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 Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:33 pm
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Title; The Masquerades
Rating; Probably PG eventually
Summary; The Magickes were banished from the Kingdom of Laurm seven years ago, when the prince was cursed. The sorceress Felhia, with instructions from a mysterious spectre, now tries to lift the curse, and allow the Magickes back into the Kingdom
Genre; Fantasy
---
Well, I've been planning this story for a rather long while, and I decided to shove together a sort-of first paragraph today. The idea is that not everything that has happened previously is immediately revealed. In the first chapter, the reader would end up with a rough idea of what the main character is currently attempting to do, and have a small amount of background information.
Yes, it's typical medieval fantasy. Swordfights, magic, characters with bizarre names, etc.
What I've rambled just now is a about as long as the paragraph is o_0
I may post more, once it is tappety-typed.
Felhia rubbed her hands together, trying to shake off the bitter wind biting at them. Concentrating all her energy, she tried to form some fire between her fingers. After a couple of attempts, she felt the warmth spread through her hands, and gently blew on the blossoming fire, making it catch on to the wood that was gathered in a pile in front of her. Sorceresses were not, of course, strictly resigned to using elemental magic; but anything more needed incantations or complex concoctions, and she had left all her books behind when she had left the Royal Castle seven years ago.
The fire was now burning satisfactorily, but Felhia stretched it until it was blazing. Looking down almost wistfully at the village at the bottom of the hill, past the border, she tugged her hood further around her face, pulled up some of the animal skins that made her carpet, and attempted to get to sleep.
There it is. The next part will, despite the fact that she is going to sleep, be minutes later.
Like? Loathe? Adore?
Please tell 3nodding
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Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:13 pm
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Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:39 am
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Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 5:34 pm
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Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:59 pm
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Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:58 pm
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Thanks for the comments ^-^
I have now finished the first chapter, and the second chapter is finely detailed in my head. I'm going to do some drawings of characters, as I like having illustrations ¬.¬
I'll put 'em up here when I've done them 3nodding
Anyway, first chapter...
---
Chapter 1
Felhia rubbed her hands together, trying to shake off the bitter wind biting at them. Concentrating all her energy, she tried to form some fire between her fingers. After a couple of attempts, she felt the warmth spread through her hands, and gently blew on the blossoming fire, making it catch on to the wood that was gathered in a pile in front of her. Sorceresses were not, of course, strictly resigned to using elemental magic; but anything more needed incantations or complex concoctions, and she had left all her books behind when she had left the Royal Castle seven years ago.
The fire was now burning satisfactorily, but Felhia stretched it until it was blazing. Looking down almost wistfully at the village at the bottom of the hill, past the border, she tugged her hood further around her face, pulled up some of the animal skins that made her carpet, and attempted to get to sleep.
But the wind was howling in several directions; so whichever way Felhia turned her head, snow blew into her face. Shrugging off the furs unhappily, she sat again, staring into the fire. The dancing flames reflected in her eyes, making them change from brown to the same flickering red colour as the tendrils of hair blowing in her face.
Why not go down to the village? It was almost certainly the right village, after all. But to risk it… she hadn’t been back past the border since she’d left all those years ago. How would the people react? Times had changed, and she knew, as she always stayed near the border, that these villages were incredibly cautious; there were always many guards, and a constant lookout. And what would it look like? A lone traveller in the middle of the night… Anyone would be wary.
Felhia stood up, clutching her cloak around her. She gathered up her scattered belongings; knives, sword, her soaked gloves, which were drying by the fire, and her pouch bag, which jingled as she stuffed it into her brown backpack. She stuffed her throwing knives and sword into their scabbards on her belt, and attempted to force her hands into the saturated gloves.
Eventually, she threw her backpack over her shoulders, and, leaving the fire burning, trudged slowly down the hill, against the biting wind.
*
After much stumbling and cursing, Felhia finally made it to the pitiful fence that marked where the wastelands ended and the Kingdom of Laurm began. If it wasn’t Magickes that the fence was trying to keep out of the Kingdom, it would be reinforced with magic to make it efficient. As it was, Felhia was able to climb over with little more than two second’s effort.
The fence around the village was quite a bit higher than the one she had just climbed over, so Felhia, who realised that to get past it she would have to use crude magic and burn it down, decided to walk round to the guarded entrance. She assumed that she probably wouldn’t be allowed to stay in the village if she’d burnt it down to get in.
This village didn’t seem to have as good security measures as many of the others she’d seen. There was only one man, who was fast asleep and dressed in rather pathetic armour. Still, he awoke with a snort as she approached.
