Clare-Dragonfly (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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rainbowfic2012-05-03 10:48 pm
clare_dragonfly) wrote in rainbowfic2012-05-03 10:48 pm
Flowers for the Queen
Name: Clare
Story: The Wasteland
Colors: Lilac saturation
Supplies and Materials: Saturation, graffiti, stained glass, frame, pastels (B2, death), novelty beads ("The upward course of a nation's history is due in the long run to the soundness of heart of its average men and women.")
Word Count: 1,421
Rating: G
Warnings: major character death prior to the story
Notes: So I finally manage to write something about the characters in the main Queen of the Wasteland story... and it's Taia's funeral. ::facepalm:: And I still managed to get away without naming most of the characters!
3. rose
Taia Lucifer was my mother.
I can say that, even though she was hardly motherly to me, because technically, it is true. And now that I am older and I can understand her, I forgive her for the way she was. I understand now why it was hard for her to have me or to even look at me. And I understand that she had a nation to build and to run.
This is painful to a child, but as an adult I can be grateful. I am grateful that she gave me this world to live in that is so much safer now than it was twenty-five or even fifteen years ago. I am grateful that she gave me life. I am grateful for her choice of father for me.
I lay suyam, roses, on her bier, because they were always her favorite flower. I did not understand the implications of that until recently. But for that, too, I am grateful.
5. apple blossom
I would not have lived as long as I have if it were not for Taia Lucifer.
Everything was difficult after the war. I came home with my wife and my friends to nothing the same as it was. Until I learned that the major had returned from the front to take charge, and then something, at least, was the same.
She put me to work. I had never been so grateful for work to do. And I had never been so grateful that the work kept changing—at first it was fighting, and then it was hunting, and then it was planting and harvesting, as her influence and our safe space grew.
These apple blossoms are from the first tree that I planted, a tree that never would have lived without her.
10. baby's breath
I did not know Taia Lucifer until I was here, in this strange country, getting ready to give birth.
But I know that without her my child would never have lived.
1. daisy
She was the leader we needed. I would have followed her anywhere. But she did not ask me to leave, only to stay where I was and build a life for myself and my family.
When the world broke, she was there, though I understand that she did not want to be.
25. freesia
We never knew each other well, despite the length of time we spent in one another’s company, living so close together as we had to in the beginning. She was a hard woman to know well, a hard woman to love, if an easy woman to respect and to follow.
But I will never forget the look on her face when she learned that I had a degree in water management, worthless as it had seemed to me in this post-war world.
If I have never done anything else good in my life, I am glad that at least once I gave this great woman hope.
2. narcissus
I would lay a leek on the bier as well, but she would never forgive me for burning something we could have eaten.
I suppose if she’d thought about it she would have told us to eat her body as well. I know she didn’t think much of it. But we have to show our respect however we can, don’t we?
4. violet
I remember once she helped me pull a bow. I’m still not very good at it but I remember how to hold it right now.
18. tuberose
The Victorians considered this a funeral flower. Taia would not have cared for that sentimentality. But she would tell me that if it helped I should be as sentimental as I liked.
I’m sorry. Excuse me.
14. phlox
She killed my brother.
But she had every right to. She could have killed me, too. I would have killed her, had I had the chance. But instead she offered me land and shelter and honest work.
She was a generous woman. These flowers grew where we buried my brother.
11. coneflower
This flower is related to echinacea. I wanted to put an actual echinacea flower on her bier to symbolize healing. But like Alsika said, Taia would never have forgiven me.
19. tulip
I don’t know where I would be without her. But it certainly wouldn’t be here.
12. gardenia
I didn’t know her. But I knew of her. And she was an inspiration—to me, to us all. I would have despaired had I not known of her and her work. And seeing everyone here, so many people gathered to honor one woman… I know there’s so much hope in the world.
24. orchid
I came from far away to meet her. And I stayed, because she became my queen.
15. lilac
She was my queen.
6. goldenrod
She was my queen.
20. chrysanthemum
She was my queen.
21. bluebell
She taught me about the cycle of life and death by showing me flowers. I never really understood how important it was to know things until then.
17. sweet pea
When I met her I was wandering, trying to give my things away, trying to give all of myself away. She stopped me. She said she understood.
