Day 12 -- 102,085 total, Book 1 complete

I've had a few rough days, and I've just not been able to update this blog. However, with The Servant Girl Completed, I thought I should at least post the news here!

I am starting the second book, Dancer, today. I'm using an outline based on an older outline, based on an even older (like 25 year old) novel I wrote. I already have about 1500 words on it, and I'm reasonably happy with the new version.

The Servant Girl was a good first draft. I've no real complaints about it. I do already have plans for the rewrite, though.

But here is my last snippet from The Servant Girl:

Toman had wrapped himself in a long dark cloak, but she could see the sheath of a sword at his side. Darva had, unexpectedly, shed her dress and wore the leathers of a soldier, though not Lord Melton's colors. She did look formidable, though, and before they had gone far she saw at least two people back away in haste when she put her hand on her own sword.

The market still lay in ruins, though a few stalls had been added along the side. Beth looked at the destruction with more anger than loss now. There was no reason to leave it like this -- or the other debris she had seen.

And it was here that they saw their first Opne guards, marching through the street, grunting in unison at every fifth step. They glittered with weapons and armor.

Darva and Toman both pulled her back into the shadows and let the fifty men go by without a word. Toman looked worried when they had passed.

"We should hurry," Darva said. "I don't think we are far --"

"Not far," Beth agreed. She nodded toward the castle she'd tried very hard not to look at. "The other side of Oris Castle. You can smell the sea, even through this stink. And I think I can hear the waves."

Toman stood still for a couple heartbeats and then nodded. He looked relieved. "We should stay as much out of sight as possible. Down to the docks. Quickly."

They didn't run, but Beth was still breathless as they passed through alley, along walls, past people huddled in a doorway of a burnt out building, watching them. Beth kept her hood up and didn't think that anyone would know her -- but the closer they drew to the castle, the harder it was for her to feel safe. What would Toman do if someone called her by name now? What if someone asked where the Princess had gone?

Her heart pounded again. She pressed on with them, afraid to be left behind in this place with all those staring, unhappy -- and sometimes angry -- faces.

And then they reached the warehouses and she gave a little laugh and came to a stumbling stop beside Toman, who had stopped with a hand on a wall, gasping as much as she did. Neither of them had fully recovered from the fall in the stream.

Darva kept the guard and sent one man running when she drew her sword.

"Better move on," Darva said. "There's no telling if he has friends."

"The streets used to be safe, even at night," Beth said with a shake of her head. "And now you can't even walk in the light of day. This is wrong."

Toman nodded, but said nothing. They made their way around the brick walls of the warehouse and between it and another -- and out into the open.

The ocean wind, cold and smelling of fish and salt, brushed against her face. She lifted her hand to it, welcomed it as a taste of home -- something that Lord Melton could not change. Ahead and a little to the left was the dock, but there were only four ships at dock.

"It's the far one, of course," Toman said with a shake of his head, but a look of such relief that it made Beth smile. "Come with us, Beth. It's all right. I promise that you will be safe. Safer with us than you will be out here, alone."

She could hear the grunting calls of more Opne, and a glance back at the castle made it look all the more frightening. She didn't want to get caught by the Opne, and without Toman's magic paper --

"I'll go with you."

Darva smiled, relieved, and Toman gave her a quick hug. "You will be safe," he said again. "But now we must hurry to the ship."

She nodded. Darva started out ahead of them, sword already in hand. They were met at the first opening by guards -- but something odd happened. The men took one look at Toman and handed over their cloaks -- Lord Melton's colors.

"Wear them. Go to the ship. No one will ask what you are doing there. We check the ships every day, you see."

"Thank you," Toman said and helped Beth with her cloak. She felt odd and vulnerable -- but then they were moving again, the three of them heading down the long wharf toward the ship she thought they would never really reach. It looked oddly like a haven now. If they asked, would she sail away with them?