“Well then,” Prudie said and set a steaming cup of tea down next to Demelza. She’d come to do this most afternoons (with only a little prompting) while Demelza worked on a new piece for The Post or chipped away at Dr. Enys’s manuscript. This attention was mostly given because the woman wanted company and not because she anticipated her mistress’s needs.

“Hmm?” Demelza asked absently while she banged away on the typewriter keys, then paused to check her spelling of Streptococcus. 

“Easter’s so late this year, Mister Ross’ll miss the daffs,” Prudie lamented.

Demelza had collected a cheering yellow bunch and put them on the dining room table so she could see them while she worked. The crocus bulbs from weeks earlier had since been returned to the earth, just as she’d promised she’d do.

“Oh they might linger on, they’re hearty blooms for sure,” Demelza laughed. “All the spring flowers are really, they are required to be. And even if Ross misses the daffodils, there’s always bluebells. Come Prudie,” she said and rose to her feet. She tidied her papers and put the cover on The Companion.  “Let’s go out to the garden while the sun shines. We have much to do to get this place in order before Ross arrives.”

“I'd say it's someone else’s arrival we should be worryin’ ‘bout,” Prudie huffed.

“Yes, well…in good time,” Demelza said. 

“You keep sayin’ that but time do have a way of creepin’ up on a body!”

Prudie was right but since Demelza had more urgent pulls on her purse like fixing the leaking roof, it was best to put nursery furnishings out of her mind at present. Afterall, what did poor folk do, those who had more babies than bank notes? 

Needs must…

When Demelza was a girl, the neighbours across the stairs kept their baby in a bureau drawer set on the floor. It served perfectly well as a cot until the little fellow grew big enough to climb out. Then it seemed he never slept again but ran amok forevermore chasing the birds--and rats-- that dwelled in their dingy courtyard.

His name was Tommy, wasn't it? And he’d be seventeen by now, she thought to herself. I wonder if he’s joined up and now chases Wehrmacht soldiers.

Odd that she remembered the neighbours but had no recollection whatsoever of where her own brothers had been stashed as babes--she only remembered them older, all sharing one messy, stinking bed, wrestling and laughing well into the night.

“We’ll think of something,” Demelza shrugged. She’d talk it over with Ross, though she hated to ask him for anything.

“Come, let’s finish our garden work before it rains.”

Chapter Nine has just been posted.

Please note, the rating has changed to E, so this fic will no longer be safe for work. Please check the new tags, as well as the author's note at the end of the story.

Thanks to everyone who's been reading, commenting, and keeping up with this fic!

Read the new chapter here.

For the Fanfiction Work-In-Progress Guessing Game: light.

You’re not going to believe this, but I’m just seeing this Ask for the very first time a whole month later. I’m so sorry I missed it!

(It’s been so long I’m trying to remember what the game was!! I think if you guess a word that’s in my WIP, I post the sentence it’s from??)

So, for you, I’ll dip into that long-untouched Poldark fic! It’s the same one as last time - the one in which Demelza and Ross divorced after his tryst with Elizabeth. (They end up getting back together!) I actually have two sections written that include the word “light.”

(And I never can keep things short, so it’s way more than one sentence each.)

Thank you so much for the ask, friend!

1. The first one is Demelza having a talk with Sam about how she’s doing in the immediate aftermath of the break up. It’s sad, because I was in a very sad place when I wrote it two years ago. (Actually, reading it again now, I don’t even really recognize my own writer’s voice in it!)

Sam had tried preaching to her for a while about the blessings of the Lord, but finally one day she'd blown up at him, told him to stop being a minister and just try being a friend, please.

Surprisingly, he'd gotten the message. They'd had a real talk.

"Have you looked at yourself in the mirror, lately, sister? It's like-" he'd paused. Hesitated - "It's like the light's gone out of you."

"It feels like that," she'd said flatly, not meeting his eyes.

"D'you sing?" He'd persevered. "You always used to sing. D'you dance while you cook or clean? D'you even laugh?" She hadn't responded, and he went on. "I know ye've had your heart broken, sister. But there's still so much good in the world. There's no reason for you to walk around this earth half alive."

And this one is an upsetting bit of foreshadowing, when Ross and Demelza are together. He pulls Demelza close and she notices that he smells different. (Spoiler alert - she’s smelling Elizabeth’s perfume 😬)

"Just bein' silly," Demelza repeated, smiling, though she could feel that her brow was still knitted, as though her subconscious was still trying to work out the riddle. “You smell different, is all."

Ross drew back, meeting her eyes. "I what?"

"Yeah, like...some kind of flower maybe? I can't tell if it's the new laundry soap or something else." She shrugged, and said with a light laugh, "I don't know. I can't place it."

