Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Blog, page 40

Read-along: Chapter 26

A bit shorter of a write-up today. Sorry about that! I'm afraid yours truly has sunk into major Vacation Mode, and is finding it difficult to be motivated this week. I'll be getting back to work next week, however, and plan to catch up on all the questions then. So many good questions pouring in, I'm looking forward to answering them!

But today, I was drawing a picture for my Untitled Book 6. I hope to be able to share both the title and the picture sometime in the next few months . . . .

Meanwhile, back to the story!

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Dragon-girl. Trying to hide what is becoming increasingly more apparent (her dragon nature), Una determines to climb to the top of the high gorge and find word of Prince Lionheart. At the thought of him, her fire keeps threatening to mount up and explode out of her, but she is still able to control it, at least a little. So she swallows it back and begins her climb.

Strangers on the path. Perhaps one of the most awkward things to do in a novel is to introduce random new characters who then never reappear in the story. If you are an aspiring novelist, don't do that. Keep your novel trim and tidy, free of superfluous characters.

Basically, do as I say . . . not as I do.

Here in this scene we are briefly introduced to the veiled girl and her goat. It was, of course, necessary for me to include these two characters considering the events of Moonblood . . . We learn in that novel that these two characters are much more deeply embroiled in the story than we can guess from their bit-parts in Heartless.

Still, I confess, I kind of wish in retrospect that I had handled Rose Red and Beana's involvement in the scene a little differently. They are interesting little glimpses here, but since they don't actively contribute to this novel, they feel more than a bit random.

Oh, well.

It's nice to see someone, even a complete stranger, extend grace to our poor little princess at this juncture. The goat doesn't seem too happy about it, but the nameless veiled girl seems to feel a certain sympathy with Una and her plight.

But you'll have to read on in the series to find out just why!

Una in the city. Una manages to slip through the city gates, despite the initial heckling from the guards. At first they think her awkward movements are due to drunkenness . . . but when the guard gets a good look in her eyes, he hastily passes her through, trying, I believe, to pretend he did not see what he saw. These are a people recently plagued by the Dragon, still full of his poison. I cannot imagine how awful the notion of another dragon come into their midst would be!

Thus, whenever anyone makes eye-contact, they duck their heads quickly, telling themselves they are mistaken. So Una passes into the crowded streets and loses herself in the merry-making throng. And she learns why the city is decked for celebration.

It is Prince Lionheart's wedding week.

The kitten. I like the little moment when Una sees the orange kitten in the alley. Cats are not so easily deceived as humans, nor willing to deceive themselves! It recognizes her in a moment and flees, snarling. Poor Una! This can only be testimony not only to how Monster would react were he to see her again, but also to how her own dear family would react.

But she tries to tell herself that Lionheart will know her, and Lionheart will not be afraid.

Lady Daylily, the Baron of Middlecrescent's daughter, is mentioned by name for the first time in this scene. She becomes a major character later on in the series, but here in this book, she has only one brief scene. Una glimpses her on the balcony, smiling at the crowd, smiling at Lionheart. She is beautiful, clad in furs, crowned in red hair. She has won the prince of Southlands for her husband . . . why should she not be joyful?

And Una, watches Lionheart bestow smiles upon Daylily that should have been hers.

Leonard. Una shouts the name of her beloved jester, and I'm sure the very sound of it, nearly forgotten, must have rung loudly in Lionheart's ears, despite the noise all around. And when he looks down into the crowd, he spots Una at once.

But he is not glad to see her.

My Personal Favorite Line

1. Blood like lava pounded in her veins, and she panted with the terror of it. For Una felt, in that moment when she saw the look on his face--not a look of joy or delight, as she had so long dreamed of seeing when at least reunited with him, but of pure surprise and, an instant later, pure horror--that she would burn him alive with the heat of her eyes if she could. (p. 258)

Questions on the Text

1. What do you make of the merrymakers of Southlands? Do you think they are truly happy on this day?

2. What do you think of Una's reaction when Lionheart is so horrified to see her? Do you think this was the dragon inside her reacting, or simply the hurt young woman? Or both?

3. Favorite lines?

Read-along: Chapter 25

A little later posting than usual! I'm in such a vacation mode of mind at the moment, it's easy to let my work back up a bit. LOL. But I do enjoy doing this read-along with you, so here we are, back to Chapter Twenty-Five.

I will still be answering all of your wonderful questions sometime in the next few days. Not today, but soon, I promise. And be sure to keep commenting for a chance to win the Grand Prize of all three other Goldstone Wood stories!

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Fidel and the Prince. After all the drama in the previous chapter, this scene creates a much-needed moment of rest. It's also contains a few important details. For one thing, we learn through the context of Aethelbald and Fidel's conversation the significance of the partially-overheard conversation Una encountered several chapters back. We learn that Aethelbald warned Fidel of the very doings which have taken place.

We also learn that, despite Fidel's disregard of those warnings, Aethelbald continued to work for his good. He saved his son from the yellow-eyed dragon, and we can surmise that he has also been helping others in the midst of the terror wrecked by the Dragon.

Aethelbald has received some flak from a few reviewers who claim that he "only cared about the royal family." I don't think this is just. We, as the readers, are only privy to the events occurring to our main characters. But does that mean Aethelbald was neglecting all the other mortals suffering in Parumvir (and across the Near World) during this dark time? He is currently clad "in the form of a man" at the moment, so he's not omnipresent. But he is obviously traveling through the Wood and serving those in need.

And yes, he sets out on a journey to save Una. Does that mean that his servants aren't dispersed about the nation, helping others? I like to think that Aethelbald is very much involved and invested in the lives of all those in Parumvir. I really loved several of the stories sent in for the fan fiction contest ( Meredith's winning piece being a particularly fine example ), which speculated on other characters to whom the Prince of Farthestshore was ministering through the events in Heartless.

Affects of the Poison. We do in this scene get a little more picture of the kind of influences dragon-poison has over mortals. Fidel was not an old man when we first met him in this book, but he is quite broke and weak in this scene. Given time, I believe he recovers most of his former vim (come Moonblood, he seems practically back to normal), but it's a process.

And he wasn't so deeply poisoned as Felix was. The young prince was pierced by dragon claws . . . .

