Friday Fictioneers: A good match

PHOTO PROMPT © Shaktiki Sharma

PHOTO PROMPT © Shaktiki Sharma

 

‘The miller’s a good match,’ her father said, words sinking heavy as pebbles in a pond.

The crow-black widows said the same as they perched by the market cross, shawls flapping, flight feathers clipped. So said the vicar from behind the fortress of his collar, his pall of hair icy slick. And the school mistress agreed, lips twisted tight as the paper on a bag of sherbet.

The only soul who didn’t agree was the daughter, but her boots were already turned to the road.

All hope drowned with those words.

 

Written for Rochelle Wisoff-Fields’ Friday Fictioneers. See the inspiring photograph and write a story in 100 words or fewer. See here to join in and to read the other stories.

46 thoughts on “Friday Fictioneers: A good match”

  5. Great piece of writing, made me think of this, one of my all-time favourite songs.
    It seems quite apposite:
    And so it was that later
    As the miller told his tale
    That her face, at first just ghostly,
    Turned a whiter shade of pale

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    1. Thank you, Rochelle. I do too. Perhaps one day she’ll escape, though it may only be to join the crowlike widows at the market cross. Thanks for reading 🙂

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  9. Wow, no hope at all. Not good to let the towns people choose your husband. When she put her boots to the road, and her dreams drowned, I wondered if she actually drowned hersel. I could see her feeling like she has no other options

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    1. Yes, an opening I left to interpretation – initially her heels were on the road because she was running away, though hope has drowned for her if she stays or goes. It’s up to the reader I think. Thanks for reading 🙂

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  11. Word sink like pebbles–her dreams drowned… I love how you drew this arc. So many young women endured this fate, dictated by tradition and prejudice. You really know how to make every word count (feathers clipped is another one I love). Great writing, Lynn.

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    1. Thank you so much Gabi. Glad you noticed the water metaphor – sinking into the millpond I though. Yes, a grim fate all too common then and now in certain parts of the world. Thanks for reading 🙂

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    1. Thank you so much, Sandra. What a lovely comment. I swing from trying to pare down my writing to the bare bones and wanting to spin those metaphors. Thank you very much. 🙂

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  14. I had a dream once I was marrying some girl and I couldn’t see her face. In fact, even stranger, I almost got engaged to a girl I didn’t know. It’s a long story, Rochelle will share it.

    Good story.

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    1. My parents had only known each other six minths when they married. Dad was 17! It sounds romantic, though, to fall so heavily for someone you think you want to get married. It didn’t work out then? Thanks for reading

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      2. Wow! 61 years, that’s amazing 🙂 I think if you knew my parents, you’d spot pretty quickly they were never going to make a long marriage – highly incompatible. I think being a bit older helps, though to be fair I was 23 when I got married and my mum was 20 and I’ve been married 26 years. Maybe those 3 years was enough to make a more considered decision 🙂

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      3. Possibly. I know at 23 I was not ready. I wanted to travel and see the world (which I did ten, eleven years later). But, now, I’m like 54, almost 55, never got married and it’s kind of weird. Although, Rochelle and I have a friend who got married for the very first time at … get this … 62! She’s doing great! So, yeah … maybe older might be better in some respects. But, you don’t want to get TOO much older … 😀

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      4. Marriage isn’t for everyone. It’s hard work, full of compromise. I have friends who are single and enjoy it, wouldn’t want to bend their lives to someone else. Pros and cons to it all

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    1. Thank you, Michael. I liked that idea too – a sort of defence for him to hide behind, perhaps so he doesn’t have to get too deeply involved with the townsfolk? Thank you for reading 🙂

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  18. Wonderful language. I note your comment on over-writing, and I don’t think it applies to this story at all. The images and characterisations pulled me right into the story. I love it.

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    1. Thank you so much Margaret. And thanks for the pointer about the over writing – I’m glad it didn’t come across as such to you. Sometimes it’s hard to guage when reading your own stories. Thanks again 🙂

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    1. You’re absolutely right, Suzanne. In the day when there were no social security payments or government safety nets, marrying well was a success for most women. And you’re right about the age difference too. The men were older, established in trade or craft, the women nice and young so they could bear children. Thanks so much for your reading and for your insightful comment 🙂

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