Men 101

[Princess Charlotte]

The season was halfway through and the princess was expected to at least find her match by the end of it. So was Eloise, her close friend who she'd been acquainted with on so many occasions such as the one that was present at. They usually talked of how dreadful each season was, Lady Whistledown, the men who even dare to try to dance with them, and much more.  Charlotte supposed that she had it a little easier than her dear sister through friendship. At least she could afford to wait a while more until she decided on who she wished to marry. After all, the likelihood of her inheriting the crown from her father in the future was relatively high, given that she had no other siblings. She would make a difference. Lottie was sure of it and she was sure her grandmama, Queen Charlotte, agreed.  Stood beside Eloise, she quietly scanned the room around them before offering a remark, "His trousers are far too low," The blonde pointed out at a passerby who seemed around her and Eloise's age. "I mean, really, how do they expect us to communicate with boys?" @eloisebridgerton

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eloise & lottie.

There was nothing Eloise loathed more than a ball, except perhaps being forced to dance with a so-called 'gentleman' who cared for little other than her dowry and ability to produce offspring. Attending events such as this was bad enough, knowing that while she stood on the sidelines, men and their pushy mamas were likely sizing her up, deciding whether or not she would be a suitable match. The only upside was having somebody to gossip and grumble with, whether it be Penelope, Lottie, or...well, that was about the beginning and end of her friendships, but she was perfectly fine with that. At least she knew the two of them understood her, at least to a degree. 

The brunette's nose scrunched up, as she glanced in the direction of the Lord her friend had pointed out, scoffing as she caught sight of the trousers in question. "I would prefer not to communicate with them at all. As far as men like that are concerned we are little other than breeding stock with large dowries and titles they can brag about. Would you truly want to get to know a single one of them?"

Princess Charlotte

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[Princess Charlotte]

The truth of the matter was that Princess Charlotte was meant to marry for the sake of producing an heir, or heiress for someone needed to inherit the throne and she did not have any siblings. She viewed it as her duty to the crown -- to the people. They were all that mattered to her. Lottie was rather traditional, despite her extravagant private parties and dinners at Carlton House. However, that did not mean that she was not finical about who she wished to marry. He needed to be of fine character and above all else, respectful. "Oh, Eloise," Lottie interlaced her arm with hers. "Not all of them are pining for that and I'm sure Penelope would agree with me on this one, too," She truly enjoyed both their friendships. "Personally, I am not offended by all of them. Some truly are sweet, like dear Prince Friedrich," She peered at him from across the room, offering him a soft smile. She leaned in and whispered, "You just avoid the neanderthals until the proper one comes along." A snort, followed by a loud giggle erupted from her throat and her gloved hand quickly covered her mouth.  @eloisebridgerton

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eloise & lottie.

The notion of any gentleman being the 'right' one was almost enough to make Eloise roll her eyes. Even if her friends wished to get married and have families, she'd never understood why that was the only option for women of the ton. If she were to meet someone she was interested in, she wanted it to be organic, natural, not because society deemed it her only option — studying and travelling were what she'd do if she could, if she had the same choices her older brothers did. She pined to see the world as Colin had done, not to settle down and be forced to do as she was told by someone she couldn't stand.

"I cannot think of much worse than marrying a prince," she muttered...perhaps not the thing to say to a princess, but she'd never had much of a filter. There were very rare occasions when she knew to hold her tongue, but this was not one of them. Lottie hopefully knew her well enough to realise she was simply too blunt to stop herself. "I'm not sure there is a 'right' man for me within the ton — and why should there be? Does it not bother you that we simply have to marry? That we are not permitted to do anything else? To meet anyone else? If I were to fall in love, who is to say it would be with one of the insufferable gentlemen in this room? They are all as bad as each other."

