Not a Romantic

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Fanfiction
Title: Not a Romantic
Author(s): trueriver
Date(s): 2007-06-04
Length: 1189 words
Genre(s): sequel, adult
Fandom(s): Mary Renault
Relationship(s):
External Links: archived on LJ

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Not a Romantic is a short story by trueriver based on Mary Renault's 1953 novel The Charioteer. It is set some time after the end of the novel, later in the war. The title of the story is taken from a comment Ralph makes about himself in The Charioteer.

Synopsis

Laurie and Ralph's time together is drawing swiftly to a close as Ralph learns that he will be called back to active service within the week. Laurie, in particular, finds the imminent parting hard to accept.

Background

The author has illustrated the story with a contemporary poster about growing one's own food and a photograph of an allotment garden (referencing a scene in the story).

Comments

"Not a Romantic" elicited a number of favourable comments, including the following:

  • "What a beautifully realized piece, gorgeous even. I love the illustrations and the 'remembering'; the garden and the digging and Ralph's hands under the tap water. It adds to your story that it is a beautiful day, here and I would love to be outside tending a garden. But Ralph 'tending' to Laurie makes me quite content to steal a few moments with them in the sun instead, to help speed my work day to its conclusion. Thank you for sharing. "—comment by slipperieslope
  • "I love the quiet domestic details—so very real."—comment by greerwatson