LJ Idol - Write Off
This is an entry for the therealljidol's Write Off. If you'd like to read any of the other entries added and vote for any of them, you can do so here. Voting will only be live until 2am UK time.
She looked like she had washed up on the shore, seaweed clinging to an ankle, shells in her tangled hair.
He found her drying out in the sun, naked, and promptly tripped over his own feet.
He gave her his shirt, which was long enough to reach her thighs, when he realised she didn't have any clothes, nor did she seem to think she should.
He helped her up once she was covered. She was shaky on her feet but eventually found her footing.
He babbled at her and she just smiled. No one ever thought it was endearing, but she didn't seem to have a problem with it until he asked her where she was going and she just sort of shrugged.
"Sorry, that was rude, we don't even know each other, but I mean, you are wearing my shirt..."
Deep breaths. Hand on heart.
"I'm Danny. Nice to meet you."
He stuck his hand out, immediately feeling awkward when she just stared at it.
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She tried again, but just coughed. She made a few confusing gestures, then gave up, frustrated, when he stared back.
She pointed out to sea and let out a frustrated hum when he still looked confused.
"Losing your voice happens sometimes when you've had a chill," he says, for lack of anything else, "Maybe it will come back?"
He smiled hesitantly, and she beamed back. Took his hand. He had to change her grip for the handshake to move from awkward to smooth.
So as it turns out, people think it's weird and off when you walk into your own house with a stranger, especially if you're a prince.
"Daniel, we have talked about picking up strays. Close your jacket."
His mother pinched the bridge of her nose, already counting breaths.
"Her voice is gone," he defended, "I don't think she's from around here."
"What if she's a member of another country's secret army? Or a journalist, for goodness' sake?"
Danny blushed from hairline to toes, "She definitely wasn't carrying anything when I found her."
Maman glared, "I am not going to ask how you know that."
The woman stepped forward, smiling again, and held her hand out proudly.
His mother took it, shook it shortly, obviously looking her up and down.
The woman looked between them. She booped his nose excitedly then looked at his mother, who took a step back as if to ward off any unwanted advanced into her personal space. She had caught the family resemblance, then.
"Dear, what's your name?"
The woman looked expectantly at Danny.
"I don't think she understands us. She hasn't said anything so far, I'm not sure if she can."
Maman put on her Serious Queen face, "Daniel."
"Look, Maman," he caught the woman's attention, then placed his hand on his chest, "Danny."
"Daniel."
He pointed at his mother, "Thérèse," then at her, and waited.
She had obviously caught on, but got that frustrated look again. She hummed, and let out a breath, but couldn't seem to make a word come out.
Danny's first instinct is to say a dentist-type "Aaaah" at her, so he does.
She manages something back, but it's not as easy for her.
The Queen sighed, then gestures at one of the housekeepers.
"Fine. Fetch a doctor, then get someone who can clothe her, for goodness' sake."
They called her Silk, because she was fascinated by it when they tried give her a choice of shirts.
It stuck when the international agency searches turned up empty.
They were sitting on the beach, cross-legged, facing each other, trying to communicate.
"Silk."
"Sssil."
"Silk."
She raised an eyebrow at him and rubbed her hands together, before doing it to her shirt.
"Come on, you can do it. You know how to click. K-k-k-k-k!"
She giggled at him, but duly repeated the clicking noise, then made noise like a dolphin.
Danny laughed back, trying to copy her. She laughed herself off-balance at the result.
"K-k-k," he tried again, "Come on, Silk."
She pulled herself together and Danny held his breath.
"K. Sill-k. Silk."
She looked delighted with herself.
"Silk. Silk!"
She launched herself at him.
That hug made it into the newspapers.
Maman - "No. It's Her Highness Queen Thérèse Victoria Laetitia Eléonore Marguerite, Chair of the Crown Council and Countess of the Seas, and your Sovereign until this is resolved, young man." - was not best pleased.
