Post by Muse on Apr 14, 2013 5:23:39 GMT 10
Title: Then and Now
Rating: PG
Word Count: 407
Pairing: Alanna/Jonathan
Round/Fight: 1A
Summary: Sometimes change doesn’t happen as fast as they had hoped. They still fight this battle, still have the same argument, and it feels as old as they are. Inspired by lyrics from “Part of Me” by Katy Perry because apparently Katy is my Jon!tunes of choice.
The request was not unexpected.
Jon rubbed the bridge of his nose, re-reading the letter that had been waiting on his desk for him that morning. It was polite, well written, and discreet. Technically, it was perfect, and there should be no problem accepting the request.
Technically.
He was getting too old for this.
The thought surprised him, and startled a fleeting smile across his lips. A knock at his door, followed by the door opening without a pause to wait for further invitation, wiped the smile from his face.
“Yes, Jon?”
Alanna slumped into one of the armchairs to one side of his study, her face just as lined as his but no less fierce for it, and he took a moment to gather up the courage to talk to her.
“I’ve received a request from Aminar, regarding one of their daughters and a request to enter our service.”
Alanna paused, chewing her lip. “You mean…?”
Jon toyed with the edge of the letter. “She wants to become a page, yes.”
Interest sparked, Alanna sat up straighter. “And? Why did you need to talk to me about this? Unless—“ The spark in her eyes began to fade, and her expression to harden. “You don’t mean to deny her?”
This was the difficult part. “I have no choice.” He could not defend the action politically, regardless of past royal decree. Accepting her would be political suicide.
“Jon!” Alanna strode to his desk. “I thought that things were changing, with Lady Knight Keladry and—“
“Me, too.” Jon’s words were small and quiet between them. He glanced up into her stony gaze. “You know as well as I do that circumstances have changed.” Jon forced the words from between numb lips.
“You can change them again! Are we still fighting this battle, all these years later?” Alanna spat in frustration.
“I could,” Jon admitted, seeing the triumphant light in Alanna’s eyes at his words, “But I’d lose support from the entire Western sector over this one thing, and we can’t afford that, Alanna. Not in the wake of the war in Scanra, not with things the way they are. We’re unstable again as it is…”
Alanna’s jaw clenched. She collapsed back into her chair, frowning mulishly at the ceiling. Her fists balled in her lap, she muttered, “Then, what was the point?”
Jon sighed. “We have to keep hoping.”
Sometimes, even now, it’s all we can do.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 407
Pairing: Alanna/Jonathan
Round/Fight: 1A
Summary: Sometimes change doesn’t happen as fast as they had hoped. They still fight this battle, still have the same argument, and it feels as old as they are. Inspired by lyrics from “Part of Me” by Katy Perry because apparently Katy is my Jon!tunes of choice.
The request was not unexpected.
Jon rubbed the bridge of his nose, re-reading the letter that had been waiting on his desk for him that morning. It was polite, well written, and discreet. Technically, it was perfect, and there should be no problem accepting the request.
Technically.
He was getting too old for this.
The thought surprised him, and startled a fleeting smile across his lips. A knock at his door, followed by the door opening without a pause to wait for further invitation, wiped the smile from his face.
“Yes, Jon?”
Alanna slumped into one of the armchairs to one side of his study, her face just as lined as his but no less fierce for it, and he took a moment to gather up the courage to talk to her.
“I’ve received a request from Aminar, regarding one of their daughters and a request to enter our service.”
Alanna paused, chewing her lip. “You mean…?”
Jon toyed with the edge of the letter. “She wants to become a page, yes.”
Interest sparked, Alanna sat up straighter. “And? Why did you need to talk to me about this? Unless—“ The spark in her eyes began to fade, and her expression to harden. “You don’t mean to deny her?”
This was the difficult part. “I have no choice.” He could not defend the action politically, regardless of past royal decree. Accepting her would be political suicide.
“Jon!” Alanna strode to his desk. “I thought that things were changing, with Lady Knight Keladry and—“
“Me, too.” Jon’s words were small and quiet between them. He glanced up into her stony gaze. “You know as well as I do that circumstances have changed.” Jon forced the words from between numb lips.
“You can change them again! Are we still fighting this battle, all these years later?” Alanna spat in frustration.
“I could,” Jon admitted, seeing the triumphant light in Alanna’s eyes at his words, “But I’d lose support from the entire Western sector over this one thing, and we can’t afford that, Alanna. Not in the wake of the war in Scanra, not with things the way they are. We’re unstable again as it is…”
Alanna’s jaw clenched. She collapsed back into her chair, frowning mulishly at the ceiling. Her fists balled in her lap, she muttered, “Then, what was the point?”
Jon sighed. “We have to keep hoping.”
Sometimes, even now, it’s all we can do.