughter for the loan to be considered repaid. But that sort of thing just wasn’t done by gentlemen. Lowly foreigners sold their daughters away to rich men to erase their debts, an Mr. Kirkland wasn’t that kind of man. Though the idea of getting Amelia out of the way was quite pleasing. But there would be a scandal! Unless he lied to everyone who inquired as to where his older daughter had gone to. Peter couldn’t hear about it though he would let the whole world know… his wife and Madeleine however possessed shame and though they would ask what happened to Amelia would never utter a word of the truth to anyone else. There were plenty of reasons not to do it, but he had given the girl so many chances to get things right that this was something that she could not mess up.
And so he wrote to Prince Sadiq that he would give him his oldest daughter, and was certain to make her sound absolutely perfect in every single way (adding details that he heard Turks liked in their women). The prince responded sounding rather pleased by the idea and said he would be eager for her arrival. Mr. Kirkland had come up with a plan, Amelia had always said that she wanted to see the world so she would send her on a trip to Turkey, and well she didn’t have to know the whole truth nor would it cross her mind to. He would have Amelia out of the way, his debts erased, and finally be able to marry off Madeleine. There was really no reason he could think of to not go along with it. Even if it was shady and would eat away at his conscious… but he didn’t want to think about that.
Well anon you've certainly got my attention. Arthur is a bastard but then he's fun that way so that's awesome. And poor Amelia she has no idea what's in store for her.
Can't wait to see where this is headed next and the sort of world you're building here for the characters.
Yes I am the anon who had mad the map and offered earlier. Seriously I would have posted sooner but I rewrote this chapter like ten times to try and get it just right before I came up with this :] Anyways... I messed around with the kingdoms and things and this is sort of a fantasy AU mixed with Steampunk... and we'll see that later, along with the cultural stuff and how the governments of various areas work. We'll also you know actually meet Amelia then too...
sorry Arthur is such a bastard... idk why but he always comes off like that when I write him...
To say that Amelia was excited would be a great understatement. She was positively ecstatic a she road through the streets of Constantinople in the lushly decorated handsome that had been rented for her use. There were people everywhere dressed in all sorts of colorful attire, going this way and that. It was like a scene from a book, and so much more interesting then anything she had seen while living in London. People were busy with their lives there as well, moving from shop to shop, hurrying about while running errands are paying visits to people. But here in this exotic city, the colors were different, the items being sold had a sort of magic to them, and the open air booths selling things she’d never seen before with the owners shouting out to passer-bys attempting to lure them into buy what they sold. As she rode face pressed to the glass that seemed to somehow remain cool despite the sun and dust outside Amelia was mesmerized. Seeing these sorts of places and these kinds of things must have been why her father had gotten into the merchant business like he had. She would have to show him how much she appreciated the trip. Perhaps when she returned home she would ask if he would let her join the family business. Sure that sort of thing was quite abnormal for young ladies to do, but Amelia was an abnormal young lady.
The handsome began to climb a rather steep hill. The buildings as they went forward became more and more ornate with more of an air of wealth to them. They must have been approaching where Amelia would be staying for this trip. Naturally the young daughter of a wealthy merchant would be staying in only the best hotel the city of Constantinople could offer. She settled herself down into the velvet cushions, and ran a hand through her long blonde hair, her mother and sister were not there to tell her to pin it up in that ornate style that everyone seemed to think was decent and sighed. This hill was not nearly as interesting as the city had been. Suddenly some worry had hit Amelia in the stomach, wouldn’t there be other wealthy citizens of Britannia staying there as well? She hadn’t worn her corsets or the proper length petticoat for her dress. It had just been so hot when she woke up that morning on the airship, that she had thought it to be too much trouble (much more so then usual) to wear the corset, and on top of that she was wearing a light weight dress made of cotton with only small cap sleeves. Everything else seemed just too hot to wear. She hadn’t even pulled out a hat, but the sun felt so good on her skin after being in a country so cold and gray as where she had lived her whole life.
