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meridian_roseSecond five drabbles for the ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
legendland writing marathon. All PG-13, no warnings apply.
Title: Storm
Prompt: Thunderstorm
Word Count: 169
They took shelter in a cave just before the rain began coming down in sheets. Thunder rolled across the landscape and Cara saw a flash of lightening as she peered outside.
"Cara, come inside," Kahlan fussed. "Richard's got the fire going and we can have something to eat while we're warm and dry."
"They say there was a thunderstorm the night Darken Rahl was born," Cara said suddenly. "That the skies turned black and rivers burst their banks from the downpours. Lightning struck the northern tower of the People's Palace and at the D'Haran-Midlands border, a monument to the Creator was split in half. It was the worst storm in centuries and people feared it was the end of the world."
Richard turned questioning eyes to Zedd.
"There was a storm in D'Hara that night," Zedd agreed shortly. "A bad one. But I wouldn't go so far as to say it seemed apocalyptic. That's an exaggeration."
Cara glared at him. "I'm just repeating the stories. Mord'Sith do not exaggerate."
Title: Siblings
Prompt: - siblings/childhood
Word Count: 106
Richard didn't want to be the Chosen One, the One True Seeker. He wasn't going to run from his destiny, but he'd never have chosen this life for himself.
He would never have wanted Michael to hate him for being 'special'.
He would never have chosen to be fated to kill Darken.
He would have loved to have grown up alongside Jennsen.
He knew Zedd had a somewhat difficult relationship with his own brother, Richard's grand-uncle Thaddicus Zorander.
He knew Kahlan loved Dennee, even though her soul now resided in another's body.
Richard wished they had all had more conventional and loving relationships with their siblings.
Title: Better Than Steel
Prompt: - Blade
Word Count: 120
Richard's weapon of choice was the Sword of Truth, a sharp blade which he wielded expertly and with steely authority.
Kahlan's powers of Confession were impressive, but she also carried two daggers and she was a blur of hair, sleeves, and metal when she fought.
Cara kept a knife in her boot because sometimes a knife was useful for cutting vines or skinning prey, though an axe was preferable when it came to firewood. But her favourite weapon was her agiel. It might be a blunt instrument and it might not draw blood, but it was as effective as any edged weapon, and could rarely be turned against her. She wouldn't exchange it, not even for the Sword of Truth.
Title: Persuasion
Prompt: - Zedd, persimmon, Shota
Word Count: 174
"No!"
Shota put her hands on her hips. "Whenever you seek me out, you expect me to listen to you, and to cooperate."
"Go away," Zedd told her.
The next day, Shota arrived at the camp wearing very little. Richard nearly choked on his breakfast.
"Zeddicus," Shota purred, but Zedd shook his head.
"NO!"
Two days later the group rounded a bend in the road and found Shota sitting on a blanket with a delicious picnic laid out.
For a moment, Zedd wavered but then he lifted his chin and walked straight past her. The others followed, though not without a few backward glances at the food.
The next morning, Zedd told Richard that he was going to go and help Shota.
"I thought you told her no," Richard said. He glanced over at Shota who was waiting for Zedd with a triumphant grin on her face. "What did you do to him?"
Shota extended one hand to show Richard a wonderfully ripe persimmon nestled in her palm. Richard sighed. He should have known.
Title: To My Mistress
Prompt: - Leather
Word Count: 119
My mistress you are oh so clever
Fetching in your blood red leather
Punish me, for I deserve it
I love you though I am not worthy
Touch my skin with your Agiel
Revel in my anguished scream
Let me bend to kiss your boot
I belong to you, there's no dispute
When I sleep I dream of you
It is you I look up to
Tell me you are pleased with me
And I will weep on bended knee
Delighted to have earned your praise
Happy to have learned your ways
My deepest wish is for you to
Change your leathers to a snow white hue
Showing that you feel the same
That I am yours, for always.
legendland writing marathon. All PG-13, no warnings apply.Title: Storm
Prompt: Thunderstorm
Word Count: 169
They took shelter in a cave just before the rain began coming down in sheets. Thunder rolled across the landscape and Cara saw a flash of lightening as she peered outside.
"Cara, come inside," Kahlan fussed. "Richard's got the fire going and we can have something to eat while we're warm and dry."
"They say there was a thunderstorm the night Darken Rahl was born," Cara said suddenly. "That the skies turned black and rivers burst their banks from the downpours. Lightning struck the northern tower of the People's Palace and at the D'Haran-Midlands border, a monument to the Creator was split in half. It was the worst storm in centuries and people feared it was the end of the world."