Una in Flight. We get a brief glimpse of Una continuing her journey following her encounter with Gervais. I believe when she first fled the Dragon and Oriana, she didn't have a direction or purpose in mind. But that brief encounter with Gervais has sent her onward with more determined purpose. Has Lionheart forgotten her as thoroughly as Gervais? She needs to know how much worth she might still have in his eyes. Or is she really so worthless?

Poor Una. The fire inside her has mounted so hot, she is swiftly losing all that was good and worthy to begin with. Everything that was immature and selfish is rising to the surface and overwhelming her. Though the results of that overwhelming will prove different than what has transpired with other dragons . . . but we'll look into that later.

Felix, poisoned. We also get a glimpse of Felix, wracked with fever in the Haven. The dragon poison is still thick in his veins, and he is only mortal, and just a boy at that. I think it must be testimony to Dame Imraldera's skill that Felix did not succumb to that poison and perish.

The Haven. We learn more about the Haven in later books, but we do get a few interesting glimpses of it here in Heartless. Because it was built in the Between, the stretch of existence separating the Near World of mortals from the Far World of Faerie, it a part of both and of neither. Thus, sometimes Felix believes himself to be in the middle of a forest . . . and other times, lying upon a soft bed in a sumptuous chamber. Both are true, and neither.

In his fevered state, you can imagine how frightening and disorienting that must be!

A corridor of trees. Have you ever walked in a moonlit forest? I have. Up in my hometown in Wisconsin, I've gone walking in the forest many times at night, through tall arched hallways of regal trees, lit only by the moon up above. In the winter, the moonlight reflects on the snow until it is so bright you can walk almost as easily as in daylight.

I like picturing those moonlit walks as I read this scene of Felix wandering the corridors of the Haven, sometimes believing himself surrounded by trees, sometimes believing he walks in a walled passage lit by pale candles. It's a lovely, moody scene, and I like it well even now!

The sword. Later on we will learn its name. Later on still, we will learn its history. But here, in this scene, we get our first glimpse at Prince Aethelbald's sword. The sword which can slay dragons . . .

Felix, of course, wants to know right away why Aethelbald does not carry it even now and venture forth on a dragon-slaying quest. But Dame Imraldera, who has served the Prince of Farthestshore for a long time (centuries, as we later learn), has learned that his time is not her time . . . and that his time is always best. So she gently leads Felix away.

The roar behind the wall. This is a frightening little bit. We never learn what it might be, snuffling at the wall of the Haven, seeking a way in. Something "inhuman yet not quite animal." By not seeing it, we are more frightened of it, even as Felix is. But they are safe, as Imraldera tells him, within the walls of the Haven, which nothing can breach without the Prince's leave.

The gorges of Southlands. A number of important firsts occur in this chapter! We see the sword, we here of the little "pricks" that pester Felix as he walks in the Haven, and we also see the gorges of Southlands. We never learn why these are important in this book, but this distinctive aspect of Southlands' landscape is a vital part of the later storytelling. So keep an eye on those gorges and don't forget them as you read on in the series! Or those fantastic bridges spanning them either . . . .

The palace of her nightmares. Una, flying into Southlands, sees the Eldest's House in person for the first time, and she recognizes it. The dragon-ravaged house she had seen and hated in her nightmares. But does it deserve its sorry fate? Any more than Oriana did?

But Una's dragon spirit cannot think or feel as the soft-hearted girl Una might. She knows only that she must find Lionheart, and learn whether or not he has forgotten her.

The scale-covered arm. This chapter ends with Una's second transformation back into her human form. But this time, one of her arms is covered in dragon scales. She has lost so much more of her humanity, and the dragon inside is beginning to show even in her mortal form.

My Personal Favorite Lines

1. Trees stood on either side like walls in a corridor, and moonlight shone on the path like a carpet unrolling at his feet. Felix followed it. Tiny pricks touched his arms and face like biting bugs. He slapped at empty air, and the little pricks stopped. He followed the moonlight, his fevered eyes scanning the trees and the arch of branches over his head. Stars glimmered between the branches like candles in sconces. He could not tell whether he walked in a forest or in a grand manor house. (p. 247)

Questions on the Text

1. If the sword Felix found in the Haven can indeed slay dragons, why do you think Aethelbald has not used it already?

2. What kind of creature do you think might have been trying to get into the Haven that evening? And why? (There's no "right" or "wrong" answer to this question . . . this is where you get to write the story!)

3. Any favorite lines?

Read-along: Chapter 24

Hello, my dears! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday, surrounded by those you love and the beauty of the season. Rohan and I had a lovely time. We hosted a small party on Christmas Eve, cooking a fabulous meal (courtesy of Rohan) and a dessert (courtesey of yours truly). I made a Tiramisu Toffee Torte, and it turned out remarkably well! And Rohan gave a dramatic reading from A Christmas Carol, to the delight of all. It was very lovely.

We are now continuing our read-along. I've realized that there is no way we are going to finish before the end of December, having only just come to Chaper 24 out of 39. But that's okay! We'll just continue on into January until we're through.

I think, for the sake of sanity, I'm going to stop doing weekly giveaways. I'm simply scrambling around to keep up with all of these packages to mail out! However, there is still going to be a big giveaway opportunity. On the last day of the read-along, those of you who continued commenting will be entered in a Grand Giveaway to win all three books--Veiled Rose, Moonblood, and Starflower at once!

So those who won last week will get their prizes soon, and the rest of you keep on commenting for a chance to win the Grand Prize. Sound good?

Oh, and here's a bit of Christmas cheer, sent from talented artist, Hannah! I thought you would all enjoy it.

 From left to right: Sir Oeric, Beana, Lionheart, Varvare, Aethelbald, Una, Felix, Imraldera, Eanrin, Iubdan, and Bebo.
And now, back to the story!

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Una in the farmer's field. I'd actually forgotten about this scene, just after Una flees Oriana in her dragon form. The agony of her transformation, the burning inside, and the wound at her neck, is all very gruesome and sad. But more sad still, the reaction of those who find her in the field.

Can you imagine how terrifying it must have been for the little child? Walking in a familiar field around her home, and suddenly coming upon the gnarled and awful form of a dragon, lying sprawled out and smoking. I cannot conceive of how frightening it must have been!

