First challenge post
Aug. 1st, 2006 06:37 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
lindskaba.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
kh_drabbleChallenge: [071] Castles
Title: Her Glorious Burden
Word Count: 625 (I knooow, it's long, but I had to work to trim it this much, so I hope it's ok...)
Spoilers: Very mild, if you haven't gotten through Disney Castle in KHII
Notes: I actually wrote this last night, not in response to the prompt but instead a further exploration of my last drabble which has sort of stirred some weird creativity in me. But after looking at it, I thought hey, it works for the challenge. In any case, something you may or may not have seen before: Queen Minnie-centric angst. Don't hate me ♥
When she accepted her role as queen and took up the burden of defending the light, she knew there would be sacrifices.
It's a blur of skirts and clicking heels as she bursts into the castle library, her heart in her throat and the magic on her sleeves. She's done all that she can alone: sealed the Hall, fortified the castle, sent for the heroes - and here she is in an empty room with an empty desk and an empty chair with only the books to accompany her. The door slams behind her and she presses light desperately into it, praying praying praying that her power is enough to keep the darkness at bay for just a little while, until help arrives. But until then it's the room where they used to sit in the evenings - rare solitary time - and pet the dog and trade ideas about history and philosophy and magic until the nighttime claimed them for sleep.
There are no sweet sounds of contentment now, no happy barking, no heart-filled laughter, just the sound of shallow breathing as she strains against the door with every spark of her strength. Dimly she hears darkness erupting outside, and into the dusty air she releases a cry of frustration.
Click click click go the solitary heels as the queen darts to the desk. Parchment goes flying and litters the floor in her frenzy to find a blank sheaf, and in her haste she spills the inkwell, dripping black like blood across the desk's polished white surface. Can't worry about that now; no time, not enough time. She dips a pen in the puddle and begins to write:
Mickey,
An insidious darkness that I cannot identify has descended upon the castle and threatens the Cornerstone of Light. It is dense and swift, and I can feel it overcoming us. I don't know what to do. Please tell me what to do. I need you here. I'm lost without your guidance. Please come back to me -
A tiny gasp halts her scribbling when she realizes with shock that she's been reciting the words aloud. Her voice rings like a tiny bell that's been muffled in fabric and quickly dissipates into the darkness beyond. Gone. Her hand grows unsteady and when she glances back to her work, she discovers fresh tears glazing the page.
With the over-careful movements of one handling glass, the queen places the pen down on the desk, crosses her hands in her lap, and closes her eyes. This is not how you would have me be, is it? she ventures silently as the tears roll down her longish nose and dampen the parchment below. They are the first she's cried for him in all this time, and now she weeps in noble silence, salt spilling oceans over in her dark eyes as she mourns the burden the darkness has pressed upon their shoulders.
In her ears, the Heartless storm the ramparts; their claws scratch at the doors. It's a sound that makes her skin crawl.
It's what motivates her, inevitably, to straighten her shoulders and tighten her grip and whisper words that in their gentleness powerfully resound: "Lend me the strength I need for this. Please."
The queen rises slow and steady - regally - from the desk, tucking away her weakness into the back of her resilient heart. She pores over the books in the towering shelves with eyes like stones, firm in their existence, powerful in their prowess. The sounds of darkness fall on ears gone deaf; she hears only his voice, strong and gentle: Through love, our hearts are connected. I share all of your burdens, both good and bad. I am always with you. Never forget that.
Never again, she affirms silently.
Title: Her Glorious Burden
Word Count: 625 (I knooow, it's long, but I had to work to trim it this much, so I hope it's ok...)
Spoilers: Very mild, if you haven't gotten through Disney Castle in KHII
Notes: I actually wrote this last night, not in response to the prompt but instead a further exploration of my last drabble which has sort of stirred some weird creativity in me. But after looking at it, I thought hey, it works for the challenge. In any case, something you may or may not have seen before: Queen Minnie-centric angst. Don't hate me ♥
When she accepted her role as queen and took up the burden of defending the light, she knew there would be sacrifices.
