The Unicorn Challenge.
A magical new weekly writing opportunity from her – Jenne Gray – and me.
Visit her blog every Friday to see the photo prompt, and post your amazing story in her comments section.
Or on your own blog, and stick the link down in her comments.
The rules are:
Maximum of 250 words.
Based on photo prompt.
That’s it.
To hear me read my story, just click here:
The Prisoner
She is not accustomed to confinement, being a lady of the north, who strides across heather-clad slopes above misty glens through which tumble fast-flowing burns, home to the silver salmon.
Her view has always been of long, grey sea-lochs, whose vast depths hide mysterious shapes and legends of centuries-old monsters, and of towering snow-tipped bens where the haggis run free.
But she is daughter to a chieftain, betrothed to the greatest warrior ever to wear the tartan, so she shows nothing, no sign of weakness, no hint of doubt.
When her captors threaten her, torment her, tug at her hair, touch her slender limbs, she does not react.
They will go no further, she believes, because even they have some semblance of decency, of chivalry, in their creed.
So she holds her head high, regards them with scorn, speaks no word against her people or in her own defence.
When she hears the shouts from above, and the ring of clashing steel, of claymore against sabre, she knows he has come.
But she also knows that they are many, and he will have few behind him.
Her father will not risk everything just for her.
Of a sudden the fighting stops, and weapons drop onto stone.
It is over, and she fears the worst.
Feet clatter down the narrow steps to the dungeons, and her bearded jailer drags open her cell door.
From behind him comes the smiling question.
‘Are you well, my lady?’
And her hero offers his hand.
For the full intro to the cult TV show:
The Prisoner
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Oooo…valorous and romantic. Very swoon worthy.
Exciting stuff. She’s free to do whatever she feels necessary, and make her father proud.
There’s not many of the enemy left, so it’ll be a nice wee trip home on the boats that he arrived in last week!
Yes! Perfect ending. This lady and her betrothed will make a formidable team as a couple. Love the atmosphere and detail in this, and the truly heroic behaviour of the lady. Wonderful.
Thanks, Margaret, that’s quite a compliment!
Much appreciated.
Enjoy the wine and befriend the captors, and rest assured the happy-ever-after is on his way. But watch out for the damned Haggi!
Laughing.
The Haggis will defend her, she’s a lady of the north!
Great story, CE. But oh – the haggis running free and Patrick McGoohan on the beach from Portmeirion – how exciting.
Laughing.
Thanks, Chris, but this was far, far from Portmeirion!
I just liked the music for my intro and extro!
Loved your story, as usual.
Two things I keep going back to: those wild haggises running free, a must-see on my eventual trip to Scotland, and, “The Prisoner”, a new must-watch on my list of old television shows.
Thanks, Sally, happy you enjoyed.
Re the haggis, you should ca’ canny, and read my reply to sweeterthannothing below.
excellent story, steady action (with no small amount of insight into the MC).
being, as I am, a student of the fair art, I was stopped in my readage by this construct:
‘Of a sudden the fighting stops, and weapons drop onto stone.”
nice lick
I like to pretend sometimes that I am inspired by the great RLS by writing in the voice he used for Kidnapped and other such masterpieces.
Glad it worked for you, Clark.
A tale of nobility and courage that would have its worthy place in the annals of the Homeland, and so clearly written that I see the action playing out before me.
Oh to be again in the land where the haggis run free!
And it’s bliddy Baltic!
Just bide where you are, hen, you can go visit again in May when la neige fondue has stopped.
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Havig visited Portmeirion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portmeirion and having spent the night there, it seems highly likely that such an event occurred. Except for the fact that it’s in Wales and not Scotland. Then again, haggis are wild. 😉
Yeah, Doug, but they’re not daft!
Also Wales doesn’t have glens, bens, sea lochs or monsters!
Patrick McGoohan! Be still my trembling heart and other quivering parts of me. How I adore that man and this TV show. Sweet spot sufficiently slammed.
It’s been a while since anything I did hit a lady’s spot, Nancy.
Pity.
Great story, very thrilling! One day I’ll visit the far north, if only to see the wild haggis 😉
One has to take great care around these beasties, as indicated in this excerpt from my epic poem ‘Angus’, where they are described thus:
There are three different breeds of these savage creatures
And Angus knows each one by its own unique features
The four-legged furry one lives on the slopes of the Ben
The three-legged nasty one has sharp claws and feathers
It scurries around hiding under the heather
That grows on the steep sides of the misty mysterious Glen
But the Wild Marine or Sea Water Haggis
Has a shell of steel and claws like daggers
And even Angus takes great care with these
He knows how to tempt them onto the rocks
And how to trap them in a stout wooden box
And how to make sure that they get nowhere near his knees
You exhaust me. lol So glad the lady was rescued. But she did enjoy the wine that was stored in those kegs.
I take every opportunity. 😉 The picture prompt was a wonderful gift.
I’m glad you’re glad, if exhausted, dear Lady.
‘Tis Jenne who selects the prompt photo, being as she’s the smart one of the team.
(He’s hiding his light behind a bushel again – he took the photo!)