Post by Carbon Kiwi on Apr 24, 2011 8:55:58 GMT 10
Title: Posterity
Rating: G
Word Count: 942
Pairing: Lark / Rosethorn
Round/Fight: 2B
Warnings: AU-y, a generally strange story, blatant self-insert (but not in a completely flattering way :Þ)
Summary:Another remarkable aspect of the Circle’s success was their teachers, each a great-mage and as powerful as each Circle member would become separately, though the teachers did not share a similar bond.
Notes: It's AU in that it has our setting, sort-of, with Emelan mixed in... It always bothered me, thinking that Rosethorn and Lark and the teachers might not be remembered with the Circle. So I wanted to prove, in some little way, that posterity remembered them fondly. And to make a snipe at group work which, in general, stinks. (Unless you're a member of the Circle, and even then sometimes. And oh, goodness, those bickering senior mages...) I won't be too offended if this one doesn't count; I understand. (; Great round, everyone. C: It was wonderful joining in.
Novice Kiwi stared out the window. She frowned at the aeroplane flying over Winding Circle, recognising that such devices were a large part of human-kind’s damage to the earth—and what was driving her to her vows. Unfortunately the reminder did not make it any easier to offer her attention to her compulsory history lesson with the dry-voiced Air Dedicate and a number of other less-than-attentive novices.
“The 11th century brought advancements in technology—like the ‘boomstones’ and ‘black powder’ we covered last week—but is more importantly known as the Rise of the Circle.”
Kiwi rolled her eyes. Surely this was going to become another preaching session on the importance of inter-disciplinary teamwork, and harp on about how they had to befriend each other despite the different personalities associated with the elements. It wasn’t as if she’d heard it more times than she had fingers and toes, or anything.
“Posterity reveals that it is not their magic itself that was extraordinary—though the Circle were credentialed great-mages young, as you’ll recall—but their bond. For this reason, I have created two assignments for you.”
A novice in the back corner groaned and dropped her head; Kiwi bit back her laughter, despite being equally displeased—there was a festival on next week.
Dedicate Assignment-Happy sniffed and raised his eyebrow at the novice, but carried on without comment. “The first will continue into summer, but you must first choose your groups.”
Kiwi did groan in the back of her throat then, more of a private rumble: if there was anything worse than an assignment, surely it was a group assignment.
“You are to form groups of four with other novices of the temple. The groups must be made up of four novices that represent interest in the four temples: air, earth, fire, water. Come to me next week with your list.”
Kiwi wrote it on her slate, quiet as could be; she heard chalk squeak from across the room.
“Another remarkable aspect of the Circle’s success was their teachers, each a great-mage and as powerful as each Circle member would become separately, though the teachers did not share a similar bond. Fire Dedicate Frostpine taught Daja Kisubo from the forge; Academic Great-Mage Niklaren Goldeye taught Trisana Chandler through travelling lessons. Sandrilene fa Toren and Briar Moss were taught by Earth Dedicates Lark and Rosethorn, who ran Discipline Cottage.”
Kiwi perked up, suddenly interested in the man’s words far more than the bending of tree-leaves in the breeze outside the window. She knew Discipline—despite centuries of re-building and care it was run-down now, after the expansion to the dormitories and incorporation of more private settings for difficult novices—and went there often to read books about plants or lesbian women saving the day in all sorts of settings. Two women running a cottage would always capture her interest.
“To exemplify Winding Circle’s avant-garde open-mindedness, I state here that the two were openly involved, polyamorous but primary partners.”
A slow smile spread over Kiwi’s face. History had just become interesting.
“But that is a digression; I thought it might interest some of you.” Dedicate Southwind—he had earned his name back—glanced in Kiwi’s direction, and though his expression did not change, his eyes were light. Kiwi grinned at him and nodded. “I mention the teachers because this will be your next assignment: research past dedicates—or mages, for those like Niklaren—who are known for their teaching methodology as well as personal achievement. In three weeks you all will present these to the class and a number of invited dedicates. Prepare to stay late; I will have the kitchen deliver food as we will all stay to discuss at length afterward. Two weeks later I will get you all in touch with a dedicate or mage within the temple, someone to act as a teacher and quite possibly mentor. This will be based on the choice of your presentation and the points you bring up, so please do put some real effort into this—it will be long-lasting.”
Kiwi was so close to bursting that she could hardly pay attention to Southwind’s list of suggested books, but she managed to scribble down a few key words. She already knew who she would be choosing—Dedicate Rosethorn sure sounded like a plant dedicate’s name. She’d skip the midday meal and hurry to the library to snatch up a book, then bring it to old Discipline to take notes.
An hour later she smiled down at the book. There was a whole chapter dedicated to Life at Discipline—she nearly felt the cottage buzzing with their presence behind her back—and another for Rosethorn and Lark. It seemed Lark brought soothing and Rosethorn brought snark. Sounded simply marvellous to her.
But, more importantly, Kiwi found that just as the Circle’s magic was not what made them special but their bond, Lark and Rosethorn’s gender was not responsible for their importance—that was the women themselves, and their endless dedication to each other, love, teaching and righting the world wherever wrong settled itself. That was absolutely worth learning.
Kiwi scribed a thank-you note to Dedicate Southwind, and then a second to Dedicate Rosethorn and Dedicate Lark of Discipline—though they would never see it, long-gone as they were. She was grateful the cottage had always been rebuilt to emulate its first foundation as she slipped the thin parchment under a plank of the wooden building-side addition. Then she got to work, smiling down at a painting of Rosethorn and Lark, the prior glaring with a grin and the latter smiling at her, arm over her shoulder.
