Category: Flash Fiction Friday

Flash Fiction Fridays – The Shade of Whitsmare

Featured Ariel Paiement

Okay, so this one is a one-off that doesn’t go with any particular story or world. I got the idea from a prompt on one of the writing groups I’m with on Facebook, and I figured I’d share it. This one’s in first person. I rarely write in first person since I generally prefer third and feel I am strongest in that, but this one is the exception. It’s also shorter than the others have been, but hopefully you guys enjoy it anyway.

~~~

I couldn’t watch this happen to him. He was the light to my dark, and if I lost him, I would lose myself. I’m not even sure exactly what happened in that moment, but at the moment that I heard the report come crackling over the cop car radio that the Shade of Whitsmare was trying to hold off Kyrelon, something inside me snapped. It didn’t matter that he was supposed to be the hero–my hero. I just had to know he was safe. I closed my eyes and did the one thing I had vowed never to do with my power. I shade walked in the mind of my hero. I had promised I wouldn’t ever take over, even if I could wrest control from his conscious mind in order to be in control. 

The moment he gave in and let me take over, my heart broke. He stepped back and gave me control, the very thing I’d always craved over him, and now I didn’t want it. I stared up at Kyrelon through his eyes and lifted his hands. He might not be able to beat Kyrelon, but if I channeled my power through him, I could defeat the villain. And I would. Even if it meant I would likely die engaging Kyrelon’s mind, I would do it. After all, a villain is only as powerful as the hero she must battle, and I was no exception. I was as strong as I was because of Shade, and if he was gone, I would be nothing. Life would be meaningless anyway, and he deserved to live. 

So I whispered my last farewell into his mind, willing him to live on even if he hated himself for letting this happen. And when I had done that, I cast my mind around Kyrelon, weaving a dream from which neither he nor I would escape. My mental projection thrummed with power, and I felt my mind leaving my body entirely. Then it slipped loose of the tether Shade’s body provided, and I was lost in my dream world, dragging Kyrelon with me. 

Loving and saving him were the only things I never regretted no matter how lost I got in that world I’d made and no matter how many times Kyrelon and I battled or died there. They were the only good things I ever did in my life. The only truly selfless things I chose to do of my own volition. I’m glad I did. Even a villain has something they cannot bear to lose. I found that thing. The Shade of Whitsmare.

~~~

There you have it! Hopefully you all liked it. It’s in a different sub-genre of fantasy than I usually use, and if you’ve followed my posts on Allen Steadham’s Mindfire or Superhero Fantasy, you know I’m not usually a fan of the genre. But hey, I think it went okay all things considered!

Have something you’d like to see on Flash Fiction Fridays? Feel free to share the idea with me via email or in the comments, whichever you’re more comfortable with. I don’t bite, I promise! I’m always happy to interact with you guys and any of my readers.

Flash Fiction Fridays – Thuriel’s Dagger

Featured Ariel Paiement

This week’s flash fiction is about the forging of the dagger from Revelar’s Queen. Enjoy!

~~~

Thuriel bent close over the glowing silver in its crucible. Bubbles formed and popped on the surface. It was almost time. Soon he would forge the blade that would protect his descendants, the blade that would destroy her. The Seelie Queen who had taken everything from him. His soulmate, his throne, and his people. This dagger would take it all back and inflict the same pain on her. With each descendant who held it, it would grow in strength, in the thirst for revenge. His descendants would ruin her even if he couldn’t.

He plunged his hand into the boiling silver, wrapping his hand in a cocoon of magic and blending the magic into the silver. When it glowed and sparked with his power, he removed his hand and let the silver bubble in its crucible over the fire a little longer. Then he removed it and brought it over to cast the dagger. 

Each movement was precise, and he took each with care as if he were crafting the subtlest of masterpieces. He whistled to himself as he worked, continued to imbue it with his power throughout the entire process and ended the process with a final blow of the hammer. The dagger lay on the anvil, gleaming under the light, and he placed one last piece into it. Heating up the handle, he warmed the metal until it would give under his hammer. Then he embedded a single uncut ruby into it. This was the tricky part. He reached deep inside, grabbed a part of his soul and tore it away from the rest forcefully.

His body convulsed, and he screamed in agony, but he gritted his teeth and continued. This had to be done if the dagger was to guide his descendants. He directed the piece of his soul into the ruby and bound it there. Finished at last, he sagged to his knees on the ground and rested his head against the table. It was finished.

