FEBRUARY 2024 -- 75 Word Writing Challenge -- VICTORY TO THE JUDGE!

[Christine Wheelwright]

RULES

Write a story inspired by the chosen theme and genre in no more than 75 words, not including the title

ONE entry per person

NO links, commentary or extraneous material in the posts, please -- the stories must stand on their own


WHEN WRITING YOUR STORY, PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS A FAMILY-FRIENDLY FORUM

All stories Copyright 2024 by their respective authors
who grant the Chronicles Network the non-exclusive right to publish them here


The complete rules can be found at RULES FOR THE WRITING CHALLENGES

Contest ends at 11:59 pm GMT, 23 February 2024

Voting ends at 11:59 pm GMT, 28 February 2024


We ask all entrants to do their best to vote when the time comes

But you do not have to submit a story in order to vote
as we encourage all Chrons members to take part in choosing the winning entry


The Magnificent Prize:

The Dignified Congratulations/Grovelling Admiration of Your Peers
and the challenge of choosing next month's theme and genre

AND

The option of having your story published on the Chrons Podcast next month!


Theme:

Destiny

Genre:

Romantasy

Please keep all comments to the DISCUSSION THREAD


We invite (and indeed hope for) lively discussion and speculation about the stories as they are posted,
as long as it doesn't involve the author explaining the plot


** Please do not use the "Like" button in this thread! **​

 

[Guttersnipe]

The Thread Between Them

Mai and Wong were certainly not in love, though the red thread that connected
them was strong. It was a thing they were taught by their ancestors: the red thread
of destiny connects soulmates.

Mai moved to California, but the red thread eventually became taut. The gossip from
families enraged them. Finally managing, he severed the thread.

He smiled at her. She smiled back.

Shortly after, the two wed, each counting themselves as the luckiest.

 

[THX1138]

Love is in Her Eyes

They meet at the Louvre during the Blaas exhibit.

She leaned on a stone ledge as they exchanged words and feelings of love. But soon the exhibit would end, and she would move on.

He anguished over her leaving but saw an opportunity to save her through an open door. Hand in hand, they ran.

He pressed her textured brushed lips, as her painted hand caressed his living face.

Oh, the Girl at the Window!

 

[paranoid marvin]

The Eye of the Beholder


The Prince gazed deeply into the bluest of eyes, resting above the daintiest of noses and the fullest lips. Murmuring sweet nothings, he gently ran his fingers through auburn locks; they were destined for each other.

"A hopeless case," the apothecary said to his assistant, as they observed the Prince staring into a looking glass whilst playing with his hair. "Drank a 'love at first sight' potion, then accidentally caught his reflection in a mirror."

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Love blossoms in an endgame.

Playing chess certainly won't lead to a romantic adventure. However the two elves Delsar and Amara, were hoping that love would blossom. Each move was calculated carefully, and each piece captured a triumph. The middle game was full of traps and counter play.
The elves watching were mesmerised the game.

The ending was a surprise, a stalemate was an inspiring draw.

Which was a perfect ending for the lovers.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Another Tale of Scheherazade

Yusuf, court astrologer for the Caliph, was the bearer of bad news.

"The stars have spoken. The Princess Amira must not marry her sweetheart, or disaster will follow."

The Caliph valued his daughter's happiness more than his own. He called for Khalid, the greatest sorcerer in the caliphate.

"It shall be done."

Khalid summoned an army of djinns to work his will. That is why the constellations are no longer as they were long ago.

 

[DaCrazyKat29]

To be or not to be?

My fingers brush against the man as I manoeuvre his path onto another’s. Forging Destiny is what I’ve done for over 400 years now. Stopping I order some food, taking a second to romanticise about the guy I’ve had a crush on for 10 years. I could easily intertwine our paths. He likes me.
When our fingers brush I nudge his path onto another’s.

Some things, are never meant to be.

 

[ZroSkeerd]

Dream Misdeem

I’ve dreamed of those eyes.

Months of blood and sacrifice. Countless lives lost to her creatures in battle. How many had he sent to death himself in the hope he might close those eyes forever, as his dreams foretold?

He gazed into those radiant oval pools and felt himself drowning in them. He felt his sword lower, and smiled.

He had dreamed, but not understood.

For her, he would surrender the world to the Pit.

 

[Graconis]

He flexed what few muscles were left on his right arm. The dehydrated and desiccated tissue cracked and split as he lifted the ornate mace. He hefted his other arm, shield weighing heavily. To defend her. His dark empress.

Standing next to him, her pale skin in contrast to the dark resplendence of dried blood and hugging silk. Her undead beauty compelling him forward. And he would serve her, forever in undeath. His vampiric love.

 

[Culhwch]

Love ‘Em And Outlive ‘Em, That's What I Always Say

I was born knowing my destiny.

Immortal warrior queen.

Light against the dark.

Alone.

Until…

Him.

My greatest enemy.

