November 2010
Excerpt #5
November 30, 2010
The longest excerpt so far! I'm back from Mexico safely and things are going to get back to their normal schedule until Christmas. ^^ Enjoy!
“But I had to say no. Of course, if my guide quits on me...I might just have to take him along.” He looked meaningfully at Devaroux and she narrowed her eyes. “With or without his consent.”
“You wouldn't.”
“Yes. I would.”
“I'll kill you.”
“You couldn't touch me.”
He was right. If Devaroux somehow managed to escape and the duke kidnapped Linc, she couldn't do anything to help him because she would have a price on her head and could legally be shot and killed on sight.
“I'll stay here. Leave Linc alone.”
“He'll be working for me until we leave. Consider it...leverage.”
“If you hurt him....”
The duke waved a hand dismissively. “He'll be fine.”
“When are we leaving?” The sooner they could get this expedition started, the better.
“Three days from now. My men will escort you to your brother's house where you can gather your things.”
“I have all of my things.”
“Then you are ready to go?”
“We could leave right now.”
“Three days. You can go.” And with that he dismissed her.
A guard met her in the hallway and led her to a door three rooms down from the duke's. She was let in and the door was closed behind her. Devaroux could hear the soldiers taking their positions behind the door. When she looked out the window she was dismayed to see two soldiers standing guard on the ground below. There were three more at the main entrance to the inn and several more looked perfectly content standing around on the main road. Devaroux sighed and turned around to face the middle of the room.
It was a small room, obviously not one of the better ones offered in the inn. There was a bed, a tall stand with a wash basin and mirror, a painting on the wall and a short, wooden chair. Devaroux distinctly remembered the duke's room being much larger and having a padded chair and a wider bed. Ire grew inside as she contemplated her situtation.
Devaroux flopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. In one short day Duke von Furstersburg had managed to threaten most of her family, trapped her into going on an expedition she didn't want to go on and then chased her down on her horse and locked her in a room. It wouldn't have been all that bad if she'd had any desire to go to the far north.
But the far north was dangerous. No, beyond dangerous. Yes, she'd managed it but only in the middle of summer and, truth be told, she hadn't gone all the way. She'd gone far enough and then turned around and come back while she still could.
Now the duke wanted them to leave within three days. He was a smart man but inexperienced and didn't realize what an expedition like the one he wanted cost. People were going to die. Lots of people were going to die. And not just of cold but of hunger and wolves and of....
Devaroux shuddered as she remembered her time in the far north. There had been one simple reason she'd never, ever gone back. Them. The ice beings.
Completely clear and impossible to see until it was too late, the ice beings killed every living thing they could catch. Fortunately, they were fairly slow and easy to run away from, but only if you knew what to look for. The only way to kill them was with fire and you had to keep a twenty-four hour guard up or you would be dead before you realized it.
Devaroux dreaded running into them again. A sinking feeling in her stomach had started forming the minute she had heard the words far north and now her stomach churned with genuine fear. The duke wouldn't care. He would blithely sacrifice all of his men, and her, in order to get what he wanted.
Which brought her to the next point. What did the duke want? Why the hurry and rush to get to the far north right then? Why couldn't they wait until the summer when the Tuaregs would be easier to cross and the cold not so harsh? There had to be a reason the duke had to get to the far north right away.
Devaroux rolled into a sitting position and dangled her feet over the edge of the bed. A headache was coming on, right behind her eyes. She rubbed them and sighed. Resignation was the only other thing to feel now and she gave into it, feeling pathetic and wrong as she did so. It went against her nature to give into another person's will, even the will of someone as forceful as the duke but she had no choice and fighting it would only end badly. Not just for her but for Linc and Jack as well.
So this was for them.
Resolved, Devaroux stood up and walked the three steps to the door of the tiny room. She knocked three times and spoke to the soldier who opened the door. He nodded and led her down the passageway to Duke von Furstersberg's room.
Might as well make the best of it.
Three days later Devaroux actually felt happy as she swung into her saddle and nudged Teedo onward. She was at the front of the line with the duke next to her on his massive dapple grey. Behind them, lined up in two orderly rows were fifty calvary soldiers and behind them came four wagons fully loaded with assorted supplies such as tents, extra blankets, food and medical equipment. These wagons were hauled by two oxen each which, if all else was lost, could be used for food.
Hopefully, barring all disasters and praying for a miracle, not all would be lost, they'd get to the north and the duke would find what he was looking for and they would all get back safely. But Devaroux was not an optimist by any stretch of the imagination. Realist was more like it. As she looked back over the line of men following her she couldn't help but wonder who would die first. Then she felt sorry for them and turned back around.
Teedo's ears were tilted forward and backward, scanning the area all around him. He'd sensed Devaroux's good mood and knew they were headed out on a new expedition. His eyes were bright and he chewed on the bit, willing to get ahead of the duke's horse who plodded on without anything resembling a personality. When Devaroux had admired the horse earlier in the morning as they were preparing to take off the duke had spewed out an impressive pedigree with dams and sires all the way back thirteen generations. The end result walking next to her was big but in no wise interesting. To each his own, Devaroux had concluded.
It would take them two days at least to reach the base of the Tuareg Mountains. Alone, Devaroux would have covered the distance in a day but the length of their caravan and the weight of the wagons made traveling any faster impossible. Once they reached the foothills later tomorrow morning they would have to slow down even more. Today would be the only easy day for quite awhile.
Beyond the Tuaregs Devaroux knew there was one more little town and then nothing even resembling civilization beyond that point. If necessary, they could drop men off and buy a few more supplies there but it was best to be prepared before they reached Dennfeld. Devaroux wasn't even sure if it even existed anymore.
Before long the soldiers had started up a song and were happily singing about gore and blood and killing dragons and enemies. It had an echo to it, one group of men sang one part and another chimed in with the next bit and they all sang together on the especially gory bits.
Soldiers.
Devaroux wasn't very tempted to start up a conversation with the duke but he began asking her questions about some of the things they would see in the far north. She'd briefed him thoroughly on what she'd seen and experienced the last time she'd been there, even going so far as to try to talk him out of going again. He'd been interested in the creatures, not so interested in not going. In response to her warnings, however, he'd gone out and bought more supplies, including some that she had suggested would be helpful. Blackpowder being one of those things. One of the wagons carried three barrels of the stuff.
