melannen | 100 days of enemy recs: 96. Earthsea

Earthsea is on this list for two reasons. The first one is Ged/Jasper. Because every boy hero in a school story needs a rival, a boy who's slightly more experienced, higher class, a little bit more popular, leans in doorways looking louche and arrogant, who is the only one who can goad Our Hero into acting rashly enough to trip onto the path to greatness. Every Tom Brown needs his Flashman, and Jasper was Ged's.

But there is also Tenar. And Tenar is much more than Jasper ever was, as much the hero of the series as Ged. When she is young, Ged is introduced as her enemy - the sinister wizard come to destroy what she protects - but instead he is gentle and calm and humble and slowly, with care, teaches her what it means to be a real person in the world. He gives her her soul back, and she turns aside from everything she's been to go with him.

And then she finds her own path, and twenty-five years later, as Ged came to her when she was young, he comes to her again when he's old, and she is gentle and calm and confident and slowly, with care, teaches him what it means to be a real person, the part of the lesson that the Archmage could never have taught her, and gives his soul back to him. And he turns aside from everything he's been to stay with her.

Sparkweed (2633 words) by Minerva McTabby
Fandom: Earthsea - Ursula K. Le Guin
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Ged/Jasper
Additional Tags: Yuletide 2004, Foe Yay, Missing Scene
Summary:
"Well, well," Jasper drawled. He leaned against the wall with easy grace, his arm a barrier trapping Ged against the pillar. "Following me about, Sparrowhawk? Spying? Oh, for shame!"

The Tale of the White Lady of Iffish (8178 words) by raspberryhunter
Fandom: Earthsea - Ursula K. Le Guin
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Vetch (Earthsea), Yarrow (Earthsea), Tenar (Earthsea), Ged (Earthsea)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Misses Clause Challenge, Pre-Relationship
Summary:
It is not told in the Deed of Seren how Tenar of the Ring became the White Lady of Iffish. This is that story.

On Oak Farm (1632 words) by betweentheheavesofstorm
Fandom: Earthsea - Ursula K. Le Guin
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Tenar (Earthsea), Ged (Earthsea), Flint (Earthsea)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Mutual Pining, Unresolved, One Shot
Summary:
‘Ogion told me where to find you,’ he says, stiffly.
She knew she’d see him again. He was bound to turn up sooner or later. She’d just expected it to be later.