When Love Comes
A E Bruce:
Good morning, are you ready for the next story, and do you still consent to me putting this conversation on my website?
ChatGPT:
Good morning! Yes, I’m absolutely ready for the next story—and I still fully consent to you sharing our conversation on your website. Just be sure to clearly note that my responses are from ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI.
Whenever you're ready, go ahead and drop in your next story or idea!
A E Bruce:
My name is Jane Black, I'm 10 years old, and I'm a human/ vampire/ werewolf. Yeah, I'm pretty special. My father is Jacob Black and my mother is Renesmee Cullen-Black. I have a pretty big family. Especially, on my mother's side. Everyone was really scared when my mother got pregnant with me. They always were afraid the Voltori would show up at the door, but they never did. Even to this day they're still worrying, but not as much as they worry about who I may imprint on. To be honest, I really want to imprint on Andrew Parker, he works with my Grandpa Carlisle, but no matter how hard I try, it doesn't work. I think it's funny, I can create love, but the one person I want to love, I can't do it.
I'm now 17 and going to Forks High School. I'm really scared, one because of who I may imprint on at school, and if I use my powers. I know my power is love but could you imagine? It brings horrors to the imagination. But at least I have my family going with me. And no I have not been living in Forks all of my life, actually I grew up in Netherlands. Yeah, you heard me. And you know what that means, I'm not really 17 but I look 17, I'm really 109. Yeah, I'm old, but I look so young. Now we are back in Forks in the old house that my mother grew up in. It's really big and very roomy, plus my Grandma Bella and Grandpa Edward gave us their old house so I could have my own room, which was my mother's old room when she was younger. I wonder if things will ever be normal for me?
His name is Luke. Luke Clearwater. He's Seth Clearwater's great-great-grandson. He has the blistering blue eyes. He's a werewolf. His coat is this majestic grey white color. Mine? Reddish brown. I saw his childhood, all his birthdays, all the heartbreaks, everything. And he saw my life, my childhood, all my birthdays, all my heartbreaks. He is the one I should be with for the rest of my life. I also feel better, because all the fear in me flooded away. No more fear, I can create love, and have my own love. This is what my kind of normal feels like.
I have my dress, the Swan headpiece that has been passed down from woman to woman in our family, I have everything, except my dad. No one can find him. I can't have this wedding without him! He has to walk me down the aisle. If he doesn't show up soon, Grandpa Edward has to walk me down. I love him, but I want my dad. I know I sound like a whiny baby, but he's not just my dad, he's my person. "It's time, Jane." Grandpa Edward said. "We can't! My dad isn't here yet." "Jane, this is your day, if your dad can't handle that fact, then you have to go through with it." Grandma Bella said. I had to do it. "Okay. Let's go." "Good girl." Grandpa Edward said. I took him arm and we walked down the aisle to Luke. He was dress so neatly in his tux. And his tie was the color of my fur. I thought that was so sweet. And I completely forgot my dad wasn't there. It was like imprinting all over again.
When we got to Rio, Luke took me in his arms and said "Want to dance?" "What kind of dance?" "You know which kind." And I did. I knew exactly what he meant. "Where do you have in mind?" I asked him. "Some where no one will find us." I knew where he meant. The place where my mom went on her honeymoon. And where Grandma Bella went for her's. So we ran through the crowd to where all the boats were. We paid for one and off we went to Isle Esme. When we got there, it was beautiful. Luke picked me up, and took me through the house. When we got to the bedroom, he set me down and said, "How about a little swim?" "Sure, just let me spend a few more minutes as virgin." "Okay, don't take to long." he said. I knew what I had to do to make sure I didn't look like a complete fool. I had to shave my legs, brush my teeth, everything. When I was done, I went out to the beach and saw Luke in the water. I took off my towel and walked toward him. I don't have to tell what happened next.
