By Nathan Marchand
February 7, 2015
For the next few weeks, we’ll be publishing flash fiction stories that examine small, emotional moments in our characters’ lives that don’t fit in the normal narratives. We hope you enjoy!
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Crush
Read more about Jaysynn in our first collection!
Jaysynn climbed the three stairs leading to the marble portico of the Emperor’s Palace feeling like a man five times his age. His clothes, darkened by sweat, clung to his aching body. I swear Dracon is trying to kill me with this training, he thought. It’s only been a month, but I don’t know if I can take much more.
Guards with magic pistols and ceremonial swords hanging from their belts stood on either side of the ornate gold-trimmed doors. They ignored him, like always, despite the fact that he had a sheathed knife on his hip. Jaysynn crawled to the door and leaned against it, pushing it open.
The young prince’s eyes widened. Gathered in the middle of the vestibule encircled by the half-staircase was a small crowd. At the center was his brother Bulon, who tossed a handful of gray pebbles in the air by and with a wave of his hands made them hover around him like a swarm of insects by manipulating their molecular energies. Clapping around him were Talynn, Casseo, and Jilla, most of Jaysynn’s other siblings. Amidst them stood a girl with long golden hair, whose face Jaysynn could not see.
Arrogant showoffs! Jaysynn thought, huffing. It was one of those moments he could not decide if he loved or hated his family.
Looking away, he slunk toward the staircase to his right. Just let me slip past them….
But when he had ascended only a few stairs, an unfamiliar voice called, “Who are you, boy?”
Jaysynn winced as he mouthed a profanity. He felt the heat of his siblings’ judgmental eyes staring at him. Clenching his fists, he turned to answer.
His scowl melted at the sight of this new girl. She looked at him with eyes as luminescent as solid magic. Her perfectly-groomed, sun-like hair crowned a face with high rosy cheeks, a tiny nose, and a playful smirk. Her frilly purple dress hugged every contour of her hourglass figure. A sweet perfume like that of Great Well wildflowers filled the air. She stood tall and straight with her arms crossed, expecting his answer, but Jaysynn’s jaw was too slack to form words.
“Well…?” the girl asked.
Barely hearing her over his thundering heart, the young prince shook his head and answered, “J-Jaysynn.”
“Hello, Jaysynn, I am Amella Dowski, daughter of Governor Stev Dowski,” she said, curtsying slightly. “Are you also a guest of the Kyzers?”
Jaysynn’s scowl returned. “I’m their brother,” he replied, pointing at his siblings.
Amella turned to Jilla. “I thought you only had three brothers!” She looked up at Jaysynn again. “And this one is a handsome one at that,” she said, winking.
Now Jaysynn was sweating for completely different reasons.
Jilla interjected, “I didn’t think he was important, because—”
“Say no more!” Amella said, holding up a half-closed fist but not looking at the princess. “He shall have the same chance as your other brothers.”
“Um…what are you talking about?” asked Jaysynn.
Amella smiled coyly at him. “My father says I may marry whomever I choose once I come of age so long as he is of noble blood. So, I make it a point to have every young man of privilege impress me with his magic skills.”
Jaysynn gulped.
“No need to be nervous. Marriageable age is still a few years away for me, so you’ll be one of multiple suitors I consider.”
“Thanks…I guess.”
“Now come down here and show me what you can do.”
Jaysynn rubbed his sweaty palms together. Bulon summoned the orbiting pebbles to his hand, smirking, and poured them back into his bag as stepped aside to join his fellow Kyzers. Though Jaysynn could not see their faces, they radiated silent sadism.
Meanwhile, Amella stared at him, tapping her foot.
Jaysynn took a deep breath. I can’t disappoint the pretty girl.
He vaulted over the banister, rolling as he landed. He ran past his audience, did a flip, and after a few more strides, leaped toward the opposite staircase, grabbing its banister. Instantly, he shimmied to the right until he reached the midpoint of the staircase, which was ten feet high. Then, after bracing himself, he released his grip and sprang off the wall, flipping in mid-air. He rolled backward as he landed. Getting to his feet, he ran at Talynn who, predictably, shot a gust of wind at Jaysynn, tossing him back. But Jaysynn performed several backflips, ending in a three-point landing.
Despite the onslaught of pain, Jaysynn grinned. He looked up.
Amella, arms still crossed, glared at him. Her smile was gone.
His siblings, however, were still smirking.
Jaysynn forced himself to stand despite the weight of their disdain. He focused on Amella and stepped toward her. “Perhaps you’d like to see—”
Amella’s hand shot up and clenched into a nearly-closed fist. Suddenly, Jaysynn felt something grip his throat and squeeze. He gasped, grabbing at an invisible hand that was not there.
“Silence, cad!” exclaimed Amella. “How dare you lie to me with your pathetic display! You have no magic powers. I’ve seen children with more talents than you.”
She unfurled her hand. Jaysynn fell to his knees, wheezing and coughing.
“Consider yourself lucky, boy,” said Amella. “The last man who lied to me was a Pointer spy. I crushed his windpipe from the inside out.” Her tone shifted to prideful. “It was easy, honestly. I just constricted the surrounding muscles.” She turned to the Kyzer royals. “Come. I believe you were going to take me on a tour of the city.”
Their footfalls surrounded Jaysynn. He wanted to look up, but they beat him with their disparagement. So, he was forced to keep kneeling like a breathless peasant, but not because of their majesty. It was not until he heard the door slam behind him that he was willing to sit up. His eyes watered from a pain that went deeper than sore muscles and near strangulation.
Will I ever find a girl who loves me?
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