MoTF update: story snippet and a poll
Jan. 9th, 2007 08:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tsuru_sanFirst semester is quickly drawing to a close, just a couple more weeks now. *sniffle* I'm going to miss my French and English classes when they're over. On the bright side, since my average is so high in those classes, I may be exempt from taking the final exam. w00t!
And speaking of English, my class was finally assigned to write another story using vocabulary from the curriculum. I chose to write about Masters of Their Field shortly after Nathaniel's arrival in the American colonies, and I thought I'd share. It's short and a bit rough around the edges but not too bad overall. Oh and the vocab. words are underlined.
May, 1756. New York, New York still showed the effects of its recent storm, debris liberally strewn everywhere. Standing on the city's battered docks, Captain Nathaniel Merrington pulled his army coat a little closer. It was surprisingly chill for early May, but he didn't mind. After an extra long, restive voyage to the American colonies, the British officer was just happy to be on land again. Glancing over at the great Royal Navy ship he had arrived on, the noble HMS Redoubtable, Nathaniel looked toward the portholes where he could see through the circular apertures that some of the sailors were still re-supplying the majestic ship.
Descending from the ship's gangplank, Lieutenant Marley Clowe walked over to her friend Nathaniel. "Alright, Nate?"
"Hardly. If it wasn't for that storm, we would've been here on time two days ago," Nathaniel griped.
Lieutenant Marley shrugged. He at least was used to unpredictable sailing. "The weather's always mutable, Nathaniel; what seems like just a sudden strong wind can in reality presage a nascent storm. If there is one thing a sailor should remember, one inviolable rule, it's this: You can always expect the weather to do the unexpected."
"And that," Nathaniel said, "is one of the reasons I joined the army instead of the navy. Also I get seasick."
"Even the best of us can get sick of the sea sometimes," a voice called from behind them. "Even we sailors, and we're practically the ocean's progeny."
Marley and Nathaniel turned to see the Redoubtable's captain, Robin Tremaine, coming toward them. Smiling companionable Robin continued, "And nothing cures a long voyage of subsisting on moldy hardtack and stale water better than a good meal at a good tavern with all the necessary amenities and for but a small pittance. And just our luck, I know of such a place."
Nathaniel smirked. "Hmm, if you speak of this tavern so highly," he mocked, "then it must be nothing short of a den of iniquity and dissidence."
"Oh thank you, my cynical friend, for your dazzling panegyrics," Robin replied sarcastically.
The three friends started for Robin's tavern anyway though, and when they eventually arrived Nathaniel was forced to admit that the tavern wasn't that bad. It looked a little weathered and scuffed up from the storm, but underneath the superficial damage the building clearly had a sound structure.
"Well?" Robin prompted, nudging Merrington's shoulder.
"Alright, alright," Nathaniel admitted, grinning, "you're a true epicurean. This tavern doesn't appear to be an improvident choice after all."
"Shall we then?" Marley asked. "I for one am looking forward to a nice hot meal and a good tankard of ale."
Nathaniel and Robin nodded in agreement, but before the three friends could go in, a man on the other side of the street crossed and stepped in front of Nathaniel. He wore a British army officer's uniform, his dark hair tied back and his appearance meticulously neat.
"Well, well, well," an aristocratic voice drawled, "look what crawled up from the HMS Redoubtable's bilges. Captain Nathaniel Merrington, it's been awhile."
Nathaniel's smile waned quickly. "Not nearly long enough," he retorted glacially. The man was Captain Julien Marksby, and he and Nathaniel had nursed a happy loathing for easily a decade. "What do you want Marksby?"
"Captain Marksby," Julien stressed, "and I'm here to deliver a short promulgation to you from the Newport command base. Since you've arrived a few days late, General Bordon requests your presence immediately." His message delivered, Julien decorously offered a small bow.
Nathaniel in turn nodded his head briefly, torso bending forward in the slightest of bows, and even that was more obeisance than Nathaniel wished to display. It was no secret that the two British soldiers couldn't stand each other.
Julien offered his rival a seraphic smile, the epitome of rectitude, but Nathaniel wasn't fooled. "I'm surprised you even came to inform me of the meeting. I bet you'd just love to see me pilloried for even a minor offense."
"It would be nice," Julien chuckled, "but I have other duties so I must now take my leave." With a salute to the three officers, Captain Marksby walked off.
Nathaniel gave a long-suffering sigh. "I suppose I must go then."
"Do you want us to wait for you?" Marley inquired.
"No, don't bother," Nathaniel replied with a wave of his hand. "Just save me a chair, and I'll be back shortly; the command base isn't far."
"We'll see you soon," Robin said. Nathaniel nodded and started for the Newport command a couple blocks away.
-fin
Well, there ya have it. Although it certainly needs a big-ass load more of work, I suppose one could safely call this the rough draft for either chapter three or four. If I do manage to get out of most of my exams, I hope to spend the time on this. *crosses fingers*
Soon to be posted:
-the Nate/Julien watercolor comic (I have not forgotten it!)
-Nathaniel with sword
-Nathaniel/Dimitri pre-kiss
-...a few other things
-And since I haven't done this yet, a poll!
[Poll #903812]
(In case anyone isn't sure who's who, MoTF character page is here.
And speaking of English, my class was finally assigned to write another story using vocabulary from the curriculum. I chose to write about Masters of Their Field shortly after Nathaniel's arrival in the American colonies, and I thought I'd share. It's short and a bit rough around the edges but not too bad overall. Oh and the vocab. words are underlined.
