For the A to
Z Challenge, I'm having twenty-six flash fiction pieces from my Foxwick Kingdom
and its surrounding neighbors. Soon A to Z Flashes of Foxwick will be
available in e-book format. You can add this to your Goodreads list here.
O
Orin’s Oracle
When Orin had
been illegally hunting in the king’s private woods, he had seen the
Lochhollowan army marching toward Foxwick.
Now he stood
before King Brum. Perspiration seeped from Orin’s armpits and stained his
tunic. How could he tell the king what he witnessed without incriminating
himself? Why hadn’t he listened to his brother Quaylin about hunting in the
royal forest? He’d been better off staying in Greymist. But if he had, then he
wouldn’t have been able to warn his people.
Would the king
condemn him, even though he might save the kingdom?
“What do you
wish to tell me, Orin?” Brum placed his hands in his lap.
“Well, my liege
. . .” He tried to summon some moisture to his mouth, but he’d sweated it all
out.
“Yes?”
Orin swayed on
his feet and grabbed his head. Fear swirled within him. Perhaps he could fake an
illness. Or he could pretend to be something he was not. “There’s a forest. An
army of trees. No, that’s not right.”
“What is this?”
The king threw up his hands.
“Men. They’re
men. Soldiers.”
“Did you have a
vision?” The king leaned forward, as if he was waiting to catch each word Orin
spoke.
“Yes!” He’d have
to make them good words for his sudden oracle to work. If he had to lie and
claim to be a seer, he would. At least it would get him out of trouble for
hunting where he shouldn’t. “I had a vision, my king. An army marches upon
Foxwick.”
Now if you want to learn more about
authors, I’m featuring up to three per day on my blog Surrounded by Books Reviews.
To find the other
participants, click here.