“Who’re you?” he asked, grumpily. Felhia pulled down her hood, to seem more polite. Hooded strangers were more suspicious than strangers.
“I’m sorry, can I please stay in this village?” she asked, trying to make her tone sound pleading. “I- I’m lost, and I’m worried about being out here when it’s so dark…” she looked around behind her, trying to seem nervous. It seemed to work.
“I’m sorry, Miss.” the guard said, more kindly. “It’s too risky to let travellers in after dark. We’re too close to the border ‘ere, and a lone lady traveller is strange; I’ll get in trouble for lettin’ you in. No offence to you, Miss, but people ‘ere will suspect you’re a Magicke. We often see ‘em on the ‘ills; it makes people scared.”
Felhia changed her expression to one of horror.
“Magickes around here? Oh, please let me in!” She begged, looking around at the hills like a hunted animal. The guard seemed to weaken even more.
“I-I can’t… I’m really sorry-“ he stammered. Felhia pulled out her sword from its sheath on her belt.
“Oy! Easy!” The guard shouted, jumping from his stool and holding out his hands. Felhia realised she had the sword pointing at him, and quickly held it down.
“Sorry. I was just trying to say- if was a Magicke, I could just get past you with magic. Why would I need weapons?”
Pathetic logic she thought to herself. The guard, strangely enough, seemed convinced.
“Alright, get in. Jus’ don’t go telling anyone it was me ‘oo let you in if you start burnin’ down buildings with y’ magic.” He sat back down on his stool, and waved his hand to the archway. There were no gates, she noted. How odd…
“There’s an inn, on the corner of the firs’ alley t’ the left.” The guard said. And with that, he went back to sleep.
Felhia, shrugging her backpack further up her shoulders, went through the archway.
*
The village was very picturesque. The little log cottages were topped with powdery snow, contrasting with the harsh sleet at the top of the hills. All of them had smoking chimneys, hinting at merry fires dancing inside, and let off a soft glow from the windows. At the end of the central street leading from the arched entrance was a larger house, with a small fence around it, and a bare, frozen tree by the sheltered front door.
Felhia crunched along the snowy street, until she got to the first corner. The inn looked welcoming enough. It was larger than the surrounding cottages, and had three steps leading up to the entrance. Felhia walked up them slowly, and gently opened the squeaking door.
There was a ting as the door opened. Felhia glanced around, but the room seemed deserted. Still, it was very cosy. There was a blazing fire on one wall, which cast a warm glow, and made Felhia’s skin burn from the rapid change in temperature. There were lots of dark wooden tables scattered around the room, and a bar on the opposite wall to the door. Felhia walked over to it slowly, conscious of the fact that she was dripping melted snow all over the floorboards. As she sat on one of the raised stools, someone came through the door behind the bar.
She was wearing a white apron, and had flyaway ginger hair tucked under a tied black head scarf. The yellow dress she was wearing underneath was patched, and there were threads hanging from the rolled up sleeves. Still, she had a cheery beam across her face, which wrinkled her eyes.
“’Ello, honey! Why are you out so late?” she asked, coming round the bar. She pulled Felhia’s glove off, and rubbed her hand.
“Dearie me, girl, you’re as cold as ice! I’ll get you somethin’ ‘ot to eat!”
She bustled back around the bar and through the door before Felhia had a chance to say anything. After putting her backpack gently on the floor, she peeled off her other glove, and put it on the surface with the first. She also unclasped her cloak, and too it off from around her shoulders. The cloak was drenched, and Felhia felt much lighter once she had taken it off. She shook the ruffs on the ends of her sleeves, and squeezed her hair, to get rid of some of the water. At that point, the barmaid came back round, with a steaming bowl of soup and a plate of buttered bread.
“’Ere you go, honey. Mind the bowl, it’s ‘ot” she said, setting it down on the counter in front of Felhia.
“Make sure you ‘ave all of it, you look starved.”
Felhia nodded gratefully, and picked up the spoon. As she gently blew on the soup- which smelled delicious, although she wasn’t sure what was in it- the barmaid dragged a stool round to sit opposite her.
“Now, where’ve you come from?” she asked her, kindly. Felhia looked up. The barmaid’s crinkled eyes where shining green, and seemed to be looking into her mind.
“Um, I got lost. My horse ran away, so I was walking… I came across this village.” she said, slurping a little of the soup.
“What’s your name, honey?” she asked.
