Picture into story

[Gargantua]

Ok, lets them use something new and winner will choose next one.

[Herr D]

The Budding Genius

The king had four children, four allies, and one very big problem. His only son was only interested in men, and so wouldn’t likely manage an heir. Further, wedding him to an ally’s daughter would be an insult, once his ‘preference’ was discovered. To complicate matters even more, two of his daughters were in secret love with men from his own kingdom, and both were with child. Wedding either of them to a son of an ally would be an even more terrible insult. As if that wasn’t enough, his youngest daughter found men to be disgusting creatures. She had, from the earliest of age and no known reason, begun to declare that she loved her father best at arm’s length and that no other man was worth looking at.
The treasury was nearly empty, the silos full of mice, the armories full of rust, the keep full of sewage (thanks to an odd earthquake,) and the army full of men better suited to winning eating contests than fighting. Alliances through marriage needed to be made immediately. But how would he make them and not actually CAUSE war? His allies, possibly soon to be enemies, surrounded him. WHAT to do? As always, when he was at his wit’s end, he put on a hood, to cover his face, and went to see his best advisor–his youngest daughter. He found her, as always, in the courtyard, tending her garden.
“Father?”
“Yes, Corlana.”
“I know what’s been bothering you, and I may have our solutions.”
“Thank the gods! Tell me.”
“I can’t. You must trust me. You must bring the four kings, your allies to supper. You must tell them I am a seer, rather than a gardener, and you must convince them. Then you will be prepared to agree to marry me off first. I will see that they agree.”

[interrupted–will post the rest ASAP, probably by Friday 4am EST.]

[Kaylin88100]

I’m intrigued…

[Herr D]

Thank you, Kaylin.

[The Budding Genius, continued from Post #17]