Princess Charlotte

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[Princess Charlotte]

She could not blame Eloise for thinking about the opposite sex in such a manner. All their lives, they had been told what and what not to do and due to the fact that they did not have what was deemed acceptable and strapping between their legs, they had to succumb to society's expectations of them being cattle.  But then again, weren't the men cattle, too? Sure, they had more liberties, but they were going through a similar predicament. Charlotte saw the best in people and that would certainly be her downfall one day. Reaching out toward one of the passing trays, she picked up a flute of lemonade, sipping on it and squinting her eyes for a moment, enduring the sourness.  "Eloise, I do not have a choice," She returned, curtsying back to a lady that just passed them. "If I am to inherit the crown one day, I must marry. It would not be for the sake of my future husband," She paused, curtsying once more toward another individual. "It would be for my land and people. Duty is important to me and not all of us can run from it, especially when you are born into royalty or nobility."  @eloisebridgerton

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eloise & lottie.

Duty was something so many spoke of, and that was half of her problem with the society they lived in. Choices were so few and far between; it seemed everyone had things they had to do, with no alternatives offered, no chance to make any sorts of decisions within their own lives. She'd witnessed her eldest brother speak of his duty time and time again, knew that as the eldest and firstborn son, Anthony had the biggest weight on his shoulders of all the Bridgertons. She had it somewhat easier: the fifth-born, the second daughter, not the eldest nor the eldest girl, but the pressure still seemed to be mounting. With Daphne married off, she was the oldest unmarried girl in the family, the most recent to debut in society, and until Frannie's time came, she was unfortunately going to have to keep suffering through dances with suitors she could hardly stand. At least, however, her mother was insistent the children all waited for love matches — if Lottie's expectations were simply to sire an heir, that likely wouldn't be the case for her.

"I think it would be quite thrilling to see an independent queen," she muttered. Not really an option, for she knew everyone would act as if an unmarried, childless woman had no business running the country. Eloise was well aware her own views were radical and forward, she highly doubted if many within the ton would agree with her...at least openly. "I hardly think I can run from it either, try as I might. My mama will not force me to marry one of these terrible suitors if I am truly uninterested, but I know she expects me to marry somebody. Colin can see the world, Benedict can attend art school, and I...must be somebody's wife."

Perhaps, compared to the pressures Lottie was under, it sounded quite foolish for her to be so vehemently against the idea, but it wasn't just about herself. The idea of anyone having such little choice in their own affairs seemed wildly unfair. Still, the conversation was heavy, and she found herself gesturing to a gentleman across the room, arms coming to fold across her chest. "He barely looks to be out of leading strings, and yet some poor, docile woman will have to do as he says."

Princess Charlotte

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[Princess Charlotte]

An independent queen. It was a dream of hers, to roam the earth without a partner and rule as she saw fit. Either way, as rightful heir, she could still commit to the latter without worrying about someone else's opinion apart from the people's. Fortunately, not many knew of the lavish parties she threw, but now and then, word would slip through the grapevine and she would end up on Lady Whistledown's paper. "At least you have the option of marrying who you want," She chimed in, praising Violet Bridgerton in the process. Lottie took another sip from her lemonade. She wished for nothing more than a bottle of expensive champagne and a casual gathering. This was all too much and the lemonade wasn't even up to par. The Cowpers needed to advance their hosting abilities. Her bright cerulean eyes followed the individual that her best friend pointed out and a loud chuckle escaped her once more. "And that poor, docile woman is neither of us." She reminded her. "Did you read what Lady Whistledown wrote about my soiree the other evening?" Charlotte inquired. "Where do you think she found out about it?" @eloisebridgerton

her loyalty is to the crown of Great Britain and Ireland MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

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eloise & lottie.

That, she supposed, was the only silver lining. While Eloise would prefer not to marry anybody at all, at least she knew she had the option of saying no. Every man she'd been forced to dance with so far that season had seemed worse than the last; none were quite on the level of Nigel Berbrooke, who thankfully hadn't returned from the country for the season after his scandal, but each seemed terrible in their own way: misogynistic, self-absorbed, quick to drone on about their wealth, status and various other dull accolades they thought might impress her. None of them did. While it likely frustrated her family to no end, having her constantly show a lack of interest in every man that came anywhere near her, they were showing a remarkable amount of patience so far. Compared to most pushy mamas of the ton, she really was lucky to have Violet Bridgerton as a mother.

