sideblog.

francesca bridgerton was the sixth child sired by edmund and violet bridgerton. as a child, she had always been on the more reserved side in a family full of bright personalities and people full of conviction. she knew early on that her life would follow a similar path as other ladies of the ton, but did not have any particular desire to make an impression on the rest such as daphne or hyacinth, per se. she was much more bent on letting fate do its work, inevitably pairing her up with a suitable love match regardless of the glamour that others in her family vied for. because of that, she did not exhibit much of the same stress nor extra energy that others may have when it came to the marriage market, not much past what was standard. she only wanted to do what was best for her and her family, and knew that, with violet's advice, a love match for her would be inevitable, regardless of what shape it took.

she has a fondness for playing the pianoforte, gravitating towards music for comfort or joy amidst a world that seemed far too large for francesca to bear on her own. she was perfectly fine with blending into the melody, and the queen thought so, too, with her naming her a diamond only after much convincing, and a show of her talent via a recital. even then, she was not particularly fond of the onslaught of suitors, very clearly seeing through their ulterior motives and games. john stirling, on the other hand, had come to her attention via a shared affinity for music— a true friends to lovers endeavor, one built on a strong, shared foundation of true companionship. it was all she had ever dreamed of for herself.

a headache was all she believed it to be, and he, too. all he needed was a nap, a mid-day pick me up prior to gathering for supper. what, in modern terms, would be considered a cerebral aneurysm, inevitably took his life. francesca was wrought with grief, but held onto her initial pregnancy as a marker of his soul's perseverance. only, that same grief, and the stress of getting affairs in matter as both a bridgerton and the lady of kilmartin inevitably ushered in the loss of her child. she initially believed she would stay at kilmartin house and remain in scotland, a place she had already accustomed herself as another home and truly loved, but realized that the marriage mart was something she would have to re-enter as a necessity and means of lifelong security, for she was not left any estate due to not producing an heir.

back to london it was, where she was, yet again, named a diamond by the queen, despite her dowager title. the same childhood disinterest, mixed with an ever-present grief, continued to distance francesca from the marriage mart altogether, seeking comfort in the form of familial communion. when michaela stirling returned from her travels, mostly to get the affairs in order of kilmartin estate and their still-bound ties, the two grew closer. originally, a friendship, a familial connection between the two bonded names of bridgerton and stirling, blossomed into more. francesca was afraid, admittedly, in terms of her newfound terms of desire and love and what that means for society.

a diamond, committed to spinsterhood, spending time in an empty estate only occupied by the warmth of herself and john's surviving cousin? surely that would create scandal.

ii. modern, following the death of her husband, john stirling, and the break-up of a whirlwind romance with his surviving cousin, michaela, francesca committed herself to a new chapter, one on her own terms, all the way across the atlantic. once a housewife and a socialite, resigned to a life of privileged luxury, now starting fresh with meager savings and a name to get her through open doors, she accepted a position as a broadway pianist, regularly playing for theatre productions, as well as the new york opera house. she regularly maintains contact with her sibling and mother, as well as her mother-in-law, but many friends, including michaela, have been left behind for now. all she wants to do is rebuild, find herself in a place unshaped by her own family history, and see where that route may take her.

iii. fantasy, originally a member of the lordship of bridgerton house, and now lady presiding over a seaside estate in the town of kilmartin, francesca was quickly widowed only a few years into their marriage. not only did she lose her husband and title, but first and foremost, her best friend. now, she abandoned her life there to start anew, thought to be dead as a result of her grief, but has taken up her younger, bardish ways that were disciplined out of her as a child due to a strict, anti-magic governess. now, she is traveling across the lands and picking up any jobs here and there, mostly street performing or landing gigs at taverns and small theatres. her strengths lie in her own magical ability and casting strength, as opposed to the usual charisma and sweet-talking that are assumed to come with being a bard.

iv. horror and supernatural, every family has their own ghost stories. tales of spectres wandering the halls, or whispers at late hours in the night. surely, none of that is foreign to anyone of the ton. but, for the bridgerton family, spirits and phantoms surpass more than just tall tales and methods to keep children in line. following the death of edmund bridgerton, that of which happened in francesca's early youth, she has been plagued with visions of her father, seeing his figure as if he was there— yet, in this new form, sometimes grotesque, a face contorted into what she believes is eternal pain. she thought death would leave her be once moving to kilmartin estate, but john's passing, sudden and tragic, echoing that of her own papa's, resulted in the same outcome. many of the ton believe her to be an unsteady widow, a peculiar child that grew into an even more reserved adult, even, at times, some members of her own family. but, francesca knows what she saw, what she sees, and continues to endure with a grief that cannot leave her be.

v. interview with the vampire, to be written.

vi. star wars, to be written.