Flash Friday #258 -- Dusty & Friends/3

Dusty felt better as she stepped past the castle gate.  The castle sometimes seemed stifling, filled with so many people and all their rules.  As a princess, Dusty had to know the correct way to treat anyone she came into contact with, but out here people saw her tanned skin and wild hair, and never realized her rank.

The Queen had a plethora of grandchildren, and as when they turned ten they came from their parent's keeps to spend the spring and summer at court.  The boys complained because they had to give up riding and hunting, but the girls loved to dress up and go to the fancy balls.

Dusty had never been one of those types of girls.

The breeze blew upward from the palm-covered oasis to the top of the escarpment where the castle sat.  Dusty couldn't imagine a prettier place, though she thought the smaller homes cascading downward to the lower hillside had a charm of their own.  When she reached the first town fountain and the square around it, she looked back to see the castle glittering like gold in the morning sun.

With Master Stuart's help she would find some position that worked for her, and in a couple of days, all this awful pressure would pass.

A few little birds played in the water beside her, but they flew off when some of the local women came to take water back to their homes.  Dusty didn't recognize any of them, so after polite greetings, she went on her way again.

Despite all her attempts to consider something serious for her future, Dusty still found herself drawn down to the area where the caravans gathered before they headed out across the desert or took the canal that linked to the Miru River.  Some were getting a late start since most left at dawn.  These were the people who had adventures.

Dusty looked around at camels, sheep, and crates loading onto barges to head to the river.  Last summer the Queen had arranged for all her grandchildren to take a barge to the Miru and down to the oldest temple in the land.  That had been as close to an adventure as Dusty had ever experienced.

"Stop thinking such things," she muttered to herself.  "Think about practical stuff.  I need to --"

Whatever she'd meant to say died in her throat. 

Orcs!

No one had mentioned that one of the rare caravans of orcs had arrived in town.  Dusty openly stared at the group of twenty or so creatures who stood around guarding their massive carts.  She wasn't the only one who watched, so she didn't feel terribly rude.  Orcs had to be used to seeing humans stare at them.

Dusty had never seen one in real life, and the drawings in books didn't do them justice.  They looked like various huge boulders had suddenly decided to get together and become animate.  The bodies had unlikely bulges everywhere beneath their speckled gray and white skin.  They wore no clothing, but then you wouldn't expect to see a rock in court attire, so it didn't bother Dusty.  Their dirt brown eyes were small and deeply recessed between rows of more rock-skin.

All of them held massive wooden clubs with metal spikes embedded in the upper half. They swung those menacingly, but they didn't seem very interested in the humans.

The orcs didn't stand very tall, but they were massive, both wide and deep.  When they spoke, the air seemed to tremble, and when one shouted, the ground and the nearby buildings shook.  Other people backed away in haste, but Dusty moved a little to the side and took over at the corner of one of the human trader's tents where she could still watch.  She could see they prepared to leave.

Orcs didn't use beasts of burden, not even to pull the carts.  Most pulled up packs that rested on their backs, but teams of four moved to pick up the harnesses to the wagons, and they all prepared to leave.

"Mama, mama -- I want to go home!"

The cry had been faint and pitiful.  Dusty looked around with a start, expecting to see a young child in his mother's arms, but she found no one close enough that she could have heard.  How odd --

And then she heard the child crying, the most heartbreaking sound she'd ever heard.  The yells and grunts of the orcs nearly buried the sobs, but she could hear --

The sounds came from the orc camp.  In fact, she feared it came from the smallest of the orc carts.  Dusty looked frantically around for a guard, but none were in sight.  Should she run to find one?  What if she was wrong?  Better to check before they left, right?

Oh, part of her knew she was foolish, but the crying child moved her beyond reason.  Strange -- the area had suddenly filled with birds who swept around in a frantic display as though the crying bothered them as well.  They distracted the orcs, and that helped her.  Dusty slid along the side of the tent, away from where anyone would see her, and then darted forward to the cart. The orcs had just started pulling up the harness for that one.  She didn't have much time.

The hide covering the cart had been tied down with huge ropes and knots, but the spaces between those knots were wide enough for a young human girl to squeeze through. The cart wasn't very high, either, since the orcs were short.  She had no trouble getting inside -- though she tumbled over a couple of boxes as the orcs began a monotonous chant and the cart started to move.

No time to do anything more than look and get out!

"Are you here to help me?  Did mama send you?" a small voice whispered.

And Dusty realized this was not a human voice after all.

To Be Continued....
993 Words

Missed a week!

