History Sandbox / AutumnLeavesMagnificentBastard

Last year, I proposed [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16738556640A36226400&page=94#comment-2328 a character from a fan-made article]] that offered a full-fledged TwiceToldTale reinterpretation of the canonical plot. That character got downvoted due to nastiness, as I suspected he would be, but now I've realized another article from the same author might have a candidate.

Tsar-Maiden, ''[[https://ficbook.net/readfic/3218112 Ivan the Fool and the Charming Spy]]''.

!! Source material
The article is based on ''The Little Humpbacked Horse'' by Pyotr Yershov, a pretty straightforward literary fairytale, where Ivan the Fool, with the help of the eponymous magical sidekick, serves an old and stupid Tsar who first sends him to fetch the Firebird and then to kidnap the beautiful Tsar-Maiden, daughter of the Moon and sister of the Sun. The Tsar-Maiden announces she'll only marry someone young and handsome, and youth and beauty can be obtained by bathing first in boiling milk and water and then in cold water. The Tsar orders Ivan to test the method first, Ivan gets through it thanks to the help of the Humpbacked Horse, while the Tsar is boiled. The Tsar-Maiden takes the throne and marries Ivan.

!! The article
The article, however, pointing out a PlotHole or two, reimagines the whole thing as a secret plot by the Moon.

!! The character
The Tsar-Maiden is sent by her parent the Moon[[note]][[AmbiguousGender referred to as her mother but at the same time is addressed with the male-gender word for the moon]][[/note]] to infiltrate the tsardom where the plot takes place. Another agent of the Moon, the Tsar's Spalnik[[note]]something in-between valet and squire[[/note]], plants the idea of marrying the Tsar-Maiden into the Tsar's head.

Ivan is sent to steal away the Tsar-Maiden. With the Humpbacked Horse's help, he sets a trap for her in the form of a grand tent. The Tsar-Maiden "takes the bait", since actually it has been part of the plan all along.

So, back in the tsardom. The Tsar-Maiden can now take the throne, but she realizes that she can be blackmailed by the Spalnik who has a large influence over the Tsar. Therefore, the Tsar and then the Spalnik must be removed. As she settles down at court, she soon assesses the situation and sees that a) the Tsar delegates every hard task to Ivan b) Ivan has a magical helper. The Tsar-Maiden is able to see it firsthand when she orders her ring to be fetched from beneath the sea.

Since a single woman on the throne might be a bit too liberal for the time and place, she decides to arrange for Ivan to become her trophy husband. She orders the Tsar to use the rejuvenation/beautification method -- which she knows to be lethal without magic -- and, predictably, it works on Ivan with the Horse's help and kills the Tsar.

The Tsar-Maiden asks the gathered crowds if they would like her as a Tsarina. As the Tsar was old and rather foolish and indecisive and the Tsar-Maiden is a gorgeous young woman, the crowds' reply is expected. The Tsar-Maiden announces she'll marry Ivan, the crowds accept him for her sake, and off to the church they go to the wedding.

Most likely, the first decree of the new Tsar (urged by his wife, of course) will be a death sentence for the Spalnik.

!! Is she magnificent?
The first steps of the plan may have been planned by the Moon and/or the Spalnik, but after her "kidnapping", the Tsar-Maiden acts entirely on her own -- during Ivan's visit to the Moon, it's shown the Moon has no idea who he is and therefore no idea of what exactly goes on at the Tsar's court.

The Moon, though they are probably the mastermind, makes a blunder at one point: when Ivan tells them he's the one who kidnapped the Tsar-Maiden, the Moon is beside themselves with joy and hugs and kisses Ivan. Rather a weird way to behave for a loving parent, right?

The Tsar-Maiden never once makes such mistakes. Posing first as an innocent damsel, then as a capricious {{Bridezilla}}, right until the final scene where she reveals she intends to become the Tsarina, she achieves exactly what she wanted: the throne and power in the tsardom for some nebulous goal of her own and/or the Moon's.

!! Is she a bitch?
She has the admittedly not very moral Tsar killed, and, moreover, she ascends the throne despite having ''zero'' right to it -- the Tsar dies before their wedding. And there's more: she announces that Ivan the Fool will marry her without asking him.

Despite what the English Wikipedia article will tell you, there is ''no'' indication in the text that the Tsar-Maiden is Ivan's true love. Both times he ever comments on her looks, he says she's far too scrawny for his taste, and he is ''never'' shown to feel anything for her or even get worried about her potentially marrying the elderly Tsar. The article flat-out states that Ivan simply can't back out of marrying her in the final scene -- because the crowds in front of them adore the new Tsarina and [[AngryMob won't allow that]].

!! Conclusion?
You decide.

The Tsar-Maiden never once makes such mistakes and achieves exactly what she wanted: the throne and power in the tsardom for some nebulous goal of her own and/or the Moon's.

