I hope everyone had a wonderful and merry Christmas. May you all have gotten what you were hoping for, filled with good food, family and good cheer. As the end of the year is looming, I’m facing more than the deadline for my patrons. Besides the three stories I owe them, I’m finishing the initial video for my nascent YouTube/Rumble channel, Eloquent Tales & Blues. Each video will be a union of my non-exclusive flash fiction and original blues riffs that are written, played, and recorded by me. The first story I’ll be featuring is Journey of Thanks. Stay tuned for a fresh take on my dad’s favorite story.
In the meantime, aside from working on a new blues song, I’ve been working on the tales for my patrons. The first tale for the month is an Action/Adventure and when I sat down to craft it, my mind instantly pulled Samuel and Pearl from the inner depths. When last I left him, the rider was seeking to get his friend’s help in recreating a powerful defensive ward. Unfortunately, to recreate the enchantment, he needed to cross the country and find a specific flower for the underlying spell.
Fortunately, my mind paired the events of Resupply to the precipice of this narrative. Samuel’s flight to the coast was uneventful, but as he nears the coastline, an unknown threat emerges. Pull up a chair and get comfortable as we follow the latest event in Samuel and his magnificent dragon.
After a tedious flight across the continent, Samuel surveys the western coastline, finding the requested plants and more…
As Pearl hung above the California coast, her rider lowered a metallic cylinder from his eye. He laid the tool in his lap before rubbing the stubble lining his chin. A muttered curse battled with Pearl’s beating wings in the otherwise deafening stillness while he squeezed his mount’s back with his thighs. A second later, he shoved the tube inside his jacket and unleashed a groan, before leaning forward and patting Pearl’s shoulder. The dragon’s head whipped about as her neck contorted, bringing her head next to his.
Samuel extended a trembling finger toward the ground as he licked his cracking lips. “That’s where we need to go.”
Pearl’s head bobbed, but before she could fall into a dive, a sigh escaped Samuel’s clenched jaw as his finger shifted farther up the coastline. “Unfortunately, it appears someone knew I’d be out this way. That or this flower is more precious than Zachary or Randal led me to believe.”
When a rumble emanated from Pearl’s throat, Samuel reached out and rubbed his dragon’s long neck. “It’s okay girl, I don’t think either would have lied to me intentionally about their precious flower. Even if they kept its true value a secret, I doubt they anticipated anyone guarding where they grow. More than likely, this is just bad luck.”
The rider withdrew his LeMat, drew its hammer back to the first position, and rotated the cylinder as he inspected the markings etched into each lead ball. Satisfied with the enchanted ammunition, he quickly ensured the rear of each chamber bore a cap. Once finished, he drew a lungful of the chilly air as he gently decocked the weapon before re-holstering it. A lopsided grin emerged as he patted Pearl’s sinuous neck.
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