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Post by jazzyjess on Mar 19, 2011 18:20:52 GMT 10
Title: The Thing About Heroes Rating: G Wordcount: 253 Pairing: Kel/Maura Round: 1/C Summary: "A hero is a man who does what he can." - Romain Rolland
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The little boy is all red hair and freckles and eagerness. “Mama,” he asks, tugging Maura’s hand, “what is that great big thing by the water?”
“It’s a cenotaph, my darling,” she replies, moving down to sit at his level, smiling even when her knees crack under the weight of her heavy belly. “It is made of marble and bears the names of the knights and soldiers we lost in the war.”
“Were they special people?”
It’s a flash of memory – two hands clasped together and a wisp of laughter carried away on the breeze. “They were all special to someone.”
“Did they do really good stuff, mama?”
She remembers the cough, very deep in the chest, and the feeling of a cold hand in hers. “Every little thing they did for us was important, little one.”
As the boy wanders off to inspect the tall marble slab, Maura remembers the times when lady knights were legend and hero alike. Time enough has passed that she no longer mourns the sister of her soul, but she offers a little prayer to the Black God, hoping yet again that Kel has found peace.
Maura stays sitting on the ground until Alan comes over to haul her to her feet. “I see that you and Kelad were having a discussion,” he says, pressing a kiss to her temple. She leans on his arm and says that one day, he’ll have bigger questions, and believes him when he says “and that day, you’ll have the answers.”
QC: by Cassandra
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Post by Rosie on Mar 19, 2011 22:40:20 GMT 10
Alan! Oh, Jess, I love how awesome you are. And I love that she half named her son after Kel, and it's so poignant and wonderful.
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Post by Lisa on Mar 19, 2011 23:10:35 GMT 10
ALAN/MAURA! ^___^ *prances in delight* That aside, this is perhaps one of the best after-they're-gone kinds of fics I've ever read, and I love Kelad's name. "sister of her soul" is used so prettily here.
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Post by jazzyjess on Mar 20, 2011 1:44:40 GMT 10
Thank you both so much! I thought the name might be a little too much And the Alan/Maura is my one little tribute to Rosie and her Maura!verse I'm looking forward to playing with Joren, too!
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Post by Lisa on Mar 20, 2011 2:11:16 GMT 10
Someday I should show you our old Alan/Maura from the Kingdom Tortall RP. So much silliness and fun, that led us to our OTP.
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