Fic: Stargazing
Nov. 4th, 2012 09:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meridian_roseTitle: Stargazing
Fandom: Original
'Verse/Series: Kat
Pairing/Characters: Kat, Cal
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1014
Beta by:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dorothydeath
Prompt: For the![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
cottoncandy_bingo prompt 'admission/confession'
Summary: pre-Tour, Kat confides her ambitions to Cal, and he makes an admission about his own future plans
Warnings: None
index page: DW / LJ
"There's the Star of the Empress," Kat said. She was lying on her back under the night sky. She and Cal had been walking though the woods back towards her grandmother's cottage. It was a warm evening and Kat had wanted to stop in a clearing and enjoy the scenery for a time. They'd talked for a while, until Kat had seen the Little Bull appear from behind a cloud. They'd been staring at sky ever since, heedless of getting leaves and dirt on their clothes or hair.
"I can only see the tip of the Unicorn's Horn," Cal said. He was lying next to her, and lifted one hand to point. "There's the Dragon's Tail though."
They both knew all the stories about the constellations and, in theory, how to use the stars for the mundane but practical purpose of finding their way by night. Sometimes Cal would recount one of his favourite tales but tonight he seemed more pensive than talkative. Kat reached out and took Cal's hand. She frowned. "You're cold." She was wearing one of her heavier cloaks, while he'd come out without any sort of cloak or outer-garment.
"Only a little. It's worth it sometimes, to see the stars. We haven't done this in ages."
Kat bit her lip. Since becoming Queen Gloriana Katerina, she hadn't spent much time with Cal at all. There'd been documents to sign, and feasts to attend, and a number of other duties that she was sure the Council were giving her just to make her regret her insistence on taking the throne. Finally things were settling down though, and she'd slipped away from the castle to visit her grandmother earlier that evening. As far as everyone but Honor knew, she was in her bedchamber, having an early night.
After a meal with Mairenne, Kat had gone out to Cal's mother's house, hoping he would be there and not back at the Citadel. It said a lot about the past week that she'd completely lost track of him for longer than a day.
He was there, and had been glad to see her. They'd gone for a walk down to the river and skimmed stones, and visited their favourite tree – which they were not going to climb in the middle of the night, Kat insisted. The stargazing was the cherry on top of the cake.
"I know I've been busy, but I'll make it up to you," she said. "There's just been so much to do. Being queen is harder than I thought." Sometimes she was not surprised that her great-great-grandmother had married quickly rather than attempt to hold the throne for herself. Yet Kat also had a certain amount of contempt for Mabelle for giving in so easily.
"Why don't you just marry Honor?" Cal asked. He wasn't necessarily being serious, but Kat found herself unable to answer immediately, let alone flippantly, as she wanted to.
Her relationship with Honor was complex. He adored her, and she cared deeply about him, but they rarely dared to discuss their feelings. Kat could not marry and keep the throne, and Honor was her most ardent supporter in that endeavour. True, he would probably make a good High King, and likely rule with her as a true queen rather than a figurehead. Yet he was sometimes too conservative – his priority was to do things the right way, where Kat's instincts were to try to do what she felt was the right thing, regardless of existing laws or customs. They'd argue, and as High King, he would have the final say. Slowly but surely his guilt over usurping her position and her anger at his traditionalism would poison their relationship.
No. Marriage, even to Honor, would be disastrous.
"Because I want to be High Queen," Kat said at last.
"You think the Council will let you?"
Kat felt righteous anger run through her veins at the thought that the Council could prevent her from taking the title. "I think if Elias and Briana back my claim with the correct legal documents, the rest of the Council will have no choice."
Cal squeezed her hand. "I'm helping Elias with the papers."
"I know." Kat let go of his hand and rolled onto her side. She rested her head upon Cal's shoulder and he moved his hand to hold her close. "Maybe I should just marry you," she teased.
Cal laughed. "Really?"
"Yes. I'm thinking the idea of my marrying a commoner of such dubious character might cause some of the more obstinate Council members to drop dead in shock." She giggled and nuzzled at him, showing she meant no offence.
Cal wasn't offended, which she expected. She was surprised, however, when he said thoughtfully, "I don't think I'll ever marry."
"Truly?"
"To be with one person all of my life? To have sex with only one person ever after? To worry that I might kiss someone else too passionately and be accused of adultery? No. I don’t want that."
Kat placed her hand on his chest and he moved his free hand to cover it. They were both cold now, despite their proximity. They'd have to move soon, but Kat wasn't ready to let this admission go without comment.
"It's not always like that," she said, though she was trying to convince herself as much as Cal. "Outside of the Citadel, marriage means other things. There's a whole world out there. I'll show you, when we go on the Grand Tour."
"So now you're taking the Tour as well? That's ambitious."
Kat smiled. "I'm a very determined woman."
"Yes, you are. Wait, did you say you were taking me on the Tour?"
Kat slipped out of his grasp and sat up. "Maybe," she said slyly. "If you're good. Now walk me home, Callaghan."
He scrambled to his knees and bowed his head. "Yes, your majesty."
Kat laughed. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I couldn't ever forget about you, Cal," she said softly. "Come on. Let's go and see if my grandmother will make us some chocolate."
Fandom: Original
'Verse/Series: Kat
Pairing/Characters: Kat, Cal
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1014
Beta by:
dorothydeathPrompt: For the
cottoncandy_bingo prompt 'admission/confession'Summary: pre-Tour, Kat confides her ambitions to Cal, and he makes an admission about his own future plans
Warnings: None
index page: DW / LJ
"There's the Star of the Empress," Kat said. She was lying on her back under the night sky. She and Cal had been walking though the woods back towards her grandmother's cottage. It was a warm evening and Kat had wanted to stop in a clearing and enjoy the scenery for a time. They'd talked for a while, until Kat had seen the Little Bull appear from behind a cloud. They'd been staring at sky ever since, heedless of getting leaves and dirt on their clothes or hair.
