Brendan and Morgan

[revanne]

I half wrote a short story last year about Brendan just before his knighting and have come up with a query. In his own mind would Brendan think of Morgan as his father or his stepfather? I'm inclined to think father, but would value others' opinions.

[Evie]

Given that Brendan was very young at the time of Bran's death, I would imagine that any memories of him by the time Brendan is of an age to be knighted would be quite vague. Alaric would be the only father figure he's known since the age of 4, so I think in his heart he would have come to think of Alaric as his father by that time (especially since knowing his real father was engaged in treason against the Crown when he died would be something that Brendan would have grown up having to live down, so I think at least part of him would be eager to disassociate himself from being known as "Bran Coris's son"). However, if referring to Alaric in conversation with someone else, I could see him referring to Alaric as his step-father, especially if that level of clarity is needed in the conversational context.

[revanne]

That was how I was thinking - Stepfather with a third party, father in his own mind and with Alaric.

[Jerusha]

I would also agree.  Brendan would mentally and emotionally identify Morgan as his father; however, it would be important to make the distinction as "step-father" to third parties, as Brendan has no place in the Corwyn succession.

[Laurna]

Brendan is considered the Earl of Marley from age four on. Therefore, he has always had his own separate identity from Alaric Morgan in the eyes of Nobility. But from the the events of KKB, on the cliff road up to Orsalis Castle, we learn that Brendan and Alaric have a very close father-son relationship. You may need to reread that scene to see if Alaric call's him son or step-son. But either way, I know Alaric was very proud of Brendan's reactions that saved lives. I can only see their relationship building into father-son closeness (with the normal disagreement for rights-of-manhood between them) until the young man's knighting. I know in fan-fiction many writers have written it to be so.

[DesertRose]

I agree.  Brendan was so young when Bran died that if he remembers Bran at all, it is a very vague memory, and Alaric has been the one to fill the role of father for him ever since Alaric and Richenda got married, so Alaric is Brendan's father in Brendan's heart.  (My daughter is rather that way about her own biological father; because he abandoned ship after he and I were divorced, she hasn't seen him since she was not quite three and she has a few vague memories, but my stepfather has been the father figure for her all her life, and her biological father rarely crosses her mind unless she's wondering about medical history or any potential younger half-siblings.)  Adding the circumstances of Bran's death into the equation, I can easily see Brendan viewing Alaric as a much more desirable father figure than vague memories of Bran Coris.

But I can see in public having to specify "stepfather" if someone was discussing the Corwyn or Marley succession, since Brendan has no place in the Corwyn succession, and except for probably having a strong administrative hand in it until Brendan is old enough to take up the reins himself, Alaric has no real place in the Marley succession.

[Laurna]

I knew I had read the answer in a fan-fiction piece somewhere, and I have now found it.
This is an excerpt from AnnieUK's first posted story, I really think you should read the whole story from the beginning for it is so very nice, but this is the part that answers your question.

The Battle of Brendan Chapter 2

Alaric tousled the lad's hair.  "When you are my page, you will have to call me "Your Grace" or at least "My Lord"" he grinned.  "But for now you don't need to be quite so formal.  In fact I think it would be nice if you had something other than "sir" to call me."

He looked sideways at Brendan and was heartened to see that the boy was still watching him intently, hanging on his every word.

"There is pater, of course, if you like Latin.  Or baba, as the Eastern children say.  Or even just father, if you prefer."  He left the sentence hanging, waiting to see if he got any response.

Brendan looked up shyly.

"When Mama has the baby –"

Holy St Michael, which of the servants has been loose-tongued around the child?  Don't they know he has hearing like a dog, thought Alaric.

"When Mama has the baby, the baby will call Mama "mama" and you "papa"."

"Yes, that's right, in time."

"So I think I'd like to call you papa too, cos I will be her brother and I'll look after her."

Alaric grinned in delight and held out his arms to invite his stepson onto his knee.

"I'd like that very much, Brendan.  Is that really all right with you?"

"You are my new papa, sir.  My old papa is gone and I miss him, but you are my new papa."

"Just one thing more.  If you are to use your dirk to practice sword forms with me, no playing with my sword any more, agreed?"

"Yes, Papa." Brendan grinned and reached up to hug his stepfather.

[revanne]

Thank you for that quote Laurna - it's a lovely story. Everyone has confirmed what I thought but you've given me the reasons for my instinct which is always good.

It reminds me of a friend who became a step-mother to a little boy of 7 whose mother had died when he was 2. She felt they had a good relationship until he became a teenager when she said to me that he no longer treated her like his mother. So when he came in from school these days he just tossed his bag into the corner of the kitchen, grunted at her and went upstairs without speaking. As the mother of a slightly older teenage boy I was able to reassure her that he was treating her exactly like a mother.

[Jerusha]

Laurna, you also just answered a long-standing question I've had.

In the older, "round robin" fanfic story called "The Uninvited Guest", Briony referred to her father as "baba."  I always wondered why.  But since it has eastern origins, and Richenda's mother had eastern origins, it now makes sense.

I suppose I could have googled it, but I never did.  Many thanks. 

[Shiral]

Um.....Actually, I think it was just a baby mispronunciation. At least that was what I intended it to be by a little girl who maybe didn't have her P's and B's sorted out, yet.   

Melissa

[Jerusha]

Both answers work for me!   

[Laurna]

That's sweet, Shiral.

[Elkhound]

So when he came in from school these days he just tossed his bag into the corner of the kitchen, grunted at her and went upstairs without speaking. As the mother of a slightly older teenage boy I was able to reassure her that he was treating her exactly like a mother.

Better than the constant 'lip' you'd get from a girl that age!

[revanne]

Better than the constant 'lip' you'd get from a girl that age!

Oh I wouldn't dispute that given that I also had two teenaged daughters!

[Elkhound]

I used to teach HS & MS; I prefer boys that age to girls any day.