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[iniquiticity]

anonymous asked:
a hamilton temeraire au tho

the reason it took me so long to answer this ask was that i could have SWORN that i had already posted about this in my dreamwidth but i had not, and it actually took me some effort to dig through my plurk to find what i had written.

a summary of that story:

1. washington gets braddock’s dragon when braddock dies in the braddock disaster. there’s some controversey there because washington is a colonial and dragons should only go to brits, but how do you argue with a 30 ton dragon? the dragon (Indomitabilis) is supposed to be shipped back to britian to find a new aviator but the dragon is like “no, washington is fine, he is a man of status and of good standing, and a very heroic soldier. So there.”

1a. by strickly temeraire au, the dragon actually would have had an aviator, and braddock likely only been very grudgingly agreed to ride him if something happened to the aviator.

2. also a bunch of washington’s slaves take care of his dragon, and while he thinks of the slaves as his properly he also gets very mad when they are upset or mishandled. so i guess that.s… a little better. D: other more entertaining pre-war parts of dragon is that he is very good at chess and not that good at backgammon but he’ll play with almost anyone. also he owns all his own cocks for cockfighting, and he has a good eye for a powerful fighting chicken. you don’t want to fight washington’s dragon’s chickens. (sometimes the dragon gets so excited by cockfighting he eats his own cocks. Damnit.)

3. washington is worried his dragon will leave him when he starts the revolutionary war. dragon does not actually.

4. lafayette had a dragon in france and then they gave him one after monmouth in america and the dragons fight over him.

5. alex does not get a dragon but when laurens dies, laurens’ dragon shows up in like the middle of new york and was like “laurens is dead so i’m yours now.” the dragon is very good at hoarding alex’s children and becomes eliza’s when alex is shot.

6. also von stueben has the biggest, laziest fucking dragon ever who wears a shitload of fake medals.
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this is a bunch of dragon au that i didn't feel like editing at all.



I think Washington acquired his dragon from Edward Braddock after the disastrous Braddock expedition for reasons:

From what we know in the books, there were a lot more dragons in the colonies than Britain, and I think maybe any dragon fighting was done only with native dragons; only when British and French tensions escalated did they consider it Worth it to transfer any dragons...


over, and only a few, probably, given the length of the trip..


if we're running on armies a la temeraire books, then the dragon would have been lead by an aviator, not braddock himself


if we have the dragon be strictly into military discipline, if something happened to only a few of his folks, i could imagine him only accepting braddock despite that he is is not an aviator


and perhaps would even say to the dragon that he is not an aviator and cannot ride him


especially because if it is a major general vs some second lieutentant aviator, he is going to take the major general.


"well then i will have no captain becuase i will not allow a second lieutenant to be my captain." he says.


of course this is a catstrophe because they don't have that many dragons and they can't be afford to losing a stubborn one.


so braddock agrees despite the many gasps of shock. and he kind becaise army men do not keep dragons. keeping dragons is not good behaavior among gentlemen.


but this works out well because dragons are more team-ly in the colonies, so it is perfectly accepted that this is major general braddock and this is his dragon.


(they even make some joke that did you know they shelter the dragons in caves in the homeland? what sort of dragon would live in a cave! in the middle of nowhere!)


"ha, ha," braddock says, uneasy.


based on how there is john woptacong (this is a dragon) who is part of a trading company.


so there is some disagreement between braddock and washington about what would become the braddock expedition because washington did not have royal commission, and to resolve washington was made braddock's aid


braddock's dragon is impressed by this; he is into men who take the initiative and demand what is theirs.


so then of course there is the expedition and braddock is killed and washington bores him away... i presume that the dragon is wounded as well


so now there is this dragon who does not have a captain again


and will still not accept a second lieutenant


so the remaining british officers decide that he must be shiped back to england for a new captain, or at least moved up to the north to find a brit


and also an aviator, this time.


only the dragon is like "but why cannot george washington be my captain?"


and of which there are many reasons: george washington is not an aviator, or even member of the british army


he is not even british! you cannot give a colonial a british dragon!


but the dragon is like "why are there so many rules of who can be a dragon's captain? the colonials do not have so many rules."


but washington is like "i cannot be your captain becuase that is the state of the laws, sir dragon."


