Rediscovered on All Hallows Eve

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

To the Waters and the Wild



He still hears their voices, sometimes, at night.

He can hear them now, somewhere beyond the broken window, out in the woods and fallow fields beyond this lonely safehouse. Tonight is All Hallows Eve, after all, and they're celebrating.

Come away.

Doyle shivers and turns aside, burying his face in the pillow, and he sleeps. He dreams of the full moon, fairy rings in the twilight, unearthly music that he knows as well as the beat of his own heart. The voices are still there when he wakes after midnight.

Come away, they plead, come home to us.

But it'll do them no good; he won't go to them.

He made his choices, a long time ago, renounced the power and long life that was his birthright. He cannot now believe that he was ever so young, so reckless as he was then. But the choice was his own, and none could gainsay him. When he left, he did not look back.

He learned quickly how to be human; he adapted. Even the smell of iron no longer troubles him.

Oh, he misses his old life sometimes, especially on nights like these, when clouds cover the moon and a high wild wind shakes the leaves from the trees. But though the temptation is strong, he'll never give in to it.

The choice he made has cost him much--but in turn he gained more than he ever could have hoped.

Come away.

The words drift on a ghost of wind, a cold breeze that slips in through the window's missing pane. Beside Doyle, Bodie stirs and shifts closer to him. Doyle slides an arm around his bare hip to hold him, the touch a reminder of why he stays.

Come home, the voices say.

But he's already found his home.





Title: To the Waters and the Wild
Author: Sarah K
Slash or Gen: Slash
Archive at ProsLib/Circuit: Yes
Disclaimer: I do not own the lads or the Yeats poem I stole for the title.
Notes: A triple drabble (a Tribble!) for the All Hallow's Eve challenge...because it's still Halloween somewhere.

Comments

[squeeful.livejournal.com]

Eee!

Sorry, I'm still dancing that someone remembered about iron.

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

Lol, I do so love that icon.

I...thought the iron thing was pretty well-known? It was a plot-point in Tithe, at least. So don't give me too much credit. ;)

[squeeful.livejournal.com]

I thought you'd like it if I used it. :-)

Oh, it is...if you read fairy stories and not predigested pap. (Or even pap based on fairy stories.) I'm excitable about even little things.

And you're going to have to imagine my edit about tone and feel and wild outside versus warm civilization inside because you replied right before I clicked "add" and thus, that beautifully worded addendum is lost to the virtual ether. Pbbbt! ;-)

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

Ew, pap is such a gross word. I don't even know why. But you? Excitable? I never would have supposed!

Awww, curse my poor timing! Still, the edit I am imagining is lovely--thank you.

Also, I didn't even realize that when I was writing it--so again, don't give me too much credit for it! :D

[squeeful.livejournal.com]

It's those Ps and that flat A, I imagine. Excitable, me? How would you kno---oooh, a bunny!

Pff, of course I'll give you credit for it. Often the unconscious comparison is the best one made.

[tango65.livejournal.com]

Very sweet - thanks!

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm so glad you liked it.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh very sweet - also, Doyle-as-elf fic! Okay, not-elf. Well, not-fairy really, of course, but... either way - hee! *g* Thank you!

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

I was not aware that Doyle-as-elf was a genre! I may have to look into this...

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh yes - for instance here's the Hatstand's list of Prs elf stories (http://hatstand.slashcity.net/lists/au.html#elves). Hmmn, I'm not sure who started that off, actually - perhaps I'll do a question over at the_safehouse for the fandom history page! But it's an old and winced-at tradition... *g* There are more than on that list actually, and some of them on the list without links are online (like the first few parts of Jane's The Hunting, which is literally hundreds and hundreds - thousands I suspect - of pages long) over at Circuit Archive...

My favourites are Arduinna Finn's two stories - though they diverge from the usual slightly... *g*

[mab-browne.livejournal.com]

I don't usually go for the Doyle as elf idea, but this worked for me, with all the human reminders in it.

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for giving this a shot! I had no idea that Doyle-as-elf was such a popular idea. I shall have to do a bit of reading...

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

Oh, I like this! As others have mentioned, I'm not big on Doyle as an elf, but you never really say what he is and that really works. Really, it's more what he's become—and for who, rather than what he was that counts.

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

Thank you for giving it a go, even if you're not fond of the trope. :D I didn't even know it was a trope, until people mentioned it in the comments! I'm so glad that it worked for you, and that you enjoyed it. :)

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

This is beautiful. A very vivid picture you've drawn here with your words of a past life still touching the present. Thank you.

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed it.

(Also, your icon is so perfect for Halloween. *shiver* The Emperor still creeps me out.)

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I aim to creepy out people on Halloween.

BTW, I had no clue Doyle was an elf. I realised he had power and came from some worldly dimension of fantasy though. You did an excellent job since I'm not big on elf stories and yours was hauntingly gorgeous. I don't read much fantasy so I didn't know iron meant anything. *bad kat*

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Wow. Wonderfully atmospheric, you created the pull of it all really well.

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm glad that the atmosphere worked out. :D

[angel-ci5.livejournal.com]

I love that the choice he made has been worth it because he has Bodie... Gorgeous! Thank you!

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! Everything's worth it when he's got Bodie... :)

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

But he's already found his home.
Yes, exactly. *Sighs happily* Nice and eerie and warm all at once! Thank you.

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

Thank you!! I didn't know if I could pull off creepy and cozy at the same time, but I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

This is the first elven Doyle fic I've wittingly read, and you certainly make it appealing, very beautiful and haunting, thank you.

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I had no idea elven-Doyle had been done so often in the past. Nothing new under the sun, I suppose... ;)

[melanieathene.livejournal.com]

You hit just the right tone with this fic. It's eerie and beautiful, and I'm so glad Doyle has found his true home with Bodie.

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm glad that the tone worked out all right. :D

(And oh, the cuddling in your icon!)

[siskiou.livejournal.com]

Aw, Doyle!
I wonder if Bodie has an inkling?

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

I can just hear Doyle confessing everything, and Bodie just laughing. "I already knew you were a 'fairy,' sunshine..." ;)

[magenta-blue.livejournal.com]

Had to just say heeeeeeeeeeeee! at your reply to siskiou! *g*

[magenta-blue.livejournal.com]

Aww, this was very sweet, and had lovely imagery. Thank you!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

So sweet and hauntingly beautiful... and oh my, you made me like an elf story. Wow!

Really lovely, thank you.

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Fae, rather than elven, I think. And a very beautiful fic! Echoes of Arwen Evenstar in LotR/Simarillion (well, OK, she's an elf) and echoes of Irish legend too. Clever allusion and a satisfactory conclusion when he prefers Bodie to all other possibilities. Lovely!