PotterPuffs! and a rough Vampire Game fic (crit desir'd)
Probably everyone else came across this before me, but I just gotta trumpet it to the world:
POTTERPUFFS!
And here's a low-key Vampire Game story that I hope to post to ffdn at some point. Suggestions for improvement, especially from those familiar with the series, are humbly requested. ::cough cairnsy and misura cough::
Fandom: Vampire Game
Disclaimer: Judal the Great has all bragging rights.
Title: Opening Moves
Rating: K+
Category: General
Pairings: Attractions between various characters.
Summary: Yujinn gets acquainted with denizens of the Castle of Pheliosta. Emphasis on atmosphere rather than plot.
Spoilers: Some hints at Yujinn's past and plans.
The Throne Room was dimmer than he'd imagined it from the painting in the gallery at Zi Alda. Of course, the unnamed creator of "The Coronation of Phelios" might have succumbed to temptation and idealized his setting; or perhaps the gold-colored stone had darkened with the passing of generations. (Or perhaps there's been a lack of passing washcloths, he mused, resisting the urge to wipe the dust smudges off his slippers.)
"I've familiarized myself with this young man's background and credentials and have no reservations about recommending him for the position of tutor, if your Highness is willing to accept him." Sir Keld coughed. Yujinn threw him a sidelong glance; the Royal Warden was the picture of blandness. Sly old weasel. Not surprising we're related.
A tiny snort drew his attention back to the dais in front of them. Lounging in the throne as though it were an armchair, his fifteen-year-old monarch was eyeing him up and down. "Bit of a clotheshorse, aren't you, Master…" she paused, "Yujinn?"
For half a breath he wondered whether she suspected. But no, the green eyes held only boredom and a hint of annoyance.
He gave her his best smile. "No, just a humble mage, my lady, and entirely at your service."
She snorted again, louder. Tipping back her head, she murmured to the ceiling, "And here I thought I was shut of the damned lessons for a month at least."
Keld leaned slightly forward. "Eh?"
Strategic deafness? wondered Yujinn, even as a new voice barked, "Lady Ishtar!"
Yujinn looked past the throne at the tall guardsman. He was staring daggers at his mistress; she flicked him a look, then straightened. Yujinn found himself the recipient of a teeth-flashing, high-voltage grin. "I'm pleased to have you on staff, Master Yujinn." Ishtar was up now, and rustling down the steps toward him, extending one hand.
Couldn't have gone better if I'd planned it, hm?
He bowed over slender, bejeweled fingers. "It is the greatest honor of my life, my lady." He almost meant it.
She neatly withdrew her hand and passed him. "Till tomorrow, then."
Her rose-colored silk train brushed his robe as she went by. He kept his eyes lowered.
She's grown up after all.
It might make his job easier, but he felt a pang of regret all the same.
Heavily booted feet approached; he looked up. Darres was giving him a hard look-not hostile, not curious, but definitely measuring.
Yujinn smirked. Hello, rival.
Black eyebrows flicked upward.
Just then a great whoop resounded in the corridor outside the Throne Room. "Free at last! Thank you, unlovely Spirit of Phelios!" There was a mad clatter of footfalls.
Darres' eyebrows slammed down again. "The little--!" Darres took to his heels, passing Yujinn without a word. His pair of subordinates followed, snickering. Yujinn met the eyes of the shorter of the two; the young man flushed delicately. Interesting.
Keld harrumphed. "My pr-"
Yujinn skewered him with a look.
"My preference, Master Yujinn, would have been to start lessons today," Keld completed smoothly. "But that is not to be. Allow me to show you to your quarters." He steered Yujinn toward the door; Yujinn almost missed the elder statesman's wink.
He chuckled softly in response. Mischief loves company, doesn't it, Keld?
::end, part the first::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hesitated over "high-voltage," but then, Judal breezily inserts anachronisms wherever she wants, so it was a tip of the hat to her.
Not quite satisfied with the title, but I guess it'll do.
