Autumn's Requiem

When gentle, idealistic Frenchwoman Violette Marnier finds herself on the wrong side of a fierce English Queen, she understands her fate is no longer her own. Her crime one of love, or something like it, her only consolation lies in hidden messages relayed to her through scandalous tales of lust and romance.

As the days grow longer and darker, so do the messages underlined in the texts she reads. Her only contact being with an old Catholic priest and a servant who claims to know what others don't, Violette is tethered to reality by her mysterious admirer.

Or is she?

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This short story explores the power of words, the unforgiving side of jealousy, and the blurred line between fantasy and romance.

(An entry for Short Dreams 2021, using prompt #31)
Lovely cover created by @Avadel. I've been waiting to use this forever, and glad I had occasion to do it justice!