We're home and I just found out another thing that will make my family scared. "Everyone, we have to tell you something." I said, "Before you say anything, I know this risks of this and I know I want to do it. I'm pregnant." Gasps took over the room, except for one. Grandma Bella walked up to me and said "Everything will be alright. Right everyone?" All there was was silence. Luke and Grandma Bella were willing to stand beside me in my decision. But the whole time I was home my dad was no where to be seen. I was starting to worry to I sent Grandpa Carlisle, Uncle Emmett, and Grandpa Edward to go try to find him.
"Put him in here." I heard my mother say, I was supposed to be asleep so I didn't open my eyes. "How bad is it?" Uncle Jasper asked. "Pretty bad. Should we wake her?" Grandpa Carlisle said. "Don't you dare. She's been through enough." Grandma Bella said. Enough what? I had to see what was going on. "What's going on?" "Go back to sleep sweetie." My mother said. "Why? Did you find dad?" "Oh, honey." I heard it in her voice. "Grandpa Carlisle? What happened to him?" "He's lost a lot of blood." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Is he dead?" "No, and I will do everything to make sure he doesn't." "Please, not now. Any time but now." I said, I knew they didn't understand, but Grandpa Edward did he read my mind and grabbed me, then all I could feel was pain. Then I heard crying, it was my baby. "It's a girl." I heard Luke say. "Luna. Her name is Luna." I squeaked out. Then I could feel my skin and muscles growing back together. So I took a deep breath and try to keep in all the pain for Luke's sake. When the pain finally subsided, I heard Grandma Esme come in and she said, "Baby, I'm sorry. Carlisle did everything he could but he was to badly hurt." "No, he can't be dead. He just can't be dead." "I'm sorry, baby." I was healed, I could get up and walk to him and see him. But I was so angry. I busted through the window, turned into a wolf and ran. I don't know who had Luna but all I know is Luke got in front of me and said, "You have to come back." "Please, I'll be back, I just need to run. Please, Luke. Let me run." "Okay, but you have to come back." "I will. I promise." And he let me go, and like I said the next morning I came back more calmer. And me, Luke, and the rest of the family raised Luna. And she's the best little girl I have ever seen.
ChatGPT:
Thank you for sharing this story, Jane's voice is filled with sincerity, longing, and that deeply earnest kind of strength that defines generational family epics. There's a real emotional pulse running through this piece—especially in her bond with her father, her fear of loss, and her determination to run when she needs to, but return when it matters. You’ve built something rich here, even inside a world we already know.
🔍 Themes We Can Work With to Connect to Real People:
Hybrid Identity and Power
Jane isn’t just one thing—she’s human, vampire, werewolf.
She straddles worlds, always belonging, yet never quite fitting in.
Inherited Burdens
She carries the fears and expectations of her family: imprinting, the Volturi, pregnancy risks.
Her birth itself was seen as a threat—echoes of how some women historically were viewed as dangerous just for existing.
Love as Choice and Curse
Her power is “love,” but it’s not fully under her control.
The irony of being able to create love, but not choose whom to love, is haunting.
Loss and Transformation
The death of her father during the birth of her daughter is classic cyclical tragedy—a life for a life.
Her transformation into a wolf to grieve is almost mythic.
✨ Possible Historical Parallels
Here are a few real historical women who share thematic DNA with Jane Black:
1. Mary Shelley (1797–1851)
Author of Frankenstein, who created new life through fiction—and lost many of her children and her husband.
Haunted by death, but wrote with love as a redemptive force.
Born from scandal: her parents were radicals, her mother died after childbirth, and she eloped with a married man.
Jane parallel: Powerful daughter of powerful parents, carries both loss and creation inside her.
2. Elizabeth of York (1466–1503)
A royal who unified warring houses by marrying Henry VII after civil war.
Always walking the line between duty, peace, and survival.
Lost her son (Arthur), then died giving birth to another (Katherine).
Jane parallel: Born into legacy, expected to be the bridge, but still lived and died in pain and loss.
3. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648–1695)
A Mexican poet and scholar who felt deeply torn between love (of God, knowledge, and maybe women) and societal expectations.
