geeking out on shakespeare's histories

speak_me_fair and I have a new year's gift -- since that is TOTALLY HOW THEY DID IT BACK THEN -- for histories!fandom, in the form of our first ACTUAL FIC COLLABORATION. Hope you enjoy!

Title: Fugue, Chorale
Author: speak_me_fair and angevin2
Characters/Pairing: Richard/Aumerle
Rating: R
Word Count: 2745
Warnings: Fairly explicit sex, extremely explicit angst, bad poetry, puns, hunting references, unhealthy uses of ink, hypothetical references to sex with John Gower
Notes: Edward of York wrote The Master of Game, the oldest extant English hunting manual, at least partly while in prison on suspicion of treason (he was, obviously, not convicted). It is in large part a translation of Gaston de Foix's Livre de chasse, as Edward himself points out in the story, although there are additions and subtractions to make the work suitable for an English audience. All quotations from the text come from the well-known 1904 edition with an introduction by Theodore Roosevelt, who refers to the text's two authors as "mighty men with their hands." (Fnarr.) There is no evidence that Edward was working on this project as early as 1396-97 (which is when we are assuming this fic takes place), but he could have been, as the original was completed ten years previously.

( Edward looked down at his hands and beneath them he saw not only -- papers-- ink-- words -- )

Title: Not With the Empty Hollowness
Author: angevin2
Recipient: speak_me_fair
Play: Richard II
Characters/Pairing: Richard/Anne, Richard/Aumerle, Richard/Robert de Vere, with reference to Richard/Isabel and Richard/minions
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1876
Warnings: Somewhat graphic illness and decay; medieval English attitudes toward the Irish; gratuitous vomit; inexplicit sex
Summary: Nature is fine in love, and where 'tis fine / It sends some precious instance of itself / After the thing it loves.
Notes: Some details are clarified in endnotes. Where history diverges from Shakespeare, I have followed Shakespeare throughout. Many thanks to everyone who offered input and encouragement during the writing of this fic.

O that I were as great
As is my grief, or lesser than my name!
Or that I could forget what I have been,
Or not remember what I must be now!
-- Richard II 3.3.136-39

( There were once three kings out hunting when they became separated from their retainers.... )

Title: Pity My Picture Burning
Author: highfantastical
Recipient: aka_centimetre2
Play: Richard II
Rating: R
Pairings: Richard/Henry, Richard/Aumerle, Richard/Anne, Henry/Mary.
Warnings: Angst, possible crime, allusions to suicide attempt, possible self-injury triggers, reference to past child abuse.
Summary: In 1983, an acclaimed English artist dies in mysterious circumstances, far from home. Fourteen years later, it's time to revisit the story.
Acknowledgements: Many thanks to my very kind beta readers.

( The other man sat across from him, his hands flat on the sticky tabletop.  )

Title: The Base-String Of Humility
Author: speak_me_fair
Recipient: fuunsaiki
Play: Richard II/Henry IV, Part I.
Character(s): Hal, Poins, Henry IV, Hotspur, York.
Pairings: Hal/Poins
Rating/Warnings: Rated below an R, even with the slash. Set between Richard II and Henry IV part 1.
Summary: Hal's playing the game well, but he knows he's getting in over his head in more than one way…

( Hal sometimes thought that the one thing which could be said for having apartments of his own was that when, as occasionally and inevitably happened, he got a missive - a missile, a missive, it's the same thing, touches me where it hurts the most and leaves no mark because it makes no outward wound - from his father, he could have a fit of petulant, childish, uncontrollable temper involving every vaguely moveable object in the room, and there would be no-one who was brave or unwise enough to dare even to remark on it. )