25. | 3 Ficlets: Legend of the Seeker for legendland.
Title: A Secret To Take To The Grave
Rating: PG
Warnings: Spoilers for "Baneling" (02x02).
Challenge: Rewrite a scene from a minor character's point of view.
Other notes: 306 words. Title from "New England" by Tanya Donelly.
William didn't want to hurt anyone, least of all Bertrand. The monk had been unwaveringly kind to him, as had the Seeker and the Mother Confessor, but he was running out of options. And time.
"It's just over this next hill. You know, the other children will be so excited to see you," Bertrand explained, as they neared their destination.
William halted.
"They, uh..." Bertrand paused, slightly out of breath from the long walk through the forest. Turning, he noticed the boy's hesitation. "You alright, William?"
William knew if he didn't do what needed to be done quickly, it'd be too late. It'd been nearly a day since this last kill and the hunger was weighing heavily on his small frame.
Worried that something could be wrong, Bertrand approached his young charge. "Are you hurt?" Seeing the shake of William's head, the man kneeled as to be at eye level with the boy.
It was in this moment that William realized his secret had finally been discovered. "You're a baneling."
William lashed out and slit the monk's throat with the knife he had pilfered from a dead D'Haran the afternoon before. Bertrand gasped and sputtered as he collapsed to the ground, prompting the young boy to glance around suspiciously. It wouldn't do if someone had seen what he'd done. It just wouldn't do.
Seeing no one on the path, William sighed inaudibly, thankful his secret was, once again, his alone.
As he stood and resumed his walk towards Timber Falls, he heard Bertrand emit one final sputter before falling permanently silent. Guiltily, the child closed his eyes for a moment, but soon re-opened them with renewed purpose.
William hadn't wanted to hurt anyone, least of all Bertrand. But he was running out of options. And time. He would have to kill again in less than a day, so he'd do whatever was necessary to stay alive.
Title: However Much You Twist, Whatever Lies You Tell
Rating: PG
Warnings: Spoilers for "Eternity" (02x22).
Challenge: Relay a message from Character A to Character B through Character C.
Other notes: Hints of Cara/Dahlia. 224 words. Title from "What Keeps Mankind Alive?" by Mirah with the Black Cat Orchestra.
While chained in the Mord'Sith temple, Zedd stops Dahlia and asks her to relay a message to Cara. "Please tell Cara not to blame herself for any of this. I don't, and neither will Richard and Kahlan, of that I'm certain," he says and he tugs restlessly at the Rada'Han encircling his neck.
Dahlia rolls her eyes. "Do I look like a messenger to you?" She agiels him forcefully in the ribs, his moans of pain echoing off the dungeon walls as she stomps away.
A few candlemarks later, after she has relieved Darken Rahl of his torturing duties, she remembers the wizard's message.
"I spoke to the wizard earlier, Cara," she smirks.
At that, Cara's focus shifts and her eyes snap up to meet her sister's.
"He wanted me to tell you that he holds you personally responsible for his capture and he can't believe he ever trusted you. He said the Seeker and the Mother Confessor will blame you for his death and will stop at nothing to avenge it."
Dahlia leans in closer and rests her forehead against Cara's. Her voice softens. "Do you still believe they think of you as family? Don't you see? You don't need them and after the wizard's imminent death, they certainly won't want you. Your sisters are your family, Cara. We love you. We'll protect you. They just want you dead."
Title: Me Losing You Was Not A Part Of This Plan
Rating: PG
Warnings: Spoilers for "Marked" (02x01).
Challenge: Home.
Other notes: Hints of Cara/Dahlia. 334 words. Title from "Secret Spell" by Tori Amos.
The day Dahlia heard that Cara was protecting the Seeker, she didn't believe it.
"That's a lie!" She spat and backhanded Amelia, the Mord'Sith who was unfortunate enough to have returned with and broken the news, so forcefully that the redhead was unconscious for nearly a quarter of a candlemark. "Cara would never turn her back on her Sisters. Never, no matter what Triana did. No! She's lying."
Shortly thereafter, Dahlia sent two others out to track Cara's whereabouts and disprove the original claim. When they returned a few days later with the same findings, she still vehemently denied it. "No, I know her better than anyone and she's fiercely loyal to her family and especially to Lord Rahl, even in death. It has to be a trick. If she's consorting with them, it's not of her own free will."
"Mistress, according to those we tortured for information, she's also traveling with the Mother Confessor. Perhaps--."
"You know as well as I do that Mord'Sith cannot be confessed without being killed, Megan," Dahlia scoffed, abruptly shutting down the suggestion. "Don't be ignorant. Cara's not dead, so, obviously, she isn't under the power of confession."
Amelia, still wary of her Sister's fiery temper, quietly spoke up. "What about a different kind of power, Mistress? What about magic? Something stronger than we've previously encountered? Something that even a Mord'Sith wouldn't be able to deflect?"
Dahlia closed her eyes and sighed with resignation. "Though I'm loath to admit it, that actually makes sense." She opened her eyes and paused, deep in thought. "Yes, Cara must be spelled by extremely powerful magic, which means the The First Wizard is most likely involved."
With a renewed sense of purpose, she continued resolutely. "We will get to the bottom of this soon, Sisters, if I have to break Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander, myself. You can count on that." With a wave of her hand, she dismissed them to their training.