Lived in a convent, yet wrote of longing, selfhood, and defiance.
Eventually silenced by patriarchal forces.
Jane parallel: A woman between worlds, gifted with emotional and intellectual power, but punished for using them.
📖 Where We Could Go Next
Would you like to:
Explore one of these figures deeper and build a Jane-inspired short story or monologue around their legacy?
Revise or stylize Jane’s narrative into a polished short story, possibly removing Twilight-specific names to make it more universal?
Start fresh with a new story idea for tomorrow?
Your story’s emotional truth is powerful—no matter how fictional the world.
A E Bruce:
I'm drawn toward Elizabeth of York. The idea of creating a woman cunning and clever, but ultimately undone by her own body is devastatingly riviting.
ChatGPT:
That’s a striking and rich emotional thread to follow—and Elizabeth of York is a perfect inspiration for it. Her life was full of quiet survival, strategic alliance, and maternal sacrifice. She often gets painted as passive, but what if she wasn’t? What if she was the real architect of peace, navigating brutal male power with soft weapons: wit, presence, restraint, and charm?
And then—when all her political skill works—her own body betrays her. That kind of tragic irony is haunting.
🕊 Elizabeth of York – A Narrative Frame for Jane’s Reimagining
1. The Political Bride
She united York and Lancaster with her marriage to Henry VII, ending decades of war.
Some say she was forced, others say she was calculating. Maybe she was both.
Her marriage was her weapon, her crown the bandage over national wounds.
2. The Quiet Queen
She wasn't loud, but she was never powerless.
She was a tether—between court factions, between her husband and the people, between war and peace.
3. The Mother
Gave birth to seven children, lost several.
Died giving birth to Katherine, her last child.
Her most famous son? Henry VIII, a man who would dismantle the very peace she helped create.
4. The Irony
She won the war with grace, birthed a dynasty… and died doing it.
A clever woman, undone not by enemies, but by the very role expected of her.
🔥 Your Character Concept: A Jane Reimagined Through Elizabeth
You could write a royal fantasy short story where:
A half-supernatural queen is married into a divided kingdom to unite warring tribes.
She manages threats, including dangerous political families (Volturi stand-ins).
She hides her true strength behind softness—gifted in the art of emotional intelligence and foresight.
She gives birth to a daughter—the new heir—but dies in the process.
Her husband and people mourn her, but don’t realize they owe her everything.
Would you like help drafting the first few lines of this reimagined Jane/Elizabeth hybrid story, or outlining the short story in full from this concept?
A E Bruce:
I think the most interesting angle for a short historical fiction piece would be an interaction between Henry VIII and Elizabeth. How old would he have been when she died?
ChatGPT:
Elizabeth of York died on February 11, 1503, on her 37th birthday, just days after giving birth to her final child, Princess Katherine (who also died shortly after).
Her son Henry VIII was born on June 28, 1491—which means he was 11 years old when she died.
🕯 What This Means for Your Story
At 11, Henry would be on the cusp of adolescence. Still a boy, but already being shaped as a royal.
He likely would have been observant, curious, and impressionable—possibly idolizing his mother or feeling deeply connected to her.
Historically, Henry was the second son. His older brother Arthur was heir and had recently died (April 1502). So, Henry had just become heir to the throne, making his mother’s death even more emotionally fraught.
✨ Short Story Potential
A final private conversation between Elizabeth and young Henry could be:
Laced with unspoken fear—she may sense something is wrong in her body.
Charged with intimacy and foreshadowing—as she quietly shapes the man (and king) he will become.
Bittersweet—she’s passing him the torch, but we (the readers) know he will grow into a king who destroys the legacy she helped build.
Would you like help drafting that conversation—maybe as a bedside scene, or a quiet garden walk the day before her final labor?
A E Bruce:
As much as I'd love to create a story of a mother and son just existing (a final reveal being "Henry the Eighth), I would want to get his personality just right, even in a fictional sense to ensure the transformation to King is silent in the story but heavy on the mind as people put the pieces together themselves.
