In 2014 Guy Kay wrote two Drabbles in support of The Pixel Project, an initiative aimed at raising money to resist violence against women. A Drabble is a 100 word short story.
You can read GGK’s original introduction to the campaign and the stories HERE.
One takes place after the events of The Sarantine Mosaic and please note contains spoilers for anyone who has not yet read those books. The other takes place prior to the events of The Fionavar Tapestry.
At the time, readers could only access the Drabbles by making a charitable donation to The Pixel Project. Although the Drabbles are reproduced below, we encourage anyone who is interested in supporting a worthy cause to still offer them charitable donation. You can support and learn more about The Pixel Project’s efforts to stop violence against women HERE.
Aliana in the West (spoiler for The Sarantine Mosaic)
The Sarantium Mosaic Drabble
©2014: Guy Gavriel Kay
She is lying beside her love dreaming of her love.
It has happened before. Someone dies, they leave you, but they don’t, entirely. Or what are memories? She can imagine time as a river (they live beside a river) or as stars. Each moment can be lived again. She can lie here with Crispin and be in Sarantium with Petrus. Can love them both and be loved, moment by moment. Is it something for tears?
Crying wakes her, however. Children are crying: the child inside her, shining, grieving for the world – and the daughter down a hallway, needing her.
– – – –
A Name
The Fionavar Tapestry Drabble
©2014: Guy Gavriel Kay
“What do you think of Jennifer? As a name?”
He stirs beside her. “It’s five in the morning, love.”
“I know.”
He sighs. “You’re still sure it’s a girl?”
“Yes.”
He says, “I don’t like Jenny as a nickname.”
“Neither do I. We won’t allow it.”
“Can’t control that so easily, past a point.”
She is silent. Says, “We can’t control much, can we?”
James Lowell turns in bed. He looks at his much-loved, extremely pregnant wife. He reaches for and finds her hand.
He says, quietly, “Then we do what we can to help Jennifer shape her own life.”