blather, blather
Feb. 20th, 2009 06:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
maderrUsed tax monies to pay off a credit card. Had hoped to have enough left over to by myself a sparkly, but that did not pan out. *dramatic sigh* On the bright side, the card is totally paid off.
Also, randomly, Dell increased my limite to a ridiculous number O_o Why, I do not know. I was more than a little confused to see how much was available when I went to make my payment today. Hopefully, that will be paid off no later than end of year (and I am aiming for much much sooner) and then all my minor debts will be paid off ^__^ Then its just rent, car, phone, and loans.
Should be working harder. Am going to go back to writing by hand on couch. That seems to work for me. Swordwick is playing a bit differently than I thought, so we shall have to see where it goes, hmm, hmm.
But, for now, have a few more pages ^__^
I use this icon only because it makes me giggle. Also, I reread that story today again. GOBLIN HURRY THE HELL UP AND WRITE MORE. I'M TIRED OF THE YOU HAVE A LIFE EXCUSE. SCREW THAT.
*cough*
Swordwick now.
No longer in the mood for wine, or anything else, Hollowick followed obediently along, looking briefly one last time at the swordwicks, feeling the absence of his own sword at his hip, and knowing all too well the looks on their faces—of wanting to belong, but never belonging, and damned if anyone would ever count them the equal of other wicks.
Magic was divided into roughly five grades of power, one being the lowest, five the highest. The familiar a wick called forth upon attaining his power determined his ultimate grade. A proper wick, especially those high in power, needed nothing but his magic. A proper wick was powerful enough to have others for such bothersome things as wielding a sword.
Though swordwicks had once been common enough, well over a century ago now, most wicks chalked it up to desperate times that had suffered a dearth of proper wicks. To be a wick who also held a sword was the very definition of failure as a wick. It was tolerated amongst the lower levels, as they often did not make enough with their wick skills and needed to supplement their income.
To be a grade five swordwick, and one with a black unicorn…resulted in one being a Great Embarrassment to his parents, and forbidden to ever display his hideous leanings beyond the privacy of the palace walls.
He had not realized, until he saw the other swordwicks, that he had held some small hope the petty, old-fashioned view had been limited to his home. The superstition against Pence, he could accept—even back home, people had been taken aback at first to see their royal prince had a black unicorn for a familiar.
"Oh, bother," Fenwick said, breaking into his thoughts. "It looks as though Gal is summoning us. Come on, we can get the formalities over with and then slink off to have more fun."
I sincerely doubt his type of fun is your type of fun. He does not look like the hop into bed for a lark sort.
I am not going to seduce my brother in law!
Right. And I only ever answer to the call of virginal maidens.
Oh, I'm certain you would not mind that at all—
He was, Hollowick decided, going to have to kill them or himself, if the rest of his stay was going to be an exercise in enduring their perverted and wholly inappropriate conversations.
Honestly, it just went to show how horribly inaccurate all the old wick lore tended to be, in saying that the nature of the familiar spoke of the nature of the wick. The oldest lore tied to unicorns was that they indicated a purity of heart and spirit, that no one lacking in such purity would ever be able to claim a unicorn as familiar. Those who possessed unicorns, it said, practiced the purest forms of magic, those requiring the most clarity of mind and heart and soul.
Of course, that almost made sense, in regards to Fenwick. If Hollowick was right, and Fenwick was a Seer…then he would have to possess some sort of clarity—purity—of mind at least, to make sense of what he Saw. It was, as Hollowick understood it, a highly imprecise art. Hence the controversy. Even the fact Seers were grade five did not spare them occasionally being accused of charlatanism. He bet Fenwick's being a prince helped with that, however.
He could not help a stab of envy, thinking that. Being a prince and grade five had never helped anyone see past the sword at his hip.
As he reached his sister, he shoved all unhappy thoughts aside, not wanting her to sense them—she had more than enough to manage, without having to fret over him as well. He took her hands and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. Then he turned and bowed to Galus, murmuring the appropriate greetings by rote.
"So, we are inviting another wick into the family," Galus said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Splendid, splendid. I do not see your familiar, however…"
"Pence is at home, sire," Hollowick replied. "I was called from duty to attend my sister's wedding, and left Pence to finish the matter."
"Splendid, splendid," Galus replied. "What manner of beast is this pence?"
Only a king would be so rude… "A unicorn, sire."
Fenwick looked at him in pleased surprise. "Marvelous, though at that, it might be trouble. Old Diamond here will be most put out if your Pence is prettier."
Shut up, human.
Shut up, horse.
Never. Oh, would you look at that. Lord Toad Face is eying the bride's assets. Not that I blame the man, but he could show a bit more class and subtlety about it.
Since when has Lord Toad Face ever shown either? The damn does not deserve his title.
Attempting to remain casual while looking around, Hollowick quickly found the man dubbed Lord Toad Face—and well named he was, as much as he hated to agree with the idiots upon whom he was eavesdropping.
When the man happened to glance his way, he glared hard, until Lord Toad Face dropped his gaze and eventually shuffled away.
