19 . 5 . 08
Oh dear. --sighs and shakes head-- I left you in a terrible spot. Not only is everything confusing, but then you have to slog through a three week break? That's rather unfair of me. Let's have a quick recap so you can keep your wits about you:
Katharine is now with Celeste and Kayla's house in the country. She was brought by two men, (Joel and Anthony) and while they seem comically noble, we're not exactly sure what part they play in the saga yet, as Katharine isn't talking. Are they the original kidnappers? The torturers? Or--? My head is spinning just thinking of all the possibilities. Whew.
Rod, Meri, Joseph, and Jody are all on the road on "Birdie's" trail. They sincerely hope that Birdie is Katharine, though there are whispers that it's actually Cordelia Albany (disclaimer to Clar the Piratefor the character).
And if that all isn't complicated enough, this first part actually switches POV's halfway through (from Roderic to Jody). I usually put a line break, as you know, but there really wasn't a convenient place. It flows too well, in my opinion, to put a line break there as-is. I'll make a place later, but for now, I wanted to get this chapter up for you as soon as I could. If you have any opinions (changing a sentence or two to make it fit, or if you see a convenient breaking point that I overlooked) let me know. I'll be quite grateful.
Disclaimer: I quoted Pirates of the Caribbean (the first one) because it made me smile.
"It felt like her dreams were being handed to her on a platter, while someone yanked her world from beneath her feet when she reached for it."
The Guardian --acacia59601
Meriwether didn't talk much the second day of traveling, and Roderic almost asked why, before he saw the pained expression on her face as they rode. She clung to him a little tighter and winced as they jostled along. Roderic was fairly perceptive, and even Jody made a sympathetic face in her direction, albeit a rather unconcerned one. Roderic hadn't realized that she was unused to riding, as it was a common pastime in Rijhad. He didn't ride as often as some, and was somewhat sore in the evenings, but she appeared to be in slightly more significant pain.
After a rut in the road that the horse daintily stumbled over, Roderic patted her leg with a compassionate smile, which she returned after a minute. As she dismounted, she appeared to be much relieved, despite her stiff-backed walking.
"Are you alright?" he whispered in her ear after helping Jody untack the horses.
"Fine," she muttered, brushing past him to the eating area of the small town pub.
"Someone's got
a touchy spot," Joseph snickered.
Roderic hardly heard him. He was watching a man approach Meriwether where she sat, in her dusty riding dress, at the table. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but scan the area for Katharine. It was unlikely that, if she was here, she would be lounging about a pub, but he couldn't help himself.
"Hello, pretty lady," the man said, leaning his elbow onto the table.
Rough brown hair fell into his eyes. Roderic had to admit that he was good looking.
"How did you end up in here alone?"
"I'm not alone," she said, in a tone that easily betrayed her shock at his forwardness. He stood very close to her.
"Your boyfriend with you?" he asked, smiling and leaning closer.
Meriwether looked uncomfortable, and Roderic stepped in, putting a hand possessively on her shoulder. His glare must have been fierce, because the young man vanished instantly, though he could have probably outdone Roderic in a fight.
Roderic sat down next to Meriwether. Neither of them smiled, despite the obvious absurdity in the previous scene.
"Is the riding beginning to bother you?" he asked, watching out of the corner of his eye as Joseph sang for their food, much to the cook's amusement.
"Yes," Meriwether admitted, "and I'm scared."
"Do not be worried. We will find Katharine's attackers, and you will be safe," Roderic assured her.
"It's not me," she said, as if the thought of her own personal preservation was knavish. "I'm worried about Katharine. I want to find her alive and well. She may not have been the nicest cousin, but I love her, and I want to make sure she's safe."
Her eyes began to well up with tears just as Jody and Joseph appeared at the table with food. The three men reacted instantly. Jody became intensely interested in setting plates in front of everybody, Roderic began apologizing for his thoughtlessness, and Joseph began composing a ballad about Katharine's life.
When Meriwether had stemmed her tears, Jody stood, mumbling about talking to the men at the bar. Joseph then explained, in a quick succession of major thirds, that he would be back imminently. Meriwether waited for them to go, then turned to Roderic and continued her thought as if there had been no interruption.
"With every day that passes, there's less and less of a chance that she's still alive. It's not that I don't want to marry you— well, actually, it is, to a degree, but, well, you need her," she said stumblingly. "You may not be perfect for each other, but you need her all the same."
