Yuletide reveals

[dolorosa_12]

Yuletide was a bit of a weird one for me this year, for reasons I've explained in other posts.

My gift itself was wonderful — a really good character study of Ban from The Queens of Innis Lear (Tessa Gratton) that dug into a lot of things I particularly enjoy seeing explored in fiction: travel causing people to shed their skin and come to a greater understanding of themselves, bittersweet relationships, and an emphasis on the sky and the natural world.

guiding star (1306 words) by liesmyth
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Queens of Innis Lear - Tessa Gratton
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Ban the Fox (The Queens of Innis Lear)
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Self-Discovery, mentions of Ban/Elia
Summary:

Sometimes a prophecy can be a compass, not a chain.

I wrote four fics this year — my one assignment, and four treats.

Three of the fics were for The Lions of Al-Rassan (Guy Gavriel Kay), and they were all for my assigned recipient, whose prompts just really spoke to me. Unfortunately, for whatever reason they seem to have fallen somewhat flat — either they're just not good, they didn't work for the recipient, or ... I don't know. Anyway, I personally enjoyed writing them and am trying not to feel too cast down about this.

The Hands of New Cartographers (2097 words) by Dolorosa
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Lions of Al-Rassan - Guy Gavriel Kay
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Jehane bet Ishak/Ammar ibn Khairan
Characters: Jehane bet Ishak, Ammar ibn Khairan
Additional Tags: Post-Canon
Summary:

There was a sense that force of will alone was not enough create permanence. Every new shop opened and stocked, every new item bought or created to decorate their houses, every child born in that new city was an act of hope. Slowly, carefully, deliberately, a foothold became a foundation, a spark became a candle flame.

 

 Jehane and Ammar build a new home in Sorenica, and remake themselves in the process.

Like a Ribbon, Unfurling (2230 words) by Dolorosa
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Lions of Al-Rassan - Guy Gavriel Kay
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Jehane bet Ishak, Miranda Belmonte
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Yuletide Treat
Summary:

Miranda and Jehane meet by chance in a marketplace in Padrino, and speculate about how their lives might unfold.

Sirocco (1221 words) by Dolorosa
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Lions of Al-Rassan - Guy Gavriel Kay
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Miranda Belmonte/Rodrigo Belmonte
Characters: Miranda Belmonte, Rodrigo Belmonte
Additional Tags: Yuletide Treat
Summary:

'He's thoughtful and generous and his horses seem to like him. I'd say that's a pretty good sign.'

 

Newly engaged, Miranda and Rodrigo size each other up, and decide they like what they see.

I also wrote one treat for Sunshine (Robin McKinley), and I'm really glad I did — the prompt was a lot of fun, and this fic seems to have resonated with a lot of people.

This marigold run (3037 words) by Dolorosa
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Sunshine - Robin McKinley
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Rae "Sunshine" Seddon, Constantine (Sunshine), Yolande (Sunshine)
Additional Tags: Yuletide Treat, 5+1 Things
Summary:

Five times Con gave Sunshine an object of power, and one time she returned the favour.

What did you write and receive? Is there anything you particularly enjoyed in the collection?