But how much more frightening for Una . . . to discover herself to be, indeed, an object of abject terror.

You can really see the dragon side of her taking over in this scene as well when the fire inside her things, "Mindless creatures. I should burn them all!"

But she still has enough of herself inside, not entirely burned away. So for now, she does not destroy and ravage. But it's only a matter of time . . . .

Once more a girl. So we learn at the end of this scene that the transformation into dragon form is not permanent. She still returns to her human shape. Alone, cold, on winter night, lying in a stream.

Fidel, alone in the dark. The dragon smoke that had poisoned Fidel a few nights before is still deep in his lungs. And as he sits in darkness, knowing his daughter is lost . . . and then learns that his son is lost as well, presumed dead . . . we can see the poison eating him alive.

Una in Beauclair. I have a vivid memory of composing this scene! It was another one that I wrote by hand while sitting out in the forest. This time, I was sitting on my own little plank bridge, and rain was coming on. It was a summer rain, and not cold like that which Una experiences in this scene. But that probably inspired the gloomy atmosphere. It also meant I had to get up and hurry back home before my pages were ruined! But I got through the bulk of the scene while sitting out there, and ran home and finished it up quickly on the computer.

Inspiration. It's a little bit random, honestly, bringing Gervais back in this late in the game. But I decided to add it in because of a comment I got on the original short-story version of Heartless that I posted on my blog earlier that year. Someone had suggested that, as the climax to the story, I should have the jester-prince show up and try to hunt the princess, mistaking her for the original dragon.

It was such a chilling and depressing suggestion!

I could really do that in the novel version, however, having a very different plan in mind for Prince Lionheart. But I still liked the idea, and I thought it would be interesting to see Una's former suitor, Prince Gervais, show up on the scene and try to kill her.

The scene is made all the worse for the fact that he doesn't even recognize her in her human form! Here she pleads with him for help and shelter, but he just shrugs her off. She's obviously not dressed up in princess garments, and he obviously cared nothing for her to begin with. She's just a random girl, and he doesn't care at all.

Then, of course, she overhears his plan to try to hunt the Dragon up in Parumvir and win himself a bounty. Such a foolish man! As if this was even remotely a possibility. But he's desperate for money, and still more desperate to not have to marry the "widow," whoever she might be.

And poor Una, overhearing all of this, is cut to the quick. How quickly she was forgotten! How little she mattered to begin with.

Una flames.  In the violence that ensues upon the innkeeper discovering her lurking, Una begins to transform back into a dragon. She tries to fight it, but the fury at being so completely forgotten by Prince Gervais is too much for her. The fire roars to life and spills from her mouth, and she would kill him . . .

If not for the silver voice of the wood thrush that returns suddenly to her mind. And gentle words asking, "Una, where are you?"

My Personal Favorite Line

1. This time of year, all one could expect in Beauclair was rain, rain, and more rain, with the occasional sleet for added interest. It put everyone in such a sour mood that even friends refused to make eye contact with friends. (p. 235)

Questions on the Text.

1. Were you surprised to learn that Una was not permanently trapped in the form of a dragon? What do you make of this switch back and forth between her two forms?

2. When Una whispers, "Please don't forget . . . ." who is she talking to do you think?

3. Favorite lines?

Read-along: Chapter 23

Merry Christmas Eve! It's been a fun journey with you through the holiday season, and things are really "heating up," so to speak, right here on the brink of Christmas. Sadly, we'll have to take a little break on Christmas day itself, so poor Una is going to spend her holidays in quite an awful plight . . . .

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Una transformed. This is one of the shortest chapters in the book . . . so, this will be one of the shortest write-ups as well! But there are exciting things going on here. We see Una in the first few moments of her transformation, flailing in the rubble and burning from the inside out. And we learn at last the true purpose behind the Dragon's urge to find her.

Procreation. So the Dragon procreates in a similar method to vampires and werewolves. His kind are not "born" but "created"  out of already living things. In later books, we learn that he doesn't just make dragons out of mortals, but out of immortals too, giving these dragons slightly different abilities. The Dragonwitch, for instance, was once a Faerie queen, so she is gifted (as all Faerie kings and queens are in this world) with three lives.

This book, which is the introduction to the series, focuses primarily on this one transformation of this one character, however.

Spirit unbound. Unlike vampire and werewolf mythology (because I'm not a huge fan of the current werewolf/vampire craze, so I do want to point out the dissimilarity), Una is transformed into a dragon because, deep down inside, that's what she truly was. The  Dragon claims that he has "released" her, not merely transformed her.

Five years. The Dragon again mentions searching for Una these last five years (since Monster came to guard her, you'll notice). But there was more going on in this particular time frame. The Dragon was also in Southlands for five years, during Lionheart's exile. If he was searching for Una, what was he doing down so far south for so long?

Well, you'll have to pick up Veiled Rose  to learn that secret . . . .

Una, ferocious. Once more, Una demonstrates that she is not just the weak-willed little princess. When it comes to her family, Una can have quite the ferocious side. She is fiercely protective, even when her fierceness is to no avail. For when the monstrous Dragon rises up to breathe fire upon King Fidel's approaching forces, Una attacks him, breathing fire in his face and clawing at him with her talons. She is hopelessly unmatched, but in that heated moment, she does not care. She believes her brother is dead, and she, even in the first heat of her new fire, does not want to lose her father as well.

 But the Dragon is brutal in his response, and savages his young "offspring," tearing at her scales and burning with his fire.

My kin. I find the moment when the Dragon tells Una that he is now all her kinfolk very chilling. Especially in light of the vicious savagery he has just shown her.

She's lost. And the chapter ends on that dreadful moment when Fidel realizes that everything Prince Aethelbald had warned him of has come to pass. Una has suffered a fate worse than death. She has become the very child of Death.

And on that horror-filled note . . . Merry Christmas Eve to all of you! Hope this didn't depress you too badly. Go drink some eggnog and listen to some cheerful Christmas music while sitting and smelling your Christmas tree. It'll fix it!

And do have a lovely holiday. As said above, I'll probably notget a chance to do the chapter write-up for tomorrow, but I'll be back on Boxing Day to find out what happens to our poor, beleaguered princess. Christmas hugs and kisses to all of you!

