Ficlet Challenge Meme Response Thing
So, I posted this meme a few days ago:
Give me one of my own stories, and a timestamp sometime in the future after the end of the story, or sometime in the past before the story started, and I'll write you at least 100 words of what happened then, whether it's five minutes before the story started or ten years in the future.
juno_magic requested three days and fifteen minutes after the ending of my favorite story. She’s also the only one to respond, but that’s your loss. So here is the “sequel”, a lot sooner than anyone expected, I predict! The hardest part ended up being choosing a favorite. Ironically, the story I chose was actually a drabble, and the sequel is twice as long.
The drabble I chose was Mercy, which can be found here. The “real” sequel is a double drabble set, as needed, three days and fifteen minutes after. There is also a regular drabble that precedes it, set relatively soon after. I think it ties the two together and I think the real sequel makes a little more sense having the other drabble in between. Besides, it came to me first, actually, and I wasn’t going to say “no” to the muses.
***
I find Carnistir lying in blood, sword lying next to him. He is still. I kneel beside him, knowing already that he is dead. My hand hovers above his face, and for a moment I cannot bring myself to touch the cool skin. Then my fingers ghost over his neck, over the wound that killed him. Tears sting my eyes.
‘How cruel of fate to take him from life like this,’ I think. I hear the quiet voice of my brother behind me answer, as if I had spoken the thought aloud.
“At least his death was not so unkind.”
***
“Kind? How was it kind?” I began without preface and it caused my brother to look at me askance, having been caught off guard.
“What are you talking about? I cannot read your mind, you know. How was what kind?” He turned around to fully face me, appearing puzzled by my outburst.
I swallowed and licked my lips before answering. “Carnistir’s death. You said it was kind. Why?”
“The sword. It was not his, you know. It was Turko’s.”
Now it was my turn to stare in confusion, thinking the statement random or perhaps an attempt at diversion.
“And when I found Turko,” he continued, “It was Moryo’s sword he held.” He looked at me expectantly, as if that explained everything. “Do you see now? Turko ended it before Moryo died a cruel death.”
I did see, though I was hardly surprised that such a detail had escaped my notice. But I understood now.
“Kindness by the ‘unkind’ one,” I murmured, not meaning to think the words, much less say them.
“If they knew, it would not be remembered as such in a song.”
“No, it would not. But at least we know, you and I, that it was mercy.”
***
I used Tyelkormo as the killer since that seemed to be the general consensus when dawn_felagund wrote the drabble that started it all.
Now, take a poll and tell me which two characters you think are speaking! I think it’s obvious, but then again I’m the omniscient writer, so I’d like to know whether my tacit knowledge comes through the words.
Poll Who's Who?
Feel free to discuss in a comment!
I’d also like to mention that LJ ate my entry, which is NOT COOL.
Mood:
Curious
Give me one of my own stories, and a timestamp sometime in the future after the end of the story, or sometime in the past before the story started, and I'll write you at least 100 words of what happened then, whether it's five minutes before the story started or ten years in the future.
juno_magic requested three days and fifteen minutes after the ending of my favorite story. She’s also the only one to respond, but that’s your loss. So here is the “sequel”, a lot sooner than anyone expected, I predict! The hardest part ended up being choosing a favorite. Ironically, the story I chose was actually a drabble, and the sequel is twice as long.
The drabble I chose was Mercy, which can be found here. The “real” sequel is a double drabble set, as needed, three days and fifteen minutes after. There is also a regular drabble that precedes it, set relatively soon after. I think it ties the two together and I think the real sequel makes a little more sense having the other drabble in between. Besides, it came to me first, actually, and I wasn’t going to say “no” to the muses.
***
I find Carnistir lying in blood, sword lying next to him. He is still. I kneel beside him, knowing already that he is dead. My hand hovers above his face, and for a moment I cannot bring myself to touch the cool skin. Then my fingers ghost over his neck, over the wound that killed him. Tears sting my eyes.
‘How cruel of fate to take him from life like this,’ I think. I hear the quiet voice of my brother behind me answer, as if I had spoken the thought aloud.
“At least his death was not so unkind.”
***
“Kind? How was it kind?” I began without preface and it caused my brother to look at me askance, having been caught off guard.
“What are you talking about? I cannot read your mind, you know. How was what kind?” He turned around to fully face me, appearing puzzled by my outburst.
I swallowed and licked my lips before answering. “Carnistir’s death. You said it was kind. Why?”
“The sword. It was not his, you know. It was Turko’s.”
Now it was my turn to stare in confusion, thinking the statement random or perhaps an attempt at diversion.
“And when I found Turko,” he continued, “It was Moryo’s sword he held.” He looked at me expectantly, as if that explained everything. “Do you see now? Turko ended it before Moryo died a cruel death.”
I did see, though I was hardly surprised that such a detail had escaped my notice. But I understood now.
“Kindness by the ‘unkind’ one,” I murmured, not meaning to think the words, much less say them.
“If they knew, it would not be remembered as such in a song.”
“No, it would not. But at least we know, you and I, that it was mercy.”
***
I used Tyelkormo as the killer since that seemed to be the general consensus when dawn_felagund wrote the drabble that started it all.
Now, take a poll and tell me which two characters you think are speaking! I think it’s obvious, but then again I’m the omniscient writer, so I’d like to know whether my tacit knowledge comes through the words.
Poll Who's Who?
Feel free to discuss in a comment!
I’d also like to mention that LJ ate my entry, which is NOT COOL.
Mood:
Curious