Yuletide! All is revealed!

[vaznetti]

I wrote two stories this year -- one in the main collection, and a Madness ficlet.

The Crown of Hed (6397 words) by Vaznetti
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Riddle-Master Trilogy - Patricia A. McKillip
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Tristan of Hed, Morgon of Hed, Astrin Ymris, Rood of An, Lyraluthuin, Bere of Isig
Summary: When Tristan left Hed, she took her warmest cloak and her second-best dress, and the pieces of jewelry that Bere of Isig had sent to her, one each year since the end of the war.

I love this universe so much! I reread the books pretty much every year, so this story was both delightful and challenging to write. the balance of humor and tragedy is always a hard one, but I was really struck by a comment at the end of the third book, that a third of the farmers of Hed had been killed in the war -- that's a devastating loss, and other parts of the realm must have suffered as much, or even worse. So although the series ends on a peaceful note, it struck me that there was more work to be done here. And Tristan is the person for the job!

I started out with the idea that it was going to be a romance between Bere and Tristan but had to ditch that because it really didn't work for the characters, and because I started to ship Tristan and Rood almost right away. But that was also not the story I wanted to write here; in fact I didn't want Tristan to have a romance at all, although like Morgon that's the story she thinks she's in when she starts her adventure. Actually, in many ways this was a rewriting of the Riddle-Master with Tristan as the man character, and decidedly lower stakes.

One thing I really liked about writing this story, as opposed to other canons I've written for (I'm looking at you, ASOIAF), is that this is a universe with no sexual violence in canon. It made a nice change.

The Unveiling of Form (509 words) by Vaznetti
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Exiles Saga and Galactic Milieu - Julian May
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Marc Remillard | Atoning Unifex
Additional Tags: canonical genocide
Summary: Unifex stands on Molakar, and waits.

I wasn't planning to write anything beyond my main story, but this prompt grabbed me at the last minute and wouldn't let go. I had a huge crush on Marc Remillard when I was a teenager, which may explain it -- but he's also a fascinating character, and this is the moment when he does one of the worst things he does, and in completely cold blood. It must have been difficult for Unifex to stand back and allow everything to happen as it should, in hope that it was better than the alternative.

Comments

[mctabby]

*waves*

Hi! Friending you because Yuletide is such a fine opportunity to add some compatible people. And my flist already includes a handful of Marc Remillard fans.

Happy New Year! :)

[vaznetti]

Hi! I've added you as well. I should warn you that I don't usually post much these days, but I do read my list all the time.

I was re-reading the Pliocine books last summer, and wow is that some crazy worldbuilding. I had completely forgotten how much rape and forced pregnancy are just built in to the whole setup.

[mctabby]

Crazy worldbuilding, indeed! And things only get stranger with anything involving Felice.

More of my thoughts on this fandom: http://mctabby.dreamwidth.org/439181.html

And thanks for adding me back! :D

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

Lovely stories! I also went and read the lone Dunnett fic. One of these years, I should try and get involved in this challenge... the timed writing prompts is what I'm best at. :)

[vaznetti]

You should! Lots of people do it who aren't in fandom the rest of the year. And there are plenty of things nominated that you know really well and could write in. (It isn't really a timed challenge, though, since you usually have nearly a month -- unless you pick up a pinch hit and there's a shorter turnaround time.)

I thought you'd mock me for writing about Marc! ;-)

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

The Julian May books are another example of total memory lapse on my part. I feel like if I were to re-read them, it'd be like reading them for the first time. :)

[vaznetti]

...Are you sure you wouldn't be reading them for the first time? Or no, thinking about it, I'm pretty sure you did read the Pliocene books. But this happens to me, too -- I remember that I've read things like the Belgariad or The Prophet of Lamath, but couldn't tell you more than a character-name or two for the first, and not even that for the second.

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

No, I for sure read them... well, I own them, anyway. Actually, that doesn't necessarily mean I've read them. ;) (eyes the Niccolo books) BUT... no, I did read them, because you liked them so much. And apparently retained none of the content.

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

I've fallen down the Yuletide rabbit hole. :(

[vaznetti]

Reading, or thinking about writing? Because if it's the second, you know you can download the text file of all of the prompts from this year, right? And there's an anonymous discussion community for all your back-biting needs? Or should I not enable you...

At least Yuletide comes but once a year? (But when it comes, it comes a lot...)

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

Reading... after searching the entire archive. The SPN/Lymond crossover... the "Elsa from Frozen is actually a vampire + Elsanna shipping"... Why, god, why!

From gchat:
me: why am I reading this, why?
Vicky: Because you like to be abused by words. :)