Tag: vantage fehrliss

NaNoWriMo Day 29

Neon BrightLeave a comment

As I said last night, I actually already hit the 50k, but I’m still writing a bit today and tomorrow to finish things out. Today I wrote a little bit more of my villain for the story – he’s coming along nicely in all his lawful evil efficiency.

Word Count: 500

Excerpt:

“The eighth king of Synka has been born. He is living destitute in a small town, barely more than a village, in the Timewilds. The people’s living hope is in squalor.”

Another thing about elves, Autumnus had noticed, was that they never minded letting a pause draw out. While his revelation sank in, the two of them watching his face closely for any tells he didn’t intend to give away, Autumnus relaxed into his chair. He could be damned patient himself; his only disadvantage against them was not having elven longevity. Whatever processing they needed to do, he could wait it out. That was part and parcel of dealing with their kind.

“The eighth king,” the second elf echoed delicately. His eyes were keen as a razor. “And you haven’t secured him yet?”

Autumnus tilted his head and let his expression shrug for him. “Your rumor-mongering is powerful indeed, my friend, but even you could not dress up news of the Order taking a child from his mother without there being some careful … massaging of the truth in place first. Even if he is the most important asset for us, we can’t move too hastily.”

“This will put pressure on the mother,” the elf woman surmised.

Autumnus smiled, the expression reaching his eyes this time. “Precisely. Who is Marina Fehrliss to argue with the will of the people?”

NaNoWriMo Day 21

Neon BrightLeave a comment

Words words words! I actually started early today, which I rarely do. I almost don’t know what to do with all this free evening time I have now. Also whoops I keep not wanting to excerpt the more Exciting parts because I need to make sure they make sense to me so. Fantasy slice of life it is!

Word Count: 2226

Excerpt:

Marina couldn’t man her stall for the entire day nonstop like she used to do. During the midday hour or so break, she had to take her leave from the market, packing up her things safely and bringing Vantage out of the brightest part of the day.

She found herself in the scraggly shade of a tree in one of Arelvo’s only maintained green spaces. It was a small park near the southern end of town, beyond which were rolling hills of grass and the occasional boulder. Long, smoothed-over scars from the last time great ice mountains had carved their way across the timewilds, leaving behind remnants of the Dragonrest mountains and whatever else they’d dragged along.

Vantage never really cared to look out at the scenery with her, but then again Marina wasn’t quite sure if he could see that far yet. She hadn’t asked many questions of the midwife that helped her with his birth, when could she expect certain milestones, things like that. For all anyone knew, a halfgod child could have an entirely different timetable than a fully mortal baby.

At least he’d grown consistently. Marina didn’t know what she’d do if she had to deal with an infant that didn’t grow up at the rate he should. The thought of being this sleepless a year or more down the line, all of it owed to waking up to feed the little scamp every few hours, made her shudder.

NaNoWriMo Day 14

Neon BrightLeave a comment

REALLY good writing day today. I wasn’t sure when I first started – some scenes are just resistant until you actually get a groove going. And then Marina started being protectively sassy and it just went off. You go, momma witch!

Word Count: 2376

Excerpt:

“Miss Fehrliss,” one of them greeted, offering a polite bow. It made the scabbard of his short sword upset the back of his surcoat, and she imagined a short little tail growing there instead.

“Steward,” she greeted back, not returning the bow. They would forgive her for it; she had a baby strapped to her, after all. “As I said, it’ll be a moment before you can browse.”

“We aren’t here to browse, miss,” the second steward said, all business and decorum. Gods bless him, he could barely be over seventeen years old. “We’re here to talk about -”

“You’re in a market, gents,” Marina chided them. “Bold of you to announce you don’t intend to buy anything.”

“Miss Fehrliss, please,” the first man cut in, holding out a hand to shush his companion and tilting his head at her with a faint, friendly smile. “We have been trying to be respectful of the situation you’ve found yourself in, but it is difficult for us to stand by while you struggle so.”

“Struggle?” Marina echoed, looking and sounding scandalized. She put her hand on her cheek and tilted her head. “To what struggles are you referring, dear steward?”

To her surprise, the man understood her sarcasm for what it was, and had the presence of mind to look apologetic. “I mean no insult, miss. But you are still running a simple market stall to make ends meet, and living in a small hovel that is in no way fit to raise a child. Especially one like-”

“Don’t talk to me about my child, unless it’s to tell me how cute his little round cheeks are.”

NaNoWriMo Day 29

Neon BrightLeave a comment

I won! I have managed to stumble past the finish line for NaNoWriMo, despite my ups and downs throughout the month! I’m so pleased I was able to finish a project like this despite how bumpy the writing road has been this year. Thanks for following along with me!

Today I worked on a thing I started towards the end of the month, with no idea where it’s going but to establish a new character I’ve been working on.

Word Count: 2229

Final Word Count: 50078

Excerpt:

Vantage, with the markings of blue upon his face and body, had been born to a prescribed duty. His mother hadn’t known it would show so obviously on his skin. She’d thought she could hide him away from those who would come for him, but even her clever spells had limits.

He’d lived his life on the run, always keeping a step ahead of those who would bring him back to their side. The desperation only grew the more the borders shifted and the various people of the timewilds fought for their own section of the land.

So many people thought that the Eighth King would solve their problems. The eighth king heartily disagreed.