“Aye…” Aengus was quiet for a minute, and it took a lot of Alfred’s self-control not to interrupt. Finally, he continued: “Well, you know I was raised by Midir. After I took Brú na Bóinne and my mother’s ‘usband’s kingdom, Midir came to visit. By way of an accident, ‘e was blinded, temporarily, mind, by my sons. I promised to make it up to ‘im, and what I ended up ‘aving to do was get a childhood sweetheart of mine to marry ‘im. And mind you, we’re brothers, and I still needed to do the impossible for ‘im. Others are far less forgiving.” Aengus paused again, thinking. Alfred held his breath. “So that’s ‘ow I became responsible for ‘is marriage to Étaín. I ended up ‘aving to clear ‘undreds of acres of farmland, and create rivers, and then pay ‘er weight in gold and silver. All so she could marry my brother. Not that I begrudge them their ‘appiness; they love each other. But I ‘ad to do all the work the first time, lazy divil.”
Alright, that was a lot to process. Alfred was quiet for a moment as he took apart the new information and tried to piece it together with what he already knew. Darn he still didn’t know anything about the curse on Aengus! He needed information. But he knew now he wasn’t likely to get it.
Aengus finally looked at Alfred. “But besides all of that, it looks like Adain’s got you in right sulk as well.”
Alfred sighed. “I don’t know…” Alfred was quiet as he suddenly realized why he had such a bad reaction just to that tone. It reminded him distinctly of how Arthur and he would fight before they got together, before they’d worked a lot of things out. The thing was, Alfred didn’t love Adain like he did Arthur, and thus was a lot less willing to forgive him.
“’Ere.” Aengus stood, and then tossed Alfred’s backpack to him, seeming somehow to know he wasn’t ready to talk. “Get ready to go. We’re going to try the trolls. Don’t know what’s keepin’ ‘im, but we can’t wait another day for the gryphon.” Aengus spared Alfred a gruff smile. “I suppose you think I can’t make a decent plan to save my life, don’t you?”
“Aengus…” Alfred shook his head and said slowly, grinning, the gears whirling in his head. “You don’t have a life to save.”
Aengus’s loud guffaws echoing in the cave as Aengus headed back in brightened Alfred considerably. There was nothing quite like having someone laugh at your jokes to lighten your mood. Alfred stood up as well, gazing out at the canyon from his vantage point once more. It was so beautiful here; if it wasn’t so hard to get to, it’d be a great place for a summer home. Alfred vaguely wondered exactly what old Frankie Wright would have done with a house here. Alfred was sure it would be so cool…
Alfred noticed an odd shadow weaving and dipping and moving on the canyon walls, dark. Alfred’s brows furrowed as he tried to figure out what exactly the shape was. Huh, it was moving waaayy to fast to be a cloud… Alfred looked up. Huh, nothing. Perhaps the clouds just moved too quickly here…
Perhaps he should just go inside and apologize to Adain a bit. Apologizing sometimes went aways with Arthur, even if he wasn’t completely at fault. Perhaps it went that way with dragons as well. Alfred knew he wasn’t likely to get a reciprocal apology out of Adain, even though Alfred felt most of the blame resided with him, but whatever. He’d long learned that sometimes, for some people, accepting an apology was an apology in and of itself.
Five seconds later, Alfred heard the sound of feathers on wings, and a loud, birdlike scream.
Less than half a moment after that, Alfred looked up. His face paled. Fuck.
This chapter needed to sit a bit. I never did get the chance to run this by my beta, since she’s at band camp this week, so I hope this works all right.
First and second anon: Thank you, I’m so happy you liked it!
Again-last-anon: Yes, yes he is left handed, though if you’re curious, in this verse, he was forced for a good part of his early years to be right handed, as was the custom until only around forty years ago. So, take that as you will, cross, ambidextrous, whichever. If you ask him though, he’s quite stubborn about the fact that he is left handed. :)
If you like treasure hunts like Alfred (sorry, I can’t give you an Arthur get to play hide and seek with his signs of happiness. I wish I had one…), here’s two: There’s a very famous American novel, set in the South during the 1930s, referenced rather subtly in here. What is it? And, what dragon names did I make up (or pull from Old English), and what did I pull from literature?
