Lena Corazon

Flights of Fancy

Tag: Seven Virtues

Seven Virtues Flash Fiction: “Kindness”

August 13, 2011 / / 4 Comments

Here’s my last of the Seven Virtues Flash Fiction challenge, which was a total blast!  This is goes along with my fill for “Humility.”

…

“Released”

“Break the rebel,” her father had told her, but as Alaia stared at the powerfully-built man chained to her bedpost, her heart ached with compassion.  Pierce’s eyes were filled with loss and emptiness, his face hollow from malnutrition. The thought of punishing him left her nauseous.

This was bitter vengeance on her father’s part, a way to humiliate the man who led the rebellion against him, but she wanted no part of such punishment.  With deft fingers, she freed him from his bonds, ignoring his noise of shock.

“I’ll find a way to free you,” she promised.  “For now, sleep.”

Seven Virtues Flash Fiction: Humility

August 12, 2011 / / 4 Comments

The Seven Virtues flash fiction challenge is coming to an end.  I’m posting the last two out of order, as the fill for “Humility” and “Kindness” go together.

Like my fill for “Patience,” these two come from the world of Strange Bedfellows.  Enjoy!

…

“Captured”

Pierce bowed his head and rolled his shoulders, aching from the heavy chains hanging from his wrists.  It was almost laughable to think of the depths to which he had fallen: the powerful prince who had commanded legions reduced to a supplicant without a name, awaiting judgment from the emperor he had once challenged.  But the rebellion had failed, his father was dead, his men imprisoned. He was alone to face the consequences of his actions.

The doors to the throne room swung open and a soldier pushed him forward with his spear. The time for begging forgiveness had come.

Seven Virtues Flash Fiction: Patience

August 11, 2011 / / 6 Comments

It’s time for another round of flash fiction!  This time, the inspiration comes from the fifth of the Seven Virtues, Patience.

Today’s offering is a sliver taken from one of my WIPs, Strange Bedfellows.  Check it out, leave feedback if you’re so inclined, and don’t forget to visit the other participants in the Seven Virtues challenge, #7Virtues on Twitter.

-oOo-

“Worth Waiting For”

Dinner was an interminable affair.  Alaia was lingering deliberately, Lucius knew, an attempt to tease and taunt him.  She had played such games before, but this time he endured with quiet equanimity.  Instead, he listened to their guest’s stories with feigned sincerity, supped quietly and sipped his wine. It was sweet torture every time he met Alaia’s eye, delicious agony whenever she favored him with a smile, secret and teasing.  Promises lurked in the depths of her eyes, but he forced himself to turn away.  He would have his revenge later, and it would be worth waiting for.

Seven Virtues Flash Fiction: Diligence

August 9, 2011 / / 11 Comments

The fourth of the seven virtues is diligence: “A zealous and careful nature in one’s actions and work,” according to Wikipedia.  This entry was actually a blast to write, as it involves Tempest, the hard-drinking, rabble-rousing saloon singer of my WIP, tell me no lies, and Adam Davenport, the honorable, fastidious, and meticulous detective that falls for her.

My fill is a wee bit NSFW, so I’m placing it under the jump just in case.  Oh, and don’t forget to check out the other participants, listed on the challenge page and also at #7Virtues.

Continue reading

Seven Virtues Flash Fiction: Charity

August 9, 2011 / / 16 Comments

It is Day 3 of Lady Antimony’s Seven Virtues Flash Fiction challenge.  The theme for today: Charity.  My take on Chastity is here, and my entry for Temperance is here.  I’ve also made a handy flash fiction page, so once the challenge is through, all seven of my delightfully virtuous entries will be corralled into one spot.

Swing by the challenge page, or visit #7Virtues on Twitter, to check out the entries from the other writers in the challenge, who have all created some wonderful stories based on each prompt.

Today, the inspiration for Charity comes from my favorite movie of all time, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.  Enjoy!

-oOo-

“Regret”

The old woman they brought before me was gnarled and grey and stank of urine.  I recoiled in disgust, the sight of the thing sullying my hall awakening nothing but contempt within me.  The revulsion only grew when she croaked,

“A bed for the night.”

I kicked at the hands stretched in supplication.

“Take this hag from my sight,” I ordered. “Toss her outside the palace gates, where she belongs.”

Before the servants could move, she stood, spine shockingly erect. Her rheumy eyes sparkled like brilliant emeralds. She grinned, and her mouth was luscious; she was melting into youth.

“You will regret this.”

A howl was my only response.

Seven Virtues Flash Fiction: Temperance

August 8, 2011 / / 11 Comments

Lady Antimony’s Seven Virtues challenge continues, and I present my second offering for the challenge (you can find my entry for Chastity here). The theme for today: Temperance. 

Make sure to use the #7Virtues hashtag to check out the lovely works by the other writers taking part in the challenge.  Stop by and offer them a bit of love and encouragement!

-oOo-

“Thirst”

The bottle was grimy in the candlelight.  It beckoned her, mocked her.

It had been three months since rum burned her throat, three months since she reeked of whisky.  She stared at the bottle, licking dry lips.  If she stretched out her hand…

“Can’t handle it, can you?”  She shrank back, bristling like an angry wildcat.

The man uncorked the bottle and measured out a shot. Juniper berries tickled her nose; her mouth watered. “Taste it.”

There was a pause, broken when she threw the gin into his face, snarling. “Fuck off.”

Silence, and then the man vanished, the bottle with him, leaving her alone with thirst and desire.

 -oOo-

Seven Virtues Flash Fiction: Chastity

August 8, 2011 / / 11 Comments

I’m a little behind on Lady Antimony’s 7 Virtues flash fiction event, which began yesterday, but as I see it, better late than never!  I can’t pass up a challenge, and this one is exciting: Seven virtues, seven days, 100 words each.

While the virtues seem to call for sparkly goodness, rainbows, and unicorns, I seem to skewing towards the dark side (blame it on writing a murder mystery set in the gritty world of the Barbary Coast).  The likelihood of seeing heavenly angels and cherubim among my stories for this challenge is highly unlikely, but hey, I might change my mind.

Be sure to follow the #7Virtues hashtag on Twitter to read the other entries from the wonderful writers participating in the challenge.

This is my first time writing flash fiction, so be gentle. 😀  Without further ado, I present my offering for Chastity.

-oOo-

“Captive”

“Blessed mother, give me strength.”

The warrior’s voice was thin, reduced to a rusty rasp from a night of ceaseless prayer.  He shut his eyes, groaning, for the woman before him was clad only in a thin shift.  White, it left little to the imagination.

“Watch over your servant.” His voice trembled as the woman moved towards him. “Sh-shield me from temptation…”

Pale fingers reached out. He shrank back, though the rope about his wrists and ankles prevented him from going very far.

“Keep me pure.” He shuddered and turned away; she was tugging the shift over her head.

“Forgive me.”

-oOo-

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