The handsome passed under a large gate covered in gold and jewels the size of Amelia’ fist. It was all so beautiful and she suddenly found herself sitting up with her nose to the glass once again, even though the carriage was slowing down. When it stopped the door she sat by was facing a beautiful marble stairway wide and leading up to a building that shone bright white in the hot sun. “It’s like a palace.” she breathed and she looked up. The door was opened by one of the attends dressed in all white, a contrast to his dark skin, another placed a stool carved from gold down so that she may use it to step out. Yet another attended offered his hand to assist with helping her out and onto the ground. Amelia took a full look around at the large front of this place. It was completely enclosed by walls, save for the gate that they had earlier passed through, which was now shut. The front lawn was lovely with a huge ornate fountain filled with statues that had been carved from marble and covered in precious stones. Everything about this place was filled with wealth and as she stood there taking it all in Amelia knew she was far to under dressed. Her mother would surely have scolded her for wearing her hair loose, forgoing the proper undergarments, and opting for a simple plain dress. Madeleine, her dear sister, would be blushing feeling ashamed for her sister’s carelessness in decency.
A woman with short blonde hair wearing a dress made of blue silk, embroidered with gold thread came towards Amelia. If anyone else had been wearing as much gold jewelry as this woman was they would have looked gaudy and ridiculous, but it just added to her air. She was a rather well endowed woman with a trim waste. Amelia found herself staring and wondering if she was wearing a corset, but the fabric’s fine quality left a sheerness to the fabric that made it obvious she was not and the young girl found herself blushing for the first time in her life. It was rather strange, Amelia had thought that Turks had dark hair, skin, and eyes, but this woman was fair haired, skinned, and eyed; yet a European woman would surely never dress in this sort of way or manner…
“Welcome.” the woman said with a soft smile on her lips as she watched Amelia. Something about the look in her eyes was warm and comforting, like cup of cocoa on a cold winter’s night sitting near the hearth. They were the kind of eyes that made one feel at ease instantly. “I am Ekatarina…” she paused for a moment and laughed quietly at the confused look on Amelia’s face, though it was the kind of charmed laugh without a hint of mockery, “If that is too difficult for you to say, then please call me Katyusha…”
“Katyusha?” Amelia said tongue tripping over some of the letters, but the nod the woman gave her made her confidence some flooding back, “I’m Amelia Kirkland!” she said with enthusiasm.
“It’s very nice to meet you. Are you ready to go meet Sadiq then?” she didn’t wait for a reply but spoke to a servant in a language that the British girl was unable to understand, before leading the way into the building. As they walked through the large wooden doors enforced with iron Amelia was once again struck with awe from the large entrance hall. The high ceilings seemed to stretch impossibly high with marble columns to support them. The columns were polished to perfecting, with gold covering the bases and tops. Everything was so beautiful, and Amelia had never before been the kind of person struck by the beauty of anything before, yet after only an hour or so in this city found everything around her to be full of it. Katyusha had not noticed the awe of Amelia and must have just taken her quietness as an attempt at being polite, so she decided to speak, “I’m sure you’ll like it here. You’ll naturally be given a full tour of the palace--” So it is a palace Amelia thought hearing those words, “-- along with instruction on how things are done here: how the court works, how meals are served, how you are to interact with the other wives, and of course Sadiq himself.” They stopped outside of a door. There was the sound of music and laughter that floated under the door along with the sweet smell of incense. Katyusha turned to Amelia and smiled, “I suppose this will be your first time meeting Sadiq then?” there was a nod, “Well just mind your manners I suppose, he won’t be expecting you to behave like the others as well.” she touched her shoulder carefully then opened the doors.
A room with ceilings as high as the entrance hall had been. Silk curtails of red and white hung down from the ceilings along the wall where a red couch with golden legs sat. A man with longed on this couch wearing the most peculiar clothing Amelia had ever seen. There was a large read velvet hat on his head with a big white feather coming off one side and embroidered with golden threads, he wore what looked like a white cotton night shirt with large loose sleeves and a hood that went underneath his hat, over top of the “night shirt” (as Amelia had decided to call it) was a sleeveless loose fighting shirt made of the same velvet and embroidery as his hat was, that stretched down to the floor. The oddest thing of all was that his face was covered by a half mask that started at his forehead and came down to cover his nose. He smiled in a way that made Amelia feel rather uncomfortable as he decided to sit up.
Katyusha hurried past Amelia and took a spot standing behind the man. This must have been Sadiq. There was quiet in the room as everyone watched Amelia, who was uncertain what to do so she just waved. “Uh, hi.” she put her hand at her side then waved again, figuring it would be for good measure.
