To day it’s time for Sue Vincent’s Thursday Photo Prompt.
For visually challenged writers, the image shows a green landscape of rolling hills and an island in a bay. In the foreground, pastel-painted buildings and a tall clock tower are surrounded by summer trees.
This week’s prompt ~ Fantasy
Vlad was as usual showing off, knowing that all the staff would be on the look out for his arrival he decided to give them a show. Circling the castle twice getting lowered each time Vlad went into a fast dive pulling up at the last minute and soaring up into a barrel roll spiralling back and forth across the courtyard he was indeed putting on an impressive show.
Unfortunately as he started to perform a Triple Sulko, the formidable figure of the Grandmother with the Invisible cape appeared at one of the windows and loudly commanded Vlad to “Cease thid Tom Foolery’.
Vlad was so shocked that he lost concentration and White Ted who luckily for him fell onto a soft mattress that had for whatever reason had been thrown out into the courtyard. Stunned and shocked Vlad misjudged the height of one of the castle ramparts and smashed into the stone wall with some force. As he lay on the stone floor of the courtyard watching little stars dance around his head Vlad could hear the harsh voice of the Grandmother with the Invisible Cape Saying. “Boris, will you kindly go and collect the creature that landed on the mattress and while you are out there scrape up young master Vladimir and bring him to me in the great hall!”
The Great hall was just that, a huge long room with a stone floor and high stone walls decorated with richly coloured tapestries and painting of Vlads’ ancestors, along the left side there was the most impressive display of medieval weaponry that you could ever expect to see! The centre of the room was taken up with the longest table you had ever seen it could sit thirty people or more, though it was not set for a meal it did have several large candle sticks and silver and gold bowls dotted about on it. The hall was dominated by a huge fire place above which was Vlad’s family coat of arms, the fire was alight and warming the top end of the hall. Next to the fireplace was a huge black chair upholstered in red and edged in gold, and sitting in this chair, dressed in black was the Grandmother with the Invisible Cape. She was sitting facing down the long hall and had a perfect view of the huge wooden, double doors at the entrance to the hall tapping her toes and fingers, and she was not a patient Bat….
White Ted, meanwhile, had had a soft landing and had been pleased to meet Boris who had gently scooped him up in his massive hand and carried him into the warmth of the castle kitchen. He had set him down on the kitchen table and then left him to take in his surroundings while he went out again to fetch, as he had put it ‘the Master’ as he went out into the courtyard he looked back over his shoulder and said to White Ted “Help yourself to the food and drink, my wife has prepared it especially for you.” And then he was gone. Left alone white Ted looked around him and could hardly believe what he saw, everything was so large, he was used to human large but this was different, this was huge! The room itself seemed endless and the ceiling as high as the mountains outside. Luckily though it was much warmer in here than it was outside and there was no snow falling that had to be a plus.
Moving along the table, which was long and broad White Ted was shocked at how far he was from the floor and decided that it would be prudent to keep away from the edge. Venturing further up the table, which was set with all manner of cooking utensils and food and bowls all bigger and richer than he had ever seen in his life White Ted eventually found a plate of food and a steaming hot drink set out on china that was just the right size for him. He was starving all that flying had given him an appetite, though in truth it was not really that long since he and Vlad had stopped for a snack on route. He was not one to waste food so he picked up the silver knife and fork laid out for him and began to eat. He had not had many mouthfuls when he noticed a large face smiling at him. This was Olga, the wife of Boris, she was also larger than anyone White Ted had seen before but he was not afraid of her, he could tell instinctively that this was a kind and gentle being. “Hello little teddy, what is your name?” she asked her face lit up by her smile. “You seem very hungry, would you like some more food?” she enquired, “No thank you.” replied White Ted, he was nothing if not polite. “The food was absolutely delicious, thank you. My name is White Ted.” He then took a step backwards and in true bearmanly form, with a flourish of his cape he bowed a deep bow to Olga. As he straightened up he asked. “And may I have the privilege of knowing your name Madame?” “Of course you may it is Olga and I am the wife of Boris who bought you in here.” With this she held out a finger to White Ted which he took and shook, which was no mean feat when the finger in question is the biggest he had ever seen. “I see that you have accompanied the young master and from the state of you I can see it has been an eventful time for you.” Olga said, straightening White Ted’s cape. “Yes it was rather” replied White Ted. “I have not travelled so far or so fast before and I can tell you though it was very exciting I hope the return journey is a little less rushed!”
Olga smiled at the little white bear and felt touched by the innocence in his eyes. “yes she said let’s hope it is” as she turned away for a second she added under her breath, “If return you do.” Then taking a deep breath she cleared her throat and was just about to add something when she was stopped before she could speak by the huge kitchen door swinging open with a resounding bang! White Ted and Olga swung round to see what had caused the commotion.
What a sight met their eyes, Boris was covered with snow and soaking wet, his coat and boots were covered with mud and his scarf, which was usually wound around his neck in three neat pleats was hanging down by his knees giving him an overall bedraggled look!!! “Oh my, what happened to you?” Asked a shocked Olga. “Hum” replied the miserable looking Boris. To White Ted’s surprise he noticed that Boris was actually smiling; despite his bedraggled appearance he looked happy?? Olga smiled a knowing smile and asked “Did you find the Master?” “Yes I did and here he is!!!!”
This is part of my story Vlad and the summons .
