Post-Checkmate Lymondverse fic
for 
ishafel, I dug up an unfinished snippet.
a Lymond Chronicles fic fragment. No attempt was made to replicate Dorothy Dunnett's language, that would be waaay too hard. I have a few more pieces that I'll post. Don't expect it to be finished any time soon!
Takes place about 6 years after Checkmate. Mary, Queen of Scots is to wed Henry Darnley, Margaret Lennox's son. Lymond is involved in the opposition. Margaret Lennox and Darnley plot against him. Lymond and Philippa have married, with a young daughter, Katie. Kuzum is about eleven. The backstory is that Margaret Lennox's men attack Flaws Valley while Lymond is away. Kuzum and Katie are kidnapped. The snippet takes place after the children are rescued.
Flaws Valley, 1563
Francis said not a word, though Richard's steady face was lined with strain and Archie made no move to leave. Philippa's husband allowed her lingering embrace but his touch was light and fleeting, and he pulled away as soon as she loosened her hold. She knew him better than anyone, maybe even Archie, but she couldn't read past the careful mask of exhaustion that concealed whatever had happened. The wordless communion they'd shared for six years had cut off a week after he'd left on his seach for Kuzum and their daughter. She'd been left with the impression of confused, helpless fury and a pain so sickening in it's familiarity that her mind refused to recognize its source.
Kate her mother appeared in the doorway, still pale with worry for them all. Her eyes searched the room and darted over Francis' pared down face, Richard's barely contained concern.
"He's not here," Francis spoke at last. His gaze never quite met those of the others, though on the surface he didn't appear to be avoiding them.
"I've men from Midculter searching," Richard interjected before Kate could demand answers.
Kate glanced from Richard to Philippa. The knowledge that Francis would never have left the search for his son without force hung in the room like stale incense.
"Danny said you'd found them both. He said they were safe." Kate's voice held no accusation, but Francis flinched just the same. Danny had come riding full tilt late the night before, bearing Katie in his arms, flanked by armored Midculter men. He'd gifted the sleeping child to her grandmother's arms and accepted a few hours rest before riding out again. He'd managed to avoid answering the bulk of their questions.
"He's safe from Margaret Lennox," Richard answered, firm and solid, "He - ran off at Hawick."
"He's out in the country by himself?" Kate demanded.
Philippa waited for Francis to come to Richard's aid, to explain Kuzum's absence, but he remained silent. His eyes were open but as dull and blank as the white wall behind him. Philippa shivered. Archie watched him too, had moved a few feet behind him, blocking the door. Oh God, what had happened?
Kate, sensing her daughter's fledgling panic, moved into the room and took Richard's hands in her own.
"I know you've both done everything you can," she said, "Sit and rest awhile. That is why you've come?"
Richard nodded, gratitude and relief relaxing his rigid posture. His eyes slid sideways to his brother. Lymond stood very still and distant, as if no one had spoken. As if, in fact, they were not there at all.
"Francis," Richard said, low and even, and waited until Lymond's attention drifted to his face. "Come, sit with us."
Lymond nodded and moved to follow Richard to the low, comfortable chairs by the fire. He stumbled a little, and Richard put out a hand to steady him, his light grasp dropping as soon as Francis was seated. Philippa was frozen in place, her hands clasped before her swollen belly. Kate touched her daughter's arm and led her to the chair next to her husband.
Kate asked Richard the news from Midculter, avoiding the still unknown events of the last weeks. Danny had not been forthcoming but his stubborn restraint had told her enough. Margaret Lennox had turned viscious in her desperation, and her hate for Lymond ran deep.
Francis sank further into the chair Richard had picked for him, his head tilted back against the wood, his eyes closed. Archie approached a few minutes later, a cup in his hands, his expression carefully neutral, and despite his low words Kate's son-in-law started at Archie's quick touch, nearly upsetting the wine the little man carried. Kate's heart sank as Philippa's face closed off, a sort of knowledge that Kate didn't understand carving shadows under her eyes. Lymond accepted the wine from Archie without comment and Richard did not seem to think it unusual that no wine was offered to the others.
