Fic: Morning Mist / Challenge Day Six
Sep. 18th, 2013 06:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meridian_roseTitle: Morning Mist
Fandom: Original
'Verse/Series: Kat (High Queen)
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1319
Prompt: It goes with the picture I posted yesterday.
Summary: Winter roses bloom despite the frost. Kat and Honor regain the closeness that recent events (and one person in particular) have put a strain on.
Content Notes: No standard warnings apply.
Index Page for this series: DW/ LJ
Kat left MacBride snoring softly into his pillow, and dressed quickly. She pulled on the red cloak. It was a thoughtful gift from the rulers and she loved the crimson, bold in the dead of winter. She put on her boots and went downstairs. A guard saluted as she passed him and she turned and took the side door out to the gardens.
She could see her breath in the cool air. There was frost on the flagstone path and she moved carefully onto the less slippery grass. Mist clung to the trees and shrubs. This part of the grounds would look lovely in summer, full of colour and the buzzing of bees and chatter of birdsong. It had a haunting beauty to it even now and she followed the tall hedgerow to the frozen pond.
Winters were harsher back home and they'd been told that this was quite severe cold for Helwendr and would pass soon enough. Cal had been mildly disappointed that there'd probably be no snow, but then he only enjoyed snow long enough to build a snowman and try to start a snowball fight, maybe go sledging. Then he was content to be indoors with a warm drink, complaining about all the things he couldn't do because of the weather.
Kat headed to the herb gardens and onto the gravel path. There were some evergreens but also lots of forlorn bare patches. She noticed a tall figure up ahead, clad in black, and went towards him. The man turned at her approach.
"Honor. What are you doing out here so early?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Same thing as you, I expect. Taking the morning air." He was wearing his robes under a heavy black woollen cloak, ready for the signing of the new contract. He gestured. "Come and see this."
He led her past several trees with their branches bare, and through an archway to a rose garden. Most of the bushes were in hibernation, but a mass of damson coloured roses adorned one bed. "Always-Faithful, the gardener told me yesterday. They bloom all year round, even in the worst of winters."
Kat bent over to look at them, amazed. "Why didn't anyone show me these before? They're lovely."
He shrugged. "Perhaps the people have forgotten how special they are. You get used to things, when you see them all the time."
"Can we have some? They'd look lovely near the entrance hall when it's wintertime and drab." She didn't think it would be too much to add one bush to the tribute.
"No. They only grow here. You'd have to transplant enough soil too, and then there's the climate – its closer to the sea than back home."
Kat ran her fingers over the petals of the nearest flower, making it release a heady scent quite inappropriate for the season. She wouldn't want to take a plant home only to have it die.
"Where's MacBride?"
Kat stared at the rose a moment longer. Honor had never been this jealous before but now he seemed unable to keep the bitterness from his tone. "He's sleeping." She tried not to be defensive when she said, "He doesn't go everywhere with me."
"It doesn't seem that way."
Kat straightened up and moved closer to him. "Why do you hate him so much?"
"It's not hate. It's distrust." Honor looked away. "Those look like snow clouds."
He wasn't going to change the subject. "It rarely snows here." She reached out and took his hands in hers. He winced.
"You're freezing. Where are your gloves?"
"Where are yours?" She clutched him tightly. "MacBride is my lover, but only for the moment. Like others I've had."
Honor rubbed at her cold hands with his thumbs, reluctant to let her go for which she was thankful. She needed to talk this through. "He's not quite like any others."
What was that supposed to mean? Kat frowned and took a guess at his real concern. "He's not a replacement for you."
"He said the same thing." His mouth drew into a wry smile.
"But you don't believe us." She brought his hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles as if the physical contact might make him understand. "I still love you. I need you. I've been caught up in the whirlwind of this place and the parties and the…the newness of being with MacBride. But that won't last. We have the ceremony today and that's more like normal. Things will go back to normal."
Honor was silent but he made no move to pull away.
Kat tried another tactic. "I know you don't trust MacBride." Even after he'd risked his life over the curse. "But I do. You've always trusted my gut instinct before when it comes to judging people. So don't trust him, but trust me. He's not a bad person."
"Of course not." Honor looked horrified at the suggestion. "I'd have had him removed from the castle by now if I thought he was."