“Explain the ice beings to me again.” He demanded.
“Well...they're ice. And they move very slowly. But if they get to you they'll kill you. That's what they do. Kill everything they can.”
“Can you kill them?”
“The only way I know of is to melt them. They're deathly afraid of fire and if they get to close to it they melt.”
“Do they turn into water?”
“I guess so. I never bothered to test it.”
The duke looked at her disdainfully, sighed, and continued the interrogation. “Do they always kill?”
“Always always.”
“How do you know?”
“Because every time I saw one they were hunting me or another creature. I saw plenty of dead wolves last time.”
“Are the wolves normal wolves?”
“As opposed to...what? Abnormal wolves?”
“Are they bigger...have more teeth? Different fur color?”
“Oh, no. They're just your average timber wolf. They run in packs, generally hunt other animals unless there isn't a whole lot of food around. Then they hunt for whatever they can get ahold of.”
“Is there anything else?”
“Bears. Big white ones. Deer. Animals with massive horns that I don't know the name of. And huge elephants.”
“Really?”
Devaroux nodded. “With fur. They're brown. And deadly. I only saw a few from a distance but I was watching when one of them took on two wolves. He killed both of them. Trampled them to death. I'm telling you. It's dangerous.”
The duke nodded tersely. “I do believe you've told me that. Several times.”
Devaroux shrugged. “I'm just waiting for my chance to say told you so. That's probably going to be the best part about this trip.”
The duke coughed, a huge racking cough, and then sat back up. “I'll let you know when you can do that.”
Devaroux smiled and relaxed in the saddle. Behind her the men were still singing having moved on to a horrible ballad about a man who killed his lover after she had done something or other to him. If it weren't so cold out, this might have just been perfect.
The second day began the torture. As soon as the men saw the foothills all singing and joviality stopped. They were soldiers and so they didn't usually shirk from hard work but they weren't exactly overjoyed by the sight of the massive rolling, tree studded hills beyond which lay the Tuareg Mountains which they would essentially be trapped behind until the spring thaw.
A sense of doom began to settle over the caravan and Devaroux rode the lines trying to keep moral high. The duke didn't seem to care, relying on his commanding presence and overall person-in-charge status. Despite much encouraging, the men knew what was going on and they knew that Devaroux herself wouldn't have gone on the trip if she hadn't been forced. This did not bode well with them.
The foothills weren't impossible, just very steep and the wagons slowed down substantially which caused an extended accordian effect in the lines. The wagons were very far behind while the duke and his body guards were very far ahead. At its worst point, the duke was a mile and a half ahead of the wagons and Devaroux had to send two riders on fast horses to run ahead and tell him to stop or at least slow down. He must have because an hour later they caught up with him, fuming and pacing the ground next to his horse.
“What is going on?” He hissed at Devaroux as she rode up next to him and dismounted.
“The wagons were too far behind, sir. They could have gotten lost. Or you could have. You don't actually know where you're going.”
“I'm following the road. How can I get lost?”
“We're about to come to a fork in the road. Which way would you have gone?”
“Towards the mountains.”
“Exactly. You actually have to go away from them at that point. It'll take you around the steepest hill as opposed to straight up it.”
The duke rolled his eyes and Devaroux shrugged. “Look, if you don't want me to be the guide here I'll happily go back. You don't even have to pay me for yesterday.”
He glanced over at her. “No. Just so long as you remember that I'm in charge here, not you.”
Devaroux held her hands up in surrender. “Hey, if you want to get us lost, that's your problem. I'm just here for the money.”
“And to keep your family alive. Don't forget that.”
It was the first time that the duke had actually threatened Jack and Linc with death and Devaroux narrowed her eyes.
“I swear to you, that no matter who you are, who your friends are or what sort of title you have. If you kill my family I will hunt you down and kill you in the most gruesome way possible. And believe me, I've seen some bloody deaths.”
She glared at the duke and he glared back. No one was winning and they didn't stop until a soldier walked over to tell them that everyone was ready to move on. Devaroux barely managed to keep from smashing the man in the face and instead turned her fury into productivity by jumping up on Teedo and galloping to the back of the lines to ride behind the wagons. She would not talk to the duke again that day. Not if she could help it.
They camped that night right at the edge of the first mountain, Olympia. Despite having a tent and fire of her own, Devaroux spent time that evening with them men around their own fires. They told stories and sang songs, pretending to be excited and happy about this adventure. But underneath all the joviality Devaroux could sense fear and foreboding. It wasn't long until they started asking her about what they would see in the far north and Devaroux told them the truth about the ice beings, wolves and mammoth elephants.
They listened with a rapt intent and Devaroux eventually started wondering if she was causing more harm than good so she finished up her description with a plea not to desert and go back to Riverscape. After all, they would be deserting the king's army and, just like everything else in their kingdom, this was punishable by death.
“We'll be together and we'll stay safe. I know what to look out for and I know pretty much how to defeat or get away from everything we'll see there. I can't promise that we'll all be okay and chances are that some one is going to die. But we're going to do this right. We won't be taking risks.”
The soldiers nodded but Devaroux could tell they were still wary. With a sinking heart she made her wake back to her tent shadowed as always by her bodyguards who she knew where there primarily to make sure that she herself didn't desert. They went with her everywhere and would sleep on the ground outside her tent tonight. She hated them but didn't tell them this. They weren't part of the calvary men that the king had loaned the duke, she had a suspicion that they were more than that. Probably part of the duke's private army. They certainly had more loyalty than most and although they were dressed the same as the rest of the men they carried themselves differently and very rarely hung out with the other soldiers in the expedition. The duke's bodyguards were of the same ilk. If anything was going to be done, Devaroux would have to escape them first.
Excerpt #4
November 24, 2010
I just got pegged in the eye with a baseball bat, my brother graduates from Navy boot camp today (see Facebook) and I have to get through mountains of security and angry people to fly this afternoon, only to catch a 12 hour bus ride from Phoenix down to Navojoa. Enjoy your excerpt and Happy Thanksgiving!
