Post by MinPin on Feb 5, 2010 4:19:51 GMT 10
Title: In the Morning
Rating: pg13
Length: 909 words
Competitor: Wyldon
Round/Fight: 1/A
Summary: Letting go is the hardest part of being a parent.
“’When all was done she turned to run, dancing to the setting sun as he watched her. And evermore he thought he saw a glimpse of her, upon the moors forever. He’d hear her say: Promise me when you see a white rose you’ll think of me, I love you so, never let go, and I will be your ghost of a rose.’” Keladry of Cavall put a satin bookmark -embroidered for her by her daughter Vivienne- in the pages of the book and closed it lightly. “Alright, time for bed now.”
Lancelot, Vivienne, Ilane, Marpessa, and little Devon stood from where they had surrounded their mother to hear the story. They hugged her, kissed, her, and told her they loved her before going over to do the same with their father. The same as every night in Cavall.
But this time it wasn’t the same. In the morning Wyldon would be taking Lancelot to Corus to begin his page training. He would be farther along than probably anyone else there, given that he had spent every day since he was seven training for this moment.
Lancelot had the same drive and determination that his parents did.
Kel had known she would have to go through this. But it was her first born, the baby that had perhaps saved her marriage, and she did not want to let him go. He alone of her children had her hazel eyes, her soft mouth, and her particular way of dealing with emotions. Yes they were so much alike, more so than she could have ever imagined.
“And I’ll be a squire by the time you’re a page. My first year as a knight, you’ll be a squire. But you can be my squire Devon.” Kel was not at all surprised to hear Lance comforting Devon -who had followed him around since he had learned to crawl- about his departure. The prospect of, in eight years, being his brother’s squire seemed to ease his anxiety about the whole thing.
Her children tromped up the stairs, stopping to say goodnight to servants and dogs, leaving her with her husband.
“He’ll be fine Keladry. He’s strong, like you.” Wyldon moved from his seat by the window to the couch beside her.
Kel had been amazed at Wyldon’s transformation when there son was born. He was happier, less stressed, more energetic, and seemed younger. It was odd to think that the reason he had seemed so old (at 39 even, which wasn’t old, and at almost fifty now, which kind of was) was that his daughters were grown and only one was still in his house. And each time she had given him a new child, they had grown closer together and he had seemed younger, happier, more energetic, and more eager to have more children.
“I know. I knew this was going to happen, I knew he was going to leave, it just doesn’t feel like I’ve had ten years to get ready for it. It feels like a day.”
Wyldon chuckled. “More like five days. You didn’t have Lance, Vivi, Ila, Pessa, and Dev all in one afternoon. You didn’t even have Lance in one afternoon, it took three days!”
Kel smiled a bit. Wyl was trying to make her feel better, and she appreciated it, but it wasn’t working. “Was it this hard to let go of the girls?”
“Harder. Just like it will be with our girls. You get your sons back, you send your daughters off to marry.”
Kel nodded. “I’m tired, and you have a long ride ahead of you. Let’s say goodbye while we have the chance.”
“I’ll be right up. I just have to finish this one report, and it won’t take more than five minutes.”
Kel smiled and left the sitting room, heading for their bedroom. She paused at Lancelot’s door when she came to the landing. Her boy always fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, and he was asleep when she went in and sat on the edge of his bed.
“You’ll do fine son. They have this tradition called ‘earning your way’ and you have to do it. But only the little things like fetching ink and books.” She smiled, thinking of Cleon, whose son would also be starting this year. “Some kids might take it too far, and you have to stand up to them. You have to stand up for others who can’t do it themselves too. That’s what being a knight is. And when you get caught for fighting -which you will, Padraig might not be as good as your father, but he is good enough for that- say you fell down. You can’t tell that you were fighting, or who you were fighting with.”
Kel kissed her son’s head and rose. “Also, watch out for Eda Bell, the Shang Wildcat. She can trounce you easily, no matter how old she looks.”
“That she can. He’ll be fine Keladry, now let him rest.” Wyldon stood in the doorway, watching. Kel nodded and followed him out of the room. As they were taking off their day clothes, Kel felt her anti-pregnancy charm brush against her arm in the movement. She held it in her hand for a minute, then she pulled it off and lay it on her dressing table.
“I love you,” She whispered, turning to Wyldon and getting into bed without putting her nightclothes on.