Roderic felt something in his heart cinch painfully and embraced her, dropping his head onto her shoulder. He blinked back the tears and held her tightly. She whispered soothing words in his ear, and just for a moment, there was something about her that reminded him of Katharine, and then it was gone and he sat back.
Joseph returned and they set upon the food, talking about the town in between bites of food. Meriwether pushed hers around more than eating it, and Roderic scolded her worriedly.
"You have hardly eaten anything for the past two days. I know this cannot hold a candle to the food you are used to eating, but you must eat."
"Why?" she sighed, halfheartedly spearing a limp lettuce leaf on her rude fork.
"Because you cannot afford to lose any weight," he pointed out bluntly, then bit his tongue, remembering women's sore spot for matters of weight.
Roderic! he shouted internally. You have been living with a woman for a year, and still you make the most oafish comments. Think!
Her cheeks pinked slightly and she looked down at herself.
"That's sweet of you," she said quietly.
Roderic, through his wave of relief, thought he saw Joseph shoot him a 'you got lucky' glance.
"It was the truth," he mumbled with embarrassment, and busied himself with his food.
Meriwether ate most of the food on her plate before Jody returned.
"Birdie's here and gone," Jody announced as he sat down.
Meriwether lost whatever semblance of appetite she was pretending to have and pushed her plate distractedly to the side. Commensal activity halted. Roderic's jaw tightened and his fork paused, splinters of pork trembling a mere inch off the plate.
"Where did she go this time?"
The lights dimmed slightly, Roderic noticed.
"Not sure," Jody replied, not looking up from his plate. He quickly ate a few beans before they grew any colder. "She thought Parthein or Calbern – north still. The fidgety guy in Bethes seems to be right so far."
Joseph, who had been subtly trying to gain Jody's attention by singing nonsensically, was finally given the floor as his scatting reached the point of desperation.
"What?" Jody said pleasantly.
Joseph jerked his head at the bar, where a man was talking to the barmaid Jody had just gotten information from. The man glanced in their direction for a second before slipping something into her eager hand.
"Uh oh," Meri observed, putting her newly reclaimed fork down with a clank.
Roderic, who had been engrossed in his boiled cabbage, looked up.
"Joseph, take Meriwether and ride to the milliner on the edge of town – the one we passed coming in. We'll meet you there in a half hour. If we don't show, ride to the next town," Jody murmured in a rush.
Joseph took Meriwether by the hand, slipping from the table before the man arrived.
"A blacksmith and a prince," the man said easily, sitting at their table. It seemed darker than it had a moment ago.
His eyes followed Meriwether's skirt as it whipped around the corner leading to the back door. A stocky man with black hair followed her at a jog. Jody kept his face impassive, inwardly furious that he hadn't been paying attention so he could evacuate the pair earlier.
Roderic kept his face impassive too, Jody saw, impressed. The man's demeanor was cold and intimidating, but Jody wasn't one to be easily scared. He put a bite of potato in his mouth and chewed deliberately before setting his fork down.
"Who are you?" he asked reasonably.
"Someone willing to make a deal," the man replied, not even glancing at Roderic.
Which is good, Jody thought, because he's starting to look nervous. In the back of his mind, a very Celeste-like part of him noticed that the man talked strangely. He wasn't from Rijhad – or, at least, not from that part of Rijhad. It was almost as if his lip caught a little on his teeth as he spoke.
"What sort of deal?" Jody asked, hoping he still looked politely bored.
"You lead us to Katharine, and we'll consider keeping Meriwether alive."
The man couldn't disguise the verve that the statement lent him. In a grotesque way, his eyes lit up like Sammy's did that last time Jody had seen her at Christmas.
"Why her?" Roderic asked, visibly alarmed, though he didn't ask how the man knew it was her.
How could he know? Jody wondered. Meriwether is hardly mentioned in Rijhad. He couldn't possibly know her by sight.
The man's scarred lip lifted in a derisive sneer, one that seemed to encapsulate the lineaments of his soul.
"She's a royal," he said, plainly and flatly, as if that was all the explanation that was required.
"Look, fella," Jody said, hunkering down so his face was level with the man's. "You don't have Meriwether. How 'bout this deal; you and your men leave double quick, and I'll consider letting you leave alive."
