Post by allymarty on Mar 5, 2010 15:48:22 GMT 10
Title: Kinsmen III - Painful Lessons
Rating: G
Length: 372 (not including the book quote)
Competitor: Faleron
Round/Fight: 2/A
Summary: Third in a series of stories about the relationship between two kinsmen and the eventual object of their mutual affections.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Joren stared at her, his blue eyes bright. "I see," he said in a thoughtful tone. "We haven't gotten rid of you yet, so you think you're accepted. Merric, pick up those books."
"Don't, Merric," Kel said, still watching Joren.
"It's custom," the redheaded boy muttered.
"Not like this, it's not," replied Kel.
-- Tamora Pierce, First Test
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"I hate her!" Merric growled as he entered Faleron's room. "I hate her! I hate her! I hate her!"
"What the--?" Faleron looked up from polishing his formal boots.
"Mithros! I hate her!" Merric said, flopping face down onto Faleron's bed.
Faleron set aside his polish and rags and walked over to his bed. "Tell me what you're ranting about now, Merric."
The redheaded boy turned over and angrily swiped at a tear that had escaped from the corner of his eye. His voice was hoarse with anguish. "The Girl! I hate her!"
Faleron raised an eyebrow and said, "What's this? I thought you said you didn't really care whether or not Keladry of Mindelan was one of your year-mates?"
Merric sat up and looked down at his lap, "Well, I've changed my mind. Everyone else thinks she should go home and now I do, too."
"Alright, Merric," Faleron said and he sat down on the bed. "What happened to cause such a change?"
"Nothing." Merric glanced toward the window to avoid meeting his kinsman's eyes.
"Is this about Joren again?"
"No! Yes. Well ... mostly, I guess," Merric sighed. "Ever since the Girl took a beating from Joren and his cronies when they were forcing me to ... carry out certain tasks, the other pages think I can't - or won't - stand up for myself. Now some of the other boys are picking on me, too. It's downright humiliating! You're my sponsor - why aren't you helping me?"
Faleron shook his head, "This is something you have to fix on your own. It's not really the Girl's fault and you know it. Everybody has to get through their initial hazing one way or another."
"I was doing just fine before she interfered!"
"Oh, right!" Faleron scoffed. "I suppose you consider your lurking about the shadows as 'doing just fine'. Merric, eventually, you'll have to fight back!"
"But then I'll get in trouble with Lord Wyldon, too!"
"So? Take your detention like a man and then everyone will leave you alone. That's how I handled it last year."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Did it ... did it hurt?"
Faleron nodded. "But like Lord Wyldon says, it's the painful lessons that matter the most."
Rating: G
Length: 372 (not including the book quote)
Competitor: Faleron
Round/Fight: 2/A
Summary: Third in a series of stories about the relationship between two kinsmen and the eventual object of their mutual affections.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Joren stared at her, his blue eyes bright. "I see," he said in a thoughtful tone. "We haven't gotten rid of you yet, so you think you're accepted. Merric, pick up those books."
"Don't, Merric," Kel said, still watching Joren.
"It's custom," the redheaded boy muttered.
"Not like this, it's not," replied Kel.
-- Tamora Pierce, First Test
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"I hate her!" Merric growled as he entered Faleron's room. "I hate her! I hate her! I hate her!"
"What the--?" Faleron looked up from polishing his formal boots.
"Mithros! I hate her!" Merric said, flopping face down onto Faleron's bed.
Faleron set aside his polish and rags and walked over to his bed. "Tell me what you're ranting about now, Merric."
The redheaded boy turned over and angrily swiped at a tear that had escaped from the corner of his eye. His voice was hoarse with anguish. "The Girl! I hate her!"
Faleron raised an eyebrow and said, "What's this? I thought you said you didn't really care whether or not Keladry of Mindelan was one of your year-mates?"
Merric sat up and looked down at his lap, "Well, I've changed my mind. Everyone else thinks she should go home and now I do, too."
"Alright, Merric," Faleron said and he sat down on the bed. "What happened to cause such a change?"
"Nothing." Merric glanced toward the window to avoid meeting his kinsman's eyes.
"Is this about Joren again?"
"No! Yes. Well ... mostly, I guess," Merric sighed. "Ever since the Girl took a beating from Joren and his cronies when they were forcing me to ... carry out certain tasks, the other pages think I can't - or won't - stand up for myself. Now some of the other boys are picking on me, too. It's downright humiliating! You're my sponsor - why aren't you helping me?"
Faleron shook his head, "This is something you have to fix on your own. It's not really the Girl's fault and you know it. Everybody has to get through their initial hazing one way or another."
"I was doing just fine before she interfered!"
"Oh, right!" Faleron scoffed. "I suppose you consider your lurking about the shadows as 'doing just fine'. Merric, eventually, you'll have to fight back!"
"But then I'll get in trouble with Lord Wyldon, too!"
"So? Take your detention like a man and then everyone will leave you alone. That's how I handled it last year."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Did it ... did it hurt?"
Faleron nodded. "But like Lord Wyldon says, it's the painful lessons that matter the most."