The Prize 300 Pages

My exploration into a Ruritanian Romance has reached 300 Pages. Just over 90,000 words. We have reached the latter half of the book where plots in the first half are now coming to fruition. Where the evil factions are get thwarted and our heroes are proving triumphant but with setbacks along the way.

For the month, this being day 8 of writing, I am approaching 50K words and easily achieving a pace of 40K words a week.

Perhaps by the end of the day we will be at a quarter million words for the year.

300 Pages means chapter 3 of The Prize is Not as Great as You Think:

3) A Humble Farm

Gerry was content. Over six feet tall and big in the shoulders he was glad to be home. The family ceremonies, marching in the St. Michael parade, were over for the year and now he could return to his cows and tend the needs of the farm. Blue eyed with sandy brown hair, he was out of his formal clothes, and the ancient uniform that he wore to march in the parade was put away. Even the patent leather shoes with gilt buckles were gone and he wore his second favorite boots.

His father would hate that he had become a farmer, but it was a good life, and the Grand Prince, for all that he was a dictator and did little for many kept the prices on food that the farmers sold strong enough that no farmer who put in a honest days labor would ever starve.

Farmers fed the cities and they were paid for it. Not that a farmer ever wanted all those riches that the city folk had. What would you do with them anyway. There was work in the cites making roads so that these new automobiles could ride on them. His cousin Reginald said he had ordered a Mecedes that could had 35 horsepower. When Gerry had ridden to Steilenberg he had used one horsepower. Maggie was just fine to take him anywhere in the principality. Why look for trouble and try to find someone to sell you gasoline, or could fix one of them tires. Any smith could shoe a horse.

All Reginald could talk of and Athalan was progress and where the country should go once the old Grand Prince died and the shackles he had on the principality were gone. They did not know their own father well enough Gerry was pretty sure. The man was smart enough to have kept them from folly for over thirty years. The last time sixty thousand men had gone to war and twelve thousand had not come back. The next war would be worse and it would probably be fought right in the principality. The Germans wanted to kill the French and the French wanted to kill the Germans.

They could not see that peace was the best. They never would.

Much simpler to like cows and milking. There was a calm when you were in the rhythm of milking a cow. As long as you didn't make the cow mad, and he had the four sweetest cows this side of Splatz, that they never gave him trouble. No, you sat on your stool, puled on the teat and milk came out. Twice a day, and then you had it to take to market, the night before's milking and that morning's. Though that Henry Samuelson was very energetic and now was running a cart late morning to take the milk into town for sale, and in the evening as well. He only charged a penny a liter and that meant a better use of Gerry's time for it saved him two hours a day, each day.

The cows had to be milked every day else they let you know they were not happy. Painful Gerry though. Two days not milked and very painful. Wednesday's though, he took the milk to town himself for then he met friends and had some fresh bread from Pieter the baker. He then sat in the platz and sold some cheese and milk and even a duck or chicken or two, for he had to thin his flock regularly and one man could only eat a bird every other week else Father Guiseppe, all the way from Italy, would scold him for being a glutton.

He had a good life and had urged Reginald to marry and produce a son or three so that he would no longer be heir to Reginald. Cousin Athalan laughed and laughed. Finally he shared the joke with Gerry who had to chuckle as well. Everyone wanting Reginald to marry. Well it was time. He was over thirty now and soon he would be Grand Prince. That was sure.

"So, another trip to the capital. I heard that young Samuelson looked after your farm when you were away," Pieter said.

"He is a good lad. A very good lad, I don't know that he makes a decent living at this carting nonsense or will ever make anything of himself and save enough for a farm, but he is honest, eh, and has that smile that make all like him."

Pieter looked to Gerry. "You should smile more yourself. The ladies think you are quite handsome when you do, you know. And you are a Fitzroy Perry. You could be Grand Prince even."