"you must take another aviator."


"I shall not, Mr. Washington," the dragon insists. "Why should I not take you? You are wearing the general's sash; you have demanded your command; you have impressed yourself as a man of war."


"Do you have land?" This is important. Washington nods.


"Are you a gentleman of station?" Washington nods again.


"No, sir, I cannot be your captain." Washington insists.


this makes things with dinwiddle (the governor of virginia) quite awkward... for now he has to talk about how brave washington is


and of course naturally colonial suggestion will be that a man who acts bravely and is rewarded with a regiment of 1200 men should be given a dragon


especially given that this is a good-aged dragon already trained in the military that desires him


it's even worse because most of the british officers will killed, even those who might be convinced to take a dragon


a lot of the colonial dragons think that it's ridiculous the dragon demands he have a captain at all


anyway... in the end, due to public pressure, they are forced to let the dragon have washington, and, if washington accepts, have the dragon.


although the dragon becomes more attached to washington during the french & indian war and supports his harsh discipline and the strong regiments that result.


eventually the dragon flexes out of his regimental british training and becomes a little more colonial-y.


(also some of wash's slaves are assigned to care for his dragon, and the dragon gets quite mad when they are mishandled. eventually they are not mishandled.)


(although becuase he is a creature of his era he tends to think of them as his property, even though he cares for his property.)


(don't worry, laurens and liberty will talk him out of this.)


although he gets very upset when one of the slavemasters is beating his slaves, only HE is allowed to beat his slaves.


Ha. Indomitabilis.


Anyway when Washington is staring the whole revolution thing he is a bit concerned Indomitabilis will return to his british roots; this would be a disaster and a serious jumpstart failure.


Indomitabilis is offended by this.


"You think so poorly of me, sir, that I would abandon you at the time it is to go to war against our oppressors?"


"Well, you are a British dragon at heart, and you have had two british officers before me."


"I do not care about being British or Colonial. What I care about is having property, and also seizing things that should be mine, such as my country, and my captain."


"I think it is perfectly natural that the colonies be their own country and I have likely thought of it and then forgotten to remind you."


"Not to mention those men wished for me not for yout o be my captain, when it is obvious a man of your proud standing, land and grace should be so."


Washington is actually quite relieved at this.


"You will not turn on me at first battle against the red coats of your youth?" he inquires.


"They look like tasty cows," Indomitabilis proclaims. "And your blue coat is much better, and also you have many more medals."


also while Indomitabilis is not much interested in reading he is more than interested in pointing out military strategy, and Washingon teaches him how to play chess.


(Indomitabilis is quite good at chess.)


Indomitabilis is not as good at backgammon.


Indomitabilis also owns his own cocks for cockfighting, although he refuses to battle wash.


also Indomitabilis is more than willing to show himself off when washington has other gentlepeople over, and also make a good showing of dragonkind.


once or twice Indomitabilis has gotten so excited about cockfighting he has eaten his own cocks.


Whoops.


for cliche reasons i lean against giving him a heavyweight like a regal copper... maybe a smaller parnassian or a larger anglewing


although per canon Victoriatus was "a smaller parnassian" so i could make him right there.. maybe like 30 tons


also Indomitabilis is opposed ot hamilton becuase he is a stationless, disrespectful jerk.


but wash is always telling him to pipe down about it.


omg what if ham was rowing across the river


and Indomitabilis picked his boat right up


"let me go, if you please, sir."


"why are you rowing across the river, colonel hamilton?"


"to speak to your captain and my commander, which i suspect should be obvious."


Indomitabilis puts his boat down on the island with some disdain.


"put my boat in the water, if you will, good sir."


Indomitabilis does. grudgingly.


although when ham gets pouty and quits washes service Indomitabilis is not sad to see him go.


when washington tries to get him back, his dragon thinks it is quite silly to do so. but then washington reminds him of all the good times that hamilton did something awesome for them.


and indomitabilis is forced to finally agree that he is a barely adequate man.


