Pairing-and-prompt meme

[john_amend_all]

This is the last thing I should be doing, but (memed from thisbluespirit):

Give me a pairing and pick a prompt from this list, and I'll write a drabble/ficlet based on that combination.

1. roaming the forest
2. pretending to be married
3. lowered lashes
4. a lost childhood memory - Jamie / Victoria, clocketpatch
5. middle of the night in a castle - Five / Tegan, thisbluespirit
6. tell me a fable
7. a drop of lilac
8. the dark things you fear
9. entwined at dusk
10. underwater
11. a long time ago
12. blackest night
13. wraith
14. a cruel illusion
15. wicked truths

Comments

[clocketpatch]

I'll bite. Jamie/Victoria for #4?

Jamie / Victoria, a lost childhood memory, 582 words

[john_amend_all]

It was a summer evening, and the funfair was at its busiest. The bustle of the crowd blended with the notes of barrel organs and the cries of fairground barkers. The air was filled with the smells of food, straw and coal smoke.

"How does it feel, being back in your right time?" Jamie asked.

"It isn't quite my right time, but several years prior." Victoria leaned across and adjusted the straw boater that she'd insisted Jamie wear. "I shall have to remember to behave properly. I fear that I must have picked up all kinds of bad habits from you and the Doctor."

"You mean things like wearing trousers?"

"Jamie!" Victoria hastily shushed him. "I beg you, do not mention that here. It would be scandalous!"

"Couldn't have that, could we?" Jamie asked, with a grin.

"We most certainly could— Jamie!" Victoria clutched Jamie's arm sharply. "Over there!"

Jamie tried to work out what she was staring at, but could make out nothing unusual in the throng of people.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I'm sure I saw Miss Mathers." Victoria moved closer to him. "She was my governess when I was a little girl. Yes! Look, the woman in the grey dress."

"She looks nice," Jamie said.

Victoria shuddered. "I thought her so strict. I was terrified of her. But if she's here, that must... oh! Jamie, do you see the girl with her?"

Jamie looked from the frightened child to the blossoming young woman at his side. "She's you?"

"She must be." Victoria shook her head. "Until I saw her I had not the slightest recollection of this fair."

"You knew where the coconut shy was," Jamie pointed out. "And the shooting gallery."

"I did, did I not? But I can hardly believe Miss Mathers would have allowed me to shoot at targets. She would have considered it most improper."

"You can't remember anything else about what happened?" Jamie asked.

"I cannot." Victoria shook her head. "I expect that Miss Mathers found some fault with my behaviour and I was taken home in disgrace and punished. I was a very naughty girl, or so I was often told."

"I canna believe that." Jamie squeezed her hand.

Victoria stiffened, the blood draining from her face. "Jamie, she's coming this way! She'll see us!"

"She'll not know you—" Jamie began. Then, seeing that words would be of no comfort to Victoria in her present state, he pulled her close to him and kissed her. The governess, with a sniff of disapproval, hastily turned and led her young charge away.

"Oh." Victoria, furiously blushing, broke off the kiss.

"I'm sorry." Jamie avoided her eyes. "But you said you didnae want her to see your face, and that's the only way I—"

Victoria put her hand on his shoulder. "You did the right thing, Jamie."

There was a short, awkward pause.

"What d'ye want to do now?" Jamie asked. "There's a man selling chestnuts, or we could go on yon roundabout again."

"No thank you," Victoria said. "It makes me feel dizzy. But... did we not earlier see a sign advertising the Tunnel of Love?"

"That's right," Jamie said. "I asked what it was, and you said it was nothing but an excuse for lewd and wicked behaviour."

"I was only repeating what my governesses told me. I think we should discover the truth for ourselves."

"You're sure?"

Victoria nodded, her eyes sparkling. "It seems that I still am a very naughty girl."

[thisbluespirit]

5. Five/Tegan.

Five / Tegan, middle of the night in a castle, 484 words

[john_amend_all]

"Tegan! Wake up!"

"Whu?" Tegan mumbled. She was being shaken enthusiastically by Gwen, her fellow-prisoner. "Whass going on?"

"Tegan, the castle is under attack! Already the gatehouse has fallen."

Tegan sat up, struggling to make sense of the situation. "You mean someone's come to rescue us?"

"Exactly! And who can it be but Sir Valmors?" Gwen clasped her hands to the bosom of her nightdress. "My true knight in shining armour, come to rescue me. And you, of course."

"Well, he's taken his time about it, that's all I'm saying," Tegan grumbled. With a groan, she got to her feet and peered out of the window. "Doesn't look like he's brought an army or anything. You think he's just come on his own?"

"Is it not romantic? A true hero, prevailing with his mighty blade against unnumbered enemies."

"That's one word for it. Another one's insane. He'll be cut to pieces—" Tegan broke off at the sound of hurrying feet, followed by the rattle of the door being unbolted. The heavy wooden portal swung open.

"Sir Valmors!... oh." Gwen tailed off as she saw the blond, blazer-clad figure standing in the doorway. "Who are you, sir?"

"He's the Doctor," Tegan said. "I should've guessed. One man against a whole castle. It had to be you, didn't it?"

"You mean this is your champion?" Gwen clasped her hands to her bosom again. "Tegan, you never breathed a word! And so handsome a man, too! Were it not that my heart is pledged to Valmors, I believe I would envy you."

"It's not like that," Tegan began, but decided not to bother. "Doctor, where have you been? It's been days!"

"I'll explain as we go," the Doctor said. "First, we need to get the two of you out of here."

"Can't I get my clothes on first?"

"There's no time, I'm afraid."

"Shoes, at least."

The Doctor nodded reluctantly. "Yes, if you're quick about it."

"A midnight escape," Gwen breathed, as Tegan retrieved her shoes from where she'd kicked them off the previous evening. "Such an adventure. Tegan, is this not exciting?"

"Thrilling," Tegan muttered.

"And romantic?"

Tegan folded her arms. "Running around a freezing forest in our nighties?"

"I see." Gwen sounded as if her expectations were about to crash down around her ears. "But this Doctor is your champion?"

"What do you want?" Tegan demanded of her. "Proof?"

"We've really got to be going now," the Doctor said. "The delta-wave broadcast could cut out at any—"

He was cut off as Tegan threw her arms around him and kissed him firmly.

"Ah." Gwen sighed happily. "I see that he truly is."

The Doctor extricated himself from Tegan's embrace. "Come along, now," he said, in a determinedly casual tone of voice that fooled nobody.

As they hurried along the corridor, Tegan permitted herself a private smile. Mills and Boon, eat your hearts out, she thought.

[john_amend_all]

Oh, and I'd have thought number 7 would have been the one for Tegan, since it's obviously describing a purple-uniform-hits-floor moment :-)

[thisbluespirit]

Castles are best! As your fic just proved. :-D