Here we go, another update, this time to the prompt: Tiptoe through the tulips. I hope you enjoy!
Take Flight Part 10
“I needed you there too.” Birch felt those years of
loneliness keenly.
Sayer closed his eyes and then opened them. The strength of
his emotions echoed through their bond. “I will never be able to say I’m sorry
enough, but you’ll never have to be alone again. Birch …” Sayer gave him a
pleading look.
Birch held out his hand. Sayer towed him through to water
and onto his lap. “This isn’t just because of the sparkly rock around my neck
is it?” Birch asked.
“That’s just the amulet that housed the magic that let us
complete our souls. It doesn’t force anything on either of us. What you feel,
what I feel,” Sayer’s voice dropped to a whisper, “we’re real.”
Love wasn’t something Birch was familiar with, but Sayer was
his. He’d always wanted him, and now he had him. He wasn’t going to wait any
longer.
“I want to go back to bed.” Birch wasn’t sure if the was
anything there now that the sprites were gone but… yeah, no. Their first time
wasn’t happening in front of an audience. “With you.” He rubbed his rigid cock
against Sayer’s stomach. He didn’t want him to think he wanted a nap.
Sayer stood up. Water sheeted down his body. He was perfect,
every sculpted inch of him. Tendrils of his pale hair curled around his
shoulders and chest. He tugged Birch to the edge of the pool. They didn’t stop
for their clothes or anything else.
“My lord, I was just coming to—”
“What the fuck?” Birch darted behind Sayer.
“Get out, Croll!” roared Sayer.
“I’m sorry, but there is a Darkling loose in the city. We
need you.”
Sayer shoved his hair back. “Damn it. Go. I’ll be out in a
minute.”
Birch stayed hidden behind Sayer until the door closed. “Who
was that?”
“Croll. My best friend and sort of … personal assistant. I’m
sorry, I didn’t want to go but there’s a darkling. The guards cannot deal with
that without me.”
“What’s a darkling?” Birch watched Sayer rush over to a
wardrobe. He began to get dressed. Great. Just exchange souls with a guy, find
out he’s a king, get promised that he’d never be alone again … and off Sayer
was going to go.
A green shirt landed on his head. “Hurry, Birch, get
dressed. A darkling is a fae that has succumbed to the wild forces. The magic
has been growing unstable for years. My father refused to believe it and it
cost me the lives of both my parents.”
“What can you do?” Birch pulled the shirt on. It landed about
mid-thigh. He pulled on the pair of pants Sayer thrust at him next.
“My magic is stronger than any. As the king, I can bind the
power of a fae, at least long enough for the guard to control them. I need you
to stay behind me at all times, do you understand? If something happens, go
with Croll. He’ll protect you.”
Sayer even had soft boots for him. Birch looked like a
reject from the Renfair, but at least he had more than a towel now. The fae
that invaded Sayer’s room was waiting out in the hall.
“Thank you for waiting, Croll. Lead on, man.” Sayer clapped
Croll on the shoulder, walking beside him and discussing the creature that
Sayer would need to control. Like the dandy could protect a gnat. The guy
looked like a peacock, all froofy and shiny clothing with his hair flowing in a
silky fall of lavender strands. He was wearing make-up for Christ’s sake.
Birch wondered if invoking Christ in the land of the fae was
some sort of blasphemy. He shrugged. Oh well.
“Think you’re ready for this, human?” Croll asked mockingly.
“Pretty sure I have personal protection from the strongest
of them all, so I’m sure I’ll be fine. Don’t worry, if it comes time to run, I’ll
make sure and watch for your sparkly ass racing off so I know which way not to
go.” Birch seldom took such an instant dislike to anyone, but Croll annoyed the
shit out of him without even opening his mouth.
Tension gathered in Sayer. Birch could feel it and see the
taut line of his shoulders hunching up. Birch tried to glimpse around the
castle, since that’s what it looked like Sayer lived in, as they walked. He got
glimpses of small things but not enough to make an accurate mental map. He’d
try again later.
Just beyond the black gates was a field of tulips as far as
the eye could see. It was beautiful, temperate, and very noisy. At the edge of
the field a crowd was trying to hold the darkling. It broke free and the field
of tulips they were walking through turned into red sucking mouths trying to bite
and tear at him. An irrational desire to hum, Tiptoe Through the Tulips hit
him. Bear freaked and ran to Sayer who was chanting.
A shiver ran down Birch’s back when his wings burst out.
Sayer’s wings brushed against his face when thy flared out behind Sayer.
“He’s strong.” The creature was tall and thin. His hands had
incredibly long fingers that wove patterns in the air. “Don’t look,” Sayer
warned him.
“I won’t.”
The darkling crowed in triumph when a guard began to bleed
from a nasty bite from a flower. The flowers began to grow.
“I don’t … have enough power.”
People were going to get hurt. Sayer was scared and Birch
could feel it. His voice cracked. “Use me.”
Sayer turned his head. “What?”
“Too much energy, remember? You used to take it as a kid. Do
it again.”
Croll shrugged. “It’s worth a shot.”
TBC
Now check out the other great updates!
Like where this story is going though it was kind of a slow start, granted that's what happens in a flash group!
ReplyDeleteps you switched in Bear's name for Birch at one point :P
Yes, writing a 1k flash is oddly difficult. You have to move the plot but can't jump too much or you tell more than you show. Thanks for the heads up on the typo. I am working hard to revise One Night, with Bear, for RFP. It has received about 30% new content so far and I have been trying to take reader feedback from what they wished had happened or hadn't been skipped over from the first posting. Thanks so much for commenting.
DeleteLove this. Ooh I wish I had wings. I really wouldn't want to be tiptoeing through those tulips, not unless I had HUGE boots.
ReplyDeleteSomehow your version of tiptoe through the tulips doesn't sound fun - red sucking mouths that bite.
ReplyDeletetweeted
Nasty flowers! This just makes me like gardening even less >.< I hope Birch's idea works!
ReplyDelete