“Maybe she went. But she didn't go at this time of the year. The Tuareg Mountains are un-passable right now.”
“No, they will be un-passable in a month. Stop stalling and tell me where she is.” The duke's voice dropped and he emphasized every word.
Jack opened his mouth as if to speak and then closed it again. “I...”
“I'm right here.”
Devaroux stepped out of the hallway and into the great room, wrath outlined on her features.
The duke's face brightened considerably. “Ah! My dear, dear Devaroux! How I have waited for this moment! You are a devilishly difficult lady to find, did you know that?” He was smiling, obviously enjoying the sibling's discomfort. Jack had his fists clenched against his side and Devaroux had her arms crossed over her chest.
“What do you want?”
“I am going to the far north and I have need of an excellent guide. I am told that you are the only individual in our great kingdom that has ever managed to go to and return from the far north. Therefore you,” he waved a hand at her, “are the person I have chosen to go with me. It is all very logical.”
“We can't go until next year. It's too dangerous this time of the year. The mountains are impassable.”
“They won't be impassable for another month and therefore it is vital that we leave as soon as possible.”
“We will need supplies. Horses, food, men, tents, dogs, guns, ammunition. There is no way to pull together what we need in so short a time.”
“I knew we would need supplies so I began stocking up a few months ago. You will be pleased to note that I have all of those items and more. We even have a doctor and a chef onboard with us.”
“I hope you told them how difficult it is going to be. I hope you explained to them that it is very probable that two out of every seven men will die. Did you tell them that they are headed to a place that is frozen all year round and that there will be no place to bury our dead? And that we can't carry their bodies with us because they are useless, dead weight so chances are we'll leave them to the wolves? Vicious, bloody, man-eating wolves?”
To his credit, the Duke's expression had remained the same throughout the entire tirade. He hadn't even blinked.
“I'm sure, my dear, that you will let them know. And you will be a bit kinder about it.”
“We can't afford kindness.”
“Then I'm sure you will tell them in the best way possible.”
“We have to have at least fifty people with us.”
“Done.”
Devaroux sighed and shook her head. The duke leaned forward again, his favorite position when driving home a point or when speaking to a child.
“Let me put it this way, Devaroux. We are going to the far north and you are going with me. There are no options here, none at all.”
There was a slight pregnant pause as both guide and duke stared at each other. Neither one was winning nor giving up.
“Understand?” The duke asked.
Devaroux ignored him, shook her head disdainfully and left the room without saying another word.
The duke leaned back on the couch and watched her go. “She's going to be fun to work with.” He said and laughed.
It took Jack every single ounce of his self-control to not just take off and slam the arrogant man in his perfect, aristocratic face. In fact, he even groaned in his throat just out of the effort of it all. Whether or not the duke heard it and noted the constraint Jack didn't know. Eventually he just followed Devaroux out of the great room and left the duke to let himself out.
Duke Damien von Furstursberg sat on the couch for awhile longer, satisfied with his victory. Then he unfolded himself, stretched, coughed and made his way out of the house to the horse and bodyguard detachment waiting outside.
Jack found Devaroux out in the stable with Teedo. She was tacking him up at a furious pace and even Teedo had noticed that something was wrong. He was standing stock still, sensing the tension in the air.
“Taking off then?” He asked tentatively.
“Of course. I am not about to give into that man's arrogant demands.”
“Okay. Good.” Jack scratched the back of his head.
“You should probably get out of here before I go.”
“Why?”
“If he finds out that you knew I was leaving and didn't do anything to stop me he'll punish you in my place.”
“He won't be able to find you, right?”
Devaroux snorted. “Of course not.”
“Then it doesn't matter.”
Devaroux stopped cinching the saddle and came around Teedo's flank to look at Jack. “Yes, yes it does. If he kills you, what is Nicole going to do for a father? And Linc? And what about Zephyr? They all need you! I'll be fine, Jack. You know me.”
Yes, he did. And he loved her but she had a point. Satisfied that he had understood her, Devaroux went back to saddling Teedo. “Good. So get out of here.”
Jack walked down the short aisle to the double doors of the little stable. “Be safe, Dev.”
“I will. Love you, Jack.”
“Love you, too.”
And with that he stepped out into the bright, happy sunshine of the morning.
He was in the house when Devaroux and Teedo quietly made their way out of the barn and left via a side gate near the barracks. Jack raised a silent prayer for their safety and then went about his normal daily routine pretending to be ignorant to the fact that anything had happened.
As soon as they had left the village, Devaroux spurred Teedo into a smooth, leggy gallop. The further away they could get from Riverscape, the better. Teedo loved running and could keep up the fast pace for quite awhile. Not only that but he was all heart and would run for as long as Devaroux asked him to, even if it killed him.
They had been going for about ten minutes when Devaroux heard the alarming sound of hoofbeats behind them. She sneaked a glance over her shoulder and was shocked to see a group of four men chasing after them. They saw her looking and shouted something. It was lost to the wind. Devaroux spurred Teedo on faster.
The men kept coming. Teedo was a good horse but he wasn't the fastest horse. Little by little the men in the group began catching up. Devaroux looked at them again and they shouted something again. This time she heard it.
“Stop! Stop!”
Whatever.
She would go for a few more minutes and if they didn't give up then she would stop to see what they wanted. Maybe.
But there wasn't any more time. Within a few paces, the men had caught up and surrounded them. Teedo pulled up when a large, black horse pulled in front of him. Two other men were on either side and there was one behind. They were Duke von Furstursberg's men. The peculiar thing was that none of them seemed particularly bothered that they had found her outside of the village running away at full speed.
“Duke von Furstersberg has requested your presence.” Said the man in front who was obviously in charge.
Devaroux tightened her hold on Teedo's reins, a signal that he should be ready to go as soon as she commanded him. “Please tell Duke von Furstersberg that I am in the middle of exercising my horse and I will come join him as soon as I am finished.”
Teedo fidgeted a bit and took a step to the side. All four men reached for their swords simultaneously. They meant business.
“He requested it right away, ma'am.” Said the lead soldier. “We are here to escort you.”
“I'm afraid that if I don't finish exercising my horse he is going...”
“Right now, ma'am.”
