Ficlet: "The Shadow Gone" (Earthsea)
So, I was horribly insecure about this one, but
espresso_addict said it was all right, so I'm posting it. (Considering the smallness of this fandom, few people are likely to end up reading anyway. *g*)
Title: The Shadow Gone
Fandom: Earthsea
Pairing: Ged/Vetch
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I did not invent these characters; this is written for fun only.
Notes: Written for the 2009 Earthsea ficathon, for the prompt "Ged and Vetch, after the events of A wizard of Earthsea."
It was late at night when Yarrow retreated, leaving Ged and her brother in front of the fire where they had all been seated, enjoying the food and each other's company and the relief of being back again, safe. Now the room was dark, the glowing embers its only light. Vetch stirred them with a poker, a thoughtful look upon his face.
Ged watched him, his heart warm with affection and gratitude. The shadow that had haunted him for so long was gone, disappeared as he embraced it; he felt whole in a way he'd possibly never done before -- certainly not these last, dark years. The shadow was gone, he had hunted it down; and Vetch had been with him on his hunt, following Ged in the pursuit of fear and despair, and returning with Ged to joy and safety. Steadfast, faithful Vetch...
"Estarriol," he said, and Vetch looked at him, gaze mild and calm. For a moment, Ged searched for words that could properly express his feelings. Not finding them, he reached out and placed a hand on Vetch's knee; then said, simply, "Thank you."
"You know I would come with you anywhere, Ged," said Vetch.
"Yes," Ged said, letting his hand rest where it was. Never again would he underestimate the power of friendship, of trust. "Yes, I have come to know that. And it touches me more than I can say. But still I thank you -- not only for being a faithful friend, but for being alive, for being here with me."
Neither of them spoke for a moment. Then Vetch said, his eyes never leaving Ged's face, "I must return these words of thanks, then -- for had you not come back, I probably wouldn't have either."
Ged took a deep breath, his hand squeezing Vetch's knee. "Estarriol -- "
"No, my friend," Vetch said, putting his hand over Ged's. "I was meant to come with you, I still believe that. But I also know I could never have left you out there."
These words were followed by another silence, longer and softer than the last. Indeed, it seemed to Ged that such loyalty and love, so openly confessed, could never be fully appreciated, and so he merely clasped the hand of his friend, before bending and pressing a light kiss to it.
"Thank you, Estarriol," he whispered again, as he looked up to meet Vetch's dark gaze with his own.
No more words were spoken between them that night, for their understanding was so deep that any words would be superfluous. In the morning, Ged woke with joy in his heart, along with a sense of peace which was unfamiliar to him. When he looked himself in the mirror, he found the scars on his face held no horror to him -- they would always be there, yes, but as a reminder of what had been, not what would be.
His whole life lay ahead of him. He smiled, touched the scars with one finger, and waited for his friend to wake up.
espresso_addict said it was all right, so I'm posting it. (Considering the smallness of this fandom, few people are likely to end up reading anyway. *g*)
Title: The Shadow Gone
Fandom: Earthsea
Pairing: Ged/Vetch
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I did not invent these characters; this is written for fun only.
Notes: Written for the 2009 Earthsea ficathon, for the prompt "Ged and Vetch, after the events of A wizard of Earthsea."
It was late at night when Yarrow retreated, leaving Ged and her brother in front of the fire where they had all been seated, enjoying the food and each other's company and the relief of being back again, safe. Now the room was dark, the glowing embers its only light. Vetch stirred them with a poker, a thoughtful look upon his face.
Ged watched him, his heart warm with affection and gratitude. The shadow that had haunted him for so long was gone, disappeared as he embraced it; he felt whole in a way he'd possibly never done before -- certainly not these last, dark years. The shadow was gone, he had hunted it down; and Vetch had been with him on his hunt, following Ged in the pursuit of fear and despair, and returning with Ged to joy and safety. Steadfast, faithful Vetch...
"Estarriol," he said, and Vetch looked at him, gaze mild and calm. For a moment, Ged searched for words that could properly express his feelings. Not finding them, he reached out and placed a hand on Vetch's knee; then said, simply, "Thank you."
"You know I would come with you anywhere, Ged," said Vetch.
"Yes," Ged said, letting his hand rest where it was. Never again would he underestimate the power of friendship, of trust. "Yes, I have come to know that. And it touches me more than I can say. But still I thank you -- not only for being a faithful friend, but for being alive, for being here with me."
Neither of them spoke for a moment. Then Vetch said, his eyes never leaving Ged's face, "I must return these words of thanks, then -- for had you not come back, I probably wouldn't have either."
Ged took a deep breath, his hand squeezing Vetch's knee. "Estarriol -- "
"No, my friend," Vetch said, putting his hand over Ged's. "I was meant to come with you, I still believe that. But I also know I could never have left you out there."
These words were followed by another silence, longer and softer than the last. Indeed, it seemed to Ged that such loyalty and love, so openly confessed, could never be fully appreciated, and so he merely clasped the hand of his friend, before bending and pressing a light kiss to it.
"Thank you, Estarriol," he whispered again, as he looked up to meet Vetch's dark gaze with his own.
No more words were spoken between them that night, for their understanding was so deep that any words would be superfluous. In the morning, Ged woke with joy in his heart, along with a sense of peace which was unfamiliar to him. When he looked himself in the mirror, he found the scars on his face held no horror to him -- they would always be there, yes, but as a reminder of what had been, not what would be.
His whole life lay ahead of him. He smiled, touched the scars with one finger, and waited for his friend to wake up.