Vanilla 10, Chocolate 20, Pistachio 28
Author: lady_leia_solo
Story: The Mondian Chronicles
Title: On Baited Breath
Challenge: Vanilla 10: phobias, Chocolate 20: caution, Pistachio 28: waiting
Toppings: Whipped Cream (Elisabeth is 9) Gummy Bunnies ( #69: A Child's truth from 500themes)
Word Count: 431
Summary: Elisabeth is worried for her father.
Rating: G
Notes: Henri is married to Analise of Konte in this piece. The joust is to celebrate the birth of their daughter, Abigail. The year is 1129 AW.
Elisabeth sat on the edge of the wooden seat and watched as her father put on his jousting equipment. She was shaking.
“What’s the matter, Elisabeth?” Her older sister Marie asked touching her shoulder.
Elisabeth looked up into Marie’s dark blue eyes. They were calm, which Elisabeth just couldn’t understand.
Elisabeth turned back to face the jousting area. Her little sister Marguerite sat next to her and next to Marguerite sat her stepmother, Analise. They all looked so calm. But how could they be calm at a time like this?
Suddenly a loud booming voice called out: “His Majesty, King Henri vs. Claude d’Athenous, Duke of Freiene.”
Elisabeth saw her father at one end in armor. He made an impressive sight and a few ladies swooned, but Elisabeth bit her lip.
The booming voice called out again and the crowds cheered as her father charged at his opponent. Both men missed each other.
Elisabeth let out of a sigh of relief. She clutched her gown as they made the two men charged at each other again.
This time wasn’t so lucky. The Duke’s lance pierced the King’s armor. Time seemed to slow for Elisabeth as her father fell from his horse.
“Papa!” Elisabeth screamed from the seats.
She jumped up and ran down the wooden stairs and ran to the jousting area. A small crowd had gathered around the fallen King. Elisabeth pushed her way through them.
“Papa!”
Henri was on his back and his eyes were closed. He had a bruise over his cheek.
“Papa, please wake up!” Elisabeth screamed loudly.
Henri opened his eyes and looked around. “Betha?”
Elisabeth bent next to her father and put her hand on his head.
“Are you alright, Papa?” She asked.
Henri looked over at his daughter and smiled at her.
“Of course, my little Betha. d’Athenous can’t hit that hard!” He said turning his head towards his old friend.
Claude laughed and helped the King up. Elisabeth stayed close to her father as the Queen and her sisters ran up.
“He is okay, thank the Mother!” Analise said putting her hand on Elisabeth’s shoulder.
Henri smiled at her wife and kissed her on the cheek. “You women folk worry too much.”
A tear slipped out of Elisabeth’s eye, but she quickly wiped it away. She didn’t want her father to see her cry. Instead she stood next to her sisters and the Queen as they fussed over the King. She looked at her father to see if he was truly hurt, but he seemed okay. For now that would have to do.
Story: The Mondian Chronicles
Title: On Baited Breath
Challenge: Vanilla 10: phobias, Chocolate 20: caution, Pistachio 28: waiting
Toppings: Whipped Cream (Elisabeth is 9) Gummy Bunnies ( #69: A Child's truth from 500themes)
Word Count: 431
Summary: Elisabeth is worried for her father.
Rating: G
Notes: Henri is married to Analise of Konte in this piece. The joust is to celebrate the birth of their daughter, Abigail. The year is 1129 AW.
Elisabeth sat on the edge of the wooden seat and watched as her father put on his jousting equipment. She was shaking.
“What’s the matter, Elisabeth?” Her older sister Marie asked touching her shoulder.
Elisabeth looked up into Marie’s dark blue eyes. They were calm, which Elisabeth just couldn’t understand.
Elisabeth turned back to face the jousting area. Her little sister Marguerite sat next to her and next to Marguerite sat her stepmother, Analise. They all looked so calm. But how could they be calm at a time like this?
Suddenly a loud booming voice called out: “His Majesty, King Henri vs. Claude d’Athenous, Duke of Freiene.”
Elisabeth saw her father at one end in armor. He made an impressive sight and a few ladies swooned, but Elisabeth bit her lip.
The booming voice called out again and the crowds cheered as her father charged at his opponent. Both men missed each other.
Elisabeth let out of a sigh of relief. She clutched her gown as they made the two men charged at each other again.
This time wasn’t so lucky. The Duke’s lance pierced the King’s armor. Time seemed to slow for Elisabeth as her father fell from his horse.
“Papa!” Elisabeth screamed from the seats.
She jumped up and ran down the wooden stairs and ran to the jousting area. A small crowd had gathered around the fallen King. Elisabeth pushed her way through them.
“Papa!”
Henri was on his back and his eyes were closed. He had a bruise over his cheek.
“Papa, please wake up!” Elisabeth screamed loudly.
Henri opened his eyes and looked around. “Betha?”
Elisabeth bent next to her father and put her hand on his head.
“Are you alright, Papa?” She asked.
Henri looked over at his daughter and smiled at her.
“Of course, my little Betha. d’Athenous can’t hit that hard!” He said turning his head towards his old friend.
Claude laughed and helped the King up. Elisabeth stayed close to her father as the Queen and her sisters ran up.
“He is okay, thank the Mother!” Analise said putting her hand on Elisabeth’s shoulder.
Henri smiled at her wife and kissed her on the cheek. “You women folk worry too much.”
A tear slipped out of Elisabeth’s eye, but she quickly wiped it away. She didn’t want her father to see her cry. Instead she stood next to her sisters and the Queen as they fussed over the King. She looked at her father to see if he was truly hurt, but he seemed okay. For now that would have to do.