Not much point in lying
“Felhia.”
The barmaid beamed again.
“Well, that’s a pretty name! Quite unusual; are you not from’ Borderlands?” she asked. Felhia shook her head.
“No, more central.” I suppose that’s true.
“Y’ sound it.” said the barmaid, but as a compliment. “Anyways, I’m Malsey; I own this place with me ‘usband. He’s prob’ly asleep already. Will you be wantin’ a room?” she asked.
“Er, I haven’t really got that much money, I don’t know if it’s enough.” said Felhia, trying to sound worried.
“Don’t matter, honey; I can’ let you stay outside. ‘Ave it for nothin’”
This is what Felhia had been aiming for. Still, she needed to sound thankful.
“Thank you so much!” she said. It sounded a little wooden, but Malsey seemed happy enough.
“Really, don’ worry abou’ it, honey.” she said, happily. “You finish up tha’ soup, while I go take y’ stuff up and make a bed.” Malsey picked up Felhia’s things from the floor, went over to a rickety wooden staircase, and creaked up it. Felhia, glad for some peace, went back to the soup.
She was definitely here. Felhia’s extra sense, given to her by the strange spectre, was practically blazing with excitement. She was here, in this village. But to find her… Felhia knew she would need a few days, at least. And then, how to persuade her? The people of the village she had met so far seemed quite simple; but they were wary. Everyone who lived near the border was wary. It was a trait they grew up with. And, most likely, the other people in the village, especially the one she was looking for, were more alert than the guard and Malsey.
After several minuets, when Felhia was using the bread to search for the last of the soup in the bowl, Malsey came creaking back down the stairs.
“Are you done wi’ tha’ soup, honey?” she asked. Felhia nodded.
“Yes, thank you. It was delicious.” Again, her voice sounded wooden, and she knew it. Persuading, she could still do. Complimenting and thanking… she had never been good at. When she had been in the Royal Castle, she had often marched past people with her nose in the air. After seven years in solitude, her people skills had worsened even more. Manipulation, persuasion… Some, notably one being she never wanted to come across again, were better than others at the art.
“I’ve lit all the candles in y’ room” said Malsey. “’Ere, take this.” she handed Felhia a candlestick, “It’s the second room on’ right. Mind yerself on’ stairs.” With another crinkled smile, Malsey went back through the door behind the bar. Felhia, holding the candlestick out in front of her, went up the creaking stairs. She went along the short corridor, and pushed open the second door. It was wonderfully warm inside. There was a smaller fire, which her gloves were drying near. Her other things were on a large armchair, near the bed. It was fairly small, but the covers looked snug, and the pillows were plumped up. Felhia unbuttoned her boots, and sank onto it, contentedly. With the glowing fire, and the warm covers, it didn’t take very long this time before Felhia fell asleep.
---
Blimey, that's a long post. Some notes; yes, I do some of the thought in italics. I write lots of thinking. It's just... a style I've become used to while writing fanfiction (yes, I'm a fanfic writer, burn me, or whatever)
A note on the accents;
I've tried to make the Borderland accent similar to the typical accent of where I live. I think it ended up looking/sounding/whatever you want to call it- a bit nicer. The area accents are due to the trade; trade is done in circular areas- Borderlands, Farlands, Midlands, and all trade comes into the Center. (The Kingdom is roughly circular). Yes, and this means that the lifestyle in the different rings varies, but is very similar in the rings.
Do I make any sense? I thought not. But, if you can decipher my ramble, that's what happens.
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Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 6:47 am
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Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:13 pm
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:58 pm
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I subtely *cough* managed to put some side information into this chapter.
And I have come up with a title!
The title 'Masks' fits with the plot, I think, but not the genre, really. SO, I have cleverly come up with the title;
'The Masquerades'
Second chapter, and something seems to be happening in the next one!
8O
*shockface*
---
Chapter 2
When Felhia awoke, a faint light was starting to peep through the curtains. She dragged herself off the bed, and sank down on the floor, her eyes closing again. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d woken up and not ached all over. The fire had died down to glowing embers, which sparked slightly. Her gloves seemed to be dry now, so she stuffed them in her pack with the rest of her things. As she once again sheathed her weapons, she wandered over to the window, and pulled back one of the curtains gently.
There was some movement outside; people, walking up and down the main street, going into the small shops, children playing around in the snow, and someone leading a couple of cows. Letting the curtain fall back, Felhia swung her cloak around her shoulders, and put on her gloves. She didn’t have to start trying to find her straight away, she could spend a few days in the village, but she wanted to look around, and go for a walk; maybe even get some breakfast.