Talk of men was almost as tiresome as dancing with them, especially when it seemed all of those around her had no qualms with the confines of marriage. To Eloise it seemed like a prison, but Lottie, like most others, didn't seem to share those same thoughts. Whistledown was likely a far safer topic for them to land on, for her passion surrounding the fictious author was easier to get on board with; she was full of theories about who exactly she might be, and far more open to other ideas than she was with regards to marriage. 

"It is not as if it was a secret. I had started to wonder if perhaps Whistledown was a tradesperson, and I am quite certain they overhear everything..." While she'd brushed aside her theory that the writer was one of the help, she hadn't strayed entirely from the notion of her being a tradesperson. She'd been wrong about Madame Delacroix, but that didn't mean it wasn't some other modiste or worker. "I cannot imagine she was in attendance. Nothing remains secret for long in these parts, does it? Whistledown is sure to hear of everything in due course. Perhaps she bribes people for information — there are plenty of people within the ton who would be happy to share anything for the right price."

Princess Charlotte

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[Princess Charlotte]

She supposed that she could not really blame Eloise for thinking in such a manner for if it was her in her tight spot, she would have felt the same way. Lottie always reminded herself to place herself in others' shoes and comprehend what life was like for them, but she still believed her best friend solely focused on the negativities of life and did not reflect on its positive attributes, like the fact that they weren't living in poverty like many Londoners. That was just Charlotte, though. She was content with the concept of duty. Was she plain for doing so? So be it if she were. Selfishly, she enjoyed the riches that came with the title. Spending was among her favourite activities to do. "And I cannot imagine that any member of the royal family is Lady Whistledown," She peered over at her grandmother for a second, who seemed too preoccupied with Lady Danbury. "I'll have whoever sold the information to her fired in a heartbeat, then." Because that was her life they were toying with. Who did they think they were? Maintaining a link between her arm and Eloise's, she wandered about the hall, ensuring every now whether or not her companion was in need of a drink. "How about we suggest that you become my lady in waiting and you remain the rest of your days at court?" Charlotte wore a small smile. @eloisebridgerton

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eloise & lottie.

While Eloise didn't see how she could have her fired without knowing exactly who had relayed the information, she bit her tongue for once. She had very few qualms with appearing rude, but she likely shouldn't point out that if she couldn't figure out Whistledown's identity, very few others were likely to be able to. Even the Queen and her Bow Street runners hadn't been able to catch the fictious author, and someone would have gotten closer to unmasking her, were they able to figure out who was passing on information. It seemed rather impossible for somebody within the Ton to be gathering all the gossip singlehandedly, though there was no shortage of people who would be happy to pass on information. She'd seen first hand that the help were happy to get involved with most things for the right amount of her pin money, and she knew fine well that maids and cooks had as much of a penchant for gossip as high society did. She may have been wrong in assuming they had enough time for one of them to be Lady Whistledown, but she certainly didn't think it would be impossible for them to share gossip with her.

"I did once think it may have been Lady Danbury," Eloise admitted, feeling a little foolish even saying as such out loud. It seemed a ridiculous notion now, but she'd been desperately clutching at straws for a time. "Though I was wrong about that. I am certain we would have realised a long time ago if Whistledown was someone any of us know well. Somebody within our households must be sharing the information, however. Look at the scandal surrounding Lady Crane last season — who would have known such a thing, if they hadn't spent significant time in the Featherington household?"