"Holly," his sister sang his name, obviously knowing he was not really paying attention to the conversation. "What do you think so far?"
He forced himself to attend her. "Sorry. What? Oh, I like it fine for having been half an hour."
"Good," she said. "Galus was asking as to your magic."
"He's a flash," Fenwick said before Hollowick could reply. He smiled at Hollowick. "Probably quite unstoppable when your Pence is about, eh?"
Willa giggled. "He once flashed an entire carriage. We were travelling home from the hunting lodge, and the road was so bad that not one but two carriage wheels snapped. I asked Holly if he might bring us new wheels, but he was so impatient and cranky that he flashed a completely new carriage.
Hollowick ignored the way his cheeks went hot. "You're leaving out the part where we were on an unsafe road, it was dark, and raining, Will. Why do you always leave out the key bits of the story?"
"Because it's far more amusing to leave those bits out," she said with mock haughtiness. "I am the future Queen here, we shall tell the story our way."
"The good future Queen is about to find herself flashed into the pong," Hollowick retorted, though the threat was an empty one—the flashing of living beings never turned out well for anyone, and was quite illegal.
The proper name for his particular talent was a summoner—a wick with the ability to summon at will any object or objects he had seen but once and could clearly recall. The ability was damned useful in the heat of battle, especially against the savage dragons he and Pence spent so much time slaying or at least driving out of their territory into wild country. The slang for his talent was flash, however—because he could 'have it in a flash of lightning'.
"Well, I certainly know who to drag along with me the next time I must go travel along the Dalis road," Galus said. He motioned for a servant to bring them wine, and raised his glass in toast. "To my bride, and her brother, and new family."
Hollowick raised his glass, and obediently drank.
Everything seems to be going well. I think the black clouds we saw might not be as ominous as you feared. Perhaps just bad weather, after all.
The wedding is not past, yet. Black is never a good color when it comes to wicks.
The metalwicks seem to get along with the color well enough.
Fenwick gave a soft snort into his wine, and Hollowick saw his eyes flick briefly toward the small group of swordwicks. Each of the half dozen men had his familiar near to hand—and all of them were black. Hollowick could see a wolf, a falcon…and could not quite make out the rest. Exactly my point. I just wish I had gotten a better idea what the black clouds meant, but whatever they pertain to is deuced difficult to see. Perhaps I do not work you hard enough.
That would be because you were working that little tart hard enough for three.
Hollowick murmured excuses of hunger and moved way to the buffet table before anyone could stop him, ignoring the concerned look he could feel his sister give him. He finished his wine and fetched another glass from the table, but it felt as though he were attempting to swallow some thick, awful syrup, so tight was this throat.
Appetite vanished in the face of Fenwick's unwitting cruelty, he stood briefly at a loss—then said to hell with it and strode across the clearing to where the swordwicks were clustered. Off to the side, all on their own—wicks seldom wanted anything to do with them, soldiers did not like them, and everyone else stayed away simply because that seemed the thing to do.
"Greetings," he said quietly.
They eyed him warily, but begrudgingly greeted with a brief, "Good evening, Highness."
"A wolf, a falcon, and now I can see a fox, a panther, and owl. Impressive assortment, and it seems to indicate a wide range of abilities. You must make a diverse and well-balanced team."
This time they looked at him in surprised pleasure, even if the distrust did not fade. "Yes, Highness," one said cautiously.
"Prince Fenwick mentioned you fight savage dragons? That must be a damned sight eaiser with six of you along."
"Yes, Highness," another offered eagerly, and they all stirred, obviously excited for any chance to discuss what they did. "We took down a blue horn three days ago, a full grown bitch she was, no mistake. Four of us kept her busy, allowing the arrowicks here to take the killing shots. Took us nigh on two hours, it did, not counting the five just to find the bitch."
Hollowick laughed. "Arrowick? That is not a term I know, but it seems plain enough." He looked at the two indicated, noting they possessed the bird familiars. "So you are handy with bow and arrow, I take it?"
"Yes, Highness," the two men said hesitantly, one smiling shyly.
Returning it without hesitation, Hollowick said, "That is marvelous, truly. I am a terrible shot, myself." He hesitated, reminding himself why it was stupid and foolish and reckless—but damn it, he had never seen another swordwick, never mind six of them and they at least got to work together and support each other. To hell with it. Quietly, he said, "I am much better with a sword, myself."
Almost as one their jaws dropped.
"Highness—but are you not wick?"
"Yes," Hollowick replied. "I was forbidden to bring my familiar with me, for the trouble his presence would cause. He is a unicorn, though…and bears a similarity of color with your own…" Please, please, do not let this have been a mistake.
"Truly, Highness?" asked the man who seemed to be their leader.
They laughed, and exchanged looks, when he nodded. "You are a grade five…and a swordwick?"
"Yes," Hollowick said again. "I beg you not to reveal my secret, for I was, as I said, forbidden from doing it. But I saw you here, and saw there was six of you…" He could not keep the wistfulness from his voice. "It is damned difficult fighting the savage dragons alone."
