A Book of Rogues and Imposters

Title: light
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses; Jared, Joshua
Prompt: 020 "Colourless"
Word Count: 114
Rating: G
Notes: It was, apparently, an artistic affront that ice and snow could not actually be painted in their nearly luminescent state, instead through the suggestion of light through the use of opaque highlights. Beware of determined artists.
Well before either of the wars; Jared is Ruadhan’s oldest child, a writer. Joshua is Fintain’s eldest, an artist.
Tail end of an argument I didn’t hear the beginning of.



( Alright, )

Title: to the victor
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses; Phoebe [leRoux] Sabaey, Isabeau leRoux
Prompt:022. “Enemies”
Word Count: 220
Rating: PG-13-R (depending on your sensitivity) for violence
Notes: First war, plot point. The two behind the cut tag below have been magically sparring for hours—probably closer to days—and one of them has just won. yet another crisis point with neither prologue nor aftermath attached.



( She could see, finally, )

Title: origin unknown
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses; Hazel
Prompt: 027 – "Parents"
Word Count: 340
Rating: G
Notes: before the second war; feels incomplete but nothing else is pinging.


( Security objects )

Title: breath and shadows
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Conall, Isael, Aodh
Prompt: 054 – "Air"
Word Count: 763
Rating: PG
Notes: some months after the as-yet unwritten events following the expansion of Summons; if a reminder's needed, Conall's a werewolf.



( A pinch of familiar tobacco )

Title: Sunlight
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Aodh
Prompt: 063. "Summer"
Word Count: 167
Rating: G
Notes: before the wars



( There was a breeze out of autumn into summer. )

Title: Next Time
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Hazel
Prompt: 019. “White”
Word Count: 210
Rating: PG
Notes: Second war, after this. I’m curious as to how old the narrator sounds, to the outside reader.



( Center of the group )

Title: For the attempt
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Niamh (teenage), Aodh (teenage)
Prompt: 055 “Spirit”
Word Count: 327
Rating: PG for hormonal teenagers
Notes: Lyrics here.



( Nyah! )

Title: What?
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Isael, Conall, Annaliese
Prompt: 077 “What?”
Word Count: 161
Rating: G
Notes: Annaliese, and Isael; She ran with the Trickwood’s children, given the choice, which is how Conall knows her. Beginning of first war.



( Wait, slow down. )

Title: Just Pieces
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Etienne Sabaey
Prompt: 041 “Shapes”
Word Count: 268
Rating: PG for offscreen deaths and an unflattering word.
Notes: First war.



( He had to change )

Title: the Red
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Phoebe leRoux, assorted others
Prompt: 011 “Red”
Word Count: 424
Rating: G
Notes: Okay, that wasn't a hundred words. OR Ian's POV.
Set waaaaay before the wars. Before the trick that made Ian famous, at that. Prehistory, as far as the rest of the story-so-far is concerned.
(I don't know who the other two leRouxs are--I can only assume they walked away with the world-walking trick, and didn't come back.)
(I'm not entirely happy with this--it feels like I'm sliding into that hypnotic disjointed style again, that makes it difficult to keep a grip on the people the story's being told about.)



( Soft echoes, in an empty room )

Title: You are so cleaning that up
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Lydia du Lac, Donel Sabaey, Sebastian du Lac d’Sabaey (aged Three)
Prompt: 087 "Life"
Word Count: 211
Rating: G
Notes: Never trust your husband to bathe your three year old if there’s bubble bath around.



( How did you . . )

Title: Sister
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses; Aodh, (Madeleine)
Prompt: 021 “Friends”
Word Count: 171
Rating: G
Notes: sparked from the Cris Williamson song of the same name as the title. Always gets a jar of pain from this direction when it comes on.



( Pretty song, really. )

Title: Dead poets
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses; Jared and Logan
Prompt: 025 “Strangers”
Word Count: 174
Rating: PG for sibling rivalry and insults
Notes: Ruadhan’s elder children.



( Brothers )

Title: Still Mad
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses; Hazel Sabaey
Prompt: 028 "Independance"
Word Count: 185
Rating: G
Notes: future-forward of 'now', at least twenty years after the second of the wars. This is a child through most of the storyline--she grows up.

( She stood tall. )

Title: Once-lover’s Goodbye
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, (Giovanni Sabaey), Raiden Tanith
Prompt: 068 “Lightning”
Word Count: 432
Rating: PG
Notes: sometime in the Bastards’ War.


( Dead Madeleine’s brother gives her word, first. )

Title: Thaw
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Conall
Prompt: 062 “Spring”
Word Count: 101
Rating: G
Notes: Conall’s a werewolf—a lot of his perception is tied to smells.


( The air today tasted different. )


---------


Title: While green was gold
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Conall
Prompt: 014 “Green”
Word Count: 115
Rating: G


(  He'd always wondered a little why people called that sort of tea 'green'.  )

Title: Forest plums
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Isael
Prompt: 016 “Purple”
Word Count: 380
Rating: G


( If you’re willing to pay the price . . )

Title: Promise
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Phoebe (leRoux) Sabaey, (Ian Tattersall Sabaey)
Prompt: 082 "If"
Word Count: 199
Rating: PG
Notes: . . Oi. Where to start. Phoebe was a contemporary of Ian's, and the woman he fell in love with, after he was already married (she later married Aifiric and became the first Sabaey-Queen). Ian, it was mentioned (in Hero), died. What most people aren't aware of is that the Second Ian (one of the princesses' sons--in this case, Hilaire's only child) managed to hit Ian!brain so completely at age ten-ish that he effectively became a reincarnation of Ian himself. Who looked around, thought mildly that well, the vow was 'til death do us part' . . .


( He keeps his promises. Even the dumb ones. )

Title: Language for thieves and liars
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Isael Sabaey, Ruadhan Sabaey
Prompt: 049 "Club"
Word Count: 141
Rating: G
Notes: Before the Bastards' War (before Years and The Youngest, though by weeks or months instead of years).


( I hate this language. )

Title: Earth
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Ulysse Manannan Sabaey
Prompt: 050 "Spade"
Word Count: 482
Rating: . . erm. Dead body. No blood left. PG-13?
Notes: this will be continued. Fairly major plot point of the Bastards' War, however--please do not read if you're spoiler shy.


( Ulysse did not like the land )

Title: Summons
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Isael Sabaey, Krovir Aodh
Prompt: 059 "Food"
Word Count: 189
Rating: PG
Notes: The Isael in The Youngest was two wars and several years younger.


( The candy is the best that he can find )

Title: Candles
’Verse/characters: Wild Roses, Krovir Aodh, the Kid, Kickback
Prompt: 073 "Light"
Word Count: 383 + 93 postscript
Rating: PG


( There are a lot of candles. )

Title: Lemon balm
’Verse/characters: : Wild Roses, Sebastian du Lac d’Sabaey
Prompt: 053 “Home”
Word Count: 1000
Rating: G
Notes: after Sebastian left his teacher, his father gave him his mother’s house to do with as he wished. It’s a definate ride away from the major city, and as such almost entirely cut off from the politics.


( By the standards of old buildings, this one was barely a blip on the map, built and entrenched only three or four lifetimes ago. )

Title: Catch the Lightnings
’Verse/characters: : Wild Roses, (Giovanni Sabaey)
Prompt: 070: "Storm"
Word Count: 100
Rating: G
Notes: "stories and half-remembered lies."


( Read more... )

Title: Untouchable
’Verse/characters: : Wild Roses, Ruadhan Sabaey, (Donel Sabaey)
Prompt: 010: "Years"
Word Count: 353
Rating: PG



( It was a plain, serviceable spot. )