Post by wordy on Oct 11, 2009 21:18:29 GMT 10
Title: Hero
Rating: G
Prompt: #13 Once Upon A Time
Summary: Inspired by my fic about Liam (II) from here. Also, Gary being dashing with a moustache.
"Tell us a story Uncle Gary!" Vania squealed, hanging off his leg. They had cornered him just as he was leaving his study. Gareth the Younger looked down at the four youngest Conte children, who returned his look with pleading ones of their own. He sighed. "Alright, I suppose I have some time." Vania and Lianne cheered, while Liam and Jasson grinned up at him; three of them raced past him into his study to sit by the fireplace.
Gary followed at a slower pace after extracting Vania from his leg and pausing to put some papers back on his desk. He was really not cut out for this, and the older they grew, the more energetic they seemed to get.
"Okay," he said, settling in his chair by the fireplace, "What do you want to hear about? How about when a lad named Alan came to the palace to become a knight?"
Jasson crinkled his nose. "We've heard that one a million times Uncle Gary."
"Yeah," Vania added pertly, "We all know it's Aunty 'lanna." Lianne nodded in agreement; despite being older, she seemed to follow Vania, Gary had noticed.
"Tell us something new!" Liam said. "Please," he added. Liam was very much like his father, both in personality and looks. Gary hoped that there'd be someone to bring Liam down a few notches when he needed it; Mithros know Jon did.
Gary stroked his moustache, thinking hard. Something new. A lot had happened during the years of his youth, sometimes it was difficult to remember all the details. It was also hard to judge what was suitable for his nieces and nephews' young ears.
Jasson was fidgeting. Finally, he burst out with, "Can you tell us about Shang, Uncle Gary?" His siblings looked interested too. Gary thought for a moment.
"Once upon a time," he began, "there was a man of Shang who's hair was as red as fire; they called him the Dragon." Jasson, Vania, and Lianne's eyes were fixed intently upon him, Jasson's mouth hanging open. Gary caught Liam rolling his eyes.
Undeterred, Gary continued. He told them all about Liam Ironarm's adventures in Tortall, from when he met Alanna on her quest for the Jewel to his valiant death. Editing out any innappropriate bits, of course.
After he had finished and they were satisfied, he shooed them out of his study. Vania and Lianne skipped off to do whatever it was young girls did, while Jasson walked off dreamily, probably imagining himself as a Shang warrior.
Gary frowned when he noticed Liam still lingering outside his door. "Liam," he called. The boy turned, dark hair swishing against his forehead. "Is everything alright?"
Liam bit his lip indecisively. After a moment, he walked back to where Gary was standing at his desk. He looked up at his uncle, fiddling with the cuff of one sleeve. Gary motioned for him to speak.
"It's just...the story you told, about the Dragon," Liam said, not meeting his eyes.
"You didn't like it?" Gary asked him.
"I suppose so. Only...I've heard it a billion times already."
"Oh," said Gary. "So what's bothering you then, lad?"
Liam looked up at him with blue eyes, eyes so much like Jon's that Gary felt his heart spasm. "Everyone tells me about how the Dragon - Liam Ironarm - was a hero."
"He was," Gary said gently, "He saved Tortall, and your father."
Liam nodded. "I just don't know if I can..."
The boy trailed off, frowning now. Gary got the urge to take him in his arms and hug him, but instead sat on the edge of his desk. "What, Liam? You can tell me, you know."
"I don't think I can...live up to my name. His name."
Gary's heart went out to him when he spoke those words. How difficult must it be, to live with the name of Liam Ironarm for your entire life? he wondered. It was bad enough being named after his own father sometimes, but Gary had never felt like Liam did about his name.
"Liam," Gary said eventually, "I'm going to tell you something. It's true that Liam Ironarm was a hero. But this is true as well - even though you were named for him, you're still your own person. No matter what you do with your life, you need to do it for yourself - not for some dead man you don't even know. When people look at you - when I look at you - I see Liam of Conte. You just need to believe in yourself as much as I believe in you, because you can do anything. But it has to come from here," he finished, leaning forward to tap Liam on the chest.
Liam was silent for a moment, eyes cast downward, thinking things through.
"Thanks Uncle Gary," he said finally. "I don't think I can do that, not yet. But I'll try." He looked a bit embarrassed, but Gary smiled and ruffled his hair, "That's alright Liam. Now run along, I've got some work to do."
Liam obeyed instantly, closing the study door as he left. Gary sat there a moment longer, thinking. It would be interesting to see how that boy turned out.
Heaving a sigh, Gary returned to his paperwork.