The man continued to watch her making her feel increasingly uncomfortable. she was unsure if it was because she couldn’t see his eyes or the fact that it was just so quiet. Whatever the reason was Amelia wanted it to be over. It felt like he was giving her the kind of look dogs give hunks of meat hanging in the butcher shop window. Whether or not she was feeling odd about his look she was bold and starred right back at him. There was a low chuckle from the back of his throat and Amelia looked up at him absolutely confused. “The letter described you in a better light then this. Though I suppose it was written through the eyes of a father and fathers don’t often see their daughters flaws.” his voice was low and smooth, his English only slightly accented, “I suppose though a deal is a deal, though. But…” a grin that was even more unnerving then his silent watching her had been, “The deal has yet to be completed and I prefer to do that sort of thing at night.”
“What are you talking about?” Amelia tilted her head to the side, “My father wrote to you about me.” Well she guessed that that had made sense, after all he was the one who had orchestrated this whole trip for her and it seemed like this was the place she would be staying. This Prince Sadiq fellow would surely have been told what she looked like, after all he would have to send a handsome to pick her up at the port and bring here to the palace, “Uh, never mind.” she said quickly, “I think I figured that out.’
He laughed again and turned to Katyusha, “Show her to her room, and have her changed into something else.” he paused for a moment, glanced towards Amelia, “Have her prepared for the evening too I suppose… if there is time you can introduce her to the others… that is all.”
The blonde woman nodded and stepped down leading Amelia out of the room and down a hallway. “I’ll show you to your room then. I really do hope that you like it, I was unsure what sort of things that you like, but I picked out the furniture, curtains, and bedding myself, though well I did do it to my own tastes since I was unsure of what you liked. If there is anything that you would like to change do not hesitate to tell me. It’s not only my duty to teach you how things work here but to also make sure you are comfortable.”
“You don’t have to worry about all of that. If it’s even half as nice as the other parts I’ve seen I am sure I’ll like it.”
“I hope you will as well.” Katyusha went across a courtyard with rose bushes and a beautiful fountain filled with large gold fish swimming around. Two young women who appeared to be from a far eastern country sat laughing near the fountain speaking in a language that was not English nor was it the Turkish she had heard people speak in the city or Katyusha speak to the servant. They stopped walk, “Mei, Hoai Mi, this is Amelia.” The two women smiled waved hello, then went back to their conversation as Amelia was shown the rest of the way to her room.
“Why are there so many foreign woman that live here?” Amelia asked as they finished crossing the courtyard.
“Well I am originally from Russia. My father was good friend’s with Sadiq’s father and despite the cultural differences our marriage was arranged. Sometimes I am still shocked that my father agreed that I would marry a man with so many wives… even though I would of course be the first and head one.” she seemed rather proud about that bit.
She was a bit confused, “What do you mean so many wives?” didn’t mean tend to marry only one woman. All the men she knew had only one wife, though she did vaguely remember hearing princes and rich men from far away kingdoms had more then one wife. But that sort of practice was barbaric, and not something that was approved of in Britannia.
Katyusha stopped. She looked at Amelia with a thoroughly confused look on her face, “Amelia surely you know what I am talking about.” she shook her head, “Do you know what you are here?” there was a nod, and Katyusha sighed relief.
“My father sent me here on a trip, though I am unsure why--”
“A trip?” the older woman looked a bit panicked, “Oh no… oh my…” she looked as if she were going to begin to cry.
“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t believe you don’t know-- though-- Oh Amelia, I thought you would have been fully prepared to be a wife.”
“A wife?” she scrunched up her nose, “Why would I be fully prepared to be a wife.”
“You’re marrying Sadiq tonight, as his newest bride. And I well, I thought you would have known this.”
“You must be joking…” Amelia said seated on a cushioned chair in the room that she had been giving. She was certain that it was beautifully decorated, but was currently so confused and filled with a building rage that she was unable to bring herself to look around the room with awe. If what Katyusha had told her was true, then this room was a prison, and nothing in a prison could be beautiful. “And what a cruel joke to play!” she shouted that last bit.
“I would not joke about this. It’s a very serious manner as far as Sadiq taking on a new wife. Surely you understand--”
“Why would my father send me here to join a harem!”
“I do not know all the details, but your father has owed our husband quite a bit of money for a while. It’s not uncommon that daughters are traded to do away with debts… Belle, you’ll meet her soon enough was brought here to pay off what her father borrowed to keep her family from going on when her homeland was stuck with economic problems… though I should not be telling you the business of others.”
