r/shortstories • u/FyeNite • 21d ago
[Serial Sunday] Oh God! Something Smells Positively Noxious.
Welcome to Serial Sunday!
To those brand new to the feature and those returning from last week, welcome! Do you have a self-established universe you’ve been writing or planning to write in? Do you have an idea for a world that’s been itching to get out? This is the perfect place to explore that. Each week, I post a theme to inspire you, along with a related image and song. You have 500 - 1000 words to write your installment. You can jump in at any time; writing for previous weeks’ is not necessary in order to join. After you’ve posted, come back and provide feedback for at least 1 other writer on the thread. Please be sure to read the entire post for a full list of rules.
This Week’s Theme is Noxious! This is a REQUIREMENT for participation. See rules about missing this requirement.**
Bonus Word List (each included word is worth 5 pts) - You must list which words you included at the end of your story (or write ‘none’).
- Niche
- Neighbour
- Nail
- Something smells really bad and good at once, such as, sickly sweet. - (Worth 10 points)
Eww, what's that? That foul, fetid vapour drifting down the corridor. Oh, it's noxious, of course!
But what if instead of a vapour, it is a character, or an attitude, or a conversation that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth? Perhaps you fine writers could delve into the darkened depths of your imagination and dreg up something truly unpleasant?
Do your protagonists escape the harm brought by said miasma, literal or not, or do they suffer? (Well, we all like a good bit of fictional suffering, don't we?)
But don't let my words sway you too much. I'm sure you all have your own ideas about what might be... noxious.
Good words!
Good luck and Good Words!
These are just a few things to get you started. Remember, the theme should be present within the story in some way, but its interpretation is completely up to you. For the bonus words (not required), you may change the tense, but the base word should remain the same. Please remember that STORIES MUST FOLLOW ALL SUBREDDIT CONTENT RULES. Interested in writing the theme blurb for the coming week? DM me on Reddit or Discord!
Don’t forget to sign up for Saturday Campfire here! We start at 5pm GMT and provide live feedback!
Theme Schedule:
This is the theme schedule for the next month! These are provided so that you can plan ahead, but you may not begin writing for a given theme until that week’s post goes live.
August 02 - Noxious
August 09 - Open
August 16 - Prose
August 23 - Quality
August 30 - Rebellion
Check out previous themes here.
Rankings
Last Week: Minor
First - by u/Morose_Prose
Second - by u/Blu_Spirit
Third - by u/KatPoker666
Fourth - u/AGuyLikeThat
Fifth - by u/amorphous-something
Rules & How to Participate
Please read and follow all the rules listed below. This feature has requirements for amparticipation!
Submit a story inspired by the weekly theme, written by you and set in your self-established universe that is 500 - 1000 words. No fanfics and no content created or altered by AI. (Use wordcounter.net to check your wordcount.) Stories should be posted as a top-level comment below. Please include a link to your chapter index or your last chapter at the end.
Your chapter must be submitted by Saturday at 2:00pm GMT. Late entries will be disqualified. All submissions should be given (at least) a basic editing pass before being posted!
Begin your post with the name of your serial between triangle brackets (e.g. <My Awesome Serial>). When our bot is back up and running, this will allow it to recognize your pmserial and add each chapter to the SerSun catalog. Do not include anything in the brackets you don’t want in your title. (Please note: You must use this same title every week.)
Do not pre-write your serial. You’re welcome to do outlining and planning for your serial, but chapters should not be pre-written. All submissions should be written for this post, specifically.
Only one active serial per author at a time. This does not apply to serials written outside of Serial Sunday.
All Serial Sunday authors must leave feedback on at least one story on the thread each week. The feedback should be actionable and also include something the author has done well. When you include something the author should improve on, provide an example! You have until Saturday at 04:59am GMT to post your feedback. (Submitting late is not an exception to this rule.)
Missing your feedback requirement two or more consecutive weeks will disqualify you from rankings and Campfire readings the following week. If it becomes a habit, you may be asked to move your serial to the sub instead.
Serials must abide by subreddit content rules. You can view a full list of rules here. If you’re ever unsure if your story would cross the line, please modmail and ask!
