Post by wordy on Dec 3, 2009 10:45:01 GMT 10
Title: The Two of Us
Rating (and Warnings): G
Prompt: #2 Family
Summary: Prompted by the Growing Up in Court thread, about how Jon and Gary would have been sick of each other by the time they were old enough for page training.
Notes: Yes, I was tempted to give eight year old Gary a moustache
"Mother," Jon whined, rolling around on his seat. Queen Lianne hurried forward, before his tunic got any more rumpled than it already was. Jon twisted away from her, petulant as only an eight year old could be.
"But I thought you liked playing with cousin Gary, Jon," Lianne said in frustration. She watched as her son kicked of his slippers, the better to cling to the chair. His dark hair was a ruffled bird's nest. "It will only be a few days, dear. We always have the Naxens over for Midwinter."
The Queen had been a Naxen, before her marriage to Roald. Being with her family for Midwinter was tradition, one that she delighted in. She and her sister-in-law had always taken pleasure in the fact that their sons got on so well, practically best friends. It had been that way since they were tottering two year olds, barely able to walk and always pulling each other's hair. But now it seemed that they were growing apart. She had never imagined it would happen. And it had been a comforting thought, that her son would have such a close friend, someone he could truly trust and rely on, when he eventually became King. It was a long way away, but now anxiety was beginning to take hold.
While she had been ruminating on the possibilities, Jon had managed to yank his blue tunic over his head, heedless of the ties. He sat on the floor in a sulk, lower lip stuck out as far as it would go. She shook her head; she had run out of ideas. It had never been easy for her to persuade her son to do something he didn't want to, for she fell easily to his young charms and pretty blue eyes. But the Naxens would be arriving any minute for dinner, and look at the state he was in. Wearily, she bent to pick up his discarded tunic, folding it as well as she could. There was a knock at the door.
"Come in," she called, keeping one eye on her son. He looked up at her stubbonly.
It was her sister-in-law, looking resplendent in a simple red gown. Fresh holly was artfully placed in her hair, her warm smile completing the festive picture. In front of her, she half pushed young Gareth, his brown hair and clothes as rumpled as Jon's. His mother bent to whisper in his ear.
"Hello Aunt Lianne," Gary said dully.
"Hello Gareth," Lianne said, smiling, "How are you today?"
Gary looked at the ground, tracing some invisible line on the carpet with his boot. "Good."
A brief silence followed. Lianne's thoughts were racing. Normally the two boys would race off as soon as they saw each other, laughing and pushing happily. There was no way she could allow them to behave in this way for the entire week of Midwinter.
"Gareth," said Lianne suddenly, "Has Jonathon shown you his new army?" Roald had decided to give Jon his Midwinter gift early, to keep him out of trouble: a set of bronze soldiers, perfect for the castle he had received last year. Gary didn't look up at her words, though he stopped fidgeting, as if he were listening intently. Jon gave her a Look from his place on the floor, small brow furrowed in annoyance.
Lianne joined her husband and extended family shortly after. The two women had left their sons arguing loudly over who would be the leader of Tortall's armies, Tusaine going to the loser. Lifting her goblet of wine, Lianne smiled across the table at her brother's sister. Jon and Gary would not be rid of each other for a long, long time.
Rating (and Warnings): G
Prompt: #2 Family
Summary: Prompted by the Growing Up in Court thread, about how Jon and Gary would have been sick of each other by the time they were old enough for page training.
Notes: Yes, I was tempted to give eight year old Gary a moustache
"Mother," Jon whined, rolling around on his seat. Queen Lianne hurried forward, before his tunic got any more rumpled than it already was. Jon twisted away from her, petulant as only an eight year old could be.
"But I thought you liked playing with cousin Gary, Jon," Lianne said in frustration. She watched as her son kicked of his slippers, the better to cling to the chair. His dark hair was a ruffled bird's nest. "It will only be a few days, dear. We always have the Naxens over for Midwinter."
The Queen had been a Naxen, before her marriage to Roald. Being with her family for Midwinter was tradition, one that she delighted in. She and her sister-in-law had always taken pleasure in the fact that their sons got on so well, practically best friends. It had been that way since they were tottering two year olds, barely able to walk and always pulling each other's hair. But now it seemed that they were growing apart. She had never imagined it would happen. And it had been a comforting thought, that her son would have such a close friend, someone he could truly trust and rely on, when he eventually became King. It was a long way away, but now anxiety was beginning to take hold.
While she had been ruminating on the possibilities, Jon had managed to yank his blue tunic over his head, heedless of the ties. He sat on the floor in a sulk, lower lip stuck out as far as it would go. She shook her head; she had run out of ideas. It had never been easy for her to persuade her son to do something he didn't want to, for she fell easily to his young charms and pretty blue eyes. But the Naxens would be arriving any minute for dinner, and look at the state he was in. Wearily, she bent to pick up his discarded tunic, folding it as well as she could. There was a knock at the door.
"Come in," she called, keeping one eye on her son. He looked up at her stubbonly.
It was her sister-in-law, looking resplendent in a simple red gown. Fresh holly was artfully placed in her hair, her warm smile completing the festive picture. In front of her, she half pushed young Gareth, his brown hair and clothes as rumpled as Jon's. His mother bent to whisper in his ear.
"Hello Aunt Lianne," Gary said dully.
"Hello Gareth," Lianne said, smiling, "How are you today?"
Gary looked at the ground, tracing some invisible line on the carpet with his boot. "Good."
A brief silence followed. Lianne's thoughts were racing. Normally the two boys would race off as soon as they saw each other, laughing and pushing happily. There was no way she could allow them to behave in this way for the entire week of Midwinter.
"Gareth," said Lianne suddenly, "Has Jonathon shown you his new army?" Roald had decided to give Jon his Midwinter gift early, to keep him out of trouble: a set of bronze soldiers, perfect for the castle he had received last year. Gary didn't look up at her words, though he stopped fidgeting, as if he were listening intently. Jon gave her a Look from his place on the floor, small brow furrowed in annoyance.
***
Lianne joined her husband and extended family shortly after. The two women had left their sons arguing loudly over who would be the leader of Tortall's armies, Tusaine going to the loser. Lifting her goblet of wine, Lianne smiled across the table at her brother's sister. Jon and Gary would not be rid of each other for a long, long time.