Cara was family and this was where she belonged, so Dahlia would stop at nothing to bring her home.
Rating: PG
Warnings: Spoilers for "Baneling" (02x02).
Challenge: Rewrite a scene from a minor character's point of view.
Other notes: 306 words. Title from "New England" by Tanya Donelly.
William didn't want to hurt anyone, least of all Bertrand. The monk had been unwaveringly kind to him, as had the Seeker and the Mother Confessor, but he was running out of options. And time.
"It's just over this next hill. You know, the other children will be so excited to see you," Bertrand explained, as they neared their destination.
William halted.
"They, uh..." Bertrand paused, slightly out of breath from the long walk through the forest. Turning, he noticed the boy's hesitation. "You alright, William?"
William knew if he didn't do what needed to be done quickly, it'd be too late. It'd been nearly a day since this last kill and the hunger was weighing heavily on his small frame.
Worried that something could be wrong, Bertrand approached his young charge. "Are you hurt?" Seeing the shake of William's head, the man kneeled as to be at eye level with the boy.
It was in this moment that William realized his secret had finally been discovered. "You're a baneling."
William lashed out and slit the monk's throat with the knife he had pilfered from a dead D'Haran the afternoon before. Bertrand gasped and sputtered as he collapsed to the ground, prompting the young boy to glance around suspiciously. It wouldn't do if someone had seen what he'd done. It just wouldn't do.
Seeing no one on the path, William sighed inaudibly, thankful his secret was, once again, his alone.
As he stood and resumed his walk towards Timber Falls, he heard Bertrand emit one final sputter before falling permanently silent. Guiltily, the child closed his eyes for a moment, but soon re-opened them with renewed purpose.
William hadn't wanted to hurt anyone, least of all Bertrand. But he was running out of options. And time. He would have to kill again in less than a day, so he'd do whatever was necessary to stay alive.
Title: However Much You Twist, Whatever Lies You Tell
Rating: PG
Warnings: Spoilers for "Eternity" (02x22).
Challenge: Relay a message from Character A to Character B through Character C.
Other notes: Hints of Cara/Dahlia. 224 words. Title from "What Keeps Mankind Alive?" by Mirah with the Black Cat Orchestra.
While chained in the Mord'Sith temple, Zedd stops Dahlia and asks her to relay a message to Cara. "Please tell Cara not to blame herself for any of this. I don't, and neither will Richard and Kahlan, of that I'm certain," he says and he tugs restlessly at the Rada'Han encircling his neck.
Dahlia rolls her eyes. "Do I look like a messenger to you?" She agiels him forcefully in the ribs, his moans of pain echoing off the dungeon walls as she stomps away.
A few candlemarks later, after she has relieved Darken Rahl of his torturing duties, she remembers the wizard's message.
"I spoke to the wizard earlier, Cara," she smirks.
At that, Cara's focus shifts and her eyes snap up to meet her sister's.
"He wanted me to tell you that he holds you personally responsible for his capture and he can't believe he ever trusted you. He said the Seeker and the Mother Confessor will blame you for his death and will stop at nothing to avenge it."
Dahlia leans in closer and rests her forehead against Cara's. Her voice softens. "Do you still believe they think of you as family? Don't you see? You don't need them and after the wizard's imminent death, they certainly won't want you. Your sisters are your family, Cara. We love you. We'll protect you. They just want you dead."
Title: Me Losing You Was Not A Part Of This Plan
Rating: PG
Warnings: Spoilers for "Marked" (02x01).
Challenge: Home.
Other notes: Hints of Cara/Dahlia. 334 words. Title from "Secret Spell" by Tori Amos.
The day Dahlia heard that Cara was protecting the Seeker, she didn't believe it.
"That's a lie!" She spat and backhanded Amelia, the Mord'Sith who was unfortunate enough to have returned with and broken the news, so forcefully that the redhead was unconscious for nearly a quarter of a candlemark. "Cara would never turn her back on her Sisters. Never, no matter what Triana did. No! She's lying."
Shortly thereafter, Dahlia sent two others out to track Cara's whereabouts and disprove the original claim. When they returned a few days later with the same findings, she still vehemently denied it. "No, I know her better than anyone and she's fiercely loyal to her family and especially to Lord Rahl, even in death. It has to be a trick. If she's consorting with them, it's not of her own free will."
"Mistress, according to those we tortured for information, she's also traveling with the Mother Confessor. Perhaps--."
"You know as well as I do that Mord'Sith cannot be confessed without being killed, Megan," Dahlia scoffed, abruptly shutting down the suggestion. "Don't be ignorant. Cara's not dead, so, obviously, she isn't under the power of confession."
Amelia, still wary of her Sister's fiery temper, quietly spoke up. "What about a different kind of power, Mistress? What about magic? Something stronger than we've previously encountered? Something that even a Mord'Sith wouldn't be able to deflect?"
Dahlia closed her eyes and sighed with resignation. "Though I'm loath to admit it, that actually makes sense." She opened her eyes and paused, deep in thought. "Yes, Cara must be spelled by extremely powerful magic, which means the The First Wizard is most likely involved."
With a renewed sense of purpose, she continued resolutely. "We will get to the bottom of this soon, Sisters, if I have to break Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander, myself. You can count on that." With a wave of her hand, she dismissed them to their training.
Cara was family and this was where she belonged, so Dahlia would stop at nothing to bring her home.