Malt Prompt
Strawberry #28. Waves with Whipped Cream and Malt
Rating : G
Timeframe : summer 1248
Lyssa dug her foot down into the sand and watched as the water lapped over her toes. She gave the empty field of blue before her a look and let out a sigh. What fun was the beach with no one to splash or to dunk?
Surely Ski must be missing it too. The older girl was seated further from the shore, where the sand met the grass. As always seemed the case lately, her attention was firmly centered on the book that lay open in her lap. The book in question changed frequently, though not one of the titles Lyssa had seen in Ski’s hands held much appeal, most of them being long winded descriptions of historical detail.
There was another thing that had changed about Ski since she came home for the summer, and that’s what brought Lyssa back from her spot on the beach for a closer look. Sure enough, laid out in the grass beside her, was Ski’s new most prized possession. The sword looked far too large and heavy for a girl of her size, and Lyssa had to admit she’d never seen her actually wield the thing, but it rarely left her sight. It was now carefully sheathed, so that only the hilt protruded from its protective leather bindings, but when she drew that blade out it would gleam brighter than almost anything Lyssa had ever seen.
Ski didn’t so much as look up as Lyssa approached, but the hand that reached for the sword received a sharp swat. “Hands off,” she said.
Lyssa sighed and seated herself in the grass beside her sister. “It’s not fair,” she said. Ski paused, in the midst of turning a page, to look her way. “You don’t ever even really look at it.” Ski’s attention drifted back to the page and Lyssa thought quietly for a moment. “Do you think Mother would let me have mine too?”
“Mother is not about to give a sword to an eleven-year-old.”
“What?” she said, her eleven-year-old ego somewhat bruised. “I’d take good care of it. I sure wouldn’t leave it sitting in its sheath all day. I’d get some use out of the thing.”
“Precisely why no one is letting you get your hands on one,” said Ski.
Lyssa folded her arms across her chest and scowled in the direction of the water, determined not to look at the sword again, while Ski continued to read. “Won’t you have enough time to study when you go back to school?” she asked, when the silence had dragged on for long enough.
“I suppose,” said Ski, as she flipped another page. “Why?”
“Because it’s a beautiful day, and we won’t be back here till next summer. And just because they give you a sword doesn’t mean you’re a grown up, so you sure don’t have to start acting like one.”
Ski laughed as the book fell shut. “Very well then. Race you to the water.” She leapt to her feet. Lyssa quickly swallowed her protest at the older girl’s head start in favor of closing the distance between them and the two sprinted across the beach.
In moments the two were knee-deep in the surf, playfully arguing over who it was that had gotten there first, book and sword forgotten in the grass.
Rating : G
Timeframe : summer 1248
Lyssa dug her foot down into the sand and watched as the water lapped over her toes. She gave the empty field of blue before her a look and let out a sigh. What fun was the beach with no one to splash or to dunk?
Surely Ski must be missing it too. The older girl was seated further from the shore, where the sand met the grass. As always seemed the case lately, her attention was firmly centered on the book that lay open in her lap. The book in question changed frequently, though not one of the titles Lyssa had seen in Ski’s hands held much appeal, most of them being long winded descriptions of historical detail.
There was another thing that had changed about Ski since she came home for the summer, and that’s what brought Lyssa back from her spot on the beach for a closer look. Sure enough, laid out in the grass beside her, was Ski’s new most prized possession. The sword looked far too large and heavy for a girl of her size, and Lyssa had to admit she’d never seen her actually wield the thing, but it rarely left her sight. It was now carefully sheathed, so that only the hilt protruded from its protective leather bindings, but when she drew that blade out it would gleam brighter than almost anything Lyssa had ever seen.
Ski didn’t so much as look up as Lyssa approached, but the hand that reached for the sword received a sharp swat. “Hands off,” she said.
Lyssa sighed and seated herself in the grass beside her sister. “It’s not fair,” she said. Ski paused, in the midst of turning a page, to look her way. “You don’t ever even really look at it.” Ski’s attention drifted back to the page and Lyssa thought quietly for a moment. “Do you think Mother would let me have mine too?”
“Mother is not about to give a sword to an eleven-year-old.”
“What?” she said, her eleven-year-old ego somewhat bruised. “I’d take good care of it. I sure wouldn’t leave it sitting in its sheath all day. I’d get some use out of the thing.”
“Precisely why no one is letting you get your hands on one,” said Ski.
Lyssa folded her arms across her chest and scowled in the direction of the water, determined not to look at the sword again, while Ski continued to read. “Won’t you have enough time to study when you go back to school?” she asked, when the silence had dragged on for long enough.
“I suppose,” said Ski, as she flipped another page. “Why?”
“Because it’s a beautiful day, and we won’t be back here till next summer. And just because they give you a sword doesn’t mean you’re a grown up, so you sure don’t have to start acting like one.”
Ski laughed as the book fell shut. “Very well then. Race you to the water.” She leapt to her feet. Lyssa quickly swallowed her protest at the older girl’s head start in favor of closing the distance between them and the two sprinted across the beach.
In moments the two were knee-deep in the surf, playfully arguing over who it was that had gotten there first, book and sword forgotten in the grass.