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 253: All Anya could do at the moment was to study and learn for when those components were available.
All Anya could do at the moment was to study and learn for when those components were available. Anya enjoyed the lessons but they felt just like the other lessons she took when she was in Tyrin. They were more encompassing and taught her many things that she knew wouldn’t be taught in Tyrin, but still they were lessons just the same.
‘I just no longer have the same school master asking me to recite the lessons in front of the class,’ she thought. Anya thought of Deran and his checking of her learning of the lessons. ‘well I don’t have the class watching.’
Anya thought of Bendesea who seemed to know what she was doing. ‘It is still not an entire class,’ Anya corrected. She filled as small sack with the items she was taking from the store room and adjusted the remaining contents so it did not look as though anything as taken. Satisfied she would go unnoticed, Anya slipped back into the hidden corridors and took the bag as well as the other items she collected back to her quarters. Because the items she was collecting were mostly for use in the new garden area, she put them there instead of her personal quarters and was pleased to see the items begin to stack up with each trip.
The room began to take on a less abandoned air and Anya felt a wave of hopefulness that she usually only felt when she was foraging and had a hunch a patch of mushrooms or a bush of berries was just about ripe for collection.
The day wore thin and Anya finally retreated to her quarters. Dusty and tired, she built up the fire to a blaze and lit the small fire in the bathing chamber so it could begin to heat her water. When the water was warm enough for a soak, she indulged in the hot bath, and once clean rinsed out the tub refilled it with water and washed most of her garments. She then hung them up so they would be able to dry. She kept one of the dusty dresses out of the wash as she didn’t know how long everything would take to dry. She wanted to be assured of at least one dry garment in the morning.
‘Besides it will still be dusty and sweaty after tomorrows foraging. Anya slipped on her night dress and dressing gown before assembling her meal and sitting before the fire. The movement and her cloak kept her warm but it was still nice to sit comfortably in a well warmed room after a good long bath.
Anya ate carefully, trying not to spill crumbs or stain her night dress with grease. As she ate, she thought about what she had left to gather. She suspected one day more of visiting the store rooms would see everything for the indoor garden gathered and the lace making tools brought into her quarters. Anya smiled, pleased that she would be able to give something back to the House of the Star.
‘Even if I am using their supplies to make the lace.’
After eating, Anya continued reading about the setup of the interior garden space wanting to be able to use the items she was collecting as soon as possible. When she could no longer keep her eyes open she ended her day, happy to retreat back to her warm and cozy bed.
The next day followed the same pattern and by the end of it, Anya gathered everything she needed from the various store rooms. She placed the basket containing the lace making tools and materials next to her reading chair.
Ten til Midnight 