[Fic] Three Sentence Ficathon fills, part 3
And another six fills! Four are 3-sentence, one is 4-sentence, and on the sixth... eh, sometimes you just give up and let the ficlet do what it wants.
As ever, here is the link to the ficathon if you want to come play too. :-)
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13. For vialethe: Narnia, Susan, Oh, the queen of peace/ always does her best to please/ is it any use/ somebody's gotta lose, written 12/6/15 [AO3 version]
in exchange, a bride (175 words)
Tashbaan is never fully dark, and so they are discovered before the Splendour Hyaline is a bow-shot from the docks; the sea-chain (and how did they not notice its anchor-towers before?) is raised, and the threat of flaming arrows and a boarding action brings them back to shore. They could fight, could make a last stand and die free, but Susan talks Edmund down, reminds him that they cannot deprive Archenland of her only heir, and forgives him for what he perceives as a repeat of his old betrayal; reluctantly, he agrees, and a month later leaves Calormen in chains for mocking delivery to the North.
She marries Rabadash to buy her brother's life -- marries him, bears his touch and his children, smiles at his triumphs, comforts his griefs, and dies at his side -- and if she resents the price, if her submission is a lie, if hers is the hand that wields the poison to end both their lives in racking pains, no living man could say; Susan keeps her secrets unto death.
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14. For crucified: Labyrinth, Jareth/Sarah, I can give you your dreams, written 12/6/15 [AO3 version]
everything that you wanted (75 words)
Jareth wrapped his arms around Sarah and met her eyes in the mirror, claiming one last minute before she stepped through to the overworld. "I can give you your dreams, if that would make you stay another night; whatever you want -- fame, power, beauty, magic -- only say the words and it's yours forever in my kingdom and your own."
"I know," Sarah said, "and thank you, but I'd rather win my victories myself."
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15. For idhren24: Doctor Who, any, jetlag (TARDIS-lag?), written 12/6/15 [AO3 version]
a minor glitch in the itinerary (150 words)
"Someday," Martha said as she stared out the TARDIS door into pitch black night -- rather than the promised 'glorious nature reserve, the most botanically fascinating place in a hundred light-years and two millennia, and around noon the angle of the sunlight strikes rainbows from crystals in the tree bark; you'll love it' -- "just once, you are going to land us on a planet at the correct relative time of day, at which point I will applaud madly, but for now, you owe me tea, a good fry-up breakfast, and a pirated copy of the third season of that Rigelian soap opera whose name I can't pronounce, because there is no way in the world I'm going to risk breaking my neck for plants I can't even see."
Outside on the gravel path, the Doctor pouted: "Oh, but Martha, think of the stargazing we could--"
"No," Martha said, and shut the door on him.
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16. For silvr_dagger: Any fandom (or original), any characters or pairings, the princess in the tower, written 12/6/15 [AO3 version]
none of these rescues, please (425 words)
"Pardon me, but are you all right in that tower? If not, would you like any assistance in getting out?" Daystar called up toward the narrow window in the ivory spire that had mysteriously appeared on the Enchanted Forest's northern fringe.
"Thank you, but no. The room is enchanted to take care of most things, I have a mirror to call my sister if I get bored, and I think I've made more progress on my novel in the past two days than in the previous two years," a young woman called down -- a princess, judging by the length of her flax-gold hair and the silver tiara she wore, though Daystar didn't think he'd ever met one who wanted to be a novelist before. He wondered what quest she had gotten tangled up in.
"You won't stay uninterrupted forever," he said. "Magical towers always attract princes and knights, and most of them won't believe you if you say you don't want a rescue."
"I suspect they'll change their minds if I toss enough ink out the window," the princess said. "Or I might be able to convince them I'm an oracle instead of a princess -- my parents are passionate believers in astrology and I can spout gibberish for hours. Actually, that reminds me..."
She reached up and unpinned the tiara from her hair. "Behold my cunning disguise!" she said, as she tossed the tiara over her shoulder into the depths of the tower. "I'll cut my hair, too. I know I saw a pair of scissors somewhere around here."
"That might work, but you'll still be spending hours on conversation instead of writing," Daystar pointed out. "Why not borrow a guest suite in the castle instead? Oh! By which I mean the royal castle of the Enchanted Forest. I'm Prince Daystar; my apologies for not introducing myself sooner."
The princess flapped her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it! I'm Crown Princess Meliora of Stowe-on-Moor, and I've had enough of castles to last another twenty years. I'm sure yours is very nice!" she added hastily. "But I like having a place all of my own without other people banging around upstairs, downstairs, and right next door. I can put up with a few knights in return for that."