QC by: journeycat
Rating: G
Word Count: 942
Pairing: Lark / Rosethorn
Round/Fight: 2B
Warnings: AU-y, a generally strange story, blatant self-insert (but not in a completely flattering way :Þ)
Summary:Another remarkable aspect of the Circle’s success was their teachers, each a great-mage and as powerful as each Circle member would become separately, though the teachers did not share a similar bond.
Notes: It's AU in that it has our setting, sort-of, with Emelan mixed in... It always bothered me, thinking that Rosethorn and Lark and the teachers might not be remembered with the Circle. So I wanted to prove, in some little way, that posterity remembered them fondly. And to make a snipe at group work which, in general, stinks. (Unless you're a member of the Circle, and even then sometimes. And oh, goodness, those bickering senior mages...) I won't be too offended if this one doesn't count; I understand. (; Great round, everyone. C: It was wonderful joining in.
Novice Kiwi stared out the window. She frowned at the aeroplane flying over Winding Circle, recognising that such devices were a large part of human-kind’s damage to the earth—and what was driving her to her vows. Unfortunately the reminder did not make it any easier to offer her attention to her compulsory history lesson with the dry-voiced Air Dedicate and a number of other less-than-attentive novices.
“The 11th century brought advancements in technology—like the ‘boomstones’ and ‘black powder’ we covered last week—but is more importantly known as the Rise of the Circle.”
Kiwi rolled her eyes. Surely this was going to become another preaching session on the importance of inter-disciplinary teamwork, and harp on about how they had to befriend each other despite the different personalities associated with the elements. It wasn’t as if she’d heard it more times than she had fingers and toes, or anything.
“Posterity reveals that it is not their magic itself that was extraordinary—though the Circle were credentialed great-mages young, as you’ll recall—but their bond. For this reason, I have created two assignments for you.”
A novice in the back corner groaned and dropped her head; Kiwi bit back her laughter, despite being equally displeased—there was a festival on next week.
Dedicate Assignment-Happy sniffed and raised his eyebrow at the novice, but carried on without comment. “The first will continue into summer, but you must first choose your groups.”
Kiwi did groan in the back of her throat then, more of a private rumble: if there was anything worse than an assignment, surely it was a group assignment.
“You are to form groups of four with other novices of the temple. The groups must be made up of four novices that represent interest in the four temples: air, earth, fire, water. Come to me next week with your list.”
Kiwi wrote it on her slate, quiet as could be; she heard chalk squeak from across the room.
“Another remarkable aspect of the Circle’s success was their teachers, each a great-mage and as powerful as each Circle member would become separately, though the teachers did not share a similar bond. Fire Dedicate Frostpine taught Daja Kisubo from the forge; Academic Great-Mage Niklaren Goldeye taught Trisana Chandler through travelling lessons. Sandrilene fa Toren and Briar Moss were taught by Earth Dedicates Lark and Rosethorn, who ran Discipline Cottage.”
Kiwi perked up, suddenly interested in the man’s words far more than the bending of tree-leaves in the breeze outside the window. She knew Discipline—despite centuries of re-building and care it was run-down now, after the expansion to the dormitories and incorporation of more private settings for difficult novices—and went there often to read books about plants or lesbian women saving the day in all sorts of settings. Two women running a cottage would always capture her interest.
“To exemplify Winding Circle’s avant-garde open-mindedness, I state here that the two were openly involved, polyamorous but primary partners.”
A slow smile spread over Kiwi’s face. History had just become interesting.
“But that is a digression; I thought it might interest some of you.” Dedicate Southwind—he had earned his name back—glanced in Kiwi’s direction, and though his expression did not change, his eyes were light. Kiwi grinned at him and nodded. “I mention the teachers because this will be your next assignment: research past dedicates—or mages, for those like Niklaren—who are known for their teaching methodology as well as personal achievement. In three weeks you all will present these to the class and a number of invited dedicates. Prepare to stay late; I will have the kitchen deliver food as we will all stay to discuss at length afterward. Two weeks later I will get you all in touch with a dedicate or mage within the temple, someone to act as a teacher and quite possibly mentor. This will be based on the choice of your presentation and the points you bring up, so please do put some real effort into this—it will be long-lasting.”
Kiwi was so close to bursting that she could hardly pay attention to Southwind’s list of suggested books, but she managed to scribble down a few key words. She already knew who she would be choosing—Dedicate Rosethorn sure sounded like a plant dedicate’s name. She’d skip the midday meal and hurry to the library to snatch up a book, then bring it to old Discipline to take notes.
An hour later she smiled down at the book. There was a whole chapter dedicated to Life at Discipline—she nearly felt the cottage buzzing with their presence behind her back—and another for Rosethorn and Lark. It seemed Lark brought soothing and Rosethorn brought snark. Sounded simply marvellous to her.
But, more importantly, Kiwi found that just as the Circle’s magic was not what made them special but their bond, Lark and Rosethorn’s gender was not responsible for their importance—that was the women themselves, and their endless dedication to each other, love, teaching and righting the world wherever wrong settled itself. That was absolutely worth learning.
Kiwi scribed a thank-you note to Dedicate Southwind, and then a second to Dedicate Rosethorn and Dedicate Lark of Discipline—though they would never see it, long-gone as they were. She was grateful the cottage had always been rebuilt to emulate its first foundation as she slipped the thin parchment under a plank of the wooden building-side addition. Then she got to work, smiling down at a painting of Rosethorn and Lark, the prior glaring with a grin and the latter smiling at her, arm over her shoulder.
QC by: journeycat