Yeah, it's one of those stories.

Hold on. It gets better.

Montage!

Fight. Sneer. Fight.

Cutting quip. Fight. Flirt?

Fight.

Um.

Other … stuff.

Thing is - he thought that made him king.

Ha!

I've seen your future, buddy. You're just a little fun.

Enjoy the ride. Make it count.

Those seven months will go by quick

 

[Provincial]

It was in the cards


The goblin was washing her body, bloody and broken, when she awoke. She watched in silence as he set her bones; no stranger she to pain or fear.

Gently he cleansed and brushed her hair. His dark eyes reflected back her face. There was nothing left of her beauty or humanity.

“Why are you helping me?”

He spread a deck of cards before her. She turned one over.

Her body and his, entwined. The Lovers.

 

[johnnyjet]

War Angels

Most soldiers knew the legend of the war angels. Each had one watching over them. They've been glimpsed during the fiercest battles attending the wounded and dying.

As Jeremy lay dying, he watched her come to him. He felt her comforting touch. He remembered her.

She whispered (a chill wind): "We were destined to meet this way."

"To meet again," he sputtered. "I knew you once."

She smiled.

He reached for her and…

 

[chrispenycate]

Dragonflirt
​

The dragon roared - maybe anguish, hunger, indigestion or unrequited lust. Not speaking dragon nobody knew. But loud enough to shake diamond panes out of their lead support.

After an hour or so the portcullis rose, drawbridge lowered, and the local hero rode out on the local magnificent steed, almost as overdressed as he was.

Hooves touched roadway and she reared, spilling her rider, and flirted with the reptile, calming the cacophony, sealing the contract.

 

[Bowler1]

Destined to be Together

A battlefield or facing rampaging Orcs is safer than the King’s Court, where a feminine glance, a fluttering fan or a coy smile can be a faith worse than death… and end in marriage.

So I play along, nod and smile and ignore my one true love.

Not a single look ever… not while in Court… it’s too dangerous.

My lover, the Kings Guard… a man so handsome he makes my giddy heart beat faster.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

Sol~itude: Ode to Winter Sky

Do not be made uneasy by the diminution of light, my darling
In the hebetude of aphelion, wrap about yourself strings of argentic starring
Perhaps tomorrow day will clothe you in the earth’s adjured raiments;
Riffled cobalt, a bank of mists chased rolling, a murmuration of starlings

Rising quiet highs, I breathe on you, esoteric hymns
Reverberating animism, verse of god, tongue of stone
Each flying within a fleeting vastitude
to you
my bedouin home.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

The Longing of a Stonefruit Faerie

Silvin desperately needed love.
This had emboldened them to seek the mage Mangridol for a destiny-reading.
The faerie, fulfilling the reading's revelations, was soon nestled round a specific plum's pit, awaiting discovery by their preordained lover.
Unfortunately, bears visited the tree first; Silvin was eventually voided far away.

They'd returned to confront the mage, that smooth talker, and now, curled within a fallen cherry, Silvin heard boars snuffling and realised Mangridol mightn't be trustworthy.

 

[Starbeast]

Destiny’s Love​

“Oh James.”

“Oh my sweet Destiny.”

“Hold me tight. Kiss me.”

“You are so round, so firm, so full of cheese.”

“And carrots.”

“I love your silken hair. Say you’ll be my princess. Marry me.”

“Oh James. I’ve waited a decade for you to propose.” She teared and trembled. “Yes. I’ll love you forever.”

A half mile away, a knight waited for his palomino horse, Destiny, to finish her rendezvous with James, a blue dragon.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Till The Mayan Soil

Bend low, bend low, bend low, all ye, for the wind steals all other sounds.

Affix your heart, cloud your eyes, and bend an ear low to the red, red ground.

Till Mayan soils, soaked with fertility, bring this message ‘cross windblown seas.

Bend low — to water, too — till leaping summer dragonets distract you no more.

And know what comes is not for thee.

Bend low, bend low,

And hear my love’s lamenting eulogy.

 

[mosaix]

Patience is a Virtue.

They’d watched each other, without hope, for almost a century.

He, a simple farm worker, plainly framed on the north wall. She, a courtesan, framed in gilt on the south.

But sometimes events conspire.

Through the atrium they see a shooting star, ending a million year journey, streak brightly against the night sky and stardust falls on Valentine’s Day.

The next morning, at the sight of blank cavasses, a visitor mutters “Huh! Modern art!”

 

[Elckerlyc]

The Proposal

“My love, will you be my…”
“Yes!”
“…companion on a journey around the world…”
“Oh.”
“...and, as we travel, join every thrilling challenge we encounter, no matter how crazy or dangerous...”
“Em…“
“...so that, if we both survive, are still together loving each other, we clearly must be destined to be united forever and able to face everything Life could possibly throw at us?”
“Yes!”
“Wonderful! I’ll book accommodations on this new ship, Titanic.”