‘Tickling Butterflies’ – A Bargain with Death

Tickling Butterflies is an epic fantasy, containing 128 fairy tales that together create one huge story.

Here’s the story so far. The story continues:

PART 6

A PROPHECY OF LIFE

A Bargain with Death

(Containing a dire meeting of two powerful beings.)

King John the Cute returned to the palace and Death waited for him.

Chariot dropped King John the Cute and Benjamin Miller, the seven hundred year old orphan boy from another world, in the middle of the court. Death stood there, waiting.

All the king’s ministers, advisors, and general help stood in the court yard, as far away as possible from Death. Even Benjamin Miller, upon setting foot in the palace, took a few steps back. Chariot floated upwards instinctively.

King John the Cute approached Death without fear. He stood inches away from him, and said, “What are you doing in my palace, Death?”

“I seek your help.”

“Mine? To help you cause more death and destruction?”

“I no longer cause death and destruction. My hand has been torn from me by a mysterious and powerful creature that cannot die. Now he walks the land with my hand, able to take lives at whim. I need the king’s help in putting things back as they were. You are faced with a choice, my king. That I walk the land with my hand once more, able to kill responsibly, as I always have… Or that he walk the land, able to kill irresponsibly, whenever he desires.”

King John the Cute was reminded of a similar dilemma, back when he was a young boy in the town of Bambooville. In deciding to perform a good deed for an evil witch he helped her do evil but stopped her from doing great evil.

King John the Cute said, “I have important tasks, more urgent than helping Death. And yet, I will make a deal with you.”

Death was angered. But all he said was, “I am listening.”

The crowd of ministers, advisors, and general help around the king and Death held its breath, awaiting the king’s words.

“Just as I have vowed that you will not have my soul, even after I am dead, so I have vowed to reveal the hidden secrets of the Land of All Legends. Share your secrets with me, and I will help put Death’s hand in its owner’s hands. Refuse to share your secrets, and I will send you back to roam the land alone and unaided.”

A long silence ensued. No one dared breathe. Death was thinking.

After two minutes and twenty-two seconds, Death spoke, “We will see. I may share information or I may not share. What is it that you want to know?”

King John the Cute never took his eyes away from Death’s face. He said, “For you I have many, many questions. Sit down. Let us begin.”

This has been the dismaying story of how Death began to reveal some of his secrets.

(To be continued on Tuesday…)

Tags: English, fairy tales, fantasy, Online Book, Serialized Novel, Tickling Butterflies