This story is a submission to the sixth Friendly Anonymous Writing Challenge (FAWC) and a tribute to the founder of FAWC, slyc_willie, who we lost unexpectedly in October 2015. The true author of this story is kept anonymous until the end of the competition. Authors base their story on a list of four items. Their choices included the following letters: S L Y C. Each item was used in the story. There are no prizes given in this challenge; this is simply a friendly competition.
The list for this story includes: cleavage, cabbage, carnival and clerk
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One good thing about a dragon rampage, five years later you have great farming soil. That is if anyone is left alive to till the fertile loam. Gabriel contemplated this as he steered the horse drawn cart over the rutted road between the lush untended fields. Behind him came the soft snores of Myracel asleep in the blankets of the cart bed. He rubbed his seat as the cart jolted over another deep rut wondering how his companion could possibly sleep with all the bumps. After another sharp jolt threw him into the air he espied colorful tents off in the distance. Myracel stirred in the back after being jolted awake by the last bounce. A sleep filled face peered out from the fur pelts bunched in the middle of the cart bed.
"I swear you are deliberately riding into the biggest pot holes you come across."
Gabriel grinned at Myracel as she crawled out from under the pelts. His grin widened in appreciation for the cleavage displayed before him as Myracel worked to disentangle herself and crawl up to sit beside him.
After vigorously rubbing her face, Myracel looked over at the grinning lad, "What?"
Then she followed the path of his eyes down to the gaping front of her blouse. "Oh."
After pulling the blouse tight against her, which pulled the fabric tighter around her full chest she colored at the boy practically drooling next to her.
"Stop that," she cried as she freed one hand to punch him hard in the shoulder.
Annoyed at Gabriel's lack of response, she caught sight of a motion in the brush beside the road. Grinning she pointed her finger just past Gabriel's nose and let fire a small streak of crackling flame that burst past the startled lad as it singed his nose before shooting out to the quivering brush.
Gabriel fell backward into the cart at the abruptness of the shot, "Myr, what the Hell?"
The lithe blonde continued to grin as she jumped off the slowing cart and walked to the small burning bush. She reached past the small licking flames to hold up a small charred rabbit. She held it aloft for Gabriel to see as her soft suede boots stomped out the small fire.
"I caught dinner while your eyes were otherwise occupied," Myracel called triumphantly.
Gabriel rubbed his nose, "You could have warned me."
Myracel chuckled as she returned to the cart, "Like you would have paid me any attention."
She looked around before settling on a small clearing beside a running stream not far from the road.
She pointed in the clearing's direction, "Let's camp there."
Gabriel jumped from the cart and walked forward to grasp the dangling reins of the young horse tethered to the cart. Gabriel pulled the horse and cart towards Myracel, admiring her shapely figure through her breeches as he followed her.
"Stop staring at my ass or the next bolt will hit your nose," called Myracel without turning.
Gabriel chuckled but continued to stare. He still could not believe in his luck or rather lack of luck that had led him to her. He had returned from several day s of hunting in the deep woods only to find his homestead smoldering, his parents dead, livestock slaughtered. The tracks around the farm clearly told the story of an orc attack. After burying his parents, Gabriel set off at a stiff march following the clear trail left by the small band of orcs. After several days Gabriel was disillusioned of ever exacting his revenge when he saw smoke in the near distance.
After a quick dash the woods cleared to a small farmstead much like his own ruined home Gabriel had left behind days ago. Four swarthy orcs were charging past their two fallen companions to storm the small house. A bolt of fire flew out the window to harmlessly crash against the large metal shields held by one of the orcs.
Gabriel was stunned to hear a loud scream from the trees to his right. Two of the orcs turned at the sound to see both Gabriel and the blonde emerging from the forest near him. Gabriel watched as the girl paused to point at the lead orc, fire dancing from her fingers to fly out and strike the surprised orc in the face, dropping him instantly. Gabriel shook himself out of his freeze and notched an arrow before sending it into the breast of the other orc facing them, dropping him as well.
The last two remaining orcs turned toward their new threat, forgetting the danger from within the house. A fire bolt struck the back of the head of one of the orcs felling him. As his companion fell the last orc took off towards the woods to the right of the farm. Before making the edge of the trees he was struck by a fire bolt and arrow simultaneously putting the end to the encounter.
A woman emerged from the house. Gabriel could easily see the resemblance with the young girl standing near him. The woman from the house ignored the two to run off into the nearby field. Gabriel watched as she ran toward the prone body of a horse tied to a plow. He turned his head at the gasp from the girl near him.
"Pa" she screamed as she ran toward the woman now kneeling in the field.
Gabriel stayed with the Myracel and her mother while they buried their father/husband. Myracel's mother Celeste decided to move to the large city of Algeron rather than take care of the farm alone. Gabriel and Celeste were surprised when Myracel told them that she would follow him as he continued to search out roving bands of orcs that terrorized the area. Many months and quite a few less orcs in the world later, Myracel was still with Gabriel. He enjoyed her company tremendously.
"If you're quite finished staring at my backside could you be of some use and get a vegetable or two to go along with the rabbit that I caught by myself whilst you were otherwise distracted like you are now again."
Gabriel shook his head and tied their horse to a nearby small tree by the edge of the brook after releasing it from the cart. Gabriel headed back out to the main road and looked to the left and right deciding which way to go. He remembered the tents that he had seen off in the distance. He trotted off in that direction curious as to what he would find. Soon the road widened and became smoother. The road branched to the left and as Gabriel rounded the corner a colorful carnival opened up before him.
He stopped and stared at the entrance listening to the quiet all around him. It seemed the carnival was deserted. Intrigued, he wandered through the opening in the fence by the empty ticket booth. Everywhere tents and flags of red and yellow waved in the breeze and glowed in the setting sun. Gabriel checked the packed ground before him. It did not appear as though anyone had been to this carnival in quite a while. He was surprised that the tents were in such a good state of repair.
In what appeared to be the center of the spread of tents, Gabriel stopped to turn in all directions watching as the sun set in the distance. Around him with a whoosh flames danced from the various lanterns hanging around the lanes between the tents startling him. Shaking his head, Gabriel nervously edged back toward the path that led to the entrance. He was stopped by a sultry voice behind him.