I don’t know how much she understood, though I know she lost a great deal in the war. But she gave me a purpose, and that was what I needed. Now I have a family and a job and the water might be poison, but this nation will endure.
8. larkspur
She was the only mother I ever knew, even if she was not mine.
13. peony
Taia Lucifer was always a light in the darkness. I came here to see her.
I don’t know what she saw in me—why she hired me, let me join her nation, above so many others. I wasn’t even well at the time. But I am well now, and I have land to work that feeds myself and my family and my nation. It was her nation then, when all I saw was a warrior holding land that I could work on, but it is my nation now, when I see so many people following a leader, out of respect and joy and love.
16. safflower
This flower has deep roots, like Taia Lucifer did here. I do not have deep roots yet, but I think that I will in time, because she has provided me a place to grow.
22. foxglove
This flower, like a good queen, can be used to both kill and heal.
7. mimosa
This flower grows wild all around here.
23. snapdragon
I chose this flower simply because it is beautiful, like she was.
9. lily
Taia Lucifer was my queen. She was also my dearest friend, and my partner, and my boss, and my subordinate, and the mother of my child.
I can no longer recall what it was that made me find her and speak to her. She tried to kill me several times, but I kept going to her. I must have seen the leadership qualities that we all know she had. And perhaps at that time I would not have minded if I had died. The war was over, and we could start over—we could make life dominant again, when death had been dominant for so long—but I had nothing left to live for. Until, of course, she finally spoke to me, and then I had to live for her.
She was a difficult woman to live with, but that was not her fault. Her life, and the war, made her that way, as it did to many of us. I am sure that I was difficult to live with much of the time as well.
She was a brilliant woman when she was lucid. And she was wonderful enough that those who knew her continued her work even when she was not.
I would not say I loved her. But she gave me life and hope, and she gave me sweet Suya, my beloved daughter, so perhaps, indeed, she was the one true love of my life.
Thank you all for being here. She would tell you to go back to work, that she is not important. But I would remind her, as I do all of you, that without closure we cannot grieve and heal. And knowing that there are so many people who have a little bit of love in their hearts for Queen Taia Lucifer will help all of us heal more fully.
Now, with this fire, I send her spirit to the heavens, where I hope she finds some rest.
Lilac tag, please, mods!
Story: The Wasteland
Colors: Lilac saturation
Supplies and Materials: Saturation, graffiti, stained glass, frame, pastels (B2, death), novelty beads ("The upward course of a nation's history is due in the long run to the soundness of heart of its average men and women.")
Word Count: 1,421
Rating: G
Warnings: major character death prior to the story
Notes: So I finally manage to write something about the characters in the main Queen of the Wasteland story... and it's Taia's funeral. ::facepalm:: And I still managed to get away without naming most of the characters!
3. rose
Taia Lucifer was my mother.
I can say that, even though she was hardly motherly to me, because technically, it is true. And now that I am older and I can understand her, I forgive her for the way she was. I understand now why it was hard for her to have me or to even look at me. And I understand that she had a nation to build and to run.
This is painful to a child, but as an adult I can be grateful. I am grateful that she gave me this world to live in that is so much safer now than it was twenty-five or even fifteen years ago. I am grateful that she gave me life. I am grateful for her choice of father for me.
I lay suyam, roses, on her bier, because they were always her favorite flower. I did not understand the implications of that until recently. But for that, too, I am grateful.
5. apple blossom
I would not have lived as long as I have if it were not for Taia Lucifer.
Everything was difficult after the war. I came home with my wife and my friends to nothing the same as it was. Until I learned that the major had returned from the front to take charge, and then something, at least, was the same.
She put me to work. I had never been so grateful for work to do. And I had never been so grateful that the work kept changing—at first it was fighting, and then it was hunting, and then it was planting and harvesting, as her influence and our safe space grew.
These apple blossoms are from the first tree that I planted, a tree that never would have lived without her.
10. baby's breath
I did not know Taia Lucifer until I was here, in this strange country, getting ready to give birth.
But I know that without her my child would never have lived.
1. daisy
She was the leader we needed. I would have followed her anywhere. But she did not ask me to leave, only to stay where I was and build a life for myself and my family.
When the world broke, she was there, though I understand that she did not want to be.