It was a bit more crowded downstairs than the previous night. People were sat around at tables, eating and chatting. Felhia supposed that they didn’t make much from people boarding, so it was probably primarily a café during the day, and a bar in the evening.
“Are you off, honey?” Malsey called to her, as Felhia rushed down the staircase. Felhia looked over to her.
“I was going to have a look around. Is it okay if I leave my things here?”
Malsey waved a hand.
“That’s fine. Aren’t you goin’ to stay for some breakfast?” she asked.
“I will have some when I come back.” Felhia replied. “If that’s okay.” she added, quickly.
“O’ course, honey! ‘Ave a nice time lookin’ around!” Felhia flashed a smile as she closed the door behind her.
It wasn’t snowing any more, but the street and houses were still covered in white. It reflected the bright sun, making parts of the village blinding to look at. Felhia went down the three steps and crunched onto the snow again. Where to visit? Felhia decided to go up to the big house, to see what it was. She walked past shops, selling warm furs, huge salted steaks, winter vegetables and other basic supplies. Felhia walked up past all these until she got to the house at the end of the street.
There was a young woman outside, shovelling the waste from the goats and horse, which were walking around within the fence, into a corner. She was wearing a simple blue dress, which Felhia thought was a bad choice to wear for this kind of work, and this kind of weather. She was, however, wearing thick black leather gloves, and large brown boots. The young woman suddenly stopped, and took off her glove to tuck some stray hairs behind her ear. That was when she seemed to sense Felhia behind her. She whirled around, angrily, and strode over to the fence.
“Who exactly are you?” she asked, harshly. Her heavy eyebrows were narrowed in a frown, and her deep brown eyes looked at Felhia coldly.
“I’m just looking around.” replied Felhia, crisply. The young woman looked at her sweepingly.
“I didn’ ask what you was doin’, I asked who you were. I take it you’s not from ‘ere?”
“Um, no.” replied Felhia. She was feeling a bit beaten down. Deciding to try and get the upper hand, she added;
“And who are you?”
The young woman was looking quite disgusted by now. Clearly, she was used to ordering people around.
“In order t’ get you t’ show some respect, I’ll tell you tha’ I am Lady Tirola. This is my mother’s village. Are you comin’ in all high and migh’y from’ Centre? Y’ talk an’ y’ fancy clothes don’ make you special. Now, tell me who you are.”
This woman is infuriating, Felhia thought to herself. She smiled sweetly.
“My name is Felhia. Yes, I have come from the Centre. Now, tell me, why exactly are you shovelling faeces around your garden if you are a noble?”
This comment earned her another piercing scowl.
“’Cause someone’s gots t’ clean up after these animals. Why? You offerin’ t’ do it?”
“No. Sorry, I have better things to do. Well, good day to you, Lady Tirola.”
Felhia marched away from the house in the most dignified manner she could manage. Still, she could almost feel the woman’s scowl on the back of her head.
It was definitely her. However, far from feeling relived about how quickly she was able to find her, Felhia felt that this was going to be quite a challenge. How do you get someone like that to go anywhere they don’t want to go?
*
Felhia welcomed the warmth as she stepped back into the inn. She pulled off her gloves, and unfastened her cloak with numb fingers. As she sat at one of the empty tables, Malsey bustled over to her.
“D’you wan’ some breakfast now, honey? I expect you’ll need it aft’ tha’ walk int’ snow.” she said, cheerfully. “Now, wha’ d’you wan’? I’ve go’ bacon, eggs, some bread, an’ porridge as well.”
“I’ll have porridge.” replied Felhia, tetchily. “Er, please.”
“O’ course, honey, I’ll be righ’ back.”
Felhia thought it sounded as though she wasn’t just going to bring the porridge. Sure enough, when Malsey brought the steaming bowl over, she sat down in the chair opposite.
“Wha’s botherin’ you?” she asked, seriously. Strange, Felhia had got the idea that Malsey was quite a bad judge of emotions.
“Nothing.” replied Felhia, blowing gently on the spoon.
“Y’ ran into Lady Tirola, din’ you?” Malsey said. It was more like a statement than a question. Felhia frowned.
“How-“ Malsey held up a hand.
“Honey, I can tell ‘bout people, an’ I can tell you’s a proud one.”
Okay, Felhia thought, I judged badly about her; she’s more astute than I than I thought.
