teriwrites

[teriwrites]

fantastic worldbuilding reference: this list of questions by the sfwa, which goes into so much depth it’s actually overwhelming, but also so helpful in getting your wheels turning for a fantasy/sci fi novel or, i imagine, a campaign. it covers physical and historical features, magic, social customs, government and politics, trade, daily life, and more !!

[teriwrites]

specified lines tag game

from @memento-morri-writes!

i have been tagged to find a line about pain, a line about healing, a line about music, and a line that makes you laugh

a line about pain (Dragonsong draft 2/3)

The impact glanced off her head. Bright, sharp pain rang through her skull. The world went white. She blinked frantically. Her knees buckled, and she crumpled, catching herself instinctively with her hands. Her left arm gave way in another bright burst of pain. Distantly, she heard her sword clatter to the ground. She blinked again. Now she could see, but only a blur. Where was Bethany?

a line about healing (Dragonsong draft 2/3)

At first, those weeks felt like they would never end. But then there was the day that she walked to the bathroom and back without Jasper’s assistance, and the day she ate half a meal without vomiting, and then the day she ate a full meal. The headaches became fewer and further between until they faded into memory, and she found herself awake enough to use the embroidery floss, needle and hoop that Henry brought her. Fintan visited on occasion, and they talked for hours before subsiding into comfortable silence. On other days, Sierra and Meg took great pleasure in beating her, very soundly, at board games. Robin offered to help her cheat; though she turned down the offer, she enjoyed the company. Like everyone else, he had fascinating stories to tell of how the world was changing around her. And meanwhile, slowly but surely, her own small world returned to normal.

a line about music (Dragonsong draft 2/3)

Isi remembered the chill down her spine when Enya sang. Magic. “Do you still sing here?” “We do.” “What do you sing about? Do you sing of the happy things you once knew, or the more difficult things you feel?” Fintan put his head on one side, considering the question. Then he said, slowly, “We sing many songs. Some are songs of rage, and some are songs of sorrow. But still others are songs of joy, and we sing those as loudly as we have breath for.” He sighed. “I am one of few who remembers the freedom we once had. But all here know to sing of it. We sing that joy to our children and then to their children, that they may know it too. So that this place is not only a place of sorrow.” Isi closed her eyes as his words washed over her. Tears stung her eyelids. “And soon,” Fintan finished, “we will sing of freedom once more, and it will be freedom we know.”

a line that makes you laugh (Dragonsong draft 2/3)

“Wonder what exciting food has been delivered for us this morning,” said Sierra, swinging her legs out of bed. “I doubt Jasper and Aurelia expected to have to feed six extra mouths,” said Isi. “Be nice.” “Oh, I am.” Sierra grinned. “This is better than prison food. I just doubt it will be anything interesting.” She crossed the room and opened the door. “Aha! Bread and cheese. Yum.” Isi had to grin. “Do you know if the others are awake?” Sierra took a deep breath, and Isi cut her off. “Without yelling.” “Fine.” Sierra walked fully out into the corridor. A few moments later, she returned. “Yeah, they’re up. I’ll bring the food.”

tagging @zmwrites @talesofsorrowandofruin @teriwrites to find a line about love, a line about loss, a line about fear, and a line about safety

[teriwrites]

Hiiii, for the ask game, I'm gonna ask 5, 6, 8, and 11, for either dragonsong or hurricane - your pick!

hi teri!!

(5) describe what Dragonsong would look like if it were bad. (alternatively: list out what hypothetical horrible interpretations of the work would look like. fake socmedia discourse emulator optional but encouraged.)

answered for Hurricane here so i shall give it a go for Dragonsong! what would ruin the story in an adaptation...?

there's a delicate balance to be struck with Brendon as a character; he is awful, and you're not supposed to like him, and yet Isi does recognise that he's a human who doesn't deserve bad things happening to him. easy to tip too far either way.

making Isi a cold unfeeling badass. she is stoic and not necessarily very expressive, and she is incredibly physically powerful, but she cares SO MUCH. to the point of it causing problems, in fact.

much like Aella, you could muck up Sierra's character pretty easily. Sierra is fairly easygoing and lighthearted, impulsive and witty to Isi's quiet calm, but she's not incompetent and she's not cruel. AND she also has a lot of serious stuff going on with her dynamic with Isi.

infantilising any of the disabled characters, especially Robin; i am working hard to make sure that he is neither infantilised or made to be older than he is. he's a child, and Isi wants to protect him, but he's hardly a damsel in distress.

this is a small one, but Isi not liking hugs/physical contact isn't a problem to be fixed over the course of the story...