One of the soldiers shook his head. "No one will hear your secret from us, Highness. We would not break such a trust. If you can take on a savage dragon alone, we hold you in high esteem indeed. But, you had better get back to the party proper, before they wonder why you would waste time with us."
The bitterness in his voice was thick, and echoed in t he expressions of the other five, and Hollowick could only stifle a sigh and agreed. If it were only him, he would not care—but he did not want his behavior to reflect poorly on his sister, even if she would not care either. His parents wanted this marriage, and the kingdoms would benefit greatly by it—he had no right ruining all of that for his own selfishness.
Nodding to the swordwicks in farewell, he made himself pick up some food from the table before returning to his sister's side.
"You were talking to the swordwicks?" Fenwick asked lightly. "What did they have to say?"
Hollowick could not completely contain a smile. "They were talking about a savage blue horn they recently tamed. I've a friend back home who has a dragon familiar."
"Oh, a bit of a hot tempered wick, then?"
Willa snorted in amusement. "Hardly. He's the quietest, most bookish wick in the world. The only time I ever saw him lose his temper, someone had torn a page in one of his books."
"In his defense," Hollowick interjected dryly, "you had just torn the page of a book he had only just finished writing. And stop leaving crucial bits out of stories."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "I told you, we are telling the stories my way, not yours."
He rolled his eyes, and called for more wine.
Pretty, pretty little wick. I bet a month's worth of sugar that Lord Toad Face will attempt to accost him before the week is out. Unless, of course, you beat him to it.
I told you, I am not going to bed my brother in law. Even I have more taste than that. Now shut up, because Gal is starting to give us Looks.
Gally is just jealous he cannot participate in the dirty conversations he knows we are having.
If we do not stop having them, you damned heifer, he is going to castrate both of us.
Not if Hollowick did it first. He was going to have no sanity left by the end of this journey, he just knew it.
The evening did not improve, as the dancing began and Fenwick vanished to dance with a wide variety of women and men, each turn and step accompanied by ribald comments between him and his damned unicorn.
Hollowick drank more wine, pointedly ignoring the looks his sister was shooting him.
Still, when she finally forced him into a dance, he got an earful. "You're drunk!" she hissed.
"Because they won't shut up," he groused. "Those two have the dirtiest minds I have ever had the misfortune to overhear and I wish I could tell them but that would lead to awkward questions and—" He broke off with a frustrated sigh.
She laughed in sympathy. "Oh, poor thing. I forgot that you would be able to overhear any other unicorn wick. Pence would be dying of amusement right now, poor proper Holly surrounded by three dirty minds."
Hollowick grimaced, but did not bother to argue the point. Pence would positively love having partners in his mission to pervert Hollowick—or drive him crazy in the attempt, at least.
"Perhaps they will relent soon," she said, obviously not believing a word of it.
"That's not the point," Hollowick said sourly. "The point is that I am eavesdropping and cannot tell them so."
She murmured reassurances, squeezing his shoulder. "If it gets too bad, we shall figure something out, Holly. I am sorry that coming with me is proving such a trial."
"It's worth it," he said gruffly. "Gods know Pence says worse stuff all the time. How are you doing?"
"Well," she said, though the brightness in her smile faded a bit, eyes straying—obviously toward her future husband. "I think he is disappointed I am no fair princess. Certainly I do not look like that."
He turned his head, and glared to see the King dancing with a delicate little blonde woman who looked nothing so much as like a teacake.
Trouble, he heard Diamond say. The princess and her brother have noticed your brother's abominable taste in women. Why is he dancing with the Duchess anyway?
He's an idiot Fenwick replied, and Hollowick could hear him sigh in his thoughts. I will go have a word with him. Honestly, if he does not see reason I am going to see a very dark future and scare him into behaving.
Hollowick rather thought that was the only intelligent thing he had though all evening, and his mood improved apace. "I am going to get more wine, and sneak off to bed, unless you have need of me."
"No," Willa said firmly. "I must learn to manage all of this alone." She sighed as she said the word, looking briefly sad—but stubborn, in a way that only Willa could be. "If I keep leaning on you, dear little brother, I shall never settle properly. Go get your wine and find your bed, and I hope you do not have too much of a headache come morning." Kissing his cheek, she bowed as the dance came to an end and waved him away in exaggerated royal fashion.
Then, shoulders set, she moved gracefully across the room and neatly made Galus dance with her.
The girl does have fire, I will give her that. Once she clocks him, I think they will get along nicely.
Indeed. You just want to see her clock my brother, you bloodthirsty cow.
Hollowick snickered, unable to help himself, because it would be rather amusing to see his sister punch someone—back home, people were smarter about raising her ire. He bumped into someone, and looked up, stumbling over apologies—and realized it was Fenwick.
Smiling, Fenwick took his hand. "Now, now, dear brother, I am afraid that around here the only suitable apology is a dance."
"If you insist," Hollowick replied, perhaps a trifle more drunk than he intended—meaning too drunk to hold his tongue as much as he would otherwise. "You have no one but yourself to blame, however, should you come to regret it."
