Fiction|Challenge|Adventure|Fantasy

The Proposition

44 of 💯 — The price — or obliteration.

Gazing through the window, Dreng’s voice boomed for such a compact being, startling the scribe yet again. “Did you get all that?”

“Yes, sire.”

“Give me the quill.” He signed the parchment Prince Dreng of the dwarves. The scribe rolled the scroll then Dreng dripped wax from a nearby candle on the fold and pressed his signet ring in as it cooled, leaving his dwarven crest.

“Hire the Gloom Stalker to deliver this to Princess Celebrian of the elves. I am confident he will make it through the battlefield unscathed. Should she decline such a generous offer, Hades will open it jaws with what follows.” Dreng picked up a silver necklace with intricate carvings and sparkling gems from the table. “Give this to her as a promise upon her acceptance.”

The scribe immediately left in search of the Gloom Stalker, hiding the necklace and letter in the folds of his robes.

Walking through the dusty streets, he repetitively looked behind himself, checking if he was being followed as he searched for the rogue. At one such moment, a blind human stumbled from one of the town’s several taverns, nearly causing him to drop the ornate necklace when they collided. The man slurred an apology when the scribe had hurried half way down the street, quickly turning into an alley, clutching his chest.

A hand reached out from behind and grabbed the scribe’s shoulder, causing him to nearly leap out of his skin. He spun around, taking a step back, only to be met with the rogue he was searching for. “W-what are you doing here? H-how did you find me?”

“I followed you, of course. Weren’t you searching for me?”

The scribe whipped his head back and forth like an owl, wondering how he was followed into the alley.

“What assignment do you have for me?

The scribe turned his wondering attention back to the rogue and explained what the prince required. Accepting the mission, and the handsome payment, he added, “Leave another way, you were followed.”

The scribe cranked his head around in search of who followed him. Finding no one, he turned back to the rogue but found himself standing alone, and a little distraught.

The rogue tucked the parcels inside his jacket and turned towards the elven kingdom, sticking to the back alleys and shadows as he made his way for the tree line. He never took the same path twice. He chose unpredictability to keep others unprepared, giving him the advantage.

He had purposely broken several plant stems in his hour’s travel into the forest before he stopped. Knowing he would be ensued, he grabbed his ropes and small ax, constructing several traps to occupy his pursuers when they caught up. The rogue placed a bright, rubber duck he had purchased long before arriving in this territory, just beyond the traps on the pine needle covered ground before hiding a distance away.

Within half an hour, the rogue could see his hunters in the distance, approaching the bait with unveiled curiosity. As expected, a couple stepped into one trap, causing alarm to the rest of the company who stumbled backwards into the other traps.

As he approached to retrieve his lure, the men spew threats and profanity at him. One of the men drew his knife and began cutting the ropes as he glanced from his predicament to his capture. In his rage and lack of attention, the knife slipped and dug through his course pants, cutting his leg. The man yelped and gripped his wound, unintentionally allowing the bloody knife to fall to the ground below.

The rogue picked up the small rubber duck and tucked it in his pocket as he wordlessly turned to continue his journey. He was pursued by the men’s angry voices, “You can’t just leave us here!”

Hours later he could see the activity at the elven fortress. He heard a tree cracking before crashing to the ground after hearing someone yell, “Timber!” Then he watched as they trimmed the branches and carried their battering ram to the doors.

A catapult on the east side was pummeling the towering structure. Yelling ensued, followed by the announcement, “We’ve breached the second wall!”

The rogue silently continued on his way like a shadow in the night.

Letting himself into the outer courtyard as shouts of a third wall being breached, he made his way to the throne room. Avoiding the bustling activity of swordsman racing to join the fray, the rogue pushed open the heavy, arching doors, entering the throne room.

Princess Celebrian stood from her throne, sword in hand as she demanded through the booming of the battering ram and cracks of splintering wood in the distance, “Who are you and how did you get in here?”

Ignoring her question but noting the lack of guards, “There is great gravity in the decision you must make. You and you alone.” His silent footsteps led him before the princess, offering the scroll with Prince Dreng’s seal.

Pausing only a moment before accepting the parchment, she sat regally as her graceful fingers pried the seal open to shouts of the fourth wall being breached. Her rosy lips pursed as bright eyes skimmed the demands. Her perfectly straight stature slumped ever so slightly with the gravity of the war and decision at hand.

The shouting in the distance grew louder as she closed her eyes before looking to the Gloom Stalker, responding with a single nod. The rogue strode forward, extending the jeweled necklace to the princess.

Her delicate, yet strong, fingers grasped the necklace and put it on. Celebrian stood with her head held high as the barrage of dwarven soldiers poured into her court. They quickly came to a halt when their eyes fell on her, all bowing on one knee in a domino effect, “All hail the future queen!” A single tear fell.

In moments, the ripple effect spread throughout her kingdom, ceasing the attack on her beloved people.

Sweet Chaos — Tickling your senses through fiction writing while shocking you with the outcome! Nothing is as it seems! Ready to read every addicting story leaving you on the edge of your seat? Joining through my link gives me a smidge extra at no cost to you, and a treat for my dog!

This was so much fun to write (and it’s 1,000 words exactly!) It’s been years since I partook in D&D, and only as a noob, so researched for the story. I’d like to challenge L.A. Sauvette, Jann Christoph von der Pütten, and FJCMontenegro to write something for the Monday Mash-Up #1! They are amazingly, creative! I hope they accept and look forward to reading it!

Inspired by Bradan Writes Stories challenge Monday Mash-Up #1 and by Zane Dickens’💯 Story Challenge.