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“A CHEAP PROMISE” – a To Be Loved prequel (ABC tag)

Saraina Whitney

A Cheap Promise

A To Be Loved Prequel

A cold chill iced my skin, colder than the breakfast fruit sherbet my maid had torn me away from, already souring in my stomach. Breathing a forgotten luxury, I stared at the royal messenger standing stiff in our doorway, his crisp uniform bearing our kingdom’s stars-and-swords emblem.

“Come, Lady Evangeline,” he repeated, tone edging on a snap, hatred in his eyes as he impatiently held out a white-gloved hand. “Do not keep His Most Royal Highness waiting.”

Everything within me warned that this unexpected summons from King Lukas heralded disastrous tidings—but what had I done that could possibly involve me in it? Fingers curling into the silky folds of my cheerful lemon-yellow gown, I tipped the messenger a bare half-nod and dragged my feet over the threshold, suppressing a flinch when the messenger’s hand clamped hard around my arm. 

“Gladys,” I called over my shoulder to the poor maid trembling at the double doors, “please, tell my parents I’ll”—oh, what can I even promise them?—“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Huffing, the messenger jerked me down the white stone steps with a muttered “don’t count on it.” I winced and scrunched my nose as we rushed into a drizzle of rain, which turned into a light drip-drip-drip on the roof of the waiting carriage as the messenger prodded me in, none too gently. Jaw tense, I kneaded my hands while the messenger climbed into the carriage after me, face a tight-lipped mask. 

“Kind of you to join me, sir,” I murmured, taming my damp, unruly caramel curls into a plait.

Lightning flashed as he ignored me and signaled the driver to go.

My heart pounded a sickly, steady rhythm, stomach seizing with each jolting bump of the carriage over the slick cobbled roads.

Nothing I did could stop the fear that whatever was wrong, it was all my fault. Of course, it couldn’t have anything to do with the meeting I’d held with those spies several months ago… because both they and I had vowed secrecy in regards to that midnight conversation.

Promises are cheap, Evangeline. 

Quivers trailed my body when the carriage finally jerked to a halt and the messenger offered me his arm in a show of feigned courtesy, guiding me up broad stone steps flanked by soaring marble columns. Reed’s eyes assaulted my vision the second I entered the chilly throne room, his stare gray and stricken, ratcheting up my pulse to a thunderous gallop—he would be there to watch what transpired, working as the king’s private investigator, with the rest of the court. Sounds of male chattering died as eyes riveted to me… as Reed straightened with a fierce fold of his hands and a heave of his chest… as King Lukas, appropriately intimidating in that heavy gold crown, shifted on his throne to spear me with a cold glare.  

Then one of four men standing in front of the king twisted around to eye me, face pale but lips in a thin line.

Unable to stifle a gasp, my knees turned to jelly as I recognized him as Xavian—one of the five spies with whom I’d conducted the secret meeting… yet only four were here. Void of any last remnants of hope, I lifted my gaze to King Lukas, breathing out desperate, silent prayers.

Why am I so reckless, so heedless of consequences? I thought in despair, already knowing that had to be the cause of why King Lukas had summoned me.

Xavian faced the king again with the rest of the spies, his head hanging in a way that almost brought up my breakfast.

Years seemed to pass before the king rose from his throne, passed the spies, and slowly paced forward until he loomed close enough for me to catch the tiny twitch in his eye.

Zeroing in on me like an arrow trained dead on the bullseye, King Lukas finally spoke, voice cool yet pulsing with barely-contained fury; “Tell me, Lady Evangeline… how does it feel to be a murderer?”

Copyright © Saraina Elisabeth Whitney

Thank you so much for reading!!! I hope you enjoyed this short prequel to my story To Be Loved from the upcoming anthology Tell Me You Love Me!!!!! As a matter of fact, I do have ideas for a few more short prequel/sequel stories to TBL, so, Lord willing, this isn’t all you get. 😉 (There’s this one vivid image in particular for a sequel that has been stuck in my mind for months, so I know one day I’ll HAVE to write that scene.)

