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Literature Text
Deryn slumped down into the weathered chair, defeated. Her filthy midshipman uniform clung to her body with sweat, taking some distraction from the hot embarrassment she felt flooding through her veins at the moment.
"And I don't ever-" her mother's voice screeched with fury, her plump face turning a ruddy color with anger to match her daughter's.
"Ma, this is my passion! Ever since Da died- " Deryn sputtered out.
"No. Don't you say a word, young lady. Passion has nothing to do with it! A young woman such as yourself doesn't go hop on some warship and come back like… like… this!" Mrs. Sharp vigorously waved her flour-stained palms in Deryn's direction, and Deryn could do nothing but hang her head in shame.
Another set of eyes had been watching this scene, taking in the childish bickering. The brunette knew better than to get between a mother and her offspring, so he forced himself not to make a sound and drew himself to the farthest corner of the table.
"Why can't you just accept my choices? You're my mother! A mother should respect her children's aspirations, no matter how strange they might be to her!" Her voice squeaked, a sure sign of the panic rising in her chest.
Her mother grimaced and spat out venomously, "No, Deryn. You've never been a child of mine."
That hurt more than fifty blows to the back. Tears viciously ripped at her eyelashes, a barricade in itself. They ran free down her smooth cheeks and burned at her skin. Another round of embarrassment danced on her tender face as the room was silent and her hics and restrained sobs filled the room. Through blurred vision, Deryn glanced up at her mother.
Who was still looking down upon her with shrewd disapproval.
The young soldier's muscles tensed and began to quit operating from shock, making her plummet to the ground. Her choppy, sandy hair flew into her eyes, blocking the world from view. Deryn squeezed her eyes shut to prepare for fireworks of pain, but nothing came. Only a pleasant warmth that gently helped her to her feet.
Alek.
His austere face was clouded with worry, she could see, as his emerald gaze searched her face. Deryn's slender hands desperately gripped the collars of his tattered coat and willed herself to breathe.
Oh, how she wanted to leave. There was nothing more that she wanted than to flee her mother's gaze that scorned her so. Deryn buried her face, still damp with strong but silent tears, into Alek's chest and breathed in deeply. The ever-present sweet stench of machinery and tea lingered on his body, which calmed her down significantly.
She dared to peer over to her mother, who stood there, confused and impatient.
Might as well explain, Deryn thought.
Deryn looked up at Alek, who carefully brushed the hair from her eyes and planted a swift kiss on her forehead.
She gave him a weak smile. She could face countless armed soldiers, furious boffins, and a sinister count, but not her own mother? Confusion welled up inside of her.
Deryn slowly broke from Alek's grasp and faced her mother, taking a shaky breath.
"I met a boy, Ma."
Mrs. Sharp's gaze was suspicious. "Aye, I gathered that, missy."
"I… I found him while serving on the Leviathan. Well, he found me, rather. My bum was freezing-" Deryn began to trail off subject, her mind focused on how the widow would take the news.
The mother cut Deryn off, a threatening thought erupting in her mind. "Wait a second – who... is this boy?"
Alek encouragingly smiled and nodded his consent, tenderly wiping his best friend's hot tears from her eyelids with his strong thumb.
"Ma... I'd like you to meet Prince Aleksander Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. We're getting married."
"And I don't ever-" her mother's voice screeched with fury, her plump face turning a ruddy color with anger to match her daughter's.
"Ma, this is my passion! Ever since Da died- " Deryn sputtered out.
"No. Don't you say a word, young lady. Passion has nothing to do with it! A young woman such as yourself doesn't go hop on some warship and come back like… like… this!" Mrs. Sharp vigorously waved her flour-stained palms in Deryn's direction, and Deryn could do nothing but hang her head in shame.
Another set of eyes had been watching this scene, taking in the childish bickering. The brunette knew better than to get between a mother and her offspring, so he forced himself not to make a sound and drew himself to the farthest corner of the table.
"Why can't you just accept my choices? You're my mother! A mother should respect her children's aspirations, no matter how strange they might be to her!" Her voice squeaked, a sure sign of the panic rising in her chest.
Her mother grimaced and spat out venomously, "No, Deryn. You've never been a child of mine."