“Belle?” Amelia looked at Katyusha with a face that had a mixture of being confused, offended, and emotionally crushed. “How many wives does Sadiq have?”
“Six, including you and myself. You’ve met Mei and Haoi Mi, both were gifts from the Emperor of the East for the completion of an alliance. I’ve mentioned Belle, she is originally from Germania, and Leone was a gift from the King of the South to mark a hundred years of peace between the countries.”
“So I’m lowly number six-- no I am not! Because you are still playing a trick on me! This isn’t funny and my father will not at all be happy to hear about it!” Amelia stood up suddenly causing the chair she had been sitting in to fall over onto the rug.
“You have to believe me--”
“Leave me.” she did not shout but her voice was desperate. Katyusha opened her mouth as if she were about to say something, but she didn’t say a word and instead just left the room silently.
Amelia turned as soon as the door was shut and went through her luggage searching for a pen and paper, she would have to write her father and tell him that these people were horrible and playing terrible joke on her. As she dug through the boxes and trunks scattering clothes all about the room, she felt her eyes being to well up. What if it wasn’t a joke? But it had to be… though what if it wasn’t? She shook her head violently and went back through digging in the boxes of clothes. As she dug she found an envelope with her name written on it in her father’s handwriting. She stopped her searching and picked it up in the trembling hands. Fearing what it would say she tore into the things sending paper to the floor where is settled around her. Before she even looked at the words on the page dread settled in her stomach. She took a deep breath.
That was normal enough. She may not have had many people that she wrote letters to or received many letters but she knew that that’s how they typically began.
I am certain that you will find this letter after arriving in Turkey at the Palace. I am going to assume that you have heard the news that you are to marry the prince as well. I am your father and there for I feel as if I know you rather well and this is why I have made these assumptions. You are probably questioning how much I love you as your father after I for lack of better words sold you.
In all honesty I feel as though this is something that you have brought on to your self. I am certain that the thought that you would be one of many brides to a Turkish prince you never met was something that had never crossed your mind, the possibility if someone had ever brought it up to you would make you laugh as well. Amelia you must understand that your lack of willingness to conform along with the way that you refused time and time again to not act selfishly and just behave like a decent young woman has placed me in a difficult spot. When your cousins were your age they were all already married, because they were the kind of girls that could behave and proved themselves to be good wives. I am a man with two daughters and neither you nor sweet Madeleine would be married off to respectable husbands if I were to keep you here.
I know that you have heard the rumors about you, and that the things that have been said were less then pleasant. You are thick headed my dear and would never admit to letting such things bother you, but you must understand the things said not only bother myself, but your mother, sister, and a good portion of polite society. You may be wondering why such things matter, but you must understand that in our society a daughter is only as good as the husband she can find. And you could not find a good husband, for all good men’s fathers and mothers would refuse to let that happen. Your sister though she is the kind of girl that can easily be married off. You must be wondering what you have to do with her and her possibilities, so I suppose I will have to tell you that won’t I? Do you know how many people think and thought that I only had one daughter? You see when you behave in the manner you do with the rumors around you that are there you make Madeleine invisible. I will admit that she is a perfectly forgettable kind of young lady. If I were a young man at a party I would not remember having conversation with her or what dances we danced with one another, but she is a respectable, beautiful girl.
Now you are certainly thinking that I do not love you at all as a father loves his daughter. And I will tell you that I have asked myself that question plenty of times. Every time I over heard to ladies at a party speaking of how shameful your behavior was, every time one of your teachers complained about you, and every time I sought you a husband. I hope that you will understand that I gave you years to correct your behavior, yet you never did, therefore I stand by my earlier words that you have brought this on yourself.
You do not have to forgive me. As your father I know that you are not the kind of forgive betrayal easily. I am not going to ask you to forgive me either. what I will ask for is that you try and understand that your removal from London will benefit not only your sister, but the family as a whole. Think of this as a necessary sacrifice to better your family. Think of it as if you are a hero from one of those stories that you used to read.
One last thing Amelia, try to understand that my actions are because I do care for you as a father cares for his daughter.
