HusbandWife Review/Discussion

[Ayato]

I'll post this here for those who don't follow me on Facebook: I apologise for not updating Husbandwife (and my others) but due to a two to four hour commute each day, depending on schedules, and working full time I've had little time for anything beyond work, sleep and travel. By the sounds of it, this will be changing very shortly and I can get back to writing! Husbandwife will still be my main focus until it is done.

[Guest Guest]

Sorry to hear about your problem with the laptop. I might often complain about my old pc, but they definetely have one big advantage: They are much easier to repair if there is a problem. E.g., during the last heatwave, the power supply of my pc died and I just had to replace it (took me longer time to get a 'new' used power supply than to do the actuial repairing - which took about 10 minutes) So, my suggestion would be: Why don't you get an old fashioned pc instead of a laptop? When you're uproad, you could use your smartphone for writing, then upload it's content to the pc and you'd have a much easier time of proof-reading. And you can get used pc's (complete with keyboard and monitor) literally for a handfull of dollars, sometimes even for free.

Another possibillity would be, that you look in Ebay for an used laptop.

About the story: Alex mentioned evolution and that's something I really looked forward to. I think Alphas who are at the same time G14 carriers could mean a great evolutionary progress to the species of the Alphas. If I remember the past chapters right, then you mentioned that Alphas have big difficulties to cooperate when they are, lets say in the same room. Alphas with G14 markers might be able to cooperate much better, without fights about who's the superior one. Means, these G14 Alphas could really act like a pack without using the I-net to keep them from fighting. Are my guessings right???

[Ayato]

Alphas can and do work in packs. Blane was part of one right before the story began (the group of researchers who found the genetic markers and created this whole process) but society has stripped away thyre rights, which are different than the rights of common folk, leaving thyme to fight over scraps. Thy once had a hierarchy, I believe this was mentioned by Paul and Ezra before. Thy'd breed like alphas are won't to do and the surplus offspring were killed or kept from breeding by serving as lower members of a more dominant alpha's pack. Alphas can even serve as husbandwife (such as Paul's poor, dead husbandwife) or just as a mate. Not all females raped their breeders.

So there was this entire civilization built on the alphas and the common people reached a certain number and saw what the alphas were making and started talking equality. Likely the alphas of that generation were distracted by shiny new technology and didn't quite notice the trap that had been sprung on them. Then the commoners just did what dumb humans do best and after atripping the alphas of thyre power, they started slaughtering the strangers.

The hatred of homosexuals likely stems from these events because commoners are afraid of anything that appears to be like an alpha, such as outright ignoring Alex because he was too attractive to be normal.

As to the alphas and the G14 marker, I've tried not to give away what is going on there. I like hearingthe theories that are popping up.

[Guest Avatar_tingal]

Seemingly my answer didn't arrive, so I'll try to post it a second time :

Well, LOL. My little theory is obsolete now, but your explantion of the history and culture of the Alphas was very interesting! So, until the commoners defeated them, the Alphas were a fully functionable society, overwhelmed only because the commoners, other than the Alphas, reproduced without any kind of birth control?

Oh, oh that reminds me of the real world, where people who are barely able to take care of a single child get a lot of children, while the others, the more educated people, decide often for a strict family planning and hardly get more than one or two children.

I hope that the Alphas might change that. Fast reproduction can be a weapon. Nature in te real world proved this.

Anyway, I'm looking foreward to the next chapter!

[Ayato]

The alphas could reproduce quickly but thy are obeying the laws of man. I'm thinking thyre numbers dwindled after the female alphas died off. There's no one reason the alphas became submissive to the government but a lot has to do with people realising they outnumbered thyme and the creation of this idea that being a husbandwife is a dirty thing. I will try poking the characters for more information on that shift if you like. Though with commoners controlling what the youth learn, the public education system likely didn't cover the truth in history classes.