~~~

That’s it for this week, everyone! Have something you’d like to see on Flash Fiction Fridays? Feel free to leave the suggestion in the comments!

Flash Fiction Fridays – The Goal

Featured Ariel Paiement

This week’s flash fiction is from the universe of Aurelai. Hopefully you all find it interesting!

~~~

He tapped his long, bony fingers against the stone arm-rest of his throne. His bulbous eyes focused in on the connection he was maintaining between himself and his denizen. The creature had found the ruins in that other place, had found the source of power, and was waiting for the pursuit to catch up. It wasn’t the smartest of his subordinates, but it was the only one who wouldn’t appear too threatening to the beings of that other planet.

Non-threatening was key here if they were to deliver their message to these humanoid creatures. And it had been ingrained in them that they were to bring the son of shadows here. He didn’t know who that was, but this seemed like the best start on it. Up until recently, they’d been unable to make any headway at all. They had fought with Aurelai’s surface dwellers for a place in this world, for a way to access the Gate that would lead them to the son of shadows. But he hadn’t been able to use it. 

The way to that other place and the coordinates given had been useless. The Gate let the surface dwellers go other places, but it never admitted him or his men when those numbers were entered. He knew the Gate worked. He could feel the hum of energy right up until he fed the coordinates in his mind into the machine. And then the magic sputtered to a stop and the gears inside ground to a halt. 

But after centuries of surviving against all odds, they finally had broken through. The Gate had flashed and sent out a beacon with those coordinates, and he’d sent someone through. Now, he just had to wait.

Waiting was the hardest part, of course. He reached out with his mind, breaking the link with his subordinate. Nothing special going on over there. Until the Gate brought someone else to this world besides returning surface-dwellers and their goods, he didn’t care too much about what his liaison did. The runt was always a bit on the dull side, but it knew how to communicate well enough, so it served a purpose.

Heaving himself out of his chair, he clopped across the hall on his hind legs before dropping to all fours. Walking like the surface-dwellers became easier every day. Maybe if he kept working at it, he could finally gain freedom from this wretched prison. But until he looked like them, they would never accept him. And while his projection allowed him to appear human enough to them, he couldn’t hide a strange gait or awkward speech. But someday. Someday, he would be free to mingle up there. Free to find out what all the fuss was about in that cloud city. And he would find out himself. Maybe if he could understand them and their culture, the senseless killing of his people could stop. They were different, but that didn’t mean they were inhumane. It wasn’t their fault their creator made them with a goal that overrode any sense of humanity in them. But the goal didn’t control everything, and someday, once the son of shadows came, it would be gone. He would be free.

~~~

And there you have it! That’s it for this week. Have something you’d like to see in this section of the blog? Feel free to leave your suggestion in the comments below!

