[Wild Roses] Sun Queen
Title: Leaves. Nature's way of laughing at you.
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses; Phoebe, a Hand
Prompt: 26C "authority"
Word Count: 385
Notes: same Hand as in unfair advantages and repairs. Requested by dormouse_in_tea
"You seriously mean to tell me that because there was a tree down that everything upstream of the tree, its branches and its leaves was flooded." He was not going to yank on his hair in frustration. He refused to give anyone the satisfaction. But it was really tempting.
"Alright," he said, over the top of the stuttered yes. "here's what we're going to do. First, you're going to stop apologising. Yes, really. Second, don't go try to clear the tree by yourself. I'm going to go report what happened, and then I will be back with a few more people so we can all go work on the tree. You drowning will not be helpful. Alright? Alright."
He waited until he was well out of earshot before he pulled out his chain of keys and called. "A winter-kissed tree."
He could hear the Queen blink. That was kind of funny.
"One tree. One," he continued, before she could actually ask what he was on about, "was enough to flood six fields."
"I see," she replied, in a tone that made it obvious she didn't.
"Some idiot designed a drainage system that could be completely blocked by the assorted debris of a tree coming down. I need a boat and a few tricks to keep people from drowning while we clear it."
"Ah," she said, understanding dawning. "Quickly, one assumes."
"Preferably. The farmer who reported it was about to head out to try to clear it himself before I stopped him. Do we have anything set up to actually work on this kind of thing, or is it all individuals still?"
"All individuals still," she answered from behind him, and he couldn't keep himself from jumping.
She'd apparently just left some official function or was on her way to one when he'd called, her skirts even more layered than usual, the trailing edges brushing the mud of the path. The gold band of her rank twinkled in the sunlight, brightly enough that he had to keep himself from squinting as he looked at her.
"I'll have to bring up the subject at the next budget meeting," she said, mouth quirked like she was joking but her tone serious.
"I live but to give you headaches?" he offered, wryly, and hid a grin as she laughed.
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses; Phoebe, a Hand
Prompt: 26C "authority"
Word Count: 385
Notes: same Hand as in unfair advantages and repairs. Requested by dormouse_in_tea
"You seriously mean to tell me that because there was a tree down that everything upstream of the tree, its branches and its leaves was flooded." He was not going to yank on his hair in frustration. He refused to give anyone the satisfaction. But it was really tempting.
"Alright," he said, over the top of the stuttered yes. "here's what we're going to do. First, you're going to stop apologising. Yes, really. Second, don't go try to clear the tree by yourself. I'm going to go report what happened, and then I will be back with a few more people so we can all go work on the tree. You drowning will not be helpful. Alright? Alright."
He waited until he was well out of earshot before he pulled out his chain of keys and called. "A winter-kissed tree."
He could hear the Queen blink. That was kind of funny.
"One tree. One," he continued, before she could actually ask what he was on about, "was enough to flood six fields."
"I see," she replied, in a tone that made it obvious she didn't.
"Some idiot designed a drainage system that could be completely blocked by the assorted debris of a tree coming down. I need a boat and a few tricks to keep people from drowning while we clear it."
"Ah," she said, understanding dawning. "Quickly, one assumes."
"Preferably. The farmer who reported it was about to head out to try to clear it himself before I stopped him. Do we have anything set up to actually work on this kind of thing, or is it all individuals still?"
"All individuals still," she answered from behind him, and he couldn't keep himself from jumping.
She'd apparently just left some official function or was on her way to one when he'd called, her skirts even more layered than usual, the trailing edges brushing the mud of the path. The gold band of her rank twinkled in the sunlight, brightly enough that he had to keep himself from squinting as he looked at her.
"I'll have to bring up the subject at the next budget meeting," she said, mouth quirked like she was joking but her tone serious.
"I live but to give you headaches?" he offered, wryly, and hid a grin as she laughed.