Amelia finished the letter and could not hold back her tears. Never had she thought that she was the kind of person who would bring such hardships on to her family or that her ways were that wrong. There were other girls that did what she had done her whole life, though thinking about it she had never met girls like that even once… but that her father would trade her away to erase a debt, it was if she were no better then gold, like she was not a person, and thinking that way made her heart hurt. It made her feel heavy, it made her feel useless. Most of all it made her feel like it was her now duty to prove him wrong, yet she didn’t have the strength to do so.
In the end she had always just been a trouble making daughter that needed to be put out of the way.
AN okay so... here we are with an update that well idk what it did but there you go. Now then Katyusha=Ukraine Mei=Taiwan Hoai Mi=Vietnam Belle=Belgium and Leone=Seychelles.
Tears, actual tears came to my eyes when I read the letter part and Amelia's reaction. I know the focus will be on Turkey/America and I am looking forward to it but now I think my primary reason to read this is to see if Arthur gets properly karma'd for this. Ouch. OUCH.
Oh Arthur you didn't even tell her before you shipped her off into the unknown. And then you blamed is soley on her. Not cool man not cool.
Loved the introduction to the palace and learning about the other wives. Also adored the introduction to Turkey. I cannot wait to see this relationship grow.
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Turkey/Fem!America ~ Forced to Be Together
(Anonymous) 2010-09-18 10:09 pm (UTC)(link)I leave everything else up to you writer!anon in terms of plot, characters and other pairings. But I wouldn't mind something plot heavy if that's the route you want to take it... ;-)
Note: If you go the harem-route I don't mind other Turkey pairings thrown in. Nor does the harem have to be dissolved when they fall in love unless that's the route you want to take it. I would prefer she get at least head wife status and that main pairing focus wise be Turkey/Fem!America.
In the Garden [0a/?]
(Anonymous) 2010-10-07 12:45 am (UTC)(link)Mr. Kirkland was aced with quite a dilemma. He had to get rid of Amelia. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for her in the way that fathers cared for their daughters, it was just that her behavior and the rumors that swirled around her were over shadowing Madeleine. Madeleine was the kind of daughter that he wanted people to notice and if Amelia were else where then he would be able to marry her off; as things were going though it looked as though he would end up with two unmarried daughters. His option were to marry the troublemaker off, but no one in Britannia of any respectable family would want her (and marrying her off to someone not of the right lineage would cause scandal). Mr. Kirkland was forced to go outside of Britannia’s and society to try and find his daughter a satisfactory husband so that his other girl would have some kind of chance.
In the Garden [0b/?]
(Anonymous) 2010-10-07 12:48 am (UTC)(link)There was still the matter of the loan that had yet to be paid off and Mr. Kirkland’s increasing greediness and less then careful updates of the payments. The prince was becoming more and more inpatient demanding his payments or something else in return. That’s when a light shone through and there was a solution for his problems with Amelia along with the problem of his debt yet to be paid off, trade his daughter for the loan to be considered repaid. But that sort of thing just wasn’t done by gentlemen. Lowly foreigners sold their daughters away to rich men to erase their debts, an Mr. Kirkland wasn’t that kind of man. Though the idea of getting Amelia out of the way was quite pleasing. But there would be a scandal! Unless he lied to everyone who inquired as to where his older daughter had gone to. Peter couldn’t hear about it though he would let the whole world know… his wife and Madeleine however possessed shame and though they would ask what happened to Amelia would never utter a word of the truth to anyone else. There were plenty of reasons not to do it, but he had given the girl so many chances to get things right that this was something that she could not mess up.
And so he wrote to Prince Sadiq that he would give him his oldest daughter, and was certain to make her sound absolutely perfect in every single way (adding details that he heard Turks liked in their women). The prince responded sounding rather pleased by the idea and said he would be eager for her arrival. Mr. Kirkland had come up with a plan, Amelia had always said that she wanted to see the world so she would send her on a trip to Turkey, and well she didn’t have to know the whole truth nor would it cross her mind to. He would have Amelia out of the way, his debts erased, and finally be able to marry off Madeleine. There was really no reason he could think of to not go along with it. Even if it was shady and would eat away at his conscious… but he didn’t want to think about that.
OP
(Anonymous) 2010-10-07 04:07 am (UTC)(link)Can't wait to see where this is headed next and the sort of world you're building here for the characters.
Thank you Anon!
Re: In the Garden [0a/?]