My Personal Favorite Lines

 He rose like a black sun, fire pouring from his gaping mouth, and the army halted. Screams filled the air, both from Parumvir's men and those of Shippening. King Fidel's horn sounded again, and the army moved forward once more, but the Dragon's shadow fell upon their hearts.
The Dragon circled them, a vast vulture, as the fire grew inside him that his black scales glowed red and flames leapt from the corners of his eyes. (p. 228)


Questions on the Text

1. The Dragon tells Una that he has not transformed her but "released" her to be what she truly was all along. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why or why not?

2. Favorite lines?

Read-along Weekly Winners!

It's that time again! The week's winners have been selected, and these three lovely ladies will be receiving autographed copies of these novels:


Caitlyn -- Veiled Rose

Rebekah -- Moonblood

Little Brown Sparrow -- Starflower

Congratulations, girls! Email me your mailing addresses here: aestengl@gmail.com, and I will send your winnings off to you shortly.

And the rest of you, be sure to keep commenting. I'll be selecting winners for at least one more week!

Read-along: Chapter 22

Check back later today to see if you won a free book!

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

A favorite! Oh, hoorah. This chapter introduces one of my favorite characters in the series! Lovely Dame Imraldera, Lady of the Haven. I was writing stories about her several years before Heartless came into being, so of course I wanted to give her a role in this novel. It's not a very big role, but you do have to love her as she ministers to young Prince Felix.

The Between. This scene with Felix waking up from poison-filled fever is our first glimpse at the Between: that realm that separates the Far World of Faerie from the Near World of Mortals, and is part of both and neither.

This is represented in the room in which Felix lies. At first, he believes he's looking at a ceiling painted with a lovely mural. But then he believes that the mural is in fact real, and leaves lace a blue sky above his head. Both are true at the same time. This is very difficult for a mortal mind to grasp, however!

Una and the Dragon. I feel that this conversation between Una and the Dragon is the real heart of this novel. It is the crucial turning point of everything, the moment to which all the rest of the story, both before and after, points. In the original short story version of Heartless (which can be read HERE ), this conversation was the most important and flesh-out moment. It was after writing this conversation that the rest of the story began to take shape in my mind.

Really, the whole book that is Heartless was written because of my desire to couch this scene in a context. It's just such a horrible scene of Una's sin, reflected in the voice and eyes of the Dragon, tearing her to pieces from the inside out.

Yes, this scene went through revisions. It was not one that I was able to get exactly right the first time. I worked it and reworked it and reworked it again. But I always knew what it neededto be. And I feel that, of all the scenes in this book, this is the most successful.

Interesting to note. Una receives more negative reviews from readers than any other character I ever wrote . . . including Lionheart, surprisingly enough! People can't stand her for being weak. And I find it interesting to note that the Dragon hurls the same abuse on her that she receives from those critical readers. "Not what he mistook you for, are you? Look at you--a crying, sniveling wretch, dirty and ugly. A princess? Hardly."

Una is not the tough, plucky warrior maiden. She's not the girl who will grab a sword and defeat this dragon with her own strength and courage. She's not stunningly beautiful so that every man in the book is falling over himself for love (or lust) of her. She's not what modern audiences expect of a heroine.

And boy, does she know it. And boy, do I know it! Every word of the Dragon pierces her heart, just as the critical slams of reviewers pierce mine. Both of us, as seek our own self-worth from the wrong sources, find ourselves battered down and defeated before such attacks.

Worthless. Dull. Spineless, etc.

But that's why I am still glad, despite those reviews, that I wrote Una as I did. Because she is honest. She is a real reflection of me, of you. And her story is a real reflection of our stories.

Because the Dragon's words may be true . . . but they aren't the whole truth.

The ring. As proof of his words, the Dragon shows Una the very opal ring she had given Lionheart to help him in his quest. The ring her mother gave her, the ring which symbolizes her heart.

And Lionheart gave it up. It now rests in the Dragon's claw.

Fidel. We see Fidel readying himself for one last, desperate attempt to rescue his daughter. He is determined, despite their weakness, to do what he can. I cannot blame him, though I also feel for General Argus, trying so hard to reason with his king!

And Fidel does not yet know what has befallen his son . . .

Una rejects comfort. We know that Una is truly lost in the poison when she rejects the sunlight and the song of the wood thrush, from which she has taken comfort up until this point. She does not recognize it for the only thread of safety remaining to her.

My Personal Favorite Lines

1. The Dragon settled himself comfortably, adjusting his vast wings to wall her in on both sides, intensifying the heat. "Now, little mouthful," he said, "tell me about your jester-prince." (p. 221)

She lost herself in reverie, and although her skin gleamed with sweat in the dragon heat, Una felt cool and distant. (p. 222)

"And so he asked you to trust him."
"Yes, and I do trust him."
"And you gave him your heart."
"My heart is his."
"But he never gave his in return."
Una's lips parted. No words came out.
The Dragon lifted his head and barked a great laugh. "Foolish girl, what kind of exchange was that? You gave him your heart for nothing, and now you have nothing, do you?" (p. 222)

She fell upon her bed and cried as she had never cried before. With each tear that fell, Una felt her soul shrivel. (p. 224)

Questions on the Text

1. What are your thoughts on the symbol of the Dragon "kissing" Una to transform her? What do you think this means?

2. At what point did you believe the Dragon? At what point did you believe that Lionheart had actually betrayed Una and abandoned her?

3. What do you think the sunlight and the wood thrush's song represents during these scenes of Una's captivity?

4. Who among you was taken by surprise by Una's transformation? Had you guessed what was coming for her?

5. Favorite lines?

Read-along: Chapter 21

Tomorrow I'll be picking three more winners of autographed copies of my novels! If you want to be eligible, be sure to go back and leave a comment for each day of the week. You could win Veiled Rose, Moonblood, or Starflower!

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

A door slammed. I literally just minutes ago read a selection of A Christmas Carol out loud to my Rohan. We're trying to pick a selection for a dramatic reading at our Christmas Eve party, and I was suggesting the bit where Marley's ghost arrives. Which, interestingly enough, includes a terrible moment with Mr. Scrooge hears the cellar door slam, way down below.