Devaroux sighed and turned Teedo around. The soldiers fell in beside her and they started the trip back to Riverscape.
Once back in town, the soldiers marched Devaroux down the main street and right up to the front doors of the inn where the duke was staying. One of them grabbed Teedo's reigns after Devaroux dismounted and another one dismounted with her and opened the door for her. He then preceeded to guide her down the hallway and all the way to the duke's rooms where he knocked, turned, bowed elegantly and then disappeared. Only after he had gone did the door open.
The duke looked pleased to see her, even happy and invited her to come in. “Devaroux! Since you have decided to come on as my guide I've rented a room for you here in the inn and I've ordered two men to be your bodyguards and stay with you at all times. They will stay outside your room and make sure no one bothers you. If you need anything, just ask them. I've also asked another young man, Linc I think his name is, to exercise your horse for you every morning so that you don't have to. Linc lives in the village near here I believe....” His voice drifted off then as he looked out the window on the far side of the room. “Let me just say that he is looking forward to doing it. He even volunteered to come with us on the expedition.”
Devaroux gasped.
Excerpt #3
November 22, 2010
In the tavern, Jack sat across a small table from the duke. He had a small eel pie in front of him and had actually started to dig into it because, in their own way, they were pretty tasty. The duke had requested some bread which, for whatever reason, hadn't arrived yet. Jack knew the reason. Bart didn't trust strangers, especially strangers who only asked for bread and butter. The bread would arrive right after Jack had finished his pie. Jack was taking his own sweet time.
“So, what brings you to our fair village, Duke von Furstersburg?” The duke had left his pretentiousness outside with the carriage. He leaned over the table and looked Jack in the eye.
“I am here to find a woman named Devaroux. I need her for an expedition I am planning.”
Jack fought hard to keep back a look of surprise and only managed to cover it by taking a bigger than normal bite of pie which caused him to scowl.
“Devaroux the explorer?”
“The very same.”
“Where is the expedition to?”
The duke lounged back in the tiny wooden chair. “The far north. Rumor has it that she is the only one who has ever gone there and returned.”
“What makes you think she's here in Riverscape?”
“The king told me that she has family in this area.”
Jack frowned slightly and prodded the pie with the bent prongs of his fork. “I've heard something similar. Have you ever seen her?”
“No. Have you?”
“Once or twice.” Jack nodded. “What's the expedition for?”
“To research the natural resources that may be available in that region. No one has ever written up a full scientific report on the area.”
“And you have a letter from the king?”
“Which provides me with permission to utilize every resource I may need. He also loaned me fifty calvary soldiers to travel with us for protection. All I have left to do is find Devaroux and we can be on our way.”
“Winter is coming soon. Are you sure you want to travel to the far north? The Tuareg Mountains will be impossible to pass by the end of next month.”
The duke nodded. “It is vital that we leave as soon as possible.”
Jack waited for a reason but none was ever presented. They sat in uncomfortable silence for awhile.
“How do you plan on finding Devaroux?” He finally asked.
“You have seen her. Do you know where she is?”
Jack was not above lying to protect his sister if need be. He shook his head. “No. But I think I know how to contact her. She'll have a couple of questions before she decides to sign on with you and I'm certain she is going to suggest that you wait until spring to travel.”
Duke von Furstursberg chuckled slightly. “You misunderstand. This letter I have from the king is an edict. A command if you will. It directly states that whatever I need or even think I need, I get. And any citizen who does not comply is directly defying the king. So if I want Devaroux to go, she goes. Unless she wants to disobey good King James.” He tapped the table with his pointer finger. “And you know what that means.”
Jack knew very, very well what that meant. To defy the king was punishable by death. He pushed his eel pie away.
“Well, she's not here right now so you've wasted your time. I'll try to contact her but, if I know Devaroux, and I do, she won't respond in enough time for you to get everything put together and still leave before the month is out.” Jack shrugged, threw a coin on the table and began to stand up.
The duke stayed seated, staring up at Jack.
“Captain.” He finally started, “There is one reason I became a Duke and that is because I am an excellent judge of people. You are a good man. And a good liar. But you aren't a good enough liar.” He stopped there, giving Jack a chance to respond. The two men stared at each other for awhile.
“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Jack said, looking him in the eyes.
“Very well.” The duke stood up, apparently having given up on ever getting the bread which he hadn't really wanted in the first place.
“I'll take you to a place you can stay until you decide what you are going to do next.” Jack waited for the Baron to leave before following him out.
--
As soon as Jack had installed the Duke and his bodyguards at the nicest inn in Riverscape he rushed home in order to get Devaroux to leave town right away.
She would have nothing to do with it.
“He has an order from the king, Dev, he can make you go with him.”
“He can't scare me away from here!”
“It's a suicide mission and we both know it! No one has crossed the Tuaregs after the middle of November.”
“I'll just hide out until he leaves.”
“He isn't going to leave!”
Brother and sister stared at each other angrily until Jack backed down.
“Fine. Do whatever you want. I know you don't want advice but I'm telling you, this is a bad idea.”
“It sounds interesting.”
“He's an evil man, Dev.”
“How do you know? You've only had one meal with him!”
“I just know these things. Trust me.” He put his hands on her shoulders and shook her gently. “Please.”
Devaroux sighed and nodded. “Alright. I won't rush into this.”
Jack dropped his hands and shook his head.
There was a knock on the door.
It was the duke. He had changed clothes into something a bit more workable, a black shirt and thick, cotton pants. “Captain.” He said with a nod as Jack opened the door to him.
“Duke.”
Devaroux sidled off into the darkness of a hallway. She didn't know what the duke necessarily knew or didn't know.
“So I've been asking around town." He said. From outside the door. Jack still hadn't asked him to come inside. “Can I come in?”
Jack sneaked a look behind him and then agreed. “Yeah, yeah. Come in.” He ushered him in and sat him down in the great room.
“What've you been asking?”
“About Devaroux. Considering that she's from this area, I figured people ought to know about her.”
Jack paused. “And?”
The duke's eyes glittered and he leaned forward, his arms clasped in front of him. “You've not only seen her once or twice, Captain. She's your sister.”
Jack shrugged. “Maybe so.”
