Alec Troven (
element_wizard) wrote2006-11-24 10:38 pm
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Title: the Burial
Prompt: 070 Storm
Rating: PG
Characters: Alec (ten), Laruna, Greywolf and Raven Troven
Author's Notes: Longish.
Time past achingly slowly in the room. There was no way of knowing how long they had been in the room as there was no clock or any other method of keeping time available. The fires in the braziers never burnt down to coals, being magically lit. Eventually, hours, days later the doors opened again. Two priests walked in this time.
Raven looked up at them, drawing away from his wife’s body, but leaving a hand to rest on her.
“The prayers have been said, the hours have passed, now it is time,” one said. Raven nodded and stepped down from the dais. His children clustered near him, eyeing him for instruction, but he still did not notice them. The two priests walked up to the dais and lifted her up. She lay on a stretcher that blended perfectly into the dais that Alec hadn’t noticed it before. They marched her solemnly out of the room, Raven trailing behind them. The three of them glanced at each other before following.
Sela’s body was laid in an earthen coffin which was then placed in a wagon drawn by a pair of matching bay horses, their horns covered in white ribbon. Raven climbed up into the wagon and sat by the coffin. After a moment’s hesitation, Greywolf climbed into the wagon, helping Alec and Laruna up. The three of them sat on the far side of their father, afraid to bother him. A lesser priest, his robes not as fine as the priest that had met them, climbed into the driver’s seat and glanced back, to see if they were all there. He then flicked the reins and the horses started forward, rocking the wagon as they picked up speed.
Laruna huddled down on the floor of the wagon, her arms over her knees, staring at the coffin. Greywolf watched Raven, his mouth pressed in firm line. Alec watched the streets, staring at the people who watched the wagon go by, moving respectfully out of its way. They wound their way from the government district into the housing district, keeping to the large boulevard that ran through the center of the district. He looked at the sky; it was clear and sunny with only a few clouds wafting around. It didn’t seem right, Alec thought, to be so nice and happy sunny. It should be dark and stormy; a miserable day just like he was feeling. He gave the sky a scowl of annoyance, angry at it now. Part of him knew he was being silly. It was the weather, he couldn’t influence that. But another part of him was like, his mother was gone. Nothing worse could happen to him. Everyone should be miserable like he was. No one should enjoy this day. If he couldn’t be happy then no one should.
He obsessed over this thought for the wagon ride, not even noticing when they passed the glistening white city walls to go deeper into the valley that the city sat in the mouth of. Here there were fewer people. It was late in the day and those who were coming to the city from the valley village that supported the city had come hours ago, in the early morning. Tall mountains surrounded the valley, seven peaks in all, the highest still with snow on them, despite it being spring. The valley stretched out before the wagon, large and full of fresh new brilliantly green grass. Shepherds minding their flocks full of sheep with large bony horns and thick wool coats and goats with their bony plats and double sets of horns drifted past the cart… or maybe they drifted past the herds. The path wasn’t paved, but smooth so well by the earth wizards that it might as well have been paved. A wind picked up as they drew further away from the city, starting as a light breeze and then getting stronger the further away they got. The priest glanced up at the sky and Alec heard him mumble something, though he didn’t know what it was.
The road diverged a few miles away from the city. One path continued down towards the village and then the End Woods where Alec and Laruna had been born, the second, smaller path went to the cemetery. The wagon turned onto this lonely path that was still as smooth as the main road. The tall grasses didn’t even come close to encroaching on it.
The cemetery was located on the edge of a deep ravine where the Lancoon River started its journey to the plains. It was divided into sixteen sections in a double circle pattern. The outer four sections of the circle contained the dead of the non first families. The smaller inner circle was divided up into twelve lots, one for each of the Original Families. The wagon driver pulled into the Troven lot, where four priests were waiting by a freshly dug hole. They took the coffin from the wagon and carefully lowered it into the ground. Then one of them offered a shovel to Raven. It was taken roughly from the man’s hands, who scurried away at the look in Raven’s eyes. Alec and his brother and sister stood by while this happened. Once again they didn’t know what they were supposed to do and it didn’t look like anyone was going to tell them. The priests left them actually, climbing back into the wagon and riding away.