The man was unfazed, looking toward the corner where they had last seen Meriwether. Jody glanced around. The stocky man had a firm grip around the tall girl's waist with one hand and the other was behind her back, presumably with a dagger. To the predominantly inebriated occupants of the pub, it looked like they were a couple lingering on the edge of the room.
"Golly," Jody muttered under his breath.
Roderic swallowed a yelp.
"Do we have an accord?" the man asked.
Jody hesitated, glancing at the now-empty corner. Roderic surprised him by interjecting firmly.
"Yes."
The man smiled at him: an unnervingly dark smile. Jody was mildly impressed once more that Roderic did not appear at all nervous – even though he clearly knew that they did not know where Katharine was, and certainly would not lead this man to her if his life depended on it.
But what if Meriwether's life depends on it? Hm.
"We'll keep sweet thing with us," the man continued. "If she behaves nicely, you can have her back once we have Katharine."
Jody pursed his lips but nodded stiffly. Roderic was nodding smoothly beside him. A regal air was wafting about him, but Jody didn't give that any thought. His mind was racing about the danger Meriwether was being put in. He had no doubt that Roderic was internally panicking about that ambiguous statement, but the prince's face was guarded.
"We'll follow you," the man said, a note of finality to his statement, "so don't try anything that will get you killed."
Jody leveled a glare at the man. The man didn't bother glaring. He fixed his eyes on Jody, stood up, then turned around, breaking eye contact and leaving the room. The room seemed brighter after he had gone.
"I knew she should have stayed," Jody muttered angrily.
"It is my fault," Roderic said, pain evident in his eyes and the regal aura gone now that their assailant had left.
For the first time since meeting the prince, Jody saw him as something other than a sissy. The expression on his face reminded him of what he himself had felt, learning Lee was dead. Surprising himself, he put an awkward hand on Roderic's shoulder and murmured the words he had waited too long for someone else to say.
"No, it's not your fault."
"You're burning it! MOMMYAUNTLESSIESOMEBODYHELPHERAAAAHHH!" Michele shrieked, running away from the narrow-eyed Princess who was doing her best to cook flapjacks.
Unfortunately, she had never had to cook before, and had no idea that you had to flip the cakes. They were smoking when Kayla rushed in a minute later and grabbed the spatula from the Princess. She muttered something about "no use at all" as she flipped them all over in under ten seconds.
"Golden brown, then put them on that platter. That one, there," she instructed sharply, handing the spatula back and glaring at the flapjack's burnt tops. She pointed exaggeratedly at the platter on the table. The Princess twisted her mouth sourly in reply, and Kayla, who was about to say something else, was called away by Steve's yell.
"Mommy! Barb's sticking her tongue out at me!"
"HE'S breathing MY air!"
"Would you two shut up and work?" Markin shouted irritably.
"DON'T SAY THOSE WORDS!" Michele screamed from the other side of the house.
Kayla left her again with a glare to sort out the altercation. The Princess managed to get the flapjacks onto the plate before they were totally inedible, though she burned herself and mumbled a few choice words that a wide-eyed Suzie passing by pretended not to hear. The flapjacks were cold, though, before Celeste came in to check on their progress.
"Breakfast!" Celeste bellowed, then smiled at the Princess, who had been busy glaring at the less-than-exemplary quality of the cloth on the dress that Celeste had lent her.
"You have to call them or they won't know. Just yell."
The Princess's eyes narrowed more at the outré suggestion, and Celeste chuckled.
"Just pretend you're one of us for a little while. No one will think worse of you for it, I swear."
"I don't care what others think of me," she hissed as children stampeded into the room. "I care what I think, and I think that yelling is not within my scope of approved behaviors."
"You might want to change your scope," Celeste said lightly, then picked up Mara Leigh from Pete's capable hands and swung her around.
Mara Leigh screamed her happiness, then leaned for the Princess, whose rather set face turned to a smile as she took her. Celeste felt a twinge of jealousy that her child would choose the pompous stranger over her own mother, but kept a smile in place.
"Okay, you feed her today," she said, handing the Princess a bowl of mash and a spoon. "Just put the spoon in front of her and she'll eat off it. Very easy kid to feed."
She tickled Mara Leigh's tummy and the baby giggled.
"I'll cook up a few more flapjacks for us adults while you do that. Kayla is sorting out a difference of opinion between Steve and Barb, which included an unwashed diaper and a mop."
Celeste left no room for argument as she scootched some kids further down the bench to make room for the Princess and the baby. She turned her back and began pouring more batter onto the pan over the fire. When she glanced back, she saw a pleased baby and a thinly smiling woman. Not a speck of mash was out of place.
