Word #76

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Here's your word for the week!

Don't look at the word until you are ready to write. When your fifteen minutes are up and you have completed your ficlet, you may either post it as a response here, or post a link to the ficlet in your own journal. If posting on your own journal, please hide the prompt word in some way (ie. under an LJ-cut) in order to avoid spoiling it for others.

Today's word is: growl

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<b>Title:</b> <b>Fandom/original:</b> <b>Characters:</b> <b>Rating:</b> <b>Word count:</b>

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[writingfay.livejournal.com]

Title: Mauldin’s Gap; The Duel (2)
By: Jaya
Story Arch: Mauldin’s Gap 1 (http://writingfay.livejournal.com/226147.html)
Fandom/original: Original
Characters: Farris/Martin, Young Mauldin
Warning: M/M Slashy stuff
Rating: Pg13
Word count: 649
Blurb: A city hung in the air, a place that lingers in disarray between two peaks upon Airen’s surface. The structure though once colorful is dingy now with the waist that raises from the mining operation at the base of the peaks of Horn and Less—often referred to as Hornless. The city serves as a way station for travelers and refining of the small quantities of source still being mined out of the Horn.

The clouds were drawing back as the morning breeze came in off the Airen’s Slate Sea, named for the colors of its waters. Martin had seen the way they changed as you traveled over their broad expanses into the Azure waters near the equator and from there into a color that was closer to purple then blue the farther south you went. The marvel of it was even more impressive from the deck of a Wing. His knuckles were white where they gripped the rough material of Farris’s scabbard, left with him as second. The first light of the morning gleamed off young Mauldin’s light blade. He could tell from the sheen of it that it had been fashioned from Castoff as was all the rage, it looked flimsy against the Farris’s sold iron weapon.

Though he wanted to look away Martin forced himself to watch as the two opponents circled each other, with a hint of respect. The testing was over, they had a better idea of where they stood as they circled. Farris had the strength, but Mauldin could move faster especially given the lightness of his blade. Still a fast movement did not always have the force it needed behind it. His eyes met Farris’s and the other man grinned at him, making Martin glad he had don’t nothing to make his friend ashamed of him. Despite the fact that it was his fault they were fighting now.

Forcing himself to breath, Martin told himself nothing could possibly go—the world began to move in slow motion—wrong. The sight before him was more then Martin could bear. In the blink of an eye, the heavy platform beneath them had shifted as the first of the Wing’s took off. It had been that simple movement that threw Farris off balance. The duel had only been to first blood, but first would be the last now. The aghast look on Mauldin’s face didn’t register with Martin as the young man pulled the blade from Farris’s chest.

He hadn’t meant to kill but it didn’t truly mater. Scabbard forgotten, Martin was unaware of the chaos that ensued around him. Only the weight of Farris in his arms was real, the hot blood beneath the pressure of his hand.

“You can not die,” He rasped refusing to believe the truth he could see in Farris’s eyes.

“Sorry,” Farris breathed, and there was blood on his lips. He coughed, spattering warm drops over Martin’s face. The hand once strong enough to wield an iron blade or pin his hands to the mattress could no longer reach up to touch his face. Biting his lower lip to keep back the tears, Martin caught the hand and brought it to his face, “Be happy.” One last rattling breath and Farris was gone.

Rough hands shook him, and Martin pushed them away blindly not hearing the words and not caring if he should not stay. “Go, they’re coming,” young Mauldin was saying urging Martin stand, “Run boy.”

Then they were gone and their foot steps disappeared through the twisting turns of the jumbled buildings. They were built on every available space some on top of others. After all the area on the heights was limited, where they hung between the two peaks. Drawing in a ragged breath, Martin let Farris’s body fall back to the cold metal beneath his knees.

Be happy, he wanted to laugh or to cry or do both at once he was not sure. Picking up the clean blade, Martin stumbled to where he’d let the scabbard fall. He nearly tripped over the feet of the man sleeping behind the bowl that held the tree. As he caught himself on the rough edge of the bowl he began to laugh. The echoing sound of it was still fading away when the authorities reached the potted garden.

[oddmonster.livejournal.com]

Dude. This does not suck AT ALL.

Where can I find more?

[writingfay.livejournal.com]

lol, thanks. There actually isn't anything more of this right now, other then a little bit that presages the actual duel. Still trying to figure out where exactly I want it to go.