Friday, January 20, 2012

Red Writing Hood: Salt Water

“The cure for anything is salt water….sweat, tears or the sea.”
~ Isak Dinesen, pseudonym of Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke
Prompt:  Have your character resolve a problem using one of the three (or all three!!!). There are so many ways you can use this prompt so be creative with it, don’t take us where we think you’ll go.  

This is a continuation of this story.



The scales of a dragon are impervious to all things; the skin of a human is not.   While in human form, I was vulnerable should those who hunted my kind find me.  While our children grew within me, my lover Arik would protect us with his life, but what then? 

Somewhere in the back of my mind, in the vast depths of dragon memory, the answer lay hidden.  I was vexed with this problem of vulnerability constantly, even as my belly grew large and I was unable to move very far.  As my body became wracked with the pains of birth, the answer came, pushed to the fore by the same contractions which left me four squalling sons to care for.

Salt water. 

Panting from my exertions and too weak by far in human form, I asked Arik for what was needed.  It was he who gathered the wood and placed his largest cauldron onto the fire, filled it with water, and added as much salt as could be found in the larder.  When the water was boiling, it was Arik who took each newborn from my arms and held it over the cauldron.

I spoke the words, but it was their father who dropped each child into the cauldron of salt water and pulled them out with tongs while they spluttered and screamed.  As Arik returned each child to my embrace, my sons heard the sound of my heartbeat and quickly fell asleep, now protected by dragon magic. 

19 comments:

  1. Now that would require a bit of trust - 'here, just drop the babies in boiling water'. well done!

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    1. This morning I had a moment of panic about the babies in the boiling water, I will admit.

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  2. This is very emotionally jarring but well written. I like the imagery and the way you put me in the middle of an intense moment.

    good job

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  3. Sigh. I think my comment was devoured. I liked this a lot. I think one of the things it showed so nicely was the deep relationship of trust between the lovers.

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  4. Oh I love this, mostly because it's not my way of writing but it reminds me of Eragon(which I loved!!!) You take me places, you show me things and make me feel and I love that about your writing.

    this story is phenomenal.

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  5. I'm so glad to see more of this story!! The last line, "As Arik returned each child to my embrace, my sons heard the sound of my heartbeat and quickly fell asleep, now protected by dragon magic", I love, love, love!

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  6. Very cool! Reminded me a lot of Achilles, except no chance of missing a spot if you drop them in!

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  7. Oh my goodness, your creativity is astouding. Suddenley, for the first time, I'm interested in dragons. Well Done.

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  8. WOW! that's all i have to say. WOW!

    Plus! you amazed me.

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  9. You are building a real mythology in this story. Is this the plan or are you going with the prompts? What an imagination you have. I'm just reading for the next few weeks as I really have another job to do,and don't have the time for Fiction. I look forward to more>

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  10. oh wow. I am speechless. I will have you know that I did clap my hand in glee when I realise you were continuing your dragon story :D

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  11. Can i just say this...4 babies at once? Ouch.

    The trust levels between the two of them is huge. And I love how you are crafting this world. Beautiful

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    1. Thank you! It's been fun to "stretch" my writing a bit this way.

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  12. What a unique take on fantasy and the prompt! I know many who would love this and I think I'll pass along your links for them to read. Well done!

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    1. You should put all of the links and then I can forward them to my peeps :)

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    2. I was going to do that last night, but it was late and I was tired. I will try to do better next time!

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  13. This is so interesting to me- it's like a whole new world that has opened up that I know nothing about.

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  14. Awesome story! I totally want to read the next part now!!!

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I welcome comments, but reserve the right to correct your spelling because I am OCD about it!