Indomitabilis does not understand why liberty is so destroyed at the death of laurens, becuase laurens was a soldier, and soldiers sometimes die, and that is the way of things.

ham not having a dragon where laurens laf and wash all have them



and also here is your bastard orphan

'IM GONNA GO TO AMERICA AND BE A DRAGON CAPTAIN HRAH'


how would you feed him? laf says AND HAM IS SO FUCKING OFFENDED

HOGWARTS JAGUAR a year ago
excuse u Laf there is fish

HOGWARTS JAGUAR a year ago
Sorry now I'm imaging Hamilton fishing angrily



Laurens is totally willing to share his dragon


laurens has to come and get him and retrieve him from his sulk

HOGWARTS JAGUAR a year ago
But what happens to Liberty after 1782


Hamilton gets a dragon?


they can mope together


Liberty will offer to set Jefferson on fire



i do like libtery only wanting ot be with hamilton


that is too sad


henry laurens is like 'we shall find you a new pilot'


and liberty is like 'i already have a new pilot, and he is alexander hamilton, and i shall go to him now, and if god blesses me i shall never see you again,' and flies off.


(this makes somewhat of a start when he lands in the middle of new york city but some things cannot be avoided.)


this is how Alexander finds out isn't it?


before the letter reaches him?


no yes


wtf


HOW DO YOU DO ANYTHING IN THIS


Liberty shows up by himself and Alex just knows


what has happened to colonel laurens? he asks, becuase there is a terrible fear in his stomach


(also yes he totally gives the dragon version of the finger to Henry Laurens)


colonel laurens has died, so i am your dragon now, colonel hamilton, liberty says, alexander stares up at him

Also, suddenly Hamilton Grange gets a HUGE FUCKING YARD.


lol


eliza is admittedly not that thrilled that they have a dragon but she is not going to tell hamilton or liberty that they cannot have each other.


(also liberty is surprisingly effective at hoarding children!)

it's true!


omg


tjeff ragging on him about how he prefers the company of a monstrous beast


obviously an indication of his lower class


perhaps born in his island of Nowhere In Particular he befriended rats and street dogs


OH YES


and now "elevated" by washington he has found this monstoerous thing


like an inheritance from his dead friend


and then Liberty mouths off to TJeffs that perhaps he's just not elegant enough, not refined enough to make a dragon converse with him unless ordered to


oh how many times ham has daydreamed of liberty just flat-out eating tjeff


even though liberty insists such a man would give him terrible indigestion


because he's a shiny bit of humanmeat falpping around


*flapping


also! Liberty likes to be helpful and keep all Ham's candles lit


so he can keep writing


(liberty would eat mr. adams without a second thought however. mr. adams would probably not give him indigestion.)


(totally)


LIBERTY KNOWS ABOUT THE REYNOLDS AFFAIR


"you smell queer, colonel hamilton. and your neckcloth is tied poorly."


HAMS MAKES HIM PROMISE NOT TO TELL DOESN'T HE?


liberty promises not to tell even though he does not quite understand why hamilton does not bring mariah to his house becuase mr. reynolds is obviouusly scum


after all colonel hamilton has brought liberty to his how and eliza doesn't really mind.


how -> house


"perhasp general washington could look after her, he is quite good at paying attention to rogue men and women."


"liberty you must tell NO ONE of this. not phillip, not betsey, not goveneur morris, or general washington. or any dragons you may be spending time with."


in the end liberty was secretly quite pleased to have a secret, because being colonel hamilton's dragon was quite boring in many respects, as he could not eat secretary jefferson or mr adams.



it really does


there might already be fic in the works for it


then liberty brags that he has a secret.


"i have a secret, mr president," liberty says. "but i cannot tell you for it is a secret."


"well, i hope it is not a dangerous secret," washington replies.


"no, i do not think so," liberty says. "but i could not tell you even if it was so, for i would not be very good at keeping secrets if i only kept ones that were not dangerous."


What is Washington's dragon's name?


