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rainbowfic2014-07-19 10:18 pm
shadowsong26) wrote in rainbowfic2014-07-19 10:18 pm
Bistre #24, English Red #20, English Green #17
Name: shadowsong26
Story: Chasing Dreams
'Verse: Feredar
Colors: Bistre #24. How do you wish to die, Admiral? At the hands of numbers, or dreams?, English Red #20. Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. (Macbeth, V.v), English Green #17. The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream was. (A Midsummer Night's Dream, IV.i)
Supplies and Materials: bichromatic, eraser (Confessions AU), oils, pastels (my current gen + romance card G4 "first light"), yarn
Word Count: 600
Rating: PG
Characters: Mel Artwick
Warnings: Oblique references to Kit's crimes and the aftermath of his arrest and execution
Notes: Constructive criticism welcome, as always.
The fact is, sir, I have no future. I'm just...existin', day to day. I can't go on like this. Let me sail west. Even if I don't come back...least I tried somethin', yeah?
The beach they land on has soft, smooth sand, stained pinkish by the sunrise. There's trees and the like inland--all greenery, with hints of birds flitting through the canopy; no flowers. It's as if they've walked into another world, another universe.
Mel has his sailors draw lots for the first landing party--just to seek out food and fresh water for now. There are three with him, one a mage, the only other on the ship..
They find a creek a little way in. Lif tests the water (she's better at that sort of thing than he is), and confirms it's good. They take samples of what look like edible fruits. One of their companions downs a bird--fresh meat, at least in theory.
When they turn around to head back to the ship, there's a line of four people waiting for them--people.
None of them expected people.
The leader is a tall woman, with an iron-grey braid and wary eyes.
Lif and the others look to Mel, uncertain.
Iron Braid and her followers are armed, but they don't seem on edge of attacking. Mel's been through enough fighting that, at least he hopes, he can identify the signs.
He decides to gamble, and holds out his hands in what he hopes is a universal gesture of goodwill. "My name's Mel Artwick. We came across the ocean, to see what we could find."
Iron Braid tilts her head, with a faint frown. She says something in a completely unfamiliar language, then beckons to him.
Lif puts a hand on his arm--they don't want to lose their captain, he understands.
But one of Iron Braid's men has laid down his arms and is approaching. Her intention is clear--Mel will come with her, the other will stay with his crew as insurance.
Iron Braid points up at the sun, then draws three lines in the sand.
"...three days?" Mel guesses.
She, of course, doesn't understand.
Mel looks back at Lif. "If I ain't back here in three days--"
"One of us should go instead, Captain," she points out.
He shook his head. "Nah. This--this whole trip and now tryin' to communicate--all of it was my plan. You all know what to do in the meantime, yeah?"
They don't look happy, but they nod. They made all sorts of arrangements and procedures in case he went down--on a trip like this, anything is possible.
Mel smiles briefly at his people, then steps over the stream to stand behind Iron Braid. "Three days," he reminds Lif.
She nods, and turns to head back to the ship. His other men--together with Iron Braid's hostage--follow suit.
Mel looks up at Iron Braid, who inclines her head briefly, then turns to walk the opposite way, deeper into the forest.
He takes a deep breath, and follows Iron Braid through the dense greenery and hopes--prays--that he hasn't bit off more than he can chew here. Or that, if he has...if he has, at least Lif and the rest of his crew will survive to carry the story home.
But if I do come back...even if all I find is nothin', just the Entivar coastline...it'll be balance, yeah? I'm not chasin' adventure, sir, or conquest, or...I'm chasin'...what I'm chasin' is...a better future. I'm chasin' a life that means something. I'm chasin'...I guess I'm chasin' a dream.
Story: Chasing Dreams
'Verse: Feredar
Colors: Bistre #24. How do you wish to die, Admiral? At the hands of numbers, or dreams?, English Red #20. Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. (Macbeth, V.v), English Green #17. The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream was. (A Midsummer Night's Dream, IV.i)
Supplies and Materials: bichromatic, eraser (Confessions AU), oils, pastels (my current gen + romance card G4 "first light"), yarn
Word Count: 600
Rating: PG
Characters: Mel Artwick
Warnings: Oblique references to Kit's crimes and the aftermath of his arrest and execution
Notes: Constructive criticism welcome, as always.
The fact is, sir, I have no future. I'm just...existin', day to day. I can't go on like this. Let me sail west. Even if I don't come back...least I tried somethin', yeah?
The beach they land on has soft, smooth sand, stained pinkish by the sunrise. There's trees and the like inland--all greenery, with hints of birds flitting through the canopy; no flowers. It's as if they've walked into another world, another universe.
Mel has his sailors draw lots for the first landing party--just to seek out food and fresh water for now. There are three with him, one a mage, the only other on the ship..
They find a creek a little way in. Lif tests the water (she's better at that sort of thing than he is), and confirms it's good. They take samples of what look like edible fruits. One of their companions downs a bird--fresh meat, at least in theory.
When they turn around to head back to the ship, there's a line of four people waiting for them--people.
None of them expected people.
The leader is a tall woman, with an iron-grey braid and wary eyes.
Lif and the others look to Mel, uncertain.
Iron Braid and her followers are armed, but they don't seem on edge of attacking. Mel's been through enough fighting that, at least he hopes, he can identify the signs.
He decides to gamble, and holds out his hands in what he hopes is a universal gesture of goodwill. "My name's Mel Artwick. We came across the ocean, to see what we could find."
Iron Braid tilts her head, with a faint frown. She says something in a completely unfamiliar language, then beckons to him.
Lif puts a hand on his arm--they don't want to lose their captain, he understands.
But one of Iron Braid's men has laid down his arms and is approaching. Her intention is clear--Mel will come with her, the other will stay with his crew as insurance.
Iron Braid points up at the sun, then draws three lines in the sand.
"...three days?" Mel guesses.
She, of course, doesn't understand.
Mel looks back at Lif. "If I ain't back here in three days--"
"One of us should go instead, Captain," she points out.
He shook his head. "Nah. This--this whole trip and now tryin' to communicate--all of it was my plan. You all know what to do in the meantime, yeah?"
They don't look happy, but they nod. They made all sorts of arrangements and procedures in case he went down--on a trip like this, anything is possible.
Mel smiles briefly at his people, then steps over the stream to stand behind Iron Braid. "Three days," he reminds Lif.
She nods, and turns to head back to the ship. His other men--together with Iron Braid's hostage--follow suit.
Mel looks up at Iron Braid, who inclines her head briefly, then turns to walk the opposite way, deeper into the forest.
He takes a deep breath, and follows Iron Braid through the dense greenery and hopes--prays--that he hasn't bit off more than he can chew here. Or that, if he has...if he has, at least Lif and the rest of his crew will survive to carry the story home.
But if I do come back...even if all I find is nothin', just the Entivar coastline...it'll be balance, yeah? I'm not chasin' adventure, sir, or conquest, or...I'm chasin'...what I'm chasin' is...a better future. I'm chasin' a life that means something. I'm chasin'...I guess I'm chasin' a dream.
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He does have that gift! Which will be very useful in a world where he has zero frame of reference for culture, no common language...I have no idea where things'll go from here, because I haven't mapped out that other continent at all. But we'll see!
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I am OK with this.
And his voice bookending this particular instance is v. v. effective. Good job!
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Mel does get to be happy in some 'verses! ...usually it takes him awhile, granted, except in the one where his older brother doesn't exist, BUT STILL.
But I think this'll work out pretty well for him here. Isshiri's the one that's really screwed in this AU.