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Advent Fic Calendar Day 3
Title: Kindling
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
novindalf
Fandom: Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire
Characters/Pairings: Eddard Stark, Catelyn Tully; Cat/Ned
Word count: 1,264 words
Rating: K
Warnings/Spoilers: Non-explicit sex, no spoilers (pre-series fic)
Summary: The wedding night. I've read a few Cat/Ned wedding night fics where the fire between them is instantly lit and burns ferociously from the start, and I wanted to write something slightly less fairytale. I didn't feel I could write this quite as dutiful as Catelyn recalls in the books without making it sound wooden, so hopefully I reached a compromise by depicting it as the stirring of what later becomes a strong and fierce relationship.
She’s thrust into a guest chamber with all the ceremony of a septon’s service and none of the restraint. The men are more controlled now they’ve deposited her before her lord husband, but there’s still the odd over-eager hand groping at her breasts or arse. Lord Eddard, she notes, looks as uncomfortable as she feels, subtly avoiding the ‘ladies’ pawing at him drunkenly. Though she has been wed to him less than an eve she frowns at them slightly.
Encouraged by Lord Eddard the revellers eventually depart – not without their fair share of bawdy japes and catcalls – and husband and wife are left alone for the first time. Catelyn fights the urge to conceal her nakedness as they look at one another across the room, and near jumps out of her skin when he suddenly starts toward her.
“They did not scare you?” he asks. She shakes her head. “Only your sister seemed...”
“Lysa is younger than I,” Catelyn replies. And now wed to a man much older. Jon Arryn seemed kind enough, but Lysa was just a girl, her head filled with songs and stories, and the elderly Lord of the Eyrie was no brave young knight.
“Jon will be a good husband to her,” Lord Eddard continues, as if he has guessed at her thoughts. “As I hope to be to you.” He reaches out to take her hands in his and looks her keenly in the eye. “My lady, I know that I am not the husband you thought to have,” he begins, and Catelyn is not quite sure what to say.
“My lord, I am sure I will be very happy-” she ventures, but he cuts her off.
“That is not what I meant,” he says, not unkindly, “and there is no need for false pleasantries between us, however well-intended. I mean that you have always thought you would wed my brother, and I know that it must be hard for you to now be wed to someone else so suddenly.” Catelyn is struck by the grief in his voice as he speaks of his brother, and how he troubles to comfort her when it is he who suffers the most. “I only wish to assure you that I will do my best to ensure your comfort and your happiness, and I will try to be a good husband to you.”
His words have the air of duty about them, but she is touched nonetheless. She squeezes his hands gently, and for a moment they forget where they are why they are here.
Then it becomes uncomfortably apparent and they drop hands and look away quickly. Ned clears his throat awkwardly. “Can I offer you a drink?” he asks, gesturing vaguely to the table. “Some wine, perhaps?”
Catelyn nods. “That would be nice.” It is only delaying the inevitable, but now the moment is nearing and her nerve wavering, perhaps some fortification would not go amiss.
“Why don’t you sit down?” Ned suggests, sensing her anxiety.
The imposing bed in the middle of the room is the only place to sit, and he realises this a second too late. Grateful that the dim light obscures his mortified expression he hurriedly tries to cover it up, but to his relief she nods and perches on the elaborate covers before he can stumble any further. He quickly pours out two generous goblets and then takes a seat next to her as they both drink their fill.
Once again Ned finds himself suppressing his embarrassment as duty and honour demands something else of him. “Catelyn, I understand that your lady mother died several years ago...” he begins.
Cat suspects she knows why he has brought up the subject so suddenly and swiftly intervenes. “My lord, please, you needn’t worry. I...” she hesitates, wondering how to phrase it. “I understand what must be done – what we must do – what is my-our-duty...” she trails off awkwardly, relieves when he nods his understanding.
“Very well, he says brusquely, and clears his throat. “Mayhaps we should...”
Catelyn nods, taking their goblets and setting them both aside before turning back to him. Gently he leans her back until she is resting against the pillows and then positions himself so he hovers above her. He presses his lips to hers almost shyly, and she can feel their slightly rough texture as then he kisses her more firmly. It is still more reserved than the times Brandon kissed her – but no, she mustn’t think of that now, mustn’t let ghosts crowd their marriage.
His hand at her waist is hesitant, almost as if anticipating rejection, and she realises her husband is almost as anxious as she is right now. When he ends their kiss to appraise her expression she smiles shy encouragement at him, her lord husband who neither expected his lordship, nor this marriage, and finds herself blushing a little as he reaches up to brush a stray lock of hair from her face.
