12 Days of Drabbles! Day 7 - "Ugly Duckling"
I had to sneak Ling in here SOMEWHERE. :P
Day 7 - "Swan"
Title: Ugly Duckling
Rating: PG
Series: Manga/Brotherhood
Word Count: 577
Characters: Ling/Ran Fan
Summary: There's an Amesterian fairy tale about an ugly duckling that transformed into a swan...
“We should stop here, Young Master,” Fuu said as they neared the river. “It’s the last river before the desert.”
“Might be nice,” Ling said with a smirk. “It’s starting to really get hot.” He then turned to Ran Fan. “Care for a swim?”
Though it couldn’t be seen under her mask, Ling was almost certain she was blushing. “That wouldn’t be…proper…Young Master.”
He couldn’t help but grin at that. “Oh, all right. How about we just sit by the water for a little while?”
“If you wish it, Young Master.”
Ling sighed. Honestly, they had known each other for so long, he wished she would loosen up a bit. But he wasn’t about to order her to do such a thing. He was still a prince, and she was still his servant. He wasn’t about to throw aside Xingese tradition for something like that.
“I will fill up the water canteens, Young Master,” Fuu said, giving them welcome time alone.
Ling looked out to the water, sparkling in the harsh sun. A few Xingese swans swam down it, not even bothered by the impending heat. Not even caring about the politics of their country.
How nice it must be, not to care.
“You are thinking deeply, Young Master.” When Ling turned to her, Ran Fan got quiet, as if she was embarrassed.
“I guess,” He shrugged. “I know why I have to go. What this means for our clan. As the prince of the Yao clan, I have no choice but to try and better the lives of my people, but…” He glanced at the swans again. “Can a prince from a poor clan really become emperor?”
There was a bit of silence, and then, “Isn’t…isn’t that what you want, Young Master?”
“Oh, of course it’s what I want!” He grinned back at her. “I want it for myself and for the clan. But it seems like such a hard task all the same.”
“If…if it’s you, you can do it, Young Master. I-and grandfather-believe in you.” Now he could even see redness creeping from under her stoic mask.
Ling allowed himself another smile at her assurances. He glanced back at the swans. “You know, a traveler to our country once told us of this Amesterian fairy tale. There was once a duckling, so odd and ugly and out of place that its mother and everyone else abandoned it. Then one day, it blossomed into a swan and was the most beautiful thing in the pond.”
“I’m not sure what that has to do with…”
“Oh, it’s just a fairy tale! It doesn’t have to mean anything! But,” he now made sure to look back at her. “It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? If an ugly duckling can blossom into a swan, if a prince from a small clan really can one day blossom into an emperor. Maybe it’s possible. After all, little girls can blossom into beautiful young ladies.”
“Young-Young Master!” she cried out, covering her face (well…mask) with her hands. Ling laughed it off.
It was still so much fun to tease her. But they wouldn’t have much time for it soon.
“Are we ready?” Fuu came back, only giving them both a curious look.
“Yep!” Ling said, giving a nod for Ran Fan to follow him.
It was time for them to go.
Time to see if that Amesterian fairy tale really could come true.
Day 6 - The Question
Day 5 - The Perfect Fit
Day 4 - Carrion Crows
Day 3 - Mother Hen
Day 2 - Lovebirds
Day 1 - Even the Bird Hates It
Day 7 - "Swan"
Title: Ugly Duckling
Rating: PG
Series: Manga/Brotherhood
Word Count: 577
Characters: Ling/Ran Fan
Summary: There's an Amesterian fairy tale about an ugly duckling that transformed into a swan...
“We should stop here, Young Master,” Fuu said as they neared the river. “It’s the last river before the desert.”
“Might be nice,” Ling said with a smirk. “It’s starting to really get hot.” He then turned to Ran Fan. “Care for a swim?”
Though it couldn’t be seen under her mask, Ling was almost certain she was blushing. “That wouldn’t be…proper…Young Master.”
He couldn’t help but grin at that. “Oh, all right. How about we just sit by the water for a little while?”
“If you wish it, Young Master.”
Ling sighed. Honestly, they had known each other for so long, he wished she would loosen up a bit. But he wasn’t about to order her to do such a thing. He was still a prince, and she was still his servant. He wasn’t about to throw aside Xingese tradition for something like that.
“I will fill up the water canteens, Young Master,” Fuu said, giving them welcome time alone.
Ling looked out to the water, sparkling in the harsh sun. A few Xingese swans swam down it, not even bothered by the impending heat. Not even caring about the politics of their country.
How nice it must be, not to care.
“You are thinking deeply, Young Master.” When Ling turned to her, Ran Fan got quiet, as if she was embarrassed.
“I guess,” He shrugged. “I know why I have to go. What this means for our clan. As the prince of the Yao clan, I have no choice but to try and better the lives of my people, but…” He glanced at the swans again. “Can a prince from a poor clan really become emperor?”
There was a bit of silence, and then, “Isn’t…isn’t that what you want, Young Master?”
“Oh, of course it’s what I want!” He grinned back at her. “I want it for myself and for the clan. But it seems like such a hard task all the same.”
“If…if it’s you, you can do it, Young Master. I-and grandfather-believe in you.” Now he could even see redness creeping from under her stoic mask.
Ling allowed himself another smile at her assurances. He glanced back at the swans. “You know, a traveler to our country once told us of this Amesterian fairy tale. There was once a duckling, so odd and ugly and out of place that its mother and everyone else abandoned it. Then one day, it blossomed into a swan and was the most beautiful thing in the pond.”
“I’m not sure what that has to do with…”
“Oh, it’s just a fairy tale! It doesn’t have to mean anything! But,” he now made sure to look back at her. “It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? If an ugly duckling can blossom into a swan, if a prince from a small clan really can one day blossom into an emperor. Maybe it’s possible. After all, little girls can blossom into beautiful young ladies.”
“Young-Young Master!” she cried out, covering her face (well…mask) with her hands. Ling laughed it off.
It was still so much fun to tease her. But they wouldn’t have much time for it soon.
“Are we ready?” Fuu came back, only giving them both a curious look.
“Yep!” Ling said, giving a nod for Ran Fan to follow him.
It was time for them to go.
Time to see if that Amesterian fairy tale really could come true.
Day 6 - The Question
Day 5 - The Perfect Fit
Day 4 - Carrion Crows
Day 3 - Mother Hen
Day 2 - Lovebirds
Day 1 - Even the Bird Hates It