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Fill in the Blanks
Nov. 29th, 2006 10:34 pmBusy busy busy. Three people down at work, that sucked, though fortunately it wasn't too busy. Saw Mirrormask on monday with Alex and Nat. Very enjoyable, visually stunning, but I did feel the story was a bit predictable. I've been largely sewing, so have failed to get much writing done. 700 word off 50,000, but have been largely unmotivated. So, I'd really appricate some help with where I've got to. Below is a small part of the bit that comes between the last update, and the one I'll be posting next. I'm fairly certain nothing important plot-wise happenes, but on the other hand, I'm sure something happens between them leaving the Folk camp and reaching Riverra. Any sensible suggestions will be rewarded with cookies nad hugs; and silly one will make me laugh ; and any comments about BEES will be met with my fist to your face.
Amari woke feeling strangely calm and relaxed. She had slept on the floor of Hasa’s caravan to keep an eye on Summer, but the boy had not stirred once. She dressed herself and opened the door, before waking the boy. He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.
“Breakfast?” she asked and he nodded enthusiastically. She studied him carefully. “You understand me, don’t you?” Another nod. “But you can’t talk? It makes it awkward, but don’t worry: we’ll look after you. You want to go home, don’t you?” He agreed, looking sad. She hugged him. “I’ll see you get back where you belong, you have my word on it.”
She was leading Summer down to the fire where others were gathering when she saw Saffron coming out of one of the other caravans. There was an ugly purple bruise across her left cheek, but she had her head held up as if nothing was wrong. She saw Amari and stopped.
“Hello.”
“How are you feeling?” Amari asked her quietly.
She smiled. “I’m fine. I slept very well.”
“You don’t seem like a woman who…” she broke off.
“It’s not the first time I’ve been in that situation,” she explained. “You learn to deal with it. If you can’t, then you are better off dead.”
I couldn’t deal with it, Amari realised. I couldn’t let someone violate me like that and then pretend nothing had happened.
“Well,” she said aloud. “I think you bring the attention on yourself, the way you act. But I will not stand by and let a man act like that to any woman.”
She had expected Saffron to be angry or hurt by her words, so Amari was surprised when she threw back her head and laughed. When she was done, she wiped a tear away from her eye.
“Oh yeah. Zephyr said you had received some bad news. I hope it was nothing too serious.”
“My father has decided to try and lead the Folk back north. He feels something evil is in the air and hopes to escape it by going far away from the lands of the pale men. The forest is vast and nobody has headed particularly far into it in three or four generations. If I don’t leave with them, there’s a strong chance I may never find them again.”
“Will you go?” Saffron asked.
“No. I made a promise to this one,” she replied, ruffling Summer’s hair.
“That must have been a hard decision, choosing between your family and your promise.”
Amari looked at her in surprise. “There was no decision to be made. I gave my word. I will not break it for anyone, including my father. He will understand, even if my uncle does not.”
They reached the edge of the fire and looked for Zephyr. He was sat on his own, nursing a mug of tea and a hangover.
“Watch yourselves,” Jack called as he saw them heading over. “Like a bear with a sore head is that one.”
“I doubt it,” Saffron retorted. “Bears generally know better than to drink strong liquor.”
He grinned. “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Amari was the first to reach Zephyr. “How’s your head?” she enquired cheerfully.
“You know bloody well,” he snapped, unamused by her mock sympathy. “Your people do things to apples that God never intended, Songbird.”
She laughed and kissed his cheek. “Want anything to eat?”
He winced and shook his head.
“Keep an eye on him then,” she said, pointing to Summer, before walking away.
Zephyr looked down as the boy climbed onto the log next to him. “At least you know how to respect a man’s hangover.”
Summer looked up and gave him a wide eyed and benevolent smile. Zephyr had the distinct feeling he was being mocked, but was unsure quite how to respond.
Amari woke feeling strangely calm and relaxed. She had slept on the floor of Hasa’s caravan to keep an eye on Summer, but the boy had not stirred once. She dressed herself and opened the door, before waking the boy. He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.
“Breakfast?” she asked and he nodded enthusiastically. She studied him carefully. “You understand me, don’t you?” Another nod. “But you can’t talk? It makes it awkward, but don’t worry: we’ll look after you. You want to go home, don’t you?” He agreed, looking sad. She hugged him. “I’ll see you get back where you belong, you have my word on it.”
She was leading Summer down to the fire where others were gathering when she saw Saffron coming out of one of the other caravans. There was an ugly purple bruise across her left cheek, but she had her head held up as if nothing was wrong. She saw Amari and stopped.
“Hello.”
“How are you feeling?” Amari asked her quietly.
She smiled. “I’m fine. I slept very well.”
“You don’t seem like a woman who…” she broke off.
“It’s not the first time I’ve been in that situation,” she explained. “You learn to deal with it. If you can’t, then you are better off dead.”
I couldn’t deal with it, Amari realised. I couldn’t let someone violate me like that and then pretend nothing had happened.
“Well,” she said aloud. “I think you bring the attention on yourself, the way you act. But I will not stand by and let a man act like that to any woman.”
She had expected Saffron to be angry or hurt by her words, so Amari was surprised when she threw back her head and laughed. When she was done, she wiped a tear away from her eye.
“Oh yeah. Zephyr said you had received some bad news. I hope it was nothing too serious.”
“My father has decided to try and lead the Folk back north. He feels something evil is in the air and hopes to escape it by going far away from the lands of the pale men. The forest is vast and nobody has headed particularly far into it in three or four generations. If I don’t leave with them, there’s a strong chance I may never find them again.”
“Will you go?” Saffron asked.
“No. I made a promise to this one,” she replied, ruffling Summer’s hair.
“That must have been a hard decision, choosing between your family and your promise.”
Amari looked at her in surprise. “There was no decision to be made. I gave my word. I will not break it for anyone, including my father. He will understand, even if my uncle does not.”
They reached the edge of the fire and looked for Zephyr. He was sat on his own, nursing a mug of tea and a hangover.
“Watch yourselves,” Jack called as he saw them heading over. “Like a bear with a sore head is that one.”
“I doubt it,” Saffron retorted. “Bears generally know better than to drink strong liquor.”
He grinned. “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Amari was the first to reach Zephyr. “How’s your head?” she enquired cheerfully.
“You know bloody well,” he snapped, unamused by her mock sympathy. “Your people do things to apples that God never intended, Songbird.”
She laughed and kissed his cheek. “Want anything to eat?”
He winced and shook his head.
“Keep an eye on him then,” she said, pointing to Summer, before walking away.
Zephyr looked down as the boy climbed onto the log next to him. “At least you know how to respect a man’s hangover.”
Summer looked up and gave him a wide eyed and benevolent smile. Zephyr had the distinct feeling he was being mocked, but was unsure quite how to respond.
