Tuesday Tales: All Grown Up

*This post occurred before I changed the WIP title and Ghuli's name to Jonnie*


Tuesdays are the day I have set aside to get my creative mind rolling by writing flash fiction. For the time being, these stories will be set in Teorre, the world of my current WIP, The Crystal Bearer. I used 30 Flash Fiction Prompts to help me pick a few weeks ago. I forgot about two of them. Here is the other. 22: Write a story that involves time travel.


All Grown Up

Princess Catalyne bounced Ghuli in her arms and smiled as her little baby let out a sleepy laugh. Her large eyes fluttered closed, but the smile on her chubby face remained as she drifted off to sleep. Catalyne gently laid her in her bassinet and watched her sleep for a time.

"Cata," Prince Mataiu called softly. She turned to meet his smile, and he held out his hand for her to come to bed.

Catalyne nodded but turned back to Ghuli. She reached down to kiss her curls before joining her husband to sleep. Mataiu held her to him as he fell asleep just as quickly as their daughter. Cata played with a lock of his long, black hair as she fought to stay awake. She wanted to stay in this moment, hearing her Prince and her little Princess's deep breaths intertwine in the air of their corner of the palace. The room spun slowly with the strength of her fatigue, however, so she closed her eyes.

"Mother?"

Catalyne snapped her eyes open, looked over her shoulder, and shot up. A young woman stood at her bedside, large, teary hazel eyes staring down at her. Her hair fell in damp curls down her back and contrasted with her puffy white nightgown. Tears rolled down her brown cheeks. Catalyne prepared to scream, but the young woman's face made her freeze. Not because of her distressed state, but because she knew it.

Catalyne looked towards the bassinet, and her heart raced. She looked again to the young woman. "Ghuli?"

"I am so sorry, Mother," the young woman whimpered.

Catalyne reached behind her to shake her husband. "Matu..."

"You aren't awake. I had to reach you before it happens."

"Before what happens, Ghuli? What is it?"

"You have to send me away."

"Send you...Why? What is going on?"

"I tried to fix it, but you all still die."

Catalyne's eyes widened. Her breath started to come shorter. "What do you mean?" she gasped.

Ghuli wiped her face dry and composed herself long enough to explain. "The army is coming, soon, a fortnight before my first birthday. They will destroy the continent and all of you with it."

Tears suddenly flooded Catalyne's eyes. She knew of the army, of the despair it brought to Mataiu's forefathers. The drawings King Dyeva had painted in his old age when his mind started to leave him had been enough to frighten her. "Why?"

Ghuli shook her head, tears once again rolling down her cheeks. "You won't remember until you return to Teorre's Energy. If I told you now, you surely would never believe this to be more than a dream. I...I ruined everything, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone back. I only made it worse..." She started to cry harder.

"Ghuli..." Catalyne stifled her own tears and reached out a hand to her daughter, her beautiful little princess all grown up.

Ghuli eagerly took her hand and scrubbed at her eyes. She took one deep breath and smiled sadly. "I love you."

"Cata, wake up."

Catalyne opened her eyes and realized how much they stung with tears. Her whole body trembled beneath Mataiu's hand. She sat up and looked to the bassinet.

"What is it, my love?" Mataiu begged, wiping at her cheeks. "Tell me, please."

She had to trust the dream. Something deep in her heart told her it was real. The way Ghuli spoke...they had to return to Teorre's Energy...Had they already died once? Were they already dead?

"Cata?"

Catalyne closed her eyes and swallowed. Then, she looked to her husband and rested a hand on his fair cheek.

"I must tell you something."

2 comments:

Heather R. Holden said...

Aww. So many feels!

Debra Renée Byrd said...

Thank you! I alluded to this moment in my story but have never fleshed it out. :)