“I love you too.” And he followed her to bed.
Rating: pg13
Length: 909 words
Competitor: Wyldon
Round/Fight: 1/A
Summary: Letting go is the hardest part of being a parent.
“’When all was done she turned to run, dancing to the setting sun as he watched her. And evermore he thought he saw a glimpse of her, upon the moors forever. He’d hear her say: Promise me when you see a white rose you’ll think of me, I love you so, never let go, and I will be your ghost of a rose.’” Keladry of Cavall put a satin bookmark -embroidered for her by her daughter Vivienne- in the pages of the book and closed it lightly. “Alright, time for bed now.”
Lancelot, Vivienne, Ilane, Marpessa, and little Devon stood from where they had surrounded their mother to hear the story. They hugged her, kissed, her, and told her they loved her before going over to do the same with their father. The same as every night in Cavall.
But this time it wasn’t the same. In the morning Wyldon would be taking Lancelot to Corus to begin his page training. He would be farther along than probably anyone else there, given that he had spent every day since he was seven training for this moment.
Lancelot had the same drive and determination that his parents did.
Kel had known she would have to go through this. But it was her first born, the baby that had perhaps saved her marriage, and she did not want to let him go. He alone of her children had her hazel eyes, her soft mouth, and her particular way of dealing with emotions. Yes they were so much alike, more so than she could have ever imagined.
“And I’ll be a squire by the time you’re a page. My first year as a knight, you’ll be a squire. But you can be my squire Devon.” Kel was not at all surprised to hear Lance comforting Devon -who had followed him around since he had learned to crawl- about his departure. The prospect of, in eight years, being his brother’s squire seemed to ease his anxiety about the whole thing.
Her children tromped up the stairs, stopping to say goodnight to servants and dogs, leaving her with her husband.
“He’ll be fine Keladry. He’s strong, like you.” Wyldon moved from his seat by the window to the couch beside her.
Kel had been amazed at Wyldon’s transformation when there son was born. He was happier, less stressed, more energetic, and seemed younger. It was odd to think that the reason he had seemed so old (at 39 even, which wasn’t old, and at almost fifty now, which kind of was) was that his daughters were grown and only one was still in his house. And each time she had given him a new child, they had grown closer together and he had seemed younger, happier, more energetic, and more eager to have more children.
“I know. I knew this was going to happen, I knew he was going to leave, it just doesn’t feel like I’ve had ten years to get ready for it. It feels like a day.”
Wyldon chuckled. “More like five days. You didn’t have Lance, Vivi, Ila, Pessa, and Dev all in one afternoon. You didn’t even have Lance in one afternoon, it took three days!”
Kel smiled a bit. Wyl was trying to make her feel better, and she appreciated it, but it wasn’t working. “Was it this hard to let go of the girls?”
“Harder. Just like it will be with our girls. You get your sons back, you send your daughters off to marry.”
Kel nodded. “I’m tired, and you have a long ride ahead of you. Let’s say goodbye while we have the chance.”
“I’ll be right up. I just have to finish this one report, and it won’t take more than five minutes.”
Kel smiled and left the sitting room, heading for their bedroom. She paused at Lancelot’s door when she came to the landing. Her boy always fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, and he was asleep when she went in and sat on the edge of his bed.
“You’ll do fine son. They have this tradition called ‘earning your way’ and you have to do it. But only the little things like fetching ink and books.” She smiled, thinking of Cleon, whose son would also be starting this year. “Some kids might take it too far, and you have to stand up to them. You have to stand up for others who can’t do it themselves too. That’s what being a knight is. And when you get caught for fighting -which you will, Padraig might not be as good as your father, but he is good enough for that- say you fell down. You can’t tell that you were fighting, or who you were fighting with.”
Kel kissed her son’s head and rose. “Also, watch out for Eda Bell, the Shang Wildcat. She can trounce you easily, no matter how old she looks.”
“That she can. He’ll be fine Keladry, now let him rest.” Wyldon stood in the doorway, watching. Kel nodded and followed him out of the room. As they were taking off their day clothes, Kel felt her anti-pregnancy charm brush against her arm in the movement. She held it in her hand for a minute, then she pulled it off and lay it on her dressing table.
“I love you,” She whispered, turning to Wyldon and getting into bed without putting her nightclothes on.
“I love you too.” And he followed her to bed.