That hurt more than fifty blows to the back. Tears viciously ripped at her eyelashes, a barricade in itself. They ran free down her smooth cheeks and burned at her skin. Another round of embarrassment danced on her tender face as the room was silent and her hics and restrained sobs filled the room. Through blurred vision, Deryn glanced up at her mother.
Who was still looking down upon her with shrewd disapproval.
The young soldier's muscles tensed and began to quit operating from shock, making her plummet to the ground. Her choppy, sandy hair flew into her eyes, blocking the world from view. Deryn squeezed her eyes shut to prepare for fireworks of pain, but nothing came. Only a pleasant warmth that gently helped her to her feet.
Alek.
His austere face was clouded with worry, she could see, as his emerald gaze searched her face. Deryn's slender hands desperately gripped the collars of his tattered coat and willed herself to breathe.
Oh, how she wanted to leave. There was nothing more that she wanted than to flee her mother's gaze that scorned her so. Deryn buried her face, still damp with strong but silent tears, into Alek's chest and breathed in deeply. The ever-present sweet stench of machinery and tea lingered on his body, which calmed her down significantly.
She dared to peer over to her mother, who stood there, confused and impatient.
Might as well explain, Deryn thought.
Deryn looked up at Alek, who carefully brushed the hair from her eyes and planted a swift kiss on her forehead.
She gave him a weak smile. She could face countless armed soldiers, furious boffins, and a sinister count, but not her own mother? Confusion welled up inside of her.
Deryn slowly broke from Alek's grasp and faced her mother, taking a shaky breath.
"I met a boy, Ma."
Mrs. Sharp's gaze was suspicious. "Aye, I gathered that, missy."
"I… I found him while serving on the Leviathan. Well, he found me, rather. My bum was freezing-" Deryn began to trail off subject, her mind focused on how the widow would take the news.
The mother cut Deryn off, a threatening thought erupting in her mind. "Wait a second – who... is this boy?"
Alek encouragingly smiled and nodded his consent, tenderly wiping his best friend's hot tears from her eyelids with his strong thumb.
"Ma... I'd like you to meet Prince Aleksander Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. We're getting married."
Literature
Vocabulary
High in a tree, the former Prince of Austria-Hungary and the much decorated Midshipman Deryn Sharp were having an interesting discussion. At the very least, the discussion was interesting to Bovril. To the humans, and especially to Alek, it was merely some exellent end of the day banter; an old past-time for the pair. He was feeling especially tired today, and was especially glad when Deryn had suggested a trip to the park.
Working for Dr. Barlow was hard work, especially since now he had to alternate between being a diplomat-slash-spy and a translation machine. Who knew how many Darwinists had written old manuscripts in one of the many lang
Literature
Sleep Detail(s)
The former Prince of Austria-Hungary feels incredibly lucky. At the end of a very long day, he is curled up in bed next to the most wonderful person he knows. With his face right close against hers in their darkened bedroom, he can just make out some freckles and the sweep of her pale blonde eyelashes. Her breathing is deep and even. She almost always falls asleep before he does. He sometimes likes to pretend it's because he has more on his mind than she does, but he knows that isn't really true. She's as much of a tactician as he is. She's got plenty to look back on with terror, too.
It's been a problem for both of them lately, sleeping sou
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This is what listening to Florence + the Machine on repeat did to me as I was doing my homework....
Forgive the writing - I was up late typing away. I know it's probably not that great, but I decided to submit it anyway.
Although we've never really seen Mrs. Sharp, I didn't like her much from the start. So, I kind of gave her a malicious side in this story. But I'd expect she'd be angry, as her daughter just ran away for a few years.
My first deviantation and fanfiction!
Hope you enjoy.
All characters belong to Scott Westerfeld, Leviathan
Forgive the writing - I was up late typing away. I know it's probably not that great, but I decided to submit it anyway.
Although we've never really seen Mrs. Sharp, I didn't like her much from the start. So, I kind of gave her a malicious side in this story. But I'd expect she'd be angry, as her daughter just ran away for a few years.
My first deviantation and fanfiction!
Hope you enjoy.
All characters belong to Scott Westerfeld, Leviathan
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