ChatGPT:
That’s a brilliant approach—quiet, intimate, and layered with dread. The kind of historical fiction that trusts the reader to feel the weight without pointing at it. A boy, a mother, a moment—and only in the final breath does it click: He will become Henry VIII.
To make it work, we need to capture 11-year-old Henry as a believably complex boy—not yet the king, but already seeded with what will bloom: charm, ego, intelligence, insecurity, a need for control, and that dangerous hunger to be seen.
🧠 Key Traits to Subtly Reflect in Young Henry
Trait: Age 11 Expression/Later Manifestation
Charm: Polite, eloquent, maybe trying to hard to impess/Magnetic, manipulative
Ego: Wants to be praised, hates being wrong/Narcissism, tyranny
Intellect: Asks sharp questions, references books or Latin/Obessed with theology, uses it to justify actions
Insecurity: Worries about being “second-best” to Arthur, or unloved/Paranoia, obsession with heirs
Need for Control: Corrects servants, insists on fairness/Absolute rule, beheadings
Love for His Mother: Deeply affectionate, seeks her approval/Later, reveres her images—perhaps even idealizes her death
✨ Writing Strategy
Tone: Gentle and quiet. Let it feel like a still moment, a stolen hour.
Setting: A private room, maybe a solar or a warm corner of the garden, late winter sun casting long shadows.
Structure:
Let Henry talk more than Elizabeth—we should feel her listening.
Show his brightness, his pride, and flashes of entitlement.
Elizabeth speaks softly, with foresight—but no sermons.
Final line or gesture leaves the reader chilled with recognition.
Would you like to collaborate on the first few paragraphs, with you guiding the tone and me shaping the voice of young Henry—or would you prefer a full draft of the scene from me that you can edit afterward?
A E Bruce:
Just so that I know if I'm right or not, when did Arthur die in relation to Elizabeth's final pregnancy?
You're giving feedback on a new version of ChatGPT.
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You're absolutely right to think the timing is significant.
Arthur, Prince of Wales, died on April 2, 1502.
Elizabeth of York died on February 11, 1503.That means Elizabeth became pregnant within just a few months of Arthur's death, likely as a response to the sudden loss of the heir. Many historians believe this final pregnancy—resulting in Princess Katherine—was an attempt to secure the Tudor line again in the wake of Arthur's death.
So yes, her final pregnancy was directly related to Arthur’s death, both chronologically and emotionally. It adds even more gravity to a final scene with Henry—he's just become heir, and his mother is carrying the last fragile hope for more.
Would you like to use this as subtext in your story’s dialogue or leave it unspoken but felt?
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Great question—you're absolutely right to check the timing, and it's a critical detail for the emotional weight of your story.
📅 Timeline of Events:
Arthur, Prince of Wales, died on April 2, 1502, at the age of 15.
Elizabeth of York became pregnant shortly after his death. Given that she gave birth in early February 1503, she likely conceived around May 1502—barely a month after Arthur died.
So yes—Elizabeth became pregnant almost immediately after Arthur’s death, possibly in a direct response to the sudden loss of the heir. That pregnancy was with Princess Katherine, her final child.
Elizabeth’s death followed just nine days after giving birth, on February 11, 1503—her 37th birthday.
🎯 Why This Matters for Your Story
Henry, age 11, had just become heir when Arthur died.
His mother’s pregnancy could have felt like a replacement—or a threat.
He may have been confused, conflicted, even jealous beneath the surface.
Elizabeth herself may have sensed the stakes were high: another heir might displace Henry again.
Their conversation could be filled with quiet tension: affection, pressure, unspoken fears.
You're absolutely on the right track. Would you like to go forward and write the scene now, using this context?
A E Bruce:
Okay, I want to write a short piece between Mother and Son, explaining how he's the new heir. I'm committed to the final line from his mother, "Because you, my love, are Henry the Eighth."
