The fifteen minute novel writing experiment is a attempt to write a complete (and very rough) draft of a novel by writing for fifteen minutes each day. I have taken a timed writing from one of the daily prompts done in 2021, cleaned it up a little and used it as my jumping off point into a story. Each day I will take the last line of the story written the day before and use it as my sentence starter and write for fifteen minutes, growing the story as the year progresses.
Day 112: She closed and locked it behind her leaving Anya alone in the former musician’s gallery.
She closed and locked it behind her leaving Anya alone in the former musician’s gallery. Anya shivered in the cool empty space. She was certain that the air vents drilled into the room would provide much needed air circulation while a full gallery of musicians played for diners below but as she stood here on her own, she simply felt cold.
Anya wrapped her arms around herself. Knowing that if sound echoed from here into the room below then her movements might be heard, Anya moved into what she hoped was a convenient position. She sat down on one of the provided benches. She felt the cold of the stone through her thicker skirts and knew that over the course of a dinner it would no doubt get worse.
She made certain that she was close enough to the screen that she could see the head table in the room. She doubted someone like Lord Mathis would be content with less. She maintained a distance from the decorative and concealing screen though. Even though she knew it would block sight, she thought movement might still be detectable to those below. She planned to kep still as well as silent, but didn’t want a twitch to betray her listening presence.
She didn’t have long to wait. As soon as she settled, Anya saw the Matron, Marta and a few other older women enter the room. With them was Lord Mathis and a man Anya had not seen before. He was long and lean and reminded her a bit of the hunting dogs some of the wealthier men in town kept. There was something about him that made him seem as though he was hunting as he stalked into the room by Lord Mathis’ side.
“It is an honor to have you join us, Lord Mathis,” the Matron said as she led him to the high table. Her voice was dimmed but clear to Anya. The voice was made clearer as the room fell more or less silent as the group arrived. Men were rare here even if Anya had learned earlier that they were about. Seeing Lord Mathis was clearly a surprise for all of them.
“I’m afraid you will find our fare poor by comparison to your usual table. We are not accustomed to entertaining such august visitors,” The matron said.
Those in her group settled at the table.
“Not even in season, matron?” Lord Mathis asked. “I am told on occasion you host the finest quality of person along with the lowest.”
Anya ‘s angle was such that she couldn’t really see the expressions on their faces as they spoke. She thought about shifting to gain a better vantage point but decided against it. While Mathis might not hear her, she suspected the hunter with him, might.
“There is always the possibility, in Season, Lord Mathis,” The matron replied. “However, we might not know. We refuse all names during the Season so that each may be treated on their own merit, and Queen or commoner, we all eat the same fare.”
“I see,” Lord Mathis replied. “How…egalitarian. Your season has ended I take it?”
“Yes,” the matron said. “We relocate to the interior spaces for warmth in the colder months once the Season has ended. It is more compact a space and cozier for those few of us who remain year round.”
Lord Mathis nodded.
Ten til Midnight 