But just then Eukles heard a slap and a shriek and turned, along with much of the rest of the crowd, to see an unmarried lass, red faced, staring at Meriones and clutching her backside.
It's nice to get a bit more background on the characters. But it seems like Our Hero is about as much of a jerk as the Governer's Daughter. I had hoped for better from him.
So, why didn't she slap him back? Sounds like she was given every opportunity to. Is she still afraid of getting called out by the Ash? Or her guardian speak for her? Is this Hero really someone they don't want to cross that way?
I guess I have to be a little more careful in my writing. The hero is not involved in the slapping incident: that was two other characters.
The girl that got slapped was thrilled by the incident (if not the slap) because she was desperate to get married. That is a pretty big theme of the beginning of this book. Like England after WWI, there are huge numbers of unmarried lasses, with their potential husbands dead or away at the front.
Well, to be fair, what he did was not actually an attack on her honour. The new Irish, at lower class group, have a much more earthy way of tapping girls on the shoulder. It is considered perfectly polite if you can call anything in their particular culture, polite. It would not be considered an attack at all in his culture. And since the new Irish make up a good deal of the military in this particular setting all of the other military people would’ve understood it. But his new wife is not from this culture at all.
I figured that out from the explanation. I still think it was a more honest indicator of his thoughts than a polite tap on the shoulder, and her response proved that it wasn't unwelcome.
Well I’m certainly glad you’re enjoying it. And I certainly would love comments, even you know negative critical comments so that I can make the story better.
It's nice to get a bit more background on the characters. But it seems like Our Hero is about as much of a jerk as the Governer's Daughter. I had hoped for better from him.
So, why didn't she slap him back? Sounds like she was given every opportunity to. Is she still afraid of getting called out by the Ash? Or her guardian speak for her? Is this Hero really someone they don't want to cross that way?
I guess I have to be a little more careful in my writing. The hero is not involved in the slapping incident: that was two other characters.
The girl that got slapped was thrilled by the incident (if not the slap) because she was desperate to get married. That is a pretty big theme of the beginning of this book. Like England after WWI, there are huge numbers of unmarried lasses, with their potential husbands dead or away at the front.
Ah, so this is a completely different couple? Not any of the three we're been following?
No, it is one of the three.
Tomirosh n Illoia (Hero and Governor's daughter)
Eukles and Eudoria (New Irish but not dramatically and Semi-rich)
Meriones and Marja (Strongly New Irish and Smart and shy) <--- This couple.
So Tom tapped Illoia on the shoulder to start everything.
Eukles tapped Eudoria on the shoulder, and she gasped and 'got real close'.
This is Meriones.
That's cool—introduction by way of the slap on the ass.
She had two options for the reply: 1) She could slap him back, and 2) her guardian/Brother/Father could have defended her honor.
But she's desperate to get married, and this was a bold move on his part, so she's sufficiently interested to take his hand and dance.
It sounds like they would have a good marriage.
Well, to be fair, what he did was not actually an attack on her honour. The new Irish, at lower class group, have a much more earthy way of tapping girls on the shoulder. It is considered perfectly polite if you can call anything in their particular culture, polite. It would not be considered an attack at all in his culture. And since the new Irish make up a good deal of the military in this particular setting all of the other military people would’ve understood it. But his new wife is not from this culture at all.
I figured that out from the explanation. I still think it was a more honest indicator of his thoughts than a polite tap on the shoulder, and her response proved that it wasn't unwelcome.
I love this story...
Well I’m certainly glad you’re enjoying it. And I certainly would love comments, even you know negative critical comments so that I can make the story better.
So far, I haven't encountered anything so egregious that it needs fixing.
The next chapter is up