CassandraAstraea
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Summary
At twenty-seven and recently arrived home from his big round-the-world odyssey, Joel is reasonably sure he has his life trajectory planned out: MA, doctorate, tenure at a university – preferably several hours away from his parents, his troubled sister and constant family tension - and settle down in with his wonderful girlfriend of seven years at last.
A few months after Granada, Stephen is determined once again to bury the uncomfortable memories of his childhood and teen years for good, and return to his blissful new life as a successful - and straight - businessman with a gorgeous, accomplished young wife, untroubled by the past, unaffected by the fallout of his second divorce in the present, and certainly harbouring no fears for the future. Of course he's happy. Why wouldn't he be?
Their meeting at an ordinary family barbecue in late 1989 isn't particularly memorable. Neither anticipates how much it eventually will upend both men's lives - and carefully constructed images of themselves.
[Title updated August 2025]
Series
- Part 4 of Walker Family Melodrama
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 27,242
- Chapters:
- 5/?
- Hits:
- 16
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Sophie Walker doesn't come from a broken home. She's proud of her blended family, of the fact that her mum and dad are still good friends who care deeply for each other, and while she loves her mum, she understands why her beloved stepmum turned out to be the love of Dad's life. Most importantly, from the moment she could form lasting memories, she’s been certain of one thing above all others: her dad is her strength, her most loyal champion, her trusted confidant, her shield - and sometimes, sword - when life is cruel to her. He's her dearest friend as well as the best dad in the world. Throughout her childhood, no matter how hard life outside the sanctuary of home became, nothing could shake her belief in him, and surely nothing will.
Until her dad makes an unexpected and shocking decision that shatters everyone's lives and leads Sophie to question everything.
Rating for heavy themes.
Set primarily in Melbourne, Australia, during the 1970s and 80s and predates the Now chapters of the book. Eventual female OC/female OC in later chapters, though it's not the principal focus of the story.
Series
- Part 2 of Walker Family Melodrama
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“I could have had no better friend, and ours is a bond that will endure until the end of time. So I swear it, before God, upon my mother’s soul and by all the saints in heaven – I will not let you die.”
April, 1536. Mark Smeaton has worked since childhood to overcome poverty and the disadvantages of his class, becoming the King’s favourite chorister and musician and ultimately earning a privileged place in the privy chamber. Life at court is not always easy, but his rise has given him two unexpected gifts: a secret, forbidden romance with Mary, Duchess of Richmond, and an unlikely but close bond with the vivacious charmer Sir Francis Weston.
Then Thomas Cromwell prepares to move against Anne Boleyn with the Duke of Norfolk as his ally. When Mary discovers her beloved Mark is in Cromwell’s sights, the pair hatch a plan for him to go to ground until the crisis passes.
But when the plot against the Queen ensnares Francis, Mark decides to risk everything in an audacious, desperate, insane scheme to save the life of his best friend.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 918
- Chapters:
- 1/?
- Kudos:
- 1
- Hits:
- 25
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Sydney, early 1994. Liz Harker gives her successor some frank and fearless advice.
(Sequel to Distant sound of an old symphony)
Series
- Part 5 of Walker Family Melodrama
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After reluctantly answering a distress call from Laura Metcalfe, Stephen realises letting go of Kit isn’t as easy as he thought.
Series
- Part 3 of Now and Then canon-divergent AUs
Recent series
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If this were a film, that would be Liz's cue, and everyone would clap. But it’s real life and no one else here needs to know about the Walker family melodrama.
A series of connected stories exploring Stephen Walker's adulthood from various perspectives, the past trauma and internal struggles he refuses to face, and the fallout of his behaviour on those closest to him.
While each fic sits within the same universe and overall story arc, features the same OCs and may portray the same events from different points of view, they all can be read independently. I write each story as the inspiration strikes, so they're likely to be uploaded out of chronological order and then re-organised. Most of the action in each fic takes place in Melbourne or Sydney - overall, they span the early 1970s to the mid-1990s.
- Words:
- 263,275
- Works:
- 5
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Now and Then canon-divergent AUs by CassandraAstraea
Fandom: Now and Then - William Corlett
09 Sep 2024
Summary
A collection of all my AU fics for this fandom (though most are not otherwise related to each other).