Now, reading this bit in Heartless, I wonder if I was  unconsciously inspired by A Christmas Carol? I had read it a few times before writing this novel, though not for a while. But it's such a chilling scene! It gives me shivers just to think of it . . . being alone in a house that you know should be empty. Then hearing a door slam below.

SQUEEEEEEEK!

It's terrifying. And I think that mood comes across here with poor Una, covered in ash, sitting in the evening-cast shadows of her room, studying her pale features in the glass. All is silence. All is stillness. And then . . . slam!

So perhaps we can count that as a literary nod.

A sad story. So I can never read this selection of Heartlesswithout both grinning and groaning a little bit. You see, I had to write this scene twice.

I was on the third draft of this manuscript when I decided to add in this particular scene of Una fleeing through her own house from the Dragon (we presume). It's one of the more haunting scenes in the book I think because of that play of the familiar against the dreaded unfamiliar. I wanted to capture the true horror of Una's imprisonment, and the ghostly quality of her existence here in what was once her home.

So I wrote it all late one night, by low lamplight. And I had just put the final touches on the scene when . . . . 

My computer restarted.

Restarted, and didn't save a dragon-eaten thing.

Having no Rohan in my life at that time to call upon in an hour of technological need, I did what I could, but to no avail. The scene was lost. The door slam. The chase through the house. The descent into the dungeons. The reveal of the Duke. Everything. Gone. All that work! All that suspense!

I retired that night in high dudgeon. And I woke the next day with a raging cold and fever.

Here's the thing: I don't work well with a cold. But I do, oddly enough, work very well with a fever. So I sat around feeling sorry for myself most of the day, trying to decide whether or not life was worth living, whether or not it was worth the bother to recreate the scene, and who was going to read the dragon-blasted thing anyway, and where are the tissues, and life is missrabub (that's how it's pronounced with a cold).

But then, low and behold: my friend Edward wrote to me out of the blue. Edward has been my beta reader (reader of early drafts) for several years now. He is a archive librarian and was just finishing up his studies then. On that particular miserable day, he wrote and told me that he was very interested in reading my manuscript when it was through, and would I be able to send it on soon?

Motivation struck.

Knowing that at least one reader in the world was interested in seeing how this story played out, I sat down, tissues to the left of me, mug of tea to the right, and began to rewrite the exact same scene I had written the day before. This was already pretty late in the evening, and it was quite dark in my room. I wrote by the light of the computer itself and one low lamp.

Una's  Reflection. Pretty soon, I found myself engrossed in the story, in the darkness and the haunting suspense of Una fleeing (for a second time) through the lonely halls of Oriana. The fever raged in my veins and, like I said, oddly filled me with a potency of writing-excitement that counterbalanced the sluggishness of the cold. I was on fire! I was writing the scene far better than I had the night before!

I glanced over my shoulder and screamed.

Yup. That's right. I screamed out loud. Because, you see, in my fevered excitement, I'd gotten so caught up in my work, so unaware of my surroundings, that when I happened to glance to the side and see my own reflection in the mirror, it totally startled the daylights out of me.

So you'll notice that I added the big where Una is startled by her own reflection in honor of that fevered evening.

It's funny how some of the scenes in this novel really stand out to me with clear memories of the original writing. But this novel was such an important event in my life, so it's little wonder, I suppose.

Somewhere overhead, a door slammed. I love the ongoing suspense of someone pursuing Una through the house. For most of this scene, she is completely alone save for her candle and her own reflection. She scurries here and scurries there, and I detail her progress far more thoroughly than I usually do to create a drawn-out sense of flight. It is easy, as in the moment when she enters her father's study, to begin thinking she is alone, that she might even be safe.

But then, the second slamming door, echoing through the empty halls of Oriana, reminds us that she is pursued in the dark. Someone is looking for her.

It's a really creepy scene! Honestly, this might have my vote for the most frightening scene in the book.

Flight in the dark. Una drops her candle on the stairway, and rings and clatters as it falls. Surely, her pursuer must have heard that sound, silent as the rest of Oriana is. Part of me wishes Una had backed up and found somewhere else to hide. She is only dead-ending herself! But I can't imagine I would have done any better than she at this moment. I am so horribly afraid of the dark myself, and I bet a panic attack would have addled my wits! I don't know if Una is as afraid of the dark as I am, but she has breathed a lot of dragon-smoke by this time. So she continues stumbling down in the dark, trying to reach the imagined safety of her father's storerooms.


Assumptions. This scene also plays on our assumptions. Based on the earlier chapter when Una realizes that the Dragon can enter the house and has been inside, we assume that she is pursued by the Dragon now. Somehow, I think it makes it worse to discover that it was Duke Shippening all along! Duke Shippening, who is determined to steal Una and make her his wife. We don't know what plans the Dragon may have for her, but it is a strange relief (a horrible relief) when the Dragon appears on this scene and stops Duke Shippening from taking Una. In this moment, the Dragon acts as hero . . . and thereby becomes so much more hideous a villain!

Una's heartbreak. I believe the information that her brother was killed contributed significantly to Una's deterioration. She continues even after this to cling to the idea that Lionheart will return. But now that she believes her brother dead, what does it even matter?

Comfort. But still, comfort is sent through the smoke and the ash in the form of that single beam of sunlight and the silver song of the wood thrush, singing.

But the poison sinks deeper, and the chapter ends with the Dragon calling Una out to speak to him. To tell him her story . . . .

