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 143: “Garaway,” He bellowed.
“Garaway,” He bellowed. There was the sound of a door opening and the clatter of footsteps racing towards the sound of Lord Mathis voice. A tall thin servant dressed in blue and gold livery appeared. There was a shield embroidered on his sash like a badge of honor. He bowed low and Anya wondered if the shield design was for Lord Mathis as the man looked to be a servant. The shield had a stork and a sword embroidered on it’s center.
“Clear this lot up and Fetch Haroman,” Lord Mathis ordered.
“Of course,” Garaway replied. He bowed towards Lord Mathis once more and picked up the tray with the emptied platters. He took the tray out of the door disappearing from the room. Mathis leaned back in his chair. He retained his final cup of tea and he sipped it slowly, clearly deep in thought.
‘I wonder what was in those letters,’ she thought. There was no angle from which she could see them.
A moment later there was the light tread of footsteps approaching. The approach was soft as though the man was accustomed to silencing his approach. Anya noticed that it was the same man who accompanied Lord Mathis to the House of the star. Here he sniffed as though scenting her presence like a hunting hound. Here he looked no less like a sleek hunting dog but he was a dog at rest, the sniffing of quarry ceased.
“You sent for me, Milord?” he asked. His voice was softer than Anya expected as though it too was accustomed to treading lightly.
“A Haroman, I have received word of all of the new girls sent to the laundry. The one I seek is not among them. I am beginning to think the Matron has lied to me.”
“Perhaps, Milord,” he replied. “But perhaps she was sent here and simply did not arrive. It has been known to happen.”
Anya snorted as she heard this. That was very much what Lord Mathis had done. Claimed to send her to one of the great houses and then have her disappear once they were safely away from town. No doubt Lord Mathis remembered this as well as he nodded slowly.
“Yes, it has been known to happen,” he said. “And I am not the only one with agents. Someone could have spotted the girl and seen her for what she was, making off with her before she reached the palace.” He tapped the stack of letters. “The girls questioned said that there were many groups coming this way and none could be sure if she was with them or not. It seems many groups left at the same time along the main highway and then departed for other destinations as the group moved. None said she was seen going elsewhere, they just know she is not here now.”
“She could have made friends and changed her plans enroute,” Haroman said. “Instead of being the target of someone else’s acquisition.”
“This is true also,” Mathis said. “If she has found other employment then there is little harm done. We would simply reacquire her. If she has been taken by another, it may be too late to use her.” Lord Mathis leaned back and took another sip of his tea. “We need to know which it is.”
Ten til Midnight 