Wow, what a great day for writing! Doing that world-building yesterday was just what I needed to release the word-dam, I guess. My official NaNo word count for the day is about 3200, but it's actually closer to about 3600, because I also took out about 400 previously-written words.
I'm doing what I'd mentioned yesterday- working more story back in to the earlier parts of the novel. It's actually pretty fantastic, because I have a better grip on my characters now than I did when I first started, so I think that's why it's flowing easier now. That or the stars have aligned just right, or whatever. Maybe my muse found a hidden stash of chocolate? Anyway I'm taking advantage of it while it's around...
Today's excerpt comes from before Sera even left her village to start her apprenticeship. I wanted to show the reader more examples of the way she was before she ended up a priestess, rather than just relying on the "telling" that I was using before.
PS (It might strike you as inappropriate for a 21-year-old to flirt with a 15-year-old like I show here. To which I say, "Yeah- that's kind of part of the point.")
***
...in the meantime she had a mind to head over to her father’s dye shop and see what was going on there. He had a first-year journeyman named Evern that Sera found particularly intriguing; he had come all the way from the capital to their small village just to study southern dye methods with her father, and he always had wonderful stories to tell. It would be difficult to say if Sera was more fond of his stories or of his dark blue eyes and deep dimple, but she was determined to find out.
Her father was nowhere to be seen when she entered the smelly sanctum of the dye shop, but Evern was up to his elbows in indigo dye- literally. Sera started laughing as soon as she saw him.
“What on earth happened?”
“Sera!” The young man’s expression was rueful. “Just exactly the person I was hoping would catch me looking foolish.” She immediately felt bad for laughing hurried over to him.
“What can I do to help you?”
“Hide me from your father?”
“Evern, if I had any skill at that I wouldn’t have so many memories of a tender posterior!”
“Now there’s an image,” he grinned, and Sera felt herself flush. Evern was much better at flirting than she was- all the more reason to spend time around him.
“Oh hush, or I won’t help you at all.”
“Might be worth it- tell me, when your cheeks flush like that, do they bear any resemblance to-“
“Evern!”
“Sorry, sorry- sometimes I forget how young and innocent you are.” Sera sniffed at this and walked over to a bolt of raw fabric.
“I’m not that young. Or that innocent.”
“Of course you're not, princess. You know how it is, you hit twenty-one and you feel like you’re a jaded old man who’s seen all there is…”
“Old man indeed! You’re absolutely full of silliness this morning. Will this work to soak up some of that dye?” Evern eyed the cloth.
“I was going to experiment on that, but I may as well use it for this.”
“You could always tell father you’re pioneering a new method of dye application.” She cut off a large swath and handed it to him.
“Hand-dying, as it were? Clever girl. I mean, clever young lady!” He winked at her and began wiping off as much of the liquid as he could. Unfortunately it couldn’t do anything for what had already stained his skin. Sera stifled another giggle.
“You look like you got both of your arms trapped in a sheet of ice.”
“Yes it is rather noticeable, isn’t it?” he sighed, scrubbing at his wrist. He held out the cloth and they both considered the oddly patterned smears.
“You could probably make something out of that,” she said thoughtfully. “Maybe a panel on a bodice, done with embroidery to highlight the swirls…”
“That’s not such a bad idea,” he said. “I should get you to come to market with us, act as a salesgirl.”
“Oh no,” she laughed. “You’re not tricking me into becoming an apprentice to my father.”
“He’s a good Master,” Evern protested. “And I’m not just saying that because you’re his daughter and might tell on me.”
“I wouldn’t do that!” She stuck her tongue out at him. “I know my father is a good Master- he’s a good father, too- but I’m not apprenticing with him or anyone in this village. If I have my way, I’m going to get as far away from here as possible.”
“Why? What’s so wrong with here?”
“It’s boring here!”
“It is?” He sounded amused.
“Well not to you, obviously- you’ve only been here a few months so things are still new and interesting because they’re so different from your home. But I’ve been here my entire life- and I’m ready for something different!”
“Maybe you’ll go to the capital? I could give you a good word. What do you want to do?” Sera shrugged.
“Your stories of the capital make it sound wonderful but… it’s still too close.”
“Too close? It’s a three week ride!”
“Too close,” she said stubbornly. Evern laughed, and then stepped closer to her, causing her heart to jump.
“When do you turn sixteen, Sera?” His deep blue eyes were suddenly very serious.
“Early summer,” she said, proud that her voice stayed steady.
“And you’ll be off as soon as you may, I assume?” He moved closer still, and she could feel his warm breath on her skin.
“Yes,” it came out a whisper. Her heart was racing faster than a bird’s.
“Well then I’d better do this before I lose my chance.” He leaned forward and she tilted her mouth up to meet his. Her blood felt like it was boiling, and when their lips touched it exploded in her veins.
“A-hem.” Sera stepped back quickly, her face bright red. One of the second-year apprentices was standing in the doorway with a pail. It was Fenna, and she looked rather amused.
“Good thing I’m not the Master,” the older girl said with a raised eyebrow. “Because I can’t imagine what would make him angrier- the waste of good indigo dye, or the liberties being taken with his daughter.”
“He didn’t take any liberties!” snapped Sera, her blood now boiling for an entirely different reason. “If anything I took liberties from him!”
Fenna laughed. “Is that so? Well good for you, then, sweetie. Now, why don’t you run along before you get poor Evern thrown out in the streets for idleness.”
“Father wouldn’t get rid of Evern!” Sera said, but she took another step away from him. He, in turn, had grown a little pale, although the grin he gave her was as charming as ever.
“Of course he wouldn’t, Sera. But all the same…”
“I was going anyway,” she sniffed with a glance toward Fenna. “I’m sorry about your liberties,” she said to Evern.
“I’m not,” he whispered, and winked.
Sera left the dye shop with a smile.
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