25. freesia
We never knew each other well, despite the length of time we spent in one another’s company, living so close together as we had to in the beginning. She was a hard woman to know well, a hard woman to love, if an easy woman to respect and to follow.
But I will never forget the look on her face when she learned that I had a degree in water management, worthless as it had seemed to me in this post-war world.
If I have never done anything else good in my life, I am glad that at least once I gave this great woman hope.
2. narcissus
I would lay a leek on the bier as well, but she would never forgive me for burning something we could have eaten.
I suppose if she’d thought about it she would have told us to eat her body as well. I know she didn’t think much of it. But we have to show our respect however we can, don’t we?
4. violet
I remember once she helped me pull a bow. I’m still not very good at it but I remember how to hold it right now.
18. tuberose
The Victorians considered this a funeral flower. Taia would not have cared for that sentimentality. But she would tell me that if it helped I should be as sentimental as I liked.
I’m sorry. Excuse me.
14. phlox
She killed my brother.
But she had every right to. She could have killed me, too. I would have killed her, had I had the chance. But instead she offered me land and shelter and honest work.
She was a generous woman. These flowers grew where we buried my brother.
11. coneflower
This flower is related to echinacea. I wanted to put an actual echinacea flower on her bier to symbolize healing. But like Alsika said, Taia would never have forgiven me.
19. tulip
I don’t know where I would be without her. But it certainly wouldn’t be here.
12. gardenia
I didn’t know her. But I knew of her. And she was an inspiration—to me, to us all. I would have despaired had I not known of her and her work. And seeing everyone here, so many people gathered to honor one woman… I know there’s so much hope in the world.
24. orchid
I came from far away to meet her. And I stayed, because she became my queen.
15. lilac
She was my queen.
6. goldenrod
She was my queen.
20. chrysanthemum
She was my queen.
21. bluebell
She taught me about the cycle of life and death by showing me flowers. I never really understood how important it was to know things until then.
17. sweet pea
When I met her I was wandering, trying to give my things away, trying to give all of myself away. She stopped me. She said she understood.
I don’t know how much she understood, though I know she lost a great deal in the war. But she gave me a purpose, and that was what I needed. Now I have a family and a job and the water might be poison, but this nation will endure.
8. larkspur
She was the only mother I ever knew, even if she was not mine.
13. peony
Taia Lucifer was always a light in the darkness. I came here to see her.
I don’t know what she saw in me—why she hired me, let me join her nation, above so many others. I wasn’t even well at the time. But I am well now, and I have land to work that feeds myself and my family and my nation. It was her nation then, when all I saw was a warrior holding land that I could work on, but it is my nation now, when I see so many people following a leader, out of respect and joy and love.
16. safflower
This flower has deep roots, like Taia Lucifer did here. I do not have deep roots yet, but I think that I will in time, because she has provided me a place to grow.
22. foxglove
This flower, like a good queen, can be used to both kill and heal.
7. mimosa
This flower grows wild all around here.
23. snapdragon
I chose this flower simply because it is beautiful, like she was.
9. lily
Taia Lucifer was my queen. She was also my dearest friend, and my partner, and my boss, and my subordinate, and the mother of my child.
I can no longer recall what it was that made me find her and speak to her. She tried to kill me several times, but I kept going to her. I must have seen the leadership qualities that we all know she had. And perhaps at that time I would not have minded if I had died. The war was over, and we could start over—we could make life dominant again, when death had been dominant for so long—but I had nothing left to live for. Until, of course, she finally spoke to me, and then I had to live for her.
She was a difficult woman to live with, but that was not her fault. Her life, and the war, made her that way, as it did to many of us. I am sure that I was difficult to live with much of the time as well.
She was a brilliant woman when she was lucid. And she was wonderful enough that those who knew her continued her work even when she was not.
I would not say I loved her. But she gave me life and hope, and she gave me sweet Suya, my beloved daughter, so perhaps, indeed, she was the one true love of my life.
Thank you all for being here. She would tell you to go back to work, that she is not important. But I would remind her, as I do all of you, that without closure we cannot grieve and heal. And knowing that there are so many people who have a little bit of love in their hearts for Queen Taia Lucifer will help all of us heal more fully.
Now, with this fire, I send her spirit to the heavens, where I hope she finds some rest.
Lilac tag, please, mods!