"You're doing great!" Michele said sincerely, grinning through a mouthful of burnt flapjack.
"These are burnt," Peter started to say but Michele banged her fork onto his hand, making her brother yelp.
"Be nice," she stage-whispered with a deathly glare at Peter — who just rolled his eyes and kept eating.
The Princess either didn't hear them or pointedly ignored them. Celeste kept one eye on the table as she quickly cooked up some more flapjacks, noticing again the tightly bound wraps around the Princess's arms. She wondered what was wrong, but didn't get very far before Kayla came in with a vengeance.
"The next time someone leaves a diaper somewhere other than the laundry basket you are all going to be sentenced to doing diaper laundry every day! It's not been that long since Michele was in diapers! You cannot all have forgotten our policies about diapers! And, the mop bucket, Barb? The MOP BUCKET? And then, Steve, did you really have to try to MOP with it?"
"Yes, ma'am, I'm sorry," Barb said meekly.
"No, ma'am," Steve said, his voice equally hushed.
"May I ask what possessed you to do such a thing?" she said shrilly.
She was quite the frightening sight, the bottom of her dress wet, her hair unbrushed and sticking up in poofs from yesterday's braid, and her face flushed with anger.
Silence reigned. All of the children had carefully put their utensils down and tried to make themselves as small as possible. Even Mara Leigh was completely silent, looking up at her revered Aunt Kayla with a gaze of fear and confusion.
"Well?" Kayla said, louder.
"I didn't know it was a diaper," Steve said in weak defense.
"Was it a mop?"
"No..." he admitted.
"Then don't mop with it!" Kayla said in exasperation.
Celeste would have laughed if she didn't know how much that would frustrate her friend further.
"Kayla, have a flapjack," Celeste said quietly. "I'll finish cleaning up the hallway."
"Thank you," Kayla said grumpily, though her anger deflated somewhat.
The kids relaxed. Besides Daddy, Aunt Lessie was the best at saving them from their mother's wrath. And, though they usually deserved it, they nonetheless appreciated the help. The only room at the table was next to the Princess, who moved just enough to let Kayla sit comfortably before continuing to feed Mara Leigh who was babbling again.
Celeste left to finish cleaning up the unpleasant mess in the hallway, after putting the platter of flapjacks on the table. The small conversations that were being passed back and forth ceased as they all finished eating uneasily while their mother glowered.
"I need to get out," the Princess said, after Mara Leigh finished her last bite of mash.
"You do?" Kayla said with a sarcastic bite.
"Move," the Princess said flatly.
"Say pl—!" Michele said before Suzie pinched her and shook her head desperately.
Kayla's eyes were rimmed with red as she dared the Princess to make her move. To give Kayla her due, she was not usually this argumentative, but the events of the morning had wound her up too tightly to be easy-going.
"Move," the Princess repeated.
"Did you royals learn a nicer way to say that, or is that not important enough for you?" Kayla said.
Michele clapped her hands over her eyes and her mouth dropped open. Markin grinned at Peter, and they silently high-fived under the table.
"We learned a nice way to say it to more important people," the Princess countered.
Barb started to stand up angrily, but Markin yanked her back down and Steve put a finger on his lips. Neither of the women noticed them as they glared at each other.
"I thought the common people were important to royalty," Kayla jabbed.
"Point for mom," Pete whispered under his breath.
Suzie looked like she was going to have a nervous breakdown. Michele still refused to remove her hands from her eyes.
"We value them as much as they value us," the Princess said caustically.
"Is everything alright?" Celeste asked, with false cheeriness, from the doorway.
"Yes. I was just getting up," the Princess said, not moving. Her eyes never left Kayla's.
"Kayla, you might want to move," Celeste said, the tone in her voice polite, but the look on her face showing that she knew more than she was letting on.
A tense moment passed before Kayla stood up to let the Princess slide out.
"Thank you," the Princess murmured, much to Kayla's shock, and swept from the room.
"I don't get her," Kayla admitted, now completely confused, as she sat back down to eat.
She picked at her half-eaten flapjack uninterestedly.
"You all are excused," Celeste said to the fidgeting children, all of whom had long ago finished their food.
They poured off the bench and ran for the door.
"Walk!" she reminded them. "And go finish your chores."