Richard turned questioning eyes to Zedd.
"There was a storm in D'Hara that night," Zedd agreed shortly. "A bad one. But I wouldn't go so far as to say it seemed apocalyptic. That's an exaggeration."
Cara glared at him. "I'm just repeating the stories. Mord'Sith do not exaggerate."
Title: Siblings
Prompt: - siblings/childhood
Word Count: 106
Richard didn't want to be the Chosen One, the One True Seeker. He wasn't going to run from his destiny, but he'd never have chosen this life for himself.
He would never have wanted Michael to hate him for being 'special'.
He would never have chosen to be fated to kill Darken.
He would have loved to have grown up alongside Jennsen.
He knew Zedd had a somewhat difficult relationship with his own brother, Richard's grand-uncle Thaddicus Zorander.
He knew Kahlan loved Dennee, even though her soul now resided in another's body.
Richard wished they had all had more conventional and loving relationships with their siblings.
Title: Better Than Steel
Prompt: - Blade
Word Count: 120
Richard's weapon of choice was the Sword of Truth, a sharp blade which he wielded expertly and with steely authority.
Kahlan's powers of Confession were impressive, but she also carried two daggers and she was a blur of hair, sleeves, and metal when she fought.
Cara kept a knife in her boot because sometimes a knife was useful for cutting vines or skinning prey, though an axe was preferable when it came to firewood. But her favourite weapon was her agiel. It might be a blunt instrument and it might not draw blood, but it was as effective as any edged weapon, and could rarely be turned against her. She wouldn't exchange it, not even for the Sword of Truth.
Title: Persuasion
Prompt: - Zedd, persimmon, Shota
Word Count: 174
"No!"
Shota put her hands on her hips. "Whenever you seek me out, you expect me to listen to you, and to cooperate."
"Go away," Zedd told her.
The next day, Shota arrived at the camp wearing very little. Richard nearly choked on his breakfast.
"Zeddicus," Shota purred, but Zedd shook his head.
"NO!"
Two days later the group rounded a bend in the road and found Shota sitting on a blanket with a delicious picnic laid out.
For a moment, Zedd wavered but then he lifted his chin and walked straight past her. The others followed, though not without a few backward glances at the food.
The next morning, Zedd told Richard that he was going to go and help Shota.
"I thought you told her no," Richard said. He glanced over at Shota who was waiting for Zedd with a triumphant grin on her face. "What did you do to him?"
Shota extended one hand to show Richard a wonderfully ripe persimmon nestled in her palm. Richard sighed. He should have known.
Title: To My Mistress
Prompt: - Leather
Word Count: 119
My mistress you are oh so clever
Fetching in your blood red leather
Punish me, for I deserve it
I love you though I am not worthy
Touch my skin with your Agiel
Revel in my anguished scream
Let me bend to kiss your boot
I belong to you, there's no dispute
When I sleep I dream of you
It is you I look up to
Tell me you are pleased with me
And I will weep on bended knee
Delighted to have earned your praise
Happy to have learned your ways
My deepest wish is for you to
Change your leathers to a snow white hue
Showing that you feel the same
That I am yours, for always.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-24 07:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-24 07:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-25 12:42 am (UTC)One: 'Mord'Sith do not exaggerate.' Oh, Cara :D I like the legend of the terrible storm the night Darken was born, too - it fits, somehow.
I may be reading too much into a short fic, but I also think Zedd dismisses the apocalyptic doom interpretation because of his guilt for helping Panis have a child.
Two: Poor Richard. He does have so many sibling issues.
Three: Cara is so epic :)
I also love this: she was a blur of hair, sleeves, and metal when she fought. Kahlan fights with ridiculous sleeves and long loose hair, and yet she's still really tough. Only in fantasy ;)
Four: LOL :D Zedd's vulnerability to persimmons. Will he never learn? ;)
Five: Horrifying - as the whole Mord'Sith/slave relationship always is - and yet oddly sweet, especially the end. I like that nuanced mix :)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-25 12:56 pm (UTC)Yes, Zedd's guilt was what I was hinting at :D
The last one is the one I'm rather proud of out of the ten; serious Stockholm Syndrome of course, but a love letter/poem/devotional nonetheless :D
no subject
Date: 2012-08-01 09:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-03 10:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-02 10:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-03 10:24 am (UTC)