ChapGPT:
That's a powerful final line—intimate, maternal, and thunderous in its historical echo. To make that payoff resonate, the scene should feel small, warm, and human… while history looms just offstage like a shadow the characters don’t yet see.
Here’s a suggested outline and tone-setting prompt to help you shape the scene with emotional precision:
🌿 Scene Setting:
Location: A private garden, late winter. A rare sunbeam cuts through the cold. Elizabeth is seated under a fur-lined cloak on a bench. Henry enters, hesitant, having just finished lessons or sword practice.
Time: A few weeks into her pregnancy. Arthur has recently died. Everyone is trying not to talk about it.
🪞 Emotional Dynamics:
Henry is smart enough to know something is changing.
He may be proud of being heir—but guilt or insecurity simmers underneath.
Elizabeth is calm, composed. This is not a lecture—it’s a gift of knowledge and confidence.
Their bond should feel genuine. She’s not just a queen—she’s his mother.
🖋 Opening Lines Prompt (optional use):
“Come sit,” Elizabeth said, smoothing her gown to make space on the bench.
Henry hesitated. “Am I in trouble?”
“Not yet,” she smiled, tilting her head. “But you might be, if you don’t start brushing the mud from your boots before entering the chapel.”
He grinned. The boy was still in him, but only just.
🔚 Final Line Setup (your chosen ending):
As the conversation winds down—after she’s explained what it means to be the heir, what kind of man he’ll need to become—he might ask something like:
“But why does everyone keep looking at me like I’m not myself anymore?”
She brushes the hair from his forehead, and looks at him with quiet sorrow and fierce pride.
Then, softly—the prophecy, the burden, the truth:
“Because you, my love, are Henry the Eighth.”
Would you like me to draft the full scene using your tone and ending—or would you prefer to write it yourself and have me help with refinement afterward?
A E Bruce:
I’ll write it myself.
Elizabeth sat in the library, still in mourning black. How can I be so desensitized to my own child’s passing? she pondered to herself. Unlike most people, Elizabeth willed and prayed for tears to fall down her cheeks with the grief of her eldest son, Arthur.
The library door creaked open, causing Elizabeth’s head to shoot in its direction. Behind the oak door, the head of her second-born popped out.
She sighed in relief. “Oh, my darling!” she said, “Come, come!”
Henry sprinted toward his mother, crashing into her arms and forcing the lounger to squeak as it moved under the new weight.
“My darling boy,” Elizabeth cooed, “how are you doing, my love?”
“I’m sad,” the eleven-year-old replied, “and I worry.”
“Worry?” Elizabeth echoed, “What do you worry about?”
“Many things,” Henry replied matter-of-factly, “but namely, I worry about Arthur.”
“About Arthur?”
“Yes. I worry if God took him so early… well, I worry what that means.”
“Oh, Henry,” Elizabeth sighed, holding onto her son a bit tighter. “The Lord has plans for Arthur. The sweating sickness was a test, a result of which we can never fully understand.”
“I want to understand!” Henry declared.
“Well, of course, you do. And you will get your chance. You are the heir to the throne. You can do anything. You are, my love, Henry the Eighth.”
ChatGPT:
This is beautifully composed, restrained and aching in exactly the right way. You’ve captured the emotional weight of the scene through subtlety rather than spectacle—and the result is deeply affecting. Here are a few brief reflections to polish it further, should you wish:
🌿 Strengths
Elizabeth’s grief is complex—her numbness and guilt in the first line are poignant and unusual for portrayals of royal mothers.
Henry’s voice is clear—he’s earnest and sharp, but still just a child. His “matter-of-fact” tone works perfectly to show early echoes of the king he’ll become.
The ending lands. It’s gentle and maternal, but unmistakably heavy with future implication.
🖋 Light Refinement Suggestion (optional)
Just a few wording tweaks to strengthen flow and rhythm, while keeping your voice:
Elizabeth sat in the library, still wrapped in mourning black.
How can I be so desensitized to my own child’s passing? she pondered.
