Sister Night, Sister Moon Scene
Jun. 21st, 2007 02:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cathschaffstumpI am sending sonyamsipes another story, Sister Night, Sister Moon, for consideration for her anthology for Cat's Scratch Press. She'll only take one, if she takes either, but I had another story that I though might suit. This occurs after our man Ted has performed Romeo and Juliet with Rumor.
Catherine
sonyamsipes another story, Sister Night, Sister Moon, for consideration for her anthology for Cat's Scratch Press. She'll only take one, if she takes either, but I had another story that I though might suit. This occurs after our man Ted has performed Romeo and Juliet with Rumor. Type your cut contents here.
Xiao Ping glided down the grand marble hallway, and entered the room where Rumor sat, scribbling in a giant book with a quill. “Everyone missed you,” said Xiao Ping. “They wanted to congratulate you for your performance last night.”
Rumor’s voice shook slightly. “You are teasing. I shouldn’t have done it. It was a mistake.” She put the quill down on a shelf and placed her hands in her lap.
Xiao Ping shook her head and repeated, “Everyone missed you. They said, ‘Where is Sister Moon?’ or ‘Will Sister Moon become a traveler now, and what will you do in the dreaming all by yourself?’ Everyone wanted to congratulate you on your hidden talent.”
“It should have been you. You are so much better at that sort of thing.”
“I think Galen has an eye for acting ability. So I have heard. Besides, I would not have acted unless the role was Portia. I told him so.”
Rumor’s eyes scanned the page, studiously ignoring Xiao Ping. “I prefer less public work.”
“You are quick to be helpful. It is to your merit.” Xiao Ping moved to the other side of the table, to be in view. “The actor, Romeo, he is asking about you too.”
“Is he?” Rumor glanced up, took up the quill, and dipped its nib in a bottle of ink. The ink sparkled silver and blue as she shook a drop of it onto the blotter.
“Yes. He asked me your name, and where you could be found.”
Rumor’s eyes widened. “They often do that, after. You didn’t tell him?”
“Why?” There was a hint of playfulness in Xiao Ping’s voice.
“Because I—he—” Rumor pushed the sentence out. “I couldn’t see him again. I am a muse. He is a mortal. He might think he is in love with me, when he is merely inspired.”
“What more is love than inspiration?” said Xiao Ping. “The question isn’t how he feels about you. The question is how do you feel about him. I told him nothing, but I told him I would, only if you gave me permission.”
“No,” said Rumor. She returned to scribbling. “You know how I feel about taking advantage of mortals. It will only turn out badly.”
“As you will,” said Xiao Ping. “It was doomed to failure, as you say. He a mortal, you an immortal, never shall the two meet. I believe you have lectured me on this topic before.”
As Xiao Ping walked away, Rumor continued to speak. “I have. In the past, I wish you would have taken my advice.”
“It is as you say,” said Xiao Ping. “Mortals are nothing but difficulty and pain.”
“I know you feel I am too isolated, but I can not risk what you have before.”
“Yes,” said Xiao Ping. “Even though I have loved and lived, my heart has been broken.” She stopped at the doorway.
“You have cried before, and then again, you do the same thing. I don’t understand that you risk love again and again. For what?”
“I am a flawed creature,” said Xiao Ping. “Perhaps someone as flawed as I could comfort your Romeo? No, that would be too much to hope. Still, I will try, for his sake.”
Silence swelled between them. Xiao Ping counted to five. “Yes,” said Rumor.
“I am glad you agree,” said Xiao Ping.
“I mean, yes, I will see him,” said Rumor. “I have changed my mind. Yes.”
Xiao Ping smiled as she left the room, her silks rustling and Rumor’s quill scribbling.
Xiao Ping glided down the grand marble hallway, and entered the room where Rumor sat, scribbling in a giant book with a quill. “Everyone missed you,” said Xiao Ping. “They wanted to congratulate you for your performance last night.”
Rumor’s voice shook slightly. “You are teasing. I shouldn’t have done it. It was a mistake.” She put the quill down on a shelf and placed her hands in her lap.
Xiao Ping shook her head and repeated, “Everyone missed you. They said, ‘Where is Sister Moon?’ or ‘Will Sister Moon become a traveler now, and what will you do in the dreaming all by yourself?’ Everyone wanted to congratulate you on your hidden talent.”
“It should have been you. You are so much better at that sort of thing.”
“I think Galen has an eye for acting ability. So I have heard. Besides, I would not have acted unless the role was Portia. I told him so.”
Rumor’s eyes scanned the page, studiously ignoring Xiao Ping. “I prefer less public work.”
“You are quick to be helpful. It is to your merit.” Xiao Ping moved to the other side of the table, to be in view. “The actor, Romeo, he is asking about you too.”
“Is he?” Rumor glanced up, took up the quill, and dipped its nib in a bottle of ink. The ink sparkled silver and blue as she shook a drop of it onto the blotter.
“Yes. He asked me your name, and where you could be found.”
Rumor’s eyes widened. “They often do that, after. You didn’t tell him?”
“Why?” There was a hint of playfulness in Xiao Ping’s voice.
“Because I—he—” Rumor pushed the sentence out. “I couldn’t see him again. I am a muse. He is a mortal. He might think he is in love with me, when he is merely inspired.”
“What more is love than inspiration?” said Xiao Ping. “The question isn’t how he feels about you. The question is how do you feel about him. I told him nothing, but I told him I would, only if you gave me permission.”
“No,” said Rumor. She returned to scribbling. “You know how I feel about taking advantage of mortals. It will only turn out badly.”
“As you will,” said Xiao Ping. “It was doomed to failure, as you say. He a mortal, you an immortal, never shall the two meet. I believe you have lectured me on this topic before.”
As Xiao Ping walked away, Rumor continued to speak. “I have. In the past, I wish you would have taken my advice.”
“It is as you say,” said Xiao Ping. “Mortals are nothing but difficulty and pain.”
“I know you feel I am too isolated, but I can not risk what you have before.”
“Yes,” said Xiao Ping. “Even though I have loved and lived, my heart has been broken.” She stopped at the doorway.
“You have cried before, and then again, you do the same thing. I don’t understand that you risk love again and again. For what?”
“I am a flawed creature,” said Xiao Ping. “Perhaps someone as flawed as I could comfort your Romeo? No, that would be too much to hope. Still, I will try, for his sake.”
Silence swelled between them. Xiao Ping counted to five. “Yes,” said Rumor.
“I am glad you agree,” said Xiao Ping.
“I mean, yes, I will see him,” said Rumor. “I have changed my mind. Yes.”
Xiao Ping smiled as she left the room, her silks rustling and Rumor’s quill scribbling.
Catherine