Flash Fiction Fridays – Nunael

Ariel Paiement

This week, we go back to Enlil from the Flash Fiction post Hear Him Thunder. If you haven’t read it yet, feel free to read it here! Anyway, on to the flash fiction for this week.

~~~

Nunael stared at the man. His eyes still sparked and echoed the lightning rolling over their heads. Faint sparks lit and died on his fingertips too. She dropped to her knees before him, tears springing past her lashes when she closed her eyes.

“Look at me.”

She opened her eyes as told, unable to resist for some reason. Why was she entranced by him? He emanated anger and vengeance, and the smoking ruins of the village surrounding her castle attested to that mood. “Please…”

“Please what?” He towered over her, and lightning crackled overhead.

“Please leave my family alone.”

He crouched down with a frown. “Why should I? It’s their own fault this is happening.”

“What could they have done to merit your wrath?”

“They tried to keep what was mine.”

“And so you killed innocents?”

He scoffed. “Hardly. Your people are complicit in the crime. Your parents couldn’t protect you from a god alone.”

Her pulse raced, and her fingers trembled on the hilt of the dagger at her hip. The man’s eyes traced over the shape of the blade’s pommel, and he laughed. She trembled at the sound and slowly stood again, facing him eye to eye.

“Did they send you out here?”

“No. I was the only one willing. I offered and hoped I could reason with you. Now I see that was madness.”

He shrugged. “Well, it doesn’t matter. Not now. What does matter is that you’re here, delivered to me just as you should’ve been on the full moon a month ago.”

“Are you insane? I’m not going to leave home with a murderer.”

He stepped closer with a twisted sneer. “I’m not insane. But you are if you think you have a choice.”

“One always has a choice.”

He reached out to take her chin in his firm grip. “But you must bear the consequences of that choice.  And others have choices too.”

She lifted her chin. “I don’t want to go with you.”

“But you will anyway.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because, Princess. I know why you came out here.”

She took a trembling step back. “I told you why.”

“Yes, you did.” He smiled with a sad glint in his gaze. “You want to avert more death.”

“Of course.”

“You want to protect them, even if they don’t deserve it.”

“They do.” 

But she didn’t believe that anymore. Not really. Not when they’d let her come out to meet the storm alone.

“They don’t.”

“Fine, have it your way. But I’ll do what’s right regardless.”

He laughed. “Right? Wrong? It makes no difference. But that is why you will come with me anyway. Because you need to do what you believe is right.”

“And you will use it against me.” She crossed her arms.

“Don’t blame me, Princess. Blame your family. They drove me to this point.”

“You had a choice. You could’ve walked away.”

“Duty demands I fulfill my word. They knew the consequences.”

“And everyone in the village? Did they know the consequences too?”

“If your parents informed them.”

“And if they didn’t?” She shook her head with a hysterical laugh. “You killed those people for doing their duty, however misguided it was. Am I to condone that?”

“It doesn’t matter to me if you do or not.” He held out a hand to her. “Now, will you come or will you try to deny me my right as well?”

She stared down at his hand. “What are the consequences for refusal?”

“I thought you knew.” He sighed. “Shall I spell it out?”

Nunael remained silent.

“Very well. You can come willingly or they all die and I’ll still take you.”

She bit the inside of her cheek and turned to look back at the castle. No one stood watching for her safe return. Cowards. Well, they might not deserve their salvation, but she wouldn’t do the wrong thing just because they had. She turned and put her hand in the stranger’s. “Let’s go then.”

~~~

That’s it for this week! I hope you all enjoyed it. Do you have something you’d like to see in future flash fictions? I’m open to suggestions, so feel free to let me know in the comments below!

Flash Fiction Fridays – Citadel in the Sky

Ariel Paiement

This one doesn’t necessarily have to do with a particular series or work I’ve got going on right now, but I was working on a world-building exercise and came up with an idea for this week’s flash fiction, so here we go!

~~~

Luna scampered down the halls of the citadel, her tail brushing against the floor. She glanced back to see Loan just a few feet back, still in hot pursuit. The other Cat Changer had been her best friend for as long as she could remember. And now, as they were nearing adolescence, they remained as close as ever. However, something new had taken over in the last months. A new fluttering low in her belly that accosted her whenever he was around. The tingles too. Luna didn’t know what to make of it.

Her mother had explained something about adolescence being the time when mates were taken, but Luna hadn’t really been paying attention, and she’d already decided a long time ago that Loan was it for her. If he didn’t want her, then she’d just die alone. She wouldn’t let anyone else have her.

She picked up the pace and skidded around the corner, her claws clacking on the metal of the hallway. They weren’t supposed to be playing back here, but what harm could it do? She pranced through an open door into the dimly lit room beyond. Loan would never think to look for her in here. Just ahead, a pedestal stood in the center of the room. The musky scent of earth and greenery filled the dim rim, and she breathed it in deeply. Reverting to her human form, she wandered further into the room to take a look at the glimmering green cup on the pedestal.

Upon closer examination, she found that someone had fashioned the cup out of pure emerald with a hammered gold rim ringing the lip of the cup. Inside, the cup held only a large amount of freshly turned dirt mixed with peat moss. No plants grew in it, and it seemed to nice to be a plant’s pot anyway. So what was it?

She reached out and skimmed her fingertips over the cup’s handles. A jolt of electricity ran through her, and she yelped, snatched her fingers back, and stumbled toward the door.

Loan poked his head around the corner then. His eyes widened when he saw her. “Hey, we aren’t supposed to be in there.”

She glanced behind her at the odd cup. “I know… I just thought I’d hide here. The door wasn’t locked.”

“Headmistress Roana will be furious if she catches us in here touching her pot.”

So that’s who it belonged to. She wondered how Loan knew. But then she dismissed the thought. Loan knew all sorts of things he shouldn’t. Stepping out of the room, she reverted to her feline form with a loud yowl. Loan transformed too, and she raced back the way they’d come. But as she ran, she couldn’t get the image of that strange emerald cup out of her mind. Even with the burn in her muscles and the ache in her lungs to distract her, she could still feel the lure of the cup, and she knew that soon she’d be back here to look for any further clues. 