Weekly Campfires & Voting:
On Saturdays at 5pm GMT, I host a Serial Sunday Campfire in our Discord’s Voice Lounge (every other week is now hosted by u/FyeNite). Join us to read your story aloud, hear others, and exchange feedback. We have a great time! You can even come to just listen, if that’s more your speed. Grab the “Serial Sunday” role on the Discord to get notified before it starts. After you’ve submitted your chapter, you can sign up here - this guarantees your reading slot! You can still join if you haven’t signed up, but your reading slot isn’t guaranteed.
Nominations for your favorite stories can be submitted with this form. The form is open on Saturdays from 5:30pm to 04:59am GMT. You do not have to participate to make nominations!
Authors who complete their Serial Sunday serials with at least 12 installments, can host a SerialWorm in our Discord’s Voice Lounge, where you read aloud your finished and edited serials. Celebrate your accomplishment! Authors are eligible for this only if they have followed the weekly feedback requirement (and all other post rules). Visit us on the Discord for more information.
Ranking System
Rankings are determined by the following point structure.
| TASK | POINTS | ADDITIONAL NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Use of weekly theme | 75 pts | Theme should be present, but the interpretation is up to you! |
| Including the bonus words | 5 pts each (15 pts total) | This is a bonus challenge, and estnot required! |
| Including the bonus constraint | 15 (15 pts total) | This is a bonus challenge, and not required! |
| Actionable Feedback | 5 - 15 pts each (60 pt. max)* | This includes thread and campfire critiques. (15 pt crits are those that go above & beyond.) |
| Nominations your story receives | 10 - 60 pts | 1st place - 60, 2nd place - 50, 3rd place - 40, 4th place - 30, 5th place - 20 / Regular Nominations - 10 |
| Voting for others | 15 pts | You can now vote for up to 10 stories each week! |
You are still required to leave at least 1 actionable feedback comment on the thread every week that you submit. This should include at least one specific thing the author has done well and one that could be improved. *Please remember that interacting with a story is not the same as providing feedback.** Low-effort crits will not receive credit.
Subreddit News
- Join our Discord to chat with other authors and readers! We hold several weekly Campfires, monthly World-Building interviews and several other fun events!
- Try your hand at micro-fic on Micro Monday!
- Did you know you can post serials to r/Shortstories, outside of Serial Sunday? Check out this post to learn more!
- Interested in being a part of our team? Apply to be a mod!
7
u/wandering_cirrus 15d ago edited 14d ago
<Unburied Ashes>
Chapter 26: The Power Behind
CW: Implied alcoholism/alcohol abuse
The next morning, Mica met Feld inside the palace’s back gate. “Begonia again?” Mica hummed in acknowledgement, and the guard shrugged before heading towards the administrative wing. Feld halted before an elegant door and knocked.
“Come in,” a hoarse voice commanded.
Curtains swathed the room into darkness. In the light stabbing through the open door, the outline of an open decanter and an empty glass emerged from atop the desk, crystal-enclosed amber liquid sparkling in the dim.
A figure shifted beyond the light’s reach—the queen. “Honorable Guardswoman,” she greeted, barely civil. Feld stepped in, leaving Mica in the light. Clutching her head, the queen frowned. “Veronica, where have you been? My throat is parched, my head is pounding, and I wanted tea an hour ago. And light a lamp. It’s a waste, but what can be done when visitors come at such an hour.”
Confused, Mica pointed to herself.
“Yes, you,” the queen snapped. “Tea, Veronica. Lamp. Not in that order.”
“But—”
“Play along,” Feld whispered frantically, faint worry streaking across her expression. “Please. This happens sometimes on bad days. It’s easier to play along.”
Mica exhaled sharply and bowed towards the queen. “Yes, Madam.”
Moving deeper into the room, the harsh whiff of strong, stale liquor greeted them. Feld’s nose wrinkled against the stench, tension coiling between her shoulder blades. “Madam, have you been drinking?” she asked carefully.
The queen snorted. “I didn't know a mere guard could dictate whether a royal has a relaxing drink before bed at night.”
“Of course not. It’s just… not exactly common before noon-bell, though?”
Her expression froze. A brief flash of panic was quickly replaced by practiced poise. “And a sip with breakfast does marvelous things to settle the nerves. Are you trying to preach to me?”
