Category: fantasy

A Night To Forget

· Leave a comment ·

Narrow rays of light rested on Paul’s face, waking him from a deep sleep. He sat up and faced the window trying to get a read on the time of day, and then turned to the hotel’s alarm clock. Someone had unplugged it. Paul failed to repress his smile.

Paul felt a hand grasp his arm and try to pull him back to facing the bed. Under the covers rested a slightly chubby man with alabaster skin who was still trying to pull him down although Paul had turned away. 

Theon spoke. “Go back to bed. It’s much too early.”

Paul retorted, “How could you possibly know? The clock has been mysteriously disconnected from the wall. Do you have any idea of who would do such a thing?” Playfulness danced across his words as he stared into Theon’s bright green eyes. 

“The clock was still plugged in when I got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.”

“It was, was it? Was it still plugged in when you got back in?” Paul’s smile turned into a smug smirk as he cornered Theon in his not-quite-lies.

Theon stared at Paul’s deep brown eyes and then his dark curly hair, basking in his light like a serpent might bask in the sun. And after a moment he spoke, “You should stay in bed longer. There are things I still want to try.”

(more…)

A Gentle Sound

· Leave a comment ·

Grace woke up, rolled over, and stretched her arm to pull Izzy closer. Her hand felt empty mattress, so she patted along for a few seconds before finally opening her eyes and seeing that Izzy wasn’t there. Even with the blinds pulled, she could tell it was deep in the night, as no light peaked out from the corners of the window. 

Grace yawned, “Izzy, honey, where are you?” She sat up and stared at the empty half of the bed.

Grace felt a tickle of breath across her ear – Izzy’s voice. “I’m on the roof. I want to show you something.” Grace, startled, looked around the room. She rubbed her eyes and blinked them open again, but still Izzy was not near. Shaking her head clear, she mentally prepared for leaving the warmth of the blankets and threw her legs over the side of the bed. It took her a second, and a great amount of energy to take that single small step to the cold hard wood floor, and then into her slippers.

Across the hall from her room was the guest room, the door and window open to the small veranda roof at the front of the house, pointing toward the street and the city below. As Grace forced herself through the thick unrelenting sludge of being half awake, she whispered to herself, “Thank God Mom’s not visiting.”

Grace dragged her feet forward and pushed aside the lightly fluttering curtain so she could poke her head through. Izzy was standing at the edge of the roof, the tips of her toes just past the gutter. The side of Izzy’s face was illuminated by the drag of her cigarette. Grace started to crawl out, hoping not to be too loud and startle Izzy. 

(more…)

Down the Mountain

· 2 Comments ·

Lucas set the broom against the wooden railing of the back patio, took a step back, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. It had taken him a few hours, but finally the patio was completely clean again. As clean as the day he built this place. Lucas turned towards the valley and looked at the horizon.

He said, “Tree line is looking a little shorter than yesterday. Picking up a bit of speed I guess.” He took out two small paper tickets to a boat. It was docked off the coast in the opposite direction, and slapped them against his hand as he looked back at the horizon. “No point in these anymore.” He ripped them up over the garbage bag still hanging on one of the knobs of the railing.

He took another moment looking off into the distance, his hands on his hips. It was the first time he saw the sun setting like this, bringing a new glint to the snowy tips to the mountains on either side of the valley. The forest itself was quiet for the first time as well, as if nothing in it wanted to break the moment. He turned around, grabbed the garbage bag, and headed inside the sliding glass door.

(more…)

The Gentleman’s Lie: Part 1

· 3 Comments ·

The Duchess’s consort was well looked after. After all, people would not look upon her favorably if she lived in wealth while her husband lived in squalor. His apartment, directly attached to the Duchess’s, included its own kitchen, lavatory, study, and smoking room. They were all, of course, smaller than the Duchess’s, as it also would look a bit unseemly if her consort were to have living conditions that matched or even exceeded hers. 

The consort’s bedroom was, however, the same size as hers. This was a gift to him, and one she could easily give, as, hopefully, no one of importance would happen upon it and discover her indiscretion. When he asked why, she simply said, “You make me laugh.” and left it at that. The room was lavish. There was a large oak dresser, imported from the north; expensive jewelry, imported from the west; placed in an ornate ivory jewelry box, imported from the south; and a four post cherry wood bed with silk sheets, all imported from the east.

Underneath those sheets, the consort, Duke Theodore Mercier, felt a tickle as the ties of his lover’s mask brushed against his neck. With him was Gabriel Chastain, of the Chastain family of merchants, the wealthiest family of commoners in the area. And Gabe had one goal, to caress every inch of Theodore’s body with his lips, starting from the top. This was a time-intensive task, but he was a man who stuck by his word. And so, as he gripped Theo’s shoulders and pulled him close, as he straddled Theo, one leg on either side of his hips, Gabe brushed his lips gently down the side of his neck.

