Labor day threw off my ability to know which day of the week it is. I spent half of yesterday staring at my class schedule as I wandered around my university trying to remember which classes I have on Tuesdays.
So, with my inability to remember it was Tuesday and everything that goes along with Tuesdays, I forgot about Teaser Tuesday!
Teaser Tuesday, for those who are unaware, is when I put up a little tease about something I'm currently writing.
Today's Teaser comes to you from Eventide, the novel that is my main project right now. I recently cut about 40,000 of the words and went back to the beginning because I didn't like where it was going. Luckily, I like it a lot better now! Three cheers for cutting massive amounts of words!
Not much background is needed, really. Natura is the main character, she lives in Icarthia, she went with Haro and Christiana to The Grand Icarthian City for a few days to pick up some things Haro needs. They're staying in a really run-down inn because, due to the Ascensian Academy Trials, there aren't a lot of rooms left in more high-end establishments.
The Tease
The stables were empty, except for a dozen or so horses. Natura frowned. Erik couldn’t have cared well for Arian if he was already gone. She wandered down the rows of stalls, searching for the one that held her friend.
She was halfway down, peering into a stall that held a little pony she had never seen the likes of before, when a stall door swung shut, banging loudly. She jumped and spun towards the source of the noise.
A young man stood in the stables at the end Natura had yet to search, having just emerged from a stall with shovel in hand and his shirt unbuttoned and hanging down loosely from where it was tucked into his pants. Dirt and sweat coated his bare skin, and straw fell from his golden-brown hair as he ran his free hand through it.
He turned to Natura, “Oh,” he said, eyes wide. “Can I help you, Miss?”
Natura’s face burned. She turned her face away from the half-naked young man, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I’m, uhm.” She cleared her throat. “I’m looking for my horse.”
“One Erik just brought in? Yeah, right down here,” he said.
Natura turned her face slightly to glance back at the young man. His shovel was leaning against a stall door and his shirt was on; though, he seemed more interested in rolling the sleeves of the once-white shirt than he was in buttoning it to conceal his bare chest.
He looked up at Natura. “Is he one of these?” He pointed to the two stalls nearest him.
Natura walked towards him, as closest to the stalls as she could be without plastering herself to them. She peered into the stalls, glad to find Arian in the first.
“Hey there,” she said softly, reaching a hand in to stroke his nose.
“That’s one fine horse, Miss,” he said. He stepped up beside her, his chin resting on his hands on the end of the shovel in front of him. “And he’s a good bit calmer now that you’ve shown up. He seemed a little uneasy before; I was clearing out another stall for him, but he seems fine now.”
Arian stretched his head forward and nuzzled Natura’s cheek.
“I’m Rigel,” the young man said. He held a hand out toward Natura.
Natura looked up at him – he was taller than the average Icarthian man – and took his hand. It was rough, calloused from long days of working in the stables. “Natura,” she said. Her throat was dry, and her voice cracked as she spoke.
“Here to compete, Natura?” Rigel asked. He gripped the shovel under his chin, leaning towards her.
“No,” she said. “Business.”
“I see,” Rigel said. “Husband bring you along then? What’s his trade?”
“No, no husband,” Natura said quickly, waving a hand in front of her. “I help a shopkeeper in my village, and came along to pick up goods.”
Rigel raised an eyebrow. “A working girl, huh? A little rebellious are we?” He gave her a wink and laughed. His laugh was warm, inviting. Natura couldn’t help but laugh along. She laughed, shaking her head, and leaning against Arian’s stall, petting his nose.
“A working girl,” Rigel said again, quieter and more to himself this time. “I like it.”
He smiled at Natura. It was a warm smile, a smile that struck Natura with discomfort. “I should be going,” she said. “Work to do.”
“Oh yes, I ought to be disappearing as well,” Rigel said. “I’m not supposed to be working today, you see.”
He nodded respectfully to her as he backed away. “Nice meeting you, Natura.” He set his shovel against a stall, turned, and strode out of the stable.
End Tease
Haha, it's so much fun to put Natura in uncomfortable situations. She handles it splendidly, though. Pardon any suckishness of the tease, it's a first draft.
And Some Other Stuff
Last night I interviewed for a position on the staff of my campus' literary magazine. It's not like a paid thing or anything, but I really hope I get it. I think the interview went well, but who knows. I'll find out later this week.
Till whenever I decide to blog again,
-Lauren-
No comments:
Post a Comment