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Luck, I think.
#WritcoStoryPrompt23
The gold coins fell out of the velvet purse as soon as he pulled at its string. Glittering eyes stared at the precious bounty in shock. His luck had finally turned! He could stop his life of thievery on the road and lead a respectable life.
“Help, help me…” the faint whisper belonged to the woman he thought he had murdered. Their eyes held. “Wha..what’s happened? Where am I? Who are you?” Just as he reached for the dagger, she whispered in fright, “Who am I?" The man decided not to kill this woman after all. Her memory was impaired! The man put the gold into the sack and tightened the strings to close it. He took the rag off the woman's head; it was dry. Her lump reduced in size. The man fetched another rag from the closet. He went to the water pump and wet it. The man wrung it out and placed it on the woman's head. He summoned fairies to watch the woman and make sure she didn't get up and wander. Fairies appeared; they tended to her. The man went to the market. For once, he didn't steal. He used the gold he found to pay the venders what he owed them. The man bought wares and came home to his abandoned tower. The fairies were helping the woman sit up. The man forgot fairies could grow as large as humans if they needed to. Fairies watched as as the woman put the spoon to her mouth. She hadn't spilled soup on herself so far. The woman finished her soup and drank her wine. The man was a spell caster, but he didn't learn magick from a wizard. He read books and taught himself. The man said, "I'm going to practice my spells." He did this until he mastered them. By then, the woman recovered. A fairy said, "Cara, Donald is the the man who captured you, beat you with a rolling pin, and left you for dead! We yelled at him for that. He was drunk, but we held him accountable. We didn't clean up after him. We didn't pay his debts. We didn't find the owner of the gold because even with divination, we couldn't." Cara said, "I know who he is! Donald is amending. We may not know who owned the gold originally, but Donald paid everyone at the market back!" The fairy said, "He used stolen money or possibly stolen money to do it!" Cara said, "Donald sells his grimoires to wizards. He only has one wand; he sold the others. Donald sold all his potions except the medicinal ones." The fairy said, "He's probably using the money he earns to buy familiars." Cara said, "He sold the cat, he sold the toads, the frogs, and the bat that lived in the attic." The fairy said, "He's selling his familiars, so that he can buy more dangerous creatures!" Cara said, "No, Donald got rid of the Griffin he rode with me. He sold the Manticore that prowled out back. Donald sold the Imps; they are still in the bottles!" The fairy said, "Those Imps always pranked us fairies. Good riddins to them!" The fairy said, "What about the dragon? He lived in the second cave. The Manticore lived in the first cave behind this tower." Cara said, "It died. Donald sold its parts to some wizard. He made a suit out of the scales and salamander skin." The fairy said, "That's why the salamanders are not by the hotsprings!" Cara said, "Exactly. Donald said he was going to sell the Basilisk to a zookeeper." The fairy said, "At least zookeepers know about legendary creatures." Cara said, "Donald is also selling the Cockatice, the Winged Serpent, and the Unicorn." The fairy said, "No! He should have kept the Unicorn!" Cara said, "Donald has healing potions with powered alicorn in them." The fairy said, "An Alicorn is a winged Unicorn." Cara said, "It's also the name of a Unicorn's horn." The fairy said, "I didn't know that!" Cara said, "Now you know. Donald is selling the eddible mushrooms; don't worry, the others will still mark the fairies' boundary." The fairy said, "I'll thank him." Cara said, "Donald sold the creatures from other realms." The fairy said, "I liked the cuties." Her wings drooped. Cara said, "Even the Gnomes and the Sprites said they were too shy." The fairy said, "I liked the shy guys!" Cara said, "I did too. Donald sold the Phoenix." The fairy said, "It was sad seeing it die, but a new one always hatched." Cara said, "Soon, Donald will be able to pay his bet. Remember when the pirates betted Donald would get into trouble with fairies?" The fairy said, "Yes. We fairies were sick and tired of Donald's irresponsibility." Cara said, "Yes, you said that earlier. You've mentioned everything he has done that I didn't remember!" The fairy said, "It is good to see him correcting his wrongs, but I don't believe him." The other fairies told their friend it was time to leave the tower. Cara was well enough to be alone. Cara and the fairies said goodbye. The fairies went to Donald. He unbouned them to him. They were free to go. Donald took Cara to her cottage in the forest. Cara received a kiss on the cheek as her gift from Donald. She never saw him again. Tales went around. Kingdoms far and wide spread tidings of Donald's deeds. He paid all his debts, built himself a mansion in a field and tened his own crops. He gave the extras to the poor whereas before, Donald shooed them away if he didn't kill them on sight. Donald never did find the gold's owner. He told everyone the story about how he came across it. No one knew from whence it came, nor to whom it belonged. Donald was an old man of eighty years. A Leprechaun showed up in his bedroom. He said, "Lad, that gold was mine, but I'm not going to punish you for takin' it. Since you did right with it, you will have more!" The Leprechaun grew tall enough to give Donald a coin. He said, "Keep this and you'll have luck, I think!" Donald locked the coin in a box. For the rest of his days, he had his luck! The fairies burried Donald when he died. Cara put the most exotic flowers she could find on his grave. They all were otherworldly flowers.
