August 14th Writing Prompt: Document
A courier has been charged with bringing a letter from the lord of a nearby castle to someone on the other side of the country. They’ve been instructed to go alone, as no one is supposed to see the letter but its intended recipient. As the courier continues their travels, their curiosity grows stronger. Do they unseal the letter? If so, what do they discover?
Ideas and questions:
Think about events that could potentially lead the courier to either embolden their own conviction, and keep to the task with extreme confidence, or about events that could have them wondering if all their trials are worth it.
Perhaps the courier is separated from the letter for a time, and they must go to extreme lengths to retrieve it once more. This could lead to an entire story about loyalty to their lord.
Do others begin to learn about the letter outside of the courier? Does that perhaps make them a target to be hunted?
If there are dangers on the road, does the courier take on any traveling companions, whilst doing their best to retain some secrecy when it comes to the letter they have in their possession?
If the courier decides to open the letter, do they subsequently change their mind about delivering it? Or do they realize more than ever that the message they ought to deliver needs to arrive at its destination?
Challenge:
The nature of this story is about temptation. Write about a new deal that is presented to the courier early on in their quest: close to their destination, someone would pay a handsome price to purchase the letter from them, ensuring that it never reaches its intended recipient. Explore what the courier thinks of this potentially life-changing amount of money, and how that steers their decisions.