January 13th, 2023
13 Jan 2023 · page 1150 of 1306
It's funny, I always knew this final book would be set during the coronation, but I'd never guessed there'd be an actual coronation on the year I'm running it.
Cast: Florence De Montfort, Gren, Harriet Barber, Sidney Malik
Comments (37)
Events
ThoughtBubble
14 Nov 2026 – 15 Nov 2026
Harrogate Convention Centre
Manchester Megacon
31 Jul 2027 – 1 Aug 2027
Manchester Central
Reality & comic are converging!
In a couple of years, I'm going to have to go back to using Her Majesty's Ship or whatever in my books when I want to subtly hint that it's the future. :)
The coronation is going to be in Widdershins? Oh boy. I foresee endless potential for shenanigans...
Florrie, this exposition, you are spoiling us!
And surely the hunters who saved the young princess nought but a few years ago would be guests of honour at the coronation in their hometown?
I'm sure Verity Cunningham will have a place of honour at the high table.
It will be well-deserved, of course.
Or she won't and will positively seeth about it.
Might be why they want to leave on vacation.
Let's hope that no mecha-sins covered with gunpowder try and crash the party this time.
Oh, but they shouldn't be needed to save the crown yet again. It's just a coronation. What could go wrong?
I see Harry has been keeping her hair short while Florrie's hair has grown longer.
it’s florrie!!!! Lovely to see you again darling now beat it Sid’s gotta propose
Sid has been learning from Harry -- he can do sarcasm now! "No matter how much I wish you would."
That's Harry saying it.
Harry naturally has the ideal expressions in response to talk of royal families and coronations
Not attending the lord's coronation ? that's lèse majesté right there !
Also, Harry's eye-rolls...
Is the background in the last panel supposed to be missing colors?
it looks as if it is supposed to be to me. It puts the focus on the foreground.
So, we're in the end of June 1838, got it.
Meanwhile, in the USA, the telegraph is the height of technology...
Does this telegraph use magic? Probably not since they're far away from the anchors.
Electricity exists in this universe, but it doesn't mix well with the anchors. Seen at the start of the "Piece of Cake" chapter in Alexa's time in the early 21st century . They'll invent circles to shield it sometime later in the 21st century, seen in the background of Ethan's time
What I mean is that the (electric) telegraph might well be in the process of being developed in the USA of this universe :P But near the anchors they'll have to rely on semaphores, messengers, or some magical form of communication.
Of course the anchors themselves could be used for long-distance communication, if the witches are willing to carry mail through the space in-between. But something about this whole 4th-anchor thing tells me that the witches will be busy with other things for now :D
Having that service would be worth anything to the British Empire. Absolutely anything, up to and including guaranteeing the protection and borders of whatever nations the witches in question feel like protecting. (For that matter: Pemberton's teleportation device would fetch a similar price from the US government, albeit on a smaller scale.)
Saaay... wasn't there a certain question Sid wanted to pop when Gren intervened?
Not while Florrie's here! She'll shatter the windows!
"Ms" is a fairly recent invention. Sidney also knows Florence is married.
And why would a corronation not happen in the capital?
plot reasons
Very dangerous stuff, that plot. It requires very careful handling and storage. Gather enough plot in one place and you could wipe out an entire city.
Isn't that only concentrated plotonium, though?
Funny you should mention that...
Eh, I don't think that it takes much to come up with a potential Watsonian reason. Something something, Widdershins is the center of England's magical power, something something equating royal power with magical power, eh voila. That being said sometimes "becuase I want the story to happen" is good enough reason
Wikipedia says it's older than most people think. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ms.
As for why Ms. and not Mrs., probably because he's using her first name and not her surname while still trying to be a little formal and respectful (ie, not just call her "Florrie").
Actually, Ms is not as recent as many people think -- it was one of the several abbreviations of mistress (including Mrs. and Miss) as far back as the 17th or 18th century. Since Florrie is probably a woman who manages servants, she would almost certainly been entitled to be called 'Mrs.' -- which did not, at that time, necessarily denote marital status, but rather economic standing -- but might well have preferred Ms.
Kate does her homework. For instance, excluding the trousers, which probably would have been illegal, Harry's waistcoat is completely period-appropriate, down to the cut.
I love Harriet's hair. She's worn the trendy Tik Tok Wolf Cut long before everyone else!
So, is this what we can expect from Florrie?
Kinda-sorta Dumbing of Age
Well, you try not to get a new monarch every day. It's irresponsible, and dissuades people from taking the occupation.