Well...um...ok...
So here I am two years later and I think, "hey it would be a fun thing to
start up that old Gormenghast story again. Oh yes and of course thanks to
my few readers: Octavia, Catcher-in-the-Rye, Cate O'Hara, and most recently
Scarywhit. So here is a small update to hopefully re-inspire. Let me know
what you think. Reviews are good things.
Oh and just so you are aware, the first chapter was written over a few months and I'll try to write when ever I can(
~MayRaven
What Never Was In Gormenghast continued...
Titus waited silently in his sister's rooms for her return. He fumed over what he had witness out in the fields and the memory made him ill. That grotesque embracing poor innocent and simple Fuchsia. The angry young man didn't know what he was going to do to end this unfortunate turn of events, but he knew he would have to do something about it himself. His mother, Countess Groan, would probably ignore the situation until it was too late.
Fuchsia skipped merrily down the corridors leading to her wing of Gormenghast. Her happy tune echoing off stones announcing her arrival. Titus made ready the speech of her dishonour to their family. Fists tight, he took a deep breath as he watched the old oak door creek open. "Lady Fuchsia, you should be ashamed of your actions," he yelled.
Fuchsia stood a moment dumbfounded eyes wide. She glared at her younger brother and her mouth began moving without words as she tried to think of what had meant. Instead of trying to defend herself for something she didn't know she'd done, Fuchsia turned the accusations on Titus.
"What are you doing here?" she asked pointing a harsh finger into Titus' chest. "In my rooms," she continued, "with my things! You've not been here in ages and now you turn up without invitation! How dare you!" she growled circling him.
Titus remained still. He closed his eyes and counted to ten. It would seem that getting through to his sister would be a much more difficult task than he had envisioned. Losing his temper at her now would only get him thrown from her rooms and then it would take weeks before she would face him again. No, Titus had to stay calm no matter how she acted out.
"Well, answer," she prompted.
"I came here because I saw you this afternoon in the mangled arms of that monster," he said in a low monotone voice allowing his eyes to meet hers.
Fuchsia looked Titus over in frustration. Could this be a trick? No, only rational sincerity loomed in her brother's words and expression. He had seen them. She had been caught and now she was afraid.
"That was private!" she cried. "You should not have spied."
Titus remained silent for a moment waiting to see if Fuchsia had anything else to say. But she didn't. Her lips drew into a tense line and her brow furrowed. He could tell her was too emotional to find her words. "Fuchsia, just end it now. I'll have that ghastly man thrown out and you can be happy again."
"Happy? He makes me happy!" she blurted then slapped both hands over her mouth to stop more condemning from coming out.
Titus moved on her, his anger too intense to hold in any longer. "You're talking madness Fuchsia! You can't want Steerpike to touch you, kiss you. He is so below you even the gutters are above him. Don't you see? If you don't cast him out now you'll be just as disgusting and dirty as Steerpike!"
Titus' last words struck Fuchsia to the core. 'Dirty' and 'disgusting'. She could not abide being called such things. The crimson dress crumpled beneath her as Fuchsia dropped to the floor in wailing tears.
"I cannot be those things!" she gasped between fits. "I am Fuchsia, I am Groan," she sobbed. "But I cannot be alone."
"You won't be, sister," Titus said crouching, moving raven strands out of Fuchsia red face. "You can see Doctor Prunesqualor everyday and even I will find time to play with you."
Fuchsia smiled slightly. "You will?" she asked with a touch of child-like fancy. "And we can play in the courtyard and run through the forests?"
Titus rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. All of the things we used to do." If this was what it was going to take Titus was going to do it.
Fuchsia didn't take notice of the reluctance in her brother tone. She clapped her hands and rose to her vanity to check her face. "Good. Now we don't have to send Master Steerpike away. I do still love to hear his stories every now and then."
"No Lady Fuchsia!" Titus scowled at her reflection. "He must go. If not, you must promise me that you will never see him again."
Fuchsia knew that there was no challenging Titus' authority. "Yes, I promise," she swore meeting his eyes in the mirror. "No more shall I ever speak to or secretly see Master Streerpike, unless it is to do with ritual." She paused a moment as Titus took a breath of relief and turned to go. "However," she added, "You must also promise me that you will never from this day on sneak off to be with that wild thing."
