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 168: To Anya’s surprise she was frowning as though deep in thought.
To Anya’s surprise she was frowning as though deep in thought. She wondered what could have caused the Matron such deep concentration but the matron was alone and not talking to herself. She braided her hair and wrapped the long braid around her head, securing it with pins for the day. She looked into the small glass perched above her wash stand and turned her head a couple of times to check that all was as she wished. With that last bit of personal grooming complete, the matron walked to the door of her quarters and let herself out into the corridor.
From her place in the room with the warm globe of sight, Anya followed the matron. She wondered what could have the matron so concerned and wondered if it might affect her. Anya watched as the matron went down to the kitchens and checked on the final preparations for the morning meal. She wondered if there was a food shortage or if the items she managed to take from the back of the larder had been noticed. Anya tried to be careful in what she took, taking a little bit from different places so that nothing would appear to be noticed.
When there was a string of sausages, she would take one of the links from the end. If there were too few sausages she would pass them by and take a scoopful of grain from an unsealed barrel. Anya made certain never to take the last of something and to never open anything that was still sealed for storage. In the kitchen the Matron greeted those who worked there.
Everything seemed to be working as usual and there was no mention of disappearing supplies. ‘So the house of the Star is not running low on supplies. That’s not what she is worried about.’
Satisfied that all was in order, the Matron moved towards the main dining hall. She was joined by Marta and the two swept in, the younger women already in their places at the lower tables. Anya watched as they settled themselves. Throughout the meal the conversation was light and pleasant. Anya almost thought she might be misinterpreting the look of concern on the Matron’s face, but Marta kept giving her looks as though she too suspected something was wrong.
Anya felt her feet cool and she wished she brought the blanket to stand on. Her hands were still warm so she did her best to ignore the discomfort of the cold soaking through her boots from the stone below as sh watched the morning meal progress.
‘I should have eaten my breakfast as well as bringing the blanket,’ she thought as she waited for the meal to end. Even though her normal practice was to eat after she returned from observing the others, she now felt the lack. Still she waited.
As the meal wound to a close, the Matron invited Marta back to her quarters. Hoping to hear some of the Matron’s concerns, Anya followed. A short time later, they were seated in front of the fire in the matron’s quarters, each holding a mug of tea from which they each sipped delicately. Even though the Matron invited Marta, she seemed to have trouble beginning.
“I had a dream last night,” The matron finally said.
“A dream,” Marta asked. She lifted an eyebrow.
“Well not just a dream. It had the hallmarks of something more than just a dream,” The matron said.
Marta nodded but looked surprised.
“I know,” the matron said noting Marta’s surprise. “It is unusual.”
Ten til Midnight 