So here are my written entries for Dalek Week 2014. You can find my drawings on DeviantArt (my user is camelfaging). Please enjoy my crappy writing and review!
Disclaimer: The Leviathan trilogy is the rightful property of our lord and saviour, Scott Westerfeld.
"Deryn Sharp, stop staring out the window and focus!"
Deryn jumped and glanced guiltily at her mother before returning her attention to the piece of fabric in her hands and hastily stabbing the needle through it. She cringed inwardly at her sloppy handiwork and then, quickly flicking her eyes to her mother's disapproving figure, dared to venture, "But Ma, I don't see why I have to stay inside and embroider while Jas gets to—"
"Enough, Deryn!"
Deryn clapped her mouth shut and glared down at the needle grasped in her fingers, angry tears pricking at her eyes. There was a pause, and then:
"Straighten your back, Deryn. You're slouching."
.
"Look at me, Aleksandar!"
Alek broke away from his distracted observation of the ceiling and turned his gaze towards his fencing master, who was leveling him with—well, not exactly a scowl, but perhaps a look of cool disapproval. He tried not to shrink under his stare and focused instead on maintaining his form. He managed it all of ten seconds, arm trembling, before he asked carefully, "But Count, why must I learn fencing? It's hardly a useful—"
"Silence!"
His voice died in his throat and he blinked back the tears that had formed. A few seconds passed, Alek struggling to keep his arm aloft, before:
"Raise your tip, Aleksandar."
Perhaps a few scenes from Alek and Deryn's respective childhoods?
I'd say they're maybe around 10 years old here.