Saturday Sample Excerpt and the reveal for the Name that Character contest
Welcome! This post has a dual purpose. It is this week's Sweet Saturday Sample (click here for the rest of them). The second intent is to reveal of the winning character names for those who participated in the "Name the Character" contest past this week.
This is a very rough bit of a new short story still being written. Please excuse any typos.
~~~
"The red one is mine," he said.
I didn't raise my head although instinct urged me to look up. Father had called me Red. He said I was born screaming, skin deep maroon like the beets in the garden and hair fiery orange like the sun. The man who spoke was not my father.
Arrogant in his size and superior mass, his eyes picked me out of the writhing mass of captives. I glanced at him from beneath my cloak's hood. Early morning sunlight glinted off plain armor and an unadorned helm, yet the unwashed barbarians treated him with the respect due a commander.
The crowd of women around me parted for the soldier fulfilling his order. Mothers moved back with babes in their arms, toddlers clinging to their skirts. Panicked fingers clutched older children's hands or shoulders. A living mass, their voices silenced by the army hemming them in. Their faces spoke eloquently of their fear.
The soldier, smelling of sweat and sour wine, grabbed my left arm and dragged me out from among them. I didn't want to incur harm on the women around us. I allowed him to pull me toward the commander with only minimal resistance.
Once free of the captives, however, I pulled from the man's grip in an attempt to run. Three pairs of rough hands lay hold of my arms before I managed more than three steps. The stench of their unclean bodies turned my stomach. I gagged as I fought them. They dragged me through the dust and dumped me at his feet.
I struggled to my feet only to be brought down again. Pressure behind my knees forced me to kneel.
I lifted my face to glare at the commander.
"Remove her hood."
Someone pulled my cloak half off me in his enthusiasm. Red curls fell free in a wild mass about my shoulders.
Silently I cursed the color. If only I had been blessed with plain brown or even blond tresses, I could have hidden in plain sight.
"My Lady Brielle Solarius, I presume."
~~~
Have I hooked you?
The winners (Aly Mae and Joanna Gommesen) will get an email soon regarding their prize.Thank you, ladies, for a great name for my heroine. "God is my might" and "of the sun" are perfect descriptions.Also, thank you, Abigail, for making me look at Brielle twice.
Thank you all for stopping by. I hope you are enjoying you holiday season. Remember e-books make great gifts. ;)
This is a very rough bit of a new short story still being written. Please excuse any typos.
~~~
"The red one is mine," he said.
I didn't raise my head although instinct urged me to look up. Father had called me Red. He said I was born screaming, skin deep maroon like the beets in the garden and hair fiery orange like the sun. The man who spoke was not my father.
Arrogant in his size and superior mass, his eyes picked me out of the writhing mass of captives. I glanced at him from beneath my cloak's hood. Early morning sunlight glinted off plain armor and an unadorned helm, yet the unwashed barbarians treated him with the respect due a commander.
The crowd of women around me parted for the soldier fulfilling his order. Mothers moved back with babes in their arms, toddlers clinging to their skirts. Panicked fingers clutched older children's hands or shoulders. A living mass, their voices silenced by the army hemming them in. Their faces spoke eloquently of their fear.
The soldier, smelling of sweat and sour wine, grabbed my left arm and dragged me out from among them. I didn't want to incur harm on the women around us. I allowed him to pull me toward the commander with only minimal resistance.
Once free of the captives, however, I pulled from the man's grip in an attempt to run. Three pairs of rough hands lay hold of my arms before I managed more than three steps. The stench of their unclean bodies turned my stomach. I gagged as I fought them. They dragged me through the dust and dumped me at his feet.
I struggled to my feet only to be brought down again. Pressure behind my knees forced me to kneel.
I lifted my face to glare at the commander.
"Remove her hood."
Someone pulled my cloak half off me in his enthusiasm. Red curls fell free in a wild mass about my shoulders.
Silently I cursed the color. If only I had been blessed with plain brown or even blond tresses, I could have hidden in plain sight.
"My Lady Brielle Solarius, I presume."
~~~
Have I hooked you?
The winners (Aly Mae and Joanna Gommesen) will get an email soon regarding their prize.Thank you, ladies, for a great name for my heroine. "God is my might" and "of the sun" are perfect descriptions.Also, thank you, Abigail, for making me look at Brielle twice.
Thank you all for stopping by. I hope you are enjoying you holiday season. Remember e-books make great gifts. ;)
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