 

I have been both busy and not feeling well.  I'm trying to get back into doing all these little things like the weekly blog post, but it keeps getting lost in the piles of other things.

Though writing wise, still doing okay.  On Sunday I crossed the 500,000 word mark for the year.  My major project is still Tales of Grey Station 9 and I'm a bit over half way on it.  The final version is going to end up close to or over 200,000 words.

Dusty & Friends is up to the third 1k entry.  Writing those little pieces takes an entirely different approach from a sprawling novel.  That reminds me of something one person once said (and she claimed to be an expert):  Writing novels is easier than writing short stories because you can make mistakes and it doesn't matter.

I remember reading that line several times and shaking my head.  Make mistakes -- and just leave them.  Don't worry.  The story is so long that no one will notice, unlike with her short stories which had to be perfect.

I am amazed, sometimes, at the things people say about writing.

I have one huge non-writing project right now.  The ezine I published for 15 years stopped publication two years ago.  (Honestly, it seems a lot longer.)  A good part of it has been sitting on an out of date Joomla! site.  Since there will no longer be any updates, I don't need anything that fancy and I really don't want to have to keep updating it, so I am copying off articles and preparing for a simple html site.  Nothing fancy at all, but with easy links to the categories and such.

Shouldn't be hard, right?

660 articles on the Joomla! site.  At least that many, and maybe more, that have to be moved from an even older site and added in to the newer articles. 

I've copied over 200 articles so far.  And this is where I sing the praises of Scrivener.  I have copied files over (both html and text, depending on the article -- but I'll probably stick with text after this) and used the little synopsis card on the right to list the title, category, author, and Vision Issue.  This will make it very easy to sort everything out into whatever group I want later.

But yeah, it is a lot of work.  Non-writing work, which is hard for me.  I do some of it, take a break to write, and then do more.

Over the next two weeks I hope to get most of the Joomla! material copied. Then I'll copy all the others into Scrivener as well -- though I wonder if it has a limit on word count/file size/whatever?  I'll have to watch that and divide it into more than one set if that happens.

This isn't what I had been planning to do.  I think fondly of the outlines I should be writing -- but the site had developed some problems and my provider would like some changes.  I'm doing the change that should mean I won't have to do it again.

Sometimes you just can't write.  Real life (or something like it for me) steps in and other stuff has to be done. 

But still -- half a million words so far this year.  I can't complain!

Flash Friday #257 -- Dusty & Friends/2

Dusty followed Master Stuart down the long path past the (thankfully) empty benches and toward the throne where her grandmother sat.  With each step, Dusty desperately tried to come up with an idea.  Not a guard.  She didn't like hitting people, even in practice.  Not a healer because she had no such magical gifts which also meant she couldn't be a mage, either.  She might become a personal servant to the Queen, but she'd always been klutzy.  Maybe she'd grow out of it?

Scribe?  She had neat penmanship, at least.  That future didn't sound very exciting -- and Dusty had always dreamed of adventures -- but at least she'd be able to write about other people's adventures.

One of the servants had just handed Queen Olivia a piece of paper. She scowled at the note, and that gave Dusty a moment to get ready.  Being a scribe as not what she wanted -- but a princess did have limitations, after all.  She couldn't run off on an adventure.

She bowed to the queen when the woman turned her way, and behaved quite properly, though she really wanted to run and hide.

"Ah, Princess Destiny," Queen Olivia said.  She still held the paper in her hand, but she smiled now.  "Welcome to your choosing.  What future do you see for yourself, my dear?"

Dusty took a deep breath and lifted her head.  "I would like to be a scri--scri --"

She choked on the word and looked appalled.

"Oh dear," Master Stuart said.  "I think that is not the word you really want to say, is it Princess Destiny?"

"I -- I don't know what I want!" she finally admitted and tried not to wail.  This was not fair.  She'd have to wait two more years and appear with her younger cousins. Everyone would make fun of her.  "A -- a scribe is a good choice, though, don't you think?"

"It might be," Master Stuart agreed though he looked bothered.  "However, your choice shouldn't be a last moment decision.  I'm sorry I failed you, Dusty."

Dusty wasn't certain which surprised her more -- the words or that he called her by the name she preferred.  "This is my fault, sir," she corrected.  "I saw all the others choose their way and I assumed something would come to me.  I'm sorry."

The queen glanced at the paper in her hand and then gave a decisive nod.  "I fear I will not be able to hear your choice today, Destiny.  There is some trouble in the North, and I must meet with the people immediately.  This matter will take at least two days and maybe more.  I hope you don't mind the delay."

