Saturday, July 20, 2019

Lord William's bailiff - snippet from Medieval Romance for #WeWriWa



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. By the time you read this, I’ll be doing some field research for this story.
Audrey has knocked the knife from an attacker’s hand. Then a man wielding a sword runs toward her.

The last line was: Doffing his hood and exposing his short auburn hair, he cried, “A cunning thrust, lady.”

Please excuse irregular punctuation to fit.
     With a shiver of excitement, I recognized the leader of the sheriff’s men who had overtaken my company on the road to Redding.
     His deep-set hazel eyes held glints of green; they widened a fraction and his lips curled in a slight smile of appreciation, “I’ve seen your face before.”
     “You rode by me on the road from Newbury.”
     “Aye, I remember; you had a frisky grey mare and a large hound.”
     His swift smile and the warmth of his tone set my heart fluttering. I felt my cheeks flush as if I were a maid of fourteen instead of a widow of twenty-three. Overcoming my embarrassment, I asked, “Are you the sheriff’s messenger?” 
     “Nay, I’m Lord William’s bailiff; he appointed me to keep peace during the fair.” He lifted the edge of his cloak to show the sheriff’s badge sewn on his doublet, “Selwyn Drake, at your service. Are you in town for the Fair?”

Draft Blurb
A young widow in possession of a good business must be in want of a husband.
     In fourteenth century Britain, Dame Audrey prizes her independence as the widow of a cloth merchant. The town elders covet her prosperous business, but she has no desire to remarry and submit to a husband’s will. Her kindness to a stranger earns Bridda’s blessing and a brooch with a green dragon offers a glimpse into the supernatural world. 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?
     Dare to enter Chaucer’s England: this story, like the middle ages, is not for the faint of heart or squeamish. It mixes blood, mud, and violent death with joyful laughter and sweet-scented flowers.


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20 comments:

  1. Every week you post yet another interesting short tale. Thanks once again.

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  2. Their second meeting, and I don't think it will be their last. Great snippet!

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    1. Of course not. They'll have opportunities to meet over the next few days. He's policing the fair and she's running a stall there.

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  3. Aahhh, and so it begins... :-) I like this scene, Aurora!

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  4. Their interchanges continue to be meaningful and interesting.

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    1. Thanks. Writing their interactions is the best part.

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  5. And so they meet again. Great snippet.

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  6. Nice conversation, felt very "of the era", which I like because it takes the reader into the other time and place. Great snippet!

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    1. It's good to know the dialogue sounds right. I'm trying to hint at the medieval rather than use a lot of unfamiliar words.

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  7. I love the fact that he remembered her horse and her hound. LOL Kind of the medieval equivalent of a man knowing what kind of car you drive.

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    1. True. The horse would have been the equivalent of the modern car. He might remember her horse better than her clothes!

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  8. I wonder where this interaction will go for their characters!

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    1. She's running a stall at the fair, so there will be opportunities to meet.

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  9. I loved their second meeting and want to know more.

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    1. Despite a mutual attraction, their relationship will move slowly. Audrey is biased against marriage for valid reasons and she doesn't want a penniless husband. At this point, she doesn't know if he is unmarried.

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  10. He remembers her. Good. And she remembers him. Lovely. Good snippet.

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