Endurance?


that's a good question. i don't know.


what if wash had his dragon from the french & indian war and he had to explain how they were going to fight the british now, and his dragon can come if he wants but of cours ehe would never force him.


ok i have ot do the dishes now.


nods


Fortitude maybe?


and the dragon is all "of course I am coming woht you"


"if you say the cause is just, then it is just and I will be with you."


the dishes have been washed. i am a hero.


the real question is, how does laf manage to sneak his dragon to france, or does he appear without one, and they give him one, but then of course when he comes back, he has his new dragon & there is a dispute.


Hail the dishwashing hero!


dragons fighting over lafayette is comical.


yes


i also managed to sosmehow spill beer everywhere.


or maybe they decide to share him?


"you cannot be the marquis' dragon! you do not even speak french."


"you cannot be the major general's dragon for you have not seen a single combat and i have seen many."


...one is named Fraternite and the other one is Egalitie aren't they?


oh yes.


and the american one is a clutch mate of Liberty?


well, i think laurens might have gotten liberty younger than laf, although it is tempting.


or same mother?


could go with that!

HOGWARTS JAGUAR a year ago
But does Hams ever get a dragon aside from Liberty :/


There's an egg for him that doesn't hatch


until little Phillip gets old enough?


well liberty would be very upset if another dragon came on his action tbh.


(he is still shocked egalitie did not rend fraternite to shreds all those years ago! claiming to be the dragon for a man! it is completely disrespectful.)


the egg is Phillip's until he dies and then it's little Phillip's dragon?


OR


does the egg meant for Hamilton hatch for Burr?


now that's fucking twisted.


and great.


but how would that dragonet find burr?


Hamilton and Burr worked next door to each other after the revolution


Burr's waiting for Hamilton in his office and the egg hatches

and BOOM Burr's your daddy?


omg can you imagine this really scrawny sad dragonet climbing into burr's window.


"i am mr. hamilton's dragon, mr. burr."


"have you come to eat me?"


"no, i cannot find mr. hamilton. have you seen him?"


"i have shot him, little dragonet. i do not believe he will be returning."


"why did you do such a thing?" "over a pointless matter of honor, as men are wont to do."


"well, do you think you can find me a meal in the meantime? i am quite hungry."


"certainly," burr says, and he does, and then he gives the dragonet directions to the schyuler mansion, and perhaps explaining that they could leave out this meeting.


"you belong to the hamiltons, my dear dragonet, and i am no good fit for you. did you become lost on the way to the mansion?"


"there is a much older dragon there who tried to eat me. so i prefer you, mr. burr."

HOGWARTS JAGUAR a year ago
Oh man Liberty would be so upset too

HOGWARTS JAGUAR a year ago
Two captains lost to stupid honor and bs :/


liberty is not happy about this turn of events at all. and phillip, too!


he does not have much of a good opinion of wars, or dueling, for that matter.


(if president adams says anything unkind, by god, he will eat him, and he does not care what title the man wears.)


then he becames eliza's dragon and he's like "mrs. hamilton, i would feel too queer if i were to lose you, so if it is at all possible i request you do not engage in duels or become shot."


eliza tries to convince him to join the army again, for that will be much more exciting than her wrangling children. but he does not want to be in the army, he is much too tired of people dyin.


ahaahah yes!


decorated with all kinds of possibly fake medals


i love it


has a morning and evening fly, otherwise can usually be found napping or fighting with von stueben in Prussian


Liberty is making all the grumpy faces


because napping? There is a war on and there is discourse to be had!


Indom tries to order him around but he just completely ignores him


which irritates Liberty further because HOW DARE


/Liberty has strong feelings about Indom and Washington's status


this dragon did not want to come to this country but von stueben was running off and he will just run into a war and die so.



he tries to lead last indom in some formation and he's so mad Washington has to calm him down.


"well, i am much larger than you, and my baron is such and has much more combat experience so of course I shall lead."


only after being talked down by ham and liberty and Laurens and vs is he like "well. if you insist on being so senselessly backwards."


Liberty still votes for setting him on fire


"you cannot set him on fire," indomitabilis growls through gritted teeth. "you will treat those above your rank with respect."


America doesn't have barons.


that seems to be fault of America. I noticed they don't have any shoes, either.