Alec glanced up at the sky; more clouds had come from somewhere, and the sky was darkening, the wind whipping up even more. Single mindedly Raven set to work filling in the grave. He didn’t look anywhere around him, just at the pile of dirt and the hole in the ground. Laruna started to cry watching him. Alec soon joined her, the both of them sitting on the dirt near some ancestor. Greywolf hovered over them protectively, watching their father as if he was some stranger that would hurt them.
The sky grew darker as Raven filled in the hole. The only noise came from the howling wind and his grunts as he moved dirt. The twins had sobbed themselves into silence; Laruna huddled against her brother, who held her, staring at the sky. At least now it looked proper. It looked like he felt; cold, dull, dead. He shivered in the wind that whipped around the grave stone and snuggled closer to Laruna, holding her tight.
When he finished, Raven shoved the shovel deep into the ground. Then he turned on his heel and started the walk out of the cemetery.
“Why doesn’t he talk to us?” Laruna wanted to know as they followed him, a half a dozen paces behind him. She looked at Greywolf then at Raven and then back at her big brother.
“He doesn’t know who we are,” Alec said. “I don’t think he even knows we’re here.”
“That’s not true! Of course he does! He’s our father!”
“Then why hasn’t he noticed us or said anything to us all day?”
“He said something this morning!”
“That was hours ago!”
“Alec! Laruna! Enough!” Greywolf snapped, “We’ll just have to wait this out, all right? Just… we’ll see what happens in the morning.” He looked up in the sky, “Just… wait until tomorrow.” Alec glanced up as well and got hit by a large fat drop of water.
“Oh, firebolts, it’s raining!” Laruna cursed. She gestured and the falling drops of rain started to avoid hitting her and her brothers.
“Good.” Alec said, somewhat savagely, “It should be.”
Almost idly, Greywolf said, “I wonder where the storm even came from… it was clear this morning.”
Title The Hunt
Prompt 085 Passing
Rating PG
Characters: Alec (16)
Author's notes: Long too.
Sleep didn’t come to Alec easily. When it finally did, he drifted lightly. The nervous braying of one of the cattle woke him up. Staring up at the ceiling of the wagon, he listened to the noises from the outside. The animals were restless, some of them making the noises they made when being worried by the caravan’s dogs.
Then, barely, he heard a howling noise. It sounded like a howl. But he wasn’t sure of it. He sat up in his bed and strained his ears. Again, a howling noise. It sounded like a hunting dog, but like a hunting dog if a hunting dog could sound like a wolf at the same time. Another dog, he guessed it was a dog, howled, answering the first one. Then others took up the cry, sounding like a ghostly chorus. For these dogs didn’t seem like they could be alive, the way their howls echoed over the plains. Long and mournful drawn out longer than a dog could have breath.
He peered out the window over his bed, but could only see the wagon ahead of him. Twisting a little he could see outside the circle, but it was all fog, thick fog, blurring everything into indistinguishable grayness, reflecting silver from the moons.
Slowly, as he watched, listening to the howls come closer, the fog thinned enough that he could see the stars up in the sky. Now the fog was only tendrils of mist, hugging the ground.
Did that mean that the hunt was over and they had caught their prey? No, the dogs were still howling and getting closer. Really close now. Their howls sent shivers across Alec and he hunched down.
But a glint of gold in the distance caught his eye. He peered out of the window curiously, trying to see what it was. The gold whatever it was, was headed right for the wagons. Gold and white, he could see now. An animal that was gold and white.
A stag!