Tsar-Maiden, ''[[https://ficbook.net/readfic/3218112 Ivan the Fool and the Charming Spy]].

The Tsar-Maiden never once makes such mistakes.

The article is based on ''The Little Humpbacked Horse'' by Pyotr Yershov, a pretty straightforward literary fairytale, where Ivan the Fool, with the help of the eponymous magical sidekick, serves an old and stupid tsar who first sends him to fetch the Firebird and then to kidnap the beautiful Tsar-Maiden, daughter of the Moon and sister of the Sun. The Tsar-Maiden announces she'll only marry someone young and handsome, and youth and beauty can be obtained by bathing first in boiling milk and water and then in cold water. The tsar orders Ivan to test the method first, Ivan gets through it thanks to the help of the Humpbacked Horse, while the tsar is boiled. The Tsar-Maiden takes the throne and marries Ivan.

* ''VisualNovel/LongLiveTheQueen'' fanfic ''Fanfic/HeavyIsTheCrown'': Talarist, Duke of Sedna, proves himself [[AdaptationalBadass a lot more resourceful]] than his canon counterpart. When his fiancée Princess Elodie is deposed by her own subjects in a vote of no confidence during a gala, Talarist reveals that he has brought with him an entire battalion of well-trained Talassian soldiers in the guise of ordinary servants. At his signal, they shoot Banion, the instigator of the vote, and hold those who followed him at swordpoint. Elodie sentences everyone who voted against her to death and, realizing she desperately needs an ally, tells Talarist they should marry immediately. She understands that it's [[AmbiguousSituation ambiguous]] whether Talarist knew of Banion's plot and if not, why he brought the soldiers, but she sees that as it turned out, Talarist is the best ally she has. [[TheStoic Always calm and collected]] and [[EnlightenedSelfInterest very kind to Elodie despite wanting to marry her for her crown]], Talarist is thus able to turn what would have been a coup into a victory for Elodie and himself, and it is implied he [[SoProudOfYou genuinely admires]] Elodie's resilience.

Talarist, ''VisualNovel/LongLiveTheQueen'' fanfic ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/29852640 Heavy is the Crown]]''.

!! The Work
In canon, Princess Elodie can be deposed in a vote of no confidence at a gala even if her fiancé Talarist, Duke of Sedna (who can get her out of lesser kinds of trouble), is present. Here, the PointOfDivergence is that Talarist is prepared to deflect even ''that''.

!! The Character
Like in canon, Talarist is a duke from the country of Talasse bordering Elodie's own Nova, who has seized the opportunity to get himself engaged to Elodie soon after the death of her mother, the queen regnant.

Due to major political blunders of Elodie's, Duke Banion, one of Elodie's subjects, instigates a vote of no confidence at a festival gala, and Elodie loses it, with only her father, her uncle, and her mentor voting to keep her queen. In canon, such a route ends with her getting deposed in all but name and forcibly betrothed to Banion...

...while here, Talarist calmly says "You forgot to count a vote" and affirms he stands with Elodie. As Banion tries to get him seized by guards, everyone realizes that the servants working at the gala are actually an entire battalion of Talassian soldiers in disguise. Before anyone can blink, Banion is shot with an arrow, and everyone else is held at swordpoint.

Talarist asks Elodie what she intends to do with the traitors, and she orders all of them executed. He tells her that he was almost killed in an assassination attempt when he was fifteen (the duchy of Sedna and the neighboring Novan duchy of Elath are constantly at odds). When Elodie assures him it must have been without her mother's knowledge, Talarist's only answer is a diplomatic but vague "Her reputation precedes her".

Realizing she desperately needs an ally, she tells Talarist that they will be married as soon as possible instead of making it a long betrothal as originally planned, even though she realizes that it's possible he might ''not'' have known about Banion's plans to depose her (but would never admit it in this case) -- which begs the question as to ''why'' he brought a battalion of soldiers to the gala.

Talarist agrees to speed up the marriage plans and to swear loyalty to Elodie immediately, though he warns her that it will make the king of Talasse, without whose permission it all has occurred, displeased -- but between that and staying without powerful allies, Elodie takes the risk.

!! Is he magnificent?
During the entire fic, he is absolutely unfazed and unfailingly polite with everyone ([[SugaryMalice even with the traitorous nobles]]). Thanks to being CrazyPrepared, he is able to turn what would have been a coup into a victory for Elodie and himself.

!! Is he a bastard?
There's the icky fact that Elodie is fourteen and he is twenty-six (the FictionalAgeOfMajority in these places is fifteen). However, in canon, if Talarist marries her early (and canonically, the earliest it can happen is when she is sixteen), it's made clear he is in it for the title and power and "[[SexlessMarriage is in no hurry to provide an heir]]", and there is no sign it would be any different here. Moreover, unlike other people who want Elodie's crown (like, say, Banion, who also actively tries to marry her), he is EnlightenedSelfInterest personified, being very kind to Elodie. It's implied he is genuinely proud of her holding herself together and finding new strength despite the attempted coup.

