ANNOUNCEMENT: Today is the last day to get your anthology stories in for the Spring Anthology: A Night to Remember. If you have any questions on how to submit, please PM me. Now, without further delay, onto our weekly prompts!

Comicfan always manages to come up with something that sounds quite interesting and this week is no exception. If you tackle either of these prompts why not share them with everyone else by posting them in the Writing Prompt Forum!

Prompt 216 – Creative
Tag – Politics
With how badly things are going in the world since the great disaster a new political party has arisen. They have decided you will be their main spokesman. What is it your party is promising to do and what is their main agenda?

Prompt 217 – Creative
Tag – Time Traveler
For years they have been perfecting time travel. You were recently brought into the project and while resetting some of the delicate machinery it was activated and you were tossed through time. Where did you end up and what if anything can you do to get back?

Today, we're going to take a look at Ieshwar's first prompt! He decided to tackle Prompt #215: Your family and friends have decided it is past time for you to find someone and settle down. They have set you up with someone they all agree is the perfect person for you. Is this the beginning of a wonderful romance or the blind date from hell? Enjoy!

 

 

 

The Prince Charming

“Welcome to the Fabulous Purple Unicorn”

 

Rick groaned as he read the name on the wooden board. The carved image of the purple unicorn didn’t help either. Of all the meeting places his mother could have arranged, the only place she found was the gayest tavern in the entire kingdom.

 

With his patience still firmly reigned, he opened the door and entered. It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the dark room. All the curtains were drawn and a single candle was lit at the counter. Except for the owner who was wiping some dirty glasses, it was completely empty. Obviously, his date hadn’t arrived yet.

 

Rick chose the nearest table from the door. It would be easier to make a run if things turned out for the worst. He gritted his teeth as he recalled the conversation with his mother last night.

 

“Richard, your father and I have been talking. It’s time for you to settle down,” she said softly during the dinner while she carved her chicken.

 

“Mom, I’m just 25!”

 

“Exactly. Everyone thought that by now, something should have happened and you would have gotten your ‘happily-ever after’. Last year, when you forgot your hat at the carnival, and this young gentleman came to return, I really thought this was it…”

 

“What? Mom, that was some stranger I had never seen before! And I never saw him again.”

 

“Alas, yes,” his mother said, with an expression suitable only at deathbeds, “It is clear that we got to take things in our hands. I have arranged a meeting for you with a potential suitor. He’s the Prince of the Banglong Kingdom.”

 

“Mom…”

 

“You need to have your own fairytale, Richard, like your father and I had.”

 

“Mom, you just forgot your bloodly shoe at some stupid ball. And Dad brought it back. That’s no fairytale or love story. It just means that you forgot to take your damned memory pills!” Rick shouted as he rose from his seat.

 

“First, lower your tone while you talk to your parents,” his mother hissed, “And secondly, yes, I may have forgot to take my pills that night but at least, I got to meet your father. And thirdly, you are meeting the Prince Charming. End of discussion.”

 

“Excuse me.”

 

Rick raised his head and saw a young man looking at him expectantly.

 

“Yes?” Was he the Prince Charming?

 

“Would you like to have something? Ale? Water?” Nope, it was just the waiter.

 

“Water would be fine.”

 

Rick watched as the waiter went to the counter. Were the hell was that Prince? Maybe he could slip out and say that his date never came. At that exact moment, the door banged opened and a guard entered the room with a huge trumpet in his hand. Rick covered his ears while he blew it loud enough to rattle the chairs and tables.

 

“Behold, Prince Charming, the Prince of Banglong Kingdom,” he shouted. And then, as if in some cheap road theatre, his date entered with the blond hair blowing even without any sign of wind and with teeth white enough to light up the whole room.

 

“You must be Richard,” he said as he took his seat.

 

“Call me Rick.”

 

“Cool. I’m Prince Charming.”

 

“It’s your real name?” Rick asked incredulously.

 

“Yes, isn’t it great?”

 

“If you think so,” he mumbled.

 

And there was silence. Rick looked at the table, trying to find something to talk about. This was getting awkward. He didn’t dare raise his head and look at those dazzling teeth. He didn’t want to lose his eyesight.

 

“So what’s the plan for the future?” Prince Charming asked.

