Post by aurorax on Dec 30, 2009 10:29:31 GMT 10
Title: Shocking
Rating: PG-13
Prompt: #4, Traditions
Summary: Evin/Kel continues.
The Riders and the Own always competed to see who could shock the conservatives the most over Midwinter. It was a tradition as old as the Riders themselves, lighting up the endless parties and balls since a young Buri and Raoul had decided that celebrations were more interesting when you added a wager more than twenty years before. The Riders had won that first year- Raoul had underestimated the courage of the fiery K’miri girl, and the story of Master Oakbridge chasing the pony through the kitchens was passed down reverently through the ranks of men.
But what with the war and the reappearance of immortals, it had been years since the two groups had been together at the Palace over Midwinter, and they had vowed to make this year more spectacular than ever. Even the King, who’d never fully approved of the “childish games” that angered the people whose support he needed most, couldn’t find it in himself to complain. The years of war had been long and hard on everyone, but the soldiers especially, who had had to watch their comrades fall and risk their lives day in and day out. They all needed something to take their minds off the destruction, a way to let off steam.
The Riders’ mounts went missing, then the Ownsmens’ swords and a number of their commanders as well. Songs were sung, jokes told, and rumors spread throughout the castle. But when the rookie Commander walked over and kissed the lady knight who had formerly been the King’s Own Squire in the middle of a formal breakfast, everyone could only gasp in surprise. And while the betting pools went to shambles and the stiffest among the conservatives seemed ready to faint, the Riders and the Own finally agreed to call it a tie. Everyone knew that Evin and Kel couldn’t be beaten, and their impromptu joke of a kiss would go down in history.
~*~
Evin hadn’t planned it. He had, in fact, been plotting the best method of repossessing Raoul’s field reports and making a few choice alterations before the Council meeting that afternoon. But then he had seen her in front of him, laughing at something Owen had said. She didn’t glow, or light up the room, or any of that other romantic nonsense his boys always came up with after too long in the field. She was just Kel, solid and indestructible and fearless, and he was unable to take his eyes off her. He didn’t think as he walked over to her, drawing the eyes of the young knights whose tables he passed- they must have seen something in his face, some strange determination to finally make a move. She turned abruptly as she heard him approach, surprise registering in her eyes and in her shy smile as he took another step, then another, closer and closer.
~*~
She was kissing Evin, and the world was watching. Her first reaction was to panic- what would everyone say? But then his lips hardened beneath hers, and all other thoughts were driven out of her mind. She was caught up in a whirlwind of cider and cinnamon and nerves, sweet and rough like worn leather. Then it was over, and everything was spinning as the sound of catcalls exploded in her head. She heard Evin whisper something in her ear, and it sounded like a laugh; she could tell he was smiling, his breath like sunshine against her skin. He had already walked away by the time she realized that he had said “Midwinter luck”. She had been frozen for a moment, stunned and unsure. Then she had laughed, because it was all she could do, and the room had laughed with her, sharing the joke, thinking it had all been planned. She looked around for Evin, but he was already gone.
That night, alone in her room, Kel wondered why he had done it. She had been surprised by the depth of her feelings- maybe she had just wanted to connect with someone, anyone, even for just a moment. Or maybe there was something special about Evin, something that explained why he could make her feel safe, why she was willing to share more with him after a few weeks than with the people she’d known for years. But Evin loved a good joke, she knew that, and besides, it was just a silly, meaningless tradition.
Rating: PG-13
Prompt: #4, Traditions
Summary: Evin/Kel continues.
The Riders and the Own always competed to see who could shock the conservatives the most over Midwinter. It was a tradition as old as the Riders themselves, lighting up the endless parties and balls since a young Buri and Raoul had decided that celebrations were more interesting when you added a wager more than twenty years before. The Riders had won that first year- Raoul had underestimated the courage of the fiery K’miri girl, and the story of Master Oakbridge chasing the pony through the kitchens was passed down reverently through the ranks of men.
But what with the war and the reappearance of immortals, it had been years since the two groups had been together at the Palace over Midwinter, and they had vowed to make this year more spectacular than ever. Even the King, who’d never fully approved of the “childish games” that angered the people whose support he needed most, couldn’t find it in himself to complain. The years of war had been long and hard on everyone, but the soldiers especially, who had had to watch their comrades fall and risk their lives day in and day out. They all needed something to take their minds off the destruction, a way to let off steam.
The Riders’ mounts went missing, then the Ownsmens’ swords and a number of their commanders as well. Songs were sung, jokes told, and rumors spread throughout the castle. But when the rookie Commander walked over and kissed the lady knight who had formerly been the King’s Own Squire in the middle of a formal breakfast, everyone could only gasp in surprise. And while the betting pools went to shambles and the stiffest among the conservatives seemed ready to faint, the Riders and the Own finally agreed to call it a tie. Everyone knew that Evin and Kel couldn’t be beaten, and their impromptu joke of a kiss would go down in history.
~*~
Evin hadn’t planned it. He had, in fact, been plotting the best method of repossessing Raoul’s field reports and making a few choice alterations before the Council meeting that afternoon. But then he had seen her in front of him, laughing at something Owen had said. She didn’t glow, or light up the room, or any of that other romantic nonsense his boys always came up with after too long in the field. She was just Kel, solid and indestructible and fearless, and he was unable to take his eyes off her. He didn’t think as he walked over to her, drawing the eyes of the young knights whose tables he passed- they must have seen something in his face, some strange determination to finally make a move. She turned abruptly as she heard him approach, surprise registering in her eyes and in her shy smile as he took another step, then another, closer and closer.
~*~
She was kissing Evin, and the world was watching. Her first reaction was to panic- what would everyone say? But then his lips hardened beneath hers, and all other thoughts were driven out of her mind. She was caught up in a whirlwind of cider and cinnamon and nerves, sweet and rough like worn leather. Then it was over, and everything was spinning as the sound of catcalls exploded in her head. She heard Evin whisper something in her ear, and it sounded like a laugh; she could tell he was smiling, his breath like sunshine against her skin. He had already walked away by the time she realized that he had said “Midwinter luck”. She had been frozen for a moment, stunned and unsure. Then she had laughed, because it was all she could do, and the room had laughed with her, sharing the joke, thinking it had all been planned. She looked around for Evin, but he was already gone.
That night, alone in her room, Kel wondered why he had done it. She had been surprised by the depth of her feelings- maybe she had just wanted to connect with someone, anyone, even for just a moment. Or maybe there was something special about Evin, something that explained why he could make her feel safe, why she was willing to share more with him after a few weeks than with the people she’d known for years. But Evin loved a good joke, she knew that, and besides, it was just a silly, meaningless tradition.