“An’” Malsey continued, “When we gets proud ones from’ Centre, they tend to get rather irritated ‘bout the Lady. She don’ like Centre folk, an’ she tends t’ get pretty tetchy with ‘em. She an’t got a bad ‘eart, bu’ she’s as proud as they get. Don’ like people lordin’ it over ‘er.”
Felhia scowled.
“I wasn’t lording it over-“
Malsey held up a hand again.
“I din’ say that. I was jus’ sayin’, she takes offence easily. The money ain’ good up ‘ere. The Lady, ‘er family’s no be’er off than most of rests, bu’ she works much ‘arder. An’ ‘er old mum, she ain’ gonna do much good; she’s been ill for years now. Lady Tirola is lookin’ after this village single ‘anded, an’ she don’t wan’ people comin’ and lookin’ down on ‘er. If y’ din’t mean offence, tha’s fine, but try not t’ bait her. ‘Kay?”
Felhia nodded blankly.
“Okay, I’ll try and avoid her. If I see her again, I’ll try and make peace.” She consented. Malsey beamed.
“Good girl!” Now, I’d be’er be gettin’ back t’ me kitchen. I’ll see you later, honey.”
*
Although she wasn’t exactly sure how to persuade her travel companion to come on this expedition, Felhia knew that supplies would be needed eventually. She did actually have quite a few valuable items, which she sold in exchange for clothing, salted meats and other necessities.
Despite herself, she spoke with the two traders who were staying at the inn, and from them she learnt how the kingdom had changed since she’d left. The Borderlands had become even more isolated from the Farlands than they had been before. Consequently, many of the Borderland villages had been abandoned, as there just weren’t enough supplies to live off anymore. The village they had come from, Sawsel, was one of the few that had good enough land to support itself. The only reason Walswill, the village they were in, was surviving was because they could trade their cattle.
Felhia was confused by this. Why were the edges of the kingdom falling into ruin? King Laurm was still on the throne, just as he had been when the Magickes had left. Surely they hadn’t made that much difference…
*
“Excuse me Malsey?”
Malsey turned to face Felhia.
“What is it honey?”
Felhia had been staying in Walswill for four nights. She hadn’t dared to try and persuade Tirola to leave the village. She hadn’t even attempted to speak to her again. But Felhia had thought of something productive to do until she came up with a plan.
“I was wondering if there was a library.” Felhia replied.
Malsey frowned thoughtfully for a second.
“Yes- well, I wouldn’t call i’ a library. No one works there; it’s jus’ a building with lots o’ books in. Why?”
“I was wondering if there was some history written down about the village.” Felhia replied vaguely, waving a hand.
Malsey frowned again.
“Hmm… If I remember righ’, it’s jus’ at the end of this alley. On’ left. Y’ can jus’ go in. Don’ take anythin’ out, mind. It’ll be warm enough to read in there, if you light the fire up.”
“Thank you.” said Felhia, going out the door.
It was snowing when Felhia went outside, and the sun was setting, making the hills look like they were on fire. She walked quickly down the alley, until she got to the library.
It did look quite derelict. The door creaked loudly when Felhia opened it, and the layer of dust on the floor stirred. She went quickly over to the fireplace and, forming a blossoming flame between her fingers, blew it gently into the hearth. She threw on some of the spare logs stacked beside it, and went over to the bookshelves.
Every village in the kingdom used to have to have a library, or collection of books, in case a Magicke came across it. Disguised as history books and novels, so that humans would not read them and cause damage, were books on all kinds of enchantments, incantations, potions, and all the complicated magic that could not be easily recalled. The kind of magic Felhia needed to know in order to get anywhere with this expedition. She scanned the titles, looking for something useful. One called ‘Disguises - a guide to total appearance alteration’ caught her eye. She took it of the shelf, and flicked though. This should be very useful.
She continued to look at the dusty books, picking out; ‘Weapons and Magic’, ‘Magical Travel’, ‘A Concoction of Food’ and a few others. As she looked though the books and stuffed them in her bag, a plan was forming in her mind. It would be best to try tonight; there were annual celebrations throughout the next week- and that would cause problems.
She put out the fire, left her bag on the floor, welded the door shut, and hurried back to the inn.
And we also meet another main (and my personal favourite) character in this chapter ^-^
Delightful, isn't she?
As for the book titles... Ehehehe...
I don't want to say any more on that subject.
I've tek-tekked some of the main characters. I'll put up the ones of Felhia and Tirola... In just a second...
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Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 9:23 am
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