As the post’s title indicates, this was for the ABC tag created by Sisters Three!! I shamelessly wanted to be dramatic and jump into the story immediately thus breaking an unspoken rule, so here’s the tag graphic and rules! 😜

Rules:

  1. Thank the person who nominated you and link back to the original blog! (Thank you, Kayti, Rissy, and Jaidie!!! Everyone, go check out their fantabulous blog at Sisters Three!!!)
  2. Include the hastily constructed graphic in your post! (lol)
  3. You must write a 26 sentence story each sentence starting with a letter from the alphabet. (Example, first sentence starts with a, second with b, third with c, and down through the whole alphabet!)
  4. Nominate 7 bloggers or writers to do the challenge!
  5. Have fun! (And try not to get stuck on x and z….lol…)

Nominations!

By the way, in no way whatsoever are you expected to write a prequel to a story you already have for this challenge hahaha! I actually wrote two different ABC tag stories for this challenge, but I scrapped them because something about it didn’t feel… complete. Or satisfying. I dunno.

Then I realized I had a cool idea for a TBL prequel and since I knew it’d be short, I used this tag to feature it in! Plus, the challenge of 26 sentences starting each with a different letter was wildly motivating, weirdly enough. It’s like the more “limitations” I have on my creativity, the more inspired I get! Please tell me that makes sense and you relate!

Oh, by the way, I love “Relate” by For King and Country and I think everyone should listen to it. Here ya go.

How did ya like that cliffhanger? (Just don’t kill ME for it!) Would you react like Evangeline did at the news of King Lukas’s summons? What part most intrigued you? Did you think of Encanto‘s “Surface Pressure” when you read the “drip-drip-drip” part? (I did. 😂) If you HAD to choose, are you more interested in prequels or sequels?

(Story graphic images from Pinterest!)

48 thoughts on ““A CHEAP PROMISE” – a To Be Loved prequel (ABC tag)”

  2. Saraina, that was lovely!!! I want more!!! And wow, great job on the ABC challenge! I didn’t even notice that each sentence started with the next letter of the alphabet until you said so! (Yes, I totally know relate to having more limitations on your creativity! It’s kinda weird how that works. XD) Ahhh, your descriptions are so vivid, I felt like I was THERE!

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    1. Aww thank you!!!!!! 😀 Oo, really?!!! 🤭 Haha that’s awesome! (YES! So glad you relate!! It is definitely weird how that works XD) Ahhh, that makes me so happy!!! Thank you for the lovely comment, Ava!!! ❤ 😉

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  3. AHH OMGOSH SARAINA THAT WAS SOOOO GOOD!!! It’s official. You’re combining the prequel, TBL, the sequel, and whatever else you come up with and turning it into a full-length novel. This story is. so. stinkin’. good!!!!!!

    AND I NEED THAT SEQUEL. NOW. GIMME.

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    1. EEEEE THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol, it is official… I really do have to do that!!! 😂 There’s just so much story material to expand it with! Aww, thank you!!! <333

      YES MA'AM.

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    2. Seriously. And as a side note, I LOVE the whatsitcalled pinterest board pics – beautiful. And, Encanto’ s Surface Pressure was soooooo dark and startling at the beginning, but the drip part is pretty good. The Cimorelli medley makes it sound way better a lot less intimidating lol. 😉

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      1. Ahh thank you!!! It was lots of fun to make! 😉 TRUE. *laughs* Yes, that part is super catchy! (I LOVE THEIR MEDLEY!!)

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  7. SARAINA, I AM CONVINCED. YOU ARE A LITERARY MASTERMIND!

    Period.

    This story was SO good, and I’m seriously impressed how you managed to pull it off!!!!! With the first letter to every sentence thingy. (Although using longer sentences was actually genius!!!!) Aaah now it just makes me want to read To Be Loved AGAIN!!! Girl, you are SOOO talented!!!! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH for the tag!!! I’d been seeing it going around but never actually checked out what it was. XD BUT THIS IDEA IS LIKE GENIUS!!!!!!!!! I can’t wait to see what I come up with!!!!

