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 144: “We need to know which it is.”
“We need to know which it is.” Lord Mathis looked to Haroman and lifted an eyebrow.
“I will do my best, milord, but the winter snows…” he began
“Then start with my enemies,” Mathis snapped. “Start with those who might use the girl against me or for their own ends. You know who they are.”
“I do and will start there, seeing alternate trails once the snows clear,” Haroman said differentially.
“Well get on with it,” Mathis said when Haroman didn’t immediately leave the room.
“At once,” he said. He offered a short bow and turned, walking towards the door. As the door shut behind his man, Lord Mathis indulged in a heavy sign and rubbed his temple. “Why is the help so vexing,” he whined.
Anya watched Lord Mathis for a moment and decided that she probably wasn’t going to get any more information from him. She allowed herself to float down the hall, following Haroman. She followed him down the hall and out of the grander sections of the palace and into the servant’s corridors. There the hallways narrowed and were of plain cut granite rather than faced with marble. The floors were still wooden but instead of the polished imported woods that lined the corridors used by the more affluent, the boards here were wide planks cut from local trees.
Haroman wound his way through the labyrinth of service corridors and into his own chambers. Unlike the suite Lord Mathis occupied, Haroman had one small room. It contained a box bed with a straw mattress covered over with a heavy but plain blanket. There was a row or pegs where extra clothing and outer garments such as heavy cloaks for braving the cold were hung. There was a sturdy storage box in the corner. It wasn’t as large as a storage chest in a house would be. It was smaller and something that would fit all Haroman owned. It could easily be loaded onto the back of the Lord’s carriage when he was asked to travel with Lord Mathis and indeed it showed signs of the wear travel seemed to give to such cases
Anya watched as Haroman sat down on the bed and leaned back. He frowned as though in heavy thought. While Anya was certain she would need to check in on Haroman periodically to see what he was up to, especially if she decided to leave the house of the Star or if he decided to return, at the moment it looked as though he was still contemplating his own move.
‘And I need to talk to Marta,’ Anya reminded herself. Knowing where she could find Haroman, Anya pulled her sight back to the House of the star and went looking for Marta. As she watched the older woman begin her day, Anya wondered how much she ought to tell Marta.
She kne that Marta understood the Matron had the ability to look beyond the House and had spies in many kingdoms. Anya suspected that many of the spies were women she helped into a better position and who were grateful enough for the change in circumstances to send information along rather than any trained court spies.
‘I wonder if that isn’t part of the reason the House helps those women,’ Anya thought.
Ten til Midnight 