(6) describe the premise/plot of [project] from the perspective of each main cast member.

answered for Hurricane here and Dragonsong here!

(8) what are your favorite character dynamics from Dragonsong? elaborate on why. what scenarios not followed through with in-story would you want to put each dynamic in most? (ex: truthserum-ed and locked in a room; roadtripping; coffeeshop au; etc)

ooooh i have many thoughts for both WIPs, but Dragonsong is easier to pick one without spoilers.

Isi and Sierra.

Isi and Sierra have some very complex stuff going on; Isi left, and Sierra was made to believe it was her fault. Isi has shaped her entire life around protecting Sierra, in a way - it was why she became a knight - but Sierra loathes the idea of needing Isi to protect her. Sierra doesn't even quite trust Isi to begin with (see the "made to believe it was her fault" thing). Isi's been away for a long time, and it's definitely shaken their relationship.

... until the battle sequence, when Bethany is standing over Sierra about to stab her. what does Sierra do? screams for Isi.

reader's choice whether Sierra has always trusted Isi to save her, or whether she has come around to trust her. it kinda doesn't matter. what matters is that Sierra is in trouble, and she screams for her big sister, and there is no question: Isi has to save her.

(Isi is too far away and too injured to reach Sierra in time. it doesn't matter. she has to do something. which is how we get SWORD THROWING.)

(11) is there is anything intangible or inanimate in Hurricane which qualifies as a character in its own right? (ex: a specific theme, setting, etc)

i'm not sure about this, but you could MAYBE argue for the ships being characters? they're certainly very important to the plot.

thank you for the ask <3

ask game is here

[teriwrites]

List your OCs from shortest to tallest.

[teriwrites]

Just saw a post asking how tall people are and now I want to make it a poll. Apologies to people in the fringe height categories, you do not get specifics.

I had to consult a chart for this

[teriwrites]

(3) pick a branching universe you would enjoy writing from the canon of your current WIP— a character makes a different choice, the dice roll a different number, etc. describe what it would look like and/or write 100+ words in this universe.

(9) who are your favorite characters from your current WIP? what do you want most from them as characters: to have them heal and be content/happy, or to run them under a cheese grater? how does this compare to what they undergo in the story?

(10) which characters do you personally dislike most from your current WIP? elaborate on why, bonus points for how impassioned your answer is.

- for the writing ask game!

Thanks for the ask!

(3) pick a branching universe you would enjoy writing from the canon of [project]— a character makes a different choice, the dice roll a different number, etc. describe what it would look like and/or write 100+ words in this universe.

Oooo okay

So a fun thing about BAC is that, as it is, the story more or less has to go exactly as it does for things to work. Like if the two main characters weren't the two main characters - if a different person from Winnie's town discovered the faerie ring, or a different fae extended a deal - things would almost certainly fall apart immediately.

But that's a boring answer, so I'm gonna pose the idea of the Warden kidnapping Winnie instead of Bran

If the Warden stole Winnie, but otherwise everything was the same back in town, it's unlikely anybody would go into the Beyond to search for her. So she would be stuck there by herself, probably mostly kept in a sort of trancelike state to keep her cooperative, knowing even less about the fae than she does in the actual story (which is very little)

But, if she still had her iron hatpin on her, there's a chance she could accidentally discover its habit of breaking through magical enchantment. And if she pieced that together while still at the Warden's estate, Winnie would 100% be both bold and crafty enough to use it to break out of her containment.