The king swallowed hard. He blinked twice. He swallowed hard again. “I will do as you advise, my daughter.”
He left her alone, as she preferred to be, and hurried to his study. Summoning his High Chamberlain, his Man-at-arms, his steward, and his head chef, he spent the morning rapidly composing and sending invitations and discussing strategy. On his Chamberlain’s advice, he spent the afternoon with his most flattering and false admirers, practicing lying convincingly. When the dinner hour arrived, he felt sure of himself.
The four royal couples arrived promptly and were seated with a minimum of fuss. All were expectant, for they had not received such pressing invitations so vague and yet so promising in quite some time. The king was a widower, and so he greeted them alone and began the lie immediately. “No doubt you’ve noticed the extra place setting. It is time to tell you all something incredible. My youngest daughter is a seer.” She stepped out of the shadows and came to her seat with perfect timing, placidly joining the group as if nothing were out of the ordinary. “Here she is. She has abiliities that I do not understand. My darling, would you explain?” He sat back to taste the soup before it was served, and nodded for service to continue as she began to speak.
“The gods come to me in my mother’s garden. Some of you perhaps know that she died there giving birth to me. I have good news, father. I have been granted miracle seeds.”
No one had touched their soup, some in clear disbelief, some in confusion, some in fear. The king faked an indulgent smile and said, “Please tell our guests what you mean.”
“They would not believe it, father. I will show them, with your permission.”
At the king’s nod, she rose and led the five kings and four queens from the table straight to her garden. There, in a small wheelbarrow, was a small bagful of seed. She gestured for a servant, who wheeled it after her as she led them to the keep. The stench was overpowering. She pointed to the northern king, known for being unable to smell, and said, “Good King. Please look inside and tell us what you see growing there.”
“Nothing?” he said in a moment.
“Quite” she said with a smile, reached into the bag, and cast a handful of seeds past him. But a moment passed, and seven vines began to fill the hall they stood in. In the time it takes to draw seven breaths, seven different vegetables were showing ripe and ready for picking. At a gesture from King Midiko, the servant brought him a large carrot, wiping it clean. The hallway smelled like newly turned soil. The king tasted it and all could see it was good to eat. The guests were properly amazed. King Midiko whispered to his Chamberlain, who began calculations at once, and whispered back: “Less than a month, sire, surely, and we will have a bounty for the coming winter.” A squabble broke out at once among the guests. They were arguing over who she should marry. Blinking with amazement, King Midiko called for silence as produce started falling from the vines. As the Chamberlain called for servants to come and carry away the bounty, the king said: “I know that some of you realize she is my YOUNGEST daughter. I do have the right to marry her off last. But you are ALL my allies. Surely there is some arrangement we can come to?”
The king from the west said, “Hang the wedding! You’ll have cheap food for me to buy. Six strongboxes of gold for twelve silos full of grains and vegetables!” (A fantastic price, even considering the time. But gold he had aplenty.)
The king from the south said, “I have two sons for her to choose from, but with or without a wedding–farmers to be idle or poor? Eight strongboxes of gold for you NOT to share your bounty or sell it to ANYONE!”
The king and queen from the east, after a moment of whispering said in unison: “Share the bounty or not. Such a blessed woman should not be long unwed. Her magic and our eldest son’s magic could make the most wondrous sorcerer child. We offer a bride-price of one hundred enchanted swords and shields, and five hundred target-finding arrows.”
The king from the north looked desperate. “Nine strongboxes of gold, and my army will fight your wars FOR you. She may marry anyone from my nobles she’ll have. Our growing season is short, and we need to defend ALL of us from the barbarians in the icy wastes. My son is handsome and strong, and he is admired by many! I can have him here in moments.” He gestured at his wife, angrily, and the queen from the north scurried out of the hallway. The others conferred in angry, quiet voices.
King Midiko cleared his throat, as the northern prince arrived. “A gracious offer to be sure. I should agree immediately–“
His daughter broke a stick under her foot, startling the party. She appeared to go into a trance, and said: “If anyone does owe King Midiko more than they have offered already, let them pay it now, or everyone will regret it until ALL present have paid a like amount. The gods have spoken.”
Several guilty looks were exchanged, but silence reigned. The northern prince stepped forward and said, “I pledge my troth to you, before all here present. With luck, we can marry quickly.”
King Midiko saw his daughter move a hand oddly within her dress as she said, “I accept your pledge.” Then foliage sprouted within her body. She erupted with growth in a most hideous fashion. Branches grew bloodlessly right through her skin. King Midiko ran for his daughter and caught himself as she winked at him, gave each arm to a servant, and departed.
The denials began. They began to argue. King Midiko called for order, understanding his role at last. “The gods have spoken! You all will give to me the same amount proclaimed as the pledged bride-price. We do not wish to suffer! Through it all I will feed your hungry as it is only the right thing to do! You will recompense me fairly, and I will release you, prince, from your troth when these debts are settled. I will not condemn us all to MORE suffering. I am a fair man, and a fair king! Now I will go to ease my daughter’s suffering. Make your arrangements with my Chamberlain.” He fairly ran to her bedchamber and demanded admittance.
His daughter sent away the physician and explained. “Dear Father, please don’t think ill of me or worry. My mother’s assistant gardener told me before he died that she had a seedling in her bed when I was conceived. The gods really do come to me in her garden. Through the plants. This plant is my sister, as we were in the womb together. It is a joy not to hide her anymore. Someday I may bud and produce you an heir, but I need no husband to do it. My sister loves you too, Father, and was very pleased to grow you the miracle seeds that will save us from the injustices and troubles facing us. Open the curtain, Father! Let me and my sister have more sun?

The End

[prswirve]

That story. Amazing.

[Gargantua]

I recently don’t have time to visit the forums for longer so i am sorry for being quiet and stingy in words.
Herr D you are realy good in making fables with grim mood and keeping tension because even if i could guess what will happend in the end still i was intrigued how it will happend. Good work.
Herr D choosed jednookie as next challenge

[Gargantua]

Ok, new challenge

[Herr D]

Aaugh! Nobody did one? Man—here’s one for Jednookie from my wife, if you want it.

“Now that you’re too hoarse to scream, just LISTEN. If I’d known my soul would be trapped in the sculpture I’d made, I’d have made it CUTE. But I drank the local hooch and wasn’t quite thinking. If anybody ever tells you a patch of mud is sacred, BELIEVE THEM! Now, I need you to get word to my family. I’m legally dead. My body is destroyed. The insurance policy is in a wall safe behind my second archaeology diploma. The combination is . . . “

Crediting her, you could refer to her as Sunni D . . .

[Gargantua]

Heh, forget this one. Well Herr D I think that next one should be choosen by your wife, maybe it is possible to resurrect this challenge. Climatic story by the way.

[Herr D]

Sunni D picks post #88. Trans & demon2.

[Gargantua]

Let’s go them

[Author]

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