Post by Shhasow on Mar 29, 2011 12:34:40 GMT 10
Title: Shadows, (1)
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 651
Pairing: Jon/Kel
Round/Fight: 1/F
Summary: A short series about old age and sadness.
When Kel had been younger, the large age gap between them had seemed like nothing.
Actually, it had been a substantial part of his allure as a man. That he was King meant little to Kel; his experience, maturity, wisdom, and sense of equality was what drew Kel to Jon. His extra years and long-held duties meant that he understood and appreciated her like no one her age.
With Thayet dead, Jon had seemed a tragic, suffering widower, bearing the weight of the world on his shoulders. It seemed that whenever she turned a corner, she found the king staring out a window with a lost expression, or rubbing the finger where his wedding ring used to sit. Kel felt compelled from compassion to break his melancholy, even for a few moments, so she struck up conversations, or invited him to read some new diplomatic treatise, or offered a friendly match on the practice courts. Quickly, more so than she would have ever imagined, they became friends.
Even though Jon was always busy with reports, meetings, and other daily minutia that arrived from running a country, he always made time for Kel, and he let her know of his feelings with small gestures and no uncertain words. Sometimes it was a gentle brush of his fingers along her back or shoulders, or a soft smile granted to her alone, or a note written in his hand that made her insides warm.
Before Kel realized it, she was being courted, and when she did, she reciprocated just as strongly, reveling in the sensation of wanting and being wanted. Later, she’d realize that his haste was because he felt he couldn’t waste any more time, even though he confided to her that he expected to live many years longer due to his strong Gift.
Therefore, Kel decided quite firmly that his age hardly mattered. Fifty was nothing when eighty was easily expected.
Neal hadn’t believed her at first when Kel told him that she was being courted by the king. He’d considered it a joke in spectacularly bad taste, and refused to believe her until he attended their actual wedding.
Her other friend, Kel had approached while he was in his office, and thankfully found him alone.
“Raoul,” she said, her hands twisting nervously. “There’s something you ought to know. Really, I need to tell you, but...” She shrugged.
Raoul placed down the supply report in his hands and studied his friend with a worried frown. “Is everything alright, Kel?”
A smile bloomed on her face. “Yes,” she breathed, “Very much so. Only, it’s a bit surprising.”
He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and smirked. “Just tell me, Kel, who is he?”
She cringed slightly at her intuitive former knight-master, and after a few abortive attempts, she simply threw up her hands and announced, “I’m marrying Jon.”
Raoul stared at her, his mouth frozen into a distorted facsimile of a smile, though it eventually faded away.
“Raoul?” Kel asked, uneasy.
He shook his head disbelievingly. “I don’t pretend to understand,” Raoul said slowly, “ I can’t tell you what to do, or what not to do. I am not your father.” They both heard the silent words, that he was as close to a father as Piers of Mindelan ever had been. “Just, please, be certain. This is too great a decision to make lightly.”
Kel listened to Raoul - when had she not? - but her heart remained firmly tied to her king, and for over a decade, everything was bliss. Not that she and Jon never disagreed, but they loved each other and worked out what differences they could, and let their love for the other smooth over what could not be changed.
But now looking back, Kel wondered as she fed her husband and absentmindedly wiped away the bits that fell away, if she had known what would happen in twelve short years, would love have been enough?
QC by: journeycat
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 651
Pairing: Jon/Kel
Round/Fight: 1/F
Summary: A short series about old age and sadness.
When Kel had been younger, the large age gap between them had seemed like nothing.
Actually, it had been a substantial part of his allure as a man. That he was King meant little to Kel; his experience, maturity, wisdom, and sense of equality was what drew Kel to Jon. His extra years and long-held duties meant that he understood and appreciated her like no one her age.
With Thayet dead, Jon had seemed a tragic, suffering widower, bearing the weight of the world on his shoulders. It seemed that whenever she turned a corner, she found the king staring out a window with a lost expression, or rubbing the finger where his wedding ring used to sit. Kel felt compelled from compassion to break his melancholy, even for a few moments, so she struck up conversations, or invited him to read some new diplomatic treatise, or offered a friendly match on the practice courts. Quickly, more so than she would have ever imagined, they became friends.
Even though Jon was always busy with reports, meetings, and other daily minutia that arrived from running a country, he always made time for Kel, and he let her know of his feelings with small gestures and no uncertain words. Sometimes it was a gentle brush of his fingers along her back or shoulders, or a soft smile granted to her alone, or a note written in his hand that made her insides warm.
Before Kel realized it, she was being courted, and when she did, she reciprocated just as strongly, reveling in the sensation of wanting and being wanted. Later, she’d realize that his haste was because he felt he couldn’t waste any more time, even though he confided to her that he expected to live many years longer due to his strong Gift.
Therefore, Kel decided quite firmly that his age hardly mattered. Fifty was nothing when eighty was easily expected.
Neal hadn’t believed her at first when Kel told him that she was being courted by the king. He’d considered it a joke in spectacularly bad taste, and refused to believe her until he attended their actual wedding.
Her other friend, Kel had approached while he was in his office, and thankfully found him alone.
“Raoul,” she said, her hands twisting nervously. “There’s something you ought to know. Really, I need to tell you, but...” She shrugged.
Raoul placed down the supply report in his hands and studied his friend with a worried frown. “Is everything alright, Kel?”
A smile bloomed on her face. “Yes,” she breathed, “Very much so. Only, it’s a bit surprising.”
He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and smirked. “Just tell me, Kel, who is he?”
She cringed slightly at her intuitive former knight-master, and after a few abortive attempts, she simply threw up her hands and announced, “I’m marrying Jon.”
Raoul stared at her, his mouth frozen into a distorted facsimile of a smile, though it eventually faded away.
“Raoul?” Kel asked, uneasy.
He shook his head disbelievingly. “I don’t pretend to understand,” Raoul said slowly, “ I can’t tell you what to do, or what not to do. I am not your father.” They both heard the silent words, that he was as close to a father as Piers of Mindelan ever had been. “Just, please, be certain. This is too great a decision to make lightly.”
Kel listened to Raoul - when had she not? - but her heart remained firmly tied to her king, and for over a decade, everything was bliss. Not that she and Jon never disagreed, but they loved each other and worked out what differences they could, and let their love for the other smooth over what could not be changed.
But now looking back, Kel wondered as she fed her husband and absentmindedly wiped away the bits that fell away, if she had known what would happen in twelve short years, would love have been enough?
QC by: journeycat