r/EmmaLion

What type of hound is Islington raising at his country estate? I looked up what it could be, but have no idea which to choose.

Foxhound?
Bloodhound?
Harrier? (These catch hares…ahem, rabbit room, anyone?)
Staghound?

I’d love to sketch Izzy >!in the stables nuzzling the new litter.!< (Volume 8 spoiler). But…what kind of hound?

This is also an invitation for real artists to make this scene. Mine will likely be disappointing, but I must practice with something. If one of our more proficient artists created this scene… I would die. Just sayin’.

UNPO Note: This is actually part of a much longer article. I realized after letting a couple of users read through it that breaking it up into pieces would be beneficial since I write more like I’m “talking” than making it for “reading.” So here goes the first section:

From Observer to Participant: Hawkes Joins the Orbit

In Part 1, UNPOwl tracked Hawkes moving from his distant post as an observer of Emma’s life to creating a space within it, particularly at Lapis Lazuli House.

January brings another development.

Hawkes joins the orbit.

Although the Midsummer Night’s Dream Ball is, well, dreamy, it has little to do with our poetry argument.

So UNPOwl is going to skip ahead to Emma’s approaching birthday.

JANUARY: THE BIRTHDAY, THE BOOK, AND THE SHIELD

On January 9, Emma learns during a conversation with Pierce that Hawkes has taken advantage of his question-and-answer session to inform the Alchemy men that her birthday is on the 13th.

Emma attends church on her birthday morning expecting at least THREE poems.

Only to discover that Hawkes is not there.

NO POETRY!

When Emma arrives at Saffronia’s home for what she believes will be an intimate dinner for two, she discovers a surprise third guest.

Hawkes.

Who arrives…

WITHOUT A BOOK.

But wait.

He has also brought an uninvited Pierce along.

There are several theories floating around as to why Hawkes stopped to collect the photographer.

UNPOwl’s theory?

Hawkes was concerned about being exposed.

By Saffronia.

As a close friend, Saffronia would likely notice even the smallest emotional response Hawkes might be having toward Emma.

And Pierce?

Pierce is a STORM.

A force who walks into a room and naturally draws attention.

A rather effective shield against being “read like a book” by a close friend.

Hawkes may, however, have miscalculated.

Because the storm he brought along proceeded to tell the story of just how much thought and attention our vicar had put into selecting Emma’s birthday gift.

And when Emma is presented with her carefully selected rare antique lion necklace,

We see Saffronia’s artistic and perceptive eyes register the response of the two men sitting across from Emma.

One man carefully selected the gift.

The other admires its placement around Emma’s neck.

And Saffronia’s eyes show concern.

Why does any of this matter?

Because making a giant U-turn in one’s behavior—from quoting poetry to NOT quoting poetry—requires a reasonably well-documented explanation.

And this is another piece of evidence suggesting that Hawkes MAY be attempting to exert control over something he has considerably less experience
controlling.

Like… an unpredictable person who will take a crown others reject?

A person who could break a curse?

UNPOwl apologizes.

Maybe the Midnight Summers Dream Ball could be a small part of this.

Because Hawkes could be having…

Feelings…

Of some sort?

Maybe not, but…

📌 Let’s put a pin in “Hawkes MAY be having ‘the feels’” and move forward.

JANUARY 15: THE BOOK SLAMS SHUT

On the 15th, Aunt Eugenia arrives at LLH to reprimand Emma about Christmas.

Shortly into her visit, Hawkes arrives, settles into his “star” chair, and begins to read.

NOTE: UNPOwl will also point out that Islington shows up looking for Hawkes. Interesting that Emma’s house is already becoming a place where people go
looking for Hawkes. But that’s not about a poetry decision, so back we go.

Eugenia refers to Emma as “insignificant” in the presence of both Hawkes and Islington.

Hawkes’s response?

HE SLAMS HIS BOOK SHUT.

UNPOwl asks you:

Is this the behavior of a passive spiritual advisor quietly observing from the sidelines?

Because it looks rather like a physical reaction expressing anger.

Hmmmmmmm.

Hawkes is, by nature, remarkably controlled.

His emotions are generally filtered through restraint, silence, or carefully chosen words.

So when that discipline lapses and we see sudden physical gesture, it tells us something about the emotional weight of what has just been said.

Someone has called Emma insignificant.

And Hawkes is not having it.

How does Hawkes translate his feelings about Eugenia’s diminishing of Emma?

Five days later, Hawkes delivers a message combining Scripture about the sparrow with poetry from Shelley and Coleridge.

He begins with Matthew:

“You are worth more than many sparrows.”

Our vicar, master of blending Scripture and poetry, then moves to the Skylark:

“You have a voice.”

And concludes with the Nightingale:

“Your voice matters even in darkness.”

Note: UNPOwl points out Hawkes the Fox delivers a sermon around birds.(Like a Traitors Road lamp… a fox carrying a bird?)

A beautiful blend of spirit, soul, and mind addressing the harm Hawkes may have felt Eugenia inflicted earlier in the week at Emma’s home.

And what does Emma note in her journal after this carefully constructed sermon?

She mentions that Islington was not in church, but that the door to the vestry was ajar.

So, a sermon that appears to have been crafted by Hawkes to address an event involving Emma earlier in the week is mentioned by Emma…

And in this particular instance, she seems considerably more interested in where Islington is than in the possibility that her vicar has just spent a significant
portion of a sermon arguing against the very concept of her insignificance.

It’s possible Hawkes did not notice that Emma was searching for Islington.

It goes against what we know about Hawkes thus far as he is highly attentive to such things.

But, we will continue blissfully ignoring such things.

For now..

📌 Let’s put a pin in “Hawkes crafts a sermon for Emma, and Emma seems to have missed it.”

And, for the moment, let us assume Hawkes is still operating within the spiritual-advisor/close-friend category that is finding those close friends feelings more intense.    

We are still in the safe zone here.

February may be more revealing.

And much longer which is why UNPOwl divided this up.

See you in 7 days with February.
(Always for Ecstatic M)

Substack Link: https://substack.com/@unfortunatelynamedputridowl/note/p-218820701?r=915djd&utm\_medium=ios&utm\_source=notes-share-action