"Oh, thank you, Grandmother," she said and bowed, tears of gratitude coming to her eyes. 

Queen Olivia went with her guards out the door.  Dusty could see a few of her friends gathered to wait for her, and they looked shocked when the Queen appeared instead.  Dusty saw a series of quick bows before the door closed.  How could she face them?

"I think we need to talk, Destiny," Master Stuart said.  "Come along."

Dusty followed him out another door and up the stairs to where he had taught the group of cousins for so many years.  His steps seemed heavy and he shook his head.  Dusty suspected she would be lectured.

They didn't go to the classroom, but instead to his office.  He chased off the assistants and closed the door before he crossed to sit at his desk.  He waved her to the chair before him and she settled in with a sigh.

"You have always been so quick to help others that I never thought you had no plans of your own.  I see now that you never pointed in any single direction."

"What shall I do, Master Stuart?" she asked.  "What should I choose?"

"I can't tell you that, Destiny.  I wish matters were that easy.  The truth is, I always found you to be rather unique.  I cannot imagine you in the future as a scribe -- or a cook, or any of the other choices your cousins made.  We must think this one out, my dear.  Don't worry. There is a future for you -- we just need to look at things that are out of the ordinary."

"Oh," she said and felt a smile start to grow for the first time all day.  "I like that idea!"

"I shall need to do some study," he said.  A bird came to the window and he gave it a nod, as though they were friends.  "You always seem to have a few animal companions, Destiny, haven't you?"

"They do seem to follow me everywhere," she admitted.  "My cousins didn't like the cats, but they've been rather rude about the mice."

A smile almost came to his lips.  "I imagine so.  Take the afternoon to think about your future.  I will study and I believe we can find something that will work for you.  Go on now."

Dusty stood, feeling a great welling of relief.  "Thank you, sir."

She headed back down the stairs, though she carefully avoided any places where she might run into friends and relatives.  She could give the simple answer about the queen and the trouble in the north, but she'd have no reason not to tell them her choice.

Dusty slipped out of the castle through the kitchens, narrowly avoiding Geren who was thrilled to know he would be working with Cook.  She hurried past the other workers and out the door into the garden.  From there she crossed behind the sheds and out into the edge of the courtyard.

She decided a walk through town would help clear her mind.  Dusty regretted wearing her good green dress still, but she'd be careful.  Just a nice, peaceful walk along the roads and fountains while she decided what to say to the others.

Unfortunately, her plans didn't work out that way.

To Be Continued

991 Words

Flash Friday #256: Dusty and Friends/1

The breeze woke Destiny as the familiar scent of the desert drifted into the castle tower where she and her cousins slept. Dawn light showed a trio of birds watching over her from the windowsill.  She smiled and shooed them away to the oasis below.  One of the castle cats had found his way to her bed, too.  Not a surprise since one usually slept with her.

The others were already dressing.  Usually, she woke first. Her cousins sounded excited.  Why --

Then she remembered!  Today everyone in her age group who lived in the castle, royal or not, would make a presentation to the queen to say what they wanted to do in life.  If they choose wisely, this would be the first step to adulthood.  Destiny desperately wanted that step forward.  Sharing a set of rooms with her four cousins had become increasingly difficult.

Her own fault, she suspected.  Destiny just couldn't fit in with the others.

"Destiny must still be asleep!" Carina laughed from out in the main room.

"I'm not!" she shouted back and leapt from the bed in case they looked. She grabbed the clothing she'd put by the bed.  How could she have overslept?  Last night it seemed as though she wouldn't sleep at all!

Destiny didn't like to wear fancy dresses, but she had no choice today.  At least the pale green looked lovely on her. She spent more time in the sun than most of her royal cousins, male or female, and her skin had grown darker and her hair bleached almost golden by the sunlight. She did not look like the other princesses, which she counted as good.  Destiny had never pursued having fashionably tawny skin and dark hair.  Her cousins hid in the castle away from the sunlight -- and away from any sort of freedom.

Today her cousins spent far more time than usual preparing, so she wasn't the last one ready to go down to breakfast. She tried not to sneeze at the perfumes, and she'd given up doing anything fancy with her hair.

Destiny wasn't hungry, but she didn't want the others to know how worried she felt about today's presentation.   Everyone mumbled and laughed about the next step.  There seemed to be an awful lot of them this year.

"Hey Dusty!  Come sit with us!" Alitia shouted from across the room.