From there, if she escaped the Dusk Court, Taliesin would absolutely have been keeping tabs on tracking any human movement around that area, and he'd probably swoop in to help her get distance from the Warden. At which point he'd try to make a deal with her, and Winnie, being the stubborn and grudge-holding woman she is, would probably take it lol

They'd probably go about their whole vengeance quest differently than in BAC, but that's what'd get it all kicked off for sure

(9) who are your favorite characters from [project]? what do you want most from them as characters: to have them heal and be content/happy, or to run them under a cheese grater? how does this compare to what they undergo in the story?

Honestly, in all of BAC, my favorite character would probably be Bran. He doesn't feature in nearly enough of the book, but that lil kid is so precious - he's mischievous but can't keep a straight face to save his life, he's got that 9-year-old confidence, he's a nuisance to his sister but absolutely idolizes her, his favorite possession is a pretty red marble, he's perceptive but lets impulses and curiosity dominate his actions anyways, his greatest wish in life is to befriend a raven and have it give him shiny presents, his second greatest wish in life is to show off said raven bestie at school

What I want most for him as a character is for the writer to leave him tf alone!! Let the boy be!!

As one might guess, that is not how the story goes

(10) which characters do you personally dislike most from [project]? elaborate on why, bonus points for how impassioned your answer is.

I feel like the most obvious choice here would be the Warden of the Undernell - Bran's captor - but actually, even moreso than the Warden, I think I hold a lot of personal distaste for Herdithas, the Dusk scout that chases after Winnie and Taliesin. Because if you're gonna be a hunter and a POS, at least be a brave one!

But noooooo every time they actually face confrontation they nope tf out of there. Coward.

Plus a couple other reasons but I can't get into them rn because of ~spoilers~

[teriwrites]

1, 2, 17, 19 - BAC or any WIP!!

- @akindofmagictoo

Thanks for the ask! Since I'm still in the thick of it, I'll use BAC!

(1) share an excerpt you're proud of, and elaborate on why.

So I've shared pieces of this before, with the down memory lane project, but I'll put the whole mini-scene together bc why not:

They landed in a nondescript grassland. Winnie collapsed as soon as Taliesin released her, heaving violent coughs as she fought to regain her sense of balance.  Taliesin waited for her breathing to slow before he approached, towering over her.  “That was the dumbest decision you could have possibly made,” he said firmly. “Your compassion might be treasured where you come from, but it could have gotten us both killed.” Winnie glared up at him, unrepentant. “They were going to die, just like me.”  “A fate they had to accept.” “I don’t understand why you’re so upset. We’re both fine! We made it out! And so did they.” Taliesin’s face was cold as stone. “Here, no one’s freedom is worth more than your own. You put us both at risk by freely offering us in their place.” “Why did you stay, anyways? You could’ve left, if I was being so irritating.” Winnie spat it out angrily, but genuine curiosity prodded behind it. For all his frustration, he’d never so much as crossed the room for anything but the iron.  “We have a deal.” Winnie scoffed. “Some deal. Neither of us found what we were looking for.” Taliesin didn’t answer, and quiet fell between them. After a moment, he joined her and sat in the grass, and Winnie realized how exhausted he looked. She felt the same, all anger wiped out by the weariness settling over her thoughts. “How did you manage to escape that cloaked Dusk fae?” she asked gently. Taliesin threw an arm over his face and leaned back to rest against a rise in the ground. “As soon as you left, fairly easily. I was shunted out of Dusk territory once my human guide abandoned me.” After the speech he’d given about valuing selfishness, Winnie decided against apologizing.  “Well, I guess we’ll have to go back and start a new search anyways, won’t we?” Taliesin shook his head. “No, I don’t think we should aim for the Undernell at all. There’s no point looking for clues you won’t be able to identify.” “Where, then?” Winnie asked with a frown.  She expected him to say something infuriating about her being the leader, or tell her to start walking. But instead, he sat back up to look at her.  “There’s an Oracle who drifts through the Courtless lands. If we can find her, she may be able to give us an idea for what we need.”  Winnie shook her head, but she was smiling. “Now you’re willing to tell me something useful?” “I failed, and you were captured. We’re even now.” Taliesin said matter-of-factly. “Besides, you’re a lousy guide.” Leaning back into the grass, Winnie considered bringing up the fae they’d rescued, and wondering where they’d gone. But she closed her eyes, breathing deeply. There would be time to get into that particular fight later. Or, better yet, never. For now, it was enough to rest and recuperate in the sunlight and prepare for the journey ahead.

