Post by Seek on May 5, 2013 0:05:58 GMT 10
Title: Chivalry
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 532 words
Summary: Buri saves Raoul's life. Raoul is being unnecessarily chivalrous.
Pairing: Buri/Raoul
Round/Fight: 1D
Notes: Part of the Crossfire series.
Warnings: Attempt on Raoul's life.
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No one expects the lord of the fief to try to poison them. That’s the thing about these Tortallans, Buri thinks. Raoul takes chivalry to a level that’s entirely impractical; they think in terms of jousts and battles. She sees the world in terms of power and poison and arrows and knives in the back. She’s had to. As the daughter of Adigun jin Wilima, Thayet has been a target since the day she was born, and Buri’s always been her bodyguard and protector.
When Lord Savren invites them to discuss the problem with his taxes over a drink, Buri frowns down at the cup. She’s not entirely used to how these knights and lords think, and the first thing she worries about is poison. She slips the small, precious polished disk of carved jade from the leather thong around her neck as discreetly as she can and presses it to the worked silver surface of the cup. This is a family heirloom, created by the shaman of the Hau Ma with great difficulty, but done so to protect Thayet’s family, and it’s saved them several times from poison.
Almost as she expects, her instincts scream at her not to trust Lord Savren, and the almost translucent-white of the jade disc turns a deep black.
Raoul has raised his cup to his lips, smiling pleasantly. Buri elbows him and knocks the cup from his hand in a moment. He splutters; the poisoned juice drenches his clothing. “Buri!” he exclaims, anger and confusion warring on his face. The confusion wins out. “What—?”
She holds up the blackened jade. Raoul understands immediately; she’s told him about her family, about her clan, and he knows what it means. He stands up and draws his sword in a swift movement, even as Lord Savren tries to run. He casually upsets the table, and smashes Lord Savren into the wall, pinning him by the throat. With his sword hand, he presses the edge of his sword to Lord Savren’s throat.
“My lord Savren,” he says, terribly calm, “it seems you have decided it is best to poison a representative of the Crown rather than pay your taxes. As such, you are placed under arrest, my lord, and accused of the act of treason.”
Lord Savren splutters, and tries to protest his innocence, and wheezes as Raoul reapplies pressure to his throat. “My lord, you are not a stupid man. I am most certainly not a stupid man. You were trying to poison us.”
And then he realises his mistake almost too late.
Eyes gleaming, Lord Savren says, “I challenge you to a duel.”
Raoul laughs. “I am a representative of the Crown. I cannot answer your challenge. You wish to duel the King’s Champion by Crown law?”
Still smiling, Lord Savren reaches up and slaps Raoul in the face. Raoul slips; for a moment, the blade draws a line of blood along the lord’s throat.
“I accept,” Raoul says, icily. Because chivalry demands there is only one thing he can do, and Buri heaves a quiet sigh. She’s seen this kind of snake before. Savren’s going down, and he’s determined to drag Raoul down with him.
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 532 words
Summary: Buri saves Raoul's life. Raoul is being unnecessarily chivalrous.
Pairing: Buri/Raoul
Round/Fight: 1D
Notes: Part of the Crossfire series.
Warnings: Attempt on Raoul's life.
-
No one expects the lord of the fief to try to poison them. That’s the thing about these Tortallans, Buri thinks. Raoul takes chivalry to a level that’s entirely impractical; they think in terms of jousts and battles. She sees the world in terms of power and poison and arrows and knives in the back. She’s had to. As the daughter of Adigun jin Wilima, Thayet has been a target since the day she was born, and Buri’s always been her bodyguard and protector.
When Lord Savren invites them to discuss the problem with his taxes over a drink, Buri frowns down at the cup. She’s not entirely used to how these knights and lords think, and the first thing she worries about is poison. She slips the small, precious polished disk of carved jade from the leather thong around her neck as discreetly as she can and presses it to the worked silver surface of the cup. This is a family heirloom, created by the shaman of the Hau Ma with great difficulty, but done so to protect Thayet’s family, and it’s saved them several times from poison.
Almost as she expects, her instincts scream at her not to trust Lord Savren, and the almost translucent-white of the jade disc turns a deep black.
Raoul has raised his cup to his lips, smiling pleasantly. Buri elbows him and knocks the cup from his hand in a moment. He splutters; the poisoned juice drenches his clothing. “Buri!” he exclaims, anger and confusion warring on his face. The confusion wins out. “What—?”
She holds up the blackened jade. Raoul understands immediately; she’s told him about her family, about her clan, and he knows what it means. He stands up and draws his sword in a swift movement, even as Lord Savren tries to run. He casually upsets the table, and smashes Lord Savren into the wall, pinning him by the throat. With his sword hand, he presses the edge of his sword to Lord Savren’s throat.
“My lord Savren,” he says, terribly calm, “it seems you have decided it is best to poison a representative of the Crown rather than pay your taxes. As such, you are placed under arrest, my lord, and accused of the act of treason.”
Lord Savren splutters, and tries to protest his innocence, and wheezes as Raoul reapplies pressure to his throat. “My lord, you are not a stupid man. I am most certainly not a stupid man. You were trying to poison us.”
And then he realises his mistake almost too late.
Eyes gleaming, Lord Savren says, “I challenge you to a duel.”
Raoul laughs. “I am a representative of the Crown. I cannot answer your challenge. You wish to duel the King’s Champion by Crown law?”
Still smiling, Lord Savren reaches up and slaps Raoul in the face. Raoul slips; for a moment, the blade draws a line of blood along the lord’s throat.
“I accept,” Raoul says, icily. Because chivalry demands there is only one thing he can do, and Buri heaves a quiet sigh. She’s seen this kind of snake before. Savren’s going down, and he’s determined to drag Raoul down with him.
Maybe once we'd have seen it during Smackdown!