Come into my Parlor
Words 200
“May the best man win!” The colonel toasted the three hapless men sitting in front of him.
Sundari stood behind the colonel, calm and watchful. To look at her one would wonder that only three people had turned up. But then the conditions in the advertisement had been very specific and applications stringently scrutinized.
“To stake your claim on Sundari, you will have to either level that hill in 24 hours, or vanquish the enemy at our borders, or,” he broke off chortling, “marry my daughter.
“Papa!” Tullika gasped.
The colonel ignored Tullika. “Well?”
“This is preposterous,” stuttered the greying gentleman, “to give your precious racehorse to whosoever marries Tullika! If I were younger I would have broken your nose.” He strode off.
“Well?” The colonel was unfazed.
Rakesh, the taller one, bowed, “It would be my pleasure…”
“Really?” hands on her hips, Tullika cut in, “So desperate for a freebie? Be warned, I am high-maintenance, wacky, cranky, fat and ugly.”
“I am game,” Dhruv butted in, “but you’ve got to ditch your crankiness.”
“Fat chance,” she crossed her arms.
“What if I forgo Sundari?”
The colonel shook hands with Rakesh. “Thanks for playing along. Let them battle it out.”
***
A/N: Five characters in 200 words – was I too ambitious? Do let me know and thanks for reading.
Written for the Sunday Photo Fiction – a story in 200 words or less. Thanks to Alistair Forbes for hosting the challenge and Dawn Miller for the amazing photo prompt. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt click here.
For readers of Moonshine, here's Chapter 169
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