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 206: She didn’t know it well, but she could have sworn she had seen it before, even though she knew she hadn’t actually been there.
She didn’t know it well, but she could have sworn she had seen it before, even though she knew she hadn’t actually been there. Curious as to why Ranad would be so familiar to her, Anya followed along. At first Perov didn’t seem to be looking to talk to anyone. As Ranad was a large enough town that not everyone knew everyone and outsiders there to trade were common, no one remarked on his presence.
Anya saw Perov relax as he realized he would not have to justify his presence, at least not yet. In a few places Anya watched as his questions brought suspicion, even in larger towns. People wanted to know why the huntsman was searching for a specific girl.
At first Perov looked like he was just becoming comfortable in town. He was adjusting, looking around, but gradually, Anya realized he was steadily making his way across town and out of the other side. He had a direction. Anya didn’t know what it was as he never stopped to talk to anyone and he certainly didn’t explain anything, but it became clear that he did know where he was going. Curiosity growing stronger, Anya followed along.
They reached the edge of town and Anya watched as the houses grew larger. These were not the massive manor houses of the larger, wealthier families, those were in another part of town. These were the wealthier merchants who could afford to have homes slightly away from their place of business. They no longer needed to live above it and often had multiple clerks running the day to day things, or at least doing the early openings and late closings that would allow the merchants to travel from home to work and back in daylight hours.
While not the grandest houses Ranad boasted they were substantial. As Perov went towards the last house on the block Anya realized why it was so familiar.
This as the path that Marta led her on when she was looking into the large basin of water. This was the house where she was a baby in the cradle and her sisters were still young children. This was where her father died and her uncle took the three of them away from town. Anya hadn’t known the name of the town where she was born. It was never mentioned. Now she knew. She smiled with the knowledge and watched as Perov approached the front door.
Anya frowned. ‘Why would he go there?’
Her parents died and her Uncle sold everything before taking them back to Tyrin. There would be nothing for them here. There would be no way to trace her from here. Until now she hadn’t even known the town’s name other than from lessons and school days maps.
Perov strode up to the front door and knocked smartly on the door. While the houses occupants weren’t wealthy enough to have many live in staff, it was clear they boasted at least one servant as she was the one who answered the door.
“May I help you sir?” The young woman was dressed as a household maid, her dress spotless and freshly pressed. She took in the road worn huntsman and was not impressed by what she saw.
“I was just passing through and thought to offer my greetings to the lady of the house. I knew her father a long time ago.”
“It must have been a long time ago,” the startled maid replied. The maid flushed crimson.
“Well it would be about sixteen, seventeen years since he died of course,” Perov said.
“Oh no,” the maid replied shaking her head. You must be mistaken. My mistress is an elderly woman and her father must have passed on a good thirty years ago.”
“What,” Perov replied. “I knew my friend died leaving his three daughters the house, surely at least one of them would have survived to become its mistress.”
“Oh well I do recall something of that story sir, but you had better come in and discuss that with my mistress. I’ll…I’ll have to see if she is accepting visitors.” The maid stepped back and closed the door leaving Perov to wait.
Ten til Midnight 