The Pen of a Ready Writer

     The night was a long one for Detlef.   His only companions were the rats and beetles, and the hard stone floor amplified the aches and wounds from the fight the day before.   Sleep came and went and finally disappeared altogether just before dawn.      Detlef propped himself against the iron bars and watched as a gray light softened a barred window high above him.   A guard came with some foul-smelling sop in a bowl for him, and then stalked away without a word.      Detlef watched in silence as the guard disappeared.   Then he sighed and rubbed his stiff shoulder.   “I haven’t given up yet, Ilona.”      But what else could he try?   He had thrown his weight against every bar of his cell yesterday without success.   The guards were numerous.   The viscount made it clear that the only way out was to testify falsely against an innocent man who had dared...

     Ilona awoke under her red quilt, listening to the whisper of rain.   She dressed quickly and hurried outside.   Fires sputtered as women tried to make a hot breakfast.   At the far end of the courtyard was a forest pavilion with a roof and no walls.   Several people gathered there.   Ilona trotted across the ground, her shoes splattering mud on the backs of her legs.      Horst was standing by a table, studying a map.   Multiple scouts were giving their reports.   Horst looked up and greeted Ilona.   “Only fair you should hear this, too,” he said, returning his attention to the maps.   “We’ve lost Detlef.”        Ilona gasped.   “What do you mean?   Is he okay?”      Horst answered calmly, his eyes as deep and unfathomable as the sea.   “Derwald men have scattered into the forest, meeting your suitors and putting them thr...

    So I have been absolutely swamped.  I haven't been able to finish all my interviews yet or post all the ones that I have completed.  I haven't gotten to write very much.  Everything has been shoved to a back burner.      Would you like to know why?      First of all...     ...a wedding...     This, to be honest, was the biggest pull on my time and attention, other than midwifery work. Other than this wedding and all the little side pursuits involved with making it as beautiful as possible, there have also been some other pulls on my time. There were baby showers for friends. There was some hiking trips that I had to prep for...and then they ended up being cancelled.  Aka, all the pre-work without the fun event! There were some family events to attend. There were dental visits.  Might not seem like a big deal, but this was literally my first d...

     Ilona wrapped her arms around her pillow and sank deep into sleep.   Dreams swirled around her, building in clarity until she saw herself as a little girl in the castle garden.   The swing was in front of her, and its stone arbor was covered in twirling vines with tiny pink blossoms.   She climbed up onto the swing and pressed her nose into the spring flowers.   She was happy.      A black-haired boy climbed up next to her.   “I’m going away, Ilona.”   His voice was immeasurably sad.   He clenched his little jaw determinedly.   “But I’ll come back.   I promise.”      Ilona sat down on the swing, surveying her playmate in dismay.   Going away?   Why would he go away?      He sucked in a deep breath, puffing out his chest.   “Ilona,” he said.   “You’re my best friend.   When I grow up, I’m not going marry anybody but you. ...

     The forest was damp and cool.   Detlef guided his horse through the maze of trees.   It was not his first time here, but the last time had been, oh, so long ago.      The sun was high but a chill still hung in the air.   It had been over an hour since Detlef heard any of the other men.      The land dipped down, and Detlef rode into a gorge.   He looked around, half-hoping to see his horse tree – the one that he…      And there it was.      A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as he surveyed the bent tree.   He could almost see himself as a little boy, straddling the sway of the trunk like a saddle.   “Look, Timothy,” he murmured.   “This was my first horse.” He pressed his leg against Timothy’s side until his horse stood next to the bent tree.   Detlef leaned over and patted the tree.   “I named it Hartlin.”   H...

     Ilona sat on the edge of a forest bed and fingered its red quilt.   Her hut was cozy with its thatched roof and sweet-smelling herbs – she had slept much better than she expected.      The door swung open and a tall girl slipped in, carrying a basin of water.   Her long dark hair hung over her shoulder, and she wore a garland of flowers on her head.   “You can wash your face if you like,” she said, setting the basin on the wooden table by Ilona’s bed.      Ilona stood and plunged her hands into the water, scooping it up and splashing her face.   The garland girl handed her a cloth, and Ilona dried her face.   “You’re name is Dagmar, is it not?”   So many people had been introduced to her yesterday.   She hoped she had the name right.      The girl nodded her head.   “I’m your cousin – the daughter of Amalia’s older brother.”   She reached out ...