My Personal Favorite Lines

1. So it was either play cat-and-mouse through the dark halls of Oriana or sit like a rabbit in a trap. (p. 210)

2. Every sound was dreadful to her, even her own breath coming in tiny puffs. (p. 210)

3. This hall also had a row of tall windows, and she turned her face away from them, not liking to see her own pale figure tiptoeing in the reflected world beside her. (p.211)

4. Una paused with her hand on the latch. How she longed to stay there, in the comfort of her father's study! If only she dared crawl into his big chair and curl up there, breathing in his smell. Perhaps it would be enough? Perhaps she didn't dare those dark halls again? (p. 212)

5. As though in a dream, she felt she could not run fast enough; weights pulled her feet back, restraining her. (p. 213)

6. She felt the heat, the horrible heat, emanating from the Dragon's body as she passed him. She proceeded up the long stairs, in an upward journey that seemed an eternity. The Dragon followed soundlessly. (p. 215)

7. With an effort she pushed herself to her feet and crossed her room, kneeling at last in the little circle of light. She tilted her black-smeared face, and tears rolled down her cheeks. She caught them on her hands and watched them trail through the grime. More teras came, and more. She leaned forward, her hair hanging in tangles about her, and sobbed desperate and awful sobs. (p. 216)

8. But as the day wore on, the poison in the air drove thoughts of her brother into deeper recesses of her mind, removing all good memories and leaving only the pain of loss. She shook her head violently, pressing her burned hands against her temples. (p. 217)

Questions on the Text

1. Do you think the door-slamming sequence counts as a literary nod? Or does a literary nod need to be more consciously done than that?

2. Which scene in the book, so far, has your vote for the most frightening? Or, if you've already read to the end, which scene in the entire book is the most frightening to you?

3. What were your favorite lines?

Read-along: Chapter 20

I'm going to try to answer all your questions down below! But if I forgot one of you, do forgive me and feel free to repeat your question in the comments.

CHAPTER 20

Where Monster went. And now we learn where Monster disappeared to after seeing Felix and Fidel safely into Dompstead. Somewhere deep in the Wood Between, he brings word to Prince Aethelbald of the doings in Oriana. And the poor cat apologizes for not saving Una! Really, what on earth could he have done against the Dragon? But after five-plus years of guarding Una, it must be very hard on Monster to see the doom they've been fearing all along fall at last. So Aethelbald sends Monster back to Goldstone Hill to watch Oriana and learn what he can.

Una's dream. Una has a strange dream-vision of herself on an empty plain, and she sees a tall, faceless figure striding toward her. "My love!" she cries . . . and then sees that the figure carries a sword in his hand. A sword intended for her.

Foreshadowing?

The wood thrush's song. For the first time in a while, the wood thrush returns to the story. In the midst of ash and nightmares, it sings to Una, falling upon her with a ray of clean, brilliant sunlight. A momentary relief from the darkness the Dragon has brought, but a true relief. A ministering voice in her torment.

And once more Una whispers, "He will come." Whispering the lines of a strange song to herself, she insists that "He will come." But who does she mean?

Felix on the North Road. Felix does not want to be sent away when his father and sister are still in danger. Trying to muster what manly command he can, he tries to stop Captain Janus and turn their party around. But, sadly, he's only a prince in name at the moment. So poor Felix is forced to continue on in company with these men who are practically strangers, on a road he does not know, to an uncertain safety.

And suddenly, they realize that they are being pursued . . . .

Captain Janus. Here I included a little literary joke. Possibly not a very good one, but it tickled me at the time. Janus is the two-faced Roman god, and I thought it would be funny to name this character Janus since he proves to be two-faced in  a way himself. Not that the real Captain Janus is a traitor. Indeed, the real Janus was killed at some point and time we do not know. But this Captain Janus turns out to be a servant of the Dragon, and is definitely two-faced!

So, a little joke for those who get it. Maybe a bit of a stretch . . . .

Felix flees into Goldstone Wood along with Captain Janus and soon becomes lost, separated from everyone else. The wood grows thickly here, making it difficult for Felix to flee, and he is constantly extracting himself from various bramble snarls. This tends to be my experience with forests. In most novels and movies, fleeing through a forest is a much simpler and more dramatic matter. In reality, there's an awful lot of undergrowth to contend with! And at night, without a light-source, there's only so much you can do about it. Felix is probably as irritated as he is scared at this point!

And then, he hears Captain Janus calling.

The sword trick. You knew Felix would have to have a chance to show off the fencing skills he learned from Prince Aethelbald. I mean, this is fiction. Things have to come back around!

And when Captain Janus--or whoever this traitor is--reveals his true colors, Felix suddenly finds himself fighting for his life! Not against a servant of the duke as Felix first assumes, but against an honest-to-goodness dragon!

The Dragon King was true to his word (this time) and sent "one of his own" to help the duke track down Prince Felix.

Poison. Felix manages to fend off his attacker at first, surprising "Janus" with unexpected skill. But then the dragon leaps upon him, clawing into his shoulder, filling our favorite young prince with poison. All would be up for Felix if not for . . .

Our hero. Hoorah! Prince Aethelbald returns! And obviously has some sort of history with this dragon, who flees the moment he recognizes the Prince of Farthestshore.

My Personal Favorite Lines

1. If there was one thing Felix had learned in all his years as Prince of Parumvir, it was that being a prince brought no advantages whatsoever. (p. 204)

Questions on the Text

1. In Una's dream or the armed figure on the empty plain, do you think she sees Prince Lionheart or Prince Aethelbald?

2. I'm fighting a cold, so I'm having trouble thinking up a good question, so I'll just skip here to, "Favorite lines?"

Reader Questions

1. "Is there a chance the duke reforms later on?" -- Beka

Not even a little one! But then, would we really want a character so odious to reform? Really?

2. "Speaking of literary nods, I think I saw one toward the end of Heartless, but should I wait to reveal what I think until we get there?" -- Jennette

No, I'm super curious now! What literary nod did you spy?

3. "Could the Dragon have gotten into Oriana's Palace if Una hadn't invited him in?" -- Meredith

I think he could have. He did get into the Eldest's House in Veiled Rose without an invitation. I think he simply wanted to prove his strength by making Una invite him.

4. "I was wondering, though this has to do with Veiled Rose. What happened to the ring Lionheart gave to Rose Red to show that she was in his service when he was about to leave to his exile? I'm just curious, and I completely understand if you did not wish to answer. Thank you so much." -- AC

Good question! You know, I don't think I ever dealt with that. I saw that ring as merely serving one purpose--verifying Rose Red's role as Lionheart's servant--and when that purpose failed her with the Baron of Middlecrescent, it ceased to be important. Now I kind of wish I'd used it for more than that! Perhaps as a parallel to Una's ring . . . . But, sadly, I never even thought of that. Sorry to disappoint. Maybe I'll bring it back in a later book, now that you've put the idea in my head.

