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rainbowfic2012-06-18 02:09 pm
kay_brooke) wrote in rainbowfic2012-06-18 02:09 pm
Alice Blue #9, Orange #2, Screaming Green #13
Name: kay_brooke
Story: The Myrrosta
Colors: Alice Blue #9 (everything is funny, if you can laugh at it), Orange #2 (orange-blue contrast), Screaming Green #13 (life without sex might be safer, but it would be unbearably dull)
Styles/Supplies: Frame, Seed Beads, Pastels toorigfic_bingo card prompt "competent"
Word Count: 1,755
Rating/Warnings: PG-13; infidelity
Summary: Most people might assume Corin has no real desire for power. Those people would be wrong.
Notes: An attempt to play around with the dynamics of Atro's grandchildren as adults. Don't know if I like it. Constructive criticism is welcome, either through comments or PM.
Corin strode down the hall, his steps slowing as he neared the wide double doors leading into the audience chamber. There were two guards standing there, one on either side of the door. That was not unusual.
What was unusual was the presence of a third person, tall but thin, the dusty men's clothing almost entirely hiding the fact that she was a woman. But Corin was not deceived. He would know that nose, that arrogant chin tilt, that too-long fringe brushed hastily out of the eyes, anywhere.
"Sister," he said, approaching the doors, "We weren't expecting you."
Karina's gaze slid from the door slowly, languidly, like he was something that had momentarily captured an idle attention but was ultimately of no more interest than the familiar carvings decorating the door panels. "Corin. I sent a message."
"I didn't receive it."
"I did not send it to you."
Corin tried not to grind his teeth too hard, so as not to show her how much she was getting to him. But her attention had already wavered, her eyes returning to the door as she dismissed him entirely from her thoughts. She had a one-track mind, his sister did, and people, even her own family, were of no more concern to her than a favorite pair of boots might be: useful, nice to have around, but easily replaced with something better.
Well, except for one person.
"Will he be finished soon?" she asked. She was still facing the door, so Corin remained silent, pretending to think she was addressing one of the guards.
Not a pretense; the guard on the left answered, "Emperor Gyeth is not in chambers today."
"Then who is in there? Where is my father?" Karina's voice had taken a slight shrill note; almost the only time she showed emotion was when their father was the subject of conversation. Never close to their father himself, Corin envied his sister's connection to him, but he didn't envy her complete lack of connection to anyone else. Their father was the only one willing to put up with her coldness.
"Prince Ero and Princess Idera," said the guard. "The Emperor took ill and is recuperating in his bed chambers."
"Ill? Is it serious?"
"A minor spring fever, your highness. The physicians say he needs only a few days' rest."
"I will go to him," said Karina. She pulled off her riding gloves and turned, stopping as she spotted Corin. She probably really had forgotten he was there. She narrowed her eyes at him and said, "Have you been to see Father?"
"No," said Corin. "He isn't seriously ill, and he has servants to care for him."
She looked back at the door, her eyes suspicious. "Why were you standing here, if you were not waiting for Father to be finished? Surely you were not waiting for our cousin?"
"I was." In a fashion.
"Why?" She still looked suspicious.
"Because he's like a brother to me and I enjoy talking to him, not that you would understand that," Corin spat, perhaps angrier than he meant. But her suspicious looks had brought out a guilt and fear in him, a tiny voice that wondered, quietly, if she knew.
She blinked. "I suppose he could be considered like a brother," she said, almost musing over the concept like it had never occurred to her before. "Though why you enjoy talking to him is beyond me. He's an idiot."
"Karina!"
"You deny it?" she said, looking at him pityingly. "Thank the gods Father married him to Idera. She has the intelligence to run an empire. Without her Ceenta Vowei would be lost."
In that Corin agreed with his sister, but he would never say it aloud. And, because her talk could be construed by someone more unscrupulous than he as edging toward treason, he said, "Ero is the heir to the Emperor, not his wife."
Karina shrugged. "If you believe he will be more than Idera's puppet once he becomes Emperor, you are almost as stupid as he."
Corin glanced toward the guards, but they were familiar ones who had served the palace for a long time. They knew Karina tended to speak without tact or awareness that others might be listening. Still, one could never be too careful. "I thought you were going to see Father?"
"Yes," she said. "Enjoy your...conversation." With that, she was gone, her figure disappearing rapidly down the darkened hallway, the thump of her boots against the marble floors fading.
And not a moment too soon. The doors opened and through them stepped Ero and Idera. Corin stood aside as a number of servants followed them and dispersed. From his vantage point he could see the back of the double throne--usually the seats of his father and his aunt Kyla, but today, with Father sick and Kyla away, lately populated with his cousin and his cousin's wife.