A stag that was as white as milk with golden hooves and antlers, running so hard that its flanks were steaming. He could sense the heat coming off of it and the terror… he could sense its terror! He never could sense animals. But he could sense this stag’s terror as if it were his own. Had this animal always been like this? What grandmamma had said seemed to indicate that the prey was a living person and not an animal. Could they have turned the human into a stag to hunt?
The stag rushed past the wagons, not even moving away so that it wouldn’t be so close to them. It just seemed to be intent on fleeing whatever was hounding it.
The howls – the hounds- he could just see now. They were running just as hard as the stag. But while the stag thundered across the ground, these dogs seemed to float above it, as if they were apart of the mists instead of real dogs. They were the same color as the mists, but with red eyes. Glowing red eyes that burned in the night. As they came closer, Alec ducked down so that he could barely see them. No need to give them a target. No need to be cause of an accident.
They did look like wolves. Well bred, hungry mad foaming wolves that ran passed the wagons causing the animals in the center to break into a panic, stomping and neighing and braying. He could hear them straining at their ropes to protect themselves from the predators. But the hounds had no interest in them. Their entire intent was on the stag.
Then the fey came. Out of nowhere. Or out of the mists. He couldn’t tell. One minute there was nothing, the next they were there; riding on those black horses, laughing and urging the dogs on with wild cries. They didn’t have the bangles and bells that the ones he had seen earlier. They were dressed in hunting clothes. Thicker more substantial clothing than the light airy clothes the others had worn. Swords, spears and bows were out as they rode passed. They too seemed to ignore the wagons.
At least most of them did.
One of them pulled his horse back, slowing it down for a moment as he stared at them and then at Alec, who held back an ‘eep’ and ducked down. When he peered back out, the rider was gone, as was the mists.
The hounds’ howls soon faded and the animals quieted down somewhat. Alec crawled back into bed, pulling the quilt over his head as he tried to banish the sounds of the hounds out of his mind so he could sleep.
Only the sunlight from the rising sun did that, letting him grab a half an hour of sleep before his grandfather woke him up. When he checked the ground outside the wagons, where the hunt had passed by, he saw no disturbance in the dirt.
Title Turkey Liberation Front
Prompt Thanksgiving
rating PG
Characters Alec (23) Verra Rose
Author's note So that's where those Turkeys came from...
Alec peered outside the Inn. Hundreds of birds with ... things... weapons, he supposed by the way the were being held, were surrounding the Inn. And he couldn't figure out why. Verra peered over his shoulder and grunted.
"What are they?" she asked.
"Birds of some sort... never seen them before."
"What are they carrying?"
"Not a clue. Didn't even know that they could carry things."
Then one of them brought out a cone like thing and spoke into it. "We are the Turkey Liberation Front. We are here to commandeer your Inn in our fight against the oppressors who ritually slaughter us for that disgusting holiday known as Thanksgiving. Surrender peacefully and no one will be hurt."
Alec looked back at Verra and mouthed, "thanksgiving?" she shrugged in reply.
"Do you want me to take care of them?"
"Sure. Why not?"
Verra beamed as if she had just gotten the best present ever and gave him a kiss. "I'll be right back," she promised.
A few minutes later the turkeys screamed in terror and beat a hasty retreat.
At least those still living.
Title: You're Joking.
Prompt Christmas
Rating PG
characters Alec (23)
Author's notes Yeah, not from Earth.
The woman smiled at Alec, who smiled back nervously. She was the PTA leader of the school Braxious was attending and she had this everyone must be happy attitude that kind of freaked Alec out.
"So, the Christmas party is coming up," she said, "And since this is your first year with us I thought you might like some help with it."
"Christmas?" Alec asked blankly.
"Oh... are you Jewish?"
"Jewish?"
The woman smiled at him. He could tell that she was very confused right then and was trying to sort him into a proper category. Apparently, from what he could tell, there were two. Jewish... and someone who knew about Christmas. He didn't fit into either, obviously.
Then she explained to him what Christmas was, with a side trip on the basics of Christianity.
He stared at her and tried not to laugh.
Really he did.
He almost made it.
