For the Christmas newsletter, I started a story; one that would give a little Christmas gift not only to my readers, but to some of my characters as well. Let’s face it, I’ve put Einar, the Circle, and their families through an awful lot since the start of my series. But let it not be said that I am a heartless writer. I challenge my characters, and test them, even refine them through hardships, just as all of us are challenged, tested, and refined by real life. But I also allow them to feel joy, love, and yes, even moments of great triumph. The villains don’t always win, and great wrongs can be righted in surprising ways. Sometimes the most powerful, seemingly unstoppable villains, are thwarted not by the strongest and most powerful of heroes, but by the meek, who glide past unnoticed because they aren’t considered important enough to watch. That’s real life, too.
I thought I could finish this fun story in two parts, but it has gained some momentum in the writing process and will take more than that. Who knows, I might even expand it in the future, filling in more detail, and adding more twists to the plot. That’s part of the fun of writing, at least for me. There are always deeper furrows to plow, and from the seeds planted within them, amazing things grow. They just need the genuine warmth of heart, and a fertile imagination, watered with an unquenchable desire to keep creating, day after day, season upon season.
Hope you enjoy “Letters for the Circle,” Part 2. If you missed Part 1, no worries. You can still read from the beginning by following either link.
Keran tucked his head down deep inside his hood and tried to keep his mare walking at a leisurely pace. His heart thumped so loudly he was certain everyone he passed could hear it, including the Port’s Keep night watch. With the Winter Festival just beginning, they were more attentive than usual to the comings and goings of those out after nightfall.
Keran’s mare sensed his anxiety and kept trying to rush forward to outrun it. It took all his strength to keep her reined in. “You’re going to get us noticed,” he hissed, irritated more by his immediate risk than by her behavior. He knew she was only responding to his mood; if he could calm himself, she would settle. Keran took a few deep breaths and tried to focus on nothing but the road directly in front of him. The city gate loomed just ahead—if he was going to get caught, it would be there, by an overly inquisitive guard wondering why a boy would be leaving the protection of the city alone in the dark of night. He sat up straight in the saddle, trying to make the most of his height. He had grown rather tall in the past year. Perhaps they would think he was older, if he kept his head covered and face hidden. It was the only hope he had. (Click to continue…)
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Allison D. Reid 