~~~

And that’s it for this week, folks! I hope everyone enjoyed. Have a request for a flash fiction Friday? Feel free to comment below!

Flash Fiction Fridays – Kidnapped

Ariel Paiement

This week, I’ve got a flash fiction about Rhubhian from Trader Prince of Aleshtain. Enjoy!

~~~

RHUBHIAN stared out across the village, almost unable to comprehend what she was seeing. Smoke and fire curled up from the hide and straw huts. She sank to her knees on the promontory above her village, and the tears streamed down her cheeks. She’d heard the stories from refugees about the slavers who were hitting outer villages, but she’d never expected it would come this close to Faeridhia. This close to her cousin’s domain. Why had this happened?

She spun on her heel and hurried down the steep, rocky path to the village. Her mother and baby brother were down there, and her father had probably been involved in the fighting before the village was ransacked. She had to find them. Her foot slipped on the rocky ground, and she struggled for balance. Regaining it, she continued her headlong rush down the path. 

Something rustled ahead of her, and a man stepped out onto the path. He wasn’t wearing the attire of her people, and his skin was paler than anything she’d ever seen. She took a shaky step back up the path. His grey eyes fixed on her, and his lips parted in a leering grin. “Guess it’s my lucky day.” 

She struggled to understand the words, but the look on his face told her what his words didn’t. Her Common wasn’t good enough to understand his accent. But then, it didn’t need to be because the lust and greed was etched all over his face. She backed up more and shook her head.

The man took a step forward with a laugh. “Where are you going, girl?”

She shook her head again and turned to run. Her foot caught on a root, and she stumbled. She fell to her knees and released a cry. The sharp rocks dug into her knees, and she sniffled, forcing back the tears. She shoved herself to her feet and continued running. The man cursed and hurried after her. She could hear his sharp breaths and his footsteps growing closer, and she gasped. Increasing her speed did nothing. A hand wrapped around her hair and yanked her backward. She screamed and thrashed back against the man now holding her. She reached out for the objects around her, prayed that there was something large enough to knock him out. 

Nothing happened. His hot breath fanned over her ear, and he laughed, his hands holding her tight. “Don’t bother. Your mind tricks won’t work against me because I can negate them.”

She choked on a scream as he wrapped his fingers around her throat and dragged her back toward the path. With his grip around her throat, she couldn’t even struggle now. She tried to scream, but he slapped a hand over her mouth. Something bitter coated her tongue. Rhubhian attempted to spit it out, but the man pressed his giant palm over her nose and mouth, leaving her no choice but to swallow.

She squeezed her eyes shut and thrashed in his grip. But it did nothing. And as the bitter tablet he’d shoved into her mouth dissolved and trickled down her throat, she found her muscles slackening. Her heart rate spiked, and a moment later, she felt the line connecting her to her ashtra dim. She couldn’t reach it. She couldn’t use it. Tears dripped down her cheeks. As the man dragged her down the path toward her burning village, she couldn’t even lift a finger to save herself. Her mind drifted as the drugs seeped through her entire body. Then darkness settled over her like a heavy blanket, and she left the world of consciousness.