Winnie and Taliesin's dynamic evolves a lot over the story at large, and after a few chapters of both of them being stuck in this stage of 'openly distrusting and disliking each other but forced to work together', this scene is the first time they actually address their frustrations with each other. Which might not seem like a good place to be at, but airing out some of their grievances gives them actual space to communicate and work together more cohesively

It's also an important scene in Winnie's solo arc, where she acts impulsively due to grief (saving the fae in Brakor's since she feels helpless in regards to Bran at that point) and is doubling down on covering for it by pretending it's just a sense of empathy/justice/altruism. Which she then feels like she has to prove by repeating the same act with a less-innocent fae

There's more work that needs to get put into the scene to actually get it to the point I want it at, but hey, I always love a lil back-and-forth between those two

2) share an excerpt of [character pairing] interacting, either selected from the work or written now.

Since that last excerpt included Winnie and Taliesin, I'm going to switch it up and actually toss Edea into the mix and share this lil snippet between them and Winnie

“You are a brave little one, to be facing down the Warden.” The mention of them caught Winnie by surprise. The weight of what lay ahead had driven Edea’s earlier reaction to the Warden’s name from Winnie’s mind.  Asking direct questions rarely led to direct answers. So rather than press them for more information, Winnie agreed. “Somebody has to stand up to them.” Amusement slipped into Edea’s voice, “And you believe a human is the person for the job?” Winnie hesitated; how far could she stretch the truth before they caught on that she had no intention of bringing the Warden to justice? Who would she be against them, anyway, if they were as powerful as everyone was inclined to believe?  “Who else but a human?” Winnie was emboldened by the curious gleam in Edea’s eye. “We tear through your conventions by our very nature. And if the Warden is as much of a threat as you say, then why has nobody else removed them from power before?” Edea hummed in concession.

The first conversation they have outside of 'Edea tries to arrest Winnie and Taliesin for trespassing' aww

Edea's the closest fae that Winnie gets to know other than Taliesin, so I wanted to ensure that, while they're both very different, there should still be something similar in the way they communicate. They're very different fae, but they're both fae, yk? So Taliesin might be more talkative, but neither of them are exactly forthcoming. Edea may be less approachable, but both of them can't help feeling intrigued by this human girl running around their world. Edea's relationship with Winnie is very different than Taliesin's, but they do form their own bond, just in a much more traditional human-and-fae way

(17) do you have a specific structure or method of plotting for [project]? what does your drafting process look like?

Okay so the drafting process is pretty simple - I work chronologically, beginning to end, in pretty much every WIP

I remember in terms of plotting the first draft of BAC, I charted out the key plot points I wanted to hit (Bran disappears, Winnie and Taliesin make a deal, they check out the Warden's estate, etc.) and then genuinely just would buffer those points with however many chapters I thought felt appropriate

And from there, I just slowly filled in those blank spaces with a mix of the natural unfolding storyline (Bran disappears -> Winnie investigates around town looking for Bran, winds up finding the faerie ring, meets Taliesin, etc. -> Winnie and Taliesin make a deal) and listing out various elements I thought would be fun to include (crossing a fucked up lake on a small boat with a weird fae, a cursed fae that uses sympathy as a lure, a creepy Oracle, getting entranced by funky fae music, etc.)

Mix it all together and voila, you have a novel outline that you'll break within the first few chapters!

(19) what text/message have you sent about [project] which is most unhinged or incomprehensible out of context?

So I've been going back through my 2nd draft recently to work out some changes that need to be made before I truly tackle revisions and gearing up for draft 3, and this happened a few days ago:

Nothing like accidentally stumbling upon an underlying motif that's been built into your story since its conception five years ago

[teriwrites]

[teriwrites]

is this anything

[teriwrites]

writing ask game

🌻 — prompts

(1) share an excerpt you're proud of, and elaborate on why.

