Post by Seek on Jul 13, 2013 19:30:05 GMT 10
Title: There and back again
Rating: PG-13
Prompt: There and back again, (#77)
Character/Couple/Theme: Mattes
Series: White Shores Calling
Summary: They once spoke of his future.
Notes: This is sort of a Mastiff AU. Therefore, spoilers for Mastiff. Kind of.
-
In the hazy darkness, the ocean like black glass, the only light coming from the lantern at the prow, Mattes slips into an almost-dream, thinking of everything he’s left behind. Everything he’s fought for, and killed for and lied for.
At least it isn’t cold here. His legs have stopped aching.
Maybe if he looks in a silvered mirror, he’ll find that the traces of grey that have crept into his hair like first frost have slipped away just as unnoticed.
He’d dreamed of a farm once, back in the hill country where the rich soil ran like red gold dust through your fingers and the stars were bright and clear. He’d dreamed of a farm, a wrought trellis with curling Yamani roses and maybe even a vineyard, if he could manage that. His father had worked on his grandfather’s farm, before the Tortallans expanded into the hill country and the hard years, the dry years came and went and took the soft times with them.
Lady Sabine…
Would she have agreed to it? Even now, he realises he isn’t sure. Just the two of them, no ladies, no knights, no titles, no Tortallan nobility—on a small farm in the hill country. He’d never spoken of it to her, except once, offhandedly.
“I never thought you were the kind for settling down,” she said, grinning.
“Well,” he said, “An old Dog must think about what lies in wait for him beyond the black, eh?” He didn’t mention that too many Dogs died in the black. When he retired, it would be with enough money for that farm. Senior Dogs got that sum, when they retired. Ten gold nobles for every year spent in service.
Two hundred and ten gold nobles. It was a good sum.
“I’ve seen much of the hill country,” she said.
“And?”
“It’s a hard land,” Sabine said, quietly.
“The years were never kind,” Mattes said, and now, cradled by the silent sea, he thinks he was more right than he knew.
Rating: PG-13
Prompt: There and back again, (#77)
Character/Couple/Theme: Mattes
Series: White Shores Calling
Summary: They once spoke of his future.
Notes: This is sort of a Mastiff AU. Therefore, spoilers for Mastiff. Kind of.
-
In the hazy darkness, the ocean like black glass, the only light coming from the lantern at the prow, Mattes slips into an almost-dream, thinking of everything he’s left behind. Everything he’s fought for, and killed for and lied for.
At least it isn’t cold here. His legs have stopped aching.
Maybe if he looks in a silvered mirror, he’ll find that the traces of grey that have crept into his hair like first frost have slipped away just as unnoticed.
He’d dreamed of a farm once, back in the hill country where the rich soil ran like red gold dust through your fingers and the stars were bright and clear. He’d dreamed of a farm, a wrought trellis with curling Yamani roses and maybe even a vineyard, if he could manage that. His father had worked on his grandfather’s farm, before the Tortallans expanded into the hill country and the hard years, the dry years came and went and took the soft times with them.
Lady Sabine…
Would she have agreed to it? Even now, he realises he isn’t sure. Just the two of them, no ladies, no knights, no titles, no Tortallan nobility—on a small farm in the hill country. He’d never spoken of it to her, except once, offhandedly.
“I never thought you were the kind for settling down,” she said, grinning.
“Well,” he said, “An old Dog must think about what lies in wait for him beyond the black, eh?” He didn’t mention that too many Dogs died in the black. When he retired, it would be with enough money for that farm. Senior Dogs got that sum, when they retired. Ten gold nobles for every year spent in service.
Two hundred and ten gold nobles. It was a good sum.
“I’ve seen much of the hill country,” she said.
“And?”
“It’s a hard land,” Sabine said, quietly.
“The years were never kind,” Mattes said, and now, cradled by the silent sea, he thinks he was more right than he knew.
Maybe once we'd have seen it during Smackdown!