"I can only see the tip of the Unicorn's Horn," Cal said. He was lying next to her, and lifted one hand to point. "There's the Dragon's Tail though."
They both knew all the stories about the constellations and, in theory, how to use the stars for the mundane but practical purpose of finding their way by night. Sometimes Cal would recount one of his favourite tales but tonight he seemed more pensive than talkative. Kat reached out and took Cal's hand. She frowned. "You're cold." She was wearing one of her heavier cloaks, while he'd come out without any sort of cloak or outer-garment.
"Only a little. It's worth it sometimes, to see the stars. We haven't done this in ages."
Kat bit her lip. Since becoming Queen Gloriana Katerina, she hadn't spent much time with Cal at all. There'd been documents to sign, and feasts to attend, and a number of other duties that she was sure the Council were giving her just to make her regret her insistence on taking the throne. Finally things were settling down though, and she'd slipped away from the castle to visit her grandmother earlier that evening. As far as everyone but Honor knew, she was in her bedchamber, having an early night.
After a meal with Mairenne, Kat had gone out to Cal's mother's house, hoping he would be there and not back at the Citadel. It said a lot about the past week that she'd completely lost track of him for longer than a day.
He was there, and had been glad to see her. They'd gone for a walk down to the river and skimmed stones, and visited their favourite tree – which they were not going to climb in the middle of the night, Kat insisted. The stargazing was the cherry on top of the cake.
"I know I've been busy, but I'll make it up to you," she said. "There's just been so much to do. Being queen is harder than I thought." Sometimes she was not surprised that her great-great-grandmother had married quickly rather than attempt to hold the throne for herself. Yet Kat also had a certain amount of contempt for Mabelle for giving in so easily.
"Why don't you just marry Honor?" Cal asked. He wasn't necessarily being serious, but Kat found herself unable to answer immediately, let alone flippantly, as she wanted to.
Her relationship with Honor was complex. He adored her, and she cared deeply about him, but they rarely dared to discuss their feelings. Kat could not marry and keep the throne, and Honor was her most ardent supporter in that endeavour. True, he would probably make a good High King, and likely rule with her as a true queen rather than a figurehead. Yet he was sometimes too conservative – his priority was to do things the right way, where Kat's instincts were to try to do what she felt was the right thing, regardless of existing laws or customs. They'd argue, and as High King, he would have the final say. Slowly but surely his guilt over usurping her position and her anger at his traditionalism would poison their relationship.
No. Marriage, even to Honor, would be disastrous.
"Because I want to be High Queen," Kat said at last.
"You think the Council will let you?"
Kat felt righteous anger run through her veins at the thought that the Council could prevent her from taking the title. "I think if Elias and Briana back my claim with the correct legal documents, the rest of the Council will have no choice."
Cal squeezed her hand. "I'm helping Elias with the papers."
"I know." Kat let go of his hand and rolled onto her side. She rested her head upon Cal's shoulder and he moved his hand to hold her close. "Maybe I should just marry you," she teased.
Cal laughed. "Really?"
"Yes. I'm thinking the idea of my marrying a commoner of such dubious character might cause some of the more obstinate Council members to drop dead in shock." She giggled and nuzzled at him, showing she meant no offence.
Cal wasn't offended, which she expected. She was surprised, however, when he said thoughtfully, "I don't think I'll ever marry."
"Truly?"
"To be with one person all of my life? To have sex with only one person ever after? To worry that I might kiss someone else too passionately and be accused of adultery? No. I don’t want that."
Kat placed her hand on his chest and he moved his free hand to cover it. They were both cold now, despite their proximity. They'd have to move soon, but Kat wasn't ready to let this admission go without comment.
"It's not always like that," she said, though she was trying to convince herself as much as Cal. "Outside of the Citadel, marriage means other things. There's a whole world out there. I'll show you, when we go on the Grand Tour."
"So now you're taking the Tour as well? That's ambitious."
Kat smiled. "I'm a very determined woman."
"Yes, you are. Wait, did you say you were taking me on the Tour?"
Kat slipped out of his grasp and sat up. "Maybe," she said slyly. "If you're good. Now walk me home, Callaghan."
He scrambled to his knees and bowed his head. "Yes, your majesty."
Kat laughed. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I couldn't ever forget about you, Cal," she said softly. "Come on. Let's go and see if my grandmother will make us some chocolate."
no subject
Date: 2012-11-04 09:56 am (UTC)BB, I love this so much!! :D *FLAILS*
It's an awesome story! :D And covers an extremely important point! :D
I'm totally in love with it! :D
no subject
Date: 2012-11-04 01:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-04 01:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-04 06:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-05 01:39 am (UTC)Her relationship with Honor was complex. He adored her, and she cared deeply about him, but they rarely dared to discuss their feelings. Kat could not marry and keep the throne, and Honor was her most ardent supporter in that endeavour. True, he would probably make a good High King, and likely rule with her as a true queen rather than a figurehead. Yet he was sometimes too conservative – his priority was to do things the right way, where Kat's instincts were to try to do what she felt was the right thing, regardless of existing laws or customs. They'd argue, and as High King, he would have the final say. Slowly but surely his guilt over usurping her position and her anger at his traditionalism would poison their relationship.
Fascinating to see Kat's complicated feelings about Honor :) It's definitely a hard situation for both of them. Now I'm wondering about Honor's opinion on these issues!
no subject
Date: 2012-11-05 05:24 pm (UTC)Maybe I'll have to think about what Honor would say :D