[Guest Avatar_tingal]

Well 'defeat' was probably the wrong word, but you wrote what I actually meant. The commoners gained a kind of control over the Alphas by outnumbering thyme.

If there are really no more female Alphas around, I think this could cause a genetical problem, not immeadiatly, but on the long sight. Even if the Alpha genes are dominant when an male Alpha sires a child with a female commoner, this can't be completely the case, else the child would be simply a clone of hes father. So the children inherit at least a bit of the genes of thyre commoner mother - which would weaken the Alpha genome from generation to generation.

And I wonder why female G14 carriers are kept away from the Alphas. Is it why they might break and become loyal to their Alpha or are there any genetical reasons?

About poking the characters for more information: LOL! I'd really like that. Although I doubt that Blane, Peter, Abraham or even Esra and Paul could give proper answers. Thy do really good research but thy wouldn't know about the past as they grew up already in the educational system controlled by commoners. And Paul's old husbandwife is dead. But what about this old Alpha Psychologist at Esra's party ( you didn't gave hime a name)? He seems to know a lot more than he said. Alex needs a tutor anyway and if Blane managed to get hyme for that job...I think that would be interesting!

[Ayato]

The alphas have bred with commoners for a very long time, they are the all the same race but the alphas have specific genes. Genes that all thyre children have and are bound to the Y chromosome, which is the whole reason female alphas need a male alpha to produce an alpha child. Thanks for bringing this up, though, it reminds me of the sideplot I'm supposed to be writing right now and would have forgotten otherwise.

[Guest Avatar_tingal]

Congrats to the new chapter! Alex was awesome again.

I know that 'This is mine' thing is an Alpha attitude, but I think that Esra might have been even more shocked when he really saw this dominant, agressive A (or perhaps Alpha :-) ) for the first time. When Alex kicked that young Alpha at the party, Esra might still have thaught "How cute!". But now Alex seems to be a threat to hyme.

Ah, something completely different: I hope you still have your old laptop. Because in case the HD is still intact, there would be a way to get you're old files back. Buy an fitting adapter (I'd suggest on Ebay), they aren't really expensive, especially when used (maybe 10 $ or so). So, step one: remove the HD from your old laptop. 2) insert it in the adapter, 3) connect the adapter to power and 4) connect the adapter to your new laptop. Then you can use your old HD like an USB-stick and get your files back.

[Ayato]

On the topic of dominant A, Paul would likely have called Ezra and let hime know what happened. Paul would have thought it adorable until Alex claimed hes property. Just as Ezra probable thought it adorable until hi heard Alex claiming hes estate. Ezra's rage was ignited by Alex but there's other stuff happening under the calm veneer Ezra presented because it was Quin's anniversary.

[Guest Avatar_tingal]

Oookkay, I'm really curious now about this other stuff happening under the surface...

I think, the situation of the Alphas is really bad as it is, right know. Even without intrigues of Alphas and husbandwifes.

But well, I won't have another choice than to wait for the next chapter. :-)

[Ayato]

Things almost always have to get worse before they get better. For other alphas, thyre society is on the rise, there's rumour that there might be an actual war (which is like dangling catnip in front of a cat), the government is handing out children (an alpha can't have a child without the permission of the government, if you remember, which is why Blane was born to Ezra so young, Ezra was fighting the legislation... or did hi win? A cookie to whoever finds that information before I do. The government is still handing out children), the G14s are coming to the alphas in the legislation that begins in the new year. Someone's just invented a way for thyme to be healed instantly, if thy're willing to barter with hime. Life's good for alphas in general, as compared to years previous.

Alphas do well in high stress situations but in the modern times thy aren't raised to really deal with despair and loss. In older times thy'd lose a brother, a mother, a sister, a finger, foot or half an inch off thy're fun places, so thy learned quickly how to deal with the darker emotions, or thy were consumed by them and destroyed, became the loss for someone else.

