This week’s Friday Fictioneers challenge. The photo is courtesy of Sandra Crook. My story is below the picture.
BELOVED SENTINEL
“Does she stand on that cliff every day?” Tobias asked.
“Every day,” Raulf replied, looking at the young girl wrapped in her woolen shawl, black hair windswept like a flag.
“But five years! Surely she doesn’t still hope.”
Raulf nodded his head. “Serena insists Jamie will not fail her. He promised, and she must keep trusting.”
Tobias frowned. “She’s so beautiful. I’d gladly have her for my wife. There must be some way to make her see that she needs to move on with her life.”
“She’ll move on … when she sees his sails on the horizon … and not before.”
~~~
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The Happy Wordcrafter 
I would hate to be bound by a love like that.
I don’t think I’ve got it in me either. I guess that’s why we call it ‘fiction.’
But, on the other hand Dawn, I was just thinking: If she’s actually married to him, she’s going to have to wait seven years before he would be declared legally dead and she’d be allowed to “move on” with her life anyway. So really she doesn’t have it so bad right now I guess.
At least you didn’t let her get discouraged and jump off that cliff. 🙂
It would be a perfect cliff for a jump, but I wanted to leave the reader with a little hope.
An old age seafaring tale brilliantly told.
Thank you.
So sad!
But it’s sad only if he doesn’t return. The ending does hint that there will yet be a time when she will see his sails on the horizon.
I hope her persistence is rewarded. But somehow I doubt it. Good job.
Thanks Sandra.
Very sad…
Not sad if he comes back – which the ending hints that he will. Thanks for reading.
My pleasure
Dear Sandra,
Such a sad tale well told. “Brandy, you’re a fine girl, what a good wife you would be…” Sorry I couldn’t help myself. 😉 Good one.
Shalom and Happy Thanksgiving,
Rochelle
Yes, it’s an age-old theme rooted in so much of real life in several parts of the world. And it isn’t really sad if you take the hint at the end that he will come back.
Hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving.
I hope she’s on the right cliff….
Good tale. Randy
Well, you made me laugh loud. Thanks for reading.
😉
What a waste!
Good piece.
Not a waste if he comes back, which the ending hints that he will.
You think? How does her activity contribute to him coming back?
Love this.
And 5 years is the blink of an eye, Odysseus took 10 to get home, and that was after being away at war for a decade.
Thank you. I appreciate your looking at it positively rather than just considering it a sad tale. I saw it as rather positive.
Nothing is hopeless when love is involved. nice story
Thank you.
The waiting wife of the sailor, such an archetype.. where I grew up there was a statue of a girl waiting for her fisherman…
Yes, it’s an age-old theme rooted in much real life. But somehow, it never grows too old to nudge its way into a new story.
Such a sad love story. I hope she sees the sail soon.
Me too. Thanks for reading.
good for her. i won’t be the one to judge her. she has her reasons.
Well now, I dunno if I would wait that long. There is a life to live.
But hey, I shall wish her well and that she see the sails she seeks!
Just think, if she were married to him, she’d have to wait at least seven years to have him declared legally dead and be able to go on with her life. So she’s really not got it so bad yet.
True that…
I know you see the ending positive, and I see how many see it as a sad tale. I’m reminded of all these adventure stories, like Shogun and others, where sailors–who are married–make a life, find love, find adventure elswhere while wife and children wait hopefully at home. There’s something very wrong with that concept, I think. But that’s how it used to be, good piece of historical fiction.
Well done. I hope she will not be disappointed?
Thank you. Me too.