This world of Kai at The DND Ranch is vying to be a much longer story 🙂

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When they pulled into the parking lot, Darlene looked them all over one more time. “My guys sure do clean up nicely,” she said, straightening Nathan’s black silk top hat.

“Thanks Mom, you don’t look to bad yourself,” he said cheekily, but Darlene just laughed.

She straightened Kai’s bonnet before stepping back and taking her phone out of the pocket hidden in the seams of her dress. “Smile at me, you three!”

“Cheese!” David exclaimed. “I wonder when that started?” Kai wondered as they headed for the Community Center. “Saying ‘cheese’ for pictures.” She literally had to keep the hem of her dress off the gravel.

“I bet Dean knows,” Nathan was saying.

As they entered the foyer, Kai gasped. The Community Center had been transformed. Guests were being announced. Kai could hear chatter and music playing ahead of them in another room.

“David, Darlene, Nathan, and Kai from the DND Ranch,” Jerry from the hardware store announced.

“Nice to see you, Jerry,” David said.

Jerry bowed “Likewise, sir.”

“The DND Ranch!” Dean’s voice boomed.

He was taller than Nathan’s dad and his top hat only made him taller. His skin was light grey-green and his long black hair was braided. He was wearing a custom-tailored suit with a deep purple vest that matched his top hat’s band. Kai had seen him around town a few times she’d been but had officially met him last week. There were no trolls at home that she knew of, but her favorite coffee shop had been run by a family of fairies.

“It’s a pleasure to have you here. There’s food this way,” he gestured behind him, “and there’s dancing and mingling through this way,” motioning to the doorway on his right.

“Dean, thank you for having us.” David shook his hand.

“It’s my pleasure.” His eyes swept over the group, and he gave a small bow. “Enjoy your time, DND Ranch.”

“He loves this doesn’t he,” Kai observed.

David belly laughed. “Yes he does. He loves history.”

“You’re in for a treat, Kai. Enjoy yourself. You too, my son, okay?”

Nathan nodded and tried to smile as she patted his cheek.

“Wow,” Kai declared as she walked into the ballroom.

“There you go staring again,” Nathan commented.

“Look at it,” Kai exclaimed, sweeping her arms out to the room. “You’ve seen this so many times—you’re just used to it. Like the mountains.”

“No, no, this hasn’t been around as long as the mountains,” he teased.

“You know what I mean. You don’t have to babysit me all night.”

 “It doesn’t feel like that.”

“Come on,” she elbowed him, “you’re on the ranch 24/7, you’ve gotta be ready for a break.”

“This is a break, but I’d rather be home.”

“Think about all the things you can tell Ramsey when you get home.”

Ramsey was “his” dragon. Well, the dragon that allowed Nathan to ride him. She watched him square his shoulders and extended his hand toward her, “May I have this dance?”

Kai’s eyes widened in surprise, but she laughed and accepted his hand. “You may.”

. . .

“How did they keep these things on?” Kai laughed, following Nathan outside.

She tossed her bonnet on the bench welcoming the cool night air. They had danced the last three dances together and they’d both agreed they needed a break.

Nathan grinned. “All night I’ve felt like I had to stand up straight. Like this.” And he attempted to walk in a circle with his arms and knees locked. His top hat fell off his hand and he fumbled to catch it.

Kai giggled, picking it up and setting it on the bench.

“I’ll get us waters,” Nathan said.

She took her shoes, sighing happily, and leaned against the railing. It was dark, but the mountains were darker than the deep blue of the night sky. Until she’d moved out here, she had never known just how many colors the night had.

“Are they still there?” Nathan joked upon returning, handing her a bottled water.

“The only thing that doesn’t fit the theme!” she exclaimed.

He laughed. “Neither do your bare feet,” he observed.

“I prefer being barefoot.” She looked back out at the mountains and the night sky. “I love this place.”

“Top hats and fancy dresses too?”

Kai smoothed down the skirt and smiled. “For one night, at least.”

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It was even longer. Kai and Nathan continue talking outside. I learned that Kai left an estranged mom and a gramps at home. In the original version, Nathan gets dragged off friends and asks Kai for a dance after he sees her dancing with someone else.

I was set on it happening in the world of Kai and Nathan and the DND Ranch because I’m fascinated by the idea of a Contemporary Fantasy, where different races all live together, like a D&D campaign, just in today’s world. We’ll see how it goes.

After church this morning, I bought a notebook for this idea so that it could have its own space and I can dump anything and everything and my brain can stay clear for my Leah Novel.

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This story was written as part of the #flashfictionmagic story community on Instagram instigated by author Emily Barnett. You can follow the hashtag here for more stories.

You can find more flash fiction I’ve written over here in the Story Corner 🙂

Happy reading!