Once again, we have arrived at midweek. It is Wednesday and I have words. Sadly, I did not win, place or show in last week’s Thursday Threads flash fiction challenge. That’s okay. I’m just happy I managed to get some words written and for a change, the words weren’t some random scene I would have to figure out later. I managed to “attach” it to a previously written random scene so now I have a long random scene instead of two short ones. Anyway, here’s the prompt: *“He couldn’t do it.”* I can’t tell you exactly where the following fits, but it does. Trust me.

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Bran took a mental step back. How did Ariel know Orin’s true name? He grabbed the back of Orin’s leather jacket just as the man lunged toward Ariel. He flexed his magic and Orin stilled.

Sliding off the boulder, Ariel faced the two Unseelie Fae. His  expression remained neutral, showing no emotion, though power reverberated through his words. “Do not get in my way, Bran and keep your minion leashed.” His gaze flicked over Orin dismissively. He allowed a cold smile to stretch his lips briefly before he added, “Tell Mab her time is coming.”

The other Fae sneered at him. “Tell Oberon the same. My queen will return, despite the Seelie Court’s decree.” Bran pivoted and walked off.

Orin stood staring at Ariel for a long moment before he, too, turned and sauntered after Bran.

Ariel flexed his fingers as the two slipped into the tree line, leaving the glen empty. His palms itched to grip his sword and loose his magic. If he was prudent, he would follow and take them down in an ambush. Orin’s demise would cause no regrets. But Bran? He couldn’t do it. Bran had once been a friend.

He walked the opposite direction, his head ringing with the words he knew both Titania and Oberon would be flinging at him. He easily imagined their diatribe but it was Sade’s voice that rang loudest, “This will bite you in the ass, Ari.”

“Yes,” he muttered. “I will come to regret not killing them.”
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If you don’t know the drill by now, you much have bounced in here by chance. If so, welcome! At this point, I tell the writers who stop by to feel free to grab some inspiration from the prompt and go with the flow. As for the readers in the bunch, I ask a question, hoping for comments because yeah. I’m needy like that. But this time, no question. It’s a request (or an order…*bwahaha*): Name one thing you couldn’t do yesterday.