Fenwick looked amused, but said nothing. Not that he needed to, Hollowick could hear his thoughts all too well. Methinks the brother is not quite as bland as he tries to appear.
Enough wine will give anyone bite Diamond replied dismissively. ….you do want to sleep with him.
I do not Fenwick replied hotly. I will make you sleep in the stable tonight.
Psh. Fine. You dance with the drunk wick, I will amuse myself elsewhere.
Fenwick rolled his eyes, and Hollowick only just barely remember not to roll his own. Getting drunk had definitely not been the best way to handle this situation. It made him too careless.
It also, he realized suddenly, made him too aware. He had not noticed Fenwick's cologne before, something with a hint of orange to it. Nor that he just barely reached Fenwick's shoulder, which felt…oddly nice. The air had cooled with the coming of dark, and while the wine kept him warm, Fenwick was far warmer still. He could feel the heat of his hands despite their gloves, the layers of cloth between them where Fenwick's hand had settled on his hip.
He looked up, struggling for something humorous or flippant to say, but forgot the words as he caught blue eyes—this close, they had a bit of gray to them, and were far softer looking than he had remembered them being. Or maybe he simply had not been paying attention before, too distracted by his own thoughts, as well as theirs.
You are going to sleep with him Diamond said, amused and smug. Should one be having those sorts of thoughts about his new brother? Not that I can blame you, I would certainly be tempted to do that very thing—
Shut up Fenwick hissed furiously. I am not going to sleep with him. Do you honestly think me that—
Human? Diamond cut in. Yes.
Fenwick ignored him.
Hollowick flushed dark, and broke their gazes, feeling wretched and deceitful and, and—drunk, definitely drunk. "If you will forgive me, I fear I have overindulged in your wonderful wine. I believe I will go in search of my bed."
"I'll escort you," Fenwick said promptly.
All the way to the bed itself? Diamond taunted.
We are no longer speaking, heifer.
Sourpuss.
Hollowick stepped away, slowly shaking his head. "No, please. It is in extremely poor taste for me to behave so, and I'll not worsen my crimes by dragging you away. A footman will suffice. It was a pleasure to meet you, and I will hopefully see you on the morrow. Good night."
Summoning a footman, he departed before the point could be further debated.
Honestly, what was he thinking? Had he actually been a bit disappointed that Fenwick was so set against…? No, that was ridiculous. Even if it was not a bit tacky for them to sleep with each other when their siblings were on the verge of marriage—what would Fenwick do when he discovered that his pretty brother in law was a lowly swordwick?
Also, randomly, Dell increased my limite to a ridiculous number O_o Why, I do not know. I was more than a little confused to see how much was available when I went to make my payment today. Hopefully, that will be paid off no later than end of year (and I am aiming for much much sooner) and then all my minor debts will be paid off ^__^ Then its just rent, car, phone, and loans.
Should be working harder. Am going to go back to writing by hand on couch. That seems to work for me. Swordwick is playing a bit differently than I thought, so we shall have to see where it goes, hmm, hmm.
But, for now, have a few more pages ^__^
I use this icon only because it makes me giggle. Also, I reread that story today again. GOBLIN HURRY THE HELL UP AND WRITE MORE. I'M TIRED OF THE YOU HAVE A LIFE EXCUSE. SCREW THAT.
*cough*
Swordwick now.
No longer in the mood for wine, or anything else, Hollowick followed obediently along, looking briefly one last time at the swordwicks, feeling the absence of his own sword at his hip, and knowing all too well the looks on their faces—of wanting to belong, but never belonging, and damned if anyone would ever count them the equal of other wicks.
Magic was divided into roughly five grades of power, one being the lowest, five the highest. The familiar a wick called forth upon attaining his power determined his ultimate grade. A proper wick, especially those high in power, needed nothing but his magic. A proper wick was powerful enough to have others for such bothersome things as wielding a sword.
Though swordwicks had once been common enough, well over a century ago now, most wicks chalked it up to desperate times that had suffered a dearth of proper wicks. To be a wick who also held a sword was the very definition of failure as a wick. It was tolerated amongst the lower levels, as they often did not make enough with their wick skills and needed to supplement their income.
To be a grade five swordwick, and one with a black unicorn…resulted in one being a Great Embarrassment to his parents, and forbidden to ever display his hideous leanings beyond the privacy of the palace walls.
He had not realized, until he saw the other swordwicks, that he had held some small hope the petty, old-fashioned view had been limited to his home. The superstition against Pence, he could accept—even back home, people had been taken aback at first to see their royal prince had a black unicorn for a familiar.
"Oh, bother," Fenwick said, breaking into his thoughts. "It looks as though Gal is summoning us. Come on, we can get the formalities over with and then slink off to have more fun."
I sincerely doubt his type of fun is your type of fun. He does not look like the hop into bed for a lark sort.
I am not going to seduce my brother in law!
Right. And I only ever answer to the call of virginal maidens.
Oh, I'm certain you would not mind that at all—
He was, Hollowick decided, going to have to kill them or himself, if the rest of his stay was going to be an exercise in enduring their perverted and wholly inappropriate conversations.