(more…)

The Truth: Part 1

· 3 Comments ·

Trouble always seems to find me if it wants to go looking. It makes sense; my office can be reached from almost every corner of the world. See, all you really need is the right ingredients and the right incantations when walking into any investigator’s office. By the time the incense has finished burning, you’ll be right across the desk from me. 

See, every one of us had an aspect, a calling, something that defined us in the abstract. I was truth, and by extension I was the one the others went to when they needed to know the truth. It doesn’t mean I was always honest though. I was just simply inclined to find the truth, not tell it.

There were millions of us, I think. It was hard to keep track of at the time. You got to know those who worked around you, but that doesn’t mean that you knew anyone beyond your network. To be honest, I hadn’t seen my immediate network in a couple months. Most of them were of similar aspects, like “lying,” “honesty,” “knowledge,” and even “communication,” so they didn’t need my help as often as others.

(more…)

The Elf Knight

·

Sage nervously picked at his knuckles as he looked up the stairs, but he took the first step anyway.

Rosemary peaked around the corner of the hallway and asked, “You sure now is a good time?” Her long ears pointed flat, suggesting disapproval.

“I, I need to see Parsley. Ask him a question.” Sage spoke with a slight shake in his voice. “I really don’t want to wait.”

(more…)

Hoof Prints

· 2 Comments ·

On the drive to my new home, I realized that somewhere along the way I lost a button. It wasn’t a jacket button. I would have noticed that earlier, when the wind was stronger and we were packing the boxes into the car. No, it was a button that I found out in the woods one day. It was small, wooden, and had several nicks in it. I sewed the button into the shoulder of my jacket once I found it. My mom always says I’m a bit of a goblin, always picking up and collecting everything I can find.

“Honey, are you okay back there? You’ve gotten a little quiet.” My mom didn’t know about this button specifically, but she quickly realized I was upset by something.

“I’m okay, just thinking about things.”

“You missing the old place already?”

“Sort of, but I’ll be okay. I swear.” I answered her as honestly as I knew how to. I didn’t know how to explain to her about how it all was connected together.

(more…)

The Milk of Human Kindness

· 1 Comment ·

Alex began to unscrew the lid, gently screeching, of a small glass vial. He poured the contents in a circle around the table, just past the runes he found in his extensive research into the arcane and unknowable, which were surprisingly easy to understand.

He began chanting, as one does in situations like this. His particular chant was in Latin, specifically a dialect that has long since been dead, but was commonly found off in a northern set of mountains. As he butchered the consonants, which was not as important as you’d think, he started to light the candles around the table. The book suggested pure white candles, but Alex was hoping that the backlog of Yankee candles his mom had gotten him over the years would suffice.

(more…)

The Price of Ink

· Leave a comment ·

“May I come in? The rain is getting much stronger outside and there is nowhere else for several miles.”

Gregor looked at the tall stranger with deep confusion, but motioned for him to come inside. He spoke with deep generosity. “Yes, yes, of course, please. We can’t have you out in the elements. What kind of host would I be if I did?” Gregor started walking back deeper into his small home.

The stranger stood in the front portion of Gregor’s home awkwardly, dripping from his long dark cloak and wide brimmed hat. Gregor almost fell over, turning around so quickly. “I’m so so sorry. Please, let me take that hat and cloak of yours. They are absolutely soaked.”

The stranger shook his head gently and said, “No, it is quite alright. I would just like to warm up and dry off by your fire. I imagine that the weather will turn well soon, I can feel it in my knees.” Gregor felt warmth from his guest’s deep baritone. It felt like the voice of a friend he must have forgotten.

(more…)

The Emperor In The River

· 1 Comment ·

My boys like to play by the riverbed. They like to run around and pretend to be knights and bandits. Thomas likes to pretend that he is the son of a dethroned lord, while Gregory likes to pretend to be a gentleman thief giving back to villagers. Allen, the youngest, mostly sat quietly by the river bank and stared at the flowing water.

When I was younger I used to play with my brother by the same river that my three boys loved. We would skip stones across the river’s surface. Caleb, my younger brother, he would always try to find stones tall enough so he could skip across the river himself. I was not as brave, the flowers on the other side of the river would give me coughing fits. But Caleb loved to pretend the other side was his domain.

My boys always leave right after lunch and return right before dinner. Sometimes they arrive a bit late and I start to worry. I’ve had to be stern with them several times before due to their late arrivals. Thomas, the oldest of the three, he started to argue that he is getting old enough to stay out later, but not anymore.

One night, after they arrived late, Thomas and Gregory went on and on about their games. Gregory was miming a sword fight while Thomas pretended to die. I don’t like to raise my voice, but I had to to get them to calm down. They left Allen by the river.

(more…)