The Crane Wife: Chapter 8 of 8

[x_losfic]

Title: The Crane Wife
Chapter: Eight: Eight
Author: x_losRating: NC-17

Comments

i wrote you something very, very self indulgent

[aralias]

Crane Wife (The Track Changes Remix) (aka if the Master used Microsoft Word for beta-ing)

Once upon a time In the year 5963.2 Rassilon era there were two men: a traveller who dreamed of nothing but travelling, and an Emperor who thought of nothing but ruling. many beings of all descriptions populating the galaxy, of whom two of the most important were an Emperor and a wandering do-gooder. One day the traveller lost his way, and found himself in the court of the Emperor. There was treated like a prince and given all manner of fine things by his generous host, until the time came for him to continue travelling. Then he found the doors of the palace barred to him, and saw it for the golden cage it was. (These events are out of sequence - does that matter?) “Are you not happy here?” the Emperor asked, his voice persuasive (and sensual) and his golden keys tucked securely his belt. “Why not stay with me forever?” But now the traveller saw the bars, and one night while the Emperor slept was distracted due to an unfair and, as it turned out, potentially life-threatening ploy he stole the golden TARDIS keys and flew. The vengeful Emperor pursued him across time and space, but the traveller had vanished was a tricky bastard while the Emperor’s spies were largely incompetent fools. The Emperor returned to his kingdom alone, and when invaders came he surrendered  willingly was taken by surprise, but still thought of a cunning plan that he would have effected had circumstances not presented a better alternative. Caged in his own cell, he waited, and when the traveller returned, the Emperor acknowledged the wrong he had done him. “I was happy here,” the traveller told him, “I will stay and rule with you, if you wish it.” “I was happy with you,” the Emperor replied. “If you wish it, I will travel with you.” (This is not how it was - there were certainly more Daleks). In the court of the Emperor there was much rejoicing, for both men were popular despite their faults. From then on, the doors were always left open, and they both lived happily ever after for a long, but finite period, in which they were often happy. (They’d be a lot happier if there were fewer edits in this. I’d forgotten you were such a pedant). The end.

Re: i wrote you something very, very self indulgent

[x_losfic]

I have never been more thoroughly charmed--is this the ending you wanted after Smatters leaves, then? It feels almost like a necessary coda. <3

Re: i wrote you something very, very self indulgent

[aralias]

something like this. i don't know if it would have been the entire story, but this is sort of what i was thinking. i don't know. you're right in that it's the wrong tone, although i was borrowing from the way five tells his crane wife story, although i see now that you wrote that in the present tense... i've gone the other way now, and can't write that. ah well.

Re: i wrote you something very, very self indulgent

[x_losfic]

I do /adore/ it though, and now feel perhaps in a way its the real end. :/

Re: i wrote you something very, very self indulgent

[aralias]

well - now you have both!