"Yes, ma'am!" they chorused, slowing as they turned the corner and resumed their tasks.
"She is confusing," Celeste agreed, sitting down. "Do you want to talk about it? You looked fit to be tied."
Kayla made a face and took a small bite of flapjack.
"I was just being stupid. But she wasn't helping! She's impossible!"
"You two deserve each other," Celeste chuckled. "You're a pair of stubborn fools, but she might have more of a reason than you have. Who knows what she's been through? You did notice the bandages on her arms?"
"Of course," Kayla replied impatiently, but then her eyebrows creased. "I didn't really think about them, though. I wonder what happened."
"Unless you really feel like asking, there's no way we can know," Celeste joked, then sobered. "Whatever it was, I'm sure it wasn't pleasant. Anything that covers that much area can't be pretty. Give her a break, would you? I know she's arrogant and rude, but she probably doesn't know anything better. We can teach her a lesson with kindness. She might be using her attitude to protect herself from more pain."
"Or she could be a brat," Kayla supplied.
"Either way, we must be kind. Firm in our requests and rules, but kind. Okay?"
"Fine, I'll try," Kayla muttered.
"Thank you," Celeste said warmly. "Meanwhile, I'm going to try to find out if those men were good or bad, and what she plans to do from here."
"Good luck," Kayla said, rolling her eyes. "I doubt you'll get a straight answer from her. She looks like a liar."
"Kayla," Celeste admonished.
"Well?" Kayla said haughtily, in a passable imitation of the Princess's sweeping stand. "I know one when I see one, you know, dahling."
"Stop that," Celeste said, though she giggled.
Katharine, who had been passing by the room at that moment, Mara Leigh in hand, pursed her lips at the imitation. It reminded her of Johnathon, forcibly and unexpectedly. He always used to make fun of how regally she conducted herself in public or whenever she was angry.
"I could guess when you're mad by the measure of your delicate queenly steps," he had joked once, and she had allowed herself a small laugh at the clever remark.
She shook her head and kept walking, smiling at the baby.
Final word count: 3484
Opinions on the new development with Rod and Jo² Co.? And what do you think of the Katty/Kayla confrontation? And her thoughts of Johnathon? Hm…
silliana: I made up for past swiftness by dragging my heels with this one. Heh. Matt was the farmhand: Joel and Anthony were Katharine's... er... companions, for lack of a better word. Though, they were more than just companions, but we don't know exactly what yet. Katharine needs adjust ment to life in general. --aims a glare in her direction-- But I love her anyway. And so does Roderic. For some reason.
Crayola Color Sky: 33: Oh, alright. I just wanted to make sure that I didn't say something I shouldn't have said. --wipes brow-- My muse is devious and sneaky, aren't you Caddy? --he doesn't deign responding-- 34: Kayla is one of my down-to-earth characters. One of my very few. --chuckle-- You can see that she and Katharine naturally butt heads. Heh.
Mazkeraide: Shifty, indeed. Trafficking, eh? Hum. Vampires? That was a wild and unprecedented thought. Interesting.
Captain: Aww. --pats on the back-- I hope you remembered Mother's Day, since you miss her, especially. (Although forgetting Mother's Day even if you don't miss her is a bad idea.) Eh, but your story in general is furlongs better, and the better ones take longer time, so I think we probably even out. And if I recall correctly, your chapters are also longer. However, I won't complain whatsoever if you decide to start writing more often. Cordelia is a random girl that some people think is "the bird" while others think Katharine is "the bird." They (Rod, Jo², and Meri) don't know who "the bird" is , but they're hoping it's Katharine. Does that make sense? Do you feel like writing a lovely long review now?
Bingo7: I liked that line too. It really showed her authoritative side and her nasty side simultaneously. And, it was rather amusing. --chuckle--
Darth Chocolate: Life really is monotonous for peasants, although they have to do more work, so... The Katharine thing will be figured out, fear not.
