Post by Seek on Apr 14, 2013 5:02:39 GMT 10
Title: Verdant VIII
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 813 words.
Pairing: Alanna/Jonathan
Round/Fight: 1A
Summary: AU. Alanna and Jon talk about her search for the Green Knight, continued. And Alanna is skilled with cliff-hangers.
Warnings: Violence, reference to beheading.
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"You never did tell me," Jon said, as they rode through the Royal Forest, "Did you give the ribbon to Lord Byren?"
Alanna nodded. "It was difficult," she said. "I was afraid, I think, as the date drew closer and closer. I knew there was no way I could survive a beheading, and I didn't want to die. At the same time, I kept telling myself--I'd wanted to be a knight, and now that I was, I held myself to everything in the Code of Chivalry. I couldn't have broken it. I wasn't supposed to lie, and when I thought about it, it felt a lot like admitting the conservatives were right. That I wasn't strong enough, that I was scared...everything they'd said about girls. You know." It felt almost like a burden had lifted from her shoulders. It felt good, to finally admit that, aloud.
He gripped her arm. "You are not," Jon said, fiercely. His Conte blue eyes were intense; they burned with a fire that was more than anger. "You're the best of my knights, Alanna. My right hand and my friend. I won't have them saying otherwise."
"Thank you, Jon," she said, her voice almost cracking from emotion. "You're my friend and my liege. I live to serve."
"In any case, Sir Alanna, we bid you to Continue," Jon said, in the Most Royal Voice he could manage. He ruined that by adding, "So, was he surprised by the kisses?"
"No," Alanna said, "Of course not. He did seem a little surprised when I gave him the green ribbon. He pocketed it away. I should have realised, then, but I did not. He'd brought back a stag this time, a twelve-pointer, and said he'd have the craftsman make something from it for me, for I must pass that way on my return. I did not tell him it was not likely. I slept that night. I did not sleep well, but nevertheless, in the morning, he led me along a winding mountain path until I could see the Green Chapel, and then he left me to make my own way there."
"What happened, then?"
"The Green Knight was already there, when I came," Alanna said quietly. "He was sharpening his axe. I could see the sparks flying, I could hear the scrape of axe on whetstone...I almost lost my nerve, there and then. I'd given away the green ribbon, I thought. Stupid...even though I was convinced I wanted no magic in this. So I came forward, and he said, 'Good! I see you have come, then. Are you ready?' I swallowed hard and said, 'Yes, I am.' And so I dismounted, and tied Moonlight to a tree. I said, 'Good Sir Knight, if I do not walk away from this encounter, I ask you to return my horse to Corus, where she will be well-cared for.'"
Moonlight whickered. Alanna ran her hand along the horse's mane. "I couldn't have thought of leaving you there to starve," Alanna whispered.
"I would have done the same," Jon said. He glanced down at Darkness, his fine stallion.
"He said, 'I will not be going to Corus.' So I said, 'Then return her to Fief Bertilak. There is a good man there, and I know she will be well-cared for there, if not in Corus.' He was dispassionate as he answered, 'I know that fief. I will do as you ask, then.' He pointed to a slab in the centre of the chapel yard. 'Go.' I knew what he wanted me to do, then. So I approached the block and knelt, placing my neck on the execution block, so as to speak."
"Come on," Jon growled.
"He swung the axe. I heard the sound of its passage. Then he said, 'Come, Sir Knight, you flinched. What sort of knight are you?' I said, 'I am resolved. I will not flinch again.' And so he swung a second time, and said, 'No, you have flinched once more.' I said, 'I swear by the Great Mother Goddess, I will not flinch this time.' And so he said, 'Prepare yourself,' and swung that great axe. It buried itself in the block, just beside my head, and I leapt up at once, drawing my sword. I said, 'You have struck thrice and failed; I have not flinched. Prepare yourself to fight if you wish to draw blood!' He stood there and laughed at me."
Jon said, dryly, "If you were talking like that, I'll laugh at you."
Alanna said, sweetly, "Then you'll just have to wait until this evening to find out what happened." She heeled Moonlight, and raced past Jon, even before he could realise what was happening. "Last one back to the palace buys dinner the next time we're down in the city!"