 

“I don’t know. I was thinking of travelling. I have been wanting to visit Treland…”

 

“No,” he laughed. Ricked practically had to shield his eyes. “I meant what the plan for us. You know, for our own fairtytale.”

 

“I don’t know…” Rick was unsure what he was talking about.

 

“Well, I have been talking to the Royal Apothecary. He made a potion which would turn me in some lizard or chameleon. This way, you could kiss me and turn me back into Prince. What do you think? I think it’s sweet.”

 

“I think it’s gross,” Rick practically had to stop himself from not rolling his eyes.

 

“Okay, you are not a fan of lizards and chameleons. But what about a fish? Or a squirrel? Oh, I got it. A dog! Everyone loves a dog.”

 

Rick looked at the Prince. He was practically jumping into his seat out of glee. Restraining his sarcastic nature, he smiled back at the Prince and said, “I think I’m going to stay on no.”

 

“Okay, you don’t want to kiss an animal,” the Prince shrugged,”But I got other ideas too. You can drink some sleeping potion and I come to kiss you to wake you up. But I would have to wait for 100 years. We could reduce it to like 100 months or days. Or you can eat some poisoned apple. That’s quicker. But it’s kind of dangerous too…”

 

Rick watched as his date went on a rant about possible fairytale endings. Sighing, he just banged his head against the table. This couldn’t be happening. Slowly, he started losing his temper.

 

“Look!” Rick said, a bit louder than he intended, “I am not looking for a nice fairytale ending. I want to have a normal life. Meet someone, get to know him, fall in love and then marry him. No gimmicks or poison or sleeping potion? And what the hell was with that animal kissing?”

 

Rick looked around and saw everyone looking at him. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. He took a huge gulp of water.

 

“But we need an ending. Or else, how are going to get married?” Prince said softly.

 

Rick spat out all the water he had in his mouth. “What?” he said as he coughed.

 

“Well, we are going to get married.”

 

“But I don’t know you.”

 

“So you don’t want to get married?”

 

“Not right now.”

 

The Prince sulked while Rick rolled his eyes. He had to get out of here.

 

“Would you like to order something?” Rick saw the waiter standing a good two metres away. He looked ready to bolt out if ever one of them started yelling again.

 

“I’ll have…”

 

“Why don’t you want to marry me?” the Prince said loudly, “Am I not good enough for you?”

 

Rick sighed. “I didn’t say that…”

 

“I’m the Prince Charming. I’m next in line for the Crown of Banglong. I’m handsome. I’m smart. I’m rich. And Queen Rapunzel was my grandmother. And believe me, in our genes, it’s not only our hair that is long. You can ask all of my past lovers who I pleasured all night long. You would be lucky to have me as your husband.”

 

“Well, congratulations for your more-than-ample endowment,” Rick spat, “And all those lovers who had the fortune of getting stabbed by it. But I think I’ll pass. Good bye.”

 

Fuming, Rick left, slamming the door behind. He felt like he was going to commit matricide. How could his mother set him up with someone like that? She was probably going senile. No wonder she had been seeing pumpkins turned him carriages and mice into horses. She definitely needed treatment.

 

Rick has been walking in the forest for like thirty minutes when he heard galloping sounds behind him.

 

“Want a ride?”

 

Rick looked up and saw a familiar face. It took him a few seconds to recognize him.

 

“You are the waiter, right?”

 

“Yeah,” he smiled sheepishly.

 

“Sorry for causing that scene. I just lost it…” Rick said. Now that he had calmed down, he felt guilt replacing the anger inside him.

 

“It’s okay. It was not really your fault. So want to hop on? It’s going to be much easier than walking.”

 

“Okay, if you don’t mind.”

 

Rick jumped behind him. He could never ride a horse, not even if his life depended on it. He grabbed the stranger’s shoulder tight, really hoping to not fall down.

 

“By the way, I’m Danny.”

 

“Rick.”

 

“Yeah, I have heard so.” Rick rolled his eyes as he heard a chuckle. “That was a disastrous date. He looked pretty devastated when you left though.”

 

At that particular moment, they came across a strange sight. They saw an endless flesh-like rod, stretching across the clearing. It kept moving in a rocking rhythm: to-and-fro. They couldn’t see where it started or where it ended. All they heard were moans and groans, both from the right and from the left.

 

“I think he’ll survive,” Rick said.