This week’s Friday Fiction is hosted by the lovely Julie Arduini @ her blog, The Surrendered Scribe. Click here to read and share more great stories!
Author’s Ramblings: and it’s prompt fiction again. LOL. Sorry guys, just too much going on, but I tried to make this one interesting. Perhaps I’ll get Disperse finished up this weekend or so and then onto something new. Anyway, I have royalty on the brain, so these two new characters just kind of stepped out from that happy muddle. Enjoy the read!
I felt fifty years old inside on account of the brown bread I ate
every morning. The voice in my head explained it as changing fiber content in my brain. I can’t believe there is fiber
in my brain—but that’s what the voice is saying. It’s something to the effect of an
explanation for what I do.
every morning. The voice in my head explained it as changing fiber content in my brain. I can’t believe there is fiber
in my brain—but that’s what the voice is saying. It’s something to the effect of an
explanation for what I do.
I don’t really know what I do that is so amazing it has to make up lies to tell me. I know my head is empty–sort of, and I know that its making fun of me. Maybe it thinks I’m deaf.
Ha. Gareth would have a field day with this–then again, I guess it doesn’t matter. Doesn’t look like I’m going to get anything done today.
*****
“Madrisa!” Allen scolded, yanking me away from the wide
window opening into the courtyard below. “Don’t stand so close to the window,
suppose you fall out?”
window opening into the courtyard below. “Don’t stand so close to the window,
suppose you fall out?”
“Suppose you fell out trying to grab me?” I countered.
His grip on my arm tightened. “You were supposed to report
to his majesty’s chambers this morning. What has gotten into you, child?”
to his majesty’s chambers this morning. What has gotten into you, child?”
“He’s not interested in me” I sniffed. “Only in what I can
do.”
do.”
“You’re his wife-”
“Shut up!” I tried to twist away. “He doesn’t even think of
me that way!”
me that way!”
Bright blue eyes flickered with contempt. “You truly are a
brat.” He hissed. “It would’ve been best for all of us if you’d just been left
in the streets and made into a-”
brat.” He hissed. “It would’ve been best for all of us if you’d just been left
in the streets and made into a-”
I gave one good jerk and bolted. He shouted a stream of
words after me, but I didn’t bother to decipher them. I ran down the hallway
and through the maze of corridors. There was only one room where I could be
safe in this horrible castle.
words after me, but I didn’t bother to decipher them. I ran down the hallway
and through the maze of corridors. There was only one room where I could be
safe in this horrible castle.
The door to the king’s bedchamber came into sight, the fancy
golden decorations gleaming in the flickering torchlights. I yanked the
medallion out from around my throat and pressed it into the locking mechanism
as Allen’s shouts reached my ears again.
golden decorations gleaming in the flickering torchlights. I yanked the
medallion out from around my throat and pressed it into the locking mechanism
as Allen’s shouts reached my ears again.
As the door opened, I dashed inside, throwing my weight on
it to close it tight.
it to close it tight.
Giddy relief spun through me as I ran for the large,
canopied bed at the far left of the room and threw myself onto the silken
sheets. A garbled murmur came from somewhere between them, but I didn’t stop to
puzzle those out either.
canopied bed at the far left of the room and threw myself onto the silken
sheets. A garbled murmur came from somewhere between them, but I didn’t stop to
puzzle those out either.
“Gareth? Gareth, wake up!” I tugged at the covers and ducked
down, yanking one embroidered cover over my head.
down, yanking one embroidered cover over my head.
“Mads?” The sleepy voice answered. “Maddie?”
“Shh!” I countered. “I’m not here.”
Silence reigned for a moment, then the bed shook as the
young king leapt out from beneath his covers. I held my breath, waiting—for all
his youth, his temper was as quick as mine and his sense of justice rather
twisted in kind.
young king leapt out from beneath his covers. I held my breath, waiting—for all
his youth, his temper was as quick as mine and his sense of justice rather
twisted in kind.
The chimes to the left of the door sounded, announcing
someone’s presence in the hallway. With a muttered groan, young King Gareth
snatched up a dressing gown from the chair before his dresser, threading his
arms through the sleeves as he went to the door.
someone’s presence in the hallway. With a muttered groan, young King Gareth
snatched up a dressing gown from the chair before his dresser, threading his
arms through the sleeves as he went to the door.
“This had better be good.” He warned, using his own
medallion to open a panel to the left of the door to speak to the interruption.
“Allen, good morning.”
medallion to open a panel to the left of the door to speak to the interruption.
“Allen, good morning.”
“Good morning, your majesty, I’m terribly sorry to have wakened-”
“No, you’re not.” Gareth scowled. “Just say what it is that
you need and leave me be. It is too early to be up already.”
you need and leave me be. It is too early to be up already.”
“An early rising is-”
“Allen!”
“Madrisa-”
“Queen Madrisa, to
you.”
you.”
“Queen Madrisa-”
Allen growled. “has taken the liberty of-”
Allen growled. “has taken the liberty of-”
“I’ll deal with it.”
“Sire! You haven’t even-”
“Did she give you another headache of sorts?” Gareth
inquired, rubbing his sleepy eyes.
inquired, rubbing his sleepy eyes.
Allen’s pink face grew quite red. “T-that would not be
something that I would trouble your majesty with at such an hour as-”
something that I would trouble your majesty with at such an hour as-”
“I’ll deal with it, return to your post and be about your
duties. You may leave.” The little panel was shut as Gareth turned back to face
the room.
duties. You may leave.” The little panel was shut as Gareth turned back to face
the room.
I shivered beneath the covers, relived to have Allen off my
case and terrified to have Gareth take his place. At fourteen years of age, Gareth
believed his one year over me gave him every right to act as he pleased.
case and terrified to have Gareth take his place. At fourteen years of age, Gareth
believed his one year over me gave him every right to act as he pleased.