(Anonymous) 2010-10-07 12:52 am (UTC)(link)In the Garden [0 Author Notes]
(Anonymous) 2010-10-07 12:53 am (UTC)(link)sorry Arthur is such a bastard... idk why but he always comes off like that when I write him...
In the Garden [1a/?]
(Anonymous) 2010-10-08 03:07 am (UTC)(link)The handsome began to climb a rather steep hill. The buildings as they went forward became more and more ornate with more of an air of wealth to them. They must have been approaching where Amelia would be staying for this trip. Naturally the young daughter of a wealthy merchant would be staying in only the best hotel the city of Constantinople could offer. She settled herself down into the velvet cushions, and ran a hand through her long blonde hair, her mother and sister were not there to tell her to pin it up in that ornate style that everyone seemed to think was decent and sighed. This hill was not nearly as interesting as the city had been. Suddenly some worry had hit Amelia in the stomach, wouldn’t there be other wealthy citizens of Britannia staying there as well? She hadn’t worn her corsets or the proper length petticoat for her dress. It had just been so hot when she woke up that morning on the airship, that she had thought it to be too much trouble (much more so then usual) to wear the corset, and on top of that she was wearing a light weight dress made of cotton with only small cap sleeves. Everything else seemed just too hot to wear. She hadn’t even pulled out a hat, but the sun felt so good on her skin after being in a country so cold and gray as where she had lived her whole life.
In the Garden [1b/?]
(Anonymous) 2010-10-08 03:11 am (UTC)(link)A woman with short blonde hair wearing a dress made of blue silk, embroidered with gold thread came towards Amelia. If anyone else had been wearing as much gold jewelry as this woman was they would have looked gaudy and ridiculous, but it just added to her air. She was a rather well endowed woman with a trim waste. Amelia found herself staring and wondering if she was wearing a corset, but the fabric’s fine quality left a sheerness to the fabric that made it obvious she was not and the young girl found herself blushing for the first time in her life. It was rather strange, Amelia had thought that Turks had dark hair, skin, and eyes, but this woman was fair haired, skinned, and eyed; yet a European woman would surely never dress in this sort of way or manner…
“Welcome.” the woman said with a soft smile on her lips as she watched Amelia. Something about the look in her eyes was warm and comforting, like cup of cocoa on a cold winter’s night sitting near the hearth. They were the kind of eyes that made one feel at ease instantly. “I am Ekatarina…” she paused for a moment and laughed quietly at the confused look on Amelia’s face, though it was the kind of charmed laugh without a hint of mockery, “If that is too difficult for you to say, then please call me Katyusha…”
“Katyusha?” Amelia said tongue tripping over some of the letters, but the nod the woman gave her made her confidence some flooding back, “I’m Amelia Kirkland!” she said with enthusiasm.
In the Garden [1c/?]
(Anonymous) 2010-10-08 03:14 am (UTC)(link)A room with ceilings as high as the entrance hall had been. Silk curtails of red and white hung down from the ceilings along the wall where a red couch with golden legs sat. A man with longed on this couch wearing the most peculiar clothing Amelia had ever seen. There was a large read velvet hat on his head with a big white feather coming off one side and embroidered with golden threads, he wore what looked like a white cotton night shirt with large loose sleeves and a hood that went underneath his hat, over top of the “night shirt” (as Amelia had decided to call it) was a sleeveless loose fighting shirt made of the same velvet and embroidery as his hat was, that stretched down to the floor. The oddest thing of all was that his face was covered by a half mask that started at his forehead and came down to cover his nose. He smiled in a way that made Amelia feel rather uncomfortable as he decided to sit up.
Katyusha hurried past Amelia and took a spot standing behind the man. This must have been Sadiq. There was quiet in the room as everyone watched Amelia, who was uncertain what to do so she just waved. “Uh, hi.” she put her hand at her side then waved again, figuring it would be for good measure.
The man continued to watch her making her feel increasingly uncomfortable. she was unsure if it was because she couldn’t see his eyes or the fact that it was just so quiet. Whatever the reason was Amelia wanted it to be over. It felt like he was giving her the kind of look dogs give hunks of meat hanging in the butcher shop window. Whether or not she was feeling odd about his look she was bold and starred right back at him. There was a low chuckle from the back of his throat and Amelia looked up at him absolutely confused. “The letter described you in a better light then this. Though I suppose it was written through the eyes of a father and fathers don’t often see their daughters flaws.” his voice was low and smooth, his English only slightly accented, “I suppose though a deal is a deal, though. But…” a grin that was even more unnerving then his silent watching her had been, “The deal has yet to be completed and I prefer to do that sort of thing at night.”
