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Charon's Dilemma
Dear Author,
As Crown Prince to the human nation, I could have anyone I choose but to end the war between the humans and the griffons, I must marry the youngest son of the Griffon King. The night before I’m to be married, I meet a man who captures my attention at first glance but before I can talk to him, he disappears. How am I supposed to marry someone I’ve never met when I’ve finally found someone who’s captured my interest? But I suppose it’s for the best because no matter what, I’m determined to end this war… I just hope my betrothed is someone I can grow fond of…
Photo Description:
Photo 1: A tall man with short, dark brown, roman-cut hair, piercing eyes of indeterminate color, and high cheekbones in an oval, masculine face with pouty lips is walking towards the viewer. He wears a tilted gold crown with two red stones visible on front. He has a brown, thigh-length fur coat with a black fur collar, a dark brown scarf, and leopard-patterned gloves. His long black pants partially cover the top of his silver-studded black boots.
Photo 2: A golden-tanned man with black pants hanging hip level and a muscular, shirtless back is facing away from the viewer with a black background. He has short, straight, ginger hair with brown and gold highlights. His left hand grasps a long silver sword at the hilt near the left side of his head, across his broad shoulders, and cut off from the picture to his right with his right arm hanging down.
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
As Crown Prince to the human nation, I could have anyone I choose but to end the war between the humans and the griffons, I must marry the youngest son of the Griffon King. The night before I’m to be married, I meet a man who captures my attention at first glance but before I can talk to him, he disappears. How am I supposed to marry someone I’ve never met when I’ve finally found someone who’s captured my interest? But I suppose it’s for the best because no matter what, I’m determined to end this war… I just hope my betrothed is someone I can grow fond of…
Photo Description:
Photo 1: A tall man with short, dark brown, roman-cut hair, piercing eyes of indeterminate color, and high cheekbones in an oval, masculine face with pouty lips is walking towards the viewer. He wears a tilted gold crown with two red stones visible on front. He has a brown, thigh-length fur coat with a black fur collar, a dark brown scarf, and leopard-patterned gloves. His long black pants partially cover the top of his silver-studded black boots.
Photo 2: A golden-tanned man with black pants hanging hip level and a muscular, shirtless back is facing away from the viewer with a black background. He has short, straight, ginger hair with brown and gold highlights. His left hand grasps a long silver sword at the hilt near the left side of his head, across his broad shoulders, and cut off from the picture to his right with his right arm hanging down.
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
48 pages, ebook
First published August 25, 2014
1 person is currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Eloreen Moon
12 books27 followersEloreen Moon is a pen name for a writer, reviewer, beta reader/editor, and reader of all things romance, including alternate lifestyle (LGBT) stories and novels. Inspiration is all around and life will not limit her to one particular topic. She likes to read and write a blend of science fiction, fantasy, historical, paranormal, and sometimes more than one together, especially if romance is involved. However, cowboys, lawmen, and contemporary times are fun too. Love is love: Romance with a Twist.
In Real Life, she works full-time, has a blended family with children, and enjoys gardening, computer games, and enjoying nature.
https://linktr.ee/eloreenmoon
In Real Life, she works full-time, has a blended family with children, and enjoys gardening, computer games, and enjoying nature.
https://linktr.ee/eloreenmoon
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 27, 2014
I really wanted to like this story. I seem to be the first person to mention any shortcomings. The idea was good; oh wait, that came from the prompt. All of the executed story elements have been done previously. The prompt did mention it should be like a classic fairy tale, which it was. The ending though came out of left field and I am not sure if I liked it.
What bothered me was the awkward writing that was difficult for me to read. It did not flow naturally. There were also a couple missing words and incorrect tenses as well as a comma or two out of place and some run-on sentences.
What bothered me was the awkward writing that was difficult for me to read. It did not flow naturally. There were also a couple missing words and incorrect tenses as well as a comma or two out of place and some run-on sentences.
October 23, 2014
In an interesting mix of fairy tale, including magic, and science fiction, this is the story of two species on a faraway planet; how they came to be, how they went to a generations-long war, and how they finally managed to negotiate peace. It definitely requires some suspension of disbelief, but once I got over that hurdle, I found this story to be a lot like other paranormal tales. And I enjoyed finding out what made this world tick, how humans had evolved in a faraway future, and why there were griffon shifters sharing the planet Prenides with them. For such a short story, it certainly managed to convey a great sense of history, and even had an unexpected twist at the end.
Charon is the crown prince of the humans who crashed on Prenides around 700 years ago. He is short tempered, determined to find a man he can love, rather than accept an arranged marriage, but equally certain he will do his duty when his father suddenly requires him to give up his plans. Charon may not like the idea of marrying a man he doesn’t even know, but what is he supposed to do when permanent peace depends on his actions? And as much as he rebels, in the end, he goes to the altar to meet his fate despite the fact he has only just met a man who interests him like no one ever has before.
