Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Magpie Tales #1

After a long hiatus - too long, I know - I am resuscitating this blog to post, among other things, snippets of my writing. This is the new beginning


Words: 211

This is a part of a longer story I am working on. The Brothers of the Sword led by the Prince Bishop Albert, and Pope Honorius III’s Legate, William of Modena have just completed a march across the frozen Bay of Riga to attack the pirates living on the Oesel Islands. This is their first morning after making landfall.


The first warning of the day to come, a thin line of lurid pink had just begun to tint the sky, when we were wakened for Lauds. That evil tone wrapped itself around the flat plain of our encampment like a noose about to strangle us all. We assembled groggy, shaking bad dreams and night dust from our eyes, falling to our knees at the Prince Bishop’s imperious command.

Lacking a proper chalice, Bishop Alert pulled a silver object from under his cloak – a silver beaker – raising it aloft as he began the recitations preparing us to partake of the Lord’s Blood before advancing into battle. The sun appearing over the far horizon, flashed just at the same moment, bathing the beaker in fire and blood. The blaze seared my eyes and I bent my neck, wondering whose blood and how many deaths would ensue in the cleansing fire of Albert’s fury.

9 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

Ooo, I love this piece becoming a chalice in the pocket of a bishop in Riga. Excellent piece of writing!

Anonymous said...

Great writing. I am gonna love this. Meeting new folds and finding new friends. Blessings
QMM

spacedlaw said...

I wonder where he might have stolen (plundered) that chalice...

Brian Miller said...

very nice excerpt...makes me want to read more...

martha said...

Willow - thank you very much for the encouragement.

QMM: I bow before your accolade

NBB: Probably his father's castle. The locals at that time wouldn't have had anything of that quality.

Brian: Thank you. I'm hoping to submit it somewhere for publication once it's finished. If successful, I'll let you know. If I can't find anything that wants it, I might post more (earlier) sections here.

Vicki Lane said...

I'm loving all the when's and where's this prompt has taken us! Enjoyed your piece!

Ronda Laveen said...

Thanks for a preview into your longer piece. Intriguingly told...left me wanting more.

PattyF said...

What a tantalizing snippet! Good luck with it!

martha said...

Vicki, Ronda & Patty,

Thank you for reading. I'm happy you enjoyed the chunk.