FK Fanfic: "Starwort"

[brightknightie]

Please bear with me through one last post here about this story.  I sent "Starwort" to fkfic-l early this week, then archived it on my own site.  It's my longest fanfiction in almost five years, and my first starring Fleur in almost seven.  My sincere thanks to those who helped it come into being, and those who have let me know that they read it!

	•	Title:	"Starwort"
	•	Length:	~14,000 words
	•	Date:	Posted to FKFic-L April 20-22, 2008
	•	Rating:	PG-13 (m/f)
	•	Summary:	While Fleur is pregnant with Andre, a stranger named Lacroix arrives uninvited at a hunting party.
	•	Setting:	1236, Artois
	•	Characters:	Fleur, Lacroix, Original Characters
	•	Quotation:	"How my ladies would laugh, to hear I had a successful flirtation and don't even remember it."

Comments

[havocthecat]

Okay, I know I took FOREVER to read this, far longer than I had intended, but I wanted to tell you how much I love this story. It's really a beautiful slice of Fleur's life, and an example of how well she's grown into it - and Lacroix realizing just how much more she is than he ever thought she could be.

The fact that Fleur can make deductions and play with subtleties, and match Lacroix at his own game of manipulation, that's what really makes this story. I find it telling that, as before, Lacroix is willing to let Fleur make her own choice, and with no Nick to stand in his way, he does let her. The fact that Fleur calls him on his frailties in a way that no one else does, and in a way that he won't let anyone else do?

That's exactly the reason that I suspect that Fleur and Lacroix on an equal footing would be terrifyingly similar to Natalie and Nick. Which, of course, goes a long way toward proving my point that Lacroix likes Natalie, at least as much as he likes any mortal, if not a little more, but he sees the parallels to Fleur, and he resents her for being a part of Nick's life in a way that Fleur never was to his.

Again, I'm sorry it took me so long to read, but it's good FK fic, and long, and historical, and-- Well, I was kind of saving it up. Yes. I was hoarding fic. Silly, isn't it?

[brightknightie.livejournal.com]

>"Again, I'm sorry it took me so long to read, but... Well, I was kind of saving it up. Yes. I was hoarding fic. Silly, isn't it?"

Thank you very much for reading it, and for letting me know! And I completely understand about hoarding stories. I have a few barricades of new-to-me tales, preserved pristine for need. I'm honored to have had "Starwort" play a brick in such a structure. :-)

>"The fact that Fleur can make deductions and play with subtleties, and match Lacroix at his own game of manipulation, that's what really makes this story."

Thank you! I think Fleur must be at least potentially Lacroix's equal in order for the romance to have appeal. If he were able to dominate her (as he is able to dominate many characters), it would be just another simple tragedy, and unworthy of the attention they all pay it.

I wanted to show her running her life successfully, on her own terms.

>"Which, of course, goes a long way toward proving my point that Lacroix likes Natalie, at least as much as he likes any mortal, if not a little more, but he sees the parallels to Fleur..."

Over the years, I've become convinced that Diane Carey's core concept for "Be My Valentine" was that parallel between Fleur and Natalie. Fleur's astronomy is meant to say "scientist like Natalie" to us. Her attention to Lacroix's injuries is meant to say "doctor like Natalie." Her reaction to the revelation of vampirism echoes Natalie's. And then Lacroix makes the parallel explicit, giving it his seal of recognition by designating Natalie for his very specific revenge-in-trade.

Of course, one pivotal difference is that Fleur is not a resister, while Natalie, as we generally interpret "Only the Lonely," is. Endless canon debate there...

Anyway, I absolutely agree that Lacroix sees the similarity, and in ways I think Nick wouldn't have if Lacroix hadn't pointed it out so, um, emphatically. :-)

I wonder, come to think of it, to what degree Janette sees that parallel. She has met both Fleur and Natalie, and has known their value to Nick and Lacroix. Hmmmmm. I once wrote a story in which Janette brought Fleur across, but I don't think I had even imagined that question at that time! Hmmmm. Thank you for opening the path to this new-to-me thought!

>"but I wanted to tell you how much I love this story. It's really a beautiful slice of Fleur's life,"

Thank you so much! That's encouraging and reassuring and delightful. I really appreciate it. Again, thank you for reading!