when men were men, women were women, and AUs were AUs
Because every fandom needs a fantasyverse AU, and also the other kind of AU that I madly love.
The truth: as I wrote the I <3 ESB list, it struck me that Star Wars is so close to fantasy already that it could transfer to a classic Fantasyland setting pretty easily. And then the plot bunny started making out with my other favourite plot bunny and before I knew what had happened, I was trying to keep a litter of baby plot bunnies from escaping their pen. THIS IS THE STORY OF MY LIFE.
Anyway, what that actually means is I that I was completely carried away by a story idea, yet again, and scribbled down my ideas before I forgot about them, and so this is a raw unedited one-shot thing, not very good, and blah blah blah. (Doesn't matter, it's still better than the Holiday Special. :P)
-----------------------------------
Title: Once Upon A Time
Fanverse: fantasyverse!SW
Blurb: Once upon a time, in a land far, far away--
Pairings/Warnings: AU!
Length: idek
-----------------------------------
A battalion of soldiers, resplendent in white tunics and surcoats, swung their axes against the door to Castle Tantive. It was well-fortified for a summer residence, but certainly would not stand long against the might of the Empire.
Behind the door, a mass of men and women gripped their weapons more tightly, preparing for another fruitless battle.
#
A young demon, more or less human in appearance, darted past a shower of arrows. “Arta? Arta, where are you? Oh dear!”
The demon Arta gave a shrill cackle, then scampered towards the stables, clutching a bag of scrolls.
“You can’t,” the first demon shouted. “You know we’re not allowed -- not the Prince’s horse! Arta!”
#
The Prince straightened. “Lady Vader,” he said, lips twisting into something that might have been second cousin to a smile. “Only you could be so bold.”
Others in his position might have had rather stronger words. Lady Vader was both the pride and terror of the Empire: one of the greatest swordmasters in the world, a fearless, black-armoured warrior who fought with those under her command -- and a dark sorceress, driven half-mad by her own powers. To contradict her was to risk death; to defy her was to ensure it.
Her own officers didn’t know where she came from, or what she looked like, or even if she were human at all. Nobody had ever seen anything more than the helmet and armour, etched with incomprehensible runes; it was said that she wore them even to bed.
The inevitable lewd jokes always seemed to trail off uncertainly.
#
Arta was sulking in a corner, her bag still drawn about her shoulders. Cipia loftily ignored her and addressed their new mistress.
“I wouldn’t know about that, my lady.”
“It’s Lucy,” she said, setting down a lamp. Tendrils of untidy pale hair fell into her eyes and she impatiently pushed them aside.
“I see, Lady Lucy.”
Lucy laughed. She didn’t look very impressive -- even smaller and younger than Prince Leius, and something about her gave Cipia the impression that she wouldn’t have known what to do with a knife even if she’d had one.
“No -- just Lucy.”
“Oh!” Well, she looked kind, and at least they were away from those nasty battles. “Well, I am Cipia. I’ve been trained in human and humanoid languages, relationships, and etiquette -- and this is my counterpart, Arta.”
Arta, still covered in dirt and dust, sneezed.
“Hello there,” said Lucy. “Would you like me to wash you down?”
#
“The demon -- the small one -- says she belongs to someone named Obiwa Kenobi,” Lucy announced. “Do you know what she’s talking about?”
Her uncle and aunt exchanged a brief, horrified glance.
“I thought it might have something to do with Bea Kenobi.”
“That witch is just a crazy old woman,” said Rowena. Beren’s eyebrows shot up.
“But what if this Obiwa comes looking for her?”
“She won’t,” Rowena told her. “I don’t think she exists any more. She died at about the same time as your mother.”
Lucy’s head snapped up. “She knew my mother?”
“I told you to forget her,” Rowena said flatly. Her sister had been a constant spectre since they’d taken Lucy in; had mother and daughter been able to spend their lives together, they could scarcely have been more similar than they already were. There was no need to make matters worse. That Kenobi woman wouldn’t have the chance to destroy Lucy the way she had Anna.
Lucy dropped her head again, poking listlessly at her food. “Yes, ma’am.”
#
“Rowena.” Beren reached out to cover his wife’s hand with his own. “She can’t stay here forever. Most of her friends are already gone -- it means so much to her.”
“I’ll make it up to her next year,” said Rowena.
“She’s just not a farmer, Rowena.” Beren smiled affectionately, remembering his fierce, restless, kind-hearted sister-in-law. Even as a girl, Anna Skywalker had always seemed to be dreaming of more, always staring at the horizon with a longing expression that even Rowena couldn’t misinterpret. “She has too much of her mother in her.”
