Our gracious host, Rochelle, is asking us to get
creative in 100 words or less using the photo
seen below. This is Friday Fictioneers.
The ex-royal’s Jaguar idled at the curb, engine purring in the cold. Under the stone arch, his aide paced, phone pressed to his ear, saying “no comment” to a line already gone dead.
Inside, past the brass doors of the hotel, a single light burned on the second floor …. the only guest who’d never been asked to sign the register.
By morning, the papers wouldn’t need a name. The cropped photo said enough: the arch, the lamp, the unmistakable ginger-haired profile ducking through the doorway at 2 a.m.
Some scandals need no headline.
The steps still held his footprints.
NAR©2026
100 Words
Nancy’s Notes: Any resemblance to actual royals is purely coincidental.
This is “Scandal” by Queen
Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, except where otherwise indicated, and may not be used without permission. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.
It’s always the gingers. That may be the wrong take-away. Oh! It’s that one with the Merkle who was on South Park.
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Always the gingers! 😂
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We can neither confirm or deny 💜💜💜
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Haha! Very true! 💜
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Dear Nancy,
Scandal? Royal? Hm. And the imagination is gleefully running wild.
Freddy Mercury was mesmerizing, wasn’t he?
Shalom,
Rochelle
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It’s true; there are options a-plenty!
Freddie was one of a kind. 👑
Shalom and thanks, Rochelle
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Resemblance to actual royals is purely coincidental? I’m not sure about that!
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In the words of Richard Nixon, “Would I lie?” 🤓 😂
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I wonder who you were thinking of………………………….. LOL
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Hmm ….. I plead the fifth! 😂
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Nod nod, wink wink.
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The media will be on fire for the next year, rubbing their hands gleefully.
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I doubt we’ll have to wait quite that long!
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they’re them and we’re us. such is life.
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Yep. As the world turns.
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Scandalous, simple scandalous.
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When you look at what’s going on in the world these days …. who’s doing this and who’s getting away with that …. very little qualifies as scandalous anymore.
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That is sadly true.
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Common practice back in the day, when villages traded the best bed, the finest mead, the leanest cut of meat with fresh-baked bread, and the comeliest young bench to warm that bed. Bought favor from the royals, and a place in court for the bastards.
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As the saying goes, “It’s good to be king!” Thanks for a great comment, Liz. 😄
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This just made me think about how we hardly ever get to sign registers any more. Just a boring slip of paper with our car’s registration number on it.
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If that! Last time we checked into a hotel, we didn’t even have to show ID!
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Amazing!
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People are fascinated with celebrity gossip.
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Yep. Just look at all the rags at the so-called “news stand”.
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I am so over those two.
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Those two? Which two?? No idea who you’re talking about, Lois. 😂🤣
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History is replete with the scandals of famous men.
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So true. Errol Flynn’s autobiography is called “My Wicked, Wicked Ways”; he didn’t even try to deny it!
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What a great read, my friend! You are so wicked 😉
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Bwahahaha! You should see my flying monkeys! 😂
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Hahahaha! I don’t doubt that!
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Hmmm, ginger hair, that’s dead giveaway my friend (Carole was a redhead!!)
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Yes, my intentionally not-so-subtle story! I remember that about Carole. No big surprise …. I just wrote a haiku about footprints! 👣
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Ah, footprints is always a fascinating subject my friend 📖🥰
“Footprints in the Mud”
Who really are we?
What does the moon perceive?
Will we ever be free?
What’s our secret quest?
Wading forward through this mess
Alone in silence, I’m clueless
We are all under the same strain
Surrounded by these invisible chains
Are we ready to dance in the rain?
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
The outgoing tide will cleanse our veins
And wash our footprints from these muddy planes
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Wondrously inspiring, my dear friend. Thank you! 🥰
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You’re most welcome my friend
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He did it all while the Jag idled? The pixie!
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They don’t call ’em “quickies” for nothing! Thanks, Neil.
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I wonder who this could be?….👨🦰🤔- great writing Nance 👏
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Hahaha! I’m not saying and you can’t make me! 🤣 Thanks so much, Ange. 🥰
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😅
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Oh how the privileged classes live treading from one scandal to the next. Fun read and close to reality.
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It sure seems that way to us commoners! Thanks much, James.
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Oh! This was great Nancde! 😍😘😘
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Thanks, CA. I had fun with this one! 😍
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