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.
I have skipped to the next chapter after Audrey has returned to her house (and cloth shop) in Redding. Here is an action scene! Audrey has just paid the fees for a stall at Saint James’ Fair. During a break in the thunderstorms, she is walking home through gloomy streets. She is using a staff to avoid slipping in the mud. Thirteen-year old Alfred, one of her servants, is lagging behind.
You can read last
week’s snippet here – https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2019/06/a-penniless-man-snippet-from-medieval.html
Cued by the squelch of footsteps in the mud behind me, I whirled
around, gripping my staff in both hands. A hooded man with a knife grabbed for
my arm. Acting swiftly, I cracked the stick on his wrist. Spitting a vulgar
oath, he jerked away; the knife dropped from his fist. On the backstroke, more by fortune than foresight, I
clouted his head with my staff.
He stumbled onto the cobblestones, cursing like a maniac. Before he had time to recover, young
Alfred raced up and grabbed his arms. Alfie might be skinny, yet he is strong
for his age. He wrestled the churl’s hands behind his back.
A man came running out of the shadows toward us, a sword in his
hand.
A young widow in
possession of a good business must be in want of a husband.
In
fourteenth century Britain, Dame Audrey enjoys her independence as the widow of
a cloth merchant. She has no desire to remarry and submit to a husband’s will,
but the town elders covet her prosperous business. Her kindness to a stranger
earns Bridda’s blessing and a brooch with a green dragon offers glimpses into
the hidden world of the supernatural. The faerie brooch attracts trouble from
thieves of all ranks and the attentions of a handsome bailiff, Selwyn Drake.
Can she evade the schemes to force her into wedlock and retain her
independence?
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Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.
May I guess that man is Selwyn? :-) Interesting snippet.
ReplyDeleteYou may, although he is a little late to rescue her!
DeleteYou painted a perfect picture of possible danger. I look forward to next week. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I skipped the scary walk to this spot.
DeleteLots of drama in this snippet, for sure! She's got good reflexes and quick thinking, fortunately. Enjoyed the excerpt...
ReplyDeleteAs I said in the previous comment, she's been primed by scary visions during her walk across town.
ReplyDeleteYikes! Glad she could handle the knife-wielding man. But is the man with the sword a friend or enemy?
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what she is wondering.
DeleteUh oh. The second attacker makes it seem this could be more than a cut-purse.
ReplyDeleteAns, I skipped the deliberate distraction by the thief's doxy.
DeleteShe's has quick reflexes. Great imagery of of danger.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteGreat action scene. (I find fight scenes difficult to write.)
ReplyDeleteThey are difficult to choreograph, although I like to include action wherever possible.
DeleteI do like this first person narrative, Aurora. Definitely want to read this one! :-)
ReplyDeleteGood for her. I hope this new person with a sword is the hero. While she doesn't need him, his support would be great.
ReplyDeleteI think most men carried swords in those days.
DeleteI'm also curious to find out the identity of the man with the sword.
ReplyDeleteYou may learn more in the next snippet.
Delete