The gold coins fell out of the velvet purse as soon as he pulled at its string. Glittering eyes stared at the precious bounty in shock. His luck had finally turned! He could stop his life of thievery on the road and lead a respectable life.
“Help, help me…” the faint whisper belonged to the woman he thought he had murdered. Their eyes held. “Wha..what’s happened? Where am I? Who are you?” Just as he reached for the dagger, she whispered in fright, “Who am I?" The man decided not to kill this woman after all. Her memory was impaired! The man put the gold into the sack and tightened the strings to close it. He took the rag off the woman's head; it was dry. Her lump reduced in size. The man fetched another rag from the closet. He went to the water pump and wet it. The man wrung it out and placed it on the woman's head. He summoned fairies to watch the woman and make sure she didn't get up and wander. Fairies appeared; they tended to her. The man went to the market. For once, he didn't steal. He used the gold he found to pay the venders what he owed them. The man bought wares and came home to his abandoned tower. The fairies were helping the woman sit up. The man forgot fairies could grow as large as humans if they needed to. Fairies watched as as the woman put the spoon to her mouth. She hadn't spilled soup on herself so far. The woman finished her soup and drank her wine. The man was a spell caster, but he didn't learn magick from a wizard. He read books and taught himself. The man said, "I'm going to practice my spells." He did this until he mastered them. By then, the woman recovered. A fairy said, "Cara, Donald is the the man who captured you, beat you with a rolling pin, and left you for dead! We yelled at him for that. He was drunk, but we held him accountable. We didn't clean up after him. We didn't pay his debts. We didn't find the owner of the gold because even with divination, we couldn't." Cara said, "I know who he is! Donald is amending. We may not know who owned the gold originally, but Donald paid everyone at the market back!" The fairy said, "He used stolen money or possibly stolen money to do it!" Cara said, "Donald sells his grimoires to wizards. He only has one wand; he sold the others. Donald sold all his potions except the medicinal ones." The fairy said, "He's probably using the money he earns to buy familiars." Cara said, "He sold the cat, he sold the toads, the frogs, and the bat that lived in the attic." The fairy said, "He's selling his familiars, so that he can buy more dangerous creatures!" Cara said, "No, Donald got rid of the Griffin he rode with me. He sold the Manticore that prowled out back. Donald sold the Imps; they are still in the bottles!" The fairy said, "Those Imps always pranked us fairies. Good riddins to them!" The fairy said, "What about the dragon? He lived in the second cave. The Manticore lived in the first cave behind this tower." Cara said, "It died. Donald sold its parts to some wizard. He made a suit out of the scales and salamander skin." The fairy said, "That's why the salamanders are not by the hotsprings!" Cara said, "Exactly. Donald said he was going to sell the Basilisk to a zookeeper." The fairy said, "At least zookeepers know about legendary creatures." Cara said, "Donald is also selling the Cockatice, the Winged Serpent, and the Unicorn." The fairy said, "No! He should have kept the Unicorn!" Cara said, "Donald has healing potions with powered alicorn in them." The fairy said, "An Alicorn is a winged Unicorn." Cara said, "It's also the name of a Unicorn's horn." The fairy said, "I didn't know that!" Cara said, "Now you know. Donald is selling the eddible mushrooms; don't worry, the others will still mark the fairies' boundary." The fairy said, "I'll thank him." Cara said, "Donald sold the creatures from other realms." The fairy said, "I liked the cuties." Her wings drooped. Cara said, "Even the Gnomes and the Sprites said they were too shy." The fairy said, "I liked the shy guys!" Cara said, "I did too. Donald sold the Phoenix." The fairy said, "It was sad seeing it die, but a new one always hatched." Cara said, "Soon, Donald will be able to pay his bet. Remember when the pirates betted Donald would get into trouble with fairies?" The fairy said, "Yes. We fairies were sick and tired of Donald's irresponsibility." Cara said, "Yes, you said that earlier. You've mentioned everything he has done that I didn't remember!" The fairy said, "It is good to see him correcting his wrongs, but I don't believe him." The other fairies told their friend it was time to leave the tower. Cara was well enough to be alone. Cara and the fairies said goodbye. The fairies went to Donald. He unbouned them to him. They were free to go. Donald took Cara to her cottage in the forest. Cara received a kiss on the cheek as her gift from Donald. She never saw him again. Tales went around. Kingdoms far and wide spread tidings of Donald's deeds. He paid all his debts, built himself a mansion in a field and tened his own crops. He gave the extras to the poor whereas before, Donald shooed them away if he didn't kill them on sight. Donald never did find the gold's owner. He told everyone the story about how he came across it. No one knew from whence it came, nor to whom it belonged. Donald was an old man of eighty years. A Leprechaun showed up in his bedroom. He said, "Lad, that gold was mine, but I'm not going to punish you for takin' it. Since you did right with it, you will have more!" The Leprechaun grew tall enough to give Donald a coin. He said, "Keep this and you'll have luck, I think!" Donald locked the coin in a box. For the rest of his days, he had his luck! The fairies burried Donald when he died. Cara put the most exotic flowers she could find on his grave. They all were otherworldly flowers.
