Hi, so my my current story Winter Blossoms has a big focus on a romantic relationship. This is a big deal for me, as I don't often write romance. I don't really know how to make my to MC fall in love, especially with the circumstances of their relationship. I am posting this in the hope some of you might have a few ideas for me. Winter Blossoms takes place to a sort of medieval called Casolin. At the time the story takes place, Casolin is torn by civil war. The King executed the Lord of StoneWall, (a importance family in the north) for treason. Said treason was not letting the King marry the Lord's eldest daughter Cressida, stupid right? After that, Cressida was held in the capital as a prisoner. In the rest of Casolin things got bad, Cressida's elder brother started a rebellion to get her back, and got killed. Her vanished, and her other brother was killed by the Kings Men, when her home fell. Cressida was left on her own, the King lost interest in her after her father's death, but she was still in the capital. She was abused by both the King and his guards, with the exception of Rowen of RosePool. It was Rowen's younger sister the King was now interested in. It was Rowen's grandmother who finely came up with a way to get Cressida out of the capital, and under her power. She desires that Cressida will marry her eldest grandson, and the heir of RosePool. This arrangement is made without Cressida's permission, but it goes through. Cressida is forest married to marry Joren of RosePool. (A sort of short summary of what I have so far.) Things to Consider: one of the biggest problems is that of the age difference between Cressida and Joren. Cressida is barely 13 at the time Winter Blossoms starts, well Joren is 24. Joran don't want to marry Cressida, knowing that she is nowhere near ready, and that it is unlikely they will be a good match. But he has had about as much say in the matter as Cressida has, that is to say nothing. Joren also faces the challenge of his disability, one of his legs was crushed when his horse fell on him, years before the story. Leaving Joren unable to walk without help, and chronic pain, and health problems. All of this feeds into the problems of this romances. On a final note, I have published the first chapter here on site, if you want to see it.
Do they need to fall in love at this age? You can’t let a few years pass? Also, what’s her personality? What does she like, what does she do, what makes her angry?
You can't make Cressida like 16? Because 13 is barely ready for any kind of romance or sexual activity, let alone when you're setting her up with a 24 year old. That's literally pedophilia. You're well into the danger zone, and I don't see why you're making it weird and restricted, when you could just age one of the characters three or four years.
A few more years, and Cressida will be ether dead or the Kings wife, which would be far worse the Joren's. At the moment Cressida is a scared girl, with no family left, being forced into a marry a man she doesn't know. Underneath is a hot temper, yet also a gentle spirit, and more kindness than most. Cressida loves music and art, she has a good eye for color, and design. She has a strong dislike for highs.
Cressida lives in a world where if a girl has started he her period, she is an adult. Joren's sister's marriage to the King will be her second, and she is 14. Garith was considered late in getting married when he and his wife where married, at ages 15 and 17. She being the younger of the two. Cressida's brother left his pregnant wife at StoneWall when he left to get Cressida from the King, and he was 15, his wife was as well. Cressida's aunt was married to a man old enough to be her grandfather when she was 16, the age difference between Joren's parents is about 17 years. Cressida is far from the only one to marry at a young age, or someone her elder by many years.
Arranged marriages are different from natural and genuine relationships. The practice of marrying someone off at 13 was unethical so comparing your romance to it does not help. This context will mainly make their relationship more acceptable in world, it won't do much for the readers. I wouldn't push it.
That’s all true in your novel’s world. But is it necessary? It’s a choice that’s within your power. You want to know how to create a love story, but it’s a love story between a grown man and a child. That’s a thing that few readers are going to be OK with, and likely a thing that few people here are likely to be OK with. A dysfunctional and/or abusive relationship? Yes. Love? No.
To elaborate even futher, if I was in Joren's place, I would be uncomfortable making any kind of relationship with a 13 year old even ignoring the obvious potential negative consequences. It's not just whether the possibility of damaging elements, but also whether these people are even compatible. A 24 year old is at a very different state of mind than a 13 year old. After all, the gap goes all the way from the beginning of puberty to early adulthood.
I'm certainly not a fan of paedophilia. However, I also recognise that other cultures (especially in 'days of yore') not only regarded a girl who had reached puberty as acceptable marriage material, but also that dynastic marriages occurred, often between actual children, or between someone much older and a child bride/husband—long before the marriage could be consummated. These marriages were sometimes arranged by parents between actual infants. I think if you make the fact that this is the type of setting for your story perfectly PERFECTLY clear, you will get away with it. I think the key is to not make the age a factor in the romance itself, if you want to appeal to modern readers of romance. Make sure he's not 'attracted' to a young girl BECAUSE of her youth, etc. Don't make a big deal about her youngness, inexperience, virginity, etc. The romance should center around something else. Some other factor altogether. If she is considered by her society to be a mature adult at the age of puberty, then make sure you portray her as one.
The would is based in a medieval like sending, with the addition of some magic, and things like proper hygiene. Try not to make Cressida's age a big factor, but that is hard when Joren can't help thinking about it, he sees her as a child, and far to young. But has about as much chose in the matter of marriage as she does.
As I see it, only we as modern people, Joren and a few others see Cressida as a child. She has had her period, so in the eyes of most she is an adult. She and Joren have no control over what is happening, Nether wish to be involved, but have little or no alternative.
Again, you can certainly write about this situation, but making it a genuine romance, rather than the forced marriage that it is, feels like a stretch. Does the plot really require a romance, or just a marriage?
That's much more plausible than a romance. There is always the Tyrion option of only pretending to consummate the marriage.
But, again, this is your world, so that magic charm doesn't have to exist. Or you could declare some way to fool it. I would find it infinitely more plausible to believe in a friendship based on mutual cooperation in lying to the powers above them, than in a romance.
It may be my world, but my characters have much of the power, and thay say magic charm. I don't know what I am to do with them, are you willing to read the chapter I have written?
I would say because of the situation that they would feel very awkward about the whole thing. She wouldn't know how to behave around him, nor he around her. You say they are both duty bound to the marriage, thus not in love. You could use the fact of his age and injury to explain her scenario. He would likely see her as someone to protect. As neither of them wanted to be married, they already have something in common. That could be a basis for a mutual understanding between them. He may feel guilty about the situation, which would cause him to act distant from her.
You create your characters. Therefore, you have the power to change the concept of the magic charm. I can read the chapter, but that doesn't change the fact that you can change whatever you want to change.
It is awkward, Joren feels awful about the it, mostly because it was his familys idea. He also know she would probably like ether of his brothers more. He does what to protect her, and is scared of his own lack of ability to do so.
I may have started the story, but my characters tend to be the ones to do the writing, I am just along for the ride.