~~~

I hope everyone enjoyed this week’s flash fiction! If you did, you can look forward to reading more about Rhubhian in Trader Prince of Aleshtain. Once I have more content written, I’ll start posting that on Wattpad and Inkitt for readers.

Flash Fiction Fridays – Ansiel’s Quest

Ariel Paiement1 Comment

This week’s flash fiction is about a new character, Ansiel. This particular character features in a short story on the Fae Queen of the London Fae Court. If you haven’t gotten your free copy of Revelar’s Queen and read through it, then I’ll let you know now that the Fae Queen in my short story, Unseen, is the same one who was in charge of the London Fae Court during the events of Revelar’s Queen. With that note out of the way, let’s dive right in!

~~~

Ansiel leaned on the railing of his balcony with a sigh. A quest to scout out a bride for his king was quite a weight. And while he felt honored that his master had seen fit to send his personal bodyguard to do the scouting, he wished it didn’t have to be him. He wasn’t cut out for all of the diplomatic nonsense and courtly fawning required of ambassadors. It wasn’t even in his job description. Or it wouldn’t be if he’d had a job description. But, he couldn’t tell Faread no. So, here he was on the night of his departure, moping.

Soft footfalls alerted him to an intruder, and he spun on his heel. A slender figure stepped from the shadows, and he sighed. Then he shook his head with a soft smile. “Still at it, Ceili? When will you accept that you can’t sneak up on me?”

“Never.” Ceili matched his grin with one of her own. “So, what is this I hear about my brother becoming a diplomat?”

He put his hands on his hips. “Where did you hear that?”

“‘Read may have let it slip.”

Ansiel crossed his arms. “Nicknames, now, eh? Have you moved from mistress to prospective bride?”

She snorted. “Really, Ansi. Is it necessary to be that way? When are you going to accept that your baby sister is old enough to make her own choices? If I choose to warm my mate’s bed, that’s my own decision. Given what we went through over my career choice, I assumed you’d learned I was an adult.”

“That’s hardly fair! I’m your older brother. It’s my job to protect you, and I can’t do that if you give your heart to a man planning to wed another and risk your life protecting his kingdom from the threats he sees in every shadow.”

“He’s my mate.” She crossed her arms. “What do you want me to do? Abandon him?”

“He’s abandoning you.”

“Mates only happen once for us. You know that. And there’s only a fifty percent chance that you will.”

“I know that too,” he noted.

She shook her head with a huff. “And as for my career choice, I like what I do.”

“You enjoy killing people and living in the shadows. Never thought I’d hear that coming out of your mouth. A year ago, before he finally noticed you, you hated it.”

“Well…” Ceili groaned. “Well, I guess I still hate some aspects.”

He laughed and turned his back on her to watch the moon rise over the Irish countryside. “Ceili, he’ll be the death of you. Marry a man who can love you. A man who won’t make the woman he should cherish into a glorified prostitute.”

She didn’t answer him, but her soft intake of breath spoke volumes. A rustle of cloth filled the silence that stretched between them. When he finally turned, she’d already gone. He dragged his fingers through his hair with a groan. He shouldn’t have said that. Even if it was the truth, he didn’t like that it separated them and caused anger between them. And he really didn’t like that it meant leaving her with a bad taste in her mouth while he traipsed off to the Fae Court in England. Unfortunately, the words had been said, and she was already long gone. Probably headed off to cry in Faread’s arms. The man would console her like he always did, give him an earful about hurting his sister’s feelings, and then move on without a care in the world.

Ansiel gritted his teeth and stomped over to his four-postered bed. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the man wanted to marry a woman besides Ceili. The king wanted to make a ruined woman out of his baby sister, and she seemed determined he should. That alone was enough to make him want to kill the man. But he always bit his tongue and held back his true feelings towards the king. Admitting his hatred would be the best way to his job and his head. And when it all fell apart, Ceili needed someone to be there. He was all she had. He slid into bed and yanked the covers up over his head. For her sake, he would continue suffering this charade of a child in a man’s body and pretend that it didn’t make him sick. For her sake, he would turn a blind eye. And for her sake, he would pick up the pieces when it all shattered.