His worst canonical moment is absent here by default -- in canon, it's heavily implied he kills twelve-year-old Duke Adair of Elath should the latter be unprotected... but only if Talarist and Elodie aren't betrothed.

It's left ambiguous whether he knew about the plans for a coup and, if not, why he brought the soldiers with him. (It ''could'' have been just for protection, considering he has been the target of murder attempts as well).

!! Conclusion?
You decide.

There's the icky fact that Elodie is fourteen and he is twenty-six (the FictionalAgeOfMajority in these places is fifteen). However, in canon, if Talarist marries her early (and canonically, the earliest it can happen is when she is sixteen), it's made clear he is in it for the title and power and "[[SexlessMarriage is in no hurry to provide an heir]]", and there is no sign it would be any different here. Moreover, unlike other people who want Elodie's crown (like, say, Banion, who also actively tries to marry her), he is EnlightenedSelfInterest personified, being very kind to Elodie. In canon. It's implied he is genuinely proud of her holding herself together and getting stronger despite the attempted coup.

Realizing she desperately needs an ally, she tells Talarist that they will be married as soon as possible instead of making it a long betrothal as originally planned, even though she realizes that it's possible he might ''not'' have known about Banion's plans to depose her -- which begs the question as to ''why'' he brought a battalion of soldiers to the gala.

* Checking up ''Literature/TheWolfhound'' for [=MBs=].

* ''Fanfic/MadameMalfoyOrAForcedMarriage'': Pansy Parkinson is Draco Malfoy's calculating mistress and [[AdaptationalBadass much more resourceful than in canon]]. When [[MadwomanInTheAttic Madman in the Attic]] Lucius Malfoy deliriously claims she is his bride and Draco orders her to distract him until Draco fetches the mediwizards, Pansy goes from shock and fear to the development of a plan. She allows herself to be married to Lucius and follows him on his Literature/DonQuixote-style quest across Wizarding Britain, playing along with his crazy fantasies and deftly explaining the situation to everyone they meet, sometimes with a mere couple of gestures. Finally, she devises a plan to get Lucius to St. Mungo's and puts it into action with the help of Gringotts goblins. Lucius is subdued but the case is pronounced hopeless. Pansy triumphantly tells Draco that since he never bothered to get his father to a hospital before, her marriage to the latter is valid, but now that Lucius ''is'' officially declared insane, Pansy as the wife receives all his possessions. Leaving Draco with only the major but no money or valuables, Pansy [[KarmaHoudini leaves the country for her new villa in the Canaries]].

* ''Fanfic/MadameMalfoyOrAForcedMarriage''

* Checking up ''Literature/TheWolfhound'' for [=MBs=].

* Checking up ''Literature/TheWolfhound'' for [=MBs=].

* Got some comedy here. Pansy Parkinson from a fanfic in Russian called ''[[https://fanfics.me/read.php?id=96527#start_read Madame Malfoy, or a Forced Marriage]]''.

!! The Work

In this Harry Potter/Don Quixote remix, Lucius Malfoy goes crazy and thinks that he is a knight and Pansy is both his fiancee and his squire.

!! The Character
In postcanon, Pansy is Draco's GoldDigger mistress, and Narcissa has died. One day, when Pansy is visiting, it turns out that Lucius, whom she thought long dead or imprisoned, is very much alive but a [[MadwomanInTheAttic Madman in the Attic]]. Thanks to Draco's oversight, Lucius bursts out of his room, sees Pansy and declares her to be his bride.

As Lucius is still formally the head of the family, Draco can't call the house elves to subdue him. He first begs and then orders Pansy to play along with Lucius's antics while Draco goes to call the healers.

At first Pansy is frightened. Lucius orders a house elf to officiate a marriage between them, and that's when Pansy forms a plan.

She plays along with Lucius's Don Quixote-style ravings as he drags her around Magical Britain, and manages to explain things to everyone they meet, sometimes with a couple of gestures. Finally, when Lucius gets to Gringotts, Pansy manages to convince him that the goal to their quest lies at St. Mungo's and gets the goblins to make them a Portkey on one of their carts.

Lucius is subdued and gets treatment, but the mediwizards say the case is hopeless. Three days later, Draco tells Pansy he'll pay her for helping him get his father back under control...

Only for her to tell that a) since he kept his father hidden and never bothered to declare him insane, he was still a capable adult legally at the time of his marriage to Pansy, which is therefore valid b) since ''now'' Lucius is declared insane, Pansy as the wife is entitled to everything he owns. She tells Draco she'll leave him the manor, but will take all the money and jewelry and use

* Checking up ''Literature/TheWolfhound'' for [=MBs=].