This is the twenty-third Free Fiction Friday, still going strong! Only thirteen left until I fulfill my 2015 pledge!

I intended this week to be a light-hearted break in the novel installments, with a brief retelling of a classic fable. But, the story really grabbed me, and I ended up nearly writing a novelette, significantly longer than the typical Free Fiction Friday offering.

I hope you enjoy this new version of “The Princess and the Pea.” (6300 wc)