We can ask for feed back on these things? Cool. Love some.
Prompt: 070 Storm
Rating: PG
Characters: Alec (ten), Laruna, Greywolf and Raven Troven
Author's Notes: Longish.
Time past achingly slowly in the room. There was no way of knowing how long they had been in the room as there was no clock or any other method of keeping time available. The fires in the braziers never burnt down to coals, being magically lit. Eventually, hours, days later the doors opened again. Two priests walked in this time.
Raven looked up at them, drawing away from his wife’s body, but leaving a hand to rest on her.
“The prayers have been said, the hours have passed, now it is time,” one said. Raven nodded and stepped down from the dais. His children clustered near him, eyeing him for instruction, but he still did not notice them. The two priests walked up to the dais and lifted her up. She lay on a stretcher that blended perfectly into the dais that Alec hadn’t noticed it before. They marched her solemnly out of the room, Raven trailing behind them. The three of them glanced at each other before following.
Sela’s body was laid in an earthen coffin which was then placed in a wagon drawn by a pair of matching bay horses, their horns covered in white ribbon. Raven climbed up into the wagon and sat by the coffin. After a moment’s hesitation, Greywolf climbed into the wagon, helping Alec and Laruna up. The three of them sat on the far side of their father, afraid to bother him. A lesser priest, his robes not as fine as the priest that had met them, climbed into the driver’s seat and glanced back, to see if they were all there. He then flicked the reins and the horses started forward, rocking the wagon as they picked up speed.
Laruna huddled down on the floor of the wagon, her arms over her knees, staring at the coffin. Greywolf watched Raven, his mouth pressed in firm line. Alec watched the streets, staring at the people who watched the wagon go by, moving respectfully out of its way. They wound their way from the government district into the housing district, keeping to the large boulevard that ran through the center of the district. He looked at the sky; it was clear and sunny with only a few clouds wafting around. It didn’t seem right, Alec thought, to be so nice and happy sunny. It should be dark and stormy; a miserable day just like he was feeling. He gave the sky a scowl of annoyance, angry at it now. Part of him knew he was being silly. It was the weather, he couldn’t influence that. But another part of him was like, his mother was gone. Nothing worse could happen to him. Everyone should be miserable like he was. No one should enjoy this day. If he couldn’t be happy then no one should.
He obsessed over this thought for the wagon ride, not even noticing when they passed the glistening white city walls to go deeper into the valley that the city sat in the mouth of. Here there were fewer people. It was late in the day and those who were coming to the city from the valley village that supported the city had come hours ago, in the early morning. Tall mountains surrounded the valley, seven peaks in all, the highest still with snow on them, despite it being spring. The valley stretched out before the wagon, large and full of fresh new brilliantly green grass. Shepherds minding their flocks full of sheep with large bony horns and thick wool coats and goats with their bony plats and double sets of horns drifted past the cart… or maybe they drifted past the herds. The path wasn’t paved, but smooth so well by the earth wizards that it might as well have been paved. A wind picked up as they drew further away from the city, starting as a light breeze and then getting stronger the further away they got. The priest glanced up at the sky and Alec heard him mumble something, though he didn’t know what it was.
The road diverged a few miles away from the city. One path continued down towards the village and then the End Woods where Alec and Laruna had been born, the second, smaller path went to the cemetery. The wagon turned onto this lonely path that was still as smooth as the main road. The tall grasses didn’t even come close to encroaching on it.
The cemetery was located on the edge of a deep ravine where the Lancoon River started its journey to the plains. It was divided into sixteen sections in a double circle pattern. The outer four sections of the circle contained the dead of the non first families. The smaller inner circle was divided up into twelve lots, one for each of the Original Families. The wagon driver pulled into the Troven lot, where four priests were waiting by a freshly dug hole. They took the coffin from the wagon and carefully lowered it into the ground. Then one of them offered a shovel to Raven. It was taken roughly from the man’s hands, who scurried away at the look in Raven’s eyes. Alec and his brother and sister stood by while this happened. Once again they didn’t know what they were supposed to do and it didn’t look like anyone was going to tell them. The priests left them actually, climbing back into the wagon and riding away.