The duke leaned back and laid his arm across the back of the couch, one leg crossed over the other. He looked ridiculously comfortable and Jack found himself getting mad at him for being so easy-going. The duke tilted his head.
“You, Captain, are getting in my way. I told you I have an edict from the king himself. Anyone who gets in my way is defying a direct command.”
“I don't know where she is.”
“My sources tell me that she entered this village yesterday and didn't stay at any of the inns or taverns.”
“They might be wrong.”
“They're never wrong. I pay them very well.”
Throughout the whole exchange the duke had stayed on the couch with a tense smile on his face. Jack stood in front of him, feeling a fool for not having sat down when it would have appeared natural. As it was, he couldn't sit down now without appearing to be stalling for time.
“I will ask you one more time, Captain, and if you do not tell me the truth, I will be forced to use the power invested in me by King James. I realize that in your back-woods villages, family and loyalty take precedence over your very life, but, think, Captain. I'm not going to hurt Devaroux, I'm just going to use her for a bit.”
“You're going to take her to a place where no one has ever returned from!” Spat Jack.
“Ah, ah, no one except Devaroux.”
Excerpt #2
November 19, 2010
Jack laughed. "The norm? What one are you thinking about doing?"
Devaroux held her boot up to the firelight to see how it reflected off. "The ocean voyage sounds like fun. I've never been on a long boat trip before."
"What's the point of it?"
"They think that there is an undiscovered continent on the other side and they're of the opinion that they'd like to be the ones to find it."
"Who is they?"
"The king and queen of Lemac."
Jack sat up straight and peered at her. "You'd be going on a cruise with the king and queen of Lemac? The king and queen?"
Devaroux shook her head. "No. Some representatives of theirs. I'd be one of them."
"You'd be representing the king and queen of Lemac?"
"Yep."
Jack whistled. "What's the pay like?"
Devaroux laughed. "Not too bad, actually. Plus I'd be doing them a favor so if we did find a continent, chances are that I'd be able to have my choice of land over there."
"Are you going to do it?"
"Probably. As I said, I haven't been on a long boat trip before."
"Oh, and you've discovered what, seven lost diamond mines and crossed at least eight endless desserts?"
"Something like that."
It took Jack a bit but he eventually realized that his sister wasn't joking.
--
The next morning, after a filling meal of eggs, bacon and fry bread, Linc and Devaroux were in the stableyard practicing with Linc's new blowgun.
"You put the dart in like this," she demonstrated, "then hold it to your mouth and blow. Like this."
Devaroux puffed her cheeks out and blew into the little tube sending the dart flying across the yard and into the side of the barn.
"Here, you try."
She handed it over to him and Linc mimicked her actions perfectly, even sending the dart into the side of the barn near her own.
"Perfect! Now don't lose those darts, they're the only ones I have. Until I go back I won't be able to get more. Though you could...." She fingered the inch long thorn with feather attached. "You could probably figure out how to make them on your own. They don't look too complicated." She handed it out to him.
They were standing there examining the dart when the huge gates to the city started to creak open. Jack ran out of the back door of the house pulling his blue uniform jacket on and quickly ran over to where the soldiers were hauling back the gates.
"What's going on?" He bellowed.
"Some baron is outside and is demanding entrance, sir!" Responded one of the soldiers, a skinny kid probably no older than nineteen who snapped into a nervous salute.
"We don't just open the gate to anyone who calls himself a baron, private! What are his credentials! We don't know who he is!"
"He says he has orders from the king, sir!"
"Did you ask to see them?"
The soldier held up a piece of paper and Jack quickly read over it. Then he read it again to be sure of what it said. Finally he shrugged and nodded. "Open the gates!"
As soon as they were open wide enough, a whole flood of horses and men started pouring into the village. They seemed endless and Devaroux stopped trying to count them after they'd passed by for more than a minute. Jack and his two soldiers couldn't have stopped them if they'd tried, they were going so quickly. After a couple of minutes the onslaught stopped and Devaroux realized that they'd lined themselves up side-by-side all along the length of the main street which ran through town. Then, once the dust had settled down and everyone was sufficiently awed and silent, a red carriage drawn by magnificent black horses with white plumes on their heads and silver hooves, began its slow entrance into the village. Devaroux, who was accustomed to seeing strange sights, had come up to the corral railing to lean against it. Jack, on the other hand, wasn't quite sure what to do with it all and his soldiers were beyond recovery. Not knowing what else to do but knowing that showing respect would probably be a good idea, they'd all snapped to attention and were saluting the carriage. Jack wasn't, but only because he was smarter than that. The villagers had all stopped whatever it was that they had been doing and were all staring slack-jawed at the disruption. The soldiers who had entered with the carriage were utterly still. Not even the horses seemed to move.
Slowly the carriage creaked and wobbled to the center of town, pulled to a stop and sat there. Then, bidden by some undisernable signal, a soldier broke away from the lines, dropped off his horse and opened the red carriage door.
Everyone waited with bated breath to see who would come out. First there was a white handkerchief held by a black gloved hand, then a red brocade sleeve and finally the gold collar of an elegant coat. A highly polished black boot with silver buckles and fawn colored breeches stepped down onto the gold steps of the red carriage and finally the full figure emerged.
He was a massive man with black hair combed perfectly into place. He stood with a commanding air and everything around him seemed to pale utterly in comparison. Without even speaking a word everyone knew that he was in charge and that there would be no arguing that point. He coughed and then waved his handkerchief in the air. The soldiers on horseback sprang back to life and galloped down the main road back to wherever they'd come from. Two stayed back with the man who had stepped out of the carriage.
Everyone in the village turned to look at Jack.
Jack, having not been raised to be a coward nor to respect ostentatious men, stepped forward with rather large, angry steps and planted himself about three feet in front of the visitor. The stranger introduced himself first, the first victory in a string of battles that were about to take place.
"Duke Damien von Furstersburg." He stuck his gloved hand out. Jack took it.
"Captain Jack Rommel." Jack released his hand. He knew better than to try to be threatening to the Duke. Duchys were appointed by the king himself and were not inherited. This man von Furstersurg obviously had connections.
"Are you in charge here....Captain Rommel?" The duke waved his hand in a flippant manner towards the town.
