Mercy

[ladyjanelly]

Just something I wrote to clear my head a little from the large fic i'm working on.

BDS with a sort of PotC feel?  Some weird thing that wanted to be written tonight.

 

Not in the mood to write a warning.  PG-13, maybe R. Death.  

 

 

 

The ropes are hemp, rough around his wrists and so tight that he can no longer feel his fingers.

The nooses are secured, first around his brother's throat and then his own. The priest of the town looks on.  The night before they had asked for last rites, and been told that they could only receive the sacrament if they would say that the voice that had guided them for five long years had been that of the devil. This they could not do, so now they face death unconfessed.

Sweat stings his skin where the rope had brushed his face as it went over his head. The tropical sun burns down, and he tastes salt when he licks his lips.

His head turns. His eyes meet those of his brother. Sorrow. Acceptance. He wishes he was as strong in his courage and his faith.

It takes all that he has, all that he is, to not scream at the injustice of this day, to not cry out for mercy or vengeance.

The hangman adjusts the rope, taking up the slack. The knot rests tight behind his ear. The trapdoor under his feet creaks in anticipation, the bastard thing.

An English officer, some ponce in a big hat and curled wig is reading a list of their crimes. Murder. Corruption. Sodomy and more.

"Have you any last words?"

"Aye."

He watches as his brother speaks, grateful that one of them has found his voice.

"Whosoever shall spill man's blood, by man shall his blood be spilled." The words have the ring of a biblical passage. The voice that speaks them is strong, sure. A murmur goes through the crowd as people try to understand if that means they accept their fate, or if a man on the scaffold has just threatened the lives of his executioners.

He has never been so proud in his life.

Something more than sweat burns his eyes but he will not look away from the only person here who matters.

In the corners of his vision he can see the official step away and gesture with his hand.

He steels himself to not cry out, to not shame his brother or his family name with a last show of cowardice.

He sees, in those blue eyes, the very moment when the planks beneath his brother's feet fall away.

"Murph!" is the last word to pass through his brother's throat before the merciful knot snaps his neck.

And then Murphy too is falling. Just before he hit the end of the rope he smiles, knowing that whatever their fate, Connor will be there. Waiting. As always.

He stops falling.

He will not be alone for long.

Comments

[bookofnicodemus.livejournal.com]

*hiccupping sob*

That was... that was just... an excellent bit of storytelling, actually. I loved the gritty, rough feel of the piece, very down to earth and dirty, very brutal. Immersed me in the moment from the first word to the last. I was surprised when my neck didn't snap at the end.

I AM FOR TO BE THE LIKING.

Oh noes! Not only has BDS escaped into Middle Earth, it's also making a stop over in PotC! Dude, Murph and Conn would make awesome pirates in that universe.

BTW, my copy of BDS is now known as the Whore Copy. Everyone borrows it, and then runs out the next day to buy a copy. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE LADY JANELLY? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

Wow. Thank you. Glad you got into it. I think this is the shortest piece of anything that I've ever posted. I'm trying to learn to write short stories instead of novellas some times. Atleast so i have the option.

Heh, no, BDS didnt make it to middle earth. It just corrupted my middle-earth voice to non-existance. The PotC thing I've been playing around with in my head for a while, and this is just what came out last night.

That's so funny, about the Whore Copy. BDS. Sharing the twincest one "holy shit, that guy shot the cat! Rewind that!" at a time.

[bookofnicodemus.livejournal.com]

More like one "I'm never watching Spiderman without thinking of Willem DaFoe in drag!" at a time. Ah, high school hang-ups.

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

*groan* You are young, arent you?

re:the fic--did you know who was who before the very end?

[bookofnicodemus.livejournal.com]

Not as young as I wish I were. Unusually crotchety. Plus, legally, I'm an adult. Sort of.

I have to admit that I didn't. But when I read it the 26 times after, I was better able to differentiate.

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

I knew whose pov it was from as I wrote it, but I dont think I gave many clues to the reader. I was just wondering if I gave cues somehow or if it was a surprise. Thats cool.

