Things have been a bit hectic with busy days full of one-time chores that have run their course for the moment, so I can now get caught up on writing. To start off the writing I have last month's short story! This one ties in with The Birth of the Eternal Dragon (also in the Writer's Corner) and the next one I write will be a direct sequel to this one.
Now, have you ever wondered what it would be like to prank someone most would never dare even think about pulling a prank on? Now, can you imagine being daring enough to make a habit of doing this and still survive? Well, that's what you're going to find out about in this adventure about a jolly rogue prankster.
A tall man with a neatly-trimmed brown beard and mustache walked down a hallway mumbling to himself. “I could have sworn I packed it.”
“Good morning, Captain,” said a gray-skinned Elf while stifling a yawn as he came out a door. “I thought you both would have been off by now.”
“I forgot to pack my book, it seems. I got that tone when she said ‘Seth, have you really forgotten it? We planned to be off before dawn.’ I could have sworn that I did,” he added with a grumble as he unlocked his bedroom door.
The Elf stifled another slight yawn as he started walking down the hall. Seth took the handle of his door in hand and put his thumb on the lever to open it as his mind drifted to the plans of a quiet get-away with relaxation, sun, and a good book to read when time wasn’t being spent doing other things. He pulled the door open and his contented smile faded, replaced by a blank stare.
“John,” he said flatly. “Come here.”
John glanced back for a moment and walked over. “Yes, Captain?”
Seth gestured through the open doorway. “What do you see there?”
“Your room, sir?” answered John with a touch of confusion in his voice.
“You’re right …” began Seth as he gestured emphatically into the room, “but I don’t see anything else!”
John looked into the room and his eyes opened wider in surprise. “Um …” He walked in and studied the situation. “I see your book on the book shelf in the window alcove.”
“That’s about all there is!” roared Seth as he stormed into his room for a better look. “And the only reason that the bookshelf wasn’t taken is because it’s built in! The bed, wardrobes, dressers, even the mirrors and everything else are gone! There’s not even a log in the fireplace or a picture on the wall!”
“Um …” uttered John as he shuffled his feet slightly.
Seth stomped his right foot and the sound of his boot hitting the wooden floor echoed through the otherwise empty room. “Are the toiletries and towels even gone from the bathroom?!” he growled as he stomped across to the bathroom door. He suddenly stopped midway and looked over at John silently for a few moments. “Um?”
John returned the gaze uneasily as a nervous smile crept onto his face.
“Come over here, you gray-haired Elf. You know something about this, don’t you, my trusted first mate,” said Seth with a cold tone in his voice.
John gave a hesitant partial chuckle as he obeyed the order. The words ‘trusted first mate’ delivered just a bit of sting with the context, but John knew it was just a veiled attempt by Seth to contain some of his anger at the situation in general. “Yes?”
Seth put an arm over John’s shoulders and clasped his right shoulder firmly with his hand. “You know something about this. Tell me.”
“I didn’t know anything about this. All I was asked was to help him get in.” He grinned nervously as he looked to his left and his gaze was met by Seth’s green eyes.
Seth squeezed John’s right shoulder tightly, causing the Elf to wince. “Where is he?”
“Ow, ow. Sir!” uttered John through clenched teeth. “He’s in the courtyard! That’s all I know! That he’s waiting for you there!”
“Then let’s go see,” replied Seth calmly, still gripping John’s shoulder.
John winced he was forced to walk alongside his captain out the door, down the halls, and all the way to a large courtyard hemmed in by a thick castle wall on one side and the castle itself on the other sides. Seth looked across the courtyard to where an Elf with a perpetual grin stood waiting for him.
Towards the right side of the courtyard sat an old man with a thick white beard and unkempt hair on a bench as he whittled away at a piece of wood. On the stone bench next to him sat a Raccoon who was busily playing with a small puzzle game. Seth glanced at a large draft horse laying down next to the bench who seemed perfectly content to watch and see how things played out. He turned his attention back to the Elf and yelled out with a bit of a growl, “Joshua!”
“Yes?” replied the Elf innocently.
“What did you do with my things? All of it?!”
“Oh, that! Look at the rooftop!”
Seth paused for a moment and glanced up at the rooflines to his right and to his left before marching further into the courtyard, still holding onto John’s shoulder. Seth’s jaw practically dropped when he turned and looked up at the roofline. “All of my … even my bed … lined up on top of that roof.” He slung John out while releasing him, causing John to go into a staggering spin. His gaze slowly shifted to Joshua.
Joshua grinned and waved. “Bye.” He dashed off through a side door.
Seth roared out, “Joshua!” and was in hot pursuit.
The Raccoon grinned and set his toy down. “How long do you think he can keep that up for, Bailey?”
The Horse glanced at him and tilted her head, “That depends on how harsh he wants the reprisal to be, Zap.”
The old man laughed and slapped his right leg as he brought up a magical projection of the pursuit. “However long he keeps that up for, that expression was already the best one yet when he saw it!”
One of the garden tenders looked over from his work. “Is there a chance I could get a copy of that after this is done, Greer?”
The old man laughed again. “You bet’cha!”
Zap looked up at Greer. “So, what do you think Seth would say if he knew you’ve been recording all of these pranks?”
Greer grinned as he watched the pursuit as it went through hallways, around obstacles, and escalate into magic-boosted speed. “Ask for of copy of all of ‘em, destroy ‘em, an’ then ask for more copies so he could get a laugh at ‘em too!”
= = = = = = = = = = = =
The chase took the two out away from the castle and into the city that lay outside the outermost wall. Joshua cast a teleportation spell just before he would have slammed into a crowd gathered together in an open-air market. Seth skidded to a halt with the aid of some quick casting and grumbled.
One of the people noticed his presence and waved. “Good morning Governor! What brings you out this early?!”
“Good morning to you too!” he replied as he returned the wave. “Just chasing after a rogue that I’m gonna bounce against the wall a few times!” Seth got off a spell to trace the teleport and vanished before another word could be said.
He blinked when he found himself standing outside of his own bedroom door with Joshua standing directly in front of him. Joshua held up a large bottle of fine liquor and grinned. “Peace offering?” he asked.
Seth stared at Joshua for a long moment before reaching past him to his bedroom door and opening it. He gave a sigh of relief at seeing everything back in its proper place once more. Even the slightly disheveled mess that he left on the dresser was back to how it was. “Fine,” he grumbled as he stood straight up again and gave Joshua a glare. “I’ll take it.” He took the bottle. “And I’ll only do this.” Seth gave Joshua a solid slug to his left shoulder.
“Good!” proclaimed Joshua while rubbing his shoulder. “I’ll be off and go fishing with Greer then!”
“Just one more thing,” began Seth.
“Hm?”
“How did you know, and how did you get the book, that I wanted to take on the trip?”
“Simple!” the voice of a strong woman from down the hall. “Because I gave it to him!”
Seth looked down the hall with a genuine expression of shock. He took in the situation for a moment before crying out, “I’ve been betrayed!”
“Oh quiet,” came the woman’s reply with an amused tone. “Now did you want to head off on our trip or not?”
Seth shook his head as an open smile formed. He chuckled slightly. “Alright. Alright.” He gestured at Joshua. “I can deal with this later.”
“Good to hear it!” chimed Joshua before he cast another teleportation spell and vanished.
Another short story will be coming soon, so don't forget to check back! Also, don't forget to browse through the other short stories in the Writer's Corner! As always, enjoy and read on!
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