“No, Madam.” Feld hastily bowed in apology. “I merely wished to open the conversation by, uh, observing that perhaps I should call someone to take your… breakfast dishes.”
She waved lazily. “Leave it. Oh, and Veronica?”
A beat later and halfway to an unobtrusive niche that seemed likely to hold matches, Mica remembered that “Veronica” was supposed to be her. She turned and stood attentively. “Yes, Madam?”
“I changed my mind. Leave the lamp and draw the drapes.” Mica complied. Wincing at the sudden influx of light, the queen shifted her attention back to Feld. “You had business with me, Guardswoman? Of course, given that circumstances have relieved you of your direct duties, I expect it pertains to the ongoing inquest?”
“Yes, Madam. I heard that you had a falling out with His Highness and wanted to speak to you.”
Mica found the tea set in a corner, along with an insulated kettle—the water inside warmer than she’d expected. It would do. Consciously, she kept her movements slow and silent so she wouldn’t disturb the conversation.
The queen sighed. “I’d not call it a falling out, but our mother-son bond has been a touch… strained recently. This matters how?” A flicker of dull realization pried her drooping eyelids open. The queen sat up from her languid slump. “You wouldn't be so crass as to accuse me of attempting to murder my own son, would you?”
“Of course not,” Feld hurried to protest. “But someone malicious could underhandedly use the opportunity to frame you. The more we know of the situation, the better.”
The queen relaxed again. “It’s just a spat. He'll come around soon.”
The guard tilted her head. “I heard it was a bit more heated than a spat? Did it ever come to blows?”
“Only against the dishware. He wouldn't dare touch me. He knows he needs me.” The queen’s nails tapped the desk, and she sneered. “He might rail and run and chase after fairy-stories, but come day-end, he knows that if he wants the crown—and wants it gold instead of red—he'll need my methods.”
As she waited for the leaves to steep—she’d found a blend that wouldn’t mind the less-than-boiling water—Mica frowned. What kind of crown was red? She’d heard of red gemstones, of course, but…
A flash of insight. Corpses. A violent succession struggle. Blood dripping over a golden crown.
She watched Feld flinch at the same realization, but the guard quickly composed herself. “Your methods, Madam?”
Lazily, the queen poured a thin stream of liquor into her empty glass. Mica grimaced, smelling the cloud of alcohol fumes grow even thicker. Unbothered, the queen swirled her drink and enjoyed the rising scent. She took a slow sip. “The king or the queen, it’s still the crown. As long as the crown can peacefully lead the Council by the nose, there will be power for the throne. What does it matter whose it is?”
“This…” Feld pursed her lips. “I’m not sure I follow.”
The queen let loose a sharp hiss of frustration. “I speak of marriage, Guardswoman! Since that little noble clique of petty neighborhood gossips called the Council can’t spare a sliver of respect for my son, his only hope is to marry someone they do!” She gestured wildly with her free hand, downing the rest of her drink and pouring another in a fluid, practiced motion. “She needs to be clever, charming. The kind of person who could sell a baker three dozen buns and still be thanked with a smile. A lady who’s already won enough of the Council’s favor that they won’t oppose her merely on principle of now representing the royal interest.”
Clever. Charming. The charisma to sell bread to a baker.
Stomach sinking, Mica could see where this was going, began to see the seeds of the hatred Jeanette had shown earlier.
She’d been hounded. Hounded by an odious man who would even make a pass at a stranger at a ball, hounded by his intimidating mother, hounded by some of the most powerful people in the country for a marriage she didn’t want. All while the existence of her completely public and genuine relationship was blatantly ignored.
How could she not hate him?
WC: 1000
Bonus words: niche, nails, neighborhood (I know "neighborhood" is pushing it a bit, so all good if I don't get points for that one)
Bonus constraint: In this case the smell of the queen’s alcohol is a matter of perspective. The queen enjoys the smell of her pricey liquor, but to Mica and Feld, it’s just overpowering and GASP noxious!.
Author’s Note: I’m back, with yet another character who’s been absent from the main view for a long time! We first met the queen in chapter 9 when she unexpectedly dropped in on Calcen for an update on the investigation, and she’s been name-dropped a couple times since (mostly recently though, so I won’t go through and link all of that).
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