Are you alright? his face seems to ask, and she nods her reply, timidly reaching up to cup his cheek in her palm. This time when their lips meet it is less reserved, more practised, as if they are already starting to learn their way around each other’s bodies, and she scarcely jumps when his hand reaches up to her breast.
His palm is callused from handling swords and warm from the heat of the room, and she arches into his touch even as his lips against hers force her head back to the pillows. Emboldened by her encouragement he cups her breast and squeezes it gently, and then snakes his hand down to cup and squeeze her arse too. She jumps at that, and then again when she feels his hardness press against her thigh. She falls back against the bed, blushing furiously. She opens her mouth as if to say something, then firmly clamps it shut again.
He considers prolonging her embarrassment, endearing as it is, but his need persuades him otherwise. “You know what that means?” he asks gently, anxious not to frighten her. She nods quickly, avoiding his gaze. He exhales, his breath warm against her cheek. “Catelyn...”
She turns to face him slowly. “Eddard,” she replies, her shyness returned.
His hand caresses her waist. “Ned,” he corrects as she bites her lower lip anxiously, and then kisses her softly until he coaxes a smile out of her again.
“Ned,” she repeats with a whisper, her eyes soft and trusting.
“Are you ready?” he asks.
She nods, and kisses him in reassurance, and slowly he slides himself forwards, and though there is some pain at first it is neither as acute nor as prolonged as she had been led to believe. By the time Ned spills his seed there is a strange ache building insider her which is little and less to do with pain with each of his thrusts. He shudders his release against her and when he withdraws she feels almost forlorn as the sensation ebbs away, but the shy smile that tugs at Ned’s lips and the way his fingers absently dance across her stomach reassure her that there will be ample opportunity in future.
He rolls off her and onto his side, tugging her back against him and tucking his chin over her shoulder, and they remain still for some time.
“Good night, Catelyn,” he eventually whispers, sleep settling over them both.
She shakes her head drowsily. “Cat,” she corrects softly.
He nuzzles at her neck. “Cat,” he repeats, and she hums contentedly in her husband’s arms.
Sorry for getting so behind on these fics! I am working on getting back up to date, so hopefully I will have actually caught up by the 25th... =P As always feel free to prompt/request a fic here!
Author:
novindalfFandom: Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire
Characters/Pairings: Eddard Stark, Catelyn Tully; Cat/Ned
Word count: 1,264 words
Rating: K
Warnings/Spoilers: Non-explicit sex, no spoilers (pre-series fic)
Summary: The wedding night. I've read a few Cat/Ned wedding night fics where the fire between them is instantly lit and burns ferociously from the start, and I wanted to write something slightly less fairytale. I didn't feel I could write this quite as dutiful as Catelyn recalls in the books without making it sound wooden, so hopefully I reached a compromise by depicting it as the stirring of what later becomes a strong and fierce relationship.
She’s thrust into a guest chamber with all the ceremony of a septon’s service and none of the restraint. The men are more controlled now they’ve deposited her before her lord husband, but there’s still the odd over-eager hand groping at her breasts or arse. Lord Eddard, she notes, looks as uncomfortable as she feels, subtly avoiding the ‘ladies’ pawing at him drunkenly. Though she has been wed to him less than an eve she frowns at them slightly.
Encouraged by Lord Eddard the revellers eventually depart – not without their fair share of bawdy japes and catcalls – and husband and wife are left alone for the first time. Catelyn fights the urge to conceal her nakedness as they look at one another across the room, and near jumps out of her skin when he suddenly starts toward her.
“They did not scare you?” he asks. She shakes her head. “Only your sister seemed...”
“Lysa is younger than I,” Catelyn replies. And now wed to a man much older. Jon Arryn seemed kind enough, but Lysa was just a girl, her head filled with songs and stories, and the elderly Lord of the Eyrie was no brave young knight.
“Jon will be a good husband to her,” Lord Eddard continues, as if he has guessed at her thoughts. “As I hope to be to you.” He reaches out to take her hands in his and looks her keenly in the eye. “My lady, I know that I am not the husband you thought to have,” he begins, and Catelyn is not quite sure what to say.
“My lord, I am sure I will be very happy-” she ventures, but he cuts her off.
“That is not what I meant,” he says, not unkindly, “and there is no need for false pleasantries between us, however well-intended. I mean that you have always thought you would wed my brother, and I know that it must be hard for you to now be wed to someone else so suddenly.” Catelyn is struck by the grief in his voice as he speaks of his brother, and how he troubles to comfort her when it is he who suffers the most. “I only wish to assure you that I will do my best to ensure your comfort and your happiness, and I will try to be a good husband to you.”