In the Garden [1d/?]
(Anonymous) 2010-10-08 03:16 am (UTC)(link)He laughed again and turned to Katyusha, “Show her to her room, and have her changed into something else.” he paused for a moment, glanced towards Amelia, “Have her prepared for the evening too I suppose… if there is time you can introduce her to the others… that is all.”
The blonde woman nodded and stepped down leading Amelia out of the room and down a hallway. “I’ll show you to your room then. I really do hope that you like it, I was unsure what sort of things that you like, but I picked out the furniture, curtains, and bedding myself, though well I did do it to my own tastes since I was unsure of what you liked. If there is anything that you would like to change do not hesitate to tell me. It’s not only my duty to teach you how things work here but to also make sure you are comfortable.”
“You don’t have to worry about all of that. If it’s even half as nice as the other parts I’ve seen I am sure I’ll like it.”
“I hope you will as well.” Katyusha went across a courtyard with rose bushes and a beautiful fountain filled with large gold fish swimming around. Two young women who appeared to be from a far eastern country sat laughing near the fountain speaking in a language that was not English nor was it the Turkish she had heard people speak in the city or Katyusha speak to the servant. They stopped walk, “Mei, Hoai Mi, this is Amelia.” The two women smiled waved hello, then went back to their conversation as Amelia was shown the rest of the way to her room.
“Why are there so many foreign woman that live here?” Amelia asked as they finished crossing the courtyard.
“Well I am originally from Russia. My father was good friend’s with Sadiq’s father and despite the cultural differences our marriage was arranged. Sometimes I am still shocked that my father agreed that I would marry a man with so many wives… even though I would of course be the first and head one.” she seemed rather proud about that bit.
She was a bit confused, “What do you mean so many wives?” didn’t mean tend to marry only one woman. All the men she knew had only one wife, though she did vaguely remember hearing princes and rich men from far away kingdoms had more then one wife. But that sort of practice was barbaric, and not something that was approved of in Britannia.
Katyusha stopped. She looked at Amelia with a thoroughly confused look on her face, “Amelia surely you know what I am talking about.” she shook her head, “Do you know what you are here?” there was a nod, and Katyusha sighed relief.
“My father sent me here on a trip, though I am unsure why--”
“A trip?” the older woman looked a bit panicked, “Oh no… oh my…” she looked as if she were going to begin to cry.
“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t believe you don’t know-- though-- Oh Amelia, I thought you would have been fully prepared to be a wife.”
In the Garden [1e/?]
(Anonymous) 2010-10-08 03:18 am (UTC)(link)“You’re marrying Sadiq tonight, as his newest bride. And I well, I thought you would have known this.”
“You must be joking…” Amelia said seated on a cushioned chair in the room that she had been giving. She was certain that it was beautifully decorated, but was currently so confused and filled with a building rage that she was unable to bring herself to look around the room with awe. If what Katyusha had told her was true, then this room was a prison, and nothing in a prison could be beautiful. “And what a cruel joke to play!” she shouted that last bit.
“I would not joke about this. It’s a very serious manner as far as Sadiq taking on a new wife. Surely you understand--”
“Why would my father send me here to join a harem!”
“I do not know all the details, but your father has owed our husband quite a bit of money for a while. It’s not uncommon that daughters are traded to do away with debts… Belle, you’ll meet her soon enough was brought here to pay off what her father borrowed to keep her family from going on when her homeland was stuck with economic problems… though I should not be telling you the business of others.”
“Belle?” Amelia looked at Katyusha with a face that had a mixture of being confused, offended, and emotionally crushed. “How many wives does Sadiq have?”
“Six, including you and myself. You’ve met Mei and Haoi Mi, both were gifts from the Emperor of the East for the completion of an alliance. I’ve mentioned Belle, she is originally from Germania, and Leone was a gift from the King of the South to mark a hundred years of peace between the countries.”
“So I’m lowly number six-- no I am not! Because you are still playing a trick on me! This isn’t funny and my father will not at all be happy to hear about it!” Amelia stood up suddenly causing the chair she had been sitting in to fall over onto the rug.