The Crown Court made the decision to have a press conference followed by a ball and introduce her to high society-slash-the press that way.
Danny was very much against. Silk wasn't able to make that decision because they wouldn't be able to explain the whole issue to her.
Silk was super excited that she got fitted for a flowy silky dress, and Maman - "Her Highness The Queen, Daniel," - took that as consent.
"Look at her, Mme Maman Her Highness Queen Thérèse."
Silk was reading. She was learning, she could associate sound with letters, had basic reading skills down, mathermatics happened, even if not following the logic Danny was used to, she made herself understood even though she couldn't speak.
"She's smart. She just isn't PR ready."
Maman raised an eyebrow.
"Silk, come here."
She did, closing her Early Readers book.
"We're going to have a party. You will meet new people. We won't ask you to do anything you are uncomfortable with, but you will have to pose for photographs, smile and wave at a room full of writers. Is that alright?"
Silk smiled, gave her a big thumbs up, and then waved.
She was better at it than Danny had ever been.
His mother waved with her, mocking him with her eyes.
"I'll give her another two weeks."
Maybe Danny should have spent more of those two weeks coaching her, instead of introducing her to musical theatre DVDs.
The public took to her remarkably well, considering she had no background and was therefore entirely suspicious.
Silk's waving was perfect. The reporters called her charming to her face.
Danny hated press conferences.
He also hated balls. They boiled down to about four hours of aristocrats being announced and then another two hours of avoiding dances and awkward conversation by consuming flimsy hors d'oeuvres and champagne.
"I don't understand why we can't just have prosecco," he said, through gritted yet still smiling teeth, "It's just better."
"Darling," his mother's serene expression didn't betray her exasperated tone, nodding at the Marquis, "Do shut up."
Silk elbowed Danny as if in agreement.
"Oh, quit it," he said, "You don't like champagne either."
She made a face at that.
"You should be on my side. You only like juice."
Her eyebrows said, Juice is delicious, dude, deal with it, but her mouth let out a scoff.
When the Marquis finally let go of his mother's hand, signalling the end of the interminable introductions, Danny dragged Silk over to the table of tiny bites, looking for goat's cheese.
Silk is left behind.
When he turned around, he saw her squealing at a little girl (Duke Philippe's daughter, maybe?), pointing at her hairband. It was decorated with sea shells.
The little girl giggled at her, then flapped a hand at her sister (yes, definitely Philippe's little girls), who comes over to help.
Martine (Mirabelle? No, definitely Martine) was born deaf, her oldest sister Léanne spent a lot of her time interpreting for her.
When Léanne finally arrived, her boyfriend's elbow in one hand and an éclair which Danny was only briefly distracted by in the other, Martine started signing at her.
Silk gasped.
She flailed her arms up and down.
Then she signed back.
Wait, what?
Danny took the girls, Silk, and a plate of éclairs, to the furthest table, and convinced one of the waiters to bring them a carafe of orange juice. They were going to need it.
"She says she's a fish."
The sign language Silk used was different from the one Léanne knew, but younger kids are most creative, and between Martine and Léanne, they were able to hold an almost flowing conversation with Silk.
"A fish?"
Silk smacked his arm, eyes bright, so excited.
Martine fingerspelled something, also excited. Danny could sign the alphabet, his own name, the sign for prince, do the quick "Hello, nice to meet you" that was required of him, but slowly. He recognised the fingerspelling, but Martine was only seven and far too quick for him.
"Tail like a fish," Léanne rolled her eyes at her sister, "That's what I said."
Martine fingerspelled slowly, rolling her eyes right back.
A - R - I - E - L
Wait. Wait.
"She's a mermaid?"
Silk clapped. Moved her hand forward in a wavy pattern, then rubbed her thumbs against her fingers on both hands, grinning.
Léanne snorted.
"Silk fish."
Maman hired them a tutor, which meant Danny was back to studying something even having left academia behind. He thought he would resent being made to go back into the school setting, but he actually enjoyed it a lot now that he wasn't being graded, enjoyed learning, relished the look on Silk's face when they managed stilted conversations.