Reviews, like ignorance, are bliss. Except reviews make me write faster (usually, though sometimes chapters just don’t want to get written), so you won’t be left in ignorance about the story! Thanks guys!
You know, Alfred went off on such a rant about heroes I wondered if the chair was enchanted and he was going to start snoozing til a special time like King Arthur..
Is that mechanical nightingale from the story of the Chinese emperor and the nightingale? Always loved that story. :)
For some reason I want to say To Kill a Mockingbird, though I can't think why. The southerners say the mockingbird is better than the nightingale because it is more entertaining "and all it wants is to sing for us."
And now it's bugging me that the internet doesn't know why Germans like cuckoos so much...
Aw, Alfred being all hopelessly in love with Arthur was adorable. I want him to find him soon, because he is sad and I want him to be not-sad, but if he finds him then the story ends, and the story is wonderful and I just want it to keep going on. I am so torn.
I love all the reference to like everything, and Alfred's hero speech made me tear up (just a little though...). Basically this story is a work of art and you are amazing.
Alfred...killed the mockingbird/nightingale. Nice reference, if that is what it was. I think that was it.
I like that you made Alfred a southpaw (lefty, if case you're not as much of a baseball fan as I am). I could switch to lefty if I just left the pen in my hand for about a month's time. It's fun to switch, but I mostly just use my right hand, because it's a righty's world.
Edwylm is OE for something like a fiery whirlpool or some such Chrysophylax is from Farmer Giles of Ham Ancalagon is from Lord of the Rings (and Silmarilion), "greatest of all dragons" Sweoloþ, not sure about...but it's something in OE about flames? Ádloma has one meaning about being injured by fire, I think Heaðufýr means fire in OE Ontendnes does as well, but kind of more like desire Glaurung is the Deceiver and Great Worm, from the Silmarilion--Father of Dragons Rhag tân is Welsh, that's all I know Bælegsa is OE, but all I can think of us funeral pyre, but I know that's not quite right
Oh, good grief, I'm such a geek. >_<
I love your references! I love the way you bring in Alfred's nerdiness. I know it was part of the request, but they way you're utilizing that is just fantastic. I have little delighted fits all the time while reading this. Other people in the room keep giving me funny looks. It's kind of embarrassing, but I love it!
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Crowe 10i/?
(Anonymous) 2012-08-29 08:10 am (UTC)(link)Alright, that was a lot to process. Alfred was quiet for a moment as he took apart the new information and tried to piece it together with what he already knew. Darn he still didn’t know anything about the curse on Aengus! He needed information. But he knew now he wasn’t likely to get it.
Aengus finally looked at Alfred. “But besides all of that, it looks like Adain’s got you in right sulk as well.”
Alfred sighed. “I don’t know…” Alfred was quiet as he suddenly realized why he had such a bad reaction just to that tone. It reminded him distinctly of how Arthur and he would fight before they got together, before they’d worked a lot of things out. The thing was, Alfred didn’t love Adain like he did Arthur, and thus was a lot less willing to forgive him.
“’Ere.” Aengus stood, and then tossed Alfred’s backpack to him, seeming somehow to know he wasn’t ready to talk. “Get ready to go. We’re going to try the trolls. Don’t know what’s keepin’ ‘im, but we can’t wait another day for the gryphon.” Aengus spared Alfred a gruff smile. “I suppose you think I can’t make a decent plan to save my life, don’t you?”
“Aengus…” Alfred shook his head and said slowly, grinning, the gears whirling in his head. “You don’t have a life to save.”