~~~

That’s it for this week! What did you all think? Have something you’d like to see in future Flash Fiction Fridays? Share your thoughts and comments in the comments below!

Flash Fiction Fridays – Hear Him Thunder

Ariel Paiement1 Comment

This week’s flash fiction is from a universe that hasn’t shown up in any of my official work yet. It may or may not ever do so, but it is connected to Revelar’s Queen in an interesting way. The connection between this world and the occupants of the location being terrorized by the villain in this piece was the result of an exercise in Holly Lisle’s Build a World Clinic ebook. If you’re interested in learning how to world-build what you need as you go along in a sane, organized fashion, I highly recommend it!

~~~

ENLIL rose into the sky, the sparks dancing around him and the winds picking up. He opened his mouth in a soundless scream of triumph, spread his arms and unleashed the storm inside. They thought they could beat him down? They thought that because he was of a lower class than they were that they could treat him like scum? Well, they’d learn. Because this so-called slave was their downfall, the perfect storm to bring reform. She was his, and they had denied him to her simply because he didn’t look like the one they thought she was pledged to. 

Lightning arced out of his fingertips, and the thunderheads blew from his mouth as he howled his victory. Below, houses went up in flames, and torrents of rain washed away whatever the flames didn’t touch. Then the rain put out the flames in the other areas too, and everything was enveloped in a maelstrom of wind, rain, and lightning with the thunder booming over it to provide the final beat on the drum that announced that death had come. 

He stretched his arms out further, tipped his head back and laughed into the sky. This was power. This was freedom. They would learn, and they would suffer just as everyone they had touched with their corruption had. Just as he had. This storm, he himself, were only the beginning. The beginning of devastation.

Only his betrothed would escape. But if she scorned him? His fingers twitched, shooting off more sparks and another bolt of lightning. If she scorned him, he would make her suffer more than all of her subjects. She had no right to refuse destiny, no right to look down on him because fate hadn’t chosen a more worthy object for her affection. So, if she thought him unworthy, he would show her how wrong she was. The vessel that housed him might be a slave, but he was no slave. He was far more ancient and powerful than any of them. He was storm. He was thunder. And he was destruction incarnate. He would have his way.

They would hear him thunder, and they would regret awakening his wrath.

~~~

That’s it for this week! I hope you all enjoyed. Have something you’d like to see in this section of the blog? Leave me a comment or shoot me an email! I’m always open to suggestions.