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    1. *blushes* GIRL! I don’t even know what to say!!!!! LOL THANK YOU!!! <3333 😀

      Awww thank you so so much!!!!! (Haha yes, I must have my long sentences 🤣 😜) Ahhh Issabelle, that means so much to me!!!! ❤ It was an amazingly fun challenge and I can't WAIT to see how you do it!! (Though I already know you'll do incredible!!!!) Absolutely, girl, you're so welcome!!! ❤ 😉 Same!!!

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  8. “Tell me, Lady Evangeline… how does it feel to be a murderer?” GOODNESS, that gave me chills! You’re such a master, Saraina! I literally remember you saying that each sentence would begin with a descending alphabetical letter, and I still didn’t notice it until I finished reading and realized this was the story you were talking about. Well done!

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    1. IT DID?!!! Ahhh thank you!!!! (Lol, for me, someone getting chills from what I write is a very high compliment XDD 😂 ❤ ) Aww!!! I'm so glad you liked it, Lily – thank you for reading and for your comment!!!

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        1. Aaah!!! Lol yes, I simply HAD to do a cliffhanger. 😀 *stereotypical villainous author laugh* Aww, absolutely, Lily!! Thank YOU for the encouragement!!

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    1. Eeeee thank you so much, Vanessa!!! Aww, that makes me so happy! 😀 ❤ Yay!! I'm super excited for you to read the rest of the story!! 😉 😀

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  13. Why did you mention that song…lol..now it’s in our head! We didn’t even like Surface Pressure…lol…
    And WOW!!! You just blew that out of the water…or rather out of this world!!!!! Like that was amazing and if you’re not looking for you don’t even notice that each sentence starts with a different letter because the transitions are so smooth!!!! That was amazing! And that Cliffhanger!!!!!! Ack!!! We can’t wait to read your story in the anthology and eeek!!! This was soooooo good!!!!! Thank you so much for doing the challenge!!!!

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    1. LOL!! Okay, that made me laugh really hard then cough! (For some context, I’m sick right now. *wry smile*) Accept my deepest apologies for reminding you of it… 🤣

      AHHHHH!!!! Thank you so so much, girls!!!!!! Eeek I’m so glad you liked it so much!!!! *hugs you all* YES, I can’t wait for you to read the full story!! 😀 ❤ Absolutely, thank YOU for creating the challenge – and nominating me!! 😉

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      1. Hahaha, glad to bring some laughter to your day! 😉 (Aww, sorry to hear that. Praying for you!) Hahaha, accepted. 🙂

        Loved it! It was so good! LIke…yeah….Eeeek!!! Aw, thank you for doing it!!!!! ❤

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        1. Aww yes!!! (Thank you so much!!! I’m already feeling better!!) Phew, good. 😛 *wipes forehead*

          Eee thank you!!!!! You’re so welcome!! 😉 😀 ❤

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  14. HOLY COW. First of all, your writing is SOOO beautiful! And second, my mind is literally blown away that you were able to create that masterpiece with each sentence starting with a letter of the alphabet. 🤯 Watch out world ’cause Saraina is coming!!!! I CAN NOT wait to read To Be Loved!!

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    1. AHHH THANK YOU AVA!!! Aww, bless your heart, girl!!! Thank you so much!!! (Lol… it was a challenge, for certain. XD) *blushes* Yayyyy, I can’t wait for you to read it either!!!

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  20. AAAHHH, I LOVE THIS, SARAINA!!!!!! 😀 The cliffhanger was EPIC!!! You told the story in such an amazing way!!! And it was so great to read more about Evangeline and Reed!!!! You should definitely write more stories for them!! Also, YESSS, I LOVE For King & Country’s song, “Relate”!!!!! It’s on my WIP’s playlist! 😀

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    1. AAAAAH THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! 😀 I will definitely be writing more stories for them!!!! 😉 😊 Oh, that’s awesome!!! All their songs are so good XD

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