Honestly, it just went to show how horribly inaccurate all the old wick lore tended to be, in saying that the nature of the familiar spoke of the nature of the wick. The oldest lore tied to unicorns was that they indicated a purity of heart and spirit, that no one lacking in such purity would ever be able to claim a unicorn as familiar. Those who possessed unicorns, it said, practiced the purest forms of magic, those requiring the most clarity of mind and heart and soul.
Of course, that almost made sense, in regards to Fenwick. If Hollowick was right, and Fenwick was a Seer…then he would have to possess some sort of clarity—purity—of mind at least, to make sense of what he Saw. It was, as Hollowick understood it, a highly imprecise art. Hence the controversy. Even the fact Seers were grade five did not spare them occasionally being accused of charlatanism. He bet Fenwick's being a prince helped with that, however.
He could not help a stab of envy, thinking that. Being a prince and grade five had never helped anyone see past the sword at his hip.
As he reached his sister, he shoved all unhappy thoughts aside, not wanting her to sense them—she had more than enough to manage, without having to fret over him as well. He took her hands and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. Then he turned and bowed to Galus, murmuring the appropriate greetings by rote.
"So, we are inviting another wick into the family," Galus said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Splendid, splendid. I do not see your familiar, however…"
"Pence is at home, sire," Hollowick replied. "I was called from duty to attend my sister's wedding, and left Pence to finish the matter."
"Splendid, splendid," Galus replied. "What manner of beast is this pence?"
Only a king would be so rude… "A unicorn, sire."
Fenwick looked at him in pleased surprise. "Marvelous, though at that, it might be trouble. Old Diamond here will be most put out if your Pence is prettier."
Shut up, human.
Shut up, horse.
Never. Oh, would you look at that. Lord Toad Face is eying the bride's assets. Not that I blame the man, but he could show a bit more class and subtlety about it.
Since when has Lord Toad Face ever shown either? The damn does not deserve his title.
Attempting to remain casual while looking around, Hollowick quickly found the man dubbed Lord Toad Face—and well named he was, as much as he hated to agree with the idiots upon whom he was eavesdropping.
When the man happened to glance his way, he glared hard, until Lord Toad Face dropped his gaze and eventually shuffled away.
"Holly," his sister sang his name, obviously knowing he was not really paying attention to the conversation. "What do you think so far?"
He forced himself to attend her. "Sorry. What? Oh, I like it fine for having been half an hour."
"Good," she said. "Galus was asking as to your magic."
"He's a flash," Fenwick said before Hollowick could reply. He smiled at Hollowick. "Probably quite unstoppable when your Pence is about, eh?"
Willa giggled. "He once flashed an entire carriage. We were travelling home from the hunting lodge, and the road was so bad that not one but two carriage wheels snapped. I asked Holly if he might bring us new wheels, but he was so impatient and cranky that he flashed a completely new carriage.
Hollowick ignored the way his cheeks went hot. "You're leaving out the part where we were on an unsafe road, it was dark, and raining, Will. Why do you always leave out the key bits of the story?"
"Because it's far more amusing to leave those bits out," she said with mock haughtiness. "I am the future Queen here, we shall tell the story our way."
"The good future Queen is about to find herself flashed into the pong," Hollowick retorted, though the threat was an empty one—the flashing of living beings never turned out well for anyone, and was quite illegal.
The proper name for his particular talent was a summoner—a wick with the ability to summon at will any object or objects he had seen but once and could clearly recall. The ability was damned useful in the heat of battle, especially against the savage dragons he and Pence spent so much time slaying or at least driving out of their territory into wild country. The slang for his talent was flash, however—because he could 'have it in a flash of lightning'.
"Well, I certainly know who to drag along with me the next time I must go travel along the Dalis road," Galus said. He motioned for a servant to bring them wine, and raised his glass in toast. "To my bride, and her brother, and new family."
Hollowick raised his glass, and obediently drank.
Everything seems to be going well. I think the black clouds we saw might not be as ominous as you feared. Perhaps just bad weather, after all.
The wedding is not past, yet. Black is never a good color when it comes to wicks.
The metalwicks seem to get along with the color well enough.
Fenwick gave a soft snort into his wine, and Hollowick saw his eyes flick briefly toward the small group of swordwicks. Each of the half dozen men had his familiar near to hand—and all of them were black. Hollowick could see a wolf, a falcon…and could not quite make out the rest. Exactly my point. I just wish I had gotten a better idea what the black clouds meant, but whatever they pertain to is deuced difficult to see. Perhaps I do not work you hard enough.
That would be because you were working that little tart hard enough for three.
Hollowick murmured excuses of hunger and moved way to the buffet table before anyone could stop him, ignoring the concerned look he could feel his sister give him. He finished his wine and fetched another glass from the table, but it felt as though he were attempting to swallow some thick, awful syrup, so tight was this throat.
Appetite vanished in the face of Fenwick's unwitting cruelty, he stood briefly at a loss—then said to hell with it and strode across the clearing to where the swordwicks were clustered. Off to the side, all on their own—wicks seldom wanted anything to do with them, soldiers did not like them, and everyone else stayed away simply because that seemed the thing to do.
