Weekend Writer's Retreat - 16

Here's the latest installment of Scorpius' boyhood back story. For the first twelve scenes I've posted for the Weekend Writer's Retreat, we've followed him as a seven-year-old, when he outgrew the nursery where he'd been brought up with the other children of the blood.

But when no one from his family came to claim him, Scorpius was released to serve a falcon master as an apprentice. We rejoin him at age ten.

You can follow the progress of this dark fantasy story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.


Scene 16

Richolf motioned for the hunt to continue. Signaling message received, Scorpius waited for the lord to stand aside, unable to continue his duties without causing offense. The burning welt along the back of his head still cautioned him to beware. So far, the noble had proven to be painfully unpredictable.

However, the remainder of the hunt proceeded with no further hitches. The red-tail bagged an impressive brace of game for the nobles, and the four of them returned to Richolf’s cottage as though nothing out of the ordinary had surfaced.

When the noble who’d stayed with his master leaned in close and spoke privately with Richolf, Scorpius saw the falconer’s hands freeze momentarily as he tied the brace to the horse’s saddle. Busy with the other lord’s supplies, he didn’t notice exactly when it was that the color drained from his master’s face.

But when he turned to find Richolf approaching, Scorpius’ breath caught in his chest at the haunted look on his master’s face.

“I’ll be going to the estate with their lordships,” Richolf said in a normal tone of voice. “You must look after the birds and the dog until I return.”

“Yes, sir.” Scorpius watched as the nobles climbed astride their mounts, exchanging their own glances with one another. He looked up into Richolf’s eyes.

The same dread Scorpius had seen in those guards’ eyes now belonged to his master. “I may be gone for a while. If anyone comes for a hunt, you know what to do.”

Scorpius nodded, his chest hollowing out beneath his ribs. He noticed his master packed nothing of his own, merely set out on foot behind the two nobles.

The dog started following but halted in its tracks at a signal from Richolf. Scorpius called it back, but it ignored him for a long moment.

Two nights passed before he heard the longed-for steps in the gravel outside the window. Scorpius leaped to his feet to burst through the door.

A stranger stood there, a servant in the plainest of tunics. He nearly removed his cap until he saw that it was a boy come to greet him. “This the falconer’s cottage?” he asked.

Scorpius forced his head to nod.

“You’re to come with me, then,” the young man said, already turning and striding away.

© Julia Smith, 2010

Nikita Banerjee says I want to know more!

Travis Cody says I knew at some point Scorpius would be moving on, since his adventure lies beyond the falconer's cottage. But this still caught me a little by surprise.

Naquillity says Oh, how I love your story and how it's developing. As the others have said... I want to know more. You know just how to draw a reader's attention to the very last word.

5 on Friday - Set 23 - By Guest Blogger Brad

Today I'm handing 5 on Friday's set list to my third guest blogger - the one and only - my husband, Brad.

~ ~ ~

In the early to mid-eighties, a friend of mine made me a mixed tape. I loved it. I listened to it every day. I mean, every day, for about fourteen years. Until the tape head fell off the cassette.

So complacent was I in the fact that I'd always have this tape, that when it broke I found out I didn't know the groups that I'd been listening to.

Following is a sample of five songs that I've been able to find that were on that tape.

1 - Save it For Later - English Beat

Sooner or later
Your legs give way and hit the ground
Save it for later
Don't run away and let me down
Sooner or later
You hit the deck, you'll get found out

Save it for later
Don't run away, run away
And let me down

- Charlery / Cox / Morton / Steele / Wakeling



2 - Our House - Madness

Father wears his Sunday best
Mother's tired, she needs a rest
The kids are playing up, downstairs

Sister's sighing in her sleep
Brother's got a date to keep
He can't hang around

Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our -

- Barson / Bedford / Foreman / McPherson / Smyth / Thompson / Woodgate



3 - Six Months in a Leaky Boat - Split Enz

This has a long intro. The song begins at the 1:28 mark.

When I was a young boy
I wanted to sail round the world
That's the life for me
Living on the sea

Spirit of a sailor
Circumnavigates the globe
The lust of a pioneer
Will ackowledge no frontier

I just spent six months in a leaky boat
Lucky just to keep afloat

- Crombie / Neil Mullane Finn & Tim Finn / Griggs / Rayner



4 - One Step Ahead - Split Enz

One step ahead of you
Time is running out
Catching up with you

One step ahead of you
When I hold you close
Can I really lose?

- Neil Mullane Finn



5 - Another Nail in My Heart - Squeeze

Note: volume is a bit low

I had excuses
Those little boy lies
That she computed
By watching my eyes
And told me firmly

I've had a bad time
Now love is resigned
I've been such a fool
I've loved and goodbyed

So here in the bar
The piano man's found
Another nail for my heart

- Difford / Tilbrook



For more fab tunes, visit Travis at Trav's Thoughts.