His words have the air of duty about them, but she is touched nonetheless. She squeezes his hands gently, and for a moment they forget where they are why they are here.
Then it becomes uncomfortably apparent and they drop hands and look away quickly. Ned clears his throat awkwardly. “Can I offer you a drink?” he asks, gesturing vaguely to the table. “Some wine, perhaps?”
Catelyn nods. “That would be nice.” It is only delaying the inevitable, but now the moment is nearing and her nerve wavering, perhaps some fortification would not go amiss.
“Why don’t you sit down?” Ned suggests, sensing her anxiety.
The imposing bed in the middle of the room is the only place to sit, and he realises this a second too late. Grateful that the dim light obscures his mortified expression he hurriedly tries to cover it up, but to his relief she nods and perches on the elaborate covers before he can stumble any further. He quickly pours out two generous goblets and then takes a seat next to her as they both drink their fill.
Once again Ned finds himself suppressing his embarrassment as duty and honour demands something else of him. “Catelyn, I understand that your lady mother died several years ago...” he begins.
Cat suspects she knows why he has brought up the subject so suddenly and swiftly intervenes. “My lord, please, you needn’t worry. I...” she hesitates, wondering how to phrase it. “I understand what must be done – what we must do – what is my-our-duty...” she trails off awkwardly, relieves when he nods his understanding.
“Very well, he says brusquely, and clears his throat. “Mayhaps we should...”
Catelyn nods, taking their goblets and setting them both aside before turning back to him. Gently he leans her back until she is resting against the pillows and then positions himself so he hovers above her. He presses his lips to hers almost shyly, and she can feel their slightly rough texture as then he kisses her more firmly. It is still more reserved than the times Brandon kissed her – but no, she mustn’t think of that now, mustn’t let ghosts crowd their marriage.
His hand at her waist is hesitant, almost as if anticipating rejection, and she realises her husband is almost as anxious as she is right now. When he ends their kiss to appraise her expression she smiles shy encouragement at him, her lord husband who neither expected his lordship, nor this marriage, and finds herself blushing a little as he reaches up to brush a stray lock of hair from her face.
Are you alright? his face seems to ask, and she nods her reply, timidly reaching up to cup his cheek in her palm. This time when their lips meet it is less reserved, more practised, as if they are already starting to learn their way around each other’s bodies, and she scarcely jumps when his hand reaches up to her breast.
His palm is callused from handling swords and warm from the heat of the room, and she arches into his touch even as his lips against hers force her head back to the pillows. Emboldened by her encouragement he cups her breast and squeezes it gently, and then snakes his hand down to cup and squeeze her arse too. She jumps at that, and then again when she feels his hardness press against her thigh. She falls back against the bed, blushing furiously. She opens her mouth as if to say something, then firmly clamps it shut again.
He considers prolonging her embarrassment, endearing as it is, but his need persuades him otherwise. “You know what that means?” he asks gently, anxious not to frighten her. She nods quickly, avoiding his gaze. He exhales, his breath warm against her cheek. “Catelyn...”
She turns to face him slowly. “Eddard,” she replies, her shyness returned.
His hand caresses her waist. “Ned,” he corrects as she bites her lower lip anxiously, and then kisses her softly until he coaxes a smile out of her again.
“Ned,” she repeats with a whisper, her eyes soft and trusting.
“Are you ready?” he asks.
She nods, and kisses him in reassurance, and slowly he slides himself forwards, and though there is some pain at first it is neither as acute nor as prolonged as she had been led to believe. By the time Ned spills his seed there is a strange ache building insider her which is little and less to do with pain with each of his thrusts. He shudders his release against her and when he withdraws she feels almost forlorn as the sensation ebbs away, but the shy smile that tugs at Ned’s lips and the way his fingers absently dance across her stomach reassure her that there will be ample opportunity in future.
He rolls off her and onto his side, tugging her back against him and tucking his chin over her shoulder, and they remain still for some time.
“Good night, Catelyn,” he eventually whispers, sleep settling over them both.
She shakes her head drowsily. “Cat,” she corrects softly.
He nuzzles at her neck. “Cat,” he repeats, and she hums contentedly in her husband’s arms.
