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Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Short WIPpet

It's been rough the past couple of weeks (the baby is fine, my sinuses, however, have called it quits thanks to the crazy weather we've been having) so this is going to be a short post today.

Now, I know WIPpet posts are supposed to have something to do with the date, but today's post doesn't. I tried. I really did! But my poor head is so muddled at the moment that I couldn't make the math work, and I really wanted to share this snippet with you, since it's been so long since we last saw Mattie and her world.

That's right, I've finally gotten over my writer's block for The Undying Ones. It's been slow going, but slow going is better than nothing. Anywho, here's 5 paragraphs from chapter 10. There's been a feast in the great hall, but after her encounter with the King, and her argument with Rordan and Talesin, Mattie is so paranoid that something bad is going to happen, that she waited until the feast was over before slipping in to get some food. It's a first draft, so it's bit rough, but it'll do for now;
Mattie waited until the flames on the torches had died away to faint embers and the guards were dozing at their posts before she finally slipped into the great hall.  
While there were still clusters of citizens huddled over their food here and there, for the most part everyone had retreated to wherever they slept during the daylight hours.  
Rordan and Talesin were not among the former, so she assumed that they had also headed back to their rooms now that their bellies were full. Either that or they had snuck off to report to the King again. She grit her teeth at the thought, wondering how they could betray her so, and furthermore, why the King would be so interested in her. Yes she had accidentally broken into his garden, but aside from that, she was nothing.  
She reached the cauldron and peered inside. It was almost empty of stew, and the only bits of bread left on the table nearby were burnt ends. However it was more than she had had in weeks, so she pocketed some of the bread, and greedily scraped what she could of the stew into a nearby bowl. She licked her fingers clean, freezing when she realized the ingredients tasted fresh instead of stale and moldy. 
She glanced at the tables around her. Where had so much food come from? Supposedly the last of their stores had expired years ago. Were there reserves down in the dungeon? Is that why she had seen Rordan and Talesin disappear through that heavy door the other day? But how was the food still fresh? Any supplies should have gone bad long ago.
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7 comments:

  1. Glad to hear your writer's block has cleared up, even if you traded it for stuffy sinuses.

    Great snippet! Your rough draft reads better than some published books. :)

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  2. Ugh, yeah, the weather really messes with me this time of year too. :(

    Interesting snippet. Certainly has my curiosity piqued.

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  3. "accidentally broken into his garden" *snort* How does one accidentally break into someplace? ;) Nice tension. I love that you're bringing in the fresh taste of the food to clue her to something not being right.

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  4. Feel better soon! There's nothing like battling sickness, having a little one, and trying to write all at the same time.

    Maddie's hunger and desperation really come through here. I like how you had her pause because the food didn't taste bad - it really speaks to her station in life. An intriguing bit!

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  5. Conspiracy!!! Hope you feel better soon!

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  6. YAY! We're back with Mattie (I've been really hoping you'd bring her back for a while now).

    I like the furtive moment you've created here, Christina. Very mouse-like... sets a great image of the action.

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  7. lol love Mattie's curiosity!!

    Feel better!

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