TFT: Never Forget
Fandom: The Fionavar Tapestry
Main characters: Coll, Aileron
Referenced characters: Diarmuid
Pairings: None
Contains: Angst, death (as in canon)
Rating: G
Summary: Old bitterness can't always be laid to rest. For
overlooked.
"You served my brother well."
"Yes," Coll says. He should probably add some honorific, should probably bend his knee to Aileron, but he's not ready for that. Not while Diarmuid lies dead five feet behind them, his bright clothes too gaudy, his face holding a grave solemnity that he could never have convincingly affected in life.
"You used to hate me, didn't you?"
"Yes."
Aileron bows his head, just a little. The grief is more obvious on his face than Coll thought possible. He was always sadder, always more solemn, but this is open and naked emotion and Coll thinks it might be the first time in Aileron's life he's ever been seen this way. "I can understand why."
"Can you?"
"I try." Aileron lets that hang in the silence for a moment, a silence Diarmuid would have broken with his quicksilver words. "Do you think you could help me, now?"
Coll knows what Diarmuid would say, but the bitterness rises thick into his mouth again. "You acknowledge now that he knew what he was doing?"
"He always did."
"No."
Aileron raises an eyebrow.
"No. You would never acknowledge that in his life. Your father never did. No. I won't help you."
"Diarmuid -- "
"Diar is dead. My lord."
Coll walks away, without even a glance back at the bright body. Diar is gone, and no one can make amends for that.
Main characters: Coll, Aileron
Referenced characters: Diarmuid
Pairings: None
Contains: Angst, death (as in canon)
Rating: G
Summary: Old bitterness can't always be laid to rest. For
overlooked.
"You served my brother well."
"Yes," Coll says. He should probably add some honorific, should probably bend his knee to Aileron, but he's not ready for that. Not while Diarmuid lies dead five feet behind them, his bright clothes too gaudy, his face holding a grave solemnity that he could never have convincingly affected in life.
"You used to hate me, didn't you?"
"Yes."
Aileron bows his head, just a little. The grief is more obvious on his face than Coll thought possible. He was always sadder, always more solemn, but this is open and naked emotion and Coll thinks it might be the first time in Aileron's life he's ever been seen this way. "I can understand why."
"Can you?"
"I try." Aileron lets that hang in the silence for a moment, a silence Diarmuid would have broken with his quicksilver words. "Do you think you could help me, now?"
Coll knows what Diarmuid would say, but the bitterness rises thick into his mouth again. "You acknowledge now that he knew what he was doing?"
"He always did."
"No."
Aileron raises an eyebrow.
"No. You would never acknowledge that in his life. Your father never did. No. I won't help you."
"Diarmuid -- "
"Diar is dead. My lord."
Coll walks away, without even a glance back at the bright body. Diar is gone, and no one can make amends for that.