FaylinnNorse: That was one of my favorite quotes of yours too. I'm incredibly glad that I found a chapter to use it in. Katharine's character, ah, yes. It was hard to nail down. I'm fairly sure I got it right here, as I know exactly what's going on. But it is entirely strange to have her around regular people. Hum, I'll recheck that scene and see what I can do differently. Thanks for pointing it out. Ha, children. --laugh-- She's great. Everyone seems to be picking out that line. It was one of my favorites, too. Mature indeed. As in, Rod needs to be a man, and Katharine needs to realize that she's not the center of the world. --laugh-- Chemistry, yes, I suppose they do. Absence makes the heart grow fonder? --grin-- Good guess there, with the What's Going On With Katty situation.
daring2dream: Wild goose chases are fun. --wicked laugh-- It is frustrating, isn't it? I originally considered not showing Katharine at all, so we wouldn't have any idea where she was, but I decided she needed more character development. And who better to screw her head on straight than Celeste and Kayla, with a myriad of children? Kids have a way of making you see things from their point of view, if they're stubborn enough. It is rather ironic that the husbands are together and wives are together and neither of them know it. Ha. I adore writing children. Writing Barb and Michele and Steve and all them are making my fingers itch to pick up Lilliana, Ceilear, and Stephen again! I need to finish this so I can keep writing Jab! Ah, no, actually, Suzie is Kayla's oldest daughter. She is very quiet. Pounding Katharine down to regular people's level is part of the aim.
Ellsbetta: Oh yay! Lengthy reviews! Yes, her fascination with Mara Leigh and refusal to handle the dirty aspects was something I put thought into. I decided long ago that Katharine would adore children. I was hoping to slip some into the original ball scene, but when that didn't work out I thought of putting her with a whole load of them after she got kidnapped. And, here we are. She loves them, and can't handle them. --laugh-- As for the fiasco: I see what you mean. I wish I hadn't taken such a long break right in the middle of this, too. It was extremely inconvenient. I am standing solid on my belief that everything will make sense by the end. If it doesn't, well, I can always rework. But at this point, I don't think I can rework that until I have it all written out. The direction of the story did start out that way, but my focus had to change after I got started, so I suppose it is a combination of both ideas. The underlying foundation of this whole story, however, is realism. In real life, the original plan doesn't always come through, and your whole life focus shifts for months at a time without warning. That's why this seemed so abrupt. There was no foreshadowing, it was unexpected, and they have to roll with the punches. Do you see my point? Good observation about Katharine washing the dishes with the kids.
Clar the Pirate: I do so like that line. --chuckle-- She seemed off? Well, she is a bit off, what with kidnapping, near death, torturing, and whatnot. Many people have been commenting, though, so I'll see if something was wrong there other than that you just haven't seen her in a while and a lot of things have been going on. Hm. Good thoughts on Meri's eyes. This whole chase is confusing. If the trend continues, I'll be summarizing at the beginning of every chapter, anyway, so everyone will stay with the program. --huge eye roll at self-- Ah! I have a subconscious obsession with J's! Cadmus, what are you doing to me? Thank you for pointing that out. On the rewrite, I'll probably rename the more sub-characters. I might even rename Joseph and/or Johnathon, because having Johnathon, Joseph, and Jody is a bit much anyway. Do you have any ideas for names that might suit their characters? Babies are fascinating. --grin-- And sometimes they do look so earnest as they spew out nonsense, you could imagine that they're telling you their life story. You liked that sentence? I'm glad! I didn't really think about it, but I suppose it is balanced. Hum.
Ilovecookies15: Aww, nothing to say? Well, I'm glad you found something to say for this one! Developing Katharine's character is like pulling teeth, She's so arrogantly set in her ways, it truly would take a huge event like this to make her change her view on life. I am glad you think it's original. --relief-- Oh! Happy quite belated birthday! I hope you had a wonderful one!
SIMBA: I miss the couples being together. It's almost angsty, how long they've been separated. But ah, such is life. They'll get over it. --grin-- They'll have to interact soon anyway; the story is coming to an end, and I can't leave them apart from each other! I hope you did well on your finals!
Tall One: 33: Ah! You missed the point! --slaps forehead-- I used the same pair of words at the end of the last two lines of every stanza. Well, actually, there are two pairs of words, and I switch off, but the point is that was intentional. I'm glad the plot isn't boring to you, anyway. --smile-- 34: A bear would be a good way to describe Katharine. --chuckle-- Well, I focus on the vocal rhymes because Joseph is, erm, singing them. I thought it would make more sense that way.