Rating: G
Prompt: #13 Once Upon A Time
Summary: Inspired by my fic about Liam (II) from here. Also, Gary being dashing with a moustache.
"Tell us a story Uncle Gary!" Vania squealed, hanging off his leg. They had cornered him just as he was leaving his study. Gareth the Younger looked down at the four youngest Conte children, who returned his look with pleading ones of their own. He sighed. "Alright, I suppose I have some time." Vania and Lianne cheered, while Liam and Jasson grinned up at him; three of them raced past him into his study to sit by the fireplace.
Gary followed at a slower pace after extracting Vania from his leg and pausing to put some papers back on his desk. He was really not cut out for this, and the older they grew, the more energetic they seemed to get.
"Okay," he said, settling in his chair by the fireplace, "What do you want to hear about? How about when a lad named Alan came to the palace to become a knight?"
Jasson crinkled his nose. "We've heard that one a million times Uncle Gary."
"Yeah," Vania added pertly, "We all know it's Aunty 'lanna." Lianne nodded in agreement; despite being older, she seemed to follow Vania, Gary had noticed.
"Tell us something new!" Liam said. "Please," he added. Liam was very much like his father, both in personality and looks. Gary hoped that there'd be someone to bring Liam down a few notches when he needed it; Mithros know Jon did.
Gary stroked his moustache, thinking hard. Something new. A lot had happened during the years of his youth, sometimes it was difficult to remember all the details. It was also hard to judge what was suitable for his nieces and nephews' young ears.
Jasson was fidgeting. Finally, he burst out with, "Can you tell us about Shang, Uncle Gary?" His siblings looked interested too. Gary thought for a moment.
"Once upon a time," he began, "there was a man of Shang who's hair was as red as fire; they called him the Dragon." Jasson, Vania, and Lianne's eyes were fixed intently upon him, Jasson's mouth hanging open. Gary caught Liam rolling his eyes.
Undeterred, Gary continued. He told them all about Liam Ironarm's adventures in Tortall, from when he met Alanna on her quest for the Jewel to his valiant death. Editing out any innappropriate bits, of course.
After he had finished and they were satisfied, he shooed them out of his study. Vania and Lianne skipped off to do whatever it was young girls did, while Jasson walked off dreamily, probably imagining himself as a Shang warrior.
Gary frowned when he noticed Liam still lingering outside his door. "Liam," he called. The boy turned, dark hair swishing against his forehead. "Is everything alright?"
Liam bit his lip indecisively. After a moment, he walked back to where Gary was standing at his desk. He looked up at his uncle, fiddling with the cuff of one sleeve. Gary motioned for him to speak.
"It's just...the story you told, about the Dragon," Liam said, not meeting his eyes.
"You didn't like it?" Gary asked him.
"I suppose so. Only...I've heard it a billion times already."
"Oh," said Gary. "So what's bothering you then, lad?"
Liam looked up at him with blue eyes, eyes so much like Jon's that Gary felt his heart spasm. "Everyone tells me about how the Dragon - Liam Ironarm - was a hero."
"He was," Gary said gently, "He saved Tortall, and your father."
Liam nodded. "I just don't know if I can..."
The boy trailed off, frowning now. Gary got the urge to take him in his arms and hug him, but instead sat on the edge of his desk. "What, Liam? You can tell me, you know."
"I don't think I can...live up to my name. His name."
Gary's heart went out to him when he spoke those words. How difficult must it be, to live with the name of Liam Ironarm for your entire life? he wondered. It was bad enough being named after his own father sometimes, but Gary had never felt like Liam did about his name.
"Liam," Gary said eventually, "I'm going to tell you something. It's true that Liam Ironarm was a hero. But this is true as well - even though you were named for him, you're still your own person. No matter what you do with your life, you need to do it for yourself - not for some dead man you don't even know. When people look at you - when I look at you - I see Liam of Conte. You just need to believe in yourself as much as I believe in you, because you can do anything. But it has to come from here," he finished, leaning forward to tap Liam on the chest.
Liam was silent for a moment, eyes cast downward, thinking things through.
"Thanks Uncle Gary," he said finally. "I don't think I can do that, not yet. But I'll try." He looked a bit embarrassed, but Gary smiled and ruffled his hair, "That's alright Liam. Now run along, I've got some work to do."
Liam obeyed instantly, closing the study door as he left. Gary sat there a moment longer, thinking. It would be interesting to see how that boy turned out.
Heaving a sigh, Gary returned to his paperwork.
Maybe once we'd have seen it during Smackdown!