Fic: Collection of mini-ficlets
So a week or two ago I took part in mustbethursday3's "three-sentence ficlets" contest over at ag_fics. I honestly thought I wasn't going to take part because, as I'm sure many of you have figured out, conciseness isn't my strong suit. But I saw one prompt I liked and, well, that was the end of it. So here are the seven "three-sentence ficlets" I wrote. It's mostly Arthur/Gwen, with a bit of Merlin here and there. A lot of them read more like scenes from a larger story than an actual story in themselves, but one step at a time, right? ;-D I tried to keep the sentences true sentences, but I might've failed here and there. ^^
Title: In Search of a Pool
Rating: PG-13 (language)
Genre: Humor (crack?), modern AU
Prompt: That time Arthur almost drowned Merlin and Gwen had to save them both...
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Gwen cries as she reaches over and shuts off the water that's already started to flood the bathroom. Merlin garbles, "He wanted a pool; made me do't," and Arthur pushes Merlin into the tub, but not before Merlin pulls him in with him. Gwen is almost tempted to leave them to their frantic flailing, but in the end rescues the two fully-grown men as she asserts that tomorrow they're throwing away all of their liquor.
*****
Title: In My Defense...
Rating: G
Genre: Humor
Prompt: That time Arthur tried to surprise Gwen with dinner, but his sudden presence scared her - and she accidently knocked him out cold.
A/N: Placed sixth overall.
In retrospect, maybe hiding behind the curtain to catch Gwen off guard hadn't been the smartest idea, what with Gwen's record with home invasions, abductions, and Merlin.
That didn't stop Arthur from whining about another one of his dinners ending in ruin as Gwen tended to the large cut on his forehead.
"Be grateful I picked up the candlestick and not the sword," she told him with an affectionate smile, not bothering to remind him that he'd gifted her with the latter item for this very situation.
*****
Title: Proving Her Worth
Rating: G
Genre: General (character study?)
Prompt: That time Gwen told Arthur "No."
"Guinevere, you need to sleep," Arthur says, but she doesn't even look up from the parchment as she shakes her head and mumbles, "I can't."
"The world won't end if it isn't perfect, you know -- it's not a law, just a proposal; the court won't judge you."
She finally glances up and grants him a smile, but inside her heart pounds and a voice whispers, This is everything.
*****
Title: His Burden to Bear
Rating: PG
Genre: Humor, angst
Prompt: It's just a little touch of fate...
"What are you doing here?" Arthur hisses at Merlin after he finds him hiding out in the bushes.
"Just making sure everything works out smoothly on your date!" Merlin grins, and then adds, "Think of me as your ... guardian angel -- no, a messenger of fate!"
Muttering something about burying his manservant alive, Arthur turns to rejoin Gwen, and Merlin never admits that he still wakes up drenched in sweat, his mind consumed by images of flames licking at Gwen's skin; that it's his duty to ensure tragedy never again strikes the couple.
*****
Title: To Know the Truth of History
Rating: G
Genre: Angst
Prompt: “History is written by the victors.”
A/N: Title taken from the quote, "To know the truth of history is to realize its ultimate myth and its inevitable ambiguity," by Roy P. Basler.
As a child, Gwen never believed in fairy tales; but when Arthur pledges to love her always (his fingers caressing the back of her hands and breathless laughter following his vow), Gwen realizes that she has found happily ever after.
But Gwen never believed in fairy tales. It is only fitting that history will remember this as the beginning of a tragedy.
*****
Title: Root of All Fear
Rating: G
Genre: Angst
Prompt: “History is a set of lies agreed upon.”
A/N: Winner of "Mod's Choice"; eighth place. Title taken from the quote, "I've grown certain that the root of all fear is that we've been forced to deny who we are," by Frances Moore Lappe
The lie spreads like wildfire, and the nobles are more than happy to eat it up: the new queen isn't a former serving girl but the daughter of a lord from a far-off land -- even a story as far-fetched as this is considered superior to the truth.
Arthur finds Gwen sitting in her old home, staring at everything that once defined her -- that still defines her; everything her court wants her to relinquish.
"I will always love the woman who lived here; the woman I chose to stand by my side," he whispers, and he gathers her into his arms, letting her tears soak his tunic.
*****
Title: Priorities
Rating: PG
Genre: Humor/crack, modern AU
Prompt: Merlin becomes a Rockstar and it scares both Arthur and Gwen
A/N: Winner of "Best Laugh".