"That is why they like me. Once Reginald has married and has children I shall be a lot less attractive I assure you. Father did not think I would ever be higher than fifth in line but then the smallpox took all of Cousin William Simeon's line and that shooting accident three years ago and cousin Alan died. I just moved up the ladder I guess. I would have married Farmer Friedrich's daughter over along the river he has some land that would have been her dowry but once I became second in line, he would not even speak to me. He thought for sure I was no longer for farming. She's now expecting her second child and married the cobbler. He has no idea whether to plant millet or soybeans, oats or barley and Fredrich won't give him the land. Hopes he can sell it and give the man the money to make more shoes."

Pieter laughed, "We don't buy the shoes he makes now. Not that I can see anyway. His window is so full of shoes you think that we all had a third foot."

Gerry looked at Pieter who laughed harder. Gerry returned to the subject of his cousins for all liked to hear what the royals were up to and they had Gerry. No other small village had a man close to the succession and could tell them of the royals, "My cousin Athalan says that I need be suspicious if any French or German comes to town that we do not know or vouch for. The neighbors are thinking long term now. He worries that they may try and manipulate me."

"I don't know any German or Frenchie that has been here since you have been gone. I heard that there was an Englishman wandering about in the countryside."

"Pieter, those in Steilenberg thing we are the countryside." And now Gerry laughed.

"I know that. Do you think I am a simpleton. Just because I rise and start my fires at two o'clock so that you and the others can have fresh bread each day does not mean I am dumb. No, the countryside is anywhere around here that is not the town. That is where this Englishman was seen. They say he is walking about the countryside and is on a holiday. I am not the simpleton but this Englishman sure must be to think that walking about this part of Almondy is a holiday."

"It is not all bad for one of my cousins lodges is here."

"Yes castle Grayton. But it is neither gray nor a castle. It is a good lodge and I will say that view to the alps of Switzerland can not be bested by anything else in our countryside. But that is five miles away," Pieter said.

Gerry laughed, "And would you not want to see it and then spend time here? For only the little village below Grayton is there with no rooms for all that live there work at the lodge of the Grand Prince."

"I suppose that you are right."

There was a little commotion in the rest of the square, and a crowd seemed to be at the telegraph office. The one phone in the whole county was there, though a second line was being installed in the town council hall. "Trouble. When you see everyone swarm like that, it means trouble and never any good news, else you would hear cheering. Look see," Pieter pointed, "Old man Gerard is sending a boy to fetch the constable."

They saw a young lad, too far across the platz to see who it was but he ran from the telegraph office to the constables. Then the three constables, there were seven for the entire county, but three would be on duty in the office then unless one or another were out seeing to any trouble in the town or the county, burst from the door of the office and now there was shouting and pointing. Arms flailing and then the attention of the men from that side of the square all seemed to focus on the side where the bakery was and where they sat.

"The commotion seems to be centered now on us here. And good friend, I can only think that there is one reason that they all point this way and now come." Pieter said.

"Dear me. I can only think of one reason also. The Grand Prince must have finally succumbed to his many ailments.

"Hush all, Mr. Perry! Mr. Perry may we have a word? A message from Steilenberg. Terrible news, terrible news indeed."

Gerry stood to receive all the men. "Is it my cousin? He has died?"

"Died, yes. Yes Mr. Perry. Died. No killed. The Crown Prince has been killed is the message from the Capital and we are to protect you until a company comes from the army. More later they said but we were to find you immediately."

Gerry sat back down heavily.

"Back, all of you get back and give Gerry some room to breathe here. Constable clear these people back and delegate some to be your deputies." Pieter said, waving his baguette like a stick to give Gerry some room and air.

"Tell me. Tell me what you know?" Gerry asked.

"That is all. Here you can read for yourself. If you want we shall send back to Steilenberg that we have you, your, uh highness. And ask them for any information you want."

Gerry nodded, "Yes, let me read it." That was quickly done.

P REGINALD KILLED STOP

FIND P GERALD IMMED STOP

MAKE P GERALD SAFE STOP

COMPANY FROM ARMY COMING STOP

MORE LATER END