Fic - Family Values

[girl_called_sun]

Title: Family Values
Fandom: Tamora Pierce
Rating: PG
A/N: rain_sleet_snow wrote a little ficlet, the beginning of which mention Lerant of Eldorne's brother, a cynical and brilliant scholar. This is an expansion of that character, because I remain gently obsessed with all things Eldorne.

Comments

[girl_called_sun]

I thought the name Gideon was suitably pompous, old fashioned and embarrassing :) But I have a soft spot for him already.

Thank you for setting the plot bunny loose.

[osprey_archer]

“How do you turn declarations of treason into examples of your brilliance?” Lerant asked. “Always! Since we were little. I have never been right in my life!”

I had to pick just one quote, and that one is excellent. It's all lovely, really. I love Gideon and his rusty, semi-treasonous heart already. And he's such a good foil for Lerant, who in spite of everything believes in chivalry - just a little bit - even though everyone keeps trying to kick it out of him.

And poor Lerant, being the ugly one in the family. Mind, the ugly Eldorne is doing pretty good by most people's standards, but still.

Are you going to expand this? I can just imagine Gideon getting in trouble for just a liiiiiittle too much philosophizing about politics, and Lerant has to ride in to the rescue with fellow Tortallan characters of your choice at his side...

I do think this could use a quick copy-edit, though. the desk piled high with piles and rolls of cream parchment, for instance.

[girl_called_sun]

Thank you - I really liked the idea that prickly, snarky Lerant was actually the principled one; and that despite everything, the is closeness in his family. (Lerant is a Griffindor cuckoo in a Slytherin nest, but they haven't realised yet). I might go on - I will see what the bunny says.

I will go off and edit this - sorry *winches at clumsy phrasing and bad grammer*

[heather_neather]

*glee*

Gideon is the perfect anti-Lerant. Their brother banter works perfectly, right down to the "Piss off" and "Bite me".

Will Gideon be making appearances in Three's Company? That would be an interesting... mix.

[girl_called_sun]

I'm glad you like it, because banter is increasingly becoming the only sort of thing I write!

Ah, Three's a crowd...one day I'll finish it. One day. Maybe I can see Gideon in an epilogue...*hits plot bunny with a stick*

[heather_neather]

oops... Three's a crowd... heehee.

Sorry for tempting your bunny... But Gideon coming along and acting like a fatherly brother, embarrassing Lerant in front of his new-found army buddies would be *awesome*

[girl_called_sun]

The bunny just grew fangs.....

I may be some time *staggers off to write*

[anait]

He wondered if Roaul's patronage was pity, or clever politicking, a salve to old guilts, or a mere good deed. Those happened, occasionally, he had heard tales of them on dark nights.
I like Gideon's acidity and cynicism, and his loyalty to his brother. Now Lerant's sarcastic comebacks begin to make so much sense-- he learned out of self-defence in his childhood.

It's already been said, but I like how this frame of reference makes our bitter Lerant the idealist of his family.

[girl_called_sun]

Lerant's mouth and snarky comments get him into trouble, I believe, because responses he thinks would be funny and clever if he said them to Gideon come across as horribly cruel and cynical to normal people. Everything's context.