Destiny headed that way. People had called her Dusty for as long as she could remember, and the name suited her since she'd always been a tomboy and gotten into messy situations.  She liked the name better than Destiny, but it was a child's name.  She ought to start thinking about adult things since she'd turned twelve.  If today somehow went well....

Alita, Geren, and Odesa were not royals, but they'd always been friends.  They didn't appear as happy about the day as she had expected and even Geren picked at his cinnamon bread and barely sipped his tea.  Master Stuart, the instructor who had taught them for the last four years, seemed to watch their table more than the other ones.  It was like he knew --

The bell rang.  Master Stuart went to the archway and looked back.  "Come along. Don't dawdle.  The Queen has other work to do!"

They lined up.  As usual, a group of the boys took the lead, but mostly because they intended to go into the guard and had been training for it already, so this was not such a big step for them. The others, though --

Alita started to back away, but Dusty caught her arm.  "You'll do fine."

"I won't, I won't," Alita whispered, her voice trembling.  She stared with terror at the doors as Master Stuart took the first group through.   Alita acted as though she'd never been to the Royal Hall or ever met the queen.  "Oh, I never do anything right, and I so want to be a healer and help those who are ill and injured."

"You'll be wonderful at the work," Dusty reassured her. 

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes, absolutely," Dusty said.  Alita had an excellent touch for healing magic, and she'd proved it several times already.  "You just tell the Queen about how you cared for the young owl and the old fox I brought to you.  She'll understand."

"Oh. I can talk about what I've done.  Yes!  She'll know then that I have thought about this very hard!" Teresa marched right up to the door beside Donid and Kratis, and they looked surprised to see her so proud and happy.  They even let her go in next when Master Stuart opened the door.

Good, because that little surge of hope wouldn't hold for long if Alita had to wait and fret, like Geren who paced back and forth from one side of the hall to the other.  He'd always been high strung but now he looked likely to explode with the tension.

"What should I tell her?  Royals don't usually go to work in the kitchens, but even Cook Nisie says I have the touch for it.  But how to I explain about cooking bread?  It sounds boring even to me, Dusty.  I think I'm doomed to join the army --"

"Tell her how much the children loved the cookies you baked at solstice and how you helped Cook Nisie when she broke her foot.  You are already doing the work.  You won't shock her."

He nodded, though he looked less assured than Alita.  Still, she had the feeling that things would go well for him.  She even encouraged a few others and saw them go through the door.  They all would leave by the far door at the other end of the Royal Hall, ready to begin their new lives.

Finally, in the end, only she remained  Master Stuart opened the door and escorted Dusty inside to see the Queen.

A shame she still had no idea what she wanted to do with her life.

To Be Continued....
994 words

More of the same

I had hoped to go to the mountains this last weekend, but things did not work out.  I had expected that to happen, but I always kind of hope for some little surprise at the end.   I haven't been to Rocky Mountain National Park for fourteen years now.  The mountains, the desert, the ocean -- those are three things I love, but here I am in Nebraska pretty much far from any of them.  Nebraska is not a bad place to be.  I love the seasons and the storms -- but I still miss the other things.  I haven't seen the ocean in a long, long time.  The desert?  Maybe 1997?  The mountains were at least this century. 

I hope that year fifteen will be the one when we get a chance to go.  You never know -- it could happen.  I might even make a few sales and be able to afford something as extravagant as one night away from home!  LOL.  Two nights?  Nah.  My books won't ever sell that well!

So what did I do this weekend instead?  Well, we had an interesting storm on Friday.  Lots and lots of pictures.  Great clouds.  Saturday was much cooler and quieter, which was nice.  Didn't do much at all since Russ had company.  Sunday we had a nice ride out to a local state park, and I got a few pictures, and then we took some dirt roads and headed towards home.  I also spent some time cleaning up some shelves in the living room and hoping that I can get the area cleaned up enough to sometimes set up my photo studio equipment.  I can't even say what I really want to do for pictures, but it would be fun to have the opportunity.

Oh yes, I did write.  I am closing in on the last of part four for Tales of Grey Station 9.  This one should be the final really major rewrite out of the group of ten parts.  I might have everything done by mid-July, which would be nice.  This will be my next Wattpad entry -- though I think I might drop a couple shorter pieces in there as well.  I just thought of a fun new cover art project for Author Vs. Character.  People enjoy that story, and since it's free on Smashwords (and part of NaNo for the New and the Insane), I might as well put it up on Wattpad as well.  Oh, and do a quick edit, too.

So there are my projects.  Must keep moving.  Something might come of it yet!