Alec glanced up at the sky; more clouds had come from somewhere, and the sky was darkening, the wind whipping up even more. Single mindedly Raven set to work filling in the grave. He didn’t look anywhere around him, just at the pile of dirt and the hole in the ground. Laruna started to cry watching him. Alec soon joined her, the both of them sitting on the dirt near some ancestor. Greywolf hovered over them protectively, watching their father as if he was some stranger that would hurt them.
The sky grew darker as Raven filled in the hole. The only noise came from the howling wind and his grunts as he moved dirt. The twins had sobbed themselves into silence; Laruna huddled against her brother, who held her, staring at the sky. At least now it looked proper. It looked like he felt; cold, dull, dead. He shivered in the wind that whipped around the grave stone and snuggled closer to Laruna, holding her tight.
When he finished, Raven shoved the shovel deep into the ground. Then he turned on his heel and started the walk out of the cemetery.
“Why doesn’t he talk to us?” Laruna wanted to know as they followed him, a half a dozen paces behind him. She looked at Greywolf then at Raven and then back at her big brother.
“He doesn’t know who we are,” Alec said. “I don’t think he even knows we’re here.”
“That’s not true! Of course he does! He’s our father!”
“Then why hasn’t he noticed us or said anything to us all day?”
“He said something this morning!”
“That was hours ago!”
“Alec! Laruna! Enough!” Greywolf snapped, “We’ll just have to wait this out, all right? Just… we’ll see what happens in the morning.” He looked up in the sky, “Just… wait until tomorrow.” Alec glanced up as well and got hit by a large fat drop of water.
“Oh, firebolts, it’s raining!” Laruna cursed. She gestured and the falling drops of rain started to avoid hitting her and her brothers.
“Good.” Alec said, somewhat savagely, “It should be.”
Almost idly, Greywolf said, “I wonder where the storm even came from… it was clear this morning.”
Title The Hunt
Prompt 085 Passing
Rating PG
Characters: Alec (16)
Author's notes: Long too.
Sleep didn’t come to Alec easily. When it finally did, he drifted lightly. The nervous braying of one of the cattle woke him up. Staring up at the ceiling of the wagon, he listened to the noises from the outside. The animals were restless, some of them making the noises they made when being worried by the caravan’s dogs.
Then, barely, he heard a howling noise. It sounded like a howl. But he wasn’t sure of it. He sat up in his bed and strained his ears. Again, a howling noise. It sounded like a hunting dog, but like a hunting dog if a hunting dog could sound like a wolf at the same time. Another dog, he guessed it was a dog, howled, answering the first one. Then others took up the cry, sounding like a ghostly chorus. For these dogs didn’t seem like they could be alive, the way their howls echoed over the plains. Long and mournful drawn out longer than a dog could have breath.
He peered out the window over his bed, but could only see the wagon ahead of him. Twisting a little he could see outside the circle, but it was all fog, thick fog, blurring everything into indistinguishable grayness, reflecting silver from the moons.
Slowly, as he watched, listening to the howls come closer, the fog thinned enough that he could see the stars up in the sky. Now the fog was only tendrils of mist, hugging the ground.
Did that mean that the hunt was over and they had caught their prey? No, the dogs were still howling and getting closer. Really close now. Their howls sent shivers across Alec and he hunched down.
But a glint of gold in the distance caught his eye. He peered out of the window curiously, trying to see what it was. The gold whatever it was, was headed right for the wagons. Gold and white, he could see now. An animal that was gold and white.
A stag!
A stag that was as white as milk with golden hooves and antlers, running so hard that its flanks were steaming. He could sense the heat coming off of it and the terror… he could sense its terror! He never could sense animals. But he could sense this stag’s terror as if it were his own. Had this animal always been like this? What grandmamma had said seemed to indicate that the prey was a living person and not an animal. Could they have turned the human into a stag to hunt?
