Untitled - 12/2006
Title: Untitled - 12/2006
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Original canon by C.S. Forester, everything else by A&E or me.
Relative Date: Past: 1785; Present: December, 2006 Rhy'Din Standard
"Don't wander too far ahead."
Archie could remember his mother's words of advice; a distant memory from his childhood. The day hadn't been that different back then. It had long since settled into winter weather in Bermondsey, but the sun had shone through the clouds that day. It was strange to see anything but gloominess and rain in London, but that day had been different.
It was one of the rare times that Archie had been able to spend some time alone with his mother. They had decided to take a walk, and enjoy the scenery. For a ten-year-old boy, it must have been excruciating, but for a mother, it must have felt like a nice escape. There were no mischievous acts to be played out by young boys -- just a quiet walk between mother and son.
He remembered they had come a long way. He had so much energy back then, so when his mother took a seat on the trunk of a downed tree, he had just scampered over it and continued on. It wasn't until many years later that he realized how tired she must have been.
"Don't wander too far ahead."
Kennedy felt like his eyes were closing on their own, and he had to really fight to keep his head from dipping to his chest. Someone had said something to him, but his tired mind translated it to the memory of his mother, and he felt like he could look back and see her there, sitting on that tree trunk. She would be rubbing her hands on the winter coat, keeping a watchful eye out for her youngest son.
She had looked so tired, but he had been intent on exploring. He used the red scarf she'd made him to help him scale a tree, and when he stood on one of the higher branches, he could see so far it made the breath catch in the back of his throat. And when he looked back to her, she was still sitting there, giving him a stern look. He was all smiles, though -- maybe it was a glimpse into his future, but he enjoyed the heights, and he enjoyed feeling like he was up there for something important.
Archie forced himself awake and took a deep breath, trying to use the cold air to help bring him into the present. He wasn't sure how long they had been riding along, but it seemed like they had been at it forever. They could be a mile away from the tavern, or ten, for all he knew. And, for a moment, he felt like he couldn't make the trip, if it was always going to seem like they were so far from home, but no closer to their destination.
Seaton snorted and shook his mane out, causing Archie to grip the reins a little tighter. They may not have come a long way yet, but there was no turning back now.
"Don't wander too far ahead."
The young boy shielded his eyes from the sun and looked over the land he had such a great view of. He was so high up, he could imagine being a king, looking over his kingdom. But instead, he imagined himself a common man, looking out over the ocean. Maybe that had been where it all really started -- maybe that was the moment where he decided his fate, whether he knew it or not.
Once again, the boy looked back at his mother, but this time she was sleeping. Everything that had been left in her had relaxed back against a standing tree, and she looked much younger with a sense of peace on her face.
Using the scarf to his advantage, the boy slowly descending to a lower branch of the tree and sat a few feet off the ground, swinging his leg in the air. He didn't spend a lot of time alone with his mother, but it wasn't so bad when he really thought about it. Mothers were always so doting and protective (and she was no different,) but when everything quieted down, the boy realized that sometimes it was all right to be comfortable with the knowledge that someone was there if you needed them.
"Careful..."
It was a quiet voice, but he knew she was asleep. She couldn't have said anything, because he didn't remember her telling him he needed to be careful. She hadn't said anything more until he had woken her up to go home.
And the boy was just as surprised as the man when the ground came up faster than he had expected. Laying half on his side, Archie stared at the legs of his horse and remembered the sound the leaves had made when they had caught in his hair so many years before; a soft crinkling that echoed so close to his ears.
A long moment passed before he realized that he hadn't fallen out of the tree this time, but had instead fallen asleep and slipped off of his horse. Time had a funny way of repeating little moments like that, and he laughed and rolled onto his back, amused by the absurdity of it all.
But, underneath all of that, he felt something entirely different; a warm feeling that connected time in ways that people hardly ever spoke about, but felt often. As Harold's hand reached down to offer him a way off the ground, he realized it was nice to know that someone was there if you needed them.