And I made up Sir Keld's title--do we even know what the proper appellation is?
POTTERPUFFS!
And here's a low-key Vampire Game story that I hope to post to ffdn at some point. Suggestions for improvement, especially from those familiar with the series, are humbly requested. ::cough cairnsy and misura cough::
Fandom: Vampire Game
Disclaimer: Judal the Great has all bragging rights.
Title: Opening Moves
Rating: K+
Category: General
Pairings: Attractions between various characters.
Summary: Yujinn gets acquainted with denizens of the Castle of Pheliosta. Emphasis on atmosphere rather than plot.
Spoilers: Some hints at Yujinn's past and plans.
The Throne Room was dimmer than he'd imagined it from the painting in the gallery at Zi Alda. Of course, the unnamed creator of "The Coronation of Phelios" might have succumbed to temptation and idealized his setting; or perhaps the gold-colored stone had darkened with the passing of generations. (Or perhaps there's been a lack of passing washcloths, he mused, resisting the urge to wipe the dust smudges off his slippers.)
"I've familiarized myself with this young man's background and credentials and have no reservations about recommending him for the position of tutor, if your Highness is willing to accept him." Sir Keld coughed. Yujinn threw him a sidelong glance; the Royal Warden was the picture of blandness. Sly old weasel. Not surprising we're related.
A tiny snort drew his attention back to the dais in front of them. Lounging in the throne as though it were an armchair, his fifteen-year-old monarch was eyeing him up and down. "Bit of a clotheshorse, aren't you, Master…" she paused, "Yujinn?"
For half a breath he wondered whether she suspected. But no, the green eyes held only boredom and a hint of annoyance.
He gave her his best smile. "No, just a humble mage, my lady, and entirely at your service."
She snorted again, louder. Tipping back her head, she murmured to the ceiling, "And here I thought I was shut of the damned lessons for a month at least."
Keld leaned slightly forward. "Eh?"
Strategic deafness? wondered Yujinn, even as a new voice barked, "Lady Ishtar!"
Yujinn looked past the throne at the tall guardsman. He was staring daggers at his mistress; she flicked him a look, then straightened. Yujinn found himself the recipient of a teeth-flashing, high-voltage grin. "I'm pleased to have you on staff, Master Yujinn." Ishtar was up now, and rustling down the steps toward him, extending one hand.
Couldn't have gone better if I'd planned it, hm?
He bowed over slender, bejeweled fingers. "It is the greatest honor of my life, my lady." He almost meant it.
She neatly withdrew her hand and passed him. "Till tomorrow, then."
Her rose-colored silk train brushed his robe as she went by. He kept his eyes lowered.
She's grown up after all.
It might make his job easier, but he felt a pang of regret all the same.
Heavily booted feet approached; he looked up. Darres was giving him a hard look-not hostile, not curious, but definitely measuring.
Yujinn smirked. Hello, rival.
Black eyebrows flicked upward.
Just then a great whoop resounded in the corridor outside the Throne Room. "Free at last! Thank you, unlovely Spirit of Phelios!" There was a mad clatter of footfalls.
Darres' eyebrows slammed down again. "The little--!" Darres took to his heels, passing Yujinn without a word. His pair of subordinates followed, snickering. Yujinn met the eyes of the shorter of the two; the young man flushed delicately. Interesting.
Keld harrumphed. "My pr-"
Yujinn skewered him with a look.
"My preference, Master Yujinn, would have been to start lessons today," Keld completed smoothly. "But that is not to be. Allow me to show you to your quarters." He steered Yujinn toward the door; Yujinn almost missed the elder statesman's wink.
He chuckled softly in response. Mischief loves company, doesn't it, Keld?
::end, part the first::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hesitated over "high-voltage," but then, Judal breezily inserts anachronisms wherever she wants, so it was a tip of the hat to her.
Not quite satisfied with the title, but I guess it'll do.
And I made up Sir Keld's title--do we even know what the proper appellation is?