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unfortunate-arrow · 5 months

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𝓗𝓮 𝓘𝓼𝓷’𝓽 𝓒𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓑𝓪𝓬𝓴

A/N: For @hp-12monthsofmagic’s November prompt (“Remember, Remember”). Set at Whitethorn Hall in April 1892. Involves discussions of death, grief, and funerals.

The day of the funeral dawned within the midst of a blustery storm. Rain blew sideways, splattering against the windows. Wind howled, as if embodying their pain. Edmund Kennedy, aged 11, had watched the storm roll in. The firelight flickered, illuminating the study. It had barely been touched in the three days since Ferdia Kennedy’s sudden death. The only thing that had been moved was the family’s ledger, which was meant to go to the family’s hastily hired estate manager. The ledger lay draped on Edmund’s chest, and that was how Alice Kennedy found her eldest child a few hours later.

“Neddy, Ned.” Alice gently shook the boy’s shoulder. Edmund jerked away, blinking rapidly.

“Mother,” he murmured.

“Why weren’t you in bed?”

“Couldn’t sleep.”

“Oh, Neddy.”

He fought the hug that came on next. He was the man of the house now. It was time that he acted like it. His mother had six other children to look after… and was expecting an eighth. She needn’t worry about him.

“I’m fine, Mother.”

“Edmund.”

“I’m fine,” he repeated, forcefully.

“Okay.” Alice eyed her eldest warily. “Can I trouble you to check on Walter?”

“Yes. Shall I help him prepare for mourning?”

“That would be wonderful, darling.”

Edmund nodded, stretching as he stood up from the wingback study chair. His mother kissed his head and left the room. He set the ledger down on the desk, exactly where he had found it… in the last place his father had put it. He still couldn’t shake the image of his father’s last breath. His father’s words echoed his head with the promise he’d made to look after Ma and Minerva and the rest.

Meanwhile, in the window seat of the library, Minerva Kennedy, also aged eleven, sat watching the storm rage. Firelight flickered nearby, illuminating the small notebook and quill that lay, untouched, in her lap. Her muse had fizzled out around the time the storm had rolled in. She couldn’t make herself get up, though. The storm was captivating, in such the way that the gothic novels she pretended to hate were captivating. It did seem like the weather was reflecting the storm inside the house, though.

“Minerva?”

She startled at the voice of her mother, turning to face the woman. Her mother looked tired, the firelight seeming to reflect dark circles underneath her eyes.

“Mama, are you alright?” she asked.

Alice sighed, crossing the room and gently lowered herself down onto the window seat. “I’m doing alright, love. As well as can be expected. How are you doing?”

“I think I’m alright. Neddy’s the one that’s not alright.”

“Your brother is doing as well as he can be. It’s not your responsibility to worry about him, darling.”

“He’s my twin.”

“I know. He was very close with your father and it hurts.”

“Papa was the best. Do you remember how he used to play pranks during holiday and birthday dinners?”

Alice let out a laugh. “He did love to make us laugh.”

Minerva sighed softly. “I miss him. I keep thinking he’s gonna be in whatever room I enter or that he’s just hiding in his study but Ned’s the only one there.”

“I know. I keep expecting him to be there too.”

“Mama, are you sad that the baby’s not gonna know Papa?”

“Yes, I am Minerva. I keep thinking that maybe I’ll name this little one after him if this baby’s a boy. Ferdia might be in Ned’s name, but it’s only a middle name.”

“I hope the baby’s a girl. Because Walter and Ned can be very annoying.”

Alice laughed, pulling her daughter into a tight hug. “Your father thought that I was going to have another girl. I think he liked just having Ned, Walter, and all you girls.

“The funeral’s in a few hours, though. I need you to go get ready. Neddy said he’d help Walter. Can I trouble you to help out Eliza and Nan?”

“Sure, Mama. Just for today.”

“Of course, darling.”

In the hours leading up to and during the funeral, the storm had cleared up enough for a procession to be held as the Kennedy family led the mourners down to the family cemetery. Ferdia Kennedy was to be buried next to his grandfather, Nolan Kennedy.

Edmund led the procession, followed closely by his mother, sister, and brother. It hadn’t been an easy decision to make, but letting her son lead the procession had been the right decision. Ned needed this more than any of her other children. He’d been so close to Ferdia, had been the only one there when Ferdia had drawn his last breath. It wouldn’t surprise Alice if her son could now see thestrals. Minerva had been close to being there too, but she had raced to the house to call for help. Alice herself had fainted when she’d heard the news. But here they were, burying the man who had been pretty much an equal partner in life. Burying her beloved husband and a beloved father of eight, although he’d only known seven of his children.

#hp12mom #edmund kennedy #minerva kennedy #alice kennedy #hp victorian era #hphl #my writing #my aesthetic #the kennedy fortescue family

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unfortunate-arrow · 2 years

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Happy FFWF, Arrow! Can you tell us about your ambitious writing project? Is it an og novel? Or something fandom related? As for the new Kennedy fam, can we have some idea of what it'll look like? As in fcs, back-story, etc...

My new writing project is related to my Bridgerton: Next Gen ‘verse. It’s currently titled “Bridgerton: Next Gen - Snapshots in Love.” The premise is a one shot outlining different scenes as my Bridgerton: Next Gen couples fall in love. All together I’m aiming for approximately thirty one shots, each focusing on a different couple. I’ve currently planned a bit for five of the stories.

I won’t be truly working on it until I finish my modern Bridgerton AU, which has four chapters left. However, the advantage of one shots is that I can write and publish them in whatever order I want. I’ll either order them chronologically (1843-1863), or group them by family. I’m not sure which.

I know that all the one shots will feature their first meeting, first kiss, engagement, and meeting the family. The points of view will switch as that’s what I like in romance novels.

So, for the new design of the Kennedy family, their father, Ferdia is still murdered when the twins are young. None of their sisters have names yet and I still need three more faceclaims, two are definitely for girls, but idk about the third one.

UDPATED: Two faceclaims need, four names needed

UPDATE 2: One faceclaim needed, four names still needed

Kennedy Sibling 1 — Susannah