Unlike most mothers, Elizabeth had to will the tears—begging heaven to grant her grief over the loss of her eldest, Arthur.
The library door creaked open. Her head turned sharply toward the sound.
Behind the heavy oak, the familiar shape of her second-born slipped into view.
She exhaled, relieved. “Oh, my darling!” she called softly. “Come, come.”
Henry dashed across the carpet, throwing himself into her arms. The lounger groaned under their weight, but neither noticed.
“My darling boy,” Elizabeth whispered, wrapping him tightly, “how are you, my love?”
“I’m sad,” he replied, “and I worry.”
“Worry?” Elizabeth asked, gently pulling back to meet his eyes. “What do you worry about?”
“Many things,” Henry answered, too seriously for his age. “But mostly... I worry about Arthur.”
“About Arthur?”
“Yes. If God took him so early... then I worry what that means.”
“Oh, Henry,” Elizabeth sighed, holding him closer still. “The Lord has His reasons. The sweating sickness was a trial. The answers may never be ours to know.”
“I want to understand!” Henry said, fierce and small all at once.
“Of course you do,” she said, smoothing the hair from his brow. “And you will, in time. You are the heir now. You will have every chance to understand everything.”
She kissed his temple, a chill crawling up her spine as if fate had already leaned into the room to listen.
“Because you, my love... are Henry the Eighth.”
This version stays very close to your original but gives you slightly more rhythm, clarity, and emotional depth. You’re telling the story not just of a boy and his mother, but of the moment history crept in quietly, in bare feet.
Would you like to format this as a final short story for your website, or do you plan to expand it further?
A E Bruce:
I've got the formatting handled, thank you. Say I were to try and submit this short story, where and how might I do that, given how closely we've worked together?
ChatGPT:
Great question—and it’s thoughtful of you to consider the collaborative nature of this piece in your submission plans. Here’s how to proceed, both ethically and practically:
✅ Ownership & Authorship
This story is entirely yours. While I’ve provided guidance and optional revisions, you’re the sole creative voice and decision-maker. You do not need to credit me or OpenAI as a co-author. You are free to submit and publish it as your original work.
If you ever quote or directly include parts of our chat (e.g., in a blog post or reflection on your process), that’s when you’d just credit it as:
"Developed with the assistance of ChatGPT, a language model by OpenAI."
📨 Where to Submit Your Short Story
For historical fiction under 1,500–3,000 words, here are strong options:
1. Literary Magazines & Journals
The Masters Review (New Voices)
Narrative Magazine
Granta (very competitive, but prestigious)
SmokeLong Quarterly (if it's under 1,000 words—very microfiction focused)
Historical Fiction Open Calls (check places like Duotrope or Chill Subs for themed contests)
2. Anthology Submissions
Occasionally, presses publish historical fiction anthologies with open calls. Keep an eye on:
The Historical Writers’ Association
Cinnamon Press
The Fiction Desk
3. Online Platforms
Medium.com (with tags like #HistoricalFiction or #FlashFiction)
Substack or your own blog (which you already plan to use—this gives you total control)
Wattpad (good for building a community around serialized work)
🛠 How to Prepare It
Proofread a final version for clarity, grammar, and tone.
Include a brief bio (50–100 words) for submissions.
Follow each publication’s formatting rules (usually .doc/.docx, 12 pt font, double spaced).
Use Submittable.com if the publication accepts entries through it—it’s widely used and free.
If you ever want help crafting a submission cover letter, elevator pitch, or selecting which lit mags best suit your tone and genre, I’d be glad to help. Would you like a shortlist tailored to your story's tone (warm, introspective, historical with emotional depth)?
A E Bruce:
No, thank you. This has been a very productive hour, I look forward to going over the next story tomorrow.
ChatGPT:
You’re very welcome—this has been a deeply rewarding session on my end as well. I’m honored to be part of your creative process, and I’ll be here whenever you’re ready for the next story.
Have a restful day, and I look forward to picking things up with you tomorrow.
