meridian_rose (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
meridian_rose) wrote2014-11-18 01:35 pm
meridian_rose) wrote2014-11-18 01:35 pm
Fic: The Sun and The Moon
Title: The Sun and the Moon
Fandom: Original
'Verse/Series: Kat (High Queen) - Index Page for this series: DW/ LJ
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 815
Prompt: For![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
therealljidol prompt "The Copernicus Effect"
Summary: Honor, the High Queen's vice-regent and close companion, discusses her with the newest addition to their group, the charming and somewhat ineffable MacBride.
Content Notes: No standard warnings apply.
"Then tell me, "MacBride said. He sat back in his chair, his hands resting on his knees, palms up. "If you want me to understand, then explain. Who is Katerina?"
"She is…" Honor hesitated. "She is a queen but she is much more than that. She is intelligent and beautiful and stubborn. She is far too open for her own good, guileless almost, yet she's insightful and the best judge of character I know. She's full of passion but she doesn’t always think things through. She loves and hates with equal measure. I've seen her both stare down an enemy, and kneel weeping upon the floor."
MacBride nodded. "Contradictory, then; complex. Now you've told me about Kat, come, tell me who is she to you?"
Honor looked at the ceiling a moment. A spider was industrially spinning her web amongst the rafters. Outside, a dog gave a playful bark. MacBride sat silently, in contrast to his usual loquacious self.
Who was Kat to him? It was like trying to explain what it was to breathe.
"She is my dear friend and yet…" Honor hesitated. "Friend isn't quite the word."
"I'd imagine not. There is no word in the common tongue for what you have," MacBride agreed. "Nor perhaps in the Old Tongue. Innooin, beloved, is close, but mo chroí 'my heart' is closer and yet you refuse it."
"She is not mo chroí," Honor protested. "She can never be that. Nor yours!" He pointed one threatening finger at MacBride. "She is, and will remain, High Queen."
MacBride tucked a strand of his thick hair behind one ear. "You can call someone mo chroí without marrying them. But I interrupted you. Please, go on. She is what, to you?"
Honor shrugged helplessly. "She is my…my inspiration," he said at last. "To stand at her side is my duty."
The Lady, his goddess, could or should be at the centre of his universe, yet Katerina held this place in his heart. Not just the High Queen, but the woman who bore the title. He gestured, as if the movement would help him shape the words to explain how vital a part of his life Kat was. "It is my destiny, if there is such a thing. If I can keep her safe then my life has had purpose."
MacBride nodded. "But if you had never met Katerina, then what? Who or what would you be?"
"Clergy." The answer came immediately. Honor took a sip of his wine before adding, "The path my mother wished me to follow."
He wasn't sure if MacBride knew about his past and the man's expression gave nothing away. MacBride remained merely thoughtful. "Service of a different kind. Katerina though, is not the Lady. Can she be worthy of such devotion?"
"Yes! She is worthy of any sacrifice I must make for her." Honor glanced at MacBride, who was still listening intently. "She is the sun, the light of the world. She is the moon, changing and constant alike. She is so much a part of my life that I cannot imagine a world without her in it. When she smiles, a genuine smile, the world is brighter for it. When she cries?" He shook his head bitterly. "When she weeps, it is a knife in my heart."
MacBride nodded softly. Finding himself embarrassed at this outpouring, Honor grabbed for his glass and took a swallow of wine.
"You care for her," MacBride said gently. "But I do too. Maybe I will come to love her enough to make any sacrifices that are necessary."
Honor stared at the table, one hand tracing the leafy pattern of the table runner. His voice tight he said, "Maybe you are not worthy of her."
MacBride took no offence. "Maybe that is for her to decide." He reached out and put one hand on top of Honor's stilling his movement. Honor raised his gaze, expecting arrogance but seeing none in MacBride's eyes.
MacBride gave a soft sigh. "How many times must I tell you that I am not trying to replace you? Can not two men both adore the moon and have Her gaze upon them both with love? Does not the Lady love thus?"
Honor pulled his hand away sharply.
"I apologise. I mean no disrespect. I have great regard for the Lady," MacBride said. He reached for the carafe and refilled both their glasses. "Although I am not a devoted follower, Her complex and contradictory nature captivates me. She is both warrior and healer. She is both moon and sun, is She not?"
Honor gave a curt nod.
"Then there is room for both in the sky."
"But not," Honor said with quiet triumph, "at the same time."
He'd underestimated MacBride again. MacBride gave one of his wide grins, cheeks dimpling, and showing white teeth. He raised one finger. "Ah, you forget about an eclipse."
This wasn't what I had planned for this week's LJ Idol prompt, but real life threw me a curve ball this weekend and I wasn't sure if I could manage to complete an entry at all.
This is part of a longer piece I've got in the works but the idea of "centre of the universe" and the effect of who or what is believed to take that position made me think of this ficlet and gave me the impetus to rework it to be (hopefully) suitable as an entry.