"Yes." His voice indicated that he would brook no flippant comments.
The Duke sniffed disdainfully and Jack realized that he hated the man in front of him. Von Furstersburg brought his handkerchief in front of his nose as if a smell was offending him. "Would you mind if we took our business indoors perhaps?" His accent was delicate but purposefully so and Jack knew as well as the Duke did that there was absolutely no unpleasant odor wafting through the air, the man was just being impolite.
"How about the tavern?" Jack pointed out a more decrepit looking building, the worst in the town. It was Old Bart Thorp's tavern and no one except sailors and unsuspecting visitors ever went there.
The Duke glanced at the building and knew at once what was going on but couldn't determine fast enough whether or not there was another more suitable meeting place.
"Looks splendid." He lied.
"After you, sir." Jack waved his arm in a flourish and the two men headed towards the tavern.
Devaroux watched them go and chuckled. Zephyr walked up and stood next to her at the fence.
"What's so funny?"
"Naw, nothing. Jack hates that guy, that's all."
"Where are they?"
"Old Bart's."
Zephyr laughed. "Can't wait to see how that turns out."
Both women turned from the fence and headed back towards the house, Zephyr with her hands behind her back and Devaroux with hers stuffed into her pockets.
Excerpt Time!!
November 18, 2010
Author's Note: Please realize that absolutely no editing has been done to this copy of my NANOWRIMO project. You are reading it in its original form and I completely understand that it is not the best writing in the world. I am posting it here for your amusement, not critique. Thank you!
Devaroux - Riverscape, Lemac, Yun
Teedo was tired. The poor horse had gone all day with only about ten minutes of rest total. They'd stopped twice, once to get a drink of water, the other time because Devaroux had gotten lost. They were riding so hard because Devaroux was on her way back home to Riverscape where she anticipated a nice dinner with her brother and sister-in-law, a warm, clean bed and a hot bath. Teedo knew where they were headed and he himself was looking forward to a night in a clean barn, fresh hay and a handful of oats, compliments of Jack, Devaroux's brother.
Devaroux was returning from Scuwl where she'd been instrumental in locating an ancient temple. An explorer and generally well-known adventurer, she had been invited to participate in many such activities. So much so that she now had the luxury of being able to pick and choose what she would like to participate in. She was also beginning to be paid which was a better perk than being able to choose where she would go. Mostly she chose the exciting sounding offers but the temple offer had been presented by a rather rich university and the adventure had proven rather lucrative. The gold jingled in a leather purse tied to her belt that slapped against her thigh as Teedo picked his way down a rocky slope. They were five miles outside of Riverscape and soon they would be able to see the lights of the town as the evening got older.
Teedo threw his head into the air and snorted as he took his first steps on the well-marked dirt road that led to the entrance of Riverscape. Devaroux patted his neck. "I know you're excited, so am I. We'll be home soon." The bit jangled as Teedo nodded in reply. Devaroux laughed and instinctively sat higher in the saddle as they passed the official 'Welcome to Riverscape' sign.
As soon as she saw the city gates, Devaroux nudged Teedo into a canter and they entered the city with horse's tail flying and Devaroux's hair billowing out behind her.
Jack's house was right near the city gates. As Captain of the Guard, Jack had to live close to the city gates and preferably inside the barracks. But being married, he obviously preferred to live with his family. Therefore, the town council had compromised and allowed Jack to build a house near the barracks and the gates which was an ideal situation for everyone. Councils being what they are, this compromise had been a long time in coming. Jack and his family had only been in the house for five months now. This would be Devaroux's first visit.
Devaroux jumped out of the saddle before Teedo had completely stopped and immediately bent down to welcome her youngest niece, Nicole who was rushing out of the house with her hands held in the air. "Devaahhhh!" She yelled, and launched herself at her aunt. Devaroux absorbed the shock of the greeting and managed to keep them upright in the dirty stableyard. Linc, Devaroux's ten-year-old nephew, followed Nicole out of the house and grabbed Teedo's reins to keep him from barreling into the barn and getting into the oats. "Hey, Aunt Dev." He said in a much more restrained manner.
"Heya, Linc."
"Did you bring us anything?" Nicole pulled herself back from her Aunt's embrace and stared at her, desperately hoping she'd say yes.
"Mmmm...." Devaroux cocked an eyebrow and looked between Linc and Nicole, "You'll just have to wait and see!" She tweaked her niece's nose and stood upright. Nicole rolled her eyes. Linc, being much more mature, shrugged and began leading Teedo into the barn to take his tack off and brush him down. Devaroux knew she could trust both Teedo and Linc and let them go.
"Dev!" Jack met her in the doorway with a hug that lifted her off the ground. "How've you been? Find that temple?"
"Put me down and I'll tell you!" She laughed. Zephyr, Jack's wife, laughed from where she was finishing up dinner in the kitchen.
"Glad you made it, Dev. We're about to have dinner. Have you eaten yet?"
Devaroux smoothed out her jacket and patted her hair. "Not at all. I'm famished. What're we having?"
"Venison steaks, salad and rice."
"Oooh..pulled out all the stops."
"Of course!" She turned her attention back to Jack and reached down to grab the purse at her waist. She opened it up and withdrew a small gold figurine. It was a horse, ornately carved and with two red rubies set for eyes. Jack gasped and Dev smiled. "He's one of two that the professors let me keep as a reward for finding the temple. The amazing thing is that they felt they could give me two because there were hundreds of them in the temple. All of them this nice, with two rubies for eyes."
"Hundreds of them?"
"Yes. Hundreds. We have no idea why. It was an amazing sight."
Jack whistled softly as he held the small horse in his hand, turning it over and over. "It's beautiful."
Dev reached out and curled his fingers around it. "Keep it. I asked for two so that I could give one to you all. I have another."
"But, Dev. It's priceless."
Dev shrugged. "Not only in monetary value but historical as well. As soon as they figure out what they were there for, I'm sure it'll become that much more valuable."
Jack nodded and slipped the horse into the pocket of his trousers. He patted it. "Until I can put it in the safe." He said.
Devaroux nodded.