From what I've been seeing, it seems that those who have suffered the bloodrage are better equiped to deal with thyre own shit, just as soon as thy figure out what thy're doing. You can look at Paul's son, Peter I believe hes name was, to see how one is shortly after bloodrage, afraid of themselves. Then look at Blane. Solely and entirely focused on hes goals.

Oh... I forgot that scene when thy were in Paul's city. That's unfortunate. There was supposed to be a scene where Blane walks away for two seconds to get something from a vendor, a drink or something for Alex likely, and hi gets caught at the vendor for longer than a minute, a van without windows pulls up and four guys get out, normal people mind you, and grab Alex. These men are kidnappers that I believe Blane? mentioned earlier, their job is to find young G14s and steal them from the streets or follow through on leads given to them by the young men's families who are giving them up basically. They see Alex, go, that's a nice piece and decide to pick him up to get on Paul's good side.

Alex puts up a fight, shouts and goes on and as he's almost in the van he finally shout's Blane's name. Bam, out of no-where Blane shows up and takes hold of one guy's head, slams it into the ground. One foot comes off the ground as hi does so and catches another guy under the jaw. The third and fourth have their wits about them a bit and put up a better fight but Alex jumps into the fray and catches one in the stomach while Blane breaks the other guy's arm.

The scene was meant to demonstrate the underbelly of Paul's city and of the very real threat to young men on the streets who resemble a G14 or even one who is just flamboyantly gay. It also showed Blane's beliefs because as soon as the alpha dispatches the men, hi climbs into the vehicle, clocks the driver, who isn't stupid enough to get involved with what is obviously an alpha, and then Blane frees the captives in the back, sending them back to where they came from.

It's easy for the population, and even a reader, to forget that all alphas must serve in the military, thy are trained from when thy are young to protect themselves in hand-to-hand combat (because of old traditions continued on because the government is crazy) and then in the military thy are trained how to work as a unit, with other alphas or with normal people. The alpha units haven't been talked about much because thy're basic black ops. No one who wants to live will mention thyme. Basically, alphas have the training necessary to kill anyone but once thy leave the army thy have little desire to follow through, it's out of thyre system and in modern times warring alphas aren't really necessary.

[Guest Avatar_tingal]

About Blane's situation: Yes, I'm sure, Blane can handle a fight really well. But now he's going to be accused of rebellion against the commoners government, which is a completely different thing. Well, now he's got a night to think about his strategy in this case. (Hopefully Esra will calm down again). Good thing that Blane still has Alex's vulnerability in mind, despite hes compagnion's bravado.

Esra's legislation: Found it! LOL It's in chapter 17, Lab: Jaime told Alex about a legislation which would have restricted the rights of the Alphas about when to have a child. Esra did fought this legislation, got Blane in time before it could pass the house. When the legislation was discussed, Esra brought newborn Blane with him to demonstrate that he wouldn't allow the commoners to intimidate him. Result : The legislation didn't pass and Alphas can have thyre child whenever thy want.

What Jaime said about that legislation was *ahem, past and copy*:

"They tried to ban an alpha from having a child unless the alpha met certain predetermined conditions that the government was going to set down for each alpha, that the alphas would never know about until they met those conditions. At the time, and now, an alpha could have hes son whenever hi wanted to. Blane could have one now, ten years from now, half a century from now."

About the attempted kidnapping: Great scene! Maybe you could add it subsequently into chapter 36 or 37. It would explain why Alex felt so bad in the next morning (aside from a slight hangover) that he wanted to scrub himself. Well, this must have been the mutts Blane mentioned , warning Alex. And Jaime said something about kidnapping as well in chapter 17.

[Ayato]

And a cookie for you! Thank you, I now have to rewrite something but better catch that before it goes up. We'll see more in coming chapters just how this accusation is handled and what alphas from outside the estate think of this.

[Guest Avatar_tingal]

*sigh* Ands again I have to repost my message...

