Friday Fictioneers: The Beginning.

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist
kent

© Kent Bonham

Genre: Historical Fiction

Word Count :100

The Beginning

Louis sighed as he sank into his lush velvet cushions. Thirty years of war had taken its toll. Religion had claimed many lives but France had prospered. His thoughts returned to the debacle at dinner.  “I could sooner reconcile all Europe than two women.”  How could he control his women, other members of the aristocracy and keep France great? His potent weapon came to him in his dreams.

“King Louis XIV has issued an edict. All the aristocracy are to live in Versailles. They must only wear the highest of fashions. The entire world will trak to Paris.”

They did.

In response to Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers and the photo prompt supplied by Kent Bonham. Visit Rochelle and by hitting the blue frog be linked to other participants and an array of wonderful 100 word stories. You may even want to participate yourself.

About Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

I began my working career as a reluctant potato peeler whilst waiting to commence my training as a student nurse. On completion I worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing my hospital career as clinical nurse educator in intensive care. A life changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered I was no farmer and vowing never again to own an animal bigger than myself I took on the Barrington General Store. Here we also ran a five star restaurant. Working the shop of a day 7am - 6pm followed by the restaurant until late was surprisingly more stressful than Tanna. On the sale we decided to retire and renovate our house with the help of a builder friend. Now believing we knew everything about building we set to constructing our own house. Just finished a coal mine decided to set up in our backyard. Definitely time to retire we moved to Queensland. I had been writing a manuscript for some time. In the desire to complete this I enrolled in a post grad certificate in creative Industries which I completed 2013. I followed this by doing a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now I live to write and write to live.
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46 Responses to Friday Fictioneers: The Beginning.

  1. Norah Colvin says:
    June 25, 2015 at 8:25 am

    What an interesting dilemma, solved in a dream.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  2. larry trasciatti says:
    June 25, 2015 at 8:26 am

    That Sun King was quite a totalitarian, though Christianity, rightly understood, can, by definition, never be the enemy. The problem comes in when Catholics & Protestants get power crazy. That can happen to anyone though.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist says:
      June 26, 2015 at 6:57 am

      You are right of course Larry. It is the people in command who in the name of religion doing it for their own power hungry reasons and occasionally their own fanatical misguided reasons. I don’t know of any religion that preaches violence but rather peace and harmony.

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  4. Norah says:
    June 25, 2015 at 10:24 am

    Great solution! Dreams are a well-known source of inspiration! Well done!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. Charli Mills says:
    June 25, 2015 at 11:40 am

    The humor is subtle, but oh so funny!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. BobiJo says:
    June 25, 2015 at 11:46 am

    They really did all move there! I think this is a true story! Very clever.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist says:
      June 26, 2015 at 7:05 am

      Thanks. You are right. It is true in fact. In fact I’m feeling guilty because it is actually a Louis XIV quote “I could….women” which I didn’t exactly acknowledge apart from having him say it in the piece. It is fiction the rest of it. Well at least him sinking into his cushions and the dream.

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      Reply
  7. bkpyett says:
    June 25, 2015 at 12:04 pm

    Enjoyable glimpse!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. Mike says:
    June 25, 2015 at 2:30 pm

    Ha, Ha, “They did.” says it all. Nicely done.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. plaridel says:
    June 25, 2015 at 3:09 pm

    and the rest is history. very clever. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. micklively says:
    June 25, 2015 at 5:08 pm

    Good idea: so much easier to round up the guillotine fodder.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  11. Sandra says:
    June 25, 2015 at 5:12 pm

    I agree with Mick above. An efficient relocation.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  13. Liz Young says:
    June 26, 2015 at 1:58 am

    Stories like this are always the best way to preent history.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  14. Yolanda Renee says:
    June 26, 2015 at 6:16 am

    Yes, they did. I’d love to go there myself! Great take on the prompt!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  15. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) says:
    June 26, 2015 at 6:17 am

    Ha.. that’s a great solution.. maybe that really happened..

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  16. Perry Block (@PerryBlock) says:
    June 26, 2015 at 6:34 am

    Very cool solution and I heard the Sun King did indeed build Versailles in part to keep the nobles happy and off his case. When are you and I going to be invited?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  17. Francesca Smith says:
    June 26, 2015 at 11:14 am

    That last line sums it all up very well.
    Very interesting take on the prompt!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  18. rochellewisoff says:
    June 26, 2015 at 7:21 pm

    Dear Irene,

    Nice glimpse into history. Well done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  19. asarpota says:
    June 26, 2015 at 10:12 pm

    Love it.. And for a moment, I believed as to that is why Fashion originated in Paris.. Beautiful… Cheers..

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  20. yarnspinnerr says:
    June 27, 2015 at 1:56 am

    Simply brilliant.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  21. Margaret says:
    June 27, 2015 at 7:15 pm

    An intriguing way to approach the issues of his day. How amazing that it worked. I love the edict regarding fashion. Well portrayed.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  22. Lorna's Voice says:
    June 29, 2015 at 3:01 am

    And trak they did! 🙂 Nicely done!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  23. gahlearner says:
    June 30, 2015 at 10:31 pm

    Hehe. It could have happened just like this. There are other tales of famous people having an idea in their dreams. And so they trak on happily. Great story.

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