Post by Muse on May 25, 2013 0:16:15 GMT 10
Title: Beginnings III
Rating: PG
Word Count: 699
Pairing: Buri/Raoul
Round/Fight: 2B
Summary: Raoul writes to Buri during the first full summer of Jonathan’s reign; the fall out of the Coronation Day disaster is still apparent throughout Tortall.
Dear Buri,
I’m writing to you as we move south along the coast. The salt and brine are not improving anything; be glad you are not here tosmell see smell us. Summer is not kind when you spend your days in chain mail.
It’s weird. Jon’s been king for a year now. A lot has happened in a year.
To answer some questions: as I warned Jon, the King’s Own has been losing men at a steady rate ever since they got a taste of what real work is like when you’re up to your throat in blood, sweat, and bugs. Can you please tell him I told you so, and also to start advertising a need for recruits? Hopefully they won’t be as whiny if they know they’ll get hard work every day.
I’m not answering the question about the sweat and chain mail; it’s too gross to talk about.
We have been to some places—towns, villages—where things aren’t too bad. Yet. There was this one hedge witch whose foresight bought their village a good harvest last year. Most everyone else, though, isn’t as lucky. The drought has set in, in the South. Larger towns and cities are the worst; rioting, a rise in crime just like in Corus. Tell Gary—not Jon, I don’t know how he would respond—that people are starting to wonder about the new King out loud, in public. Jonathan’s name isn’t worth much, some places, and Thayet’s is even worse.
No, you really don’t want to hear more about that; it’s crude at best.
It’s probably for the best that Jon doesn’t use the Jewel again any time soon…but I agree with Alanna—don’t let him go throwing it away off of high places. I hate to think about it, but we might need it again.
Here, how about a better topic. Has Thayet had the baby yet?
Has Jon lost any body parts due to voicing stupid questions where his beautiful but terrifying wife can hear? You need to tell me, I need something to laugh about. I hope the man gets over himself once the baby comes, or we’re going to be having emergency council meetings over things like diaper changing.
Can you imagine Duke Gareth’s face?
…or Alanna’s? I can hear it now: “You’re the King’s Champion, you do it!”
(Alanna would thrash him on the practice courts for that. Tell me it happens. Please….By the way, don’t forget that insanity runs in Alanna’s family. Hopefully Jon’s shenanigans put her off the idea of children for a while. Pregnancy would probably bring out the insanity in her. Don’t tell George I said anything.)
I’m doing my best to keep the Own on their toes, though I don’t have to try very hard; mud and bugs are taking care of that for me, though I’m suffering silently as well. Pity me.
Your suggestion, though…you are correct. We do need something more suited to the work that Jon’s set us to. The Own isn’t meant to be playing chase all around the country, haring off after bandits and slogging through mud to help villages deal with natural disasters and petty crime. It’s nice to be able to lend a hand, but it’s not very practical. (I told you so, Jon. I so, so told you.) We could use the help,desperately there’s definitely a need for…I don’t know. Some kind of unit, smaller than the Own, with a specialization in this kind of stuff. Do you have any ideas?
I’m sending this out next time we reach a village that hasn’t been cut off from the rest of the country. I know you’re keeping an eye on everyone…please don’t let Jon do anything stupid. If you can.
Tell the baby about Uncle Raoul, and don’t let Gary make a set a bad example.
Raoul.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 699
Pairing: Buri/Raoul
Round/Fight: 2B
Summary: Raoul writes to Buri during the first full summer of Jonathan’s reign; the fall out of the Coronation Day disaster is still apparent throughout Tortall.
Dear Buri,
I’m writing to you as we move south along the coast. The salt and brine are not improving anything; be glad you are not here to
It’s weird. Jon’s been king for a year now. A lot has happened in a year.
To answer some questions: as I warned Jon, the King’s Own has been losing men at a steady rate ever since they got a taste of what real work is like when you’re up to your throat in blood, sweat, and bugs. Can you please tell him I told you so, and also to start advertising a need for recruits? Hopefully they won’t be as whiny if they know they’ll get hard work every day.
I’m not answering the question about the sweat and chain mail; it’s too gross to talk about.
We have been to some places—towns, villages—where things aren’t too bad. Yet. There was this one hedge witch whose foresight bought their village a good harvest last year. Most everyone else, though, isn’t as lucky. The drought has set in, in the South. Larger towns and cities are the worst; rioting, a rise in crime just like in Corus. Tell Gary—not Jon, I don’t know how he would respond—that people are starting to wonder about the new King out loud, in public. Jonathan’s name isn’t worth much, some places, and Thayet’s is even worse.
No, you really don’t want to hear more about that; it’s crude at best.
It’s probably for the best that Jon doesn’t use the Jewel again any time soon…but I agree with Alanna—don’t let him go throwing it away off of high places. I hate to think about it, but we might need it again.
Here, how about a better topic. Has Thayet had the baby yet?
Has Jon lost any body parts due to voicing stupid questions where his beautiful but terrifying wife can hear? You need to tell me, I need something to laugh about. I hope the man gets over himself once the baby comes, or we’re going to be having emergency council meetings over things like diaper changing.
Can you imagine Duke Gareth’s face?
…or Alanna’s? I can hear it now: “You’re the King’s Champion, you do it!”
(Alanna would thrash him on the practice courts for that. Tell me it happens. Please….By the way, don’t forget that insanity runs in Alanna’s family. Hopefully Jon’s shenanigans put her off the idea of children for a while. Pregnancy would probably bring out the insanity in her. Don’t tell George I said anything.)
I’m doing my best to keep the Own on their toes, though I don’t have to try very hard; mud and bugs are taking care of that for me, though I’m suffering silently as well. Pity me.
Your suggestion, though…you are correct. We do need something more suited to the work that Jon’s set us to. The Own isn’t meant to be playing chase all around the country, haring off after bandits and slogging through mud to help villages deal with natural disasters and petty crime. It’s nice to be able to lend a hand, but it’s not very practical. (I told you so, Jon. I so, so told you.) We could use the help,
I’m sending this out next time we reach a village that hasn’t been cut off from the rest of the country. I know you’re keeping an eye on everyone…please don’t let Jon do anything stupid. If you can.
Tell the baby about Uncle Raoul, and don’t let Gary make a set a bad example.
Raoul.