Post by Griff on Apr 28, 2013 7:11:01 GMT 10
Title: Labyrinth
Rating: PG
Word Count: 591
Pairing: George Cooper/Roger of Conte
Round/Fight: 1C
Summary: Labyrinth AU. Wishes are not horses - they are something much worse.
-
His mother always said, ‘If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.’ George decided it was a useless and dangerous saying that didn’t imply half the risk that came with wishing. Wishes weren’t useless, empty things. They had power; power that ended up whisking away contrary little friends into the clutches of ancient immortal kings with ridiculous clothing.
It was a relief that George didn’t much care for laying blame, because the entire situation was a mess of nonsensical happenstances that shouldn’t have caused any troubles at all. If his mother had taught him the dangers of wishing; if Jon hadn’t left his book on the table, if Alan hadn’t spontaneously decided to make the most scarring visit of his life and declare herself Alanna, if the shopkeep’s wife hadn’t gone into labor and showed up at his mother’s, if he hadn’t read Alanna a story to help her nod off, if he hadn’t recited that stupid line as he tucked her in and kissed her forehead. If the Goblin King had minded his own business and stayed well out of George’s life.
Actually, he like that one. This was all the Goblin King’s fault.
Instead, he was standing in his dark bedroom, bartering away his best friend’s freedom for thirteen hours of insanity on the off-chance this wasn’t a dream and he could save Alanna from a life of... whatever happened to stolen children.
“Goblins.” The king said drolly, as if the whole situation was boring and utterly predictable. “They become goblins. Small, vicious, ill-tempered beasts.”
“Oh, good,” George snapped. “No different, then.”
“Are you sure you want to do this,” the Goblin King purred, cocking his head with a small smile. “If your little charge is so much trouble, surely it would be easier to let him go.”
“Oh, good. You’re not all knowing then,” George grumbled, rubbing a hand down his face at what his life was coming to. “That does make my job a good deal easier.”
The king, with his face so human and yet otherwordly at the same time, narrowed his deep blue eyes and frowned. “Your arrogance will fade soon enough, boy. I am a king.”
Ultimately, it was that dismissive arrogance that did him in. George was many things, but a scraping peasant who simpered beneath the shoe of nobility wasn’t one of them. Let this be a crazy dream; he was going to put this figment of his imagination in his place. If it ended up being real, it would be that much more satisfying. George caught his eye and smiled, “So am I,” he said as he claimed the offered glass ball. “And I earned my crown.”
He dashed the globe on the ground, the world swirling away in a hazy of light as the clock began ticking.
The Goblin King faded before his eyes, dark hair translucent while the glimmer of his shining cape still shone strongly in the climbing magic. “Thirteen hours, boy. Say what you like about your world, but you’re not king here.”
He was left alone on the top of an empty dirt hill, looking down upon a sprawling mess of turns and twists that stretched as far as the eye could see.
“Well,” George sighed,rubbing his hands on his pants and suddenly grateful he hadn’t been of the mind to strip before he put Alanna to bed. “‘Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered’,” He quoted from the book. “This is going to be a pleasant story, I can already tell. Best get it started.”
Rating: PG
Word Count: 591
Pairing: George Cooper/Roger of Conte
Round/Fight: 1C
Summary: Labyrinth AU. Wishes are not horses - they are something much worse.
-
His mother always said, ‘If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.’ George decided it was a useless and dangerous saying that didn’t imply half the risk that came with wishing. Wishes weren’t useless, empty things. They had power; power that ended up whisking away contrary little friends into the clutches of ancient immortal kings with ridiculous clothing.
It was a relief that George didn’t much care for laying blame, because the entire situation was a mess of nonsensical happenstances that shouldn’t have caused any troubles at all. If his mother had taught him the dangers of wishing; if Jon hadn’t left his book on the table, if Alan hadn’t spontaneously decided to make the most scarring visit of his life and declare herself Alanna, if the shopkeep’s wife hadn’t gone into labor and showed up at his mother’s, if he hadn’t read Alanna a story to help her nod off, if he hadn’t recited that stupid line as he tucked her in and kissed her forehead. If the Goblin King had minded his own business and stayed well out of George’s life.
Actually, he like that one. This was all the Goblin King’s fault.
Instead, he was standing in his dark bedroom, bartering away his best friend’s freedom for thirteen hours of insanity on the off-chance this wasn’t a dream and he could save Alanna from a life of... whatever happened to stolen children.
“Goblins.” The king said drolly, as if the whole situation was boring and utterly predictable. “They become goblins. Small, vicious, ill-tempered beasts.”
“Oh, good,” George snapped. “No different, then.”
“Are you sure you want to do this,” the Goblin King purred, cocking his head with a small smile. “If your little charge is so much trouble, surely it would be easier to let him go.”
“Oh, good. You’re not all knowing then,” George grumbled, rubbing a hand down his face at what his life was coming to. “That does make my job a good deal easier.”
The king, with his face so human and yet otherwordly at the same time, narrowed his deep blue eyes and frowned. “Your arrogance will fade soon enough, boy. I am a king.”
Ultimately, it was that dismissive arrogance that did him in. George was many things, but a scraping peasant who simpered beneath the shoe of nobility wasn’t one of them. Let this be a crazy dream; he was going to put this figment of his imagination in his place. If it ended up being real, it would be that much more satisfying. George caught his eye and smiled, “So am I,” he said as he claimed the offered glass ball. “And I earned my crown.”
He dashed the globe on the ground, the world swirling away in a hazy of light as the clock began ticking.
The Goblin King faded before his eyes, dark hair translucent while the glimmer of his shining cape still shone strongly in the climbing magic. “Thirteen hours, boy. Say what you like about your world, but you’re not king here.”
He was left alone on the top of an empty dirt hill, looking down upon a sprawling mess of turns and twists that stretched as far as the eye could see.
“Well,” George sighed,rubbing his hands on his pants and suddenly grateful he hadn’t been of the mind to strip before he put Alanna to bed. “‘Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered’,” He quoted from the book. “This is going to be a pleasant story, I can already tell. Best get it started.”