Aaaannnndddd its Nanowrimo again!!! I figure this blog might be the best way I can share my progress with friends who I DON'T have email addresses for. If you would rather I e-mail you updates about my novel this November then, by all means, send me your e-mail address! Here we go! My first day of writing (yes two days late)
Total Word Count: 950
Prologue
“Rose, rose, rose, rose.
Will I ever see thee wed?
I will marry at thy will sire,
rose, rose, rose…”
“Ladies and Gentlemen, our Gracious King and Beloved Queen!” The sound of trumpets rent the air throughout the hall. In one great motion the entire gathering swept to their feet, their chairs scraping against the cold stone floor as they rose in unison. Prince Derek sighed and, looking down, plucked at the loose button on the front of his vest. His father tapped his foot impatiently and looked down at his son, still sitting in his seat. Coughing slightly, he reached down and grasped Derek’s elbow pulling him to his feet. The feather on his hat flopped down into his face and tickled his nose. He crossed his eyes and looked at it while he tried to blow it back into place without using his hands.
The giant double doors let out a low moan as they retreated, revealing the King with his Queen holding a very tiny bundle of cloth in her arms. The feather lay still for a moment as Derek looked curiously at the Queen and her mysterious package. She was descending down the steps clutching the bundle in one hand and holding her skirts in the other. He watched as her tiny shoes peeked out from underneath her hem with each step. Derek reached out and tugged lightly on his fathers’ jacket. “Papa?” He whispered, “What’s going—?” He stopped. Reaching the last step, she straightened her skirts and cleared her throat. Immediately silence infected the court. “Ladies and Gentlemen, King Stefan and I are pleased to announce the birth of a Rondalan princess.” Her soft voice carried easily through the room. Gasps and murmurs ran through the court bouncing from person to person. Her mouth formed a small smile and coughed lightly. The murmurs stopped. “It being twelve days after the day of her birth we have gathered together to present her with a name.” She smiled again, broader this time. “ Princess Aurora Abrielle Cordelia Nahele. Aurora to celebrate the dawn, Abrielle to invite the strength of God, Cordelia, the jewel of the sea and Nahele, the forest.” The court erupted into cheers. The Queen looked back and the King, tears streaming down her face. He laughed and rushed down the stairs to be by her side. Derek laughed and clapped his hands as he looked around at the mass of cheering people, tears streaming down their faces.
All of a sudden and the cheering abruptly ceased. The pavilion plunged into darkness. Dark clouds rolled in blocking the sun. Lightning flashed overhead illuminating snapshots of the scene unfolding. People running for cover. The Queen shielding Princess Aurora. The King standing in front of them. His face was twisted; angry. “Stefan… You naughty, naughty king… You forgot to invite me to your…celebration.” It was impossible to see the source in the dark but it sounded like it came straight from the sky; as loud as the thunder that came with the lightning. The voice laughed with a mocking cruelty that belied any mirth the voice might have ever known. Derek covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut against the darkness while crouching beneath his chair. The voice continued, “Shame really. I had such a wonderful congratulatory sentiment all prepared.” Within seconds the clouds disappeared and the sun winked at them from the sky. Derek felt the light behind his eyes and opened them slowly looking around at the crowd. An extremely thin woman stood at the front of the crowd looking at the King. She had her cloak pulled closely around her body, the high collar cradling her head and long neck. She had beautiful features marred by the ugly smirk she wore like a badge of honor, as if she didn’t even want to be happy. “Maleficent. “ The King said quietly his eyes ablaze and his mouth tugged down at the corners. “What are you doing here?”
“I’ve come to pay my respects, my dear King, to the little princess.” As she hissed the last word, her eyes narrowed, flicked toward the tiny bundle and then back towards the King in her way. The King followed her eyes with his and squared his shoulders against her. “Begone, Maleficent while you still have a chance to leave this place unscathed.” He flicked his hand subtly towards the guards at the side of the pavilion. They all gripped their drawn weapons and moved slowly forward towards the shadowy figure. She threw her head back and laughed cruelly again. The sound of it gave Derek a headache. He put his hands over his ears again to muffle the grating sound. “Dear, dear Stefan, you haven’t even heard my gift for the child yet!” She smiled wickedly at him, “Death. My dear Stefan. Your precious princess will die.”
“Guards!” He roared as Maleficent laughed again.
They didn’t move. They couldn’t move. She laughed again.
“Oh and did I mention? She will die before midnight on her sixteenth birthday,” Her voice increasing in volume with each word “I so declare it!” She thrust her hand forward toward the princess and grasped at the air in front of her, balling her hand into a fist as if she had taken something precious. She brought her fist in towards herself and pressed it against her chest, inhaling deeply and then grinning wickedly again. She winked at the king and then tilted her chin up toward the sky and in a flash of green light was gone. A crow emerged from the smoke left behind and cawed loudly at the court before making its way into the open air.