Jon cursed, and wheeled Darkness about, before they plunged after her.
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 813 words.
Pairing: Alanna/Jonathan
Round/Fight: 1A
Summary: AU. Alanna and Jon talk about her search for the Green Knight, continued. And Alanna is skilled with cliff-hangers.
Warnings: Violence, reference to beheading.
-
"You never did tell me," Jon said, as they rode through the Royal Forest, "Did you give the ribbon to Lord Byren?"
Alanna nodded. "It was difficult," she said. "I was afraid, I think, as the date drew closer and closer. I knew there was no way I could survive a beheading, and I didn't want to die. At the same time, I kept telling myself--I'd wanted to be a knight, and now that I was, I held myself to everything in the Code of Chivalry. I couldn't have broken it. I wasn't supposed to lie, and when I thought about it, it felt a lot like admitting the conservatives were right. That I wasn't strong enough, that I was scared...everything they'd said about girls. You know." It felt almost like a burden had lifted from her shoulders. It felt good, to finally admit that, aloud.
He gripped her arm. "You are not," Jon said, fiercely. His Conte blue eyes were intense; they burned with a fire that was more than anger. "You're the best of my knights, Alanna. My right hand and my friend. I won't have them saying otherwise."
"Thank you, Jon," she said, her voice almost cracking from emotion. "You're my friend and my liege. I live to serve."
"In any case, Sir Alanna, we bid you to Continue," Jon said, in the Most Royal Voice he could manage. He ruined that by adding, "So, was he surprised by the kisses?"
"No," Alanna said, "Of course not. He did seem a little surprised when I gave him the green ribbon. He pocketed it away. I should have realised, then, but I did not. He'd brought back a stag this time, a twelve-pointer, and said he'd have the craftsman make something from it for me, for I must pass that way on my return. I did not tell him it was not likely. I slept that night. I did not sleep well, but nevertheless, in the morning, he led me along a winding mountain path until I could see the Green Chapel, and then he left me to make my own way there."
"What happened, then?"
"The Green Knight was already there, when I came," Alanna said quietly. "He was sharpening his axe. I could see the sparks flying, I could hear the scrape of axe on whetstone...I almost lost my nerve, there and then. I'd given away the green ribbon, I thought. Stupid...even though I was convinced I wanted no magic in this. So I came forward, and he said, 'Good! I see you have come, then. Are you ready?' I swallowed hard and said, 'Yes, I am.' And so I dismounted, and tied Moonlight to a tree. I said, 'Good Sir Knight, if I do not walk away from this encounter, I ask you to return my horse to Corus, where she will be well-cared for.'"
Moonlight whickered. Alanna ran her hand along the horse's mane. "I couldn't have thought of leaving you there to starve," Alanna whispered.
"I would have done the same," Jon said. He glanced down at Darkness, his fine stallion.
"He said, 'I will not be going to Corus.' So I said, 'Then return her to Fief Bertilak. There is a good man there, and I know she will be well-cared for there, if not in Corus.' He was dispassionate as he answered, 'I know that fief. I will do as you ask, then.' He pointed to a slab in the centre of the chapel yard. 'Go.' I knew what he wanted me to do, then. So I approached the block and knelt, placing my neck on the execution block, so as to speak."
"Come on," Jon growled.
"He swung the axe. I heard the sound of its passage. Then he said, 'Come, Sir Knight, you flinched. What sort of knight are you?' I said, 'I am resolved. I will not flinch again.' And so he swung a second time, and said, 'No, you have flinched once more.' I said, 'I swear by the Great Mother Goddess, I will not flinch this time.' And so he said, 'Prepare yourself,' and swung that great axe. It buried itself in the block, just beside my head, and I leapt up at once, drawing my sword. I said, 'You have struck thrice and failed; I have not flinched. Prepare yourself to fight if you wish to draw blood!' He stood there and laughed at me."
Jon said, dryly, "If you were talking like that, I'll laugh at you."
Alanna said, sweetly, "Then you'll just have to wait until this evening to find out what happened." She heeled Moonlight, and raced past Jon, even before he could realise what was happening. "Last one back to the palace buys dinner the next time we're down in the city!"
Jon cursed, and wheeled Darkness about, before they plunged after her.