[goodtwin.livejournal.com]

Not even a character death warning?

Ow. :(

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

Sorry. I was trying to find a way to say that without spoiling it and couldnt come up with a way and got frustrated. I went back just now and edited it.

i think saying that it was a PotC feel sort of implied that it would have a disney-esque ending or something, so that was a rude and nasty thing to do to the readers.

No more posting fic without a day's cooling off period for me.

-J.

[goodtwin.livejournal.com]

I didn't mean to piss you off or anything.

It was an excellent bit of writing. I just really shouldn't read anything before I've properly woken up. My bad. ~slinks away~

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

Huh? Not pissed off, and it's certainly not your bad.

Glad you liked the writing.

[juggernaut-diva.livejournal.com]

that was an awesome bit of storytelling, milady, i was as captivated as anyone to your story...just by reading your other stories i figured out whose pov it was from the first time but i have to admit i'm just a tad bit over the obsession line when it comes to the BDS...anyways the combo with PotC was lovely...absolutely lovely...plus I just adore the title...it just fits to me...*applause*

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed it. Is this the first review you've done for me, or do you use another name? (just curious)

It's cool that you knew who it was...I guess my Murphy and Connor are pretty distinct from one another.

For some reason the boys keep popping up in historical settings for me. They are tricksey that way. I might want to do a larger PotC thing later--maybe unrelated, maybe part of this story, I dunno...

re: The title--I had Johnny Cash singing his cover of Nick Cage's "Mercy Seat" going through my head when I wrote this. It's out of period, but so the right mood.

[juggernaut-diva.livejournal.com]

no...this is the first time i've reviewed...i'm new on the bd_fics scene but have been a fan of the movie for a long time

It would be awesome if you did a larger piece that was crossed w/ PotC...i would definitely be interested in that just so you know..

Oh and your Murphy and Connor are very distinct..well at least from my point of view..well, chao!!!

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

That's cool. I was just wondering.

I'm very new to the fandom also. I got into Livejournal for the BDS_fic group. I just love the richness of the fandom, despite the smallness of the world we have to play in. (Heh, sorta expanding that this week, eh?)

i found like one or two good fics on adultfanfiction.net, and some stuff by random searching, which got me inspired to write my own.

So I created the first chapter of LAYB, and then looked for a home for it. Found one at bds_fic. The rest is recent history.

[4bdnsn0wflake.livejournal.com]

Oi. This was a lovely bit of brotherly-bond fic.

I know you mentioned that they were hanged for sodomy as well, but this was so much more to me about their familial bond. That love. That pride. It's not separate, but it is distinct.

Speaking of distinct, I felt this was from Murphy's POV as I read. I think when you're in the fandom long enough, and you're reading writers who know how to properly characterize the brothers, you just know, or at least you should, if you're paying attention.

Side Note: Which is why it is really getting my Irish up to see ppl on the fic comm saying that Troy didn't do a good job of characterizing the brothers, or that their personalities are "open for interpretation" and no one should be able to say what's canon characterization or not. Bullmotherfuckingshit! You watch the movie even twice, and you know exactly who these men are. If you don't, then you don't know how to fucking characterize. You're not "reinterpreting" you're fucking doing it wrong!

*kicks soap box aside*

Sorry.


The night before they had asked for last rites, and been told that they could only receive the sacrament if they would say that the voice that had guided them for five long years had been that of the devil. This they could not do, so now they face death unconfessed.

^ Loved this detail. Shows their strength of beliefs and character.


His head turns. His eyes meet those of his brother. Sorrow. Acceptance. He wishes he was as strong in his courage and his faith.

^ Big clue it was Murphy's POV here. He looks to Connor, wishes he could be more like him, follow his example.


"Whosoever shall spill man's blood, by man shall his blood be spilled." The words have the ring of a biblical passage. The voice that speaks them is strong, sure.

^ Big clue this was Connor here. This is exactly the way he would face death for doing what he believes is God's work.


He steels himself to not cry out, to not shame his brother or his family name with a last show of cowardice.