They learned together. Danny managed to teach her more about his culture, and while she stayed mostly tight-lipped (ha!) about her own, she did occasionally confide in him.
Martine visited regularly, always trying to coax promises out of them to come and visit her school. She and Silk chatted happily while Léanne, chaperone and babysitter, caught Danny up on gossip. Léanne's boyfriend was Archduke Simon's youngest son, and his older brother was both gorgeous and scandalous.
A reporter came out with the mermaid story and was laughed away.
Probably for the best.
Silk never did speak anything other than her own name in public, but Danny would sometimes catch her practising soft, smooth words in the mirror.
At breakfast, on mornings when Danny looked sad, she would stick her hand out, wait for a shake, and say, slowly and clearly, "Hello. I'm Silk."
She would then use his sign-nickname to catch his attention to pass the juice, because he could never stay unhappy at being called velvet sunshine. She was awesome.
He never asked if she wanted to go back, and she never hinted at it.
He did sometimes wonder how she got there, but always decided it didn't matter how.
Thanks, Silk Fish. You're lovely.
She would grin, wink, and wiggle her head in the fish movement to make him laugh.
If she didn't want to go, who was he to object? He liked living with his best friend.
I appear to have a lot more of this than initially anticipated, and more than I can add or feel comfortable writing in an Idol entry.
Silk can't talk properly because her vocal cords aren't like ours, not meant for air. Her gills disappeared (along with her tail and gas cavities) when she was given legs, but her vocal cords remain the same.
She's also far more dense than normal humans and stronger, which means every hug she gives Danny is far too tight. I just like the image of this silly prince being squeezed off his feet.
I went with mostly BSL, as that's what I'm most familiar with, and the sign I've given her for silk is actually for the more generic fabric, but I liked it with the image of her touching her shirts and deciding that she wanted the ones that felt almost water-like.
Let me know if you think Danny and Silk would end up together, or if they would be BFFs only. I know which one I'm leaning toward, but would love to hear an opinion!
She looked like she had washed up on the shore, seaweed clinging to an ankle, shells in her tangled hair.
He found her drying out in the sun, naked, and promptly tripped over his own feet.
He gave her his shirt, which was long enough to reach her thighs, when he realised she didn't have any clothes, nor did she seem to think she should.
He helped her up once she was covered. She was shaky on her feet but eventually found her footing.
He babbled at her and she just smiled. No one ever thought it was endearing, but she didn't seem to have a problem with it until he asked her where she was going and she just sort of shrugged.
"Sorry, that was rude, we don't even know each other, but I mean, you are wearing my shirt..."
Deep breaths. Hand on heart.
"I'm Danny. Nice to meet you."
He stuck his hand out, immediately feeling awkward when she just stared at it.
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She tried again, but just coughed. She made a few confusing gestures, then gave up, frustrated, when he stared back.
She pointed out to sea and let out a frustrated hum when he still looked confused.
"Losing your voice happens sometimes when you've had a chill," he says, for lack of anything else, "Maybe it will come back?"
He smiled hesitantly, and she beamed back. Took his hand. He had to change her grip for the handshake to move from awkward to smooth.
So as it turns out, people think it's weird and off when you walk into your own house with a stranger, especially if you're a prince.
"Daniel, we have talked about picking up strays. Close your jacket."
His mother pinched the bridge of her nose, already counting breaths.
"Her voice is gone," he defended, "I don't think she's from around here."
"What if she's a member of another country's secret army? Or a journalist, for goodness' sake?"
Danny blushed from hairline to toes, "She definitely wasn't carrying anything when I found her."
Maman glared, "I am not going to ask how you know that."
The woman stepped forward, smiling again, and held her hand out proudly.
His mother took it, shook it shortly, obviously looking her up and down.
The woman looked between them. She booped his nose excitedly then looked at his mother, who took a step back as if to ward off any unwanted advanced into her personal space. She had caught the family resemblance, then.