There was always a passion ignited within Eloise when it came to speaking of Whistledown. Her feelings about the author were tumultuous at times, respect and admiration often being replaced by distaste and frustration, but she always found that she was greatly interested in unravelling the mystery. Anything that allowed her to stray from talk of suitors and marriage was perfectly decent in her book, though she hadn't quite expected this particular conversation to switch to talk of her becoming Lottie's lady in waiting. While it may have saved her from the confines of marriage, it was hardly the choice she so craved. It wasn't attending university, travelling the world, publishing a novel... "I hardly think my mama would approve," she muttered, keeping a tight grip on the princess' arm, eyes scanning the ballroom. "I simply wish to be afforded the same opportunities in life as my brothers. To make my own way in the world. While it would certainly beat out becoming a governess, I don't think it's quite what my family have in mind for me. I have already proven that I'm not nearly as good at all of this as Daphne, but I don't think giving up before my first season is over is much of an option."

Princess Charlotte

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[Princess Charlotte]

Featherington. That's right -- Lady Crane was spending time with them during that whole ordeal, but then again, the help could have been paid off for some sort of information, given that she'd been a guest and had been receiving copious amounts of attention from Lady Whistledown. Perhaps she wished to know more about the Crane cousin that had incidentally come from the countryside. A new marvel to look at. Princess Charlotte did not ask Penelope much regarding the subject surrounding Lady Crane, but the young woman was always somewhat intrigued by her situation. She was slightly disappointed that Eloise preferred to take another path when it came to escaping her duty. Charlotte made a small face, focusing on her friend's expression as she commented about what she truly wished to do in life, comparing herself to her brothers and older sister, Daphne. "Do you even wish to be as good as Daphne?" She daringly asked. "You are unique and just because society refuses to perceive that as ordinary, it does not make you any less." Charlotte was the last one to talk, though, given her own train of thought.  @eloisebridgerton

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eloise & lottie.

"Of course I do not. I do not wish to be anything other than myself, but one cannot help but feel like a disappointment in comparison to someone who proved themselves to society so quickly." Try as she might not to care what anyone within the ton thought, it was often easier said than done, for she knew that every whisper and jibe would eventually get back to her mother. She didn't wish to be the diamond of the season, didn't wish to be the best dancer, nor the young lady the gentlemen were tripping over themselves to dance with. She wanted to avoid being courted, to remain on the sidelines, judging the other young ladies, muttering about how awful each of the gentlemen were...but that didn't change the facts. She knew that Bridgerton was a name often on the lips of the rest of society, and now she was finally out, all eyes were on her. The only reprieve was the knowledge that Anthony was now looking for a wife, but that hardly saved her from the gentlemen and their mamas. If anything, as the only young lady who wasn't an option for the viscount, she was likely viewed as viewed as a decent candidate for all others — until, of course, they realised she would merely trod on their toes, and offer some scathing remark in response to their attempts to impress her.

It was clear to just about everyone that Eloise wasn't like her older sister in the slightest. She could envision Frannie being the diamond the following season, when she was out too, far more eager to wed than the fifth Bridgerton had ever been, but that would never be her. Yet, bold and opinionated as Eloise was, it was hard feeling as if she let her family down at every event she attended. "I do not feel as if I'm anything outside of ordinary, I am simply bold enough to speak my mind. Do you truly think everyone in this room wishes to marry? To settle down, make babies, and do absolutely nothing else? It is simply the existence we are expected to have, because we were born into these families. I would like nothing more than to see society change, to fix this world that acts as if being an unmarried woman is some sort of fate worse than death..." It was, perhaps, not the place for her to be going off on a rant about societal change and political radicalism. It seemed, judging by how often Whistledown was able to publish, that the walls at events like this had ears. There were people everywhere reporting back to the illustrious author, and perhaps she should watch her step. Given that she'd snuck across town, unchaperoned, to political rallies in Bloomsbury, it didn't seem like Eloise held much fear anymore. Foolish as it may be, she considered herself somewhat too intelligent to be caught out. She'd figure out Whistledown's identity before her own secrets were unmasked, she was so sure of it. "I simply wish it wasn't so scandalous to decide whether or not we truly wanted this. If a woman wishes to marry, then so be it. But what of those of us who don't? Why must that be such a dreadful thing? I do not want to be like Daphne, I simply wish everyone else would accept that I am never going to be her."

Princess Charlotte

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