5. "And how do you pronounce Leonard, by the way. LEO-nard, or LEN-ARD?" -- Rebekah

I've always pronounced it "Len-ard," but "Leo-nard" probably makes more sense considering "Leo" was his childhood nickname. So I officially give you permission to pronounce it however you see fit!

6. "In this chapter Una is called Princess Tidbit. Does this name and your Friday's posts have any connection?" -- Caitlyn

Actually, no. I never even thought of that! But it's a cute idea, so maybe I'll pretend they are connected . . . . I think I just like the word "tidbit." It's a fun word to say! And it's particularly funny to think of my vast and monstrous Dragon using that word. *shiver*

7. "I think Ralph Fiennes could play this character [the Dragon] well, although someone younger might be better. What do you all think?" -- Meredith

Oooh, I think that would be an excellent casting choice! Well done, Meredith!

8. "I just noticed this, but does the fact that Janus is the two-faced Roman god of the gates have anything to do with Captain Janus' identity?" -- Anna C.

I think I might have answered this one in the text above! Good job spotting it though, Anna. Clever!

9. "I've always wondered if there was an inner reason why almost EVERYONE in Parumvir has Latin names? Una, Felix, Fidel, Janus... to name a few." -- Rebekah

Good question! The reason for this is to create a sense of national continuity. Just like all the names in Beauclair are French-based, and all the names in Southlands are . . . whatever those are. English-based, I suppose. I don't invent my own languages, so I try to find other means to keep a sense of continuity within the various cultures I've created. In Noorhitam, the various people-groups have Malaysian, Cambodian, and Thai-based names. And even the goblins of Arpiar have Armenian-based names.

"Parumvir" itself is based on the Latin words for "small" and "man," the importance of which will be revealed in a later book . . . .

I chose Latin-based names for Parumvir purely because "Una" is Latin. Una was the princess in the classic St. George and the Dragon story, where she, like my Una, represented the church (though in a very different manner). I wanted to catch onto that literary symbol and representation. Plus I really just love the name! In fact, if my husband and I are ever blessed with a daughter, we've already decided that she will be "Una." It's just so pretty and has so many lovely, classical connotations!

Read-along: Chapter 19

A quick apology to all of you patient readers and commentators: So sorry for not answering all of your most excellent questions these last few days! I do hope to catch up on them soon, but alas, life at Rooglewood has been a little extra busy this last week, and I'm doing good to keep up with the read-along itself. Maybe this weekend I'll get a chance to catch up on them. Do be patient with me!

And continue to comment and leave questions. There will be three winners of books drawn at the end of the week!

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Poor Felix. As soon as prince arrives safely in Dompstead, he is separated from both his father and Monster! His father is whisked away to be treated for dragon-poison, and Monster leaps from his shoulders and vanishes into the night. Now we, of course, knowing that Monster is also Sir Eanrin, a knight of Farthestshore, probably figure he's off to attend to his knightly duties. But as far as Felix knows, it's just his sister's pet cat, running away into the unknown night. I think how I would feel if one of my darling pets ran off into the night like that! After all the rest of the stress and terror of that evening, I think that would just be the final straw. I'd probably poke out the eye of anyone who tried to stop me from following him!

Felix, however, allows himself to be dragged away into the fort.

Captain Janus. The only person who shows Felix any consideration is the young officer, Captain Janus, who brings him a stool to sit on as Felix waits outside his father's sickroom door. Keep an eye on that Captain Janus . . . he'll come back into the story in another chapter or two . . . .

Dragon Poison. After a long night of waiting, Felix learns that they are treating his father for dragon poisoning. His father did have a much closer encounter with the Dragon than most of those in the palace, including their tussle at the dinner table. Whatever amount he breathed in is dealing harshly inside him.

Can you imagine how badly poisoned Una must be by this time if Fidel is suffering so after so brief an encounter?

Irony. I do think it's pretty funny when Felix considers Bard Eanrin, who wrote The Bane of Corrilond epic poem. Bard Eanrin whom Felix had just carried draped over his shoulder that night! HA!

And yet another reference to the Bane of Corrilond. You can bet she's going to be important!

Fidel's gruffness. Yet again, Fidel is surprisingly rough with his son. When he comes to from his poison-induced state, he immediately demands to know where General Argus is and sends Felix off to find him. He states later on in the next scene that he sent Felix away to distract him, knowing that the boy had probably been sitting outside his door, stewing all night. But it still comes across very gruff! I wonder if that might have something to do with the poison. Or just simply Fidel's fear in this dreadful situation. I can't blame him, but I do wish he would be a little gentler on the boy . . .

Out of the Wood. We learn in the scene between Fidel and Argus that Shippening's army came out of Goldstone Wood itself! This should be impossible. Shippening is far south of Parumvir, and an army that size should have been spotted long before it could have reached Goldstone Wood. But somehow, the duke and his men crossed unnoticed.

It can only be by evil magic.

He warned me. Fidel's mind is full of the warnings with which Prince Aethelbald left him. And when Argus suggests that Una might already have perished,  Fidel answers with the dreadful comment, "That would be almost too much to hope for."

Foreshadowing!!!

A tiny scene. That short little scene with Una was another one from the original manuscript. If I wrote the book now, I probably wouldn't have included it, figuring that it interrupted the narrative of Fidel and Felix. But you know, that's one of the reasons I'm glad that I didn't write the book now. While I am a better writer now than I was at age 21--sounder at narrative construction, etc.--I think some of my natural instincts as a less-experienced writer worked well here. This short little scene with Una, following on the heels of her father's cryptic comments, is rather haunting. The imagery of her, hollow-eyed as she brushes her hair and tells herself that Leonard hasn't forgotten her . . . well, it's actually quite spooky! And I like it.

All that to say, you writers out there who cringe at your old work, don't be hard on your former writer-self. Yes, we grow in our craft. And we improve. But sometimes those untutored instincts are more real and raw than the polish we achieve later on. Sometimes. Not always. But sometimes.

Worth. Una asks herself, "How can I be worthy of his love if I do not trust him now?" She's thinking of Leonard, of course. But the whole theme of worth is an important one in Una's story. Earlier, she wondered if she wasn't "worth" Gervais's love. And now, she's determined to prove her own worth to herself when it comes to Prince Lionheart's love.