Was his glance suddenly far away? He had gone still against her, and she couldn't think why he'd be as bothered by it as she was. Perhaps, like her, he was just puzzling it out. Something in her wanted to change the mood, and she patted his chest lightly before pulling away.

"I'm thinkin' a roast for dinner. How's that sound to you?"

DINLUKE AU SERIES OPENING TITLES

Yesterday I got the idea of a DinLuke/Poldark AU in my head. But I am no fanfic writer, so I made an opening for a DinLuke AU TV Series.  Or, as a fanfic trailer? (If you have a fanfic you feel has the vibes of this opening, or you wanna write one for this opening, let me know so I can link it in!)

Originally I wanted to do a Cowboy AU, but all the footage of young Mark is very grainy, so I changed it up a bit. 

Would anyone like me to make a trailer for their DinLuke fanfic? Fire a wee PM at me! (I make no promises, but can at least give it a go). 

Enjoy this DinLuke Historical/Poldark/Cowboy/WhateverYouWant AU! 

A Ross Poldark/Jim Hawkins story

With illustrations by the ever-wonderful @sugarsu

Read chapter 7 HERE

Oh to be a young 18th century physician treating miners and villagers in Cornwall using scientific methods and pissing off of the local aristocratic physician who still uses leeches

Big news! My Poldark fan fiction The Ward of Nampara has hit 8k reads on Wattpad! I never thought this would happen!

It's a great imagining with Ross and Demelza as foster parents! Involves rags to riches and Ross being the bad boy hero!

To anyone interested, here's the link: https://www.wattpad.com/story/200131691?utm_source=ios&utm_medium=link&utm_content=story_info&wp_page=story_details&wp_uname=SamanthaMarkle92&wp_originator=dls3gwANcHAscnvnBe515oUFGkn4zKqhk5Xuctee%2BtsTc7RdnUzKecc%2BBSml9bmXY94BUra%2B0GVltvbviKfS%2BBJ7mPDg%2BWVw5l9nDyxS%2Fk7Yn7CItB7hd3g3wgE%2BKrlH

i had the most foul idea for a crack!fic (buckle up aidan turner simps, this one’s for y’all)— a poldark x being human crossover where mitchell is a notorious vampire during poldark’s time period

demelza hears of a vampire wandering around cornwall and scoffs at the idea since nothing of that supernatural nature would happen in such a place

but lo and behold, mitchell stumbles upon demelza one day as she does chores around nampara and demelza mistakes him for ross (she even asks why he’s wearing fancier clothes and fingerless gloves) and like mitchell is obviously confused and insists that he’s himself but is intrigued by the pretty redhead nonetheless

demelza gets increasingly frustrated the more mitchell denies being ross and storms out in disgust then gets mad at the real ross when he comes home for pranking her with his “weird clothes and strange gloves”

the situation gets weirder when demelza thinks she’s hallucinating because she “sees” ross and mitchell frequently and can’t put two and two together until she sees the two men side by side (they’re just as shocked to see each other for the first time too lol)

AND AND

ross and mitchell fight over demelza because literally almost every man in poldark pines for her, so why should mitchell/“ross 2” be any different???

But You'd See Me This Time

Ross sat up in bed with a start and held his chest where his heart was, swallowing hard to control his breathing through his nose. He repeated the actions four, five, six times before mentally cursing to himself and slipping out of bed and walking to the dresser. He heard that he stirred Demelza as he changed.

"Ross? What are-"

"I'm going to Elizabeth's. We have some things to talk over before we meet with the shareholders," He said as he jerked his right leg through his trousers.

"But-"

"I will see you when I return. At the usual time, I promise." He didn't know why he refused to look at her as he roughly adjusted his belt and picked up his boots before heading to the door.

He knew he should have been gentler to her as he sat on the kitchen table and shoved the boots on his feet. He should have been gentler to many people throughout the month. But he found he was capable of no such thing as of late. He stood up and rubbed his temple harshly before shoving on his jacket and hat and heading out the door. The soft wind bit at his body as he stepped outside. The beginnings of a bitter winter had started 2 weeks prior and maybe, he thought bitterly, was partly the cause of his current temperament. The wind bit at his brown thin trousers outside the doorstep. There wasn't snow, not yet. But the white murky clouds above him promised some very soon, maybe in the week or even later in the day. He didn't shiver against the cold, however; he welcomed it with great inhales in his lungs before he greeted his horse and jumped onto it in one quick motion. All month, being in any room, no matter the house, made him reel from suffocation, gave him a pounding headache and made him swelter in his own clothes. The solution, he found, was stepping outside and letting the cool air to clear his head. And if he couldn't - Well, he and his cup of port would be the best of friends.

