Two Drabbles for Friday ("Keeping Score" and "A Third Pair")

[browngirl]

Things calmed enough for me to write a little.

Disclaimer: Middle Earth is the Professor's, and the fullness thereof.

Title: Keeping Score
Characters/Pairing: Grima Wormtongue and the Royal House of Rohan
Rating: PG
Warnings: violent and probably depressing. Death alluded to.

Author's Note: For the tolkien_weekly "History of Violence" Challenge. Not all violence is physical.



When Grima first sought Eowyn's hand, she blackened his eye, and Theodred and Eomer beat him top to toe for courting their kinswoman. So when his bones knit and his bruises faded Grima sought the wizard's help and struck a bargain.

Now, with a well-chosen word here and an insinuation there Grima has more deaths to his score than either swaggering prince of Rohan. He stands by the doddering king and watches Theodred set off on a fool's errand with too few, too-weary men; Theodred fumes in vain at his father's blankness and departs despairing, while Grima tallies and smiles.

And, in a very very different tone....

Title: A Third Pair
Characters/Pairing: Rosie, Sam, Frodo, and some small Gamgees
Rating: PG at very most.
Warnings: Sap, broken dishes, AU.
Author's note: for both the Sharp[e] and AU challenges of the past two weeks, respectively.
Shoutout: PGY! PGY!


"We'll bring Mam her tea!" Merry and Pippin promptly collided with a crash of crockery and identical screams. Rosie struggled to rise, but her chair was imprudently soft, and Daisy was even heavier than the babe within her. "Sam!" Rosie called, as she fell back and the boys howled.

Then a gentle hand patted Rosie's shoulder, and Frodo took Daisy as Sam helped Rosie up; shortly, the sharp shards were cleared away and the lads kissed and comforted. "It's ever good to have a third pair of hands about," Rosie said gratefully to Frodo, who kissed Daisy's brow and smiled.

Comments

[danachan.livejournal.com]

Oh, ow, that first one hurts.

Also, the second is love, just love.

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

*beam* PGY! PGY!

[lame-pegasus.livejournal.com]

How much you are able to change tone and atmosphere, my dear.

Coldness and despair in the first one, warmth and loving tenderness in the second one, as if to comfort your readers after the chill of Gríma's venom - truly brilliant. Bravo.

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

*blush* Thank you. :) I try. Part of the fun of writing is getting into all these different folks' heads, after all!

[(Anonymous)]

Those drabbles are very effective in conveying a mood.

I especially liked the following three sentences.

"Now, with a well-chosen word here and an insinuation there Grima has more deaths to his score than either swaggering prince of Rohan. "

"Then a gentle hand patted Rosie's shoulder, and Frodo took Daisy as Sam helped Rosie up; shortly, the sharp shards were cleared away and the lads kissed and comforted. "It's ever good to have a third pair of hands about,"

The last one makes me feel warm and comfortable. That's how I like to imagine this trio!

Nimue

P.S. I posted twice. You can erase my first post. It's the same thing but with some typos ...

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Nimue!

[archerlass.livejournal.com]

Grima is so chilling in that first one. Nicely done!
And the second warms me down to my toes. Thank you!

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

*beam* That's why I put these in this order. :D Thank you for telling me so!

[mariole.livejournal.com]

Ew, brutality in the House of Eorl. Grima is an intriguing character, isn't he? Happy weekend!

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

Interesting in the curse sense, all right. Aren't the awful characters fascinating?

[aprilkat.livejournal.com]

What a great example of your versatility, conciseness of style, psychological perceptiveness, and wonderful way of making us FEEL what is going on within the story, whether short or long.

Grima's drabble made me shiver.

The OTT made me smile happily - another model of why we need more triangles!!!

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

*blush* Thank you. :)