"Greetings," he said quietly.
They eyed him warily, but begrudgingly greeted with a brief, "Good evening, Highness."
"A wolf, a falcon, and now I can see a fox, a panther, and owl. Impressive assortment, and it seems to indicate a wide range of abilities. You must make a diverse and well-balanced team."
This time they looked at him in surprised pleasure, even if the distrust did not fade. "Yes, Highness," one said cautiously.
"Prince Fenwick mentioned you fight savage dragons? That must be a damned sight eaiser with six of you along."
"Yes, Highness," another offered eagerly, and they all stirred, obviously excited for any chance to discuss what they did. "We took down a blue horn three days ago, a full grown bitch she was, no mistake. Four of us kept her busy, allowing the arrowicks here to take the killing shots. Took us nigh on two hours, it did, not counting the five just to find the bitch."
Hollowick laughed. "Arrowick? That is not a term I know, but it seems plain enough." He looked at the two indicated, noting they possessed the bird familiars. "So you are handy with bow and arrow, I take it?"
"Yes, Highness," the two men said hesitantly, one smiling shyly.
Returning it without hesitation, Hollowick said, "That is marvelous, truly. I am a terrible shot, myself." He hesitated, reminding himself why it was stupid and foolish and reckless—but damn it, he had never seen another swordwick, never mind six of them and they at least got to work together and support each other. To hell with it. Quietly, he said, "I am much better with a sword, myself."
Almost as one their jaws dropped.
"Highness—but are you not wick?"
"Yes," Hollowick replied. "I was forbidden to bring my familiar with me, for the trouble his presence would cause. He is a unicorn, though…and bears a similarity of color with your own…" Please, please, do not let this have been a mistake.
"Truly, Highness?" asked the man who seemed to be their leader.
They laughed, and exchanged looks, when he nodded. "You are a grade five…and a swordwick?"
"Yes," Hollowick said again. "I beg you not to reveal my secret, for I was, as I said, forbidden from doing it. But I saw you here, and saw there was six of you…" He could not keep the wistfulness from his voice. "It is damned difficult fighting the savage dragons alone."
One of the soldiers shook his head. "No one will hear your secret from us, Highness. We would not break such a trust. If you can take on a savage dragon alone, we hold you in high esteem indeed. But, you had better get back to the party proper, before they wonder why you would waste time with us."
The bitterness in his voice was thick, and echoed in t he expressions of the other five, and Hollowick could only stifle a sigh and agreed. If it were only him, he would not care—but he did not want his behavior to reflect poorly on his sister, even if she would not care either. His parents wanted this marriage, and the kingdoms would benefit greatly by it—he had no right ruining all of that for his own selfishness.
Nodding to the swordwicks in farewell, he made himself pick up some food from the table before returning to his sister's side.
"You were talking to the swordwicks?" Fenwick asked lightly. "What did they have to say?"
Hollowick could not completely contain a smile. "They were talking about a savage blue horn they recently tamed. I've a friend back home who has a dragon familiar."
"Oh, a bit of a hot tempered wick, then?"
Willa snorted in amusement. "Hardly. He's the quietest, most bookish wick in the world. The only time I ever saw him lose his temper, someone had torn a page in one of his books."
"In his defense," Hollowick interjected dryly, "you had just torn the page of a book he had only just finished writing. And stop leaving crucial bits out of stories."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "I told you, we are telling the stories my way, not yours."
He rolled his eyes, and called for more wine.
Pretty, pretty little wick. I bet a month's worth of sugar that Lord Toad Face will attempt to accost him before the week is out. Unless, of course, you beat him to it.
I told you, I am not going to bed my brother in law. Even I have more taste than that. Now shut up, because Gal is starting to give us Looks.
Gally is just jealous he cannot participate in the dirty conversations he knows we are having.
If we do not stop having them, you damned heifer, he is going to castrate both of us.
Not if Hollowick did it first. He was going to have no sanity left by the end of this journey, he just knew it.
The evening did not improve, as the dancing began and Fenwick vanished to dance with a wide variety of women and men, each turn and step accompanied by ribald comments between him and his damned unicorn.
Hollowick drank more wine, pointedly ignoring the looks his sister was shooting him.
Still, when she finally forced him into a dance, he got an earful. "You're drunk!" she hissed.
"Because they won't shut up," he groused. "Those two have the dirtiest minds I have ever had the misfortune to overhear and I wish I could tell them but that would lead to awkward questions and—" He broke off with a frustrated sigh.
She laughed in sympathy. "Oh, poor thing. I forgot that you would be able to overhear any other unicorn wick. Pence would be dying of amusement right now, poor proper Holly surrounded by three dirty minds."
Hollowick grimaced, but did not bother to argue the point. Pence would positively love having partners in his mission to pervert Hollowick—or drive him crazy in the attempt, at least.
"Perhaps they will relent soon," she said, obviously not believing a word of it.
