Tag: bell hunting

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This Needs Cleaned Up

The other night I wrote an ending. It wasn’t happy. It didn’t go out of it’s way to offer details regarding how the two people had gotten to that point in their lives. I hoped to mirror that with a happier ending. Maybe even make up an ensemble ending for an epic fantasy adventure, but that’s hard.

Just now I considered writing the ending to some story I’d already read or a movie I’d already scene. I’m not good at recalling details, so I could probably do that easily enough. Instead I’ll root through my own stuff and see how much luck I have at jumping ahead.

https://1000days.douglasblaine.com/20081111/a-bell-hunting-interlude/

And ending for A Bell Hunting Interlude featuring Charnwyn, Franwyn, and jealous narrator, Conwyn…

I placed the rega on Charnni’s chest and stepped back. The monks, who had been chanting softly, intoned the crematory spell louder. The air above Charnni’s body wavered from the increasing density of magic. I stayed close enough to feel the creche stone absorbing the that power; I hoped to be burnt by it’s release.

Then, remembering something Franny had said to me, I turned. “Conni, [something totally poinent and applicable].” The shadow of magic felt cooling on my face. It felt refereshing. It felt like an apology. I untied the silk funerary cloth from my shoulder and let it slip. The material felt like my soul sliding away as it fell to the ground an left me utterly naked in front of our gathered friends.

I stepped from the circle, through the crowd, and into the night. Charnni was dead, Franny was lost, and I was alone.

Finally.

280 words on day 597

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A Bell-hunting Interlude

http://gorillaartfare.com/2008/11/the-bell/

Charnwyn’s coat tails dangled well below the branch she squatted on.  I loved that jacket.  It was maroon and finely textured—especially the embroidered cuffs.  She wore morning and night.  She wore it each day.  It hung well on her and in many ways defined her to those she’d just met but I wished I’d found it in that shop in Telash not her.  I wished I wore it instead.

Next to her, Franwyn sat cross legged on the tentacle-like branch like imbalance held no definition.  These heights never posed a problem for her the way they did me.  Her sword lay in her lap…I think she may have even been asleep.  With her peacefully slack face and doe-eyed expression knowing if she slept or merely drifted off during a conversation with lots of words or saw an especially colorful bird was hard to determine.

“…Conni?  Conwyn?”  I realized Charnni called my name about the time her voice went from a hushed whisper to a harsh one.  Though our height gave us nearly all the safety we needed keeping quiet still made sense.

:Sorry,: I signed back.

“I think we’re fine up her.  We can talk—a little.  What are you sulking about this time?”

I added some sway to the line of the hunting bell to restart the pendulum of its movement.  It swung a few more times.  I started to answer but Charnni shifted her position on the vine-branch to look out of our little circle of light.  I could see her unbanded breasts through the gaping sleeve of that jacket.

“I wish I could get away with that.”

“Again?  Really?  Conni, going unbanded, on a hunt, in the forest, alone with my sisters is about the only advantage these little things give me.  Shut up already.”

“Hush ladies.  Something climbs up,” Franny said.

Day 311