He reached down to pat the side of the head of his horse before picking up the reins and tapping the side of its stomach with his boot. He could feel his wife's eyes on his back as he settled on the horse and it only made him gesture for it to pick up more speed as he left the front yard. He didn't feel like addressing anything to anyone, answering or reasoning or explaining or anything. He shook his head as if to scatter all thoughts from his head as he rode on, the wintery white backgrounds a blur as the horse charged on. The calm wind was a chaotic scream in his ears as he whipped the reins and voiced the horse to go faster. The seat had irritated him somehow and he was now raised above it, relying on the muscles of his thighs as he whipped past his hometown and headed on the road to his Elizabeth's. As he went through the familiar small forest that bridged the two counties he held his right hand out, relishing in the pain with a grin as the bare thin strands of wood whipped against his skin, each of them sounding off with satisfying thwips. He glanced at the palm to admire the blood before taking in the reins and whipping them again.

The horse had reached the Trenwith house at last and Ross had barely settled the animal in place before he hopped down and headed towards the front door. He reached down in his trousers pocket and felt around for the key; he had visited the house so often Elizabeth had given him a duplicate key months ago and eventually somewhere along the line he no longer took it out his pocket to place on the dresser before bed; the trouser pocket was now its permanent home. He shoved the key inside the door-hole and twisted it, holding his left hand on the wood in preparation of the familiar click sound. He used all his might to open the door and first saw Elizabeth as he usually did, but something was wrong. She stood there like a baby deer, staring at him confusedly. Am I the only one of sane mind here? He asked himself, but he said nothing of the sort to her as he adjusted the collars to his jacket and kicked the door shut behind him. "Good morning, Elizabeth. 'Tis is a cold one indeed. I recommend you wear your heavier riding dress today." "I noticed the weather earlier," She said in a soft and careful tone. "But…" "What is it?" He sat down on the couch next to the front door, sniffing and wiping at his nose from the earlier ride. Why was she in her nightgown and robe? Did she not know of the day? Did she not know of the time?

Read more of my fic here (ft tiny RossxElizabeth/RossBeth): https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14185213/0/

In My Life

Here's a little text conversation between Ross and Demelza! Enjoy!!

“Oh, well that doesn’t sound like fun to me either.”  Demelza’s phone dinged.  “Oh Caroline my phone just dinged I gotta go!  I’ll talk to you tonight.”  And with that she hung up on Caroline before she could even respond!

12:41 - Good afternoon lol!  I hope my text didn’t wake you earlier than you wanted to get up.  Well, is there a certain place that you like to go for lunch?

12:43 - No I was already waking up.  I am up for anything as far as lunch goes.  I’m allergic to shrimp so I just don’t order it.  

12:44 - Well that’s good to know.  I hope it isn’t a severe allergy.  How about I pick you up around 11:15 and think about where you might like to go or what kind of food in the meantime.  

12:46 - Would it be easier if I met you at your office or at the restaurant, so that you don’t have to drive all the way out here?

12:49 - Now that wouldn’t be very gentlemanly of me would it? Lol.  No it’s fine, I’ll come pick you up.  I’m not that familiar with that area, so it will be nice going to a new restaurant.

12:52 - Okay that sounds fun.  I’ll think of a couple of different places and get back with you.

12:55 - Sounds perfect!  Oh by the way, Seamus told me to hi to you from him!  Turns out he’s quite taken with you! 

       - Oh! Well tell him hi back for me please.  I’m quite taken with him as well.

Oh dear.  Should I send that?  Is that too much too soon???  She reread his last text…  hmmm he said it first… what the hell here it goes.  And with that she hit send.

Ross and Jenny were walking to Ross’s next meeting when he received Demelza’s text and he stopped walking.  “Bloody hell!!!  She’s quite taken with Seamus too!” he yelled. 

“Ha, ha! Well then!” Demelza sang, folding the telegram and slipping it into her pocket only to immediately take it out to read again. A smile threatened to rip her face apart but it was beyond her control. She was over the moon. 

Using the back of her grubby hand, she wiped her eyes and remembered the last time she’d experienced tears of joy.

“Well then?” Prudie huffed, annoyed that her mistress had delayed for even a second in broadcasting the news, whatever it was. 

Demelza laughed. She knew she should remind Prudie that as housekeeper, she was not in fact privy to all communications sent their way. But then again, the woman had shared in the agony and anxiety while awaiting news of Ross, so perhaps she’d earned this impatience. Demelza handed over the telegram, her feet shuffling back and forth in a dance of their own making.

“Aye, t’is written with some clip, mind!” Prudie scoffed as she read the brief message.