It's a blur of skirts and clicking heels as she bursts into the castle library, her heart in her throat and the magic on her sleeves. She's done all that she can alone: sealed the Hall, fortified the castle, sent for the heroes - and here she is in an empty room with an empty desk and an empty chair with only the books to accompany her. The door slams behind her and she presses light desperately into it, praying praying praying that her power is enough to keep the darkness at bay for just a little while, until help arrives. But until then it's the room where they used to sit in the evenings - rare solitary time - and pet the dog and trade ideas about history and philosophy and magic until the nighttime claimed them for sleep.
There are no sweet sounds of contentment now, no happy barking, no heart-filled laughter, just the sound of shallow breathing as she strains against the door with every spark of her strength. Dimly she hears darkness erupting outside, and into the dusty air she releases a cry of frustration.
Click click click go the solitary heels as the queen darts to the desk. Parchment goes flying and litters the floor in her frenzy to find a blank sheaf, and in her haste she spills the inkwell, dripping black like blood across the desk's polished white surface. Can't worry about that now; no time, not enough time. She dips a pen in the puddle and begins to write:
Mickey,
An insidious darkness that I cannot identify has descended upon the castle and threatens the Cornerstone of Light. It is dense and swift, and I can feel it overcoming us. I don't know what to do. Please tell me what to do. I need you here. I'm lost without your guidance. Please come back to me -
A tiny gasp halts her scribbling when she realizes with shock that she's been reciting the words aloud. Her voice rings like a tiny bell that's been muffled in fabric and quickly dissipates into the darkness beyond. Gone. Her hand grows unsteady and when she glances back to her work, she discovers fresh tears glazing the page.
With the over-careful movements of one handling glass, the queen places the pen down on the desk, crosses her hands in her lap, and closes her eyes. This is not how you would have me be, is it? she ventures silently as the tears roll down her longish nose and dampen the parchment below. They are the first she's cried for him in all this time, and now she weeps in noble silence, salt spilling oceans over in her dark eyes as she mourns the burden the darkness has pressed upon their shoulders.
In her ears, the Heartless storm the ramparts; their claws scratch at the doors. It's a sound that makes her skin crawl.
It's what motivates her, inevitably, to straighten her shoulders and tighten her grip and whisper words that in their gentleness powerfully resound: "Lend me the strength I need for this. Please."
The queen rises slow and steady - regally - from the desk, tucking away her weakness into the back of her resilient heart. She pores over the books in the towering shelves with eyes like stones, firm in their existence, powerful in their prowess. The sounds of darkness fall on ears gone deaf; she hears only his voice, strong and gentle: Through love, our hearts are connected. I share all of your burdens, both good and bad. I am always with you. Never forget that.
Never again, she affirms silently.
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no subject
Date: 2006-08-01 11:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-03 06:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-02 12:13 am (UTC)A very emotional look at the bond between two characters we rarely see, and about the struggles they face (too often we look at them and see Disney stereotypes, so we don't attribute the same emotions to them that we would to all of the other characters).
Nicely done! :)
no subject
Date: 2006-08-03 06:56 pm (UTC)Oh, thank you! Yeah, I was just discussing with a friend of mine how much potential there is in the Kingdom Hearts series for deep emotion, even though, on the surface, a lot of it seems really fluffy. Glad you enjoyed it :)
Nicely done! :)
*bows* Thank you ♥
no subject
Date: 2006-08-02 07:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-03 06:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-02 08:19 am (UTC)no happy barking, no heart-filled laughter -
this is my favorite phrase - i love the contrast of images of then and now. ♥
no subject
Date: 2006-08-03 06:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-02 05:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-03 06:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-05 03:53 pm (UTC)Love this. Minnie's strengths, her fear, composing herself to face the darkness - and the strength that must take, given that Disney Castle is so utterly peaceful it's probably been a very long time since she's honestly had to face the darkness.
Totally memming this. YAY WELL-WRITTEN DISNEY ANGST.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-05 06:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-08 04:06 pm (UTC)*applauds you for writing such a good drabble*