"Dinner's ready! Nicole! Linc!" Zephyr shouted from the kitchen. The pounding of footsteps on the front porch announced the children's arrival. There was a brief argument in the front room as to who would be allowed to sit next to Aunt Dev at the round dinner table and Jack stepped in to solve it.
"Nicole! Linc! Since Aunty Dev is going to be here for at least four meals, you'll each get to sit next to her at two of them. Right now she is starving and would rather like to eat so get in here!" He bellowed. There was instant silence in the front room and a rather sheepish looking Linc appeared in the dining room followed by a triumphant Nicole.
After grace was said, the small family dug into Zephyr's meal.
"What were you doing this time, Aunt Dev?" Linc asked around a bite of steak.
"I was looking for an ancient temple in the Great Denug Forest."
"Did you find it?" Asked Nicole.
"Absolutely."
"What was in it?" Linc.
"A bunch of altars, a lot of water and a really old catacomb."
"Was it scary?"
Devaroux smiled. "Naw. I had a lot of good people with me."
In truth, Devaroux had been really scared a lot of the time but that was part of the reason she did what she did.
"Did you bring me anything back?" Nicole repeated the question from earlier.
"Nicole." Her mother's single-word reprimand got Nicole's attention and she stared down at her plate.
Devaroux snuck a quick look at Jack who glanced at Zephyr. She shrugged and Jack nodded.
"As a matter of fact," Devaroux started, "I did."
"And me?" Despite being oh so mature, Linc was still a child.
"Absolutely."
Devaroux reached into her purse again and pulled out several small items.
"For Nicole, a set of three glass monkeys." She proudly placed the items in front of her niece and sat back to watch her reaction. Nicole stared at them for awhile and then finally reached out to touch one.
"What are they?"
"They're monkeys."
"Monkeys?"
Then it occurred to Devaroux that Nicole would have no idea what a monkey was considering that they didn't have them at all around Riverscape and Nicole had never been more than seven miles outside of the village.
"They're little animals who live in the Denug forest. They live in the trees and jump around all over the place."
�They look mean.�
�They can be. But if you get them when they're little they apparently make great pets. We had a guide on this trip who had one on his shoulders the entire time. It even rode the man's horse occasionally.�
�Whoa.�
Linc was barely containing his enthusiasm at this point and Devaroux looked across the table and grinned at him.
�And for you, Linc...� She whipped something out with a flourish. �A blow gun.�
Once again, there was slight confusion until Devaroux explained what, exactly, the item was and showed him the three darts that made it worthwhile. Then, and only then, was her nephew thrilled.
�Can I go outside and try it mom? Please?!�
Zephyr sneaked a look outside. �I'm sorry, hon, but it's too dark right now. Perhaps tomorrow morning after breakfast Aunt Dev will show you how it works.�
Linc was a little bit disappointed but he understood the logic behind his mother's reasoning.
�Alright.�
�We'll do it right after breakfast tomorrow, Linc. Okay?�
Linc nodded. �Alright.� He set his new toy aside and went back to eating.
�Didn't you bring anything for mom and dad?� Nicole asked.
�She already gave it to us, Nicole. Now eat your vegetables.� Jack pointed at Nicole's plate and she shot him a wry glance before turning back to her greens.
Later that evening, after Linc and Nicole had been kissed and tucked into bed, the three adults sat in the great room in front of a fire. Zephyr had some mending on her lap and Devaroux was oiling her boots. Jack, apparently done for the day, simply sat and watched them work.
�What are you going to do next, Dev?� He asked after they had sat in silence for awhile.
�Don't know. I've had a couple of offers for some various jobs. I'll just have to decide I guess.�
�What are the offers?� Jack uncrossed and recrossed his legs.
�Crossing an endless dessert. Finding a lost diamond mine. A voyage across an uncharted ocean. The norm.� Devaroux shrugged.
NANOWRIMO, Conquered!
November 16, 2010
Well, okay, not completely conquered but I'm pretty well-nigh being done. Okay, not like...done done but I'm right on that home stretch. I have about 17,000 words left and, yeah, that's a lot but I know what's going to happen. My biggest problem right now is not finishing the story before I reach 50,000 words. Right now I'm pretty much dying to write but I don't have a free period until lunch and even then I'm still going to be supervising my 8th graders. Tuesdays are difficult, especially right now because I have so many program practices. Thursday is the first program, that'll be exciting. I have no idea what I'm going to wear.
Ironically, on Thursday I'm also supposed to be filming the Bible Institute and going to a board meeting of the OHS. I've also got to get the OHS website started which really makes me feel guilty for updating my website when I haven't even started the other one I'm supposed to be doing. I have until Thursday to get a basic page up which really won't take a lot of time but I haven't even started it yet. lol
Next week I'm going to Mexico which has me a bit nervous because of the taxi ride from the airport to the bus station on Wednesday evening. Other than that the trip is going to be great. I think. lol
Alright, back to productivity. I'll try to post the first excerpt tomorrow! See y'all!
Why I should be the next Doctor's Companion
November 14, 2010
Alright, first off, sorry, sorry, sorry about not updating at all last week. Not that many of you are particularly worried or affected by that (none of you, actually) but I feel that I must apologize on the grounds that I am being unreliable. I was simply very, very busy, see. I was doing a lot of work and haven't been able to spare the time to get online and update anything. Mostly I was writing for NANOWRIMO and, for those of you who are in stiff competition with me, I am officially over 30,000 words as of this afternoon (about a half hour ago in fact). During all of the times that I wasn't writing my novel I was either grading tests, quizzes or homework, passing out a talking demerit or filming Bible Institute. I have an amazingly busy schedule. I love it that way, don't get me wrong.
Saturday afternoon was my first full volunteer session at the Archives. I actually got to use my badge to open Employee Only doors which I am totally psyched about. I think I opened more doors than were actually necessary and I will probably continue to do so until the thrill dies out but you simply can't blame me for doing so, I can just sense the jealousy in the air, oozing out of your pores. I get to open doors with a badge! It is very, very awesome. Anyways, my point to all of this is to announce to everyone that has a twitter account that they need to sign up to follow discovercivwar because every Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. you'll be able to ask me questions about Civil War stuff. Of course, you can ask questions any time because there will always be someone there, but I will only be available on Saturdays. So, discovercivwar you have your homework for this week.