Aengus’s loud guffaws echoing in the cave as Aengus headed back in brightened Alfred considerably. There was nothing quite like having someone laugh at your jokes to lighten your mood. Alfred stood up as well, gazing out at the canyon from his vantage point once more. It was so beautiful here; if it wasn’t so hard to get to, it’d be a great place for a summer home. Alfred vaguely wondered exactly what old Frankie Wright would have done with a house here. Alfred was sure it would be so cool…
Alfred noticed an odd shadow weaving and dipping and moving on the canyon walls, dark. Alfred’s brows furrowed as he tried to figure out what exactly the shape was. Huh, it was moving waaayy to fast to be a cloud… Alfred looked up. Huh, nothing. Perhaps the clouds just moved too quickly here…
Perhaps he should just go inside and apologize to Adain a bit. Apologizing sometimes went aways with Arthur, even if he wasn’t completely at fault. Perhaps it went that way with dragons as well. Alfred knew he wasn’t likely to get a reciprocal apology out of Adain, even though Alfred felt most of the blame resided with him, but whatever. He’d long learned that sometimes, for some people, accepting an apology was an apology in and of itself.
Five seconds later, Alfred heard the sound of feathers on wings, and a loud, birdlike scream.
Less than half a moment after that, Alfred looked up. His face paled. Fuck.
This chapter needed to sit a bit. I never did get the chance to run this by my beta, since she’s at band camp this week, so I hope this works all right.
First and second anon: Thank you, I’m so happy you liked it!
Third anon: Ahh bristlecone pines! Yes, they’re quite fun, aren’t they?
Again-last-anon: Yes, yes he is left handed, though if you’re curious, in this verse, he was forced for a good part of his early years to be right handed, as was the custom until only around forty years ago. So, take that as you will, cross, ambidextrous, whichever. If you ask him though, he’s quite stubborn about the fact that he is left handed. :)
Crowe 10j/?
(Anonymous) 2012-08-29 08:11 am (UTC)(link)Reviews, like ignorance, are bliss. Except reviews make me write faster (usually, though sometimes chapters just don’t want to get written), so you won’t be left in ignorance about the story! Thanks guys!
Re: Crowe 10j/?
(Anonymous) 2012-08-29 06:45 pm (UTC)(link)Is that mechanical nightingale from the story of the Chinese emperor and the nightingale? Always loved that story. :)
For some reason I want to say To Kill a Mockingbird, though I can't think why. The southerners say the mockingbird is better than the nightingale because it is more entertaining "and all it wants is to sing for us."
And now it's bugging me that the internet doesn't know why Germans like cuckoos so much...
Re: Crowe 10j/?
(Anonymous) 2012-08-30 01:02 am (UTC)(link)I love all the reference to like everything, and Alfred's hero speech made me tear up (just a little though...). Basically this story is a work of art and you are amazing.
Re: Crowe 10j/?
(Anonymous) 2012-09-02 02:28 am (UTC)(link)I like that you made Alfred a southpaw (lefty, if case you're not as much of a baseball fan as I am). I could switch to lefty if I just left the pen in my hand for about a month's time. It's fun to switch, but I mostly just use my right hand, because it's a righty's world.
Edwylm is OE for something like a fiery whirlpool or some such
Chrysophylax is from Farmer Giles of Ham
Ancalagon is from Lord of the Rings (and Silmarilion), "greatest of all dragons"
Sweoloþ, not sure about...but it's something in OE about flames?
Ádloma has one meaning about being injured by fire, I think
Heaðufýr means fire in OE
Ontendnes does as well, but kind of more like desire
Glaurung is the Deceiver and Great Worm, from the Silmarilion--Father of Dragons
Rhag tân is Welsh, that's all I know
Bælegsa is OE, but all I can think of us funeral pyre, but I know that's not quite right
Oh, good grief, I'm such a geek. >_<
I love your references! I love the way you bring in Alfred's nerdiness. I know it was part of the request, but they way you're utilizing that is just fantastic. I have little delighted fits all the time while reading this. Other people in the room keep giving me funny looks. It's kind of embarrassing, but I love it!