The stag rushed past the wagons, not even moving away so that it wouldn’t be so close to them. It just seemed to be intent on fleeing whatever was hounding it.
The howls – the hounds- he could just see now. They were running just as hard as the stag. But while the stag thundered across the ground, these dogs seemed to float above it, as if they were apart of the mists instead of real dogs. They were the same color as the mists, but with red eyes. Glowing red eyes that burned in the night. As they came closer, Alec ducked down so that he could barely see them. No need to give them a target. No need to be cause of an accident.
They did look like wolves. Well bred, hungry mad foaming wolves that ran passed the wagons causing the animals in the center to break into a panic, stomping and neighing and braying. He could hear them straining at their ropes to protect themselves from the predators. But the hounds had no interest in them. Their entire intent was on the stag.
Then the fey came. Out of nowhere. Or out of the mists. He couldn’t tell. One minute there was nothing, the next they were there; riding on those black horses, laughing and urging the dogs on with wild cries. They didn’t have the bangles and bells that the ones he had seen earlier. They were dressed in hunting clothes. Thicker more substantial clothing than the light airy clothes the others had worn. Swords, spears and bows were out as they rode passed. They too seemed to ignore the wagons.
At least most of them did.
One of them pulled his horse back, slowing it down for a moment as he stared at them and then at Alec, who held back an ‘eep’ and ducked down. When he peered back out, the rider was gone, as was the mists.
The hounds’ howls soon faded and the animals quieted down somewhat. Alec crawled back into bed, pulling the quilt over his head as he tried to banish the sounds of the hounds out of his mind so he could sleep.
Only the sunlight from the rising sun did that, letting him grab a half an hour of sleep before his grandfather woke him up. When he checked the ground outside the wagons, where the hunt had passed by, he saw no disturbance in the dirt.
Title Turkey Liberation Front
Prompt Thanksgiving
rating PG
Characters Alec (23) Verra Rose
Author's note So that's where those Turkeys came from...
Alec peered outside the Inn. Hundreds of birds with ... things... weapons, he supposed by the way the were being held, were surrounding the Inn. And he couldn't figure out why. Verra peered over his shoulder and grunted.
"What are they?" she asked.
"Birds of some sort... never seen them before."
"What are they carrying?"
"Not a clue. Didn't even know that they could carry things."
Then one of them brought out a cone like thing and spoke into it. "We are the Turkey Liberation Front. We are here to commandeer your Inn in our fight against the oppressors who ritually slaughter us for that disgusting holiday known as Thanksgiving. Surrender peacefully and no one will be hurt."
Alec looked back at Verra and mouthed, "thanksgiving?" she shrugged in reply.
"Do you want me to take care of them?"
"Sure. Why not?"
Verra beamed as if she had just gotten the best present ever and gave him a kiss. "I'll be right back," she promised.
A few minutes later the turkeys screamed in terror and beat a hasty retreat.
At least those still living.
Title: You're Joking.
Prompt Christmas
Rating PG
characters Alec (23)
Author's notes Yeah, not from Earth.
The woman smiled at Alec, who smiled back nervously. She was the PTA leader of the school Braxious was attending and she had this everyone must be happy attitude that kind of freaked Alec out.
"So, the Christmas party is coming up," she said, "And since this is your first year with us I thought you might like some help with it."
"Christmas?" Alec asked blankly.
"Oh... are you Jewish?"
"Jewish?"
The woman smiled at him. He could tell that she was very confused right then and was trying to sort him into a proper category. Apparently, from what he could tell, there were two. Jewish... and someone who knew about Christmas. He didn't fit into either, obviously.
Then she explained to him what Christmas was, with a side trip on the basics of Christianity.
He stared at her and tried not to laugh.
Really he did.
He almost made it.
We can ask for feed back on these things? Cool. Love some.