And onto the actual title which I posted up there. Zach and I have been marathoning Doctor Who this weekend because he bought the season and it came in on Friday. I am now completely convinced that I would be an amazing companion because I have all of the qualifications. One, I am young and female, that being the most important qualification. Two, I have a badge which opens doors (very important because chances are I'll run into the Doctor at the National Archives while he's killing an alien in the vault or something). Three, I really, really, really want to go. Four, I'm human. See? I've got everything the Doctor requires in a companion! So where is he already!!!?? I'm here! Waiting! Blue box! C'mon!!
Anyways, the plan is to start posting bits from the novel I'm writing for NANOWRIMO kind of like Mr. Snow is doing on his blog. I really, really like the story, I'm not too happy about the actual writing bit though. lol. I'll maybe edit it before I post it up here if I turn out to really love it. Maybe not. If I actually get this story finished (and chances are I will) it'll only be the second really long story I've ever finished and the first full-length novel. That's saying something. In my opinion, the story line is good enough to be published, it's my writing that needs some heavy editing. As I said though, we'll see. It's just a plan right now, nothing more. But if it does start, I'll start it this week. Probably Wednesday. Of course I say that now. It never happens like I expect it to.
Have a great week, everyone! I will definitely be posting something this week, be it a book review, makeup review, commentary or story excerpt. It'll be something. lol Ciao!
Stories, Harvest Parties, V.I.B.
November 5, 2010
Man, this NANOWRIMO thing is going GREAT! Of course, I say that now. Writing the first part of the story is always the easiest for me. It's the middle that just about kills me. Then the end gets easy again. Sort of. I think what's going on right now with this particular story is that I'm not really super worried about quality. I'm mostly concentrating on word count and making sure my grammar is mostly correct. So maybe I've been throwing in a bunch of extra words here and there, but it isn't bad. No excerpts yet, no. I'd like to get a bit further in. I haven't even introduced all of the characters yet and I'm up to about 10,500 words or so which is absolutely amazing if I can say so myself. I think my writing buddies haven't logged all of their words though so I don't want to boast too much. lol Did you know that in my whole life, I've only ever finished maybe five complete stories? And three of those were short stories. So if I do manage to get up to 50,000 words and finish this story about Devaroux it'll be something of a major accomplishment for me. Maybe that's why I'm so interested in doing it.
Tomorrow is the harvest party at Angela's house!!! I'm making mac and cheese (YUM) and have yet to buy the necessary ingredients. That's tonight's project. Making mac and cheese. While that's happening, I'm going to keep working on my story. Thanks to going away for a weekend I'm going to get WAY behind. By my estimation I need to be 12,000 words ahead of schedule because I'm not going to have access to my computer from the 24th to the 29th which is essentially the last weekend of NANOWRIMO and the weekend during which I am supposed to verify my word count and collect my winner's goodies. So eek!
I received an email from Sephora yesterday telling me that I was now now a V.I.B. which means that I'm a Very Important Buyer meaning that I've spent too much money at that store. Or basically, my mom and I have spent way too much money at that store. But it entitles me to a 10% discount on something so I'm trying to figure out what I want. Maybe brushes. Or another foundation or a primer. I don't really know. A powder might be nice.
Speaking of makeup, I STILL have to review that stuff. I have pictures and everything I just haven't....quite....done...it. Mostly because of NANOWRIMO. There, that's my excuse. Still, this blog really isn't that useful if I don't do anything with it. And makeup reviews are really the only useful thing that I can think of to do. lol. And book reviews, which I now have TWO to right and Bethany House has sent me two new books to read and I have another one from them which I still haven't finished so I am WAY behind on that. I need to stick to my original schedule which is Makeup on Monday, Book Reviews on Wednesday and Blathering on Friday (which is today, hey! So I'm on schedule!) Right, I'll try to do that next week.
Anyways, I've got to go prepare for music class. Have a great weekend everyone, thanks for reading! Leave a comment!!
Bowling, Volunteering, Shooting, Writing
November 1, 2010
Wow. A lot has happened this weekend. Like, seriously. Bowling on Friday went fantastically, if you weren't able to come to that (or stubbornly refused to) you really missed out. We had a great time. I'm still a horrible bowler. On Saturday I headed down to DC to talk to Rebecca at the National Archives which turned out to be more difficult than I had anticipated it would be thanks to a humongous rally that was taking place down in the Mall. Pure insanity. And you know how people are: selfish and pushy. It took forever just to get out of the train station and even then, once I was out, it took forever to get to the archives because people were being rude. But good news about the archives! I get an ID badge which can get me into doors and stuff. I have to figure out a time I can go get fingerprinted and go through the security stuff they need me to fill out. Fortunately, a lot of it is online and I can do it ahead of time as opposed to rushing through it when I get there.
Apparently, on Sunday morning, there were three shots in our neighborhood. Several people I know heard them, including my dad. We never heard or saw any police though so I'm thinking that in a few days we're going to find three bodies somewhere and it is going to be gruesome. Why haven't we called the police to report it? You ask. Because it's not our business. We're not going to go breaking into people's houses to see if they've been shot. Although I guess we could go knock on doors and stuff. Whatever. I didn't hear the shots. Since nothing came of it, I assume everything is alright.
Today is the start of NANOWRIMO! I'm going to write during my lunch period because I don't want to use up my planning period to write. I have open house tonight (PANIC) so I need to get everything else straightened up in the classroom. My floor is a huge mess. Other than that though, things are clean. Thankfully. And I got the new bulletin boards up yesterday so pretty much everything is done.
I STILL have makeup to post up here sometime this week and TWO book reviews. I'm seriously falling behind. And a new camcorder that I'm supposed to be using is coming it today (probably) so that's another thing to work on. I really have too much to do. I even went and bought a day-planner yesterday because I keep forgetting what's in my schedule. It's cute. And red. Useful. So sometime this week be looking for the makeup post, two book reviews (one good, one ho-hum) and maybe a video or two. Because if this camcorder works how it is supposed to, it's going to be good stuff.
Mexico in three weeks, huzzah. NANOWRIMO all month, huzzah. Freezing cold already, brrrr. Welcome to November!!
