Well, Why Not? (Part 1)

/ Liz H-H

Damask pattern, black on whiteHow to get from one side of the room to the other without causing too much of a commotion in the main ballroom?

Yes, the Duchess was sure to notice that her twin wards, Tikk and Tokk, hadn’t stayed in their novice’s cells as they’d been directed, instead slipping the pins out of their door hinges and gently laying the wooden doors against the opposite wall without creating too much of a bang, but then, they planned to be long gone before that happened.

The girls preferred being novitiates — nasty old humorless penguin of a tutor notwithstanding — to being shipped off to marry some or other old farty-breathed widower from the Howling Northlands, but they preferred their freedom most of all; now that they had both had their first blood, their futures had become considerably more limited: marriage now, or in the very near future.

The Duchess had been trying to make a really good, utterly blameless impression on said widowers, primarily because she needed the riches of the promised bride prices to ensure a comfortable old age for herself. To that end, tables laden with drink and delicacies stretched continuously from one end of the ballroom to the other, and crawling under the table shielded by heavy damask tablecloths seemed the best —  although truly the only — viable escape route for the two.

Tikk and Tokk had nearly made it to the last table and freedom but they had been discovered by the Duchess’ tiny yapping lap hound, who had been sniffing under said tables for scraps, and the girls howled most indelicately at the Duchess in bitter protest “Why don’t YOU marry one of them, if you’re so worried about your old age?!”

© Liz Husebye Hartmann (2021)

*The challenge? Write a story in 6 sentences, no more & no less, and if you’d like, share your creation or just visit and comment on others’ ideas, with GirlieOnTheEdge, Denise. The prompt is “DISTRACTION”, and here’s where you join the party: Six Sentence Stories 

(For Part 2, Please click Here)

33 thoughts on “Well, Why Not? (Part 1)”

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  15. The misdirection! You had me wondering at “Tikk” and “Tokk”, Liz. Didn’t know what to expect, lol
    Me? I’ve got Tikk and Tokk making a most grand escape on their second attempt. Duchess and tiny yapping lap hound, old age and old farty-breathed widowers be damned 😆

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    • Lol…they have some tricks up their sleeves…but note that they’re a little obnoxious and immature, as well. The perspective grooms may politely excuse themselves from the event, while grabbing a snack for on-the road.
      And then what’re the women gonna do when the money’s all gone?! 😮

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  21. Why indeed! Love the detail in your SSS. It is so easy to imagine that ballroom and crawling under the tables and being shielded by the damask tablecloths.

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