“You can come out now.” He sounded bored, shuffling towards
the wash table beside the dresser. “The big bad wolf has gone to hunt other
prey.”
the wash table beside the dresser. “The big bad wolf has gone to hunt other
prey.”
“Shut up, Gareth!” I popped out from beneath the covers in
time for an entire pitcher of cold water to drench my entire upper half. “Eeee!
What’d you do that for?” I sputtered, scrabbling in the newly dampened sheets
for a dry patch to scrub at my face. “Gareth, you jerk!”
time for an entire pitcher of cold water to drench my entire upper half. “Eeee!
What’d you do that for?” I sputtered, scrabbling in the newly dampened sheets
for a dry patch to scrub at my face. “Gareth, you jerk!”
“That was for upsetting my favorite advisor on a day when I
really need him to be useful.” Gareth said, mildly. He looked at the empty
pitcher in his hands and tossed it to the bed beside me. “Don’t just sit there,
get up and get moving, we’ve a lot to do today, you’re not the only one with voices in your head. We’ll hardly have time to pull this off–what took you so long to get here?”
really need him to be useful.” Gareth said, mildly. He looked at the empty
pitcher in his hands and tossed it to the bed beside me. “Don’t just sit there,
get up and get moving, we’ve a lot to do today, you’re not the only one with voices in your head. We’ll hardly have time to pull this off–what took you so long to get here?”
“What happened to it being too early to move?”
“The sight of your bedraggled appearance is amusing enough
that I am now fully awake.” His mouth twitched. “Morning to you too, Mads.”
that I am now fully awake.” His mouth twitched. “Morning to you too, Mads.”
I clambered out from the bed, attempting to smooth my wet
clothes and hair. “I hate you.”
clothes and hair. “I hate you.”
“and I love you even more.” He recited automatically. “Don’t
drip all over the carpet, you’ll get my socks wet.”
drip all over the carpet, you’ll get my socks wet.”
“You deserve worse than wet socks.” I shot back, taking care
just the same. My socks were dry—I didn’t want them wet either.
just the same. My socks were dry—I didn’t want them wet either.
“Oh ho.” He sang back. “And would you be the brave one to
try such-”
try such-”
“I’m serious, Gareth.” I ducked behind his dressing screen,
stripping out of the wet things and helping myself to one of his fancy dressing
gowns. “This never feels right.”
stripping out of the wet things and helping myself to one of his fancy dressing
gowns. “This never feels right.”
“Then think of it as a game.” He tapped on the screen. “May
I?”
I?”
“I’m already done.” I stepped out, knotting the silken belt
around my waist. “I’m going to borrow another one of your overtunics. Milo got ahold of the last one.”
around my waist. “I’m going to borrow another one of your overtunics. Milo got ahold of the last one.”
“Milo?” Gareth shooed me out as he began to change. “I’ll
never get it back then.”
never get it back then.”
“Sorry. He said it wasn’t ladylike for the Queen of-”
“I don’t care. That’s not everyday armor.”
“I know.” I ducked into his closet, shedding the dressing
robe in favor of the requested item. It didn’t take long to finish dressing—Gareth’s
wardrobe was always simpler than my own royal fare.
robe in favor of the requested item. It didn’t take long to finish dressing—Gareth’s
wardrobe was always simpler than my own royal fare.
“Need anything else?” Gareth stepped out, freshly dressed in
commoner clothing of simple tunics and pants. “Weapons are in the fourth
dresser drawer.”
commoner clothing of simple tunics and pants. “Weapons are in the fourth
dresser drawer.”
“I know that, I put them there.” I rummaged through the
drawer, retrieving a set of throwing knives. “You replaced these, thanks.”
drawer, retrieving a set of throwing knives. “You replaced these, thanks.”
“Couldn’t let my favorite girl go without her favorite
blades.” He moved to stand beside me, looking over my shoulder as I checked
each knife.
blades.” He moved to stand beside me, looking over my shoulder as I checked
each knife.
“Ha. You could’ve saved her the headache by not marrying her
in the first place.”
in the first place.”
“You could’ve said no.” He shrugged. “I wouldn’t have
minded.”
minded.”
“And let Analise get her paws on you?” I snorted. “As if!”
“I am not a thing to be traded between you girls.” His eyes
narrowed. “How is she?”
narrowed. “How is she?”
“Horrible. She’s been screaming in my head since this
morning—all sorts of nonsense.”
morning—all sorts of nonsense.”
“Nonsense?”
“Something about my brain being filled with fiber.”
Gareth burst into laughter. “Your brain is filled with
fiber.” He gasped out. “That’s a good one, give her my thanks.”
fiber.” He gasped out. “That’s a good one, give her my thanks.”
“Tell her yourself when you rescue her.” I tucked the knives
into their respective places. “Are we going?”
into their respective places. “Are we going?”
“Some king and queen we are.” He chuckled, spinning me ‘round
to face him. “Leaving our kingdom in the hands of greedy advisors and a
confused court to rescue the childhood friend neither of us can stand.”
to face him. “Leaving our kingdom in the hands of greedy advisors and a
confused court to rescue the childhood friend neither of us can stand.”
“She’s useful every once in a while.” I tried to say.
Gareth threaded his arms around me, pulling close so that
our foreheads touched. “Really?”
our foreheads touched. “Really?”
“Shut up and hold your breath.” I snapped, grabbing his
medallion to touch to my own. A soft golden flash swept through the room and
then it was empty.
medallion to touch to my own. A soft golden flash swept through the room and
then it was empty.
(c) Sara Harricharan
P.S. Did you guess the prompt? It was fiber… 😛