(2) share an excerpt of [character pairing] interacting, either selected from the work or written now.

(3) pick a branching universe you would enjoy writing from the canon of [project]— a character makes a different choice, the dice roll a different number, etc. describe what it would look like and/or write 100+ words in this universe.

(4) pick an alternate setting you would want to put either the main cast of your work or [specific characters] in— zombie apocalypse, medieval fantasy, regency era, office hijinks, etc. describe what it would look like and/or write 100+ words in this universe.

(5) describe what [project] would look like if it were bad. (alternatively: list out what hypothetical horrible interpretations of the work would look like. fake socmedia discourse emulator optional but encouraged.)

(6) describe the premise/plot of [project] from the perspective of each main cast member.

(7) if you were writing an individual project based on each main cast member in [project], what would they look like? what genre would each main cast member do best in?

🌺 — questions

(8) what are your favorite character dynamics from [project]? elaborate on why. what scenarios not followed through with in-story would you want to put each dynamic in most? (ex: truthserum-ed and locked in a room; roadtripping; coffeeshop au; etc)

(9) who are your favorite characters from [project]? what do you want most from them as characters: to have them heal and be content/happy, or to run them under a cheese grater? how does this compare to what they undergo in the story?

(10) which characters do you personally dislike most from [project]? elaborate on why, bonus points for how impassioned your answer is.

(11) is there is anything intangible or inanimate in [project] which qualifies as a character in its own right? (ex: a specific theme, setting, etc)

(12) which scene/plot beat is your favorite? elaborate on why.

(13) which aspects of worldbuilding are your favorites? (if not applicable: which parts of the setting interest you most?)

(14) what are the focal points of [project]? what does it revolve around emotionally?

(15) in what ways are you challenging yourself with [project], and is there anything specific you want to come out of the work having improved skills in? on the other hand, which aspects are fully in your comfort zone?

(16) what sparked [project]? what was the original premise or jumping-off point, and do you have any records of the first notes from its creation?

(17) do you have a specific structure or method of plotting for [project]? what does your drafting process look like?

(18) pick 1-5 songs which you believe define either [project] or [character (relationship)] and elaborate on why with attached lyric selections. (optionally: link a playlist)

(19) what text/message have you sent about [project] which is most unhinged or incomprehensible out of context?

(20) do you think there's anything about [project] which is predictable from your previous works/interests, or to anyone who knows you well enough? if the work was written by someone else, what would a recommendation designed to personally bait you look like?

[teriwrites]

1k words with inspiration: literally 10 minutes or less of writing. a breeze

1k words without inspiration: i will do it. i will take the ring to mordor

[teriwrites]

anyway you should always remember that all those foreigners you see dying on the news are just as real people as you are who have just as much interiority as you do. there is nothing about you that makes you more important and it is by pure chance that you are not in their position. in fact, this holds for all of history. every person, no matter the horror of the fate that befell them, had just as much interiority as you do. i feel like some people haven't fully internalized this.

[teriwrites]

My relationship with the hobbit films is complex because it’s hard to explain to normal people that “I’m not necessarily a fan of the films but I am a HUGE fan of the fanon universe a bunch of us terminally online gay tumblr users collectively hallucinated around them in 2014”

[teriwrites]

i sure do put the rough in rough draft

[teriwrites]

Manuscript Search Tag Game

Thanks @akindofmagictoo for tagging me! I think I'm finally ready to be back in the tag game business

I'm gonna use BAC because I'm in the middle of some revisions prepping for draft 3, so the words are: choice, foundation, clean, and paper

Choice(s)

Taliesin didn’t often feel remorse. He did what he had to do, in the most efficient way of doing it. Life in the Beyond wasn’t kind to those who weren’t prepared to extend occasional ruthlessness. Power that wasn’t used was power that would soon be lost. A lesson that bridged across the courts and the lands in-between.  But her words swirled in his head. About choices, and the right to make them. 

Foundation

So, here's the thing. I do have the word foundation in this draft, but it's within a very spoilery sentence in the literal epilogue of the book. So I will not be sharing that lol but I promise it's there!