Daystar doubted that she completely understood what she was letting herself in for; judging by his mother's stories, a few knights would rapidly become a flood. Still, it was her choice.
He left Meliora the gargoyle's mirror address and an invitation to call if she ever wanted to borrow some books.
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Note: An Enchanted Forest Chronicles fill, obviously, set sometime after "Talking To Dragons". :D
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17. For silvr_dagger: Mad Max: Fury Road, any characters or pairing, the gift of water, written 12/7/15 [AO3 version]
I lift my lamp (175 words)
Four hundred and thirty-three days later, Max slowly turns the radio dial in his newly scavenged car, listening for scraps of signal in the static: electricity is rare these days, but there are still satellites overhead and some enclaves broadcast boastful warnings that help him evade and avoid potential trouble; a voice fades into coherence -- a woman, he notes; men are more common, since people assume there's more weight behind their threats -- and he waits to hear the next set of coordinates to add to his map.
It's only when he's laboriously picking the numbers and landmarks out on the fabric that he realizes this recording is a welcome instead of a warning, that he knows the woman's voice, and that Furiosa is offering water to all those who thirst: calm and fearless, as if she isn't calling catastrophe down on her head and all those around her.
He listens through another repetition, stares toward the horizon as if he could see the Citadel beyond the desert and the hills.
Then he turns the wheel and begins to drive.
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Note: The satellites and radios are courtesy of a really neat Tumblr post on the subject, which I immediately wanted to do something with.
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18. For silvr_dagger: Any fandom (or original), any characters or pairings, salvage, written 12/7/15 [AO3 version]
shall be reborn (125 words)
Furiosa leads a caravan back to the wreckage two days later -- sooner than she should, with three settlements still in chaos and flux and her own repairs so fragile, but symbols are important and she's always run her rigs on the mantra of leave no crew behind. The Rock Riders have already begun picking over the carcasses of both cars and humans, but they scatter into the hills at the blare of engines and horns, too battered to risk another confrontation after the last two.
She brings the War Rig home; her other half is past repair itself, but its parts will let blackthumbs resurrect other vehicles, as the bodies of the war boys' brothers will find new life in the green they help to grow.
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Note: Yet another Fury Road fill.
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And that is that... for now. *evil grin*
You can also read this entry on Dreamwidth, where there are currently (
comments)
As ever, here is the link to the ficathon if you want to come play too. :-)
---------------
---------------
13. For vialethe: Narnia, Susan, Oh, the queen of peace/ always does her best to please/ is it any use/ somebody's gotta lose, written 12/6/15 [AO3 version]
in exchange, a bride (175 words)
Tashbaan is never fully dark, and so they are discovered before the Splendour Hyaline is a bow-shot from the docks; the sea-chain (and how did they not notice its anchor-towers before?) is raised, and the threat of flaming arrows and a boarding action brings them back to shore. They could fight, could make a last stand and die free, but Susan talks Edmund down, reminds him that they cannot deprive Archenland of her only heir, and forgives him for what he perceives as a repeat of his old betrayal; reluctantly, he agrees, and a month later leaves Calormen in chains for mocking delivery to the North.
She marries Rabadash to buy her brother's life -- marries him, bears his touch and his children, smiles at his triumphs, comforts his griefs, and dies at his side -- and if she resents the price, if her submission is a lie, if hers is the hand that wields the poison to end both their lives in racking pains, no living man could say; Susan keeps her secrets unto death.
---------------
---------------
14. For crucified: Labyrinth, Jareth/Sarah, I can give you your dreams, written 12/6/15 [AO3 version]
everything that you wanted (75 words)
Jareth wrapped his arms around Sarah and met her eyes in the mirror, claiming one last minute before she stepped through to the overworld. "I can give you your dreams, if that would make you stay another night; whatever you want -- fame, power, beauty, magic -- only say the words and it's yours forever in my kingdom and your own."
"I know," Sarah said, "and thank you, but I'd rather win my victories myself."
---------------
---------------
15. For idhren24: Doctor Who, any, jetlag (TARDIS-lag?), written 12/6/15 [AO3 version]
a minor glitch in the itinerary (150 words)
"Someday," Martha said as she stared out the TARDIS door into pitch black night -- rather than the promised 'glorious nature reserve, the most botanically fascinating place in a hundred light-years and two millennia, and around noon the angle of the sunlight strikes rainbows from crystals in the tree bark; you'll love it' -- "just once, you are going to land us on a planet at the correct relative time of day, at which point I will applaud madly, but for now, you owe me tea, a good fry-up breakfast, and a pirated copy of the third season of that Rigelian soap opera whose name I can't pronounce, because there is no way in the world I'm going to risk breaking my neck for plants I can't even see."
