Thursday, May 23, 2019

Bridda's Blessing - Snippet from Medieval Romance for #WeWriWa



Happy Memorial Day!

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. Find a new author and sample their work. Enjoy!

I am continuing snippets from my new medieval romance set in fourteenth century England in and around my hometown of Reading.
My heroine Audrey and her cousin Margaret have taken a pilgrimage to Glastonbury Abbey. They have left the Abbey and are walking back to the hostel (an inn for pilgrims). Paupers line the path, begging for alms. Audrey stops to give a coin to an old woman accompanied by a young girl.

You can read last week’s snippet here – https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2019/05/a-pang-of-sorrow-snippet-from-medieval.html
Please excuse my minor misuse of punctuation.
The old woman speaks first:
     Her voice cracking with sincerity, she said, “Good and gracious lady, I give thanks for your kindness. May the sweet Lord Jesu watch over your travels, may you bear healthy children by St Mary’s grace, and may gentle Lady Bridda grant your dearest wish.”
     A shiver of excitement raced along my spine at this strange mix of blessings, including the invocation of the unfamiliar Lady Bridda in parallel with Christ’s holy name. The weight of their potency washed over me like a shower of sweetly scented rose petals. Bowing to the old woman, I thanked her from the depths of my heart.
     The other beggars began to shuffle closer, hoping for fresh ears for their pleas and generous hearts.
     Nudging my elbow, Margaret urged in a shaky whisper, “Audrey, let’s walk on; we can’t give alms to everyone.”
     “No; just this one destitute woman.” As we turned away, I sighed, “The girl reminded me of Ellen.”
     “Her hair is the same flaxen color,” Margaret agreed.

Note: Bridda’s blessing introduces a fantasy element, although Audrey doesn’t realize at first.

Draft Blurb:
In fourteenth century Britain, Dame Audrey enjoys her independence as the widow of a cloth merchant. When a dying traveler shows her a gold brooch with a green dragon, she swears to find its true owner. Her search attracts trouble from thieves of all ranks and the attentions of a handsome bailiff, Selwyn Drake. She has no desire to submit to a husband’s will, but the town merchants have other ideas. They covet the young widow and her prosperous business and plan to force her into wedlock. Can Audrey evade the schemes alone or must she accept Selwyn’s help to survive the greedy ruffians and fulfill her oath?

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As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.  
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14 comments:

  1. I'm curious as to what the blessing will bring about.

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  2. That was an intriguing encounter with the old woman.

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    1. Thanks. I thought it was a good way to show Audrey's compassion, although as a businesswoman she is careful about expenses.

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  3. This is a nice bit of foreshadowing. Putting Bridda on a par with Jesus and Mary lets us know right away that she will be important.

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  4. I agree with Ed. The foreshadowing brings a shiver of anticipation. And so does the question of who Ellen is. I'm hooked.

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    1. Ellen was described as Audrey's deceased child in last week's snippet. Audrey has lost two children and her husband, which was not uncommon in those times. She had an arranged marriage. Her husband was kind to her, but she did not love him in the sense we know.

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  5. Intriguing snippet and I like the way you're adding in the fantasy element. The scene certainly took me back in time to Audrey's era! Can't wait for more...

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    1. A little fantasy will emerge in the next chapter.

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  6. I'm agreeing with Nancy and Ed-- I love foreshadowing!

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    1. Oh good. In some ways, it's a slow lead in since she hasn't seen the hero yet.

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  7. Intriguing snippet, I wonder whether there's a connection.
    PS - Love the photo!

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    1. Other than hair color and age, nothing connects the beggar girl and Audrey's deceased daughter.

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