“You have to believe me--”
“Leave me.” she did not shout but her voice was desperate. Katyusha opened her mouth as if she were about to say something, but she didn’t say a word and instead just left the room silently.
Amelia turned as soon as the door was shut and went through her luggage searching for a pen and paper, she would have to write her father and tell him that these people were horrible and playing terrible joke on her. As she dug through the boxes and trunks scattering clothes all about the room, she felt her eyes being to well up. What if it wasn’t a joke? But it had to be… though what if it wasn’t? She shook her head violently and went back through digging in the boxes of clothes. As she dug she found an envelope with her name written on it in her father’s handwriting. She stopped her searching and picked it up in the trembling hands. Fearing what it would say she tore into the things sending paper to the floor where is settled around her. Before she even looked at the words on the page dread settled in her stomach. She took a deep breath.
In the Garden [1f/?]
(Anonymous) 2010-10-08 03:22 am (UTC)(link)That was normal enough. She may not have had many people that she wrote letters to or received many letters but she knew that that’s how they typically began.
I am certain that you will find this letter after arriving in Turkey at the Palace. I am going to assume that you have heard the news that you are to marry the prince as well. I am your father and there for I feel as if I know you rather well and this is why I have made these assumptions. You are probably questioning how much I love you as your father after I for lack of better words sold you.
In all honesty I feel as though this is something that you have brought on to your self. I am certain that the thought that you would be one of many brides to a Turkish prince you never met was something that had never crossed your mind, the possibility if someone had ever brought it up to you would make you laugh as well. Amelia you must understand that your lack of willingness to conform along with the way that you refused time and time again to not act selfishly and just behave like a decent young woman has placed me in a difficult spot. When your cousins were your age they were all already married, because they were the kind of girls that could behave and proved themselves to be good wives. I am a man with two daughters and neither you nor sweet Madeleine would be married off to respectable husbands if I were to keep you here.
I know that you have heard the rumors about you, and that the things that have been said were less then pleasant. You are thick headed my dear and would never admit to letting such things bother you, but you must understand the things said not only bother myself, but your mother, sister, and a good portion of polite society. You may be wondering why such things matter, but you must understand that in our society a daughter is only as good as the husband she can find. And you could not find a good husband, for all good men’s fathers and mothers would refuse to let that happen. Your sister though she is the kind of girl that can easily be married off. You must be wondering what you have to do with her and her possibilities, so I suppose I will have to tell you that won’t I? Do you know how many people think and thought that I only had one daughter? You see when you behave in the manner you do with the rumors around you that are there you make Madeleine invisible. I will admit that she is a perfectly forgettable kind of young lady. If I were a young man at a party I would not remember having conversation with her or what dances we danced with one another, but she is a respectable, beautiful girl.
Now you are certainly thinking that I do not love you at all as a father loves his daughter. And I will tell you that I have asked myself that question plenty of times. Every time I over heard to ladies at a party speaking of how shameful your behavior was, every time one of your teachers complained about you, and every time I sought you a husband. I hope that you will understand that I gave you years to correct your behavior, yet you never did, therefore I stand by my earlier words that you have brought this on yourself.
You do not have to forgive me. As your father I know that you are not the kind of forgive betrayal easily. I am not going to ask you to forgive me either. what I will ask for is that you try and understand that your removal from London will benefit not only your sister, but the family as a whole. Think of this as a necessary sacrifice to better your family. Think of it as if you are a hero from one of those stories that you used to read.
One last thing Amelia, try to understand that my actions are because I do care for you as a father cares for his daughter.
Love,
Your Father
In the Garden [1g/?] + AN
(Anonymous) 2010-10-08 03:33 am (UTC)(link)In the end she had always just been a trouble making daughter that needed to be put out of the way.
AN okay so... here we are with an update that well idk what it did but there you go. Now then Katyusha=Ukraine Mei=Taiwan Hoai Mi=Vietnam Belle=Belgium and Leone=Seychelles.
Re: In the Garden [1g/?] + AN
(Anonymous) 2010-10-08 05:04 am (UTC)(link)OP
(Anonymous) 2010-10-09 04:37 am (UTC)(link)Loved the introduction to the palace and learning about the other wives. Also adored the introduction to Turkey. I cannot wait to see this relationship grow.
You definitely still have my attention anon!