"Dear, what's your name?"
The woman looked expectantly at Danny.
"I don't think she understands us. She hasn't said anything so far, I'm not sure if she can."
Maman put on her Serious Queen face, "Daniel."
"Look, Maman," he caught the woman's attention, then placed his hand on his chest, "Danny."
"Daniel."
He pointed at his mother, "Thérèse," then at her, and waited.
She had obviously caught on, but got that frustrated look again. She hummed, and let out a breath, but couldn't seem to make a word come out.
Danny's first instinct is to say a dentist-type "Aaaah" at her, so he does.
She manages something back, but it's not as easy for her.
The Queen sighed, then gestures at one of the housekeepers.
"Fine. Fetch a doctor, then get someone who can clothe her, for goodness' sake."
They called her Silk, because she was fascinated by it when they tried give her a choice of shirts.
It stuck when the international agency searches turned up empty.
They were sitting on the beach, cross-legged, facing each other, trying to communicate.
"Silk."
"Sssil."
"Silk."
She raised an eyebrow at him and rubbed her hands together, before doing it to her shirt.
"Come on, you can do it. You know how to click. K-k-k-k-k!"
She giggled at him, but duly repeated the clicking noise, then made noise like a dolphin.
Danny laughed back, trying to copy her. She laughed herself off-balance at the result.
"K-k-k," he tried again, "Come on, Silk."
She pulled herself together and Danny held his breath.
"K. Sill-k. Silk."
She looked delighted with herself.
"Silk. Silk!"
She launched herself at him.
That hug made it into the newspapers.
Maman - "No. It's Her Highness Queen Thérèse Victoria Laetitia Eléonore Marguerite, Chair of the Crown Council and Countess of the Seas, and your Sovereign until this is resolved, young man." - was not best pleased.
The Crown Court made the decision to have a press conference followed by a ball and introduce her to high society-slash-the press that way.
Danny was very much against. Silk wasn't able to make that decision because they wouldn't be able to explain the whole issue to her.
Silk was super excited that she got fitted for a flowy silky dress, and Maman - "Her Highness The Queen, Daniel," - took that as consent.
"Look at her, Mme Maman Her Highness Queen Thérèse."
Silk was reading. She was learning, she could associate sound with letters, had basic reading skills down, mathermatics happened, even if not following the logic Danny was used to, she made herself understood even though she couldn't speak.
"She's smart. She just isn't PR ready."
Maman raised an eyebrow.
"Silk, come here."
She did, closing her Early Readers book.
"We're going to have a party. You will meet new people. We won't ask you to do anything you are uncomfortable with, but you will have to pose for photographs, smile and wave at a room full of writers. Is that alright?"
Silk smiled, gave her a big thumbs up, and then waved.
She was better at it than Danny had ever been.
His mother waved with her, mocking him with her eyes.
"I'll give her another two weeks."
Maybe Danny should have spent more of those two weeks coaching her, instead of introducing her to musical theatre DVDs.
The public took to her remarkably well, considering she had no background and was therefore entirely suspicious.
Silk's waving was perfect. The reporters called her charming to her face.
Danny hated press conferences.
He also hated balls. They boiled down to about four hours of aristocrats being announced and then another two hours of avoiding dances and awkward conversation by consuming flimsy hors d'oeuvres and champagne.
"I don't understand why we can't just have prosecco," he said, through gritted yet still smiling teeth, "It's just better."
"Darling," his mother's serene expression didn't betray her exasperated tone, nodding at the Marquis, "Do shut up."
Silk elbowed Danny as if in agreement.
"Oh, quit it," he said, "You don't like champagne either."
She made a face at that.
"You should be on my side. You only like juice."
Her eyebrows said, Juice is delicious, dude, deal with it, but her mouth let out a scoff.
When the Marquis finally let go of his mother's hand, signalling the end of the interminable introductions, Danny dragged Silk over to the table of tiny bites, looking for goat's cheese.
