The fifteen minute novel writing experiment is an 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 196: In addition to what Deran called the basics, there were a few additional books added to his list.
In addition to what Deran called the basics, there were a few additional books added to his list. These books were about the older parts of the house and tended to lean more into the agricultural nature of them. As he mentioned the areas were designed to be used in times of need. They were not only hidden within the hidden areas, but there was a system for growing the food someone living there would need.
Anya found out that the troughs she saw were used in this system and the roof top windows were opened to admit light. There was some sort of hidden covering over them so that from the outside the openings looked like inaccessible rock formations that blended into the backdrop that was the mountain. It was placed so that even if the magic failed, it was placed in a way that was not noticeable from any of the roadways in the area.
‘To stay hidden even without magic,’ Anya realized.
The information about the inner portions of the mountain were not technically part of her lessons but something that they discussed when the lessons were complete. Anya didn’t feel as though she was being tested on those aspects. She felt more that Deran was directing her towards information that he did not know because he thought The Lady of the Moon would want her to know.
Deran could come up with no specific reason that the orb would direct her sight to the original parts of the mountain as it was designed to show only what it was asked. He thought it might be part of the lady’s plan.
As for the lady herself, Anya braced herself every time she went to sleep, but there were no further dreams. Anya felt as though she was waiting. She was learning things she needed to know while waiting, but Anya was still filled with a sense of waiting.
Each morning she checked the progress of the restorative magic but it had yet to reach the inner portions. It was growing closer each day and Anya reminded herself of broken stairs and other hazrds to keep herself from investigating.
When a month passed, Anya found a new pack had been added to the shadowy space underneath the basin. This one was slightly more compact and when Anya retrieved it she found it contained more food, enough to last a month, possibly a little more, and a note, but none of the traveling items that were placed in the pack before.
After setting the food with the rest in her private store, Anya sat down to read the letter. The information was not unexpected. Lord Mathis’ man was moving south, heading through Dovish. No mention was given of Tyrin and Anya was fairly certain she never mentioned the name of her village. In the letter, Marta believed that the man would travel to Dovish and search the towns and villages as he went searching for her or signs of her passage.
After reading the letter, Anya set it aside and took down the book with the map. This time she ignored the ancient city names and merely looked at the spaces. When she spoke with the matron briefly about her travels she was informed that Dovish was two months’ worth of travel away.
Ten til Midnight 