Fandom: Original
'Verse/Series: Kat (High Queen) - Index Page for this series: DW/ LJ
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 815
Prompt: For
therealljidol prompt "The Copernicus Effect"Summary: Honor, the High Queen's vice-regent and close companion, discusses her with the newest addition to their group, the charming and somewhat ineffable MacBride.
Content Notes: No standard warnings apply.
"Then tell me, "MacBride said. He sat back in his chair, his hands resting on his knees, palms up. "If you want me to understand, then explain. Who is Katerina?"
"She is…" Honor hesitated. "She is a queen but she is much more than that. She is intelligent and beautiful and stubborn. She is far too open for her own good, guileless almost, yet she's insightful and the best judge of character I know. She's full of passion but she doesn’t always think things through. She loves and hates with equal measure. I've seen her both stare down an enemy, and kneel weeping upon the floor."
MacBride nodded. "Contradictory, then; complex. Now you've told me about Kat, come, tell me who is she to you?"
Honor looked at the ceiling a moment. A spider was industrially spinning her web amongst the rafters. Outside, a dog gave a playful bark. MacBride sat silently, in contrast to his usual loquacious self.
Who was Kat to him? It was like trying to explain what it was to breathe.
"She is my dear friend and yet…" Honor hesitated. "Friend isn't quite the word."
"I'd imagine not. There is no word in the common tongue for what you have," MacBride agreed. "Nor perhaps in the Old Tongue. Innooin, beloved, is close, but mo chroí 'my heart' is closer and yet you refuse it."
"She is not mo chroí," Honor protested. "She can never be that. Nor yours!" He pointed one threatening finger at MacBride. "She is, and will remain, High Queen."
MacBride tucked a strand of his thick hair behind one ear. "You can call someone mo chroí without marrying them. But I interrupted you. Please, go on. She is what, to you?"
Honor shrugged helplessly. "She is my…my inspiration," he said at last. "To stand at her side is my duty."
The Lady, his goddess, could or should be at the centre of his universe, yet Katerina held this place in his heart. Not just the High Queen, but the woman who bore the title. He gestured, as if the movement would help him shape the words to explain how vital a part of his life Kat was. "It is my destiny, if there is such a thing. If I can keep her safe then my life has had purpose."
MacBride nodded. "But if you had never met Katerina, then what? Who or what would you be?"
"Clergy." The answer came immediately. Honor took a sip of his wine before adding, "The path my mother wished me to follow."
He wasn't sure if MacBride knew about his past and the man's expression gave nothing away. MacBride remained merely thoughtful. "Service of a different kind. Katerina though, is not the Lady. Can she be worthy of such devotion?"
"Yes! She is worthy of any sacrifice I must make for her." Honor glanced at MacBride, who was still listening intently. "She is the sun, the light of the world. She is the moon, changing and constant alike. She is so much a part of my life that I cannot imagine a world without her in it. When she smiles, a genuine smile, the world is brighter for it. When she cries?" He shook his head bitterly. "When she weeps, it is a knife in my heart."
MacBride nodded softly. Finding himself embarrassed at this outpouring, Honor grabbed for his glass and took a swallow of wine.
"You care for her," MacBride said gently. "But I do too. Maybe I will come to love her enough to make any sacrifices that are necessary."
Honor stared at the table, one hand tracing the leafy pattern of the table runner. His voice tight he said, "Maybe you are not worthy of her."
MacBride took no offence. "Maybe that is for her to decide." He reached out and put one hand on top of Honor's stilling his movement. Honor raised his gaze, expecting arrogance but seeing none in MacBride's eyes.
MacBride gave a soft sigh. "How many times must I tell you that I am not trying to replace you? Can not two men both adore the moon and have Her gaze upon them both with love? Does not the Lady love thus?"
Honor pulled his hand away sharply.
"I apologise. I mean no disrespect. I have great regard for the Lady," MacBride said. He reached for the carafe and refilled both their glasses. "Although I am not a devoted follower, Her complex and contradictory nature captivates me. She is both warrior and healer. She is both moon and sun, is She not?"
Honor gave a curt nod.
"Then there is room for both in the sky."
"But not," Honor said with quiet triumph, "at the same time."
He'd underestimated MacBride again. MacBride gave one of his wide grins, cheeks dimpling, and showing white teeth. He raised one finger. "Ah, you forget about an eclipse."
This wasn't what I had planned for this week's LJ Idol prompt, but real life threw me a curve ball this weekend and I wasn't sure if I could manage to complete an entry at all.
This is part of a longer piece I've got in the works but the idea of "centre of the universe" and the effect of who or what is believed to take that position made me think of this ficlet and gave me the impetus to rework it to be (hopefully) suitable as an entry.
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Usually when I read or hear someone talking about the object of their desire like this, I get a little worried that this could get ugly. Ugly as in possession. This actually felt kind of like love.
Oh, and this:
"Ah, you forget about an eclipse."
Perfect punchline.
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And each is more clever than the other expects. ;)
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I find myself rooting for MacBride here. He seems fair, and interested in the Lady's feelings over his own. Not the most dangerous charmer, as near as I could guess. I want more.