Outside on the gravel path, the Doctor pouted: "Oh, but Martha, think of the stargazing we could--"
"No," Martha said, and shut the door on him.
---------------
---------------
16. For silvr_dagger: Any fandom (or original), any characters or pairings, the princess in the tower, written 12/6/15 [AO3 version]
none of these rescues, please (425 words)
"Pardon me, but are you all right in that tower? If not, would you like any assistance in getting out?" Daystar called up toward the narrow window in the ivory spire that had mysteriously appeared on the Enchanted Forest's northern fringe.
"Thank you, but no. The room is enchanted to take care of most things, I have a mirror to call my sister if I get bored, and I think I've made more progress on my novel in the past two days than in the previous two years," a young woman called down -- a princess, judging by the length of her flax-gold hair and the silver tiara she wore, though Daystar didn't think he'd ever met one who wanted to be a novelist before. He wondered what quest she had gotten tangled up in.
"You won't stay uninterrupted forever," he said. "Magical towers always attract princes and knights, and most of them won't believe you if you say you don't want a rescue."
"I suspect they'll change their minds if I toss enough ink out the window," the princess said. "Or I might be able to convince them I'm an oracle instead of a princess -- my parents are passionate believers in astrology and I can spout gibberish for hours. Actually, that reminds me..."
She reached up and unpinned the tiara from her hair. "Behold my cunning disguise!" she said, as she tossed the tiara over her shoulder into the depths of the tower. "I'll cut my hair, too. I know I saw a pair of scissors somewhere around here."
"That might work, but you'll still be spending hours on conversation instead of writing," Daystar pointed out. "Why not borrow a guest suite in the castle instead? Oh! By which I mean the royal castle of the Enchanted Forest. I'm Prince Daystar; my apologies for not introducing myself sooner."
The princess flapped her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it! I'm Crown Princess Meliora of Stowe-on-Moor, and I've had enough of castles to last another twenty years. I'm sure yours is very nice!" she added hastily. "But I like having a place all of my own without other people banging around upstairs, downstairs, and right next door. I can put up with a few knights in return for that."
Daystar doubted that she completely understood what she was letting herself in for; judging by his mother's stories, a few knights would rapidly become a flood. Still, it was her choice.
He left Meliora the gargoyle's mirror address and an invitation to call if she ever wanted to borrow some books.
-----
Note: An Enchanted Forest Chronicles fill, obviously, set sometime after "Talking To Dragons". :D
---------------
---------------
17. For silvr_dagger: Mad Max: Fury Road, any characters or pairing, the gift of water, written 12/7/15 [AO3 version]
I lift my lamp (175 words)
Four hundred and thirty-three days later, Max slowly turns the radio dial in his newly scavenged car, listening for scraps of signal in the static: electricity is rare these days, but there are still satellites overhead and some enclaves broadcast boastful warnings that help him evade and avoid potential trouble; a voice fades into coherence -- a woman, he notes; men are more common, since people assume there's more weight behind their threats -- and he waits to hear the next set of coordinates to add to his map.
It's only when he's laboriously picking the numbers and landmarks out on the fabric that he realizes this recording is a welcome instead of a warning, that he knows the woman's voice, and that Furiosa is offering water to all those who thirst: calm and fearless, as if she isn't calling catastrophe down on her head and all those around her.
He listens through another repetition, stares toward the horizon as if he could see the Citadel beyond the desert and the hills.
Then he turns the wheel and begins to drive.
-----
Note: The satellites and radios are courtesy of a really neat Tumblr post on the subject, which I immediately wanted to do something with.
---------------
---------------
18. For silvr_dagger: Any fandom (or original), any characters or pairings, salvage, written 12/7/15 [AO3 version]
shall be reborn (125 words)
Furiosa leads a caravan back to the wreckage two days later -- sooner than she should, with three settlements still in chaos and flux and her own repairs so fragile, but symbols are important and she's always run her rigs on the mantra of leave no crew behind. The Rock Riders have already begun picking over the carcasses of both cars and humans, but they scatter into the hills at the blare of engines and horns, too battered to risk another confrontation after the last two.
She brings the War Rig home; her other half is past repair itself, but its parts will let blackthumbs resurrect other vehicles, as the bodies of the war boys' brothers will find new life in the green they help to grow.
-----
Note: Yet another Fury Road fill.
---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
And that is that... for now. *evil grin*
You can also read this entry on Dreamwidth, where there are currently (
comments)