^ Here's an example of what really drove that familial love feel for me.


Just before he hit the end of the rope he smiles, knowing that whatever their fate, Connor will be there. Waiting. As always.

^ Peace in death. Togetherness. A genuinely happy smile. Perfect.


Nice change of pace. A different kind of angst. Made me feel proud of the boys.

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

you mentioned that they were hanged for sodomy as well,

Y'know? When I was writing it, I didnt imagine them as being together in a sodomy sort of way, but that tended to get tacked at the end of most death sentences, so I put it on. I'll rework that bit, I think. I'll probably play with this a little and then put it up on the BDS_fic group.

When I wrote this I really liked that Murph is trying so hard to not cry out, and then Connor does.

If/when you read chapter 2, let me know if you think the concept is cool or if it's been overdone.




Heh, did you see my comment about the big-bad-reviewers in the community?

Do you know that your comment about not repeating the "Look after your brother" was like the first piece of specific concrit (besides attacks by the LotR canon police) I'd ever rec'd? (everything else had been like "write bigger chapters" and shit like that). So Yeah, I knew i was in a different place when that happened. :)

I wouldnt have it any other way.

[4bdnsn0wflake.livejournal.com]

that tended to get tacked at the end of most death sentences, so I put it on

^ Had no idea about that.

Historical accuracy - 1
Rio - 0


I definitely think you should post this at the community.

Show 'em what a bit of real writing looks like since some people obviously can't be bothered to look back in the archives more than four fics or so. *COUGH*


If/when you read chapter 2, let me know if you think the concept is cool or if it's been overdone.

^ Read it once last night, but it was so late I was not really comprehending it fully. I'll have another look at it soon.


Heh, did you see my comment about the big-bad-reviewers in the community?

^ I did. *high-five*

And many other intelligent responses echoing what you and I were both trying to point out to the n00b who seems to be under the impression that she's Queen Bee.

She seems to have backed off. Probably realized she was in over her head and not dealing with a bunch of pushover twits.


I wouldnt have it any other way.

^ Sweet. Nor would I. The people who are genuinely good writers and who sincerely want to improve their craft are the ones who end up staying.

As for the others who are just there to be babied and get their egos stroked? NEXT!

[bds-fic-library.livejournal.com]

I made a lj for archiving the bds_fic group. I'm almost done back through march. it gets faster as i go because more of the weird stuff is in the memories words lists and I just have to click.

The Bee is a good writer, but yeah, you can tell she's used to running things.

(wonders if its not so much that the sodomy thing was common but that I always notice it?) Still, it would mean things to the modern reader that i dont want them thinking about so I kill it.

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

Crap. That was me.

[4bdnsn0wflake.livejournal.com]

Hmm...I think that's right cool of you to tackle the bds_fic archiving project, but did you discuss it with goodtwin first?

I just don't know if she'd feel sensitive about you doing that without her knowledge.

And I'm not sure if all the writers on the comm would be okay with having their stuff archived somewhere else without their permission.

Unfortunately, some people have had problems with others plagiarizing and stealing their stuff, and they've gotten very particular about where their fics can appear as a result.

Don't mean to be bitchy about this. I know you are trying to help and make things easier for everyone. You just never know how some people are going to interpret things, even when your intentions are good.

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

We talked about it briefly on the "what do you want from the comm" thread she started, and some more in e-mail. She seems happy and excited, but thanks for trying to help me not step on toes.

It's not so much an archive (my bad for calling it that) but an index to the fic on the com using the memories function. There is nothing in the list that is not on the comm. Ideally, everything on the comm will end up on the index. Does that sound more kosher? More like a card catalog than anything.

It's just a dummy account so that more than one person can work on the project without anyone's password being compromised. It has no interests or stuff like that to be searched for, so I dont see anyone finding it before finding the bds_fic community. Goodtwin can link it however she wants into the bds_fic group, and she has the password for it too.

You dont seem bitchy, just concerned about everyone. No stress, and I do really appreciate your feedback on it.