Kate Warren

Happy Weekend, everybody!  Click on the image above to visit the Weekend Writing Warriors, and read awesome eight-sentence snippets by awesome writers around the world.

The cold which plagued me last week is gone, but I'm still really tired. Seems I don't recover as well in my less-young age as I used to.  Anyhow, this week we're moving on from Duncan and Gillian to...whatever shows up on the page as I randomly scroll through the monster manuscript (which remains unfinished). 

This week we've landed in chapter 23. There has been an attempt on the lives of two of the princesses, leaving one princess and an innocent lady-in-waiting unconscious and in danger of dying.  The Duke of Langdon is explaining the situation to his mother, having briefly seen the princess lying insensible on her bed before bolting from the room.


                    
          “I cannot go back there.” Christian declared.
          “Nonsense.  You may be a boy, but you are also a duke and you will do your duty in this time of trouble.”  He looked ready to argue the point but she forestalled him with a question.  “Do you love her?”
          In his unhappy state it did not occur to him to deny it, particularly not to his mother who could always tell when he was being less than truthful.  “I do love her, mother.”
          “And does she love you?” 



Poor Christian has awful timing on this, as he's nearly engaged to someone else due to his late father's arrangement with a nobleman with a marriageable niece. Of course the princess has it worse. 

Let me know whether you'd like to continue from here next week, or go random again.

Kate

Welcome back, ladies and gentleman for another wonderful edition of Weekend Writing Warriors.  Through the wonders of modern technology we writers can share eight sentences of our work with the world without sharing our colds with the readers.  Yes, I mean me.  I am rather on the medicated side and cannot be held completely accountable for anything I say that is more ridiculous than usual. ;)

What did Gillian mean last week when she asked Duncan if he is a simpleton?  As with most things, context is important, and to add some context I give you the next eight sentences...

          “You might have brought it to me another time.  Are you so easily discouraged that you would not take such an opportunity of seeing me again?”
          He was speechless.  It had not occurred to him that any lady who looked so sweet and innocent could possess a mind so calculating.  He also felt heartily ashamed that he had not thought of the stratagem himself.  A surge of respect, mingled with desire raced through him and he clasped her hands, heedless of others who might be watching them.  “Tell me your name.” he insisted.
          “Gillian,” she whispered as she pulled her hands from his grasp, taking her book with her as she fled.






Thus we have our context, and Duncan has the girl's name...or part of it anyway.  Since there are only seven sentences left in the in the scene, I shall return next week to my random scrolling method of snippet selection.


Kate