Welcome to Tuesday Tales, a weekly blog featuring diverse authors posting excerpts from their works in progress based on word and picture prompts. I’m pleased you stopped by today. This week’s word prompt is tall. My snippet is from a medieval romance featuring a knight and his lady. I’m excited to work in my favorite reading genre. Enjoy the other authors at Tuesday Tales.
Her hand had also clenched around a piece of her gown as she spoke. He was not mistaken in his initial assessment. She had no use for Harbottle, uncle or no. There was far more here than met the eye.
Despite his almost feral urge to do so, this wasn’t the time to reassure her that her uncle would pay for his crimes. Finding proof would be a tall order. So far there was nothing but Onslow’s word, and King Stephen would never give him an adequate hearing, to be sure. Not after he had full out supported Matilda’s roughshod foray to the throne.
The lady’s fevered hand surreptitiously clutching his arm brought him to the realization he had missed an address from the head of the table.
“By God’s bones, where’s your mind—back East with the Saracen traders?” Harbottle spat. “Never mind their iniquity. It’s to be expected. To victors go the spoils, and merchants are thieves the world over.”
Another indication the lout held others to a standard he never himself approached. Reese steeled his expression against the loathing that swept over him. “I fear my mind did wander. Would it bear repeating?”
“I asked if your retinue had seen evidence of the fair Matilda on your journey inland. We heard she was hunkered down along the coast awaiting reinforcements. She favored us with a lengthy visit last winter, her knights-at-arms taking great advantage of my strategic advice. As a young man I fought in the northern raids, you know.” His boastful sneer caused his lips to disappear and his ruddy cheeks to mold into jowls. Reese suspected that if the Empress had lingered here it was to feed her army during the cold season and perhaps enlist a few more stragglers.
I hope you enjoyed the snippet based on the word prompt tall. Thanks for stopping by. Return to Tuesday Tales.
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic in Romance
Well done. Looking forward to more.
Thanks for the feedback, Susanne!
Exceptional, Flossie! That has to be one of my favorites. I loved the language and descriptions!
Your words are music to my ears, Mae– thank you!
It sounds very medieval. Felt like I went back in time.
I’m glad you thought it sounded medieval, Cathy. Thank you!
You are a master in this genre! I really loved the phrase “Matilda’s roughshod foray to the throne”
Excellent!
You are so kind, Trisha. Thank you for the encouragement.
Another excellent week. Love the authenticity of the vocabulary here. Jillian
Jillian, thank you for your feedback. I am glad the vocab comes across all right.