- Words:
- 108,356
- Works:
- 3
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Summary
A collection of broadly canon-compliant and post-canon fics, most of which are from Stephen's POV or heavily Stephen-focused, which incorporate similar themes and aspects of my headcanon (including my version of the characters' backstories and OCs who appear in more than one fic). Each may be read independently - they are not technically sequels or companion pieces to each other. I've ordered them to correspond to the sequence of events in canon, though some span a significant period of time so will overlap.
The series name is borrowed from the Mr Mister song of the same name, and is the working title of a current longfic which is not yet ready for posting. It also seems to fit young Stephen and Kit - and their slightly broken adult selves - perfectly.
- Words:
- 127,958
- Works:
- 5
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Solace in the strangest place (Now and Then AU) by CassandraAstraea
Fandom: Now and Then - William Corlett
28 Dec 2023
Summary
"I felt as if we were linked and ... I knew what was wrong with you. But I did nothing. I've always felt bad about that. ... You were suffering from a broken heart. I knew that at the time. ... I sort of ...lived you. But I did nothing to help you." (Jimmy to Chris, during the second last "Now" chapter)
What if he had? The main longfic explores what might have been. Additional ficlets in the same universe may be added in future as the inspiration strikes.
- Words:
- 82,356
- Works:
- 2
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Impossible Fire by CassandraAstraea
Fandom: 16th Century CE RPF, Queenbreaker Series - Catherine McCarran
25 Feb 2024
Summary
“I knew I’d passed the age of innocence when I fell in love with someone else. ... I doubted. It was certainly not wise. But it was astonishing. It was revelation.”: Mary Howard to Mary Shelton, page 349, Chapter 73, Queenbreaker: Perseverance
Despite the barriers of rank and position, all the factors which make it impossible, two young lovers manage to find each other. And happiness, for a time.
A series of one shots depicting the evolution of Mary and Mark's relationship as inspired by Catherine McCarran's Queenbreaker universe.
- Words:
- 34,331
- Works:
- 6
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Even If You Call It Love by mysaturnhasreturned
Fandoms: The Tudors (TV), The Spanish Princess (TV), 16th Century CE RPF
30 Sep 2025
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Catherine Trastámara, formerly Trastámara-Tudor, has known Anne Tudor (nee Boleyn) for nearly a decade now. She wished she could say she never liked the woman, but that would be a lie. She'd always found her fascinating.
Even when she was sleeping with her husband.
Three years of being divorced didn't make that fact hurt any less. Until she heard the news of Anne's own divorce from their shared husband. Now that, that sweetened it up a little bit.
And when she saw the photos of Henry and the Seymour heiress in the society pages? Catherine couldn't help but think Anne had gotten what came to her.
She thought karma was a bitch, until a chance meeting at the park where Anne was black and blue.
Maybe she wasn't such a bitch.
TLDR; Modern AU!Catherine & Anne navigate a fragile friendship, a divorce, a toddler, and maybe even a romance? All set to Good Luck, Babe! of course
Series
- Part 1 of Saturn's Miscellaneous AUs
Bookmarked by CassandraAstraea
26 Feb 2025
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The Dreadful Things He Longed To Say by manatee_vs_walrus
Fandoms: In Memoriam - Alice Winn, Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery
30 Jun 2023
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Summary
Two dashing young poets share six stolen days on the eve of Armageddon. But their final goodbye is only the beginning.
(Note: Contains major spoilers for In Memoriam and Rilla of Ingleside)
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the crucible of time by veritas temporis filia (regina_mary)
Fandoms: The Tudors (TV), 16th Century CE RPF, The Spanish Princess (TV)
18 May 2022
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there are many different ways a person can shatter under the crucible of time
Bookmarked by CassandraAstraea
04 Mar 2024
Bookmarker's Notes
Read - historical AU, dark, well written character study.
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Example and basic code for making some text hidden or optional on Ao3 using details and summary tags
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Ordinary Time by lightningwaltz for V_V_lala
Fandoms: 13th Century CE Plantagenet Dynasty RPF, 14th Century CE RPF
25 Dec 2023
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Summary
There were many meaningless and polite things Piers could say. It wouldn’t be hard at all. They clattered about his head. Speaking any of them aloud would be an act of self-preservation. There was danger in desiring the good opinion of the king’s heir. But here Edward was, offering kindness as generously as he gifted money to people. And it truly was so, so hard to resist.
Series
- Part 1 of Historical fiction (basically)