Flash Fiction Fridays – Unseelie

Ariel Paiement

This one is a bit of a one off from a world-building exercise I did. I’ll probably be writing a post about the method I used in a Thursday Technicalities, but that might be a bit in coming. I’m undecided on whether or not I’ll make a short story or novel out of this flash fiction, but we’ll see. Here you are!

~~~

I touch the flaking paint and peeling gold gilding of the doors, almost afraid of what might be behind them. But I also know it could be the only way out of here. I can’t go back down the dimly lit corridor I followed here, after all. So, I swallow the fear and press the door open just a crack, just enough to peek through.

The first thing I see is the man at the center of the room. The room itself is in shambles and looks to be empty aside from him. No noise is made, and I am certain I gave no indication of my presence. The door hinges didn’t make any noise earlier. But he knows I am here. He watches me from beneath long lashes, his irises a startling citrine. His clothing is immaculate, unlike the rest of the ballroom. A tailored suit and waistcoat with nice shoes. But his hair is unruly, giving him a wild look. And then he smiles at me, and I shiver. Out of fear or anticipation, I can’t say. Something about him both terrifies and warms me. 

The floor around him is dusty, and the light coming through the dingy window just behind him casts the edge of some kind of platform into sharp relief against the floor. Yet, somehow, he doesn’t cast a shadow. In that room of decay and despair, he fits in but also stands apart. His wild hair indicates a carelessness that the room’s occupants reflected in letting the curtains be eaten by moths and time unheeded, but his clothes are immaculate. An enigma in every way, even if he did appear to be somewhat at home in the otherwise empty room.

I crack the door a little more and peer past him at the strange crack in the wall that’s emitting an unearthly glow. What could it be? Some sort of portal, maybe? It doesn’t look safe, whatever it is. I can’t see past the light no matter how hard I strain, but I catch some chords of an ethereal, haunted melody drifting through the room to where I’m standing.

“Will you hide there all day, daughter of the shadows?” His voice is silky and sultry, meant entirely to charm.

I shiver and shake my head, backing away from the door. Something about this feels wrong. I never get the chance to run. He has me in his grasp the second I turn away from the doors, determined to find another way. His musk and pine scent envelops me, both soothing and frightening at the same time. How is that even possible?

I struggle against his grip, but he easily pins me to the wall just outside the dimly-lit ballroom.

“You want out of here, yes?”

I nod, go limp and hope he’ll loosen his grip. He doesn’t.

“What if I’m the only way?”

My gaze drops to his belt, searching for any way I might fend him off. His belt holds a single blade, unsheathed and tucked through a loop. But one look tells me all I need to know. I won’t touch it. It whispers to me of arcane things and darkness, of the Seelie and the Unseelie, and worst of all, of war and disaster. Shuddering, I look away. It gives no sign that it might harm its owner or even me, but something about it is simply unsettling.

The man gives me a feral grin. “I asked a question. What if I am your only escape?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That if you want to escape this cursed mansion, you will have to come to me.” He leans closer until his lips brush the shell of my ear. “It’s a simple choice. Die here or take just a single sip from my cup.”

“Your cup?” I peer at the wall across from us as if it might contain answers and try not to notice how closely his body presses against mine. 

“I left it in the ballroom when I came to fetch you.” He pulls away and grabs my wrist, tugging me through the doors. “You can either drink from it or starve to death in this place.”

“Why isn’t there an escape?”

His grip tightens. “Because of fate. Or because of whatever it is that will make you feel better about what is going to happen.”

My gut clenches. I stare at the object that is resting under the unfiltered brilliance of the strange crack in the wall. An odd liquid that looks silver in nature swirls about in the cup. “You want me to drink that? It looks like it might kill me.”

He forces me to my knees before kneeling beside me. “It won’t. Just one sip. One tiny sip, and you’ll be freed.”

I reach out and pick up the cool metal cup. “Just one?”

“Just one.”

Sucking in a deep breath, I lift the cup to my lips and take a tiny sip of the liquid. At first, a sweet and spicy tang fills my mouth. Then the bitterness hits, and I gag, choking on what I swallowed. It burns all the way down my throat and sets a fire in my belly. The warmth isn’t unpleasant, but I don’t like it all the same. “What is this stuff?”

He gives me a mysterious smile, and the liquid in the cup begins to change to gas, billowing out of the cup and flowing over me. It seeps into my pores and invades my nose, drying my throat and leaving the same cloying taste of sweet, spicy, and bitter on my tongue. “W-what have you done?”

He laughed and laced his fingers through mine as every nerve in my body burned and ached. “Made you mine.”

~~~

That’s it for this post, everyone! If you have something you’d like to see for future Flash Fiction Fridays, feel free to leave the suggestion in the comments below!

