How Standing in the Rain Helped Create A True and Perfect Knight
Anita thank you very much for inviting
me to share some thoughts with you and your followers.
Have you ever found yourself standing in
the rain without being prepared for it? If you haven’t you should try it
sometime, just to really understand why staying out of the rain is a good idea.
Even in warm climates being drenched is a cold business. Your clothes stick and
chafe. Your skin is slick and clammy. Water drips down your back causing an
itch impossible to relieve because your clothing bunches in odd directions and
keeps you from scratching like you want. Runoff from your scalp drips into your
eyes, nose and mouth, and no matter what you do you can’t get comfortable. I’ve
had this experience, even though I already knew enough to come in out of the
rain. On that one occasion, coming in wasn’t possible because there was no
place to come into. Other more important factors kept me out in the rain, but
the soaking I got was still an aggravation that I had to deal with.
Since one of my greatest pleasures in
life is giving my fictional characters difficulties. When the concept for A
True and Perfect Knight came to me—a widow suspected of pushing her spouse (now
dead by hanging) into treason falling for his best friend who’d been ordered to
arrest that spouse and bring him to the king for trial and execution—I knew I
needed to show immediately how much trouble the widow had. Here’s the opening
of A True and Perfect Knight.
“Rumor says that the bottom of a privy
is more attractive than Roger’s widow.”
Privately, Sir Haven De Sessions wished the widow to the devil along
with the incessant rain.
“No noble woman could be that ugly,
especially one from the court in Paris,” protested Soames, Haven’s second in
command.
Haven thought of the execution he’d
witnessed and felt his jaw clench. “If
God is just, Genvieve Dreyford’s face will expose every coil and stain in her
black soul. ’Tis only right that the
true nature of the woman who led my best friend to treason show on her
face.”
Soames shook his head at his commander’s
remarks. “Do you suppose that is
her?” He slanted his head in the
direction of six sodden figures huddled some distance from the by-way.
Haven followed Soames’ glance. “Possibly.
We have come almost a league from the castle. That is the distance the bailiff claimed he
had taken the widow and her entourage when the new lord threw her out. But, I doubt...” His words trailed off as he
peered through the downpour at the figure that stepped to the front of the
pitiful group.
The woman stood tall and straight. Shoulders back, legs braced. She anchored herself, as if by sheer will
alone she could defend the others. A
young boy clung to her skirts.
Could this be the suspected traitoress
who caused the downfall of his best friend, Roger Dreyford? Haven wanted to see her face, to see if she
appeared as evil as he believed her to be.
Distance and the obscuring rain defeated him.
“But what, Sir?”
Soames question shook Haven from his
musings. “But I doubt a woman like
Roger’s widow would stand out in the rain or tolerate such a humble
abode.”
Even though this scene is in Haven’s
point of view, leave a comment and tell me what you think of Genvieve. Is Haven
right? Could he possibly be wrong? Why or why not? I can’t wait to see what you
have to say.
About
Rue Allyn
Author
of historical, contemporary, and erotic romances, Rue Allyn fell in love with
happily ever after the day she heard her first story. She is deliriously
married to her sweetheart of many years and loves to hear from readers about
their favorite books and real life adventures.
Learn more about Rue at http://RueAllyn.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RueAllyn
Great except. I tweeted.
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