His cousin's wife, who today looked stunning, her black hair pinned up into an elaborate knot, her smoky gray eyes emphasized with dark kohl. There was a simple silver crown on her head, far from the more elaborate one her husband wore, but beautiful in its elegance. Corin tried not to stare at the way her neckline dipped daringly low. Had she truly worn that dress in the audience chamber? It must have been Ero's idea; he liked, in his own words, to show off his beautiful possessions.
It was common knowledge, from what Corin had heard, that his father and his aunt had experienced the most terrible luck with their first-born children. Father's had been Karina: cold, distant, and baffled that she should be expected to feel anything for the empire's subjects. Aunt Kyla's eldest was Ero, an arrogant and short-sighted brute. Vilas, Kyla's younger son, was better liked, and Corin himself was thought of not badly when he was thought of at all.
But Karina, though eldest of the four, was by their father's decree ineligible to take the throne. And the next in line was Ero, no matter how much more competent Vilas might be.
Thank the gods for Idera, indeed. In more ways than one.
"Cousin!" Ero said as he spotted Corin. "You're a bit late, haven't you?"
"Did the session go well?"
Ero waved his hand. "Passing dull, but well enough." Corin just barely caught Idera rolling her eyes behind her husband's back. "Thank your luck you came too late for it."
As Ero continued to look at him, Corin realized he needed a reason to actually be there. "My sister has returned from the mountains."
"Has she?" said Ero. "Is this some concern of mine?"
"I only thought you might like to know," said Corin, bowing his head slightly.
"Better had you sent a messenger, though such a meaningless message is beneath even that," said Idera.
Ero roared with laughter and took Idera's arm. "My wife! She thinks of such clever things, does she not, cousin?"
"She does," said Corin, his eyes trained on Idera. Her smile was strained.
"Well, I'm going for a drink," said Ero. "Will you join me, wife?"
Idera locked eyes with Corin. "I think not, husband. I find the session has left me quite tired."
"Wine will help you sleep," he said, dragging his lips across her hand.
Smile more like a grit, Idera said, "Perhaps another time."
Ero shrugged. "What do you say, cousin? Drinking is more a man's pastime, anyway."
"No, thank you," said Corin. "I have work to do. I just finished the sketch of a new painting, and I've obtained some new oils fresh from Maston." His tactic had worked; Ero's eyes were already glazing over. It was almost too easy. Drinking, hunting, and his wife were the only subjects that kept Ero's attention for any length of time.
"Yes, you see to that," said Ero distractedly.
"My lady," said Corin, dipping his head in Idera's direction, before turning and heading toward his studio. He really did have a nearly-finished sketch and new oil paints, but he looked at neither as he entered the room. Instead, he closed the drapes on all of the large windows, shuttering the studio in darkness. He lit a few candles and sat in an armchair.
He didn't have to wait long; the door creaked open, and Idera slipped inside, shutting it as soon as the last folds of her dress were through. Without preamble, she said, "I hate this thing. Skirts this full haven't been in fashion in Kandel for centuries. Why must you Ceenta Voweiians be so behind the times?"
"I think you look amazing," said Corin, standing up and crossing the room.
She snorted even as he dipped his head to place a kiss on her neck. "In that, you and your cousin are alike. It was he who bought the dress."
"Don't ever say that," said Corin with mock seriousness. "Don't ever compare us."
"He doesn't compare to you in the slightest," Idera purred as Corin's nimble fingers began unbuttoning the back of her dress. "Oh, do it quicker, please. I cannot wait to shed this thing."
"Shall I rip it off?" he murmured into her ear.
She shivered, but said, "You should, but no. What would I say to the seamstress?"
"That you caught it on a rusty nail," Corin said.
"I know it has been nearly a month, cousin, but is it really that rusty?" She laughed as Corin growled in response and pulled the dress off her shoulders. He turned to move her into the middle of the studio, first making sure the door was locked.
"Here," he said depositing her on his blue velvet couch and lifting her shift off to reveal the whole of the breasts whose tops he had been admiring only a short time ago. "I really did get new oils. Shall we try them out?"
She hugged herself in excitement. "Oh, yes please!"
Corin knelt for the satchel while Idera removed the rest of her clothing. She laid before him, the candlelight dancing across her perfect golden skin, her fingers grasping greedily for his vest buttons. "I win," she said as she pulled him closer.
"Then you will just have to help me finish," said Corin, letting her remove his vest. "Oh, that belt is always so difficult to take off. You're such a clever woman, can't you do it?"
She laughed, complying. Corin opened his satchel. "I think," he said, "we will start with blue."
kay_brookeStory: The Myrrosta
Colors: Alice Blue #9 (everything is funny, if you can laugh at it), Orange #2 (orange-blue contrast), Screaming Green #13 (life without sex might be safer, but it would be unbearably dull)
Styles/Supplies: Frame, Seed Beads, Pastels to
origfic_bingo card prompt "competent"Word Count: 1,755
Rating/Warnings: PG-13; infidelity
Summary: Most people might assume Corin has no real desire for power. Those people would be wrong.