Kat bit back a laugh that would have probably angered him, though it was provoked not by him so much as by the imagined scene of Tara forcibly evicting MacBride on Honor's orders, and dusting her hands off afterwards with a satisfied smile on her face. "Then what is it?"
Honor sighed. "I know my place, Kat. Here. Next to you. On the sidelines. No, let me finish."
Kat, about to protest that he was in no way on the sidelines and never could be, closed her mouth and, with reluctance, held her tongue.
"Just don't push me further away." Honor released her hands finally and reached up to smooth her hair back from her face. "Remember what you always say about women who take husbands and turn their backs on their family?"
Was that what he thought she was doing? Kat was about to make a fierce retort when she managed to catch herself. He had a point. She hadn't meant to get involved with MacBride to the exclusion of all others, neglecting Honor and Cal in particular, but she had. Cal of course was spending a lot of time with Ryan, and so less likely to take offence. Even Tara and Riku spent less time in her presence, since the castle was considered so safe. She hadn't seen Barton in almost a week, which suited her fine. Zayn and Larae and the others were all occupied with hobbies of various sorts. That was fine as far as it went. Overwintering here was supposed to be a relaxing experience.
It wasn't supposed to drive her and her friends apart. She had no desire to be left alone when the love affair ended.
"I remember. That's not what I'm trying to do." She'd do better from now on. They'd all be together for the ceremony anyway, but she'd have just the Tour members gather later for a meal. She returned her attention back to the issue at hand. "I'm hardly going to marry him, either."
Honor made a noise of disquiet. "He's a sly one."
MacBride was adept at playing the fool, hiding his intellect. Kat knew this, and she was surprised, though she shouldn't be, that Honor was aware of it too.
"Yes, he is. But I doubt he's going to trick me into marrying him like the story of the princess and the troll. Besides, you're watching my back, even when I don't realise I need you to be." Kat smiled winningly.
Honor gave in. "As always."
Kat pointed to the roses. "Can I at least pick one?"
"I wouldn't. It's considered bad luck to touch them after the first frost until springtime."
That was a pity. She shivered and Honor gestured. "We should go inside and warm up."
She nodded and took his hand. She squeezed it and he returned the pressure briefly with a genuine smile. Together they returned to the castle.
Fandom: Original
'Verse/Series: Kat (High Queen)
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1319
Prompt: It goes with the picture I posted yesterday.
Summary: Winter roses bloom despite the frost. Kat and Honor regain the closeness that recent events (and one person in particular) have put a strain on.
Content Notes: No standard warnings apply.
Index Page for this series: DW/ LJ
Kat left MacBride snoring softly into his pillow, and dressed quickly. She pulled on the red cloak. It was a thoughtful gift from the rulers and she loved the crimson, bold in the dead of winter. She put on her boots and went downstairs. A guard saluted as she passed him and she turned and took the side door out to the gardens.
She could see her breath in the cool air. There was frost on the flagstone path and she moved carefully onto the less slippery grass. Mist clung to the trees and shrubs. This part of the grounds would look lovely in summer, full of colour and the buzzing of bees and chatter of birdsong. It had a haunting beauty to it even now and she followed the tall hedgerow to the frozen pond.
Winters were harsher back home and they'd been told that this was quite severe cold for Helwendr and would pass soon enough. Cal had been mildly disappointed that there'd probably be no snow, but then he only enjoyed snow long enough to build a snowman and try to start a snowball fight, maybe go sledging. Then he was content to be indoors with a warm drink, complaining about all the things he couldn't do because of the weather.
Kat headed to the herb gardens and onto the gravel path. There were some evergreens but also lots of forlorn bare patches. She noticed a tall figure up ahead, clad in black, and went towards him. The man turned at her approach.
"Honor. What are you doing out here so early?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Same thing as you, I expect. Taking the morning air." He was wearing his robes under a heavy black woollen cloak, ready for the signing of the new contract. He gestured. "Come and see this."
He led her past several trees with their branches bare, and through an archway to a rose garden. Most of the bushes were in hibernation, but a mass of damson coloured roses adorned one bed. "Always-Faithful, the gardener told me yesterday. They bloom all year round, even in the worst of winters."
Kat bent over to look at them, amazed. "Why didn't anyone show me these before? They're lovely."
