elrhiarhodan: (Peter - On A Horse)
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Title: A Knight on Horseback
Author: [livejournal.com profile] elrhiarhodan
Fandom: White Collar
Rating: G
Characters: Peter Burke (wee)
Spoilers: Inspired by Burke’s Seven, but no plot spoilers
Warnings/Enticements/Triggers: None
Word Count: ~ 400
Summary: Young Peter dreams of defending the weak and wielding a sword of justice. From the back of a horse.

__________________




When Peter Burke was growing up, his heroes weren't The Lone Ranger or any of the other dudes in the westerns that littered early evening television. He didn't want to be Shane or The Rifleman or any of the Cartwright boys. When his classmates were playing Cowboys and Indians, Peter was dreaming about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. His grandfather, the man he was named for, had given him a beautifully illustrated copy of Howard Pyle's version of the tales (he later learned that this was a first edition, and the artwork was done by Wyeth).

Peter loved the stories - not so much for the simple derring-do, but for the hints of moral ambiguity and ultimately the triumph of good over evil. His favorite passage was about the vows that the Knights took:

"And this was the covenant of their Knighthood of the Round Table: That they would be gentle unto the weak; that they would be courageous unto the strong; that they would be terrible unto the wicked and the evil-doer that they would defend the helpless who should call upon them for aid; that all women should be held unto them sacred; that they would stand unto the defence of one another whensoever such defence should be required; that they would be merciful unto all men; that they would be gentle of deed, true in friendship, and faithful in love. This was their covenant, and unto it each knight sware upon the cross of his sword, and in witness thereof did kiss the hilt thereof."

Even at twelve years old, Peter knew that he wanted to use his life like this - to defend the weak, be true in friendship and be terrible to those who committed evil.

He just wondered if it would be possible to do it from horseback. With shining armor. And a really long sword.
FIN



Originally written for [livejournal.com profile] jrosemary for her prompt, Peter on a Horse and originally published for Promptfest IV.

Date: 2011-01-24 07:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] monkeyonthelam.livejournal.com
Are you a lawyer? That is something people would find fascinating. There would never be a tv show about the times and experiences one has at library school. After the initial chaos that the beginning of the semester provides subsides, I will seriously consider it. Although I may meed to provide a glossary.

Date: 2011-01-24 08:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] monkeyonthelam.livejournal.com
Oh? I started watching the show after watching two grown men making fools of themselves in public while dancing to Tik Tok. Any legalese or NYCisms go right over my head cause I am busy looking at the pretty. I live in NJ, and I have been to the city many, many times but I know very little about it. I remember getting upset at the episode of Chuck where they used a call number that wasn't a call number. These are the limited things I know. I watch many shows at once.

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