Post by Ankhiale on Dec 13, 2013 20:27:56 GMT 10
Title: Moving On
Rating: G
For: Idleness
Prompt: #4 - Raoul retires from the Own
Summary: Raoul has a conversation with Buri about his decision to retire.
Notes and Warnings: none! I hope you like it.
*******
"You're sure about this?" Buri asked.
Raoul stared down at the half-folded tunic in his hands. "Yeah," he replied, a beat too late.
"Raoul..."
"Hm?"
Small, strong hands forced him to turn. "Nobody's making you do this, you know," Buri said softly. "You may not be as young as you used to be, but who is? And older men than you are still out working as knights. Heck, older men than you are still in the Own."
Raoul smiled down at the blue fabric. "I know," he said. "I know," he repeated, more firmly, looking up at his wife, meeting Buri's concerned eyes.
"You don't have to do it for me, either," she said softly.
Raoul glanced back down at his tunic, then set it down. He tugged Buri over to lean against him. "I know," he said again. "I would've done it if I needed to for us to be together, but I didn't have to. I'm not doing it now for you, either."
Buri waited.
Raoul's jaw worked. He stared at the far wall.
"I've watched too many knights abandon their duties to their fiefs in service to the Crown," he said finally. He shook his head. "Those are words I never thought I'd say."
Buri's callused hand wrapped around Raoul's. "It's not a betrayal of your friends to point out they have competing duties," she said.
"When I took you back home, last summer," Raoul said, "I realized I barely knew Goldenlake anymore. All I had were a child's memories, not a man's. I know even less about Malorie's Peak; I think the last time I went there was to install the steward. I didn't even stay a week."
"Just as long as this isn't about settling down into a proper noble couple, I'm all for this," Buri said. "If it's really what you want."
Raoul was quiet for a long, long moment. "It is," he said at last. "It's too late now, anyway."
Buri knew that. She'd seen Tasride in the tunic of the Knight Commander just this morning. He seemed awfully young for the job, but he was older than Raoul had been.
"Kel vouches for him," Buri said finally.
Raoul squeezed her hand. "If she hadn't, I really would've refused to retire," he replied.
Rating: G
For: Idleness
Prompt: #4 - Raoul retires from the Own
Summary: Raoul has a conversation with Buri about his decision to retire.
Notes and Warnings: none! I hope you like it.
*******
"You're sure about this?" Buri asked.
Raoul stared down at the half-folded tunic in his hands. "Yeah," he replied, a beat too late.
"Raoul..."
"Hm?"
Small, strong hands forced him to turn. "Nobody's making you do this, you know," Buri said softly. "You may not be as young as you used to be, but who is? And older men than you are still out working as knights. Heck, older men than you are still in the Own."
Raoul smiled down at the blue fabric. "I know," he said. "I know," he repeated, more firmly, looking up at his wife, meeting Buri's concerned eyes.
"You don't have to do it for me, either," she said softly.
Raoul glanced back down at his tunic, then set it down. He tugged Buri over to lean against him. "I know," he said again. "I would've done it if I needed to for us to be together, but I didn't have to. I'm not doing it now for you, either."
Buri waited.
Raoul's jaw worked. He stared at the far wall.
"I've watched too many knights abandon their duties to their fiefs in service to the Crown," he said finally. He shook his head. "Those are words I never thought I'd say."
Buri's callused hand wrapped around Raoul's. "It's not a betrayal of your friends to point out they have competing duties," she said.
"When I took you back home, last summer," Raoul said, "I realized I barely knew Goldenlake anymore. All I had were a child's memories, not a man's. I know even less about Malorie's Peak; I think the last time I went there was to install the steward. I didn't even stay a week."
"Just as long as this isn't about settling down into a proper noble couple, I'm all for this," Buri said. "If it's really what you want."
Raoul was quiet for a long, long moment. "It is," he said at last. "It's too late now, anyway."
Buri knew that. She'd seen Tasride in the tunic of the Knight Commander just this morning. He seemed awfully young for the job, but he was older than Raoul had been.
"Kel vouches for him," Buri said finally.
Raoul squeezed her hand. "If she hadn't, I really would've refused to retire," he replied.