He shrugged. "Perhaps the people have forgotten how special they are. You get used to things, when you see them all the time."
"Can we have some? They'd look lovely near the entrance hall when it's wintertime and drab." She didn't think it would be too much to add one bush to the tribute.
"No. They only grow here. You'd have to transplant enough soil too, and then there's the climate – its closer to the sea than back home."
Kat ran her fingers over the petals of the nearest flower, making it release a heady scent quite inappropriate for the season. She wouldn't want to take a plant home only to have it die.
"Where's MacBride?"
Kat stared at the rose a moment longer. Honor had never been this jealous before but now he seemed unable to keep the bitterness from his tone. "He's sleeping." She tried not to be defensive when she said, "He doesn't go everywhere with me."
"It doesn't seem that way."
Kat straightened up and moved closer to him. "Why do you hate him so much?"
"It's not hate. It's distrust." Honor looked away. "Those look like snow clouds."
He wasn't going to change the subject. "It rarely snows here." She reached out and took his hands in hers. He winced.
"You're freezing. Where are your gloves?"
"Where are yours?" She clutched him tightly. "MacBride is my lover, but only for the moment. Like others I've had."
Honor rubbed at her cold hands with his thumbs, reluctant to let her go for which she was thankful. She needed to talk this through. "He's not quite like any others."
What was that supposed to mean? Kat frowned and took a guess at his real concern. "He's not a replacement for you."
"He said the same thing." His mouth drew into a wry smile.
"But you don't believe us." She brought his hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles as if the physical contact might make him understand. "I still love you. I need you. I've been caught up in the whirlwind of this place and the parties and the…the newness of being with MacBride. But that won't last. We have the ceremony today and that's more like normal. Things will go back to normal."
Honor was silent but he made no move to pull away.
Kat tried another tactic. "I know you don't trust MacBride." Even after he'd risked his life over the curse. "But I do. You've always trusted my gut instinct before when it comes to judging people. So don't trust him, but trust me. He's not a bad person."
"Of course not." Honor looked horrified at the suggestion. "I'd have had him removed from the castle by now if I thought he was."
Kat bit back a laugh that would have probably angered him, though it was provoked not by him so much as by the imagined scene of Tara forcibly evicting MacBride on Honor's orders, and dusting her hands off afterwards with a satisfied smile on her face. "Then what is it?"
Honor sighed. "I know my place, Kat. Here. Next to you. On the sidelines. No, let me finish."
Kat, about to protest that he was in no way on the sidelines and never could be, closed her mouth and, with reluctance, held her tongue.
"Just don't push me further away." Honor released her hands finally and reached up to smooth her hair back from her face. "Remember what you always say about women who take husbands and turn their backs on their family?"
Was that what he thought she was doing? Kat was about to make a fierce retort when she managed to catch herself. He had a point. She hadn't meant to get involved with MacBride to the exclusion of all others, neglecting Honor and Cal in particular, but she had. Cal of course was spending a lot of time with Ryan, and so less likely to take offence. Even Tara and Riku spent less time in her presence, since the castle was considered so safe. She hadn't seen Barton in almost a week, which suited her fine. Zayn and Larae and the others were all occupied with hobbies of various sorts. That was fine as far as it went. Overwintering here was supposed to be a relaxing experience.
It wasn't supposed to drive her and her friends apart. She had no desire to be left alone when the love affair ended.
"I remember. That's not what I'm trying to do." She'd do better from now on. They'd all be together for the ceremony anyway, but she'd have just the Tour members gather later for a meal. She returned her attention back to the issue at hand. "I'm hardly going to marry him, either."
Honor made a noise of disquiet. "He's a sly one."
MacBride was adept at playing the fool, hiding his intellect. Kat knew this, and she was surprised, though she shouldn't be, that Honor was aware of it too.
"Yes, he is. But I doubt he's going to trick me into marrying him like the story of the princess and the troll. Besides, you're watching my back, even when I don't realise I need you to be." Kat smiled winningly.
Honor gave in. "As always."
Kat pointed to the roses. "Can I at least pick one?"
"I wouldn't. It's considered bad luck to touch them after the first frost until springtime."
That was a pity. She shivered and Honor gestured. "We should go inside and warm up."
She nodded and took his hand. She squeezed it and he returned the pressure briefly with a genuine smile. Together they returned to the castle.
