Comment fic meme #2

[gotexchange_mod]

After the first round of got_exchange we had a surprisingly successful comment fic meme going for a while (here's a list of all the fics that were written last time), so I thought it might be fun to do this again. (Like last time, it's posted on the mod account journal because I don't want to enable anonymous comments on the exchange community.)

I changed the

Comments

FILL: Ned/Catelyn, goodbyes, 'songs written with swords' (pt 1/2)

[juno_chan]

The letters and notes come regularly from King’s Landing, some on wings and winds and some on horses clasped in leather cloaked hands, directions, commands, and always, in all of them, triumph written in each word as though the war is already won, and not just beginning.

But then for Robert, the triumph has always been in the battle before the victory, in the rush of the fight and the salty scent of blood in the air, in the thrill; he writes the hymns of the songs they will sing, writes them in the air with sword and war hammer, in the dust of the dead. Their rebellion had been born of sorrow and loss and yet Ned had never seen Robert’s eyes glint as brightly as before the surge, today we live or today we die, does it matter so much, anyway? He’d thought nearly the same, once

FILL: Ned/Catelyn, goodbyes, 'songs written with swords' (pt 2/2)

[juno_chan]

She had shivered when he had showed her Robert’s letter and seal, one hand to the curve of her stomach, and he had wanted so much in that moment to tell her that all would be well, that he would not leave, that their family would stay together, that she should not worry and that he would never give her cause to worry (he does not say it, and she does not ask him, he would not be Eddard Stark if he did and she would not be his formidable lady, and all he can offer is I am sorry, Cat.Her fingers brush his wrist, tracing an old scar there, and he glances at her, her eyes are hooded and thick with sleep but she is awake, and she looks back at him, the dim throw of the candlelight making her eyes seem almost black and bottomless

Re: FILL: Ned/Catelyn, goodbyes, 'songs written with swords' (pt 2/2)

[fauxkaren]

Gaaah. This was lovely! Thank you for filling the prompt! It was wonderfully bittersweet.

Re: FILL: Ned/Catelyn, goodbyes, 'songs written with swords' (pt 2/2)

[juno_chan]

Wheeee, thank you! My apologies again that I seem to only be able to write People Being Sad. XD At least we know this time (THIS TIME SOB) he does come home (and without any extra kids), and everything is fine with Arya.

Re: FILL: Ned/Catelyn, goodbyes, 'songs written with swords' (pt 2/2)

[fields195]

I love this! Ned's thoughts seemed so authentic and in character. The contrast between saying farewell before the first war and doing so this time was very poignant. It would be so much more difficult now that he's come to love his wife and growing family. That bit about wondering if Sansa would even remember him was so touching and makes me think of Rickon's future, likely not remembering either of his parents very well. I also liked the contrast between Robert and Ned, how a man can be remembered for war feats and enjoy numerous conquests but that is hollow comfort compared to Ned's more fulfilling if less glorified life

Re: FILL: Ned/Catelyn, goodbyes, 'songs written with swords' (pt 2/2)

[juno_chan]

Wheeee, thank you! I'm glad you thought Ned was in character, I haven't done much with him before and I am much more comfortable writing in a female voice, so that made me happy! I do think this departure would be much more difficult. And ugh, I can't even with Rickon not remembering his family! :( I prompted something earlier about a post-series fic where Sansa is filling in the blanks about their family because yeah, he probably won't remember much about them which makes me super sad. (Somewhere someone did a meme with Rickon and Bran with a quote from Peter Pan, "I think I had a mother once." "What was she like?" "I forget." I CAN'T HANDLE MY SADS ALL MY CREYS.)

I love comparing and contrasting Robert and Ned - they grew up together but are SO different, and led such different lives in the end. And I now feel like I have to bring Catelyn's hair into everything and anything I write about these two because I think that line in ASOS made me more sad than anything else in the series.

Thank you again for the wonderful comment! :D