Lay Your Sleeping Head Human on My Faithless Arm
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Lay Your Sleeping Head Human on My Faithless Arm |
| Author(s): | kenazfiction |
| Date(s): | 25 December 2008, 8 January 2009 (rev.) |
| Length: | 899 words |
| Genre(s): | missing scene |
| Fandom(s): | Mary Renault |
| Relationship(s): | |
| External Links: | archived on Yuletide archived on LJ |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
"Lay Your Sleeping Head Human on My Faithless Arm" by kenazfiction is a short story based on Mary Renault's 1953 novel The Charioteer. It features Ralph Lanyon and Alec Deacon, two significant characters in the novel, who were canonically lovers a few years prior to the main events of the book. The title comes from the poem "Lullaby" by W.H. Auden.
Synopsis
A fortnight before the birthday party in Chapter Six, Alec is in bed with Ralph, each aware of recriminations should their respective lovers find out. He invites Ralph to the party, knowing the unlikelihood of his ever attending.
Background
"Lay Your Sleeping Head Human on My Faithless Arm" was originally written for tetsubinatu in Yuletide 2008. A slightly revised version was then posted to the author's LiveJournal account.
According to the Author's Note, while the story stands alone, it could also be read as a sort of precursor to "Always: Time Will Bring Their Hour".
Comments
The story received a number of comments when posted to Yuletide, including the following:
- "I really like your take on Alec's reasoning for being with Sandy, and how true this is to what we see in the book about just what being in a relationship means to Alec, too. Very nice atmosphere you set up in the artificial night of the blackout curtains. "—comment by Lorie
- "I had not thought of it before, but I find that I really like the idea of Ralph and Alec sleeping together like this. A lovely moment of non-intimacy between them, and yet, a moment of vulnerability as well. A very satisfying read."—comment by wildestranger
- "I loved this story. How clever and interesting of you to choose Alec and Ralph together after they split up. I could easily imagine that happening, their strong, enduring affection for one another is palpable in the book despite the fact that they were too much alike in some way to ever stay together and too different in others. (I actually liked seeing them together in this situation, faithless or whatever. Because it just felt so real to me.) "—comment by Oshun
When reposted to the author's journal, the story elicited additional comment, including:
- "I love this, especially the dialogue, because it shows the familiarity between Ralph and Alec that is only implied in the novel. Well, 'implied' may be the wrong word but they never really have a conversation on page that isn't influenced by the people around them."—comment by eumelkeks
- "Very nice - and points out so clearly the different approach Ralph had to his relationship with Bunny (where clearly he could expect no constancy) in comparison with the relationship he wanted with Laurie (note: he moved out from Bunny's place almost as soon as he met Laurie again)."—comment by fawatson
- "Lovely. I was dying to know more about the relationship between Ralph and Alec when I was reading the book, and this reads like a missing scene from canon, true to Renault's style and characters. Great dialogue, too."—comment by lady_elina