Chapter Text
Anthony is Edmunds beloved bastard child. he is more significantly older than his siblings than is canon (Ages :S=17-19, A:17-19, B:10, C:8, D:6, E:4, F:2, G&H:0) Because A is a reminder that Edmund had a previous relationship, Violet does not like him. She is not actively cruel, but she isn’t kind either. When Edmund dies in A’s late teens violet completely drops the ball on caring for her kids. She wasn’t an amazing mother to begin with but it definitely gets worse. She gives birth to Greg and Hyacinth (they’re twins in this) sometime fairly shortly after Ed dies. With violet basically nonexistent just hiding in her room and when she is not there she is physically abusive. A has to step in to care for all the kids. Ed was a good father but not super stellar with money, so there isn’t enough money really for a full time nanny/governess or whatever, so A is more hands on than most. His siblings all already adored him so there was no trouble there, but dealing with 2 newborns, 2 toddlers, and 3 kids is a lot especially when he has to manage the estate as well. Neither violet or Ben, who would be the other ones to do it, aren't able. (if A is a bastard than the lordship would be bens, but he is 10 here so it would fall to violet and she's not doing it so it falls to A) A is called home from school when ed dies. ( he still goes to the fancy boarding school if he's a bastard because his dad loves him) but before that he at least makes one friend Simon Bassett. They are best friends. He can have more but that's the important one. A is perpetually tired and getting worried because the money is sort of running out and violet is still not functioning. She is also very weak from having twins. Simon inherits his title at some point during this as well. He is still somewhat against having children and is dreading having to deal with the season. A realizes that the only way for him to be able to support the family is to both secure an advantageous marriage and to get permission from the queen to take full custody of the kids. He knows that it is somewhat scandalous to be a bastard in the ton, but he was given the name, if not the title, and is at least somewhat known. Because he is untitled and has nothing to his name he would move in with whoever he marries and so he also needs someone who is willing and able to take on 7 kids as well. At the beginning of the season for whatever reason S over at the Bridgerton house. He is also a hit with the kids. A and S get to talking, and they end up discussing their problems. A doesn’t bring up Simon as a possibility because he knows that s doesn’t want kids, and he is aware that Simon is much higher socially than a. S realizes though that they can solve both their problems. If he and a get married than s will be off the market and a will have stability and help with the kids. He points out that they are already great friends, and they can always build on it. A is like but what if you find someone you want to be with actually though and s is like well i kind of doubt that will happen but why don’t we give it to the end of the season we will court and then if we both still want to at the end we can get married. (S has always been a bit in love with an and is probably demi) the season progresses and at some point he notices bruises on an and is very concerned. Despite attempts to deflect s learns that v is abusive and is like well fuck our plan we need to get you guys out and so s sort of drags Anthony to the queen to be like hey v is awful a and the kids need to get out, and the queen is like oh well that is not good but unless there are relatives that can take them in the kids are gonna have to stay there because she can’t just put them into a untitled bastards care. (she is not exactly nice, but here she is trying to play matchmaker) of course, if Anthony were to get married I could have the children put into his spouse's care. So s is like well Anthony and i have been courting and i will marry him so can you give permission for a rush order wedding? The queen who has been sort of keeping tabs on them all season is like yes sure and s is like great we will get married as soon as it can be announced. A has been mostly quiet the whole time because he is in the presence of the queen and also no one has come to his defense like that since his dad died and Simons looking pretty hot as he fights for him. Afterward though a is worried that s is throwing away any chance at love because he is blind and sleep deprived and doesn’t see the exceedingly obvious signs that Simon is in love with him. They have a bit of an argument but then suddenly s just proclaims I'm not throwing away anything i love you and always will. Kissing happens. Scene ends with a crying into s’s arms. The wedding happens and lady Danbury is in attendance as well as the sibs. They move out of the Bridgerton house and in with s for the rest of the season. V finally comes to enough to realize that her kids, which are her last link to Edmund, are gone. She makes a huge stink about it and ends up physically assaulting a at an event that she had gone to in an attempt to change public opinion about the situation against an and into her favor. As a result of this the queen is like ok you have no money and are actually insane I'm going to strip the title from the bridgertons and give it to somebody else. The kids end up taking basset as their last name as well, and s names b as heir. They live and grow taking care of the kids and loving each other.