Thanks for the cookie! *grins*

About the new chapter: Although Pauls "suicide" might seem tragic (especially for Esra), I think it was the last big coup Paul landed in in his lifetime. Now Abraham is in charge, Paul's own choice instead of a random Alpha. Hmm. I think Abraham will inherit everithing of Paul, including the fleshdepts? i wonder how that will turn out because I think that Abraham, despite hes friendly attitude, won't shy away(other than Paul) from an intelligent , dominant G14 like Alex. So Alex would probably better off if he hurries with his own personal way of breaking.

Another item would be Peter. Does hi has to leave hes father's estate now? If this would be the case, then the situation might develop in a quite interesting way - that is, if Blane keeps to hes thaught to take Peter in ( only in case, Esra agrees. of course).

But I've got one question, concerning what Alex said at the end of the chapter: He said that the Alphas would be equal with the G14. But Blane's father got a place in the House (of Parliament?). This would require full civil rights. Or did the commoners found a way to abuse the G14 legislation of Esra?

[Ayato]

Paul's "suicide" is bad for anyone's business, terrible for Ezra on a personal level and a kick to the groin for all those alphas who have been chasing Abraham. Quite a few of them have been chasing Abraham, as those like hime are used, I suppose, as stress relief. "Dying" on hes terms was always Paul's ideal and to do so before Jaime breaks down entirely, maaaaybe to give Ezra time to come to terms with losing Paul (I get the feeling thy have a deal to move in together if both survive to retirement) before losing Jaime. This will also be good for Abraham because Paul will break willingly and teach Abraham all hi knows about keeping the alphas in control and how to walk that fine line Paul does between legal and "plotting traitorous happenings against commoners."

For Peter this depends on Abraham and how things go on between Paul and Abraham. Peter could be broken along with hes father, hi could be tossed to the curb, hi could be given a position in Abraham's new hierarchy (all alphas who served Paul would be let go to prevent infighting and the like) or hi could be allowed to stay either indefinitely or until such a time as hi finds a place. We won't find out until Abraham and Paul emerge from thyre... erm... honeymoon. Moving in with Blane while the estate is Ezra's is completely out of the question especially with Ezra not being able to play house with Paul.

Alex was more being sarcastic at the end of the chapter because the alphas live in a restricted culture. Thy can only have one child, thyre breeders need to be sterilized after giving birth once, there are restrictions on multiple births (such as twins), thy are forced to serve in the army when reaching a certain age and numerous other things. Blane, I believe, made comment before about feeling like a second class citizen and I think hi even compared the position of alphas to that of companions and the G14s. The alphas come and go freely but thy are not free to do as thy please. Which revolve around murdering one another, slaughtering those who attempt to murder them, smexing up men and women alike and rewarding thyre own who do well by gifting breeders (something no one talks about any more) to the good.

Oh, and women? Would totally tap that but can't. There's an entire porn industry based around "Alphas" having a go at women and it sells like Fifty Shades of Grey and so many random romance novels, only it's video taped and not actually alphas in the videos because alphas aren't allowed near women unless thyre breeding and then only one woman.

[Guest Avatar_tingal]

I wonder how Esra will feel after awakes from hes sleep. First losing hes friend (and probably former lover) and then the fight with Blane. After all, Blane broke with Alpha traditions, not only by letting hime alive, even healing hime, butt letting hime be in charge. Can't be easy for Esra to accept all this.

Ah, I still hope that Blane can find the cancer cure in time to save Jaime. Quin is nice, but he never could take the place of Jaime. Not to say that Esra would be devastated. Hm, I guess if Esra wants to keep to Hes and Paul's agreement that would mean that Esra has to move into Abraham's estate, since I doubt that Paul would be able to leave it anymore. Complicated stiuation, as there are still Quin and Robin...

The first meeting with Alex's personal trainer should be interesting. Wow, Blane's former trainer...*grins* I can't help, but suddenly Grace Jones in "A view to a kill" popped up in my head. The only female James Bond ever respected as she was a perfect, absolutely fearless fighter.

I can understand Alex, I think. As long as he's acting on instinct, his reactions are great. But as soon as his awareness intervenes, his trauma comes back. No wonder that he suffers these mood swings. They can't be only caused by the breaking.

I had to smile when you wrote about women being interested in Alpha porn, not to mention having sex with an Alpha. The waitress in the hotel was a proove of that. A shame that it's forbidden to them. The government of the commoners in this world reminds me very strongly of a typical 'ultraconservative intolerant white men' government in the real world, which means it's more a dictature than a democracy. I say, it's time for a change. Get up, Alphas, G14, women and R66 carriers and shmash this backwood bastards untils nothing left of them!

[Ayato]

G14s and alphas don't have the right to vote and I wouldn't be surprised if R66 (homosexuals) are placed forward as 'not people' once someone starts abusing the loopholes Ezra put in place to give equality to all. And the government is very much based on the patriarchal white-male dominated ones from the real world. They allow alphas to live because alphas help them but keep alphas on tight leashes so that the alphas have no choice but to help the government and the people.

There hasn't been a woman in power yet, because the ability to vote is likely recent for women. Let's face it, no government with a list of women who are breeders for alphas, view women as more than meat. Women probably only got the vote because one guy knew he'd lose and decided to give women the vote at the last second so he was hero and he'd get voted back into office. While the women on that list are volunteers that doesn't mean they weren't blackmailed into it, sold, or coerced in some way.

If a woman did take power she would face the same problems as a woman in the real world. No one would respect her, listen to her or really acknowledge her, she'd just be a figurehead for her party.

I've been dabbling with doing a sequel about ten or so years in the future, I might have mentioned this before, where we get to see all the choices of the alphas in the present come together and create a whole different kind of world. But it's just a dabble. Might just be a one shot instead, so that the main character will shut up and I can focus on something besides the opening scene.

[Guest Avatar_tingal]

Sorry about the delay but I was busy with my own story. I really want to finish "An host's fate" and there are only a couple of chapters left.

The new chapter of "Husbandwife" had a surprise inside. A new kid for Esra?? And Samuel insisted that hi'll have that baby? Sounds like Samuel (and maybe Daniel too - good by the way thing by the way that he encouraged Esra NOT to follow the commoner's law to let the weaker of the twins survive!) somehow knew about Jaimes state and they try to give Esra something what hi'll keep hime alive in case Jaime should die before Blane discovers the cure for cancer. And maybe even Esra has an assumption about Jaime as hi seemingly tries to train Alex on the tasks of the "First husbandwife in the house"

And I'd look foreward to see a sequel of Husbandwife, ten years into the future. But I hope it won't be only a oneshot. Your your plot is so complex, there are so many interesting characters...I think it really would be worth a multi chapter story, including Alx's future.

[Ayato]

The training Alex could also be because Blane put Ezra into the ground, Alex really needs to learn this kind of stuff. Any husbandwife will do as a witness though, just someone to let the others know that Ezra isn't leaving anything out.

It's also not the child itself that Samuel is concerned with, it's the wording of the letter. As far as the alphas are concerned these letters are contracts with the government and thy take the wording very seriously and will even use it to thyre advantage

[Guest Avatar_Tingal]

*sigh* Finally my new chapter is up...

Ah, well, Alex has to learn this stuff anyway, but I think it's remarkable that Esra chose him and not one of hes husbandwifes - even if Blane did beat the crap out of hime the night before.

But I wonder about that letter. The readers (and Alex) got only information about the first part of the letter - the last part of it, which isn't revealed yet, might have the conditions (maybe any traps) of the commoner's government inside it and the reason because they granted hime a second child, aside from Daniel's intervention.

And I'm really, really looking foreward to see Blane's face when hi learns that hi's going to have a new half brother! :-)

[Ayato]

The wording is in what Alex read out actually. Most will likely miss it because of what the rules seem like. That's all I'm going to say on that though.