"That's not the point," Hollowick said sourly. "The point is that I am eavesdropping and cannot tell them so."
She murmured reassurances, squeezing his shoulder. "If it gets too bad, we shall figure something out, Holly. I am sorry that coming with me is proving such a trial."
"It's worth it," he said gruffly. "Gods know Pence says worse stuff all the time. How are you doing?"
"Well," she said, though the brightness in her smile faded a bit, eyes straying—obviously toward her future husband. "I think he is disappointed I am no fair princess. Certainly I do not look like that."
He turned his head, and glared to see the King dancing with a delicate little blonde woman who looked nothing so much as like a teacake.
Trouble, he heard Diamond say. The princess and her brother have noticed your brother's abominable taste in women. Why is he dancing with the Duchess anyway?
He's an idiot Fenwick replied, and Hollowick could hear him sigh in his thoughts. I will go have a word with him. Honestly, if he does not see reason I am going to see a very dark future and scare him into behaving.
Hollowick rather thought that was the only intelligent thing he had though all evening, and his mood improved apace. "I am going to get more wine, and sneak off to bed, unless you have need of me."
"No," Willa said firmly. "I must learn to manage all of this alone." She sighed as she said the word, looking briefly sad—but stubborn, in a way that only Willa could be. "If I keep leaning on you, dear little brother, I shall never settle properly. Go get your wine and find your bed, and I hope you do not have too much of a headache come morning." Kissing his cheek, she bowed as the dance came to an end and waved him away in exaggerated royal fashion.
Then, shoulders set, she moved gracefully across the room and neatly made Galus dance with her.
The girl does have fire, I will give her that. Once she clocks him, I think they will get along nicely.
Indeed. You just want to see her clock my brother, you bloodthirsty cow.
Hollowick snickered, unable to help himself, because it would be rather amusing to see his sister punch someone—back home, people were smarter about raising her ire. He bumped into someone, and looked up, stumbling over apologies—and realized it was Fenwick.
Smiling, Fenwick took his hand. "Now, now, dear brother, I am afraid that around here the only suitable apology is a dance."
"If you insist," Hollowick replied, perhaps a trifle more drunk than he intended—meaning too drunk to hold his tongue as much as he would otherwise. "You have no one but yourself to blame, however, should you come to regret it."
Fenwick looked amused, but said nothing. Not that he needed to, Hollowick could hear his thoughts all too well. Methinks the brother is not quite as bland as he tries to appear.
Enough wine will give anyone bite Diamond replied dismissively. ….you do want to sleep with him.
I do not Fenwick replied hotly. I will make you sleep in the stable tonight.
Psh. Fine. You dance with the drunk wick, I will amuse myself elsewhere.
Fenwick rolled his eyes, and Hollowick only just barely remember not to roll his own. Getting drunk had definitely not been the best way to handle this situation. It made him too careless.
It also, he realized suddenly, made him too aware. He had not noticed Fenwick's cologne before, something with a hint of orange to it. Nor that he just barely reached Fenwick's shoulder, which felt…oddly nice. The air had cooled with the coming of dark, and while the wine kept him warm, Fenwick was far warmer still. He could feel the heat of his hands despite their gloves, the layers of cloth between them where Fenwick's hand had settled on his hip.
He looked up, struggling for something humorous or flippant to say, but forgot the words as he caught blue eyes—this close, they had a bit of gray to them, and were far softer looking than he had remembered them being. Or maybe he simply had not been paying attention before, too distracted by his own thoughts, as well as theirs.
You are going to sleep with him Diamond said, amused and smug. Should one be having those sorts of thoughts about his new brother? Not that I can blame you, I would certainly be tempted to do that very thing—
Shut up Fenwick hissed furiously. I am not going to sleep with him. Do you honestly think me that—
Human? Diamond cut in. Yes.
Fenwick ignored him.
Hollowick flushed dark, and broke their gazes, feeling wretched and deceitful and, and—drunk, definitely drunk. "If you will forgive me, I fear I have overindulged in your wonderful wine. I believe I will go in search of my bed."
"I'll escort you," Fenwick said promptly.
All the way to the bed itself? Diamond taunted.
We are no longer speaking, heifer.
Sourpuss.
Hollowick stepped away, slowly shaking his head. "No, please. It is in extremely poor taste for me to behave so, and I'll not worsen my crimes by dragging you away. A footman will suffice. It was a pleasure to meet you, and I will hopefully see you on the morrow. Good night."
Summoning a footman, he departed before the point could be further debated.
Honestly, what was he thinking? Had he actually been a bit disappointed that Fenwick was so set against…? No, that was ridiculous. Even if it was not a bit tacky for them to sleep with each other when their siblings were on the verge of marriage—what would Fenwick do when he discovered that his pretty brother in law was a lowly swordwick?
no subject
Date: 2009-02-20 11:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-20 11:56 pm (UTC)So excited...! Really want to see Pence come into the picture, too, if only to just exasperate the rest of Hollowick's patience out of him. And maybe beat up a dragon or two with those lovely ostracised swordwicks.
