GOOD EVENING LOVELIES!!! It has been a minute since I have posted, and for that I sincerely apologize. After posting the first writing prompt, I took a huge step back. I try not to take myself so seriously, but I am serious about writing. So when I posted that other prompt, I felt like I wasn’t challenging myself. The whole point of my blog is to practice my writing, not dilly-dally around with words just to call it “practice”. I felt like I wasn’t giving my all, and therefore not giving YOU ALL my all. That being said, I bought a new prompt book, played around with a couple of prompts, and got the juices flowing again.
Today’s prompt comes from 5,000 Writing Prompts: A Master List of Plot Ideas, Creative Exercises and More by Bryn Donovan. What I love about this book is that it’s not just one giant book of one prompt after another… All prompts are divided up into sections. You’ve got “50 Ways to Begin a Story” or “150 Horror Prompts” or “50 Plots from Classic Cinema”. If you’re interested in an organized prompt book, I suggest you check her book out.
Now, let’s get to the nitty gritty, shall we??? After almost six months, I’m ready to get back into this. I’m a huge fan of the fantasy genre, so naturally I gravitated to the fantasy prompt section of the book. Once I read the prompt, I knew I had to write a short story.
A FAE, A GIANT, AND A GNOME WALK INTO A TAVERN
The storm was brewing outside. No wind, no rain, just the sound of thunder in the distance and the flicker of lighting every few minutes. The tavern wasn’t too busy tonight, just the handful of regulars with the three musicians on stage, trying their best to keep the atmosphere alive. Tonight just wasn’t the night for it.
Colleen, the bar maid, stood behind the bar lazily cleaning a mug with her apron. Her mood was melancholy, despite the band’s light-hearted attempts to keep the mood alive in the tavern. She looked to the stage as one of the musicians tried to get the present customers to sing along with the current song. Shaking her head at the pathetic attempt, she closed her eyes and sat the mug down. Worry ate at her soul tonight. It had been two days since she had heard from her friends, no news was NOT good news.
A flash of lightning filled the tavern.
The door swung open.
Colleen’s scowl instantly turned into a grin… but slowly fell once she saw the state of the figures walking in the tavern.
The fae, the giant, and the gnome dragged themselves into the tavern. They were covered in soot from head to toe, with holes burnt into their clothing in random places. Colleen quickly search the figures for wounds, missing limbs… anything of concern other than their present state. They were up and walking, so they couldn’t be that hurt.
The fae and the gnome sat on the bar stools, and the giant sat on the floor between the gnome and the fae, with the top of the bar coming parallel to his breast bone. All three of them kept their gazes forward as Colleen looked between them.
“Well?” she asked, flinging her hands to her sides.
“Three pints, would you please, Love?” the gnome asked solemnly.
“Make mine a triple,” said the giant.
“That’s all you have to say to me?!” she gritted out of her clenched teeth.
“Please, Colleen, we will explain everything just…” the fae started as he let out a long sigh. Colleen’s eyes softened on the trio before her. Clearly, they had been put through the ringer. The last thing they needed was her hounding them for details. She grabbed two regular sized mugs, and one giant mug for the big man. She poured the ale, and slid the glasses towards them.
The fae just held his mug between his hands, still staring into space. The giant grabbed his over-sized mug and slowly nursed the contents. The gnome, on the other hand, snatched his mug and downed the contents in one gulp. Colleen sighed lightly, and refilled his mug. After the gnome’s fourth refill, the trio relaxed in the environment. At that moment, Colleen slowly leaned in.
“Did you guys, at least, kill the dragon?” She asked, keeping her voice down.
“Oh, he’s dead alright,” the giant said, finishing off his drink. “Dead as a door nail.”
“The next time I see Morpheus,” the gnome began as he slammed his mug on the bar. “I am going to thoroughly school him on the difference between big and little,” the gnome gritted out between clenched teeth.
“Just how big was this dragon?” Colleen asked as she refilled the giant’s mug.
“Big enough,” the fae said, finally taking a sip from his mug.
“I didn’t think we were going to make it there a couple of times,” the giant said. Colleen’s eyes softened on the trio as silence fell between them. Now, she truly understood the reason behind their somber mood. Out of all of their adventures, this was the first time they had truly faced death. This mission could’ve very well been their last, and they all knew it. Colleen straightened up, determined to get them out of this rut.
“But you did.” The trio looked at her. “You guys made it out. You’re alive, granted a little worse for wear… but you’re alive. You took an impossible situation and made it possible. That is something worth celebrating.” They stared at her moment, digesting what she just said. The gnome slammed his hand down on the bar as the band started another merry jig, this time getting more participation from the crowd.
“Fellas,” the gnome began, raising his glass. “Here’s to another successful mission,” he declared, then once again downed the contents of his mug in one gulp.
“Here here,” the giant said half-heartedly, still trying to shake off his somber mood. The fae looked to Colleen and held his hand out.
“Come dance with me,” he said, with a faint smile. Colleen’s eyes snapped to his, obviously taken aback by the request.
“Now?” Colleen stammered. The fae snickered.
“Yes, now,” he said as he pulled her from around the bar. He pulled her into his arms, wrapping his arm around her waist and softly gripping her hand in his.
“They’re playing an upbeat song,” Colleen whispered hoarsely.
“And?” the fae asked, slowly swaying them.
“We’re slow dancing.”
“Colleen, I could’ve died today… please let me dance in peace with a beautiful woman in my arms.” The fae said as he continued to sway them. Colleen huffed.
“Fine, just this one time. But your next bought with death you will have to dance the correct dance that goes with the song,” she explained, surrendering the battle, for now.
“Deal.”
The giant and the gnome watched their friends slowly sway a few feet from the bar.
“We had a close call today, my friend,” said the gnome.
“Closer than you think,” the giant said, sipping from his mug. “I can’t help but wonder, how long before Death realizes we have been avoiding her? Eventually, she will come for us.” The gnome exploded with a hearty laugh. “I’m being serious,” the giant emphasized.
“I know you are! That’s what makes it even more hilarious!” The gnome eventually regained his composure and slapped the giant on the shoulder. “Death will eventually come for us, but she didn’t today… which proves once and for all there is much more work to be done.” The gnome patted his friend on the shoulder, then turned to the couple dancing a few feet away. Both the gnome and the giant sat there, watching their friends slow dancing to the merry jig being played. “Close calls make moments like this worth-while.” The giant’s eyes softened as he watched the couple.
“I should get home. If Colleen was worried, I’m pretty sure my wife and kids are worried too,” the giant said, moving to get up off the floor.
“Give my love to the ankle biters,” he called to his friend as he exited the tavern. The gnome then crawled over the bar, and hobbled over to the barrel containing the ale, quickly refilling his drink.
“You know, it’s a merry song playing, not a ballad!” the gnome called to his friends. The fae rolled his eyes.
“You’re just mad I asked her to dance before you did,” the fae said, continuing the slow movement.
“Just for that, I’m finishing your ale,” the gnome scoffed, as he picked up the fae’s mug.
“Knock thyself out,” the fae said, sarcastically.
As quick, and as silly as I tried to make this, this was definitely a lot of fun to write. I hope you guys enjoy reading it. Let me know what you think, and if you are able to come up with a short story with today’s prompt, let me know!!! I’d love to read it!!!
Also, there is going to be a change in the posting schedule. Until I can get a true schedule set, I will only be posting on Wednesdays and Fridays.
I hope you all have an amazing week!!! And THANK YOU for your patience and understanding. Until next time…
Love, Leslie
Leslie's Writing Desk 