Enchanted Queendom

Worlds

Uncharted

Note: This story is part of the Uncharted section. That means I'm currently working on it, but haven't posted any of it yet. It also means that the story is still very much in the process of being created, so any and all information about this story may change at any time, including the possibility of its being completely abandoned.

Synopsis

Book I: Snow White
Book II: Rapunzel
Book III: Cinderella
Book IV: Beauty and the Beast
Book V: Sleeping Beauty

These books are based on some of the oldest versions of each tale that I could find (Grimms' Fairy Tales for some, others go back even further to the sources that the Grimm brothers used). However, it's Princess Charming that comes to the rescue and sometimes the damsels don't really need all that much rescuing. In fact, it's pretty mutual rescuing that goes on, among other things. :) (Yes, there is sex.) The books are also tied together by following the family lines from one generation to the next (you'll just have to read to see how I pull that one off without a Prince Charming).

Author's Notes

I've always loved fairy tales, but the main problem I've had with them is how stupid the heroines tend to be, which always necessitates "saving" by a man. That just doesn't hold up well in our contemporary society, where women are quite savvy and can readily save themselves and would usually rather have a partner than a savior. Fairy tales also tend to be extremely two-dimensional, with characters either being good or evil simply because that's what's stated as fact and no reasons or buildup are ever given for why the hero and heroine love each other when they don't know anything about each other. In general, fairy tales tend to read more like outlines than full, fleshed out stories.

But even with all these problems, fairy tales have stuck in our collective consciousness for hundreds of years, so there's definitely something to them. There's just something special about them that we react to on a gut level. Personally, I think it's the theme of finding that one right person in all the world who's perfect for you and having them be willing to sacrifice everything for you because that's just how much they love you that keeps us coming back time and again to these classic stories. But like I said, most of the old fairy tales are pretty sparse and only give you enough details to get the gist of the story rather than let you feel like you got to know specific characters in a specific setting dealing with specific problems.

So, I decided to take those 'outlines' and flesh them out using my style of story-telling based on more contemporary standards of what's considered a well-developed story (though the stories do remain in the Middle Ages, for the most part). The biggest change, of course, is that my versions all have lesbians as the main protagonists. But that's why you're here, right? :)

One last note, since I think it needs clarification more for this story than most of my others. I almost never discuss the fact that my characters are lesbian. I am glad for the many writers who have created stories that explore the trials and tribulations of men and women discovering their 'alternative' sexuality in a society that is still coming to terms with the idea that there is an alternative to heterosexuality and it's not evil or an abomination or abnormal or even necessarily a choice (recent medical studies are proving this more and more). However, as useful as those stories can be, and certainly are, for readers who are dealing with problems that can, and do, arise from being gay/lesbian/bi/trans, I sometimes feel they're also in some ways supporting the arguments of heterosexuals who espouse the idea that being GLBT isn't normal.

I look at it this way: If heterosexuals don't have to justify or argue about or come to terms with being heterosexual, then why should anyone else? I knew I was a lesbian from as far back as I can remember. I just didn't have the words or an example to point to and say, "Yep, that's me." There was no internal struggle for me about being gay. It was all external, knowing I couldn't just tell anyone for fear of what the reaction might be. But if I had been exposed to examples of accepted, loving GLBT relationships, I would have been able to state very clearly from an early age that I was a lesbian.

Now, I know that's not how it worked for most people, but again, I think that's because most GLBTs grew up in heterosexual households that either didn't discuss GLBT possibilities, or when they did, they were mostly negative about it.

So, in my stories, I go on the assumption that if no one thought there was an issue with being GLBT, then GLBTs probably wouldn't think any more about their sexuality than a heterosexual would. (When was the last time you read a straight romance novel and the heroine questioned why she was attracted to the hero rather than her female best friend? Yeah, I didn't think so.) Now, I know the Middles Ages would not normally have such enlightened thinking, but since it's already fantasy, I figured, "What the hell?" So, no one is going to be negatively questioning the sexuality of any of the characters. It simply isn't an issue.