Post by Idleness on Jun 12, 2014 13:48:27 GMT 10
Title: Pray for Rain
Rating: G
Word Count: 506
Bingo: Golden+Riding+Relax+Sweat+Sun
Summary (and any Warnings): Dom finds Kel in the stables.
Notes: Several years after LK.
It was the hardest summer in living memory. In Corus the Olorun River ran so low that yards of riverbed were exposed, and the boiling sun fired the mud hard and cracked it like the glaze on old pottery. As the river receded so did the groundwater and the city’s wells began to dry. Then the riots began, and the army camped out in the city as July turned into August, and still not a cloud on the horizon.
Dom found Kel in the knights’ stables, brushing Peachblossom down. He returned her smile when she saw him.
“Been out riding?” he asked.
She put away the brush she was using a boosted herself over the railing.
“Sorry, I didn’t catch that,” she told him, smiling.
“I said, have you been out riding?” he repeated.
“Oh, no. Not today, not when it’s like this,” she said, extending her hands as if she tested the weight of the air and judged it to be oppressive. She looked sad for a moment.
“Oh?” he prompted, raising his eyebrows at her.
“Poor Peachblossom doesn’t do so well in this heat,” she explained.
Dom quickly counted the years in his head and nodded soberly. Peachblossom just looked hot and indignant, and Kel frowned at the dry dirt and idly kicked a pebble. Dom noticed the sun had bleached golden streaks into her light brown hair and darkened the freckles across her nose.
“What brings you here, anyway?” she asked him.
He shrugged.
“I was at a loose end,” he drawled, then added, “And I thought I might find you here.”
“Doesn’t Raoul have enough for you to do? I could give him suggestions if you like,” she teased.
He grinned back at her.
“Please don’t. I was hoping to relax this afternoon, since we’re off to Port Caynn tomorrow to guard the water caravan as it comes overland. Did you hear the Olorun is now so low in places that the last barge got stuck?”
She cursed and shook her head. The Crown had been bringing fresh water from the Tellerun River, which was still being fed by its tributaries in the northern hills. The army then rationed the water and distributed it around the city.
“Dom,” she said, and trailed off.
“Mm?”
“This winter is going to be bad.”
He grimaced and idly scratched at his ribs where he could feel sweat trickling lazily and uncomfortably under his shirt. The harvest would be meagre and grain prices were already eye-watering and still climbing.
“Raoul’s planning for flooding, you know, because when the rain finally comes the ground will be too dry for it to soak in,” he said.
Kel nodded and absently patted Peachblossom, concern again in her face. She sighed and clapped the horse on the shoulder.
“Such is life,” she said and pushed herself away from the rail.
“So mote it be,” he murmured.
Kel brushed her hands on her breeches and smiled at him. “You have the afternoon off, did you say? Then let’s go somewhere cooler.”
Rating: G
Word Count: 506
Bingo: Golden+Riding+Relax+Sweat+Sun
Summary (and any Warnings): Dom finds Kel in the stables.
Notes: Several years after LK.
It was the hardest summer in living memory. In Corus the Olorun River ran so low that yards of riverbed were exposed, and the boiling sun fired the mud hard and cracked it like the glaze on old pottery. As the river receded so did the groundwater and the city’s wells began to dry. Then the riots began, and the army camped out in the city as July turned into August, and still not a cloud on the horizon.
Dom found Kel in the knights’ stables, brushing Peachblossom down. He returned her smile when she saw him.
“Been out riding?” he asked.
She put away the brush she was using a boosted herself over the railing.
“Sorry, I didn’t catch that,” she told him, smiling.
“I said, have you been out riding?” he repeated.
“Oh, no. Not today, not when it’s like this,” she said, extending her hands as if she tested the weight of the air and judged it to be oppressive. She looked sad for a moment.
“Oh?” he prompted, raising his eyebrows at her.
“Poor Peachblossom doesn’t do so well in this heat,” she explained.
Dom quickly counted the years in his head and nodded soberly. Peachblossom just looked hot and indignant, and Kel frowned at the dry dirt and idly kicked a pebble. Dom noticed the sun had bleached golden streaks into her light brown hair and darkened the freckles across her nose.
“What brings you here, anyway?” she asked him.
He shrugged.
“I was at a loose end,” he drawled, then added, “And I thought I might find you here.”
“Doesn’t Raoul have enough for you to do? I could give him suggestions if you like,” she teased.
He grinned back at her.
“Please don’t. I was hoping to relax this afternoon, since we’re off to Port Caynn tomorrow to guard the water caravan as it comes overland. Did you hear the Olorun is now so low in places that the last barge got stuck?”
She cursed and shook her head. The Crown had been bringing fresh water from the Tellerun River, which was still being fed by its tributaries in the northern hills. The army then rationed the water and distributed it around the city.
“Dom,” she said, and trailed off.
“Mm?”
“This winter is going to be bad.”
He grimaced and idly scratched at his ribs where he could feel sweat trickling lazily and uncomfortably under his shirt. The harvest would be meagre and grain prices were already eye-watering and still climbing.
“Raoul’s planning for flooding, you know, because when the rain finally comes the ground will be too dry for it to soak in,” he said.
Kel nodded and absently patted Peachblossom, concern again in her face. She sighed and clapped the horse on the shoulder.
“Such is life,” she said and pushed herself away from the rail.
“So mote it be,” he murmured.
Kel brushed her hands on her breeches and smiled at him. “You have the afternoon off, did you say? Then let’s go somewhere cooler.”