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Original canon by C.S. Forester, everything else by A&E or me.
Relative Date: Past: 1785; Present: December, 2006 Rhy'Din Standard
"Don't wander too far ahead."
Archie could remember his mother's words of advice; a distant memory from his childhood. The day hadn't been that different back then. It had long since settled into winter weather in Bermondsey, but the sun had shone through the clouds that day. It was strange to see anything but gloominess and rain in London, but that day had been different.
It was one of the rare times that Archie had been able to spend some time alone with his mother. They had decided to take a walk, and enjoy the scenery. For a ten-year-old boy, it must have been excruciating, but for a mother, it must have felt like a nice escape. There were no mischievous acts to be played out by young boys -- just a quiet walk between mother and son.
He remembered they had come a long way. He had so much energy back then, so when his mother took a seat on the trunk of a downed tree, he had just scampered over it and continued on. It wasn't until many years later that he realized how tired she must have been.
"Don't wander too far ahead."
Kennedy felt like his eyes were closing on their own, and he had to really fight to keep his head from dipping to his chest. Someone had said something to him, but his tired mind translated it to the memory of his mother, and he felt like he could look back and see her there, sitting on that tree trunk. She would be rubbing her hands on the winter coat, keeping a watchful eye out for her youngest son.
She had looked so tired, but he had been intent on exploring. He used the red scarf she'd made him to help him scale a tree, and when he stood on one of the higher branches, he could see so far it made the breath catch in the back of his throat. And when he looked back to her, she was still sitting there, giving him a stern look. He was all smiles, though -- maybe it was a glimpse into his future, but he enjoyed the heights, and he enjoyed feeling like he was up there for something important.
Archie forced himself awake and took a deep breath, trying to use the cold air to help bring him into the present. He wasn't sure how long they had been riding along, but it seemed like they had been at it forever. They could be a mile away from the tavern, or ten, for all he knew. And, for a moment, he felt like he couldn't make the trip, if it was always going to seem like they were so far from home, but no closer to their destination.
Seaton snorted and shook his mane out, causing Archie to grip the reins a little tighter. They may not have come a long way yet, but there was no turning back now.
"Don't wander too far ahead."
The young boy shielded his eyes from the sun and looked over the land he had such a great view of. He was so high up, he could imagine being a king, looking over his kingdom. But instead, he imagined himself a common man, looking out over the ocean. Maybe that had been where it all really started -- maybe that was the moment where he decided his fate, whether he knew it or not.
Once again, the boy looked back at his mother, but this time she was sleeping. Everything that had been left in her had relaxed back against a standing tree, and she looked much younger with a sense of peace on her face.
Using the scarf to his advantage, the boy slowly descending to a lower branch of the tree and sat a few feet off the ground, swinging his leg in the air. He didn't spend a lot of time alone with his mother, but it wasn't so bad when he really thought about it. Mothers were always so doting and protective (and she was no different,) but when everything quieted down, the boy realized that sometimes it was all right to be comfortable with the knowledge that someone was there if you needed them.
"Careful..."
It was a quiet voice, but he knew she was asleep. She couldn't have said anything, because he didn't remember her telling him he needed to be careful. She hadn't said anything more until he had woken her up to go home.
And the boy was just as surprised as the man when the ground came up faster than he had expected. Laying half on his side, Archie stared at the legs of his horse and remembered the sound the leaves had made when they had caught in his hair so many years before; a soft crinkling that echoed so close to his ears.
A long moment passed before he realized that he hadn't fallen out of the tree this time, but had instead fallen asleep and slipped off of his horse. Time had a funny way of repeating little moments like that, and he laughed and rolled onto his back, amused by the absurdity of it all.
But, underneath all of that, he felt something entirely different; a warm feeling that connected time in ways that people hardly ever spoke about, but felt often. As Harold's hand reached down to offer him a way off the ground, he realized it was nice to know that someone was there if you needed them.