Notes: An attempt to play around with the dynamics of Atro's grandchildren as adults. Don't know if I like it. Constructive criticism is welcome, either through comments or PM.
Corin strode down the hall, his steps slowing as he neared the wide double doors leading into the audience chamber. There were two guards standing there, one on either side of the door. That was not unusual.
What was unusual was the presence of a third person, tall but thin, the dusty men's clothing almost entirely hiding the fact that she was a woman. But Corin was not deceived. He would know that nose, that arrogant chin tilt, that too-long fringe brushed hastily out of the eyes, anywhere.
"Sister," he said, approaching the doors, "We weren't expecting you."
Karina's gaze slid from the door slowly, languidly, like he was something that had momentarily captured an idle attention but was ultimately of no more interest than the familiar carvings decorating the door panels. "Corin. I sent a message."
"I didn't receive it."
"I did not send it to you."
Corin tried not to grind his teeth too hard, so as not to show her how much she was getting to him. But her attention had already wavered, her eyes returning to the door as she dismissed him entirely from her thoughts. She had a one-track mind, his sister did, and people, even her own family, were of no more concern to her than a favorite pair of boots might be: useful, nice to have around, but easily replaced with something better.
Well, except for one person.
"Will he be finished soon?" she asked. She was still facing the door, so Corin remained silent, pretending to think she was addressing one of the guards.
Not a pretense; the guard on the left answered, "Emperor Gyeth is not in chambers today."
"Then who is in there? Where is my father?" Karina's voice had taken a slight shrill note; almost the only time she showed emotion was when their father was the subject of conversation. Never close to their father himself, Corin envied his sister's connection to him, but he didn't envy her complete lack of connection to anyone else. Their father was the only one willing to put up with her coldness.
"Prince Ero and Princess Idera," said the guard. "The Emperor took ill and is recuperating in his bed chambers."
"Ill? Is it serious?"
"A minor spring fever, your highness. The physicians say he needs only a few days' rest."
"I will go to him," said Karina. She pulled off her riding gloves and turned, stopping as she spotted Corin. She probably really had forgotten he was there. She narrowed her eyes at him and said, "Have you been to see Father?"
"No," said Corin. "He isn't seriously ill, and he has servants to care for him."
She looked back at the door, her eyes suspicious. "Why were you standing here, if you were not waiting for Father to be finished? Surely you were not waiting for our cousin?"
"I was." In a fashion.
"Why?" She still looked suspicious.
"Because he's like a brother to me and I enjoy talking to him, not that you would understand that," Corin spat, perhaps angrier than he meant. But her suspicious looks had brought out a guilt and fear in him, a tiny voice that wondered, quietly, if she knew.
She blinked. "I suppose he could be considered like a brother," she said, almost musing over the concept like it had never occurred to her before. "Though why you enjoy talking to him is beyond me. He's an idiot."
"Karina!"
"You deny it?" she said, looking at him pityingly. "Thank the gods Father married him to Idera. She has the intelligence to run an empire. Without her Ceenta Vowei would be lost."
In that Corin agreed with his sister, but he would never say it aloud. And, because her talk could be construed by someone more unscrupulous than he as edging toward treason, he said, "Ero is the heir to the Emperor, not his wife."
Karina shrugged. "If you believe he will be more than Idera's puppet once he becomes Emperor, you are almost as stupid as he."
Corin glanced toward the guards, but they were familiar ones who had served the palace for a long time. They knew Karina tended to speak without tact or awareness that others might be listening. Still, one could never be too careful. "I thought you were going to see Father?"
"Yes," she said. "Enjoy your...conversation." With that, she was gone, her figure disappearing rapidly down the darkened hallway, the thump of her boots against the marble floors fading.
And not a moment too soon. The doors opened and through them stepped Ero and Idera. Corin stood aside as a number of servants followed them and dispersed. From his vantage point he could see the back of the double throne--usually the seats of his father and his aunt Kyla, but today, with Father sick and Kyla away, lately populated with his cousin and his cousin's wife.
His cousin's wife, who today looked stunning, her black hair pinned up into an elaborate knot, her smoky gray eyes emphasized with dark kohl. There was a simple silver crown on her head, far from the more elaborate one her husband wore, but beautiful in its elegance. Corin tried not to stare at the way her neckline dipped daringly low. Had she truly worn that dress in the audience chamber? It must have been Ero's idea; he liked, in his own words, to show off his beautiful possessions.