Titus was shocked that his simple sister had come up with such a devious ploy to counter his demands. He thought for only a second then agreed and shook Lady Fuchsia's outstretched hand. What else could he do? Well, he hadn't dealt with Steerpike yet. And that was something he looked forward to doing.
TBC...
Oh and just so you are aware, the first chapter was written over a few months and I'll try to write when ever I can(
~MayRaven
What Never Was In Gormenghast continued...
Titus waited silently in his sister's rooms for her return. He fumed over what he had witness out in the fields and the memory made him ill. That grotesque embracing poor innocent and simple Fuchsia. The angry young man didn't know what he was going to do to end this unfortunate turn of events, but he knew he would have to do something about it himself. His mother, Countess Groan, would probably ignore the situation until it was too late.
Fuchsia skipped merrily down the corridors leading to her wing of Gormenghast. Her happy tune echoing off stones announcing her arrival. Titus made ready the speech of her dishonour to their family. Fists tight, he took a deep breath as he watched the old oak door creek open. "Lady Fuchsia, you should be ashamed of your actions," he yelled.
Fuchsia stood a moment dumbfounded eyes wide. She glared at her younger brother and her mouth began moving without words as she tried to think of what had meant. Instead of trying to defend herself for something she didn't know she'd done, Fuchsia turned the accusations on Titus.
"What are you doing here?" she asked pointing a harsh finger into Titus' chest. "In my rooms," she continued, "with my things! You've not been here in ages and now you turn up without invitation! How dare you!" she growled circling him.
Titus remained still. He closed his eyes and counted to ten. It would seem that getting through to his sister would be a much more difficult task than he had envisioned. Losing his temper at her now would only get him thrown from her rooms and then it would take weeks before she would face him again. No, Titus had to stay calm no matter how she acted out.
"Well, answer," she prompted.
"I came here because I saw you this afternoon in the mangled arms of that monster," he said in a low monotone voice allowing his eyes to meet hers.
Fuchsia looked Titus over in frustration. Could this be a trick? No, only rational sincerity loomed in her brother's words and expression. He had seen them. She had been caught and now she was afraid.
"That was private!" she cried. "You should not have spied."
Titus remained silent for a moment waiting to see if Fuchsia had anything else to say. But she didn't. Her lips drew into a tense line and her brow furrowed. He could tell her was too emotional to find her words. "Fuchsia, just end it now. I'll have that ghastly man thrown out and you can be happy again."
"Happy? He makes me happy!" she blurted then slapped both hands over her mouth to stop more condemning from coming out.
Titus moved on her, his anger too intense to hold in any longer. "You're talking madness Fuchsia! You can't want Steerpike to touch you, kiss you. He is so below you even the gutters are above him. Don't you see? If you don't cast him out now you'll be just as disgusting and dirty as Steerpike!"
Titus' last words struck Fuchsia to the core. 'Dirty' and 'disgusting'. She could not abide being called such things. The crimson dress crumpled beneath her as Fuchsia dropped to the floor in wailing tears.
"I cannot be those things!" she gasped between fits. "I am Fuchsia, I am Groan," she sobbed. "But I cannot be alone."
"You won't be, sister," Titus said crouching, moving raven strands out of Fuchsia red face. "You can see Doctor Prunesqualor everyday and even I will find time to play with you."
Fuchsia smiled slightly. "You will?" she asked with a touch of child-like fancy. "And we can play in the courtyard and run through the forests?"
Titus rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. All of the things we used to do." If this was what it was going to take Titus was going to do it.
Fuchsia didn't take notice of the reluctance in her brother tone. She clapped her hands and rose to her vanity to check her face. "Good. Now we don't have to send Master Steerpike away. I do still love to hear his stories every now and then."
"No Lady Fuchsia!" Titus scowled at her reflection. "He must go. If not, you must promise me that you will never see him again."
Fuchsia knew that there was no challenging Titus' authority. "Yes, I promise," she swore meeting his eyes in the mirror. "No more shall I ever speak to or secretly see Master Streerpike, unless it is to do with ritual." She paused a moment as Titus took a breath of relief and turned to go. "However," she added, "You must also promise me that you will never from this day on sneak off to be with that wild thing."
Titus was shocked that his simple sister had come up with such a devious ploy to counter his demands. He thought for only a second then agreed and shook Lady Fuchsia's outstretched hand. What else could he do? Well, he hadn't dealt with Steerpike yet. And that was something he looked forward to doing.
TBC...