Nov 2022 - with this sword

[Kaje]

Our prompt picture for this month is this sword - whose was it, who bought it or found it? What story comes to mind?

Give us your poems, flash fiction, short stories, haiku - anything YA and LGBTQ inspired by this picture.

[Kaje]

In Times of Need

"You what?"

"I pawned it"

"You. Pawned. Excalibur." I stared at Gawaine, unable to comprehend his words.

"Yes, Sire." That Sire was not respectfully said. "We're stuck here in the twentieth century, food is expensive, neither your skills nor mine seem to be in demand. The current 'King of all England' is an seventy-three-year-old woman. Excalibur was not inclined to lead you into battle for your crown against her."

"Well, of course not—"

"You waved your royal hand at me and said, 'The coffers are low, Gawaine. Do what must be done to replenish them.' So I did."

"But, but…" I sputtered. "I meant you to find us further work as guards or you might model for those photograph things or…"

"I've not found us work. At least none you say fits our dignity as Knights of the Round Table. And we may've been here seven long months already, but I'll never be ready to dress so immodestly as those photographs require. Not would any pay to see my scrawny carcass so displayed."

For all my anger, I couldn't let that pass. I set a hand on Gawaine's shoulder. "I would pay for such. I'd pay the last cent in my purse for the sight of you unclothed."

"Ah?" He turned his head to look at me. "Maybe it's best that you have no money, if that's what you'd spend it on."

I flexed my hand to shake him a little. He's a slim fellow, though never scrawny. "Enough. You shall learn to value yourself as much as I do."

He ducked out from under my grip. "Right now, you can decide if we buy food, or ransom back your sword."

My stomach growled, but come what may, I had a feeling the Lady of the Lake would not smile on us if I gave up her gift. "Retrieve the sword. I will find some other way to make money to keep body and soul together."

And while I was not best pleased to spend the next five days pacing back and forth, clothed in signboards that declared "Giant Mattress Sale," I was nonetheless relieved to do it with Excalibur sheathed at my side. And with my faithful Gawaine across the street in a chicken costume, advertising nuggets. Suffering together appears to be our lot, in this odd adventure we're on. The free chicken was a bonus, of course.

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[Mere]

Hahaha! Love it. Now you should do a longer version where someone bought it from the pawn shop before they could retrieve it.

[Kaje]

Mere wrote: "Hahaha! Love it. Now you should do a longer version where someone bought it from the pawn shop before they could retrieve it."

Ooh, I like it.

[Gene]

Hilarious! Love the characters.

[Kaje]

Gene wrote: "Hilarious! Love the characters."

:) Thank you.