Thursday Thirteen - 167 - 13 Things You'd Find in Scorpius' World

Here are thirteen visual inspirations for the serialized fiction I'm posting every Saturday for the Weekend Writer's Retreat.

My dark fantasy story follows a young boy named Scorpius, brought up with other children of the nobility at a foster nursery - but never claimed by his family. Eventually he's handed over to a falconer in need of an apprentice to help him when the lords come to hunt. But Scorpius soon discovers that his new world is filled with danger, a world where the brutality of the nobles surpasses even that of the dragons.


1 - Falconer's Cottage

















2 - Falcon Mews
















3 - Falconer's Gloves









4 - Falcon











Photo by Jim Weber



5 - Dog













6 - Stick for driving out the game hens
















7 - Pillar rock














8 - Dragon












9 - Noble's horse bridle













10 - Doublet
















11 - Sword



12 - Wine goblet















13 - Cabinet











Alice Audrey says Too cool. You really got me with the cabinet, knowing how it gets used in the serial.

Susan Helene Gottfried says The dragon is gorgeous! Nice picture. I dig the falconer's hut, too. It really evoked the fiction for me.

Janet says Just makes me want the next instalment more than ever, Julia! Great visuals.

Wordless Wednesday - 157

Lisa Lectura says Lovely photo!

Anne MacFarlane says Julia, love seeing pictures of your gardens. Mine's a little overgrown right now - between the heat and the rain - and, oh yeah, my lack of discipline.

Nessa says Very pretty.

Through the Opera Glasses - 62 - Courage to Climb Higher

It's probably hard to imagine that orchestra conductors don't emerge fully-formed from the womb in white tie and tails.

However, these elite artists have to train like anyone else in order to harness the potential of a live performance.

While I was rooting around on You Tube some time ago for pieces from Stravinsky's Apollo, I came across this clip of a young conductor learning his craft. He takes the orchestra through the second Apollo variation, one of my favorite pieces of music, during a masterclass with Russian conductor Yuri Simonov.

Artists are forever fine-tuning their techniques. Learning and growing should never end for those of us who create. The key is to never confuse instruction with a message of not-good-enough. Embrace refinement of your craft. Find the courage to climb higher.



Travis Cody says "Embrace refinement of your craft. Find the courage to climb higher." I could put that on my 3x5 card I keep in my wallet. That is outstanding advice.

Shelley Munro says I've never thought of a conductor needing to learn his craft before. I don't know why. Maybe I thought they popped out of the womb ready to go. *shaking head*

Janet says I agree with Travis - fantastic advice, Julia. You might just see that on Inspiration Wednesday one of these days - I'm cut/pasting it into my quote document :)

Poetry Train Monday - 160 - I'm Your Man

I'm in a rather romantic state of mind after my anniversary weekend, so for today's post I'm turning to Leonard Cohen's raw passion and his masterful crafting of these lyrics.


For more poetry, Ride the Poetry Train!
















I'm Your Man


If you want a lover
I'll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love
I'll wear a mask for you
If you want a partner
Take my hand
Or if you want to strike me down in anger
Here I stand
I'm your man

If you want a boxer
I will step into the ring for you
And if you want a doctor
I'll examine every inch of you
If you want a driver
Climb inside
Or if you want to take me for a ride
You know you can
I'm your man

Ah, the moon's too bright
The chain's too tight
The beast won't go to sleep
I've been running through these promises to you
That I made and could not keep

Ah, but a man never got a woman back
Not by begging on his knees
Or I'd crawl to you baby
And fall at your feet
And I'd howl at your beauty
Like a dog in heat
And I'd claw at your heart
And I'd tear at your sheet
I'd say please, please
I'm your man

And if you've got to sleep
A moment on the road
I will steer for you
And if you want to work the street alone
I'll disappear for you
If you want a father for your child
Or only want to walk with me awhile
Across the sand
I'm your man

- Leonard Cohen



Illustration of Victoria receiving news that she is queen by H. T. Wells

Toni says That smokey voice and the stark black and white images....draws you right in.

Marinela says Lovely creative work, enjoyed it :)

Akelamalu says I so enjoyed that, thanks for sharing Julia. :)

Summer Stock Sunday - 22

A vintage look at summer for Summer Stock Sunday, hosted by Robin at Around the Island.

Once upon a time, 18 years ago today, my brand new husband and I took our places on the dance floor for our first dance as Mr. & Mrs.

Our song was Pretty World by Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66.














We used all our samba moves we'd learned at ballroom dancing class, which we took especially for this moment. And we had a ball.

Thomma Lyn Grindstaff says Oh, Julia! How delightful. Happy Anniversary! :)

Ann Pino says Wow, Happy Anniversary!

Dimple says Happy anniversary!