"He has groupies," Gwen whispered, clinging fearfully to her boyfriend as she watched Merlin sign autographs for a group of teenage girls, one of whom had tattooed the rock star's face to her chest.
"Gwen, he's wearing leather," Arthur reminded her, his tone equal to hers. "I think we have bigger things to worry about right now."
Title: In Search of a Pool
Rating: PG-13 (language)
Genre: Humor (crack?), modern AU
Prompt: That time Arthur almost drowned Merlin and Gwen had to save them both...
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Gwen cries as she reaches over and shuts off the water that's already started to flood the bathroom. Merlin garbles, "He wanted a pool; made me do't," and Arthur pushes Merlin into the tub, but not before Merlin pulls him in with him. Gwen is almost tempted to leave them to their frantic flailing, but in the end rescues the two fully-grown men as she asserts that tomorrow they're throwing away all of their liquor.
*****
Title: In My Defense...
Rating: G
Genre: Humor
Prompt: That time Arthur tried to surprise Gwen with dinner, but his sudden presence scared her - and she accidently knocked him out cold.
A/N: Placed sixth overall.
In retrospect, maybe hiding behind the curtain to catch Gwen off guard hadn't been the smartest idea, what with Gwen's record with home invasions, abductions, and Merlin.
That didn't stop Arthur from whining about another one of his dinners ending in ruin as Gwen tended to the large cut on his forehead.
"Be grateful I picked up the candlestick and not the sword," she told him with an affectionate smile, not bothering to remind him that he'd gifted her with the latter item for this very situation.
*****
Title: Proving Her Worth
Rating: G
Genre: General (character study?)
Prompt: That time Gwen told Arthur "No."
"Guinevere, you need to sleep," Arthur says, but she doesn't even look up from the parchment as she shakes her head and mumbles, "I can't."
"The world won't end if it isn't perfect, you know -- it's not a law, just a proposal; the court won't judge you."
She finally glances up and grants him a smile, but inside her heart pounds and a voice whispers, This is everything.
*****
Title: His Burden to Bear
Rating: PG
Genre: Humor, angst
Prompt: It's just a little touch of fate...
"What are you doing here?" Arthur hisses at Merlin after he finds him hiding out in the bushes.
"Just making sure everything works out smoothly on your date!" Merlin grins, and then adds, "Think of me as your ... guardian angel -- no, a messenger of fate!"
Muttering something about burying his manservant alive, Arthur turns to rejoin Gwen, and Merlin never admits that he still wakes up drenched in sweat, his mind consumed by images of flames licking at Gwen's skin; that it's his duty to ensure tragedy never again strikes the couple.
*****
Title: To Know the Truth of History
Rating: G
Genre: Angst
Prompt: “History is written by the victors.”
A/N: Title taken from the quote, "To know the truth of history is to realize its ultimate myth and its inevitable ambiguity," by Roy P. Basler.
As a child, Gwen never believed in fairy tales; but when Arthur pledges to love her always (his fingers caressing the back of her hands and breathless laughter following his vow), Gwen realizes that she has found happily ever after.
But Gwen never believed in fairy tales. It is only fitting that history will remember this as the beginning of a tragedy.
*****
Title: Root of All Fear
Rating: G
Genre: Angst
Prompt: “History is a set of lies agreed upon.”
A/N: Winner of "Mod's Choice"; eighth place. Title taken from the quote, "I've grown certain that the root of all fear is that we've been forced to deny who we are," by Frances Moore Lappe
The lie spreads like wildfire, and the nobles are more than happy to eat it up: the new queen isn't a former serving girl but the daughter of a lord from a far-off land -- even a story as far-fetched as this is considered superior to the truth.
Arthur finds Gwen sitting in her old home, staring at everything that once defined her -- that still defines her; everything her court wants her to relinquish.
"I will always love the woman who lived here; the woman I chose to stand by my side," he whispers, and he gathers her into his arms, letting her tears soak his tunic.
*****
Title: Priorities
Rating: PG
Genre: Humor/crack, modern AU
Prompt: Merlin becomes a Rockstar and it scares both Arthur and Gwen
A/N: Winner of "Best Laugh".
"He has groupies," Gwen whispered, clinging fearfully to her boyfriend as she watched Merlin sign autographs for a group of teenage girls, one of whom had tattooed the rock star's face to her chest.
"Gwen, he's wearing leather," Arthur reminded her, his tone equal to hers. "I think we have bigger things to worry about right now."