Red, the youngest son of the griffon king, may go into the marriage knowing what his future husband looks like, but he doesn’t exactly know him or his personality either. There isn’t a lot of information about Red, but I liked that slight aura of mystery around him that only lifts a little once the wedding vows have been spoken. And Red is as shocked about the twist at the end as Charon. I liked that a lot.
If you like reading stories that cross several genres, if arranged marriages between warring species on a planet in the far future sound intriguing, and if you’re looking for a short read with a nice twist at the end, then you will probably like this free short story.
Charon is the crown prince of the humans who crashed on Prenides around 700 years ago. He is short tempered, determined to find a man he can love, rather than accept an arranged marriage, but equally certain he will do his duty when his father suddenly requires him to give up his plans. Charon may not like the idea of marrying a man he doesn’t even know, but what is he supposed to do when permanent peace depends on his actions? And as much as he rebels, in the end, he goes to the altar to meet his fate despite the fact he has only just met a man who interests him like no one ever has before.
Red, the youngest son of the griffon king, may go into the marriage knowing what his future husband looks like, but he doesn’t exactly know him or his personality either. There isn’t a lot of information about Red, but I liked that slight aura of mystery around him that only lifts a little once the wedding vows have been spoken. And Red is as shocked about the twist at the end as Charon. I liked that a lot.
If you like reading stories that cross several genres, if arranged marriages between warring species on a planet in the far future sound intriguing, and if you’re looking for a short read with a nice twist at the end, then you will probably like this free short story.
October 30, 2014
Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group's Love's Landscapes event. Thank you too all the amazing authors who participated!
This was... clumsy. A mix of myth and sci-fi and historical. Charon was prudish and straight-laced, but passionate and temperamental? The beginning consisted of an info dump of excessive and unnecessary information on their histories, given to us by the two kings in a wholly unbelievable conversation between two royals, cease-fire and upcoming nuptials or not.
if more time had been spend on Charon and Red, then I would have enjoyed this. But that was a blip and didn't leave me enough time to feel a connection between them. You can claim insta-love all you want, but I need to feel it.
February 15, 2015
Sci-fi short story
To prevent a war, and in the custom of their people, Crown Prince Charon must marry, and his father has entered into a alliance with the Gryphons so it is their Prince, Reddington, who is chosen for him. Charon isn't happy, he and his father had been trying to change the Senate rules to allow him to pick his own husband but time has run out and the marriage must take place. Reddington, or Red as he prefers, wants to meet Charon before their marriage, and does so in secret.
This was an okay story, that could have benefited to some more background and world building. It's also left kind of open ended with a hint there may be more to the story.
To prevent a war, and in the custom of their people, Crown Prince Charon must marry, and his father has entered into a alliance with the Gryphons so it is their Prince, Reddington, who is chosen for him. Charon isn't happy, he and his father had been trying to change the Senate rules to allow him to pick his own husband but time has run out and the marriage must take place. Reddington, or Red as he prefers, wants to meet Charon before their marriage, and does so in secret.
This was an okay story, that could have benefited to some more background and world building. It's also left kind of open ended with a hint there may be more to the story.
January 13, 2025
Captivating and Unique M/M Fantasy Romance
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This tale masterfully blends political intrigue, forbidden attraction, and the quest for peace in a richly imagined fantasy world. The Crown Prince's journey—caught between duty and a spark of unexpected passion—pulls readers in from the first line. The vivid photo inspirations add depth, bringing to life the intense emotions and stunning visuals of this unique love story. With a touch of mystery and a powerful message about sacrifice and love, this is a must-read for fans of M/M fantasy romance.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This tale masterfully blends political intrigue, forbidden attraction, and the quest for peace in a richly imagined fantasy world. The Crown Prince's journey—caught between duty and a spark of unexpected passion—pulls readers in from the first line. The vivid photo inspirations add depth, bringing to life the intense emotions and stunning visuals of this unique love story. With a touch of mystery and a powerful message about sacrifice and love, this is a must-read for fans of M/M fantasy romance.
February 28, 2017
I liked the griffons, the whole story how they became what they are now wasn't clear to me. The change in Charon also didn't make much sense. What's more - what was up with Charon's character. He behaved like he was on crack - being a personification of perfect prince and then a swearing sailor in span of few minutes. Seemed like he had some kind of personality disorder (maybe it's the inbreeding).
October 18, 2018
Not nice that Varick lied to Charron. 1.5 stars
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February 11, 2017?????? I have so many questions????
I'll just say that I thought the world building was heavy handed and full of awkward telling where it should have been full of plot, considering the short word count. Did it matter where they Gryphuns came from? Not to this story. Did it matter where the royal hoomin family came from? Nope. The author gave explanations to questions I didn't have, only causing more confusion.
This was a really interesting idea, and the writing was decent, but I think it could have used the help of an editor or beta cutting out a bit of the unnecessary information in favor of more interaction between our main couple.