Clean

It struck Winnie that, rather than him moving especially quick, she was sluggish and unreactive. It also struck her that she might’ve picked up on it quicker if she wasn’t suddenly so exhausted. Words felt heavy in her mouth. “What?” “The wound has already closed over. We’re going to have to find a way to open it again.” When Winnie didn’t move, Taliesin shook her shoulder. “Freddie, if we don’t clean out that sting, you’re going to fall unconscious and wake up in the ranks of the fae.” That was enough to jostle a response. Winnie drew herself upright. Something sharp. They needed something sharp enough to open the wound on her arm.  The ache of it was beginning to sear in pain. Perhaps it always had been, and Winnie was just too tired to perceive it.  She brushed her fingers in the dirt around her, hoping they’d land on something. No luck. Just more grass, firmly rooted and completely useless to her.  The hatpin slid out of her sleeve as she waved her arms, loosened from her run down the hillside. Winnie stared down at it for several seconds before slowly raising her gaze up to Taliesin. He leaned away, but he hadn’t taken so much as a step away. “You’re going to have to pierce it yourself,” he warned. 

Paper

When Winnie opened her eyes again, her arms were enmeshed with the brambles. Thorns pressed into her skin, pinching and wedged tightly enough to keep her gasping breaths shallow, without actually breaking skin.  Any movement would change that. A single shudder, and they’d tear through her like paper.  Winnie had always heard of fury as tinging one’s sight with red. But her vision was clear, even clearer without the distraction of her brother to stabilize her. She’d read about people whose anger poured steam out of their ears, who heard their every heartbeat in the pounding rush of blood. But a bird called from some distance, and she could make out each note. Rage boiled, shaking its vessel and spilling over its sides. She kept still, forcing her breathing to even and distancing herself from her arms.  Winnie’s wrath did not stem from passion; she did not rampage with it. It grew as rot. How long ago it had taken root, she couldn’t say. Long before the brambles, or leaving the estate. Before the Undernell, or the Oracle, or the Dawn. Perhaps even prior to the Beyond at all. Only in safely consuming all else — every hope, every fear, every conceit — did it make itself known. She corroded from it.  The Beyond demanded equal reaction for every action. Fine. Then let her afflict appropriate suffering to the Undernell. Let it agonize the way she agonized. She decayed, so let it erode with her.  Winnie didn’t scream as she plunged her arms deeper into the thicket. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed fistfuls of the briars and wrenched them apart.

I'm gonna tag @lesleymoonwriter @bethanywritesbooks and @zmwrites and anyone else who'd like to with the words tough, anticipate, forward, and genuine!

[teriwrites]

I Want To Go On An Adventure Its Been Probably Two Whole Weeks Since My Last Adventure

[teriwrites]

manuscript search tag game

@oh-no-another-idea you have been very reliably tagging me in lots of tag games while i have been Not Doing Them, so lemme roll a couple of these word finds together into one Big Tag Game

first up, from Hurricane draft 3, we have race, why, heist, square

race

“I’m running out of patience, dear,” he said. “Will you take me up on my offer, or not?” His voice was still as calm as before. It gave no hint that he had just half-strangled his first mate. Aella’s temper was beginning to boil over, and her heart still raced from the adrenaline. Laila had better be alright. The thought gave her back a tiny shred of determination. “No.” She lifted her chin. He said nothing for a second. “Fine. Let me know when you change your mind. I won’t ask again.” Doesn’t matter. Ma is—she’s coming, isn’t she? She has to be. He turned to leave. His foot nudged the pile of chains. Aella’s heart skipped a beat. She’d dared to hope he might have forgotten them. Stupid. He crouched to pick up the manacles and key.

why

Tempest nodded with satisfaction. “Better. I want to cover as much water as we can before nightfall.” “Now will you tell me why we need to?” “I thought you knew about the kraken.” Aella frowned. “Kraken? What kraken?” “I’ve definitely told you about this. There’s a kraken in these oceans. I thought it lived nearer to Kings Cove, but I suppose it moves.” “Since when?” “Since forever. I told you years ago. You think I wouldn’t tell you about something like this?” Aella cast her mind back. Really? “Wait, that—I thought you were joking!” And alright, maybe Tempest had said it on more than one occasion… but had she been paying attention? Probably not.

