Welcome to Tuesday Tales, a weekly blog featuring diverse authors posting excerpts from their works in progress based on word and picture prompts. I’m pleased you stopped by today. This week’s word prompt is steady. My snippet is from a medieval romance featuring a knight and his lady. I’m excited to work in my favorite reading genre. Enjoy the other authors at Tuesday Tales.
Their journey through the damp labyrinthine corridors continued. After a while the passageway widened, as they crested a slight incline. Whereas all had been darkness, he could now make out the vague shape of a curvature ahead. If memory held, this was the final turn before the cavern veered opposite and out into fresh air.
She sounded breathless behind him. “Saints above, the gloom lifts.” The thready quality of her voice told him of her fatigue and continued discomfort in the confined space. Yet there was also an unmistakable tinge of exhilaration. Her pulse must thunder at outdistancing their captors, as did his. “But how is such brightening possible? It must be nigh on midnight.”
He breathed in the scent of the sea. His boot sloshed into wetness. Seawater had crept into the cave floor, now they neared its edge. A narrow rocky ledge along the side wall offered a drier path, and he stepped onto it. He turned and lent a hand to assist her up. “Steady now.” The chilled nature of her skin struck his attention and reminded him to be aware of her needs and proceed accordingly. At his assertion they must flee, she had followed him into the night with scarcely a murmur. That didn’t mean such rash action was her usual manner. He rubbed her hands briskly to warm them before continuing along the ledge. “Do you follow the moon’s courses, Lady Alis?”
“The moon’s—ah, the moon.” Hope entered her tone. “It perhaps has risen and will light our way.”
“What lights our way may also service others. We must be vigilant as we withdraw from this shelter.”
He hated injecting a cautionary note but would rather she knew some inkling of the possible hardships ahead. It was no easy course they had set. Still, his weapon at his side provided comfort. He would protect her to his last breath.
Soon they stepped out under a full golden moon that sparkled over the rhythmic waters like a thousand jewels. It spilled rubies into her hair, dazzling him with her nearness and womanly beauty. As if entranced, he pulled her close. “My lady, you are shivering.”
I hope you enjoyed the snippet based on the word prompt steady. Thanks for stopping by. Return to Tuesday Tales.
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic in Romance
All rights reserved, copyright @ 2019 Flossie Benton Rogers
Well done and very descriptive as always.
I appreciate the feedback, Susanne!
I hope this entire story makes it into book form. I really enjoy the snippets you’ve shared.
This observation is exquisite: “It spilled rubies into her hair”
Aww, I’m so glad you think so, Mae.
Awesome as always!
Thank you for the feedback, Cathy!
“The thready quality of her voice told him of her fatigue and continued discomfort in the confined space. Yet there was also an unmistakable tinge of exhilaration.”
You are a master wordsmith! I love reading your tales.
Oh, I wish I were, Trisha! Your praise means so much; thank you.
I love your description and his protective attitude. Gotta love a man who takes care of his woman.
He does have some chivalric bones! Thanks, Jean.
I love the imagery you painted. It made me feel like I was there. And the end! Wow!
I’m so glad you like the imagery and the end of the excerpt!