Thanks for posting this; really hope to read more soon.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 12:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 12:40 am (UTC)He knows how to keep quiet.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 12:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 12:22 am (UTC)Holly is so woobie. He needs to kick some ass soon, it'll make him feel better. Also, the king needs a can of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrJ47f-uIJU&feature=related
--I wanted to note I really like their nicknames. Holly and Will sound cool when on the opposite genders. <3
MOAR PLZ KTNX
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 12:42 am (UTC)Video = megan dead of laughter.
Yes, yes the King does need a can of that.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 12:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 12:43 am (UTC)The drabble will fit, though with some editing, now I understand better what's going on.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 01:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 01:19 am (UTC)Oh, yes. That's getting editing right out. They're not leaving any time soon at all, really.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 01:14 am (UTC)Cleverly done. You need to stop being so freaking talented! You get me hooked on all this little tidbits and then I am in withdrawl for MONTHS!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 01:15 am (UTC)This story makes me happy. :D
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 01:25 am (UTC)AH YOUR ICON IS MY HOT MAN FROM LEVERAGE.
Willa shall beat her idiot husband into shape, never fear. I half wish I could do their side of the story, but it serves no point beyond amusement, alas.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 01:31 am (UTC)I love your female characters. A lot of slash writers don't give them enough attention, but your female characters are always so wonderful. I'm glad Galus will be brought in line.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 01:35 am (UTC)Eliot bleeding and kicking ass is so way hotter than should be allowed. I was totally yelling at the TV and cheering when he pwned that little bitch.
^__^ I'm glad they work? I hate most het b/c the females annoy, so I try to write rockin' ones when I can.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 01:41 am (UTC)*rolls eyes* Some het females are alright, but a lot of them have the personality of a gnat. Either that, or they're far too whiny or perfect. Your girls are perfect because they're so flawed. But they don't take bullshit from other people. More than that, they're realistic. ^____^
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 01:22 am (UTC)I just hope the next part has a bit of Lord Toad Face getting punched too. XD
At first, I was wondering why you were writing about candles, and then then I realized it was a version of wizard. Swordcandle makes no sense, after all. XD Hee, also adore your little overturning of the popular unicorn myth: they're all perverts!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 01:24 am (UTC)Heh. I wondered if that would confuse people.
Dude, if I had to write pages and pages of creatures of purity, I would have to stab myself or something equally drastic. My theory is, unicorns are attracted to the pure and innocent cause they're ever so much more fun to harass.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 05:20 am (UTC)Hee, speaking from practical experience, are we? ;DDD
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 01:36 am (UTC)Ah the bantering. :D
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 01:38 am (UTC)Ahahaha. It was actually just to be insulting, but I like your idea ^__^
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 03:06 am (UTC)I also like the subtle hint that there are more thoughts that the unicorns can read that aren't transmitted through their thoughts, like the fact that Diamond knows of Fenwick's interesting
lustthoughts of Hollowick.And I just laugh at their namecalling, too. They have so much fun. No wonder Fenwick can deal with a whole evening of royalty.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 04:10 am (UTC)so wonderful...
*offers treats in exchange for more*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 04:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 04:30 am (UTC)I love the banter between the unicorn and his 'wick XD
LOL at the opposite nicknames for the siblings
Ouch at the discrimination against the swordswick but eagerly waiting to see how you would make them distinguish themselves
Thanks again for sharing ^_^
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 04:46 am (UTC)I seriously love this to bits and pieces. 8D Homg~. You are an inspiration.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 05:15 am (UTC)orgymercenary fighting team with the other five!no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 05:39 am (UTC)The carriage-summoning story was awesome too. Hee. Are we going to see any more about why it's a bad idea to summon living things? 9.9
When do wicks change their names? What was Holly's prior to wick-dom? *curious curious*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 11:27 am (UTC)^__^
It just doesn't work well? It fucks things up.
They changed them when they become wicks. Hollowick was just Holloway. Fenwick was Fenton.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 07:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 07:58 am (UTC)Fenwick is going to have a LOT of apologizing to do in a bit, I suspect. =)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 08:28 am (UTC)A wick with a dragon familiar! *hearts* Loved all those little bits of Holly and Will's past. Loved seeing Will decide to stand up for herself. *cheers Will on*
I'm happily addicted to this story and really hope that Bound will leave you a little time to continue writing this.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 08:42 am (UTC)So I'll settle for the fact that Diamond is hilarious, and Fenwick's name-calling is equally hilarious, and I hope that Hollowick will find a way to make things better for all swordwicks, because he and those six poor (nameless) guys deserve so much better. Speaking of the six swordwicks, any chance of seeing more of them? ^___^
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 08:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 11:33 am (UTC)Wick is just tagged on. Hollowick used to be Holloway, and Fenwick used to be Fenton.
And the other swordwicks show back up.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 11:53 am (UTC)I've been reading Naruto-fic lately, and there's really nothing like Naruto-fic to make a reader get really frustrated with stupid prejudices.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 11:59 am (UTC)Naruto, really? Why is that? *hugsloves*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 04:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-21 07:38 pm (UTC)