heist

square “Right, yeah.” She glanced up at the sky. “Damn it. It is starting to rain.” As if on cue, a raindrop hit Theo squarely on the top of the head. Then two more, then a soft pattering of them. These were followed by what felt like a curtain of water, though not nearly as bad as the storm. He ducked beneath a protruding roof. Aella joined him and tugged at his arm. “We have to go, come on!” “Can you see in this rain?” “Eh, it’s just a shower.” She threw the new shirt over her head and stepped out from under the cover. “I can see enough. And it’s not far.” She took his hand and began to run. Despite the rain that quickly drenched them both, she was laughing, a bright sound full of joy. Exhilarated and out of breath, Theo found himself laughing too.

and from Dragonsong draft 2/3, we have lock, fasten, middle, blood

lock

“Surely you can unlock it with magic,” said Isi, entering the room properly. SB scoffed. “You’d think. I can pick locks, but it’s a tiny bit more difficult to un-melt one.” “I see.” Isi crossed the room and crouched to look at the chest. Wood, wrapped in bands of metal, with its lid padlocked closed. The keyhole itself was a twisted mess of melted metal, but the rest of the lock seemed unharmed. She glanced up at SB. “Fortunately, there are other ways around this.” “Such as?” An iron poker leaned against the wall beside the chest. Isi grabbed it, stood, and drove it sharply down against the body of the lock. The lock gave way and clattered to the floor. “Ah,” said SB. “So that’s what they teach you in knight school,” said Sierra.

fasten (and bonus middle)

Isi nodded. “Are you ready?” “Ready as I’ll ever be.” He glanced back at where the wagon was, his mouth forming indistinct, silent words. “We have about a minute before it gets here. Maybe you could ride out from here, act like you were coming from further down the road?” “That sounds sensible.” She waited a few breaths longer; they didn’t want the wagon to stop too far from Robin. Then she led her horse into the middle of the road, and tried to look surprised by the wagon. Unlike most Crown vehicles, it was not painted white. But it was escorted by two knights ahead of it, their white-and-gold surcoats catching the last of the sun’s light. The outside door was fastened with two padlocks.

middle

She had been told that a stab behind the right front leg would kill it. Fortunately, the dragon’s right side faced Isi. As she reached the middle of the room, she readied her sword, picturing the blow in her mind. Was her sword sharp enough to pierce scales? She hoped so. Something slammed into her shield, lifting her bodily off the ground. Her back slammed into the wall with a crash of metal on stone. When she landed, her legs crumpled beneath her, and she hit the ground just as hard, her torso a dull ball of pain. She pushed herself to one elbow, gasping for breath. The dragon’s long, spiked tail swayed as though looking for another target. So that was what had hit her. It had probably cracked a rib or two. She forced herself to take a deep breath, despite the sharp pain that lanced through her chest, and took stock. Her shield had cracked down the middle, barely holding itself together. And she had no sword. Wherever it was, it was no longer in her hand. The dragon clambered off its nest, its movement slow and careful, rising on its hind legs to its full height. Normally, Isi was among the tallest in the room. On the ground, weaponless and breathless, she felt suddenly very small.

blood

Face to face with Princess Daphne, Isi could not have felt more out of place. Princess Daphne’s white dress was spotless, her jewellery shining, with not a hair loose. Her eyes tracked Isi keenly. She was nowhere near Isi’s height, but her face nonetheless held a quiet, stern authority. And even so, she held her baby with nothing but gentleness. Isi suddenly felt every inch of dried blood still clinging to her skin, heard every minute clink of her armour, and the scrape of mud beneath her boots. The woman in front of her was a princess and a mother, noble and gentle. Isi was a warrior, a brute, made to destroy and not to build. Princess Daphne’s gaze flickered to the baby in her arms, then back to Isi, and there was understanding in her eyes. Isi felt it too. Different as they were, they both knew what it was to protect with everything they had.

tagging @isherwoodj @uncooked-glass @teriwrites and anyone else who wants it for choice, foundation, clean, paper