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rainbowfic2015-01-14 03:25 pm
kay_brooke) wrote in rainbowfic2015-01-14 03:25 pm
Alien Green #8, Azul #6
Name: kay_brooke
Story: The Myrrosta
Colors: Alien Green #8 (I wanna speak to the writers), Azul #6 (Against all odds)
Styles/Supplies: Eraser, Pastels (forallbingo's Rites of Passage prompt "first trip")
Word Count: 776
Rating/Warnings: PG-13; no standard warnings apply
Summary: Hopina escapes.
Notes: Blamebookblather for inspiring this AU. Basically, what if Hopina didn't marry Atro? Answer: she runs off with Edward and has adventures. Constructive criticism is welcome, either through comments or PM.
When he found her hiding in the back of his wagon, huddled and shivering from lack of sleep and food, for one heart-stopping moment Hopina thought he was going to take her back. Back to her father, back to Atro, back to the life she now realized she had never wanted.
But Edward just sighed, closed his eyes briefly, and mouthed something that looked like a prayer. Hopina watched, fascinated: Edward had never struck her as a religious man.
He said, "If you were smart, you'd climb out of there and head on back to Jaharta."
"By myself?" They were a day out of the city already. Did he expect her to walk the whole way alone? "You'll have to escort me." One more day with Edward; it wasn't much, but she would take it.
He shook his head. "I'm late as it is. I can't lose two days of travel."
"That's settled, then. I'm going with you." She sat up and stretched out her back. "Can I ride up front with you? It's terribly cramped back here."
"This is a mistake, Hopina," said Edward. "Where I'm going...it's no place for a lady like you."
Hopina clambered out of the wagon, swaying slightly on stiff legs before standing tall and meeting Edward's gaze. "I'm not the kind of lady you take me for. And I'm not going back." She knew he wanted her along; knew he was warring between his own desire and his sense of responsibility. But what mattered responsibility when they were an ocean away?
She thought he might have come to the same conclusion. "Fine," he said, battle decided. "Come on."
She climbed onto the little seat at the front of the wagon, just barely wide enough for two, and even then the side of Edward’s thigh pressed into hers when he joined her. Hopina turned her head to hide a blush, and told herself to keep her composure. They would be like this for several days’ worth of travel, and she couldn’t very well spend the whole time flushed with his nearness and her own daring.
“Are they looking for you?” Edward asked after a few silent moments. His two horses, indistinctive brown mares the both, clopped along at a steady pace.
Hopina nodded. “Almost certainly. My father doesn’t watch my every move, but it’s been a day. He’ll have realized as soon as a didn’t come down to breakfast this morning.”
“Did you leave a message?”
“No.” He said nothing, but looked sidelong at her. Hopina knew what he was thinking. How could she have just disappeared without a word? What kind of daughter did such a thing to her father?
“I’ll send him one,” she snapped. “Once we’re where he can’t get me. I won’t leave him wondering forever.” When he remained silent, she said, “Don’t look at me like I should feel guilty. Trust me, I already feel even guiltier than that.” And she did. Her father loved her, and she loved him. He had never hurt her, never neglected her. It had been just the two of them after her mother died, and Hopina had thought once that was enough. She was grateful to him for everything, she truly was.
But things had changed once Atro had accepted her father’s offer of her hand in marriage. He had played at letting her make her own decision, but she knew what the correct answer was. He had never let her forget it, either, and it seemed forever since he had given her a moment’s peace. Every conversation was about Atro, about when she would accept him, and dire warnings of what might happen if she didn’t.
She couldn’t go back. She would just have to remain guilty until it was safe to send him a message.
“I didn’t say anything.” Edward’s gaze remained firmly fixed forward. “If they’re looking for you, you can’t travel as yourself. We’ll have to come up with a false name, and find some way to convince the expedition to let you accompany us.”
“Oh!” she said. “They’ll tell, won’t they? The ambassador and his men? They may not recognize me, but if they receive word of my disappearance…”
“We’ll think of something,” said Edward. “Unless you’ve changed your mind?”
She might yet still be caught. But how was that any worse than giving up before she’d started. “No. I’ve made my decision.”
“It won’t be easy, you know. None of it.”
“I’m not looking for easy,” she replied, falling into his rolling speech pattern. She hid a quick smile behind her hand.