But, given what is to come, we all know that Una ultimately cannot prove worthy. No matter how she might try.

Felix is sent north. I appreciate that Felix tried to find Monster! I feel so bad for the forlorn young prince, pushed around and ignored in the midst of all these great doings. He's not old enough to be counted part of battle plans, but he's important enough to be hastened off to safety. The poor boy must be completely overwhelmed and worried sick about his sister! So he tries to find Monster and can't even succeed in that. I really feel for Felix in this scene.

My Personal Favorite Line:

1. Yet he neither died nor turned evil but was a hero who figured in a hundred tales, most of which he had written. (p. 195) LOL. Ah, Eanrin, how we love you . . . 

Questions on the Text

1. When Fidel made his comment, "That would be almost too much to hope for," what did you think he meant when you first read the novel? Could you guess at this point what was in store for Princess Una?

2. Why do you think Fidel was so harsh on Prince Felix in these scenes?

3. Favorite lines?

Read-along: Chapter 18

Don't forget to leave comments! Everyone who leaves a comment for each day of the week will be entered in a name-drawing at the end of the week. You could win a copy of Veiled Rose, Moonblood, or Starflower! And yes, you can go back and leave comments on days that you missed, no worries.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Una wakes up imprisoned. Another scene that remained very similar to the way I originally wrote it.  Most of the scenes between Una and the Dragon worked really well the first time around because they were so clear in my mind. And I could really picture how it would be to wake up in this new, horrible, ash-covered world that was once home. What a nightmare!

But this time, it is no nightmare. The Dragon is real. The Dragon is present.

Under the bed. I really believe this moment when Una wakes up and finds herself under her bed. When I thought through how it must be for her, following the Dragon's revelation of his horrible, three-story form, this just made sense! She shut the door on the Dragon and fled back to her own rooms. Somehow, we always think our own rooms will be "safe." But even there, her windows look out upon destruction, and I'm sure her ears are ringing with the sounds of fire and fear.

So the poor princess, her lungs full of dragon smoke, her heart pounding with terror, crawled under her own bed and curled up there in a shivering ball. All alone.

Silence. After the cacophony of the night before, the silence of Oriana Palace must be so horrifying, so jarring. So full of the threat of the Dragon . . . This scene really makes me shudder, reading it now.

Panic. All right, maybe "real" heroines of modern stories don't have panic attacks. But I do think this is an honest reaction. And if there is one thing I strive for in the midst of my outlandish fairy tales and fantasies, it is a sense of underlying honesty. I want the emotions to be real. Not "fictionalized" emotions, the types of feelings and reactions we only see in fictional characters. Real people know real fear.

And a young girl, no more than eighteen years old, who has lived a sheltered, comfortable sort of life without ever a threat of danger, suddenly finding herself alone in her own house, uncertain of her family's fate, held captive by an evil more enormous than all nightmares can conjure . . . well, I think she would panic. I think she would lose what little self-control remains and give in to hysterics, if only for a moment.

But she doesn't stay there. She does eventually pull herself together and go seeking answers. Maybe she doesn't grab a sword and try to go get herself fried by a foe far too great. But Una does demonstrate some honest heroism even so.

The Duke and the Dragon. This scene between Duke Shippening and the Dragon was added into a later draft, probably about draft three. For the first two drafts, I really didn't bring Duke Shippening back into the story. But I really liked his odiousness and thought it would be fun to let him play a larger role. So here he is!

We learn in this scene that the duke is allied with the Dragon . . . and has been for quite some time! We'll learn a little more about that in Veiled Rose. But in this novel, we know at least the Dragon has made the duke some pretty promises, including Una for a wife.

Promises I really don't think the Dragon has anyintention whatsoever of keeping . . 

"She's not ready." When the duke demands that the Dragon hand Una over to him as promised, the Dragon makes this cryptic remark, "She's not ready yet." To which, of course, the duke responds, "What's she got to be ready for?"

But we know, that this is foreshadowing of what's to come for Una. The Dragon is biding his time. He knows that soon enough she will be completely his. But not yet. Not just yet.

The cringing Prince of Southlands. Here, for the first time in several chapters, we hear rumor of Lionheart. From the very mouth of the Dragon!

One of my own. The Dragon promises to help hunt down Prince Felix and King Fidel, sending one of his own. So the way is paved for yet another dragon to come on the scene!

He will come. Una, relieved to know that her family is alive, tells herself again and again that Prince Lionheart will come to save her. Though, yet again, I wonder if a small part of her might not mean Aethelbald when she thinks this. After all, she only says he will come, not Leonard will come. I think there is a subconscious trust in the Prince of Farthestshore, deep down in her heart.

But she must find out what happened to her jester.

Una speaks to the Dragon. Yet again, in light of the horror that is the Dragon, I think Una demonstrates surprising courage when she rushes out and demands word of her jester-prince. She's as weak as a mouse in the Dragon's presence, and his poisons must wreck havoc on her senses. And yet she faces him, despite her terror, and demands answers to her questions. She has some spunk, does our princess of Parumvir!

Your jester is dead. In a weird, twisted sort of way, the Dragon speaks the truth. The jester Una loved is no more. He's been swallowed up in the prince Lionheart has been forced to become. In the choices he has made, the path he has elected to follow. There is no room for a jester upon the throne of a prince.

And the prince has chosen another bride . . .

My Personal Favorite Lines:

"I will send one of my own to help you in your task."
"Swear it!" the duke demanded.
The Dragon showed his fangs in an awful smile. "By the fire in the very marrow of my bones." (p. 189)

He regarded her through red slits of pupils. "See what a well-trained puppy I am, coming at your call?" (p. 190)
"You killed him!"
"I? No, not I," the Dragon said. "No, Prince Lionheart killed your jester." (p. 191)

Questions on the Text

1. So, time to use your imagine. Picture yourself in Una's place. When the Dragon had imprisoned you, and you'd shut the door of Oriana Palace, what would you have done next? How similar would your actions have been to Una's? How dissimilar?

2. When you first heard the Dragon mention Lionheart, did you think the prince was dead? Or did you guess at another possible answer?

3. Favorite lines?