Silk is left behind.
When he turned around, he saw her squealing at a little girl (Duke Philippe's daughter, maybe?), pointing at her hairband. It was decorated with sea shells.
The little girl giggled at her, then flapped a hand at her sister (yes, definitely Philippe's little girls), who comes over to help.
Martine (Mirabelle? No, definitely Martine) was born deaf, her oldest sister Léanne spent a lot of her time interpreting for her.
When Léanne finally arrived, her boyfriend's elbow in one hand and an éclair which Danny was only briefly distracted by in the other, Martine started signing at her.
Silk gasped.
She flailed her arms up and down.
Then she signed back.
Wait, what?
Danny took the girls, Silk, and a plate of éclairs, to the furthest table, and convinced one of the waiters to bring them a carafe of orange juice. They were going to need it.
"She says she's a fish."
The sign language Silk used was different from the one Léanne knew, but younger kids are most creative, and between Martine and Léanne, they were able to hold an almost flowing conversation with Silk.
"A fish?"
Silk smacked his arm, eyes bright, so excited.
Martine fingerspelled something, also excited. Danny could sign the alphabet, his own name, the sign for prince, do the quick "Hello, nice to meet you" that was required of him, but slowly. He recognised the fingerspelling, but Martine was only seven and far too quick for him.
"Tail like a fish," Léanne rolled her eyes at her sister, "That's what I said."
Martine fingerspelled slowly, rolling her eyes right back.
A - R - I - E - L
Wait. Wait.
"She's a mermaid?"
Silk clapped. Moved her hand forward in a wavy pattern, then rubbed her thumbs against her fingers on both hands, grinning.
Léanne snorted.
"Silk fish."
Maman hired them a tutor, which meant Danny was back to studying something even having left academia behind. He thought he would resent being made to go back into the school setting, but he actually enjoyed it a lot now that he wasn't being graded, enjoyed learning, relished the look on Silk's face when they managed stilted conversations.
They learned together. Danny managed to teach her more about his culture, and while she stayed mostly tight-lipped (ha!) about her own, she did occasionally confide in him.
Martine visited regularly, always trying to coax promises out of them to come and visit her school. She and Silk chatted happily while Léanne, chaperone and babysitter, caught Danny up on gossip. Léanne's boyfriend was Archduke Simon's youngest son, and his older brother was both gorgeous and scandalous.
A reporter came out with the mermaid story and was laughed away.
Probably for the best.
Silk never did speak anything other than her own name in public, but Danny would sometimes catch her practising soft, smooth words in the mirror.
At breakfast, on mornings when Danny looked sad, she would stick her hand out, wait for a shake, and say, slowly and clearly, "Hello. I'm Silk."
She would then use his sign-nickname to catch his attention to pass the juice, because he could never stay unhappy at being called velvet sunshine. She was awesome.
He never asked if she wanted to go back, and she never hinted at it.
He did sometimes wonder how she got there, but always decided it didn't matter how.
Thanks, Silk Fish. You're lovely.
She would grin, wink, and wiggle her head in the fish movement to make him laugh.
If she didn't want to go, who was he to object? He liked living with his best friend.
I appear to have a lot more of this than initially anticipated, and more than I can add or feel comfortable writing in an Idol entry.
Silk can't talk properly because her vocal cords aren't like ours, not meant for air. Her gills disappeared (along with her tail and gas cavities) when she was given legs, but her vocal cords remain the same.
She's also far more dense than normal humans and stronger, which means every hug she gives Danny is far too tight. I just like the image of this silly prince being squeezed off his feet.
I went with mostly BSL, as that's what I'm most familiar with, and the sign I've given her for silk is actually for the more generic fabric, but I liked it with the image of her touching her shirts and deciding that she wanted the ones that felt almost water-like.
Let me know if you think Danny and Silk would end up together, or if they would be BFFs only. I know which one I'm leaning toward, but would love to hear an opinion!