A Midsummer's Eve's Dreaming~ My Dark Fairy Queen's Writing Contest Entry

My master is an odd sort. Yes, he’s a troll, but Mortalus is odd even for a troll. On this balmy midsummer’s eve he sent me on an errand just before midnight, much to my dismay.

“Out of bed, Pip! I need a jewel toad,” he said, dragging my covers off me.

“A jewel toad? What on earth?”

“By the lake. You shall see. Hurry.”

Mortalus pushed me out the door and shut it without another word. I sighed. Such was my lot in life, indentured servant to a barely-sane troll.

“Good summer’s eve to you, Pip,” whispered Nairy, hovering by my ear “What are you doing out at this hour? The fae will spirit you away, they will.” She giggled at her little joke, for she was one of them.

“Mortalus says he wants a jewel toad, whatever that is,” I said yawning and rubbing my eyes. “Maybe I’m dreaming?”

“Yes! That must be it” said Nairy. “Dreaming is always the best time.”

I listened in the darkness to hear the toads singing merrily with the crickets in the distance. With only the moonlight to find my way, I plodded along the path to the lake so calm it looked like a pool of stars. It was silly of me, I know, but I knelt on the shore and called out, “Jewel toad, come hither!”

Without warning, a pair of bulbous eyes poked out of the water right in front of me.

“What?” he croaked.

“Come home with me to meet my Master.”

“He will eat me!”

I considered it. It was a definite possibility, but I tried to reassure him.

“He only wishes to speak with you. You are wise in ways he is not.”

“Answer my riddle first.”

I nodded, hoping it wasn’t too difficult for my cobweb -congested mind.

“What can soar on wings, but has no heart? What can only be given, but never saved?”

I shook my head.

“It makes no sense.”

“Of course it does, Pip.” Nairy still hovered by my side the way she always did, her glinting green wings shining in the moonlight. And then I saw it in her eyes, the way she looked at me. Had it always been there? I hadn’t noticed it before, but now under a never ending galaxy of stars I could finally see.

“It’s love.”

Contest details: 

I have included an inspiration board on Pinterest: Faerytaleish. You are not required to use an image there, but I do encourage you to do so. If one does inspire you, please include it in your entry.

Your stories may be up to 400 words, but don't let that fool you. BREVITY is the soul of wit. Only include those words that allow you to tell a powerful story.

The contest opens at midnight CST on July 15 and continues till midnight July 31. That's barely over two weeks, better get started.

Post your story on your blog and link up through the tool below. Be sure to include the appropriate code so people can read through the other entries from your blog. Read the other entries and comment - writers love the feedback.

Only a few other rules.

No fan fiction - original worlds only.
No erotica - seduction and sex is fine, but graphic descriptions should not be the focus of the story.

1.	Unicorns are Evil! by Spencer Stoner	12.	Assur - Jules Vilmur	23.	Dreaming Just Enough - Olif
2.	The Princess and the Whispering Pines	13.	Welcome Home, Sister - Mark Ethridge	24.	The Exhibit by Eilís Phillips
3.	A Midsummer Nightmare	14.	Caught in a Midsummer Night's Dream - Toni Jayce	25.	https://mercurialwind.wordpress.com/2015/08/02/of-stars-and-silence/
4.	Lisa Cresswell	15.	Breaking Down on MidSummer	26.	A Resurgence of Magic, by Matt Sloan
5.	The Ugly Duckling - Michael Wombat	16.	Stolen Dreams by S.M. Lowry	27.	http://wp.me/p1q2eD-Ya
6.	Maidenhead - Alison DeLuca	17.	Lisa Shambrook	28.	January in Sunset, by J.T. Ellis
7.	Waiting for Annabel Lee-Beth Avery	18.	Listen by Dr. Pete	29.	Mother May I, by Lyndsay E. Gilbert
8.	Deirdre's Dream by K. R. Smith	19.	Dreams (random9q / Talia Loos)	30.	https://upinyourglitter.wordpress.com/2015/08/06/t
9.	Miranda Kate	20.	drmagoo	31.	The Beach Bar - Dave James Ashton
10.	The Coming Winter - KJ Collard	21.	Daniel Swensen	32.	Only. Endure.
11.	Christina Krieger	22.	Huckleberries and Hope	33.	Jeff Tsuruoka

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