Flash Fiction Fridays: Proposal

Ariel Paiement

Hi, everyone! This week, we have a scene with Dhiabhan and Rhubhian from Bane of Ashkarith!

~~~

How long had it been since he’d been this nervous? He couldn’t even remember. No one, not even his father, had the capacity to do this to him. Only her. He tugged at the collar of his jacket with a sigh and exited the shop with his purchase tucked safely into his pocket. Would she like what he’d bought her? Would she refuse it? Gods, he hoped not.

His finger ran over the cool wood of the box, and he smiled. Neither one of them had ever imagined there would be a day when they wouldn’t have to be slave and master, prince and subject. He certainly hadn’t thought a day would come when he was free to love her without fear of losing her because of his weakness. But that day had come.

He kicked at the cobblestones of the path, listened to the tinkle of the wind through the wind chimes, and watched the carriages hurdle past down the sewage-laden streets. What a glorious day to be alive! Hopefully Rhubhian would echo that sentiment when he showed her what he’d bought.

He turned the box over and over in his pocket, fingers playing over the polished surface and the cold silver clasp that kept it firmly locked shut. His grin broadened as the airfield came into sight between the stone and mortar houses of the tradesmen living on the edges of town. The sun spilled over amber waves of grass dotted with purple and red autumnal flowers. He stopped by the edge of the fields and picked a few with pursed lips.

She might refuse his gift, but she’d never turn down flowers. Especially not these ones. He sucked in a breath of the freedom-laden air and quickened his pace. He nearly pranced down the pathway in the field as he approached the tents, but he forced himself to stay calm and walk at a pace that matched his usual brisk walk.

His men watched him with knowing grins and winks. He scowled at them, but even their knowledge of what was meant to be a secret didn’t dampen his mood. Why should it? Things couldn’t be better in his world, and if she didn’t refuse, he might even be forced to revise that opinion.

He flung the tent flap of his home aside and ducked inside.

Rhubhian swayed gently as she worked at tidying up the tent, her soft voice lifted in some song from her homeland. He paused at the door, drinking in her movements and the cadence of her song. She’d never sung while they were in his father’s court, and since leaving, he’d determined he would never let anyone steal away something she so obviously enjoyed again. “Ru?”

She stopped humming and spun to face him, dipping her head to hide the huge smile breaking out over her face. “You’re back, Eras.”

He strode to her and lifted her by the waist to swing her around before settling her petite frame against his. “Indeed I am. And I come bearing gifts.” He produced the flowers from his pocket and handed them to her.

She smiled and stood on her toes to press her lips to his. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.”

He cleared his throat, the nerves returning. “Yes, well. I have something else to give you, actually.”

She bit her lip. “You seem uncertain. Is something wrong?”

He shook his head then paused and shrugged. “Not yet. Maybe not at all. It depends on what you say.”

She frowned. “What I say?”

Dhiabhan nodded and slowly pulled the wooden box from his pocket, drawing her in with one arm to show her. “I have a very important question to ask you.”

“And it has to do with that box?”

He smiled and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Perceptive as always. It does.”

“What’s the gift, then? The box or what’s in it?”

“What’s in it.” He flipped the latch open and lifted the lid on the sandalwood box with its gold inlay and silver filigree. “In my culture, we had a tradition a long time ago. Long before we began to disrespect our woman and treat them as lesser beings. As the tradition went, the men presented these to their lovers in the hopes that they might…” His voice choked off, and he stared down at the glinting ring with its blue face and delicate silver design work. “In the hopes that they might do their men the honor of wedding them.”

Rhubhian sucked in a breath and reached out to touch the ring with trembling fingers. “And this? This is the question you wanted to ask me?”

He placed the box in her hands and closed her fingers around it. Then he enveloped her hands in his and drew her close. “Yes. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife, Ru?”

Her smile veiled with tears, she laughed. “It is long overdue, is it not?”

“I apologize for that, my love.” Dhiabhan squeezed her hands. “Had I been free of my conniving father, I would have brought the question to you a long time ago.”

She smiled and nodded. “Well, I suppose I can accept that explanation. And yes, Eras. I will marry you.”

He stared down at her with a soft smile on his lips, cupped her face in his hands, and marveled at how such a delicate creature could place her trust and her heart in his work-worn hands. He really didn’t deserve such great love. But whether he deserved it or not, he had it, and he didn’t plan on letting it go. He pressed his forehead to hers with a wide smile. “Thank you. This day can’t get any better now, thanks to you.”

“Glad to help.”

He kissed her gently and helped her put the ring on. For a moment, he stood there, admiring the way it glimmered in the lights from the lamps. She was his. Really, truly his. For forever, until death did them part. And he couldn’t have been more ecstatic.

~~~

That’s it for this week! Have something you’d like to see in this section of the blog? Feel free to leave suggestions below or send them to my email address from the contact page.