Rowena’s lips thinned. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
The truth: as I wrote the I <3 ESB list, it struck me that Star Wars is so close to fantasy already that it could transfer to a classic Fantasyland setting pretty easily. And then the plot bunny started making out with my other favourite plot bunny and before I knew what had happened, I was trying to keep a litter of baby plot bunnies from escaping their pen. THIS IS THE STORY OF MY LIFE.
Anyway, what that actually means is I that I was completely carried away by a story idea, yet again, and scribbled down my ideas before I forgot about them, and so this is a raw unedited one-shot thing, not very good, and blah blah blah. (Doesn't matter, it's still better than the Holiday Special. :P)
-----------------------------------
Title: Once Upon A Time
Fanverse: fantasyverse!SW
Blurb: Once upon a time, in a land far, far away--
Pairings/Warnings: AU!
Length: idek
-----------------------------------
A battalion of soldiers, resplendent in white tunics and surcoats, swung their axes against the door to Castle Tantive. It was well-fortified for a summer residence, but certainly would not stand long against the might of the Empire.
Behind the door, a mass of men and women gripped their weapons more tightly, preparing for another fruitless battle.
#
A young demon, more or less human in appearance, darted past a shower of arrows. “Arta? Arta, where are you? Oh dear!”
The demon Arta gave a shrill cackle, then scampered towards the stables, clutching a bag of scrolls.
“You can’t,” the first demon shouted. “You know we’re not allowed -- not the Prince’s horse! Arta!”
#
The Prince straightened. “Lady Vader,” he said, lips twisting into something that might have been second cousin to a smile. “Only you could be so bold.”
Others in his position might have had rather stronger words. Lady Vader was both the pride and terror of the Empire: one of the greatest swordmasters in the world, a fearless, black-armoured warrior who fought with those under her command -- and a dark sorceress, driven half-mad by her own powers. To contradict her was to risk death; to defy her was to ensure it.
Her own officers didn’t know where she came from, or what she looked like, or even if she were human at all. Nobody had ever seen anything more than the helmet and armour, etched with incomprehensible runes; it was said that she wore them even to bed.
The inevitable lewd jokes always seemed to trail off uncertainly.
#
Arta was sulking in a corner, her bag still drawn about her shoulders. Cipia loftily ignored her and addressed their new mistress.
“I wouldn’t know about that, my lady.”
“It’s Lucy,” she said, setting down a lamp. Tendrils of untidy pale hair fell into her eyes and she impatiently pushed them aside.
“I see, Lady Lucy.”
Lucy laughed. She didn’t look very impressive -- even smaller and younger than Prince Leius, and something about her gave Cipia the impression that she wouldn’t have known what to do with a knife even if she’d had one.
“No -- just Lucy.”
“Oh!” Well, she looked kind, and at least they were away from those nasty battles. “Well, I am Cipia. I’ve been trained in human and humanoid languages, relationships, and etiquette -- and this is my counterpart, Arta.”
Arta, still covered in dirt and dust, sneezed.
“Hello there,” said Lucy. “Would you like me to wash you down?”
#
“The demon -- the small one -- says she belongs to someone named Obiwa Kenobi,” Lucy announced. “Do you know what she’s talking about?”
Her uncle and aunt exchanged a brief, horrified glance.
“I thought it might have something to do with Bea Kenobi.”
“That witch is just a crazy old woman,” said Rowena. Beren’s eyebrows shot up.
“But what if this Obiwa comes looking for her?”
“She won’t,” Rowena told her. “I don’t think she exists any more. She died at about the same time as your mother.”
Lucy’s head snapped up. “She knew my mother?”
“I told you to forget her,” Rowena said flatly. Her sister had been a constant spectre since they’d taken Lucy in; had mother and daughter been able to spend their lives together, they could scarcely have been more similar than they already were. There was no need to make matters worse. That Kenobi woman wouldn’t have the chance to destroy Lucy the way she had Anna.
Lucy dropped her head again, poking listlessly at her food. “Yes, ma’am.”
#
“Rowena.” Beren reached out to cover his wife’s hand with his own. “She can’t stay here forever. Most of her friends are already gone -- it means so much to her.”
“I’ll make it up to her next year,” said Rowena.
“She’s just not a farmer, Rowena.” Beren smiled affectionately, remembering his fierce, restless, kind-hearted sister-in-law. Even as a girl, Anna Skywalker had always seemed to be dreaming of more, always staring at the horizon with a longing expression that even Rowena couldn’t misinterpret. “She has too much of her mother in her.”
Rowena’s lips thinned. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”