I'll just say that I thought the world building was heavy handed and full of awkward telling where it should have been full of plot, considering the short word count. Did it matter where they Gryphuns came from? Not to this story. Did it matter where the royal hoomin family came from? Nope. The author gave explanations to questions I didn't have, only causing more confusion.
This was a really interesting idea, and the writing was decent, but I think it could have used the help of an editor or beta cutting out a bit of the unnecessary information in favor of more interaction between our main couple.
January 24, 2015
I am the author; and yes, I give my own work a 4 star. :)
Thank you for the feedback already listed. 2014 was a strange year where lots of things happened in my life and so writing took a back seat in the spring. I wanted to see if I could write something and see if it worked. Not everyone likes it, and I understand. But some did. Thank you for that.
It's not the best. There are far more stories from Love Landscapes that are excellent, including my own prompt. But this is my first work and it's a learning process. There was not a lot of time to develop the plot they way I would like it, keep to the prompt's requests, and meet the deadline. There was only a month and a half to write. The pacing, while fast, seemed to work with the story for me. The twist was not what I was expecting either, but it seemed to fit the story too. I enjoyed writing it and hope that more of you, the readers will rate and review. Perhaps it will help me focus for the next installment.
I do have a plan to continue the story, perhaps to expand upon this one, depending upon what the characters say. And yes, I would like to see what the sister's story reveals too. :)
Thank you for the feedback already listed. 2014 was a strange year where lots of things happened in my life and so writing took a back seat in the spring. I wanted to see if I could write something and see if it worked. Not everyone likes it, and I understand. But some did. Thank you for that.
It's not the best. There are far more stories from Love Landscapes that are excellent, including my own prompt. But this is my first work and it's a learning process. There was not a lot of time to develop the plot they way I would like it, keep to the prompt's requests, and meet the deadline. There was only a month and a half to write. The pacing, while fast, seemed to work with the story for me. The twist was not what I was expecting either, but it seemed to fit the story too. I enjoyed writing it and hope that more of you, the readers will rate and review. Perhaps it will help me focus for the next installment.
I do have a plan to continue the story, perhaps to expand upon this one, depending upon what the characters say. And yes, I would like to see what the sister's story reveals too. :)
August 29, 2014
This is a good shifter futuristic story. I wasn’t sure about it when I first started it, but it turned out to be pretty good. The world and species were described well enough. The end had a nice twist. It was nice to see the chemistry between them. It was very fast, but it seemed right and not rushed.
We have two nations, that have been at ends for a long time. Though they have a cease-fire, both of the present Kings worked out a way to make it permanent. That is the form of an arrange marriage between their sons. Luckily, for them, it seems that the sparks fly between their sons and something occurs at the end that is not expected .
I would like to know what happens when Charon’s sister finally confesses to his husband’s brother.
We have two nations, that have been at ends for a long time. Though they have a cease-fire, both of the present Kings worked out a way to make it permanent. That is the form of an arrange marriage between their sons. Luckily, for them, it seems that the sparks fly between their sons and something occurs at the end that is not expected .
I would like to know what happens when Charon’s sister finally confesses to his husband’s brother.
September 5, 2016
this was fun. I liked how magic was just a background technology of a civilization that had gone from disaster to somewhat functioning. I liked the shifting... i always wanted to be a shifter, like Scarlet Johanson's character in that movie Lucy. so just kissing was interesting but yeah unique spice with the magic and incomplete history records.
3.5-3.75 stars so I'll round up to 4. though though I'm uncertain about it since idk if it was stands out. I'll have to compare with my other reviews on a similar books. yay :-]
UPDATE: just checked the similar books, well actually just 1 book, and it was also an Oscillation between 3 & 4 stars. that oscillation seems like my life too actually, so yeah... Strive for 5 stars my friends! But if you liked it, round up those half glasses!!!
3.5-3.75 stars so I'll round up to 4. though though I'm uncertain about it since idk if it was stands out. I'll have to compare with my other reviews on a similar books. yay :-]
UPDATE: just checked the similar books, well actually just 1 book, and it was also an Oscillation between 3 & 4 stars. that oscillation seems like my life too actually, so yeah... Strive for 5 stars my friends! But if you liked it, round up those half glasses!!!
April 2, 2016
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
own-it-not-read-yet
August 25, 2014[NOTE: I rate most writing event stories (free reads) 4 or 5 stars because of my appreciation of the author's participation and gift.]
October 11, 2014
Review to come
April 17, 2015
I actually really enjoyed this. Fun mix of sci-fi, fantasy, and fairy-tale elements.
September 9, 2014
The writing was a little jarring in this one and didn't seem to flow smoothly along. I did enjoy the small twist at the end to giving Charon an unexpected surprise.
May 17, 2015
2.5 stars.
December 29, 2014
It was a cute read for what it was. Nothing fancy or detailed but a good story nonetheless. The manner of writing was odd for me, different.
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May 10, 2015DNR
October 22, 2015
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews