( 𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 ! )
INTRODUCTION.
❛ if i had a flower for every
time i thought of you, i could
walk in my garden forever. ❜
——— alfred lord tennyson
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( SYNOPSIS ! )
❛ her angel eyes saw the
good in many devils. ❜
——— anonymous
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❛ she looked like an ethereal
angel with that divine smile
on her archangelic face. ❜
Oftentimes, Giselle had been told by others that she was lucky. Lucky to have been taken in by the sweet, small family that adopted her. Lucky to be alive, considering her mother had died giving birth to her, and her father had died of illness only a few short months later. Lucky to live the life that she had, as a person of color, as a daughter of Chinese immigrants.
Giselle Ninghua Crawley was lucky.
But she didn't believe the other reasons people gave, usually remarks made due to the way she looks. No, she was lucky because she had a smart, sweet, hardworking older brother Matthew who always made time for her. She had a wonderful mother Isobel, a nurse and champion of the downtrodden and open to the changes of society, encouraging it even. She had a father, Reginald, who died too early for any of their liking, but had raised both her and Matthew right. He had been a kind, loving man, who had worked hard to raise them right. A compassionate, gentle man who cared more for their happiness than affluence or image.
Giselle was lucky, not because of the small wealth of her family, but because of the family itself. She was more than just an adopted child taken in out of goodwill. She was a member of this family, the daughter of heart, even if not by blood.
And then, after the tragic sinking of the Titanic, the small family of three are thrust into a whole different world as changes come knocking on their door. With the new revelation of more family, also comes the notion that Matthew is now heir to the Earl of Grantham title, and, with it, the estate of Downton Abbey, and the surrounding town and lands.
❛ she is art. what do you
expect from her other than
class, beauty, and grace? ❜
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
( 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦 ! )
❛ do not pretend that you are
some meek, pathetic little girl
when i can see that vicious mind
working behind your eyes. ❜
——— anonymous
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( the adopted sister ! )
GISELLE NINGHUA CRAWLEY
04 SEPTEMBER 1896
❛ family isn't just blood. ❜
⤷ portrayed by zhang nan
( the recovering soldier ! )
ELLIOT REN SONG
19 APRIL 1893
❛ thank you for loving me
when i still tasted of
heartache and war. ❜
⤷ portrayed by xu kai
( the elder sister ! )
GRACE LIAN ZHANG
(NÉE SONG)
13 FEBRUARY 1884
❛ there is nothing stronger
than a soft soul. ❜
⤷ portrayed by qin lan
( the younger sister ! )
ALICE FEIYAN SONG
27 MAY 1899
❛ do it because they
said you couldn't. ❜
⤷ portrayed by wu jinyan
( grace's husband ! )
JINHUAN ZHANG
29 NOVEMBER 1880
❛ i know that you are strong,
but that does not necessarily
mean you have to be alone. ❜
⤷ portrayed by yuan nie
the downton abbey
cast as themselves
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
( 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗦 & 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘 ! )
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Welcome to Darling!
I love downton abbey, so much, so here we are! I've revisited the series and thought of this wonderful idea. To incorporate my Asian, Chinese Original Character into the thick of the plot, she'll be an adopted child into the Crawley family— adopted by Reginald and Isobel, and younger sister to Matthew.
It's not something that has been super explored, though I have seen it in a few shows— British and/or otherwise. But international adoption among a usually upper class white family of a child from a different culture is such an interesting dynamic. It can pave way for an interesting discussion of the perceived racial hierarchy at the time and performative good-will, as well as a bit of tokenism and and other such problematic, and oftentimes racist ideas in society.
I hope to touch on some of these issues a little, but I also want this to be a lovely romance story set in a show I very much adore. So things will probably be more lighthearted and I hope not to make it super serious. It's just a fanfic after all.
HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY
C O M I N G S O O N !
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