But when she looked over, she saw Edward was smiling, too.
kay_brookeStory: The Myrrosta
Colors: Alien Green #8 (I wanna speak to the writers), Azul #6 (Against all odds)
Styles/Supplies: Eraser, Pastels (for
allbingo's Rites of Passage prompt "first trip")Word Count: 776
Rating/Warnings: PG-13; no standard warnings apply
Summary: Hopina escapes.
Notes: Blame
bookblather for inspiring this AU. Basically, what if Hopina didn't marry Atro? Answer: she runs off with Edward and has adventures. Constructive criticism is welcome, either through comments or PM.When he found her hiding in the back of his wagon, huddled and shivering from lack of sleep and food, for one heart-stopping moment Hopina thought he was going to take her back. Back to her father, back to Atro, back to the life she now realized she had never wanted.
But Edward just sighed, closed his eyes briefly, and mouthed something that looked like a prayer. Hopina watched, fascinated: Edward had never struck her as a religious man.
He said, "If you were smart, you'd climb out of there and head on back to Jaharta."
"By myself?" They were a day out of the city already. Did he expect her to walk the whole way alone? "You'll have to escort me." One more day with Edward; it wasn't much, but she would take it.
He shook his head. "I'm late as it is. I can't lose two days of travel."
"That's settled, then. I'm going with you." She sat up and stretched out her back. "Can I ride up front with you? It's terribly cramped back here."
"This is a mistake, Hopina," said Edward. "Where I'm going...it's no place for a lady like you."
Hopina clambered out of the wagon, swaying slightly on stiff legs before standing tall and meeting Edward's gaze. "I'm not the kind of lady you take me for. And I'm not going back." She knew he wanted her along; knew he was warring between his own desire and his sense of responsibility. But what mattered responsibility when they were an ocean away?
She thought he might have come to the same conclusion. "Fine," he said, battle decided. "Come on."
She climbed onto the little seat at the front of the wagon, just barely wide enough for two, and even then the side of Edward’s thigh pressed into hers when he joined her. Hopina turned her head to hide a blush, and told herself to keep her composure. They would be like this for several days’ worth of travel, and she couldn’t very well spend the whole time flushed with his nearness and her own daring.
“Are they looking for you?” Edward asked after a few silent moments. His two horses, indistinctive brown mares the both, clopped along at a steady pace.
Hopina nodded. “Almost certainly. My father doesn’t watch my every move, but it’s been a day. He’ll have realized as soon as a didn’t come down to breakfast this morning.”
“Did you leave a message?”
“No.” He said nothing, but looked sidelong at her. Hopina knew what he was thinking. How could she have just disappeared without a word? What kind of daughter did such a thing to her father?
“I’ll send him one,” she snapped. “Once we’re where he can’t get me. I won’t leave him wondering forever.” When he remained silent, she said, “Don’t look at me like I should feel guilty. Trust me, I already feel even guiltier than that.” And she did. Her father loved her, and she loved him. He had never hurt her, never neglected her. It had been just the two of them after her mother died, and Hopina had thought once that was enough. She was grateful to him for everything, she truly was.
But things had changed once Atro had accepted her father’s offer of her hand in marriage. He had played at letting her make her own decision, but she knew what the correct answer was. He had never let her forget it, either, and it seemed forever since he had given her a moment’s peace. Every conversation was about Atro, about when she would accept him, and dire warnings of what might happen if she didn’t.
She couldn’t go back. She would just have to remain guilty until it was safe to send him a message.
“I didn’t say anything.” Edward’s gaze remained firmly fixed forward. “If they’re looking for you, you can’t travel as yourself. We’ll have to come up with a false name, and find some way to convince the expedition to let you accompany us.”
“Oh!” she said. “They’ll tell, won’t they? The ambassador and his men? They may not recognize me, but if they receive word of my disappearance…”
“We’ll think of something,” said Edward. “Unless you’ve changed your mind?”
She might yet still be caught. But how was that any worse than giving up before she’d started. “No. I’ve made my decision.”
“It won’t be easy, you know. None of it.”
“I’m not looking for easy,” she replied, falling into his rolling speech pattern. She hid a quick smile behind her hand.
But when she looked over, she saw Edward was smiling, too.