*One shots

Pretending

Taylor and I were discussing things that might actually happen and this came to mind.

Just to let you guys know, this is after Broken Throne.

Mare watched as the children played in the backyard.

Shade picked up a few sticks that fell from the tree, and held one out to Coriane. "For swords."

She scoffed. "Who needs a sword when I have a gun? Pew pew!" She backed away and did her best imitation of a firing gun.

Shade pretended to deflect the bullets with the stick. "Ha! Your aim cannot match my skill!"

They were completely unaware of their mother's expression.

Coriane held up her left hand while holding the right in the shape of a gun. "I summon lightning to fry you! Ha!"

Shade looked up at the sky. "I don't see lightning." He grinned. "Your powers cannot work on this bloody ground."

Coriane gasped, then glanced at her hand. "Oh no! My lightning is weakening! Good thing I have my gun!" She dropped dramatically onto the ground and positioned her hand.

Shade runs up to her and uses the stick to swat at his sister's hand. "Your gun is gone! Now say your final words."

"Never! I will kill you before the sword hits me!"

The boy shrugged, plopped down on his older sister's stomach, and brought the stick down.

Though Shade was a little on the heavy side, Coriane was stronger, so she pushed him off and they rolled around in the grass to fight for the stick.

When it was out of their grasp, they both stood up, circling each other. When the tension broke, they ran to each other and started throwing fake punches.

This went on for a while, then Coriane backs away to get the discarded stick. She hides from Shade, blending in with the trees, creeps up behind the little boy, afterwards pretending to plunge the "sword" through his heart.

Shade gasps, dropping to his knees, not saying a word.

Coriane gave a wicked grin, but the moment shattered when they heard a screeching.

...

Mare clutched her torso when Shade and Coriane stumbled to her side.

"Mom?"

"Mommy, what's wrong?"

She said nothing, for her voice was stuck in her throat. Instead she cried.

"Shade."

"Yes Mommy?"

"Shade," She only said, releasing a guttural scream.

"Mommy?"

"Mom!"

...

It was one of those rare days when Cal was in a good mood.

He was actually getting a pretty long break from the reconstruction of Norta.

He pulled up into his house when the children came out to see him, but they were crying.

"Dad! Come quick!"

"Mo— Momm— Mommy's not okay!"

His heart dropped and he rushed into the house to find Mare curled up on the floor, sparks flying around her. Not enough to cause injury, but so that whoever came within a five-foot radius would surely be in pain.

But Cal didn't mind. He got down on his knees and held Mare firmly against his chest until she calmed down.

...

Cal sat on the living room couch.

"So can either of you tell me what happened?"

Coriane lowered her head. "We were fighting," she whispered. When her father didn't reply, she continued. "It was just play-fighting. We used sticks and hands, even play-powers, but we didn't hurt each other. And then I got behind Shade, and pretended to put a sword where his heart was." 

The temperature raised by fifteen degrees.

"You were fighting?"

"It was fake—"

"You were fighting. Weren't you?"

"Y-yes."

"What did I tell you both?"

Cal's voice was strangely calm. That was, in Coriane's opinion, the scariest thing she could possibly hear.

"Our mommy has been through a lot, and fighting won't help her cope with it."

Silence passed for a few minutes.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm."

"What did you and Mommy go through?"

Cal fiddled with his flame-maker bracelets, and sighed. "Something very bad."

"Can you tell us?"

He smiled sadly. "Some day, but not right now."

And that does it. It took a long time to write because too many things were happening at once and that's no good for my creativity.

This is the third writer typing, and have a good day🙂