The Wandering Bard's Musings (FxM, FxF, possibly MxM)

[Strenia]

Hello there! I'm Stren. I currently have a few open spots for writing and wanted to get some ideas out there, in case one might strike a fancy. I love to write in historical or fantasy settings, a healthy mix of the two is my sweet spot, but sci-fi is definitely not out of the question. Modern real life is rare and I already have one going, so I would probably pass on that for now.

My personal post length is moderate-long, though I have no real hard rules for it. If you only need a paragraph or two and can articulately convey what needs to be then, I am fine. If there is not enough information for me to go off of, then I might PM you asking for a bit more. On that point, communication here is key. I love world building and would like to have a substantial conversation beforehand in order to start things up. I don't require we become buddies, though that has happened and I don't mind, but healthy amount of back and forth about our story and where things are going, questions and so on are an absolute necessity for me.

I am very literate. I read a god awful amount, have an extensive vocabulary. I have been told this is intimidating sometimes but, please don't be. While I require literacy, I am fine with mistakes too. Heaven knows, I will make them. All I ask: please spell check and read through at lease once before posting.

Last one, the most awkward one, smut. I like sex, it's a great thing that can add dynamic to a story. But I prefer a whole lot of plot before the smut happens. I don't exactly have a ratio, each story is different in that aspect, but I imagine 70/30 being my preferred range. Again, being open and honest with each other about our individual needs will go a long way in mitigating any letdown. If you are seriously considering writing with me, please read my o&o's, just to make sure we are compatible.

Here are my last (and only) one on ones, for some writing examples:
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
The Price of Blood
The Old College Try

Ideas:

Mail-order Bride
Historical (1850's or 60's)
Open

(To start with I know this one maybe overdone, but these are my hearts desires....dammit)

MC volunteered for this, as much as you can volunteer to be a mail order bride. The alternative had not been appealing. Her family had put her out after the last marriage proposal had fallen through.  This had been fault of her own, she would assure anyone who cared to ask. Men didn't like women outspoken and opinionated, but this was how her father had raised her and now it was coming back to haunt him. In the end, he had threatened her with the ads, they came pouring in everyday by the hundred, begging women to come to the great west. She had challenged him and so here she was, with her one small suitcase and a few books, bouncing along on a train, taking her hundreds of miles away from everything she knew.

I imagine my character as a refined lady of mid or late twenties, even early thirties, certainly christian and educated. Being the replacement for the son her father never had, she was brought up to have a backbone, which scared off many a potential bridegroom. This was not her ideal but while inexperienced in housekeeping, she would have some sort of work ethic. We can discuss whether the great west will break her or if she will rise to the challenges, possibly both?

YC could be a gruff man, looking for a young bride for his bed, expecting a girl of modest upbringing and not an educated lady. We could also work a FxF, YC posing as a man for the freedom and needing the further cover of a wife, eventually winning my character over and revealing her secret and the pair becoming friends or lovers. I am very open to any other ideas you might bring.

A Reluctant Princess
Fantasy (Open world could be magic or non magic)
Open

The offer had been too good, she should have known better. He had promised her the position of princess and eventually queen, but had not disclosed the nature of his preferences to her. Knowing that she would decline, he had hid them from her. Now he was her husband and her "cultural tutor", that the prince sent to educate her about his homeland, had glossed over some of the more, interesting, laws governing marriages in his kingdom.

MC is already a princess in her own right but hardly in a position to take the throne, her mother was the 4th concubine and with fourteen siblings in between her and the crown, the only chance for her would be to find a connection in some court far away from her own country. The daughters were historically used as pawns for alliances, weak ones, for the bonds between siblings had never been strong and once her father was gone, her eldest brother would sell the unmarried sisters for whatever he could. Therefore, MC must marry before that happened in order to avoid that fate.

I imagine that YC visited the kingdom on some sort of diplomatic mission, meeting mine in one of the few meetings between women and men allowed. What attracted her to him would be up to you, but whatever it is, she has to be his. I don't know where we would start, possible at this first meeting and detail the duplicity of their courtship and marriage proposal, possibly even going as far as getting married in her country and then traveling to his. We can work out the rest of the details together.

The Pirate Wench
Fantasy/Historical (could include fantastic sea monsters, mermaids, sirens, etc)
Pending

In the last month, MC has been kidnapped, held for ransom and sold to pirates. When her father finally tracked down the men initially responsible and realized what had happened to his third daughter, he embarked on a campaign against the pirates. The raids left no safe haven for the scoundrels in any port along the coast. With no way to unload their now worthless cargo and no way to resupply, the crew were slowly starving, becoming more and more desperate. She had been the first to stop getting food, other than the bare necessity to keep her alive.

Finally, the night came when the pirates themselves were raided. Weak and ravaged by hunger, it was an easy takeover for YC, but what to do with the semi conscious woman found below decks? Your crew might suggest to toss her in the ocean, the pirate captain might tell you who I am, the world is ours for the making!

MC is the youngest daughter of a powerful sugar trading company. Money is power,which her father wields in profusion. Her position in the family was to be shipped off as soon as could be arranged to the first rich man who would bring more land or money to the vast empire her family is building. Her ranking as youngest daughter and middle child had made her disposition meek and mild, soft spoken but possibly wildly intelligent, but not formally educated.

YC could be a dashing young pirate captain, slowly making his or her name and fame on the high seas, molding MC into his second in command, prisoner or slave. They could be a weathered sea dog, growing rapidly too old for this line of work, finally finding the daughter that they never managed to have or make her into the depraved whore of their dreams, settling on some island with her to keep her secret and away from prying eyes. Really whatever you want to make here....

That's it for now, I assure you there will be much more eventually.
Thank you for dropping by!

[Strenia]

Added ideas about characters to the first two story ideas and added a third possibly story.