Easter weekend business on North Coast. Will lodge at Nampara if current tenant can accommodate. R. Poldark.

“Current tenant? An’ just who does Mister Poldark think he’s referrin’ to?” Prudie asked.

“To me, to us!” Demelza said. “Oh Prudie, never you mind. Ross has to take that tone. In case… well, in case it is read by others–and no doubt it has been.”

“At least t’is no cabboble ‘bout when,” Prudie conceded.

“No, no there isn’t,” Demelza smiled. She could read between the cold and dispassionate words and she didn't care a dash how it was phrased–it was the message that counted. 

Her very own Ross would be there in less than a fortnight. And yes, oh yes, she would accommodate.

I've posted two new chapters for The Initiate. Please read the tags; the rating has changed from Teen appropriate to Mature.

As always, thank you for reading and for your comments!

Chapter Five is here: Recollections and Signals

Chapter Six is here: Gaze

@purple-dahlias started a thing : day five (picnic) : wc: 150 ship: Morwenna and Drake Carne

Morwenna’s eyes glow in the cave of---- “The father, the son, and the holy ghost.” they’d both made their wishes there ---- all those years ago. Now though, they were older and wiser and more learnt in the ways of the world. Morwenna was Drake’s wife. 

She’d won the victory of becoming a wife a second time, but in doing so had to lose her only son. The father had died, the son had been lost, and she was an unholy ghost of herself.

Clearing her throat, she leaned uncertainly against the cavern’s walls. “Drake,” she asked. “What did you wish for the first time we came here?” She fiddled with the laces on her dress absently.

“For you, my love.” Drake was quick to reply. “I want’d to kiss thee then, and I still do.”

Her tongue poked out between her lips. “Well then, Drake Carne.... what’s stopping you?”

I'm disappointed. Poldark has been out for nearly a decade and had such a good setup for a "there was only one bed" fanfic that they literally SAID it: "'Tis a small chamber, sir, and but a single bed." Francis Poldark and Dwight Enys have to share a bed, there's also lots of self-loathing and alcohol involved in the scene... and nOBODY, not one single degenerate, weird, horny person, has written fanfiction about it?!!! I'm so disappointed. I really am. Unbelievable. Do I really have to do this? Period drama is not my genre at all. But I'm so mad that I guess I have no other choice. And rest assured that it is not pleasure that motivates me to write, but utter DISAPPOINTMENT

A Ross Poldark / Jim Hawkins story, set in the original late-18th century setting

Chapter 6

In this chapter, Ross finds out he's not the only stubborn arse in Cornwall, Jim experiments with drugs (but not really), and I’m still terrible at summaries.

Read it here.

Ace, what is some underrated whump in your opinion? Thank you for all of your gorgeous gifs!

Oh okay do you mean like specific whumpy scenes/shows I think are underrated or like tropes? I'm gonna answer both how about that lol. Also thank you!! i'm so glad you like them!

Okay so some tropes I love but I think are totally underrated are :

A good lip quiver when the whumpee is trying not to cry

The aftermath of a near drowning. So often a character nearly drowns and then they're fine. Where are my chest infections and secondary drownings and coughing and all that comes with inhaling a shit ton of water

checking a whumpees fever by placing the back of your hand against their forehead

historical whump!!! of any era!! But i'd love to see more of like post Industrial Revolution whump (so after like 1840)

plane crashes

being ostracized from a group can make for great emotional whump

royalty whump

whumpees who get aggressive during recovery

FAMILIAL OR PLATONIC WHUMP RELATIONSHIPS

incompetent caretakers. just caretakers who have no fucking clue what they're doing but you know they try

being impaled ut it's gone through and trapped the whumpeed to the wall or ground or something

sleepy!! sleepy whump is the best and so underrated

Riley Poole (National Treasure), Jack Carter (Eureka), Will Gorski (Sense8), Dwight Enys (Poldark), Mon El (Supergirl), Pete Lattimer (Warehouse 13), Fergus Fraser (Outlander), Jack Robinson (Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries), Michael Westen (Burn Notice), and August Booth (Once Upon a Time) are underrated whumpees. I am in desperate need for more whump fanfics of these characters.

As for tv shows: Eureka is highly underrated whump show. I wish more people watched this show. Not only is there great whump for a bunch of characters (Jack is always getting whumped tbh) but the potential and fic ideas are GREAT.

Forever is also a whumpy show that is severely underrated! I mean that dude literally dies nearly every episode. The whump is amazing and I need content even though this show has been over for ages now.

Legend of the Seeker is also highly underrated as a whumpy tv show. I miss it so much.

And can we talk about period dramas because they got some good whump too.