gwarrior2k
Shared on Mon, 01/29/2007 - 08:17Well, my daughter is at it again. She's writing a new story (her last story was entered into the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future contest, was accepted and we're waiting for the results. The contest lasts a full year divided into quarters). It's up to approx. 18,000 words now. It's amazing to see her sit down at the computer and just pound away for sometimes over an hour non-stop. At times the story just seems to flow out of her fingertips. Here's a sample of the start of the new one. Sorry for all the reading. Oh, also this is just the first draft:
A dark shadow once fell upon a beautiful land. A shadow that fell suddenly, and was slow in passing. Before that shadow fell, though, there was peace for all upon those lands. Such peace that in the northern corner of the land, the Imperial Army slowly began to fall out of use. It is during such a time we fall now, in the dimly lit study of Altus Pravus, captain of the Imperial army, while he discusses grave matters with his good friend Sir Kanan Ramallion, the finest knight to be found across the Imperial lands.
"You know the commoners can feel it, Altus. We have overstayed our welcome, and there is no more need for the Imperial Army. The citizens will not allow us to hold them below us in status, for we no longer are of use to them. None will have any qualms against removing us from our lofty positions." The captain shook his head.
"Well if that's true, then we must emphasize our usefulness. I'm sure the Elves wouldn't mind staging an attack upon the city if we were to provide them with some of our fruits from the brunhild mines. Their trade with the Aeron is slowing down, and you know they won't be happy if they can't get their hands on some of the rich hardwood stands deep in the Aeron territories. The citizens will watch our courageous warriors repel a ferocious attack from the Elves and see that they couldn't survive without us."
"Do you really think they'll believe it? Peace has reigned over this land for decades now, why would the Elves attack unprovoked so suddenly? Not even the simplest of the commoners would trust that it was a sincere assault."
"Listen, Sir Kanan Ramallion, and follow." Kanan was sure the soft, whispering voice could not have been that of his companion, but he was sure that there were no others present.
"What was that, Altus?"
"I did not say nor hear a thing. Your senses must be beginning to fail you in your old age, friend." The captain went back to looking through logbooks, but Kanan had decided to investigate. There was no space to hide in the small study, and there were none but the captain and himself. The only door led to the captain's private chambers, which were always locked, but there was still the chance that another could have been there.
"Actually Altus, I'm quite famished, what do you say to some lamb and some wine? I'll call it up, we'll have a feast yet."
"Now that sounds like my best soldier. Hunger must be the only thing what can't be dulled by age, Kanan. Be sure they send up some bread and cheese with it." Kanan left the study and shut the door behind him. After quickly writing the order and sending it down with a servant in the hall, he conducted a thorough search of the captain's chambers, to no end.
"I'm sure I heard it, and yet there doesn't seem to be anyone else here..." Kanan did not realize he was muttering aloud to himself until a call came from the study.
"What's that, Kanan?" The captain emerged from his study, looking confused. "I'm sure I heard something, what about you?" Kanan chuckled feebly.
"Maybe age is getting to you as well, old friend, for I neither said nor heard a thing." Altus shrugged and returned to the study, Kanan following.
"Wait, Sir Kanan Ramallion, for your time shall come." Kanan paused outside the door, and shook his head to clear it of what he had decided was the voice of senility. Sir Kanan and Captain Altus remained in the study for several hours after their privelaged feast, each returning to their respective beds in the early hours of the next morning.
Sir Kanan woke late, not an hour before noon, to see a nervous face peering around his door, which appeared to belong to a young servant in the castle.
"Come in boy, have a seat. Have you a message for me?" The boy shuffled in and remained standing by the door, nodding his head. "Well, speak up then, what business have you brought me?"
"A message, Sir Kanan, from the Captain. He wishes to remind you of your meeting this afternoon in the conference room of the military wing of the castle. He says he wishes you to be in attendance three hours past noon." Kanan nodded to dismiss the servant, who shuffled back out of the room rapidly, and sat up in his bed to stretch. Kanan had forgotten about the meeting with Altus and the other knights, but could think of no inconvenient interruption which could save him from it.
The incident from the previous night was not repeated for the rest of the morning while Kanan dressed and ate, but he was convinced that the occurrences had not ceased permanently. Kanan sulkily attended to his afternoon duties, which included training new recruits for an hour, and teaching more new recruits battle tactics for another. Glad as he was to be left to train alone in the fields outside the castle, Kanan usually preferred to spar with another knight or with Captain Altus in his spare time, but that day the fields were unusually empty.
Not long after he had begun his training, the servant boy who had visited him earlier came out onto the fields.
"Captain Altus has sent me again, Sir Kanan, he has asked me to escort you to your meeting and to be sure you attend. He told me to look for you here." Kanan sighed.
"Well boy, you'd better follow the Captain's orders, he's not too pleasant when he's defied. Say, what's your name, boy?"
"Alcaeus, sir, Alcaeus Aillil." Kanan started off towards the castle with Alcaeus following.
"Aillil? Sounds like an Aeron name to me. Yes, if I recall correctly, I once visited a Fort Aillil in Aeron territory to sign a peace treaty and a few trade contracts. What would a high born Aeron child be doing running errands for Imperial knights?"
"You don't miss much, Sir Kanan. My father is lord over Fort Aillil, yes, but he wished me to see more of the land before I took his place. He decided this situation would be best for the time being, for I am in no danger and can send home some income. Might I just say, Sir Kanan, that those who hired me for this position are not quite so observant as you, but would certainly not allow me to stay if they should discover what you have."
"Your secret is safe with me, Alcaeus Aillil the Aeron." Kanan and Alcaeus continued their walk to the military conference room in silence, but when they reached the doors Kanan turned to the boy. "Here, take this. Unless my memory begins to fail me, your father's fort could use a new gate. This should help cover some of that." He handed the boy a small bag which Alcaeus later discovered to be filled with fine gold powder.
I have a couple of updated trailers to post but I'll save them for later. I think all this reading is enough for now.
Ciao.G
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