(no subject)

[raven]

I got an abundance of Yuletide gifts this year, all for T. Kingfisher's Temple of the White Rat books, which I was very surprised by and then completely delighted. The White Rat is really the mood we need for 2020, one feels. I got three (3)!! stories!

In the Service of a Practical God (3804 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Temple of the White Rat Universe - T. Kingfisher
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Bishop Beartongue (Paladin's Grace), Zale (Paladin's Grace)
Summary:

Tomorrow—today, really, by the clock—is the last day of the White Rat’s year.

If Grace Is Too Much (3997 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Paladin's Grace - T. Kingfisher, Temple of the White Rat Universe - T. Kingfisher
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Zale, Bishop Beartongue (Paladin's Grace), Original Female Character(s)
Additional Tags: Past Character Death, Past Child Death
Summary:

Zale is given a case by Bishop Beartongue which turns out to be more complicated and personal than a holy advocate-priest would prefer.

Outreach (2155 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Temple of the White Rat Universe - T. Kingfisher
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Bishop Beartongue, Paladin Shane
Additional Tags: Slice of Life, Strange problems people hope the White Rat will fix, Yuletide Treat, Field trips, Tree Law
Summary:

"We don't generally assess the… cursédness… of objects, trees or otherwise," Beartongue said.

All three are about Bishop Beartongue, Zale, or both, but very different moods: slice-of-life, hijinks and explosions, and then gentle and contemplative by turn. I love them all a lot. And also if you haven't read the Temple of the White Rat books I highly recommend them especially in this time of times. There are four books set in the universe, all of which are delightful, but the Rat ones are Swordheart and Paladin's Grace, both of which are gentle, kind, deeply hilarious fantasy romances. The Temple itself is not the key part of both stories but is common to both: it's a religious order consisting of some very practical lawyer-priests, who worship the White Rat but largely believe their god helps those who help themselves. They run around mediating disputes and being public defenders and it's all very reasonable and sensible in a world of demons, paladins, clockwork automatons and fundamentalists who are often not very sensible at all. Zale is the one we meet the most - they are a put-upon nonbinary priest-advocate who often wonders aloud why they are continuously called upon to defend accused murderers when they're actually a property adjudicator - and the Temple is headed by Beartongue, who is a deeply committed, public-spirited religious and community leader who is really tired of all your nonsense. ("A bloodbath? At this hour?" / "NO ONE IS HAVING A BLOODBATH AT ANY HOUR.")

Anyway, happy yuletide, folks. I wrote two stories and doubt anyone will pick either of them out, but many points if you do!

Comments

[brainwane]

Thank you for linking to these! I've read Swordheart but momentarily forgot about the Temple, and so I think I missed these at first when scrolling through fandoms. How very fun and sweet, and OF COURSE they are for you. <3

[not_hathor]

Thank you for sharing these!

I wonder if AO3 has a T Kingfisher fiction section? I'd go look, but its past bedtime and I work tomorrow.....

Hugs!