Post by Tamari on May 2, 2012 6:38:23 GMT 10
Series: Of Freedom
Title: Seeing Through the Bars of Rage
Rating: PG
Event: AU Hammer Throw
Words: 506
Summary: When 20 years ago was a very different time, what will become of Lianne?
Author's Notes: Titles (for series and fics) taken from Maya Angelou's I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. This isn't a modern sort of AU- it's still set in Tortall, just not a Tortall we recognize.
"Girl!"
Lianne wipes her sweaty black hair out of her face and kneels. "What does my lady require?" she murmurs.
"Draw a bath. Warm, and rose petal soap," the woman says, waving a hand dismissively before fingering the crown perched on her blonde hair.
Lianne nods, and leaves to the bathhouse to fill her buckets. When she dips a calloused finger into the water, she sighs.
Cold, again.
The servants, the slaves, the oppressed- they may be too afraid to rebel (Lianne included), but they are making their feelings clear. Lianne agrees with their sentiments, but she doesn't have time for things like this.
She glances around before placing her fingers on the rim of the bucket. After a brief muttered spell, the water warms and a faint rose fragrance rises.
She isn't supposed to be using her Gift, but Princess Josiane wouldn't see magic if it tore the very dress on her back to shreds. Even if she could, she likes Lianne enough to spare her from a death sentence (Lianne hopes).
Lianne hefts the buckets and shoulders open the door absentmindedly, wondering how her sisters are doing with Queen Delia-
A splash- a very unmanly shriek.
"Mithros," sputters the brunet young man, who she recognizes with a fresh wave of horror. "Was that really necessary?"
"I'm so sorry, Your Highness," she says, stuttering slightly and ducking her head as she grasps for the now empty buckets.
Her hands grab air and she looks back up to see the prince smiling slightly, sopping wet, and holding the buckets out to her.
"Thank you," Lianne says.
"It's no problem, Miss..." He raises an eyebrow at her.
"Lianne," she says, staring at the ground.
Even though she can only see his legs, it's obvious that he flinches. "Right," he says.
"I'm so sorry about-" She gestures at his soggy clothing without moving her head.
"Don't worry about it. I won't tell Aunt, if that's what you're worried about," he says, reaching to pull her face up so he can search her wide eyes.
Lianne tries desperately to control her trembling, but she can tell that he notices. "Your Highness, I can't ask you to defy the Queen."
"Pish-posh," he says, releasing her face as she suppresses a giggle. "She won't care. I'm 'iggle-Lerant-poo'."
She almost laughs but remembers her place just in time. He has no reservations, though, and guffaws.
She smiles nervously, looking around the deserted hall. If someone should see them...
Lerant claps her on the back. "You're a sweet girl, Lianne," he says. "I;ll see you around." He bows to her- much, much lower than is proper for a prince to bow to a servant girl, if that should happen at all, and enters the bathhouse before she has time to curtsey in return.
She stares at the door he left through for about a candlemark, before remembering her mistress. With a squeak, she runs to refill her buckets.
Lianne dips her finger into the water again and smiles.
Somebody's looking out for her.
Title: Seeing Through the Bars of Rage
Rating: PG
Event: AU Hammer Throw
Words: 506
Summary: When 20 years ago was a very different time, what will become of Lianne?
Author's Notes: Titles (for series and fics) taken from Maya Angelou's I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. This isn't a modern sort of AU- it's still set in Tortall, just not a Tortall we recognize.
Seeing Through the Bars of Rage
"Girl!"
Lianne wipes her sweaty black hair out of her face and kneels. "What does my lady require?" she murmurs.
"Draw a bath. Warm, and rose petal soap," the woman says, waving a hand dismissively before fingering the crown perched on her blonde hair.
Lianne nods, and leaves to the bathhouse to fill her buckets. When she dips a calloused finger into the water, she sighs.
Cold, again.
The servants, the slaves, the oppressed- they may be too afraid to rebel (Lianne included), but they are making their feelings clear. Lianne agrees with their sentiments, but she doesn't have time for things like this.
She glances around before placing her fingers on the rim of the bucket. After a brief muttered spell, the water warms and a faint rose fragrance rises.
She isn't supposed to be using her Gift, but Princess Josiane wouldn't see magic if it tore the very dress on her back to shreds. Even if she could, she likes Lianne enough to spare her from a death sentence (Lianne hopes).
Lianne hefts the buckets and shoulders open the door absentmindedly, wondering how her sisters are doing with Queen Delia-
A splash- a very unmanly shriek.
"Mithros," sputters the brunet young man, who she recognizes with a fresh wave of horror. "Was that really necessary?"
"I'm so sorry, Your Highness," she says, stuttering slightly and ducking her head as she grasps for the now empty buckets.
Her hands grab air and she looks back up to see the prince smiling slightly, sopping wet, and holding the buckets out to her.
"Thank you," Lianne says.
"It's no problem, Miss..." He raises an eyebrow at her.
"Lianne," she says, staring at the ground.
Even though she can only see his legs, it's obvious that he flinches. "Right," he says.
"I'm so sorry about-" She gestures at his soggy clothing without moving her head.
"Don't worry about it. I won't tell Aunt, if that's what you're worried about," he says, reaching to pull her face up so he can search her wide eyes.
Lianne tries desperately to control her trembling, but she can tell that he notices. "Your Highness, I can't ask you to defy the Queen."
"Pish-posh," he says, releasing her face as she suppresses a giggle. "She won't care. I'm 'iggle-Lerant-poo'."
She almost laughs but remembers her place just in time. He has no reservations, though, and guffaws.
She smiles nervously, looking around the deserted hall. If someone should see them...
Lerant claps her on the back. "You're a sweet girl, Lianne," he says. "I;ll see you around." He bows to her- much, much lower than is proper for a prince to bow to a servant girl, if that should happen at all, and enters the bathhouse before she has time to curtsey in return.
She stares at the door he left through for about a candlemark, before remembering her mistress. With a squeak, she runs to refill her buckets.
Lianne dips her finger into the water again and smiles.
Somebody's looking out for her.
Maybe once we'd have seen it during Smackdown!