What Do YOU Think?

Not too long ago, Jessica over at Safirewriter did a couple of awesome posts (here and here) where she posted a snippet of a story and asked her readers to tell her their ideas for background, names, descriptions, etc. of the characters and story.

I came up with this scenario today while I was listening to some epic soundtrack music, and I'd like to invite you to do the same thing. Who is the princess? Who are the ragged soldier, the enemy king, and the princess's mysterious guide? And most importantly, who comes through her door at the end of the snippet?

***

The princess stalked back and forth in her stone cell, her arms folded tightly over her flowing robes to try to fight the chilly dampness that seeped into her aching shoulders. She could tell by the gray light starting to creep through the high barred window that it was the dawn of her third day in prison. She had eaten only once in those three days; she was already growing thin, and her stomach cramped with hunger.

Today, however, she wasn’t thinking of that. “Be strong, Your Highness - on the third day, you will be rescued,” the ragged soldier had whispered in her ear as she was thrown to the stone floor and the iron door was slammed behind her. She had not been able to see his face or ask any questions before the cell was plunged into blackness. What had he meant? Who would come for her? Today was the day she would find out.

She stood against the far wall where the light was best and tried to see her reflection in the water running down the side of the cell, so she could twist her hair back into its tight braids coiled around her head. Hard to believe it had been just three days since the last time she had made these braids. It had been such a beautiful sunny morning; the world had been happy and at peace.

Then the invasion started. Terrifying dark soldiers from across the sea, arriving without warning, storming and tearing through town after town in their inexorable march toward the castle. The princess had known that her duty was to hide herself, to save herself for her country like a secret weapon. She had carefully put on a simple white robe and covered it with a coarse brown cloak that she wrapped around her and belted around her tiny waist, hiding her face inside the folds of its mysterious hood. She had gone to see her parents, the king and queen, and without speaking, they had understood. They did not weep, but kissed her, blessed her and urged her to return when it was all over.

Then she had called him – the one she had not seen for so many years. As soon as word of the invasion had reached him, he had come to be near her, knowing she would call on him in her hour of need. They had slipped away at dawn before the dark soldiers reached the walls, running through the thick forests toward the sea, where he would hide her in his little ship and slip her across to the neutral lands.

It was a good plan. But they had not made it five miles before the dark soldiers breached the walls, killing the king and queen and laying the castle waste. They discovered almost instantly that the princess was missing, and the new king’s fastest riders were sent after her. She was to be taken alive – if possible.

The princess shuddered and brought her attention back to the stone cell. Well, she was alive. What about him? She didn’t know – he had been shot in the shoulder and was left unconscious as the enemy soldiers dragged her away. If she truly were rescued today, she would go back to the forest as soon as it was safe and find him. If he had died for her … she swallowed her tears and shook the thought away. He was strong – he had to be alive somehow.

Just then, there was a soft noise at the door of her cell. The princess turned quickly and put her back against the wall. Was it a rescuer? Or were they coming to bring her to trial – or kill her?

She stood tall and regal as the door slowly swung open.

***

What do you think?? :-)

Love, Vicki