ElvishKiwi(AKA: Eva in disguise!): --chuckle-- Everyone has a right to act childish on occasion, I should think, especially a venerated ancestor, because they've already proved themselves worthy of veneration. Nevertheless, I'm glad you reviewed again. Christopher is a good man. I like him. He's protective and assertive, and knows how to be brave without having to consider it. Katharine is hardened. That's a good way to describe it, I think. The kids, though, are really getting to her. She loves them, as you can see. It's really hard to write Katharine post-kidnapping-torturing-etcetera, because she is fundamentally unchanged, but also different. I think, with a lot of thought, I nailed her, and I'm glad you think I did too. Ha, the chores. Yes, that will be the hardest part about 'peasant life' for her, I think. And you know she would have point-blank refused to do the dishes if it hadn't been for Michele and Barb helping. How clever of Celeste. You laughed out loud? That always flatters me when people say that. I can see why, though – that scene would have been hysterical to watch! Mash everywhere, Mara Leigh's baby-like faith in Big People getting tested, and Katharine watching with vague amusement out of harm's way. --chuckle-- Good theories! And as for the room mate issue – tune in next chapter. And for the friends, well, read on. We'll see what happens.
slipshod: I have reviews from people who wax eloquent, and reviews from people who say "good job!" I like feedback, in whatever form it comes. I appreciate that you took time out of your busy schedule to drop me a line. Thank you! Oh wow, really? You didn't get bored or annoyed? I'm glad to hear that. Assorted chocolates, mmm. The characters are fundamental to this story, so I'm glad you (who have just read the whole thing in a relatively short amount of time) think they are developed well. That is something I almost constantly worry about. Nothing ruins a story like a badly developed character. Katharine recently won in the favorite character contest, as you might have seen. She's a brat, but somehow people like reading about her. --shrug-- Thanks! I'm glad you like the way I write. --laugh-- I imagined a Napoleon Dynamite voice there for the quote, so that actually made me laugh aloud. Simple opinions are great. You don't have to have paragraphs explaining why. It was a huge compliment for you just to say you like the way I write. I'm happy you liked the plot, and I'm very satisfied that you dwell on the characters' depth, because that really is the whole point of the story, It's not so much about what's happening, as it is about how the characters react and grow because of what's happening. Yeh, swearing is not something I go with, sorry. I am enjoying your Western story, though! And I checked out the one on Captain Shod, only to find out it had swearing too. Ah, well. Ugh, I know what you mean; people don't really seem to realize that you don't often just fall bang into love without any preamble. And, well, if you do, there's a good chance that unless you really get to know each other, it's not going to work. It's a pet peeve of mine. Samantha was meant to be that sort of a girl. One that we can all connect with at first, but after a while we just find ourselves yelling "GROW UP!" Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it, and I hope to see more reviews in the future? Even if it is just a quick "Good job!" or "Update soon!"
Pixel Fairy: Anything with kids is usually amusing. Especially seven kids, in house with two harried mothers and a Princess. --laugh involuntarily at the thought-- Yeah, we're in for some Kodak Moments around the Jamison household. Can you imagine Katharine hanging the laundry on a clothesline outside, with chipper Michele, shy Suzie, and hyperactive Steve, and coming upon a pair of Mr. Jamison's underwear? --laugh!-- Ah, I wish I had enough room for more scenes like that. As it is, most will have to be implied. Ah well. She is a touch more human, but mostly around the kids.
As a general note, remember that Lobuck's "A Soldier at His Own Expense" is occurring in roughly the same time frame as this, and definitely in the same world. If you're reading SHOE, it might help you see some things in I Do in a different light, and vice versa. It's not necessary, but you'll see some connections more quickly than others might. Yes, I know she hasn't updated. --sigh of exasperation--
So, I've decided to do something strange after I finish I Do (which, Lord willing, will be in the next couple of months). There are a few specific scenes that I put a lot of thought into that didn't get to make it into the finished product, and I'd hate to see them go unread. There's also one little scene that I wrote to make fun of myself. Heh. The point is, I'm going to open a story called "The Blooper Reel" after I Do has concluded and include the deleted scenes and other funny tidbits you might enjoy. Comments on whether or not you'd like to see it would be appreciated. Here's a peek at what you'll get to see:
--Alternate beginning to the story
--A cheesy songfic (yes, you may gag. I did.)
--What might have happened the night Samantha was drunk in town (special thanks to FaylinnNorse who inspired that scene)
--Mara Leigh being teased as a schoolgirl
--Roderic yelling at Katharine
--The plot twist that made me lose my inspiration for so long before it got scrapped
And much more. Opinions?
Reviewers get a generous spoonful of cherry cobbler, fresh out of the oven. Add whipped cream or ice cream as you wish.