And so she was not at all surprised when less than half an hour later Lymond's head fell to rest against the wing of his chair, his graceful, scarred hands limp in his lap, his chest rising and falling with even silence.
tbc
ishafel, I dug up an unfinished snippet.
a Lymond Chronicles fic fragment. No attempt was made to replicate Dorothy Dunnett's language, that would be waaay too hard. I have a few more pieces that I'll post. Don't expect it to be finished any time soon!
Takes place about 6 years after Checkmate. Mary, Queen of Scots is to wed Henry Darnley, Margaret Lennox's son. Lymond is involved in the opposition. Margaret Lennox and Darnley plot against him. Lymond and Philippa have married, with a young daughter, Katie. Kuzum is about eleven. The backstory is that Margaret Lennox's men attack Flaws Valley while Lymond is away. Kuzum and Katie are kidnapped. The snippet takes place after the children are rescued.
Flaws Valley, 1563
Francis said not a word, though Richard's steady face was lined with strain and Archie made no move to leave. Philippa's husband allowed her lingering embrace but his touch was light and fleeting, and he pulled away as soon as she loosened her hold. She knew him better than anyone, maybe even Archie, but she couldn't read past the careful mask of exhaustion that concealed whatever had happened. The wordless communion they'd shared for six years had cut off a week after he'd left on his seach for Kuzum and their daughter. She'd been left with the impression of confused, helpless fury and a pain so sickening in it's familiarity that her mind refused to recognize its source.
Kate her mother appeared in the doorway, still pale with worry for them all. Her eyes searched the room and darted over Francis' pared down face, Richard's barely contained concern.
"He's not here," Francis spoke at last. His gaze never quite met those of the others, though on the surface he didn't appear to be avoiding them.
"I've men from Midculter searching," Richard interjected before Kate could demand answers.
Kate glanced from Richard to Philippa. The knowledge that Francis would never have left the search for his son without force hung in the room like stale incense.
"Danny said you'd found them both. He said they were safe." Kate's voice held no accusation, but Francis flinched just the same. Danny had come riding full tilt late the night before, bearing Katie in his arms, flanked by armored Midculter men. He'd gifted the sleeping child to her grandmother's arms and accepted a few hours rest before riding out again. He'd managed to avoid answering the bulk of their questions.
"He's safe from Margaret Lennox," Richard answered, firm and solid, "He - ran off at Hawick."
"He's out in the country by himself?" Kate demanded.
Philippa waited for Francis to come to Richard's aid, to explain Kuzum's absence, but he remained silent. His eyes were open but as dull and blank as the white wall behind him. Philippa shivered. Archie watched him too, had moved a few feet behind him, blocking the door. Oh God, what had happened?
Kate, sensing her daughter's fledgling panic, moved into the room and took Richard's hands in her own.
"I know you've both done everything you can," she said, "Sit and rest awhile. That is why you've come?"
Richard nodded, gratitude and relief relaxing his rigid posture. His eyes slid sideways to his brother. Lymond stood very still and distant, as if no one had spoken. As if, in fact, they were not there at all.
"Francis," Richard said, low and even, and waited until Lymond's attention drifted to his face. "Come, sit with us."
Lymond nodded and moved to follow Richard to the low, comfortable chairs by the fire. He stumbled a little, and Richard put out a hand to steady him, his light grasp dropping as soon as Francis was seated. Philippa was frozen in place, her hands clasped before her swollen belly. Kate touched her daughter's arm and led her to the chair next to her husband.
Kate asked Richard the news from Midculter, avoiding the still unknown events of the last weeks. Danny had not been forthcoming but his stubborn restraint had told her enough. Margaret Lennox had turned viscious in her desperation, and her hate for Lymond ran deep.
Francis sank further into the chair Richard had picked for him, his head tilted back against the wood, his eyes closed. Archie approached a few minutes later, a cup in his hands, his expression carefully neutral, and despite his low words Kate's son-in-law started at Archie's quick touch, nearly upsetting the wine the little man carried. Kate's heart sank as Philippa's face closed off, a sort of knowledge that Kate didn't understand carving shadows under her eyes. Lymond accepted the wine from Archie without comment and Richard did not seem to think it unusual that no wine was offered to the others.
And so she was not at all surprised when less than half an hour later Lymond's head fell to rest against the wing of his chair, his graceful, scarred hands limp in his lap, his chest rising and falling with even silence.
tbc