Tashira collected everything, just as the old ones had instructed. Two hundred fairy wings stored in a crystalline jar. Four dragonfly eyes, two red and two green. A gossamer gown from Princess Hashir, the troll who lived beneath the Covfefe River. She melted three bars of gold to create a candelabra that held a single candle created from the tallow of bears. All that work for nothing. William the Orange remained a king who played while his selfish children ruled the kingdom, and tomorrow she would marry the eldest son who looked every bit like Dracula. Tashira began to weep.
100-words
Up From the Ashes 
Dear Lish,
I’m biting my tongue here. Anything political is strictly coincidental, right? Of course right! I nearly choked on my covfefe.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes! You are VERY right! This started out a simple fairytale. Who knows what happened. Thanks for leaving a comment, Rochelle.
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A fable for our times
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Indeed! Thanks, Neil. The story didn’t start out political. It just took a turn on its own.
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Slippery little suckers, stories. If you don’t keep a tight hold on them they can escape. I worry about how many may be breeding in the wild
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They ARE slippery little suckers! Thanks for the laugh. (I’ll keep my eye out for clusters of wild stories out in our woods.)
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Excellent – loved the mix of ancient myth with modern political satire. Enjoyed it, even in the despair of the reality we live in.
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Thanks, Iain. I had a lot of fun writing this. Cheers!
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Anything Orange these days make me think of modern times… I think ti would take something like wearing a hijab to scare of the ugly prince.
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Oh! Bjorn, what an excellent idea. I’ll pass it on to Tashira.
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Well done. It would be lovely if a few spells could turn things around. Until then, most characters will remain unhappy.
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Oh, yes indeed! Thanks for reading and commenting, Sascha.
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A fairy tale turning into political satire. Who would have thought it of you….? 🙂
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Shoulder Shrug. Thanks, Sandra It’s so good to have you back.
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Nice story, Alicia. Then, I looked at the comments … channeling the inner Jonathan Swift huh? Well, you really have a brilliant work here, I will say, political commentary aside.
“William the Orange …?” Hahaha! 😀
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Thanks very much. I usually try to avoid spewing my political thoughts. This just got away from me when my fingers took control.
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Oh my word, this is rich! Laughing out loud at every line. Not laughing so much at real life though….
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Thank you. I had gobs of fun writing a story that started out as a love potion-type tale and turned into a nightmare right before my eyes! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, K.
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William the Orange… hahahaha 😀 Good one, Alicia 🙂 You never know, the spell might have a delayed action, thus saving us all 🙂
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Fingers crossed!!!! Thanks, Joy
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Love this! What an incredible photo prompt; it might just be tempting enough…. Love the ironic humor, and magical touches here, Lish.
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Thanks, Dawn. It didn’t start out political at all. Nope – sweet fairy tale was my mission. Thanks.
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I love the way your tale carries the reader from fairy tale to political comment! Absolutely brilliant.
Please click to read my FriFic
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Thanks, Keith, it was purely by accident. Alicia
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Poor Tashira. She’ll have to find some more magic cookery books – plenty in the second-hand shops, no doubt.
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Yep! It seems she can’t trust those elders. Thank you for reading and commenting.
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It started so fantastical and came to earth with a bump 🙂
At least now we know what “Covfefe” is heh heh 🙂 I wonder who the troll could be…?
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Your guess is as good as mine. 😉 Thanks for wondering.
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Oh Alicia, you’re a bad woman. Very, very bad. The baddest. It’s true. I was full of admiration for all the magical things when you threw me into a fit of hysterical laughter with the Covfefe River. The baddest, believe me…
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Ha!!! I just hope you weren’t drinking coffee.
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No, it was all dry and good. 😀
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I would like to wake from this fairytale please with all the oranges banished to the mother ship.
I like it!
Tracey
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Maybe a few more fairy wings will help? Thanks, Tracey.
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I’ve tried every spell that I know.
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Ahhahhaaha… This was just too brilliant. William the Orange? Covfefe? Tashira should wear a hijab and start speaking mexican-spanish just to get on the orange’s nerves. Well done.
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Thanks for finding the humor in this piece. I think a hijab would be the perfect solution.
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This was loads of fun. I do feel sorry for her marrying the son that looks like Dracula. In this political climate sometimes commentary just leaks out from our fingers.
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I know, right? (My computer is running super slow right now and is refusing to download FF stories, but you and many others are still on the list to “visit”) Thanks for stopping by.
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Clever.
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Thank you.
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Omg brilliant! Burst out laughing on that one line!
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Thanks, Lurie! I’m glad I made you laugh.
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it looks like this week’s prompt evoked more creativity than before. well done.
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Thanks. I think…..
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She shouldn’t have tried so hard – she’d be happier with a woodsman.
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Good advice. Thanks, Liz
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Beautiful descriptions – so evocative. And all that collecting and hard work for nothing.
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Thanks, Sarah Ann. Perhaps one more fairy wing will help?
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Let’s hope so, as long as the fairy is willing to donate it.
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Oh my, it’s always amazes me where these writings go with the photo prompt. It all began ‘Once upon a time’ and ended up in ‘The Underworld Below or Above’. There’s something about politics that creeps … creeps into the mind. Great take, Alicia.
Izzy 😎
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Thanks so much, Isadora. Have a grand weekend.
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😎
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We need a different potion, maybe, an eye of newt..something…surely there is something…!
You’ve described a very real sense of urgency, Alicia.
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Thanks, Dawn. I’ve tried an incantation or two but nothing seems to be working.
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Clever. I do love satire … although often the people who are the object of such, don’t have a sense of humour, so it’s an excellent idea to double-wrap it as a fairy tale.
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So true! Thanks, Sarah
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This was great, Alicia. I loved the name of the river. Poor girl and after everything she collected. Good writing as always. 😀 — Suzanne
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Maybe there’s still hope. Thanks for the lovely comment.
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