Sorry for getting so behind on these fics! I am working on getting back up to date, so hopefully I will have actually caught up by the 25th... =P As always feel free to prompt/request a fic here!
no subject
I've never heard of Mary Hoffman before what is the Stravaganze series about? So she originally posted it on ff.net and then published it is that why she had it linked there? I admit I prefer reading tales on lj now myself too its easier to sift through the comms than going through a bunch of stories on ff.net to find stuff on characters you enjoy etc (well for the rare fandoms anyways).
HAHA I'm the same way to me Robin/Marian's relationship was more childish like young teen love by contrast Guy is more what a woman would want in a relationship. He just comes across to me as being more mature...Same with Isabella/Robin she seems to help him grow up just as Guy helps Marian grow too...I think thats why I prefer them with the Gisbornes myseld ^^;
Oh yes please!! I'm still trying to muster up the nerve right now ihave an outline for a story but I've yet to bite the bullet and do it *crosses fingers* hopefully soon!
no subject
The series is about a group of people (the Stravagante) who time-space travel between modern-day London and a parallel version of 16th-century Italy (called 'Talia') where things are basically the same as 16thC Italy but a bit different (silver is valued over gold, what we might call magic they would call science and vice versa). The head of the ruling family of about half of Talia (the country is divided into 12 city-states, a bit like Italy itself was at the time, each with a head of state - usually either a Prince or Duke, but one has a Duchessa and at least one a Governor, the two latter of whom are elected - and the di Chimici family rule/have ties with 6/12 of those states and seek to conquer the rest) are fiercely opposed to the Stravagante (partly because they believe what they can do i.e. time-travel and some of what we'd call magic like being able to cast glamours over people,although they don't actually know what the Stravagante can do for sure so it's more fear of the unknown, but also partly because they covet the Stravagante's gifts for themselves and their family) and are essentially the 'baddies' of the series, but some of the di Chimici turn out to less 2-D baddies than that (really it's only the head of the family and a couple of his sons who are so against the Stravagante, but because of the power and influence they wield the rest of the country is very sceptical about them). Anyway, I think it's a surprisingly complex series in spite of it being YA :)
The main problem I have with reading fic on LJ is that not everyone posts here. I know not everyone posts on FF either (or even on AO3 or DreamWidth), but FF does have a much wider selection of fics for almost all the fandoms I'm in (with the exception of A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones - LJ takes the biscuit there). It does take a while to sieve out the silt, and it's annoying that you can only label each story with two characters and two genres, but overall I find it easier to read masses of fic on than LJ. That said, I much prefer LJ's format, and interactivity.
I'm not sure I see Isabella as helping Robin to grow up (IMO it's Marian's death that really does that =/) - personally I see their relationship as a far more volatile and destructive power, but nonetheless fascinating to watch. I see Isabella's primary goal being power, not a relationhip (except as a means to power - like how she interacts with Prince John), and I can't imagine her choosing a relationship with Robin over a position of power (especially not when one so definitely means the lack of another - Robin being an outlaw, and Robin being so opposed to those in power). Interestingly, I think the only way Isabella could have gotten almost everything she wanted was if she and Guy had worked together; she'd have had his apology, trust and forgiveness (provided she didn't muck it up), power (perhaps not of her own, but certainly power-by-association), and a meaningful relationship with another human being (admittedly not romantic, but I think it's not necessarily romance she's after - more someone she can be close to and trust, like she once did Guy).
Sounds great! Are you familiar with FF.net's Document Exchange (DocX) feature? I find it's the most convinent way to beta-read :)
no subject
This does sound like a good series it sounds a little bit like GOT in that there is that sense tha tnothing and no one are what they seem. Ooh so do some of the Di Chimici take a path of redemption so to speak? Hmm I think I might check this out one day...Sounds like it would be interesting.
Yeah that's just the problem with LJ and its hard some times to find tales because the accounts have been removed or the comms they were posted at are closed or what have you...Dreamwidth I haven't posted there in years! I remember when it first came out gosh...The good thing too with FF.net is that you can opt to pick your characters that you want to read about though like you said I wish there was an option for more than two characters and the genres...
I guess when you put it like that I can see how it would never work between them. I like to think if things had gone differently Robin would have mellowed her out and she would have helped open his eyes from his naive take. Mind you its hard to say I've only gotten into this fandom so there are a lot of nuances I've most likely missed *blushes* Im' so disappointed that Guy never did give her the apology she so badly needed, or that their relationship turned sour so quickly =/ I would have loved to see the two of them as powerhouse siblings kicking ass and taking names so to speak. After all she's endured she really could use a friend someone who understands and who will have her back no matter what...
No I've never used that before how does it work? You just link your beta to the saved doc and they can read it too?