It was common knowledge, from what Corin had heard, that his father and his aunt had experienced the most terrible luck with their first-born children. Father's had been Karina: cold, distant, and baffled that she should be expected to feel anything for the empire's subjects. Aunt Kyla's eldest was Ero, an arrogant and short-sighted brute. Vilas, Kyla's younger son, was better liked, and Corin himself was thought of not badly when he was thought of at all.
But Karina, though eldest of the four, was by their father's decree ineligible to take the throne. And the next in line was Ero, no matter how much more competent Vilas might be.
Thank the gods for Idera, indeed. In more ways than one.
"Cousin!" Ero said as he spotted Corin. "You're a bit late, haven't you?"
"Did the session go well?"
Ero waved his hand. "Passing dull, but well enough." Corin just barely caught Idera rolling her eyes behind her husband's back. "Thank your luck you came too late for it."
As Ero continued to look at him, Corin realized he needed a reason to actually be there. "My sister has returned from the mountains."
"Has she?" said Ero. "Is this some concern of mine?"
"I only thought you might like to know," said Corin, bowing his head slightly.
"Better had you sent a messenger, though such a meaningless message is beneath even that," said Idera.
Ero roared with laughter and took Idera's arm. "My wife! She thinks of such clever things, does she not, cousin?"
"She does," said Corin, his eyes trained on Idera. Her smile was strained.
"Well, I'm going for a drink," said Ero. "Will you join me, wife?"
Idera locked eyes with Corin. "I think not, husband. I find the session has left me quite tired."
"Wine will help you sleep," he said, dragging his lips across her hand.
Smile more like a grit, Idera said, "Perhaps another time."
Ero shrugged. "What do you say, cousin? Drinking is more a man's pastime, anyway."
"No, thank you," said Corin. "I have work to do. I just finished the sketch of a new painting, and I've obtained some new oils fresh from Maston." His tactic had worked; Ero's eyes were already glazing over. It was almost too easy. Drinking, hunting, and his wife were the only subjects that kept Ero's attention for any length of time.
"Yes, you see to that," said Ero distractedly.
"My lady," said Corin, dipping his head in Idera's direction, before turning and heading toward his studio. He really did have a nearly-finished sketch and new oil paints, but he looked at neither as he entered the room. Instead, he closed the drapes on all of the large windows, shuttering the studio in darkness. He lit a few candles and sat in an armchair.
He didn't have to wait long; the door creaked open, and Idera slipped inside, shutting it as soon as the last folds of her dress were through. Without preamble, she said, "I hate this thing. Skirts this full haven't been in fashion in Kandel for centuries. Why must you Ceenta Voweiians be so behind the times?"
"I think you look amazing," said Corin, standing up and crossing the room.
She snorted even as he dipped his head to place a kiss on her neck. "In that, you and your cousin are alike. It was he who bought the dress."
"Don't ever say that," said Corin with mock seriousness. "Don't ever compare us."
"He doesn't compare to you in the slightest," Idera purred as Corin's nimble fingers began unbuttoning the back of her dress. "Oh, do it quicker, please. I cannot wait to shed this thing."
"Shall I rip it off?" he murmured into her ear.
She shivered, but said, "You should, but no. What would I say to the seamstress?"
"That you caught it on a rusty nail," Corin said.
"I know it has been nearly a month, cousin, but is it really that rusty?" She laughed as Corin growled in response and pulled the dress off her shoulders. He turned to move her into the middle of the studio, first making sure the door was locked.
"Here," he said depositing her on his blue velvet couch and lifting her shift off to reveal the whole of the breasts whose tops he had been admiring only a short time ago. "I really did get new oils. Shall we try them out?"
She hugged herself in excitement. "Oh, yes please!"
Corin knelt for the satchel while Idera removed the rest of her clothing. She laid before him, the candlelight dancing across her perfect golden skin, her fingers grasping greedily for his vest buttons. "I win," she said as she pulled him closer.
"Then you will just have to help me finish," said Corin, letting her remove his vest. "Oh, that belt is always so difficult to take off. You're such a clever woman, can't you do it?"
She laughed, complying. Corin opened his satchel. "I think," he said, "we will start with blue."
no subject
And ooh, Corin and Idera. I like them already, despite the illicitness of this affair.
no subject
Corin/Idera came out of nowhere, but I think I have plans for them. :)
Thank you for reading!
no subject
Great job!
no subject
Thank you for reading!
no subject
All these characters are quite interesting. I should like to see more of them.
no subject
Corin is Ero's cousin, and Ero does have a younger brother who would succeed him should Ero die childless. Karina is Corin's older sister, so would be next in line if Ero and his brother died, but this place is also weird about letting women rule, which is why Corin should probably be considered third in line even though he's technically fourth.
Of course, it'll get really interesting once Idera starts having kids. Because how can Ero truly say any of them are actually his?
Thanks for reading!