Ok, so I've finished it. I'm now editing and re-writing. This is book
three. Names are set in stone.
There's a prologue and then this. I started writing this book
years ago, so I was pretty rubbish back then. Basically, yes, I'm making excuses for the crapness of the following. Sorry.
As I said in Anya's thread, I start with a character waking up. Book two ended with her conking out.
Please tell me if I'm over-using names. I think I am.
---
She was dead.
She was dead. But she felt more alive now than she had ever before and this time, she had some of the Power of Malinas within her. And she knew its secret. Millicent Graves knew everything.
♦
Sorrel’s eyes opened and she squinted up at the ceiling. She felt disorientated;
(its a bit late to feel disorientated - she's already taken in the fact she dead - perhaps switch the two fact round. I could understand anyone being disorientated if they had just woke up not breathing) she had absolutely no idea where she was. She didn’t even know what time or day it was and for a moment, she couldn’t even remember what she had been doing
or how she had died. before she had fallen asleep. (she knows she's dead so she was presumably dying)
Then she remembered. The War. The battle for the Kingdom of Malinas. She had fought with the Empress and won, but the last thing she remembered was collapsing into her mother’s arms.
As Sorrel lay back
in the comfortable double bed and gazed at the ceiling,
desperately trying to remember exactly what had happened (because she would - there's no way you're not going to give it at least a minute). she became aware that someone else was in the room with her. She could hear them moving about, quietly so not to wake(?)
disturb her, seemingly out of respect for her deceased condition her. (Wake has two problems - wake and funerals and why would the girl expect her to wake up)
Sorrel turned her head and watched silently as a young girl mixed something in a small wooden bowl. The girl had her back to Sorrel and was standing
over in front of a sideboard. An open book lay by her left hand and she glanced at it every now and then before going back to her mixture.
(would that be visible - the sideboard would be at least a foot higher and presumably some distance away)
She’s checking ingredients, Sorrel thought. Then, catching a familiar whiff from whatever it was the girl was stirring, knew it was something her mother would make.
The girl stopped stirring the mixture and turned towards the bed. She stopped with a shock when she saw Sorrel’s eyes open and said, ‘Oh!’ in surprise.
(seems a bit limited in response - There was this dead body - now it isn't - enough to give a young girl the screaming heebee jeebees)
Sorrel looked at the girl and said nothing. She was an Elani, probably two or three years younger than herself. She had on a pale blue dress over which she wore a white cotton apron. There was an emblem of a small purple flower embroidered on the top right-hand side of the apron and the word ‘Pasque’ in fancy lettering.
(again possible perspective problems from her position)
“Pasque,” said Sorrel. Her throat was dry and her voice sounded hoarse. She swallowed and cleared her throat.
The girl smiled. She was extraordinarily pretty, with eyes as green as emeralds and neat strawberry blonde hair tied
up in a single tight plait.
"You’re awake!” she said brightly. “And on the one and only time when your mother hasn’t been by your side.”
Sorrel pulled herself up into a sitting position and yawned. She was dressed in a white night-shirt, she realised, and quickly looked around the room for her
old clothes. (
something decent to wear - why would she expect to see anything from before)
“I’ll get your mother,” Pasque said, popping the wooden bowl back down on the sideboard
and leaving. Sorrel could hear her running away and shouting the news. “Nobody thought you’d wake yet.” (obviously)
“Where am I?” Sorrel asked. She rubbed her face,
it felt dry and flaccid from months of decline (can't think of the proper description of a dead face reawakened, but I'm sure it wouldn't feel 'normal) not liking to feel so tired and confused.
Pasque turned back
(from what she's only sat up in bed so far oh sorry missed the girls name, but she left some time ago) and went to sit on the stool by Sorrel’s bedside. “This is my home in North-Town,” she explained. “We thought it best for you to stay here in comfort. Your mother has chosen to train me as the next healer and it has been my greatest honour to accept and to care for her daughter.”
(One day a girl from the street the next day caring for and nursing the dead!)
Sorrel smiled. Her mother had wanted to start training a successor for a long time but neither she nor
her brother Leif
her brother showed much interest
or talent for the healing art.
Sorrel rubbed her tired eyes again and then looked at Pasque. “I feel like I’ve slept for days,” she said.
(DEAD! -
How long is it since I my death?)
Pasque grinned and raised her eyebrows. “You have!” she said. “Four and a half to be exact.”
Sorrel looked sharply at Pasque, then lay back down on her pillow, and groaned. “What’ve I missed?”
(This is starting to sound a bit unrealistic - Dead then alive and she's asking how's the weather been)
Pasque got up and went to retrieve her mixture from the sideboard which she then handed to Sorrel and told her to drink. She sat back down on the stool
(when did she stand?) and watched as Sorrel sipped from the wooden bowl.
“You mean with regards to the affairs of the Kingdom?”
“I mean,” said Sorrel, screwing up her nose and looking at the mixture in distaste, “with regards to the affairs of my family and friends.”
She looked at Pasque again and asked suddenly, “Who’s been looking after Enapay?!”
Pasque laughed and took the bowl out of Sorrel’s hands. “Your horse is being looked after by Gaeshi Sarkany in the Vale. Your mother, when she has not been here, has been at Leif and Saoirse’s in South-Town, cooing over young Imree.”
“Imree?” Sorrel repeated, frowning.
Pasque smiled at Sorrel and said gently, “Oh yes, I forgot. Imree is the name of their son.”
“Imree?” Sorrel said again, pulling a face to make it clear what she thought of the name.
(Did she know about the birth before she died?)
Pasque smiled again. “As for your other friends, I believe Gunda is still here, waiting for you to wake. Evan waits with her, but that Fagan...!” Pasque shook her head and frowned.
Sorrel sighed heavily. She knew Fagan would be more distant than ever after the death of his beloved Squirrel. She looked up as Pasque continued, noting with interest how her expression had softened into a wistful gaze.
“Little Cloud has been by your side too. He’s quite charming. So gentle...” Pasque fiddled absently with the hem of her apron until Sorrel coughed and grinned at her and then she continued, sounding rather embarrassed, “Oh yes, but he left the Kingdom yesterday to care for his mentor, Running Bear.”
“What’s wrong with Running Bear?” Sorrel asked, sitting up sharply. “He’s not ill is he?”
Pasque frowned thoughtfully and shook her head. She pursed her lips and looked at Sorrel. “Not ill exactly,” she said. “More... well, it’s strange. He’s been bombarded by visions and images. They come to him all the time now, no longer confined to his dreams. Some say he’s completely cracked, but Cloud seems to think it’s something else. The poor old man’s certainly troubled by something.”
“It’s not a seer thing is it?” Sorrel asked, feeling more alert now. “I mean, the same thing won’t happen to Cloud, will it?”
Pasque raised her eyebrows and looked distant for a moment or two before she heaved a sigh and shook her head. “I hope not,” she replied.
(This new acolyte seems rather well versed in things given she's only just got the job)
She placed the wooden bowl on the table next to Sorrel’s bed and then clapped her hands into her lap, declaring, “Well! I must go and tell your mother you’re awake!”
Sorrel watched Pasque leave before lying back and wondering about Running Bear.