May, 1756. New York, New York still showed the effects of its recent storm, debris liberally strewn everywhere. Standing on the city's battered docks, Captain Nathaniel Merrington pulled his army coat a little closer. It was surprisingly chill for early May, but he didn't mind. After an extra long, restive voyage to the American colonies, the British officer was just happy to be on land again. Glancing over at the great Royal Navy ship he had arrived on, the noble HMS Redoubtable, Nathaniel looked toward the portholes where he could see through the circular apertures that some of the sailors were still re-supplying the majestic ship.
Descending from the ship's gangplank, Lieutenant Marley Clowe walked over to her friend Nathaniel. "Alright, Nate?"
"Hardly. If it wasn't for that storm, we would've been here on time two days ago," Nathaniel griped.
Lieutenant Marley shrugged. He at least was used to unpredictable sailing. "The weather's always mutable, Nathaniel; what seems like just a sudden strong wind can in reality presage a nascent storm. If there is one thing a sailor should remember, one inviolable rule, it's this: You can always expect the weather to do the unexpected."
"And that," Nathaniel said, "is one of the reasons I joined the army instead of the navy. Also I get seasick."
"Even the best of us can get sick of the sea sometimes," a voice called from behind them. "Even we sailors, and we're practically the ocean's progeny."
Marley and Nathaniel turned to see the Redoubtable's captain, Robin Tremaine, coming toward them. Smiling companionable Robin continued, "And nothing cures a long voyage of subsisting on moldy hardtack and stale water better than a good meal at a good tavern with all the necessary amenities and for but a small pittance. And just our luck, I know of such a place."
Nathaniel smirked. "Hmm, if you speak of this tavern so highly," he mocked, "then it must be nothing short of a den of iniquity and dissidence."
"Oh thank you, my cynical friend, for your dazzling panegyrics," Robin replied sarcastically.
The three friends started for Robin's tavern anyway though, and when they eventually arrived Nathaniel was forced to admit that the tavern wasn't that bad. It looked a little weathered and scuffed up from the storm, but underneath the superficial damage the building clearly had a sound structure.
"Well?" Robin prompted, nudging Merrington's shoulder.
"Alright, alright," Nathaniel admitted, grinning, "you're a true epicurean. This tavern doesn't appear to be an improvident choice after all."
"Shall we then?" Marley asked. "I for one am looking forward to a nice hot meal and a good tankard of ale."
Nathaniel and Robin nodded in agreement, but before the three friends could go in, a man on the other side of the street crossed and stepped in front of Nathaniel. He wore a British army officer's uniform, his dark hair tied back and his appearance meticulously neat.
"Well, well, well," an aristocratic voice drawled, "look what crawled up from the HMS Redoubtable's bilges. Captain Nathaniel Merrington, it's been awhile."
Nathaniel's smile waned quickly. "Not nearly long enough," he retorted glacially. The man was Captain Julien Marksby, and he and Nathaniel had nursed a happy loathing for easily a decade. "What do you want Marksby?"
"Captain Marksby," Julien stressed, "and I'm here to deliver a short promulgation to you from the Newport command base. Since you've arrived a few days late, General Bordon requests your presence immediately." His message delivered, Julien decorously offered a small bow.
Nathaniel in turn nodded his head briefly, torso bending forward in the slightest of bows, and even that was more obeisance than Nathaniel wished to display. It was no secret that the two British soldiers couldn't stand each other.
Julien offered his rival a seraphic smile, the epitome of rectitude, but Nathaniel wasn't fooled. "I'm surprised you even came to inform me of the meeting. I bet you'd just love to see me pilloried for even a minor offense."
"It would be nice," Julien chuckled, "but I have other duties so I must now take my leave." With a salute to the three officers, Captain Marksby walked off.
Nathaniel gave a long-suffering sigh. "I suppose I must go then."
"Do you want us to wait for you?" Marley inquired.
"No, don't bother," Nathaniel replied with a wave of his hand. "Just save me a chair, and I'll be back shortly; the command base isn't far."
"We'll see you soon," Robin said. Nathaniel nodded and started for the Newport command a couple blocks away.
-fin
Well, there ya have it. Although it certainly needs a big-ass load more of work, I suppose one could safely call this the rough draft for either chapter three or four. If I do manage to get out of most of my exams, I hope to spend the time on this. *crosses fingers*
Soon to be posted:
-the Nate/Julien watercolor comic (I have not forgotten it!)
-Nathaniel with sword
-Nathaniel/Dimitri pre-kiss
-...a few other things
-And since I haven't done this yet, a poll!
[Poll #903812]
(In case anyone isn't sure who's who, MoTF character page is here.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-10 01:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-10 11:50 am (UTC)I want to see crack Julien/Jean-Marie
Well there's a crack pairing I never thought of... Damn, that would certainly be interesting! ;3
no subject
Date: 2007-01-10 03:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-11 11:36 am (UTC)Someone would probably end up getting slapped at some point. *snerk*
no subject
Date: 2007-01-11 03:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-10 03:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-10 11:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-10 03:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-11 11:33 am (UTC)Julien/Jean-Marie would be a crack pairing for the books.
More aristo!love. XD
no subject
Date: 2007-01-11 06:09 pm (UTC)Yep! Ignoring the fact that one is English and the other is French. *wink*
no subject
Date: 2007-01-10 08:14 am (UTC)=^..^=
no subject
Date: 2007-01-10 11:48 am (UTC)reminds me of a young Edward Rutledge.
Heh, you're right; she does look a bit like Rutledge. XD
no subject
Date: 2007-01-11 07:59 am (UTC)=^..^=
no subject
Date: 2007-01-11 11:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-13 02:25 am (UTC)And you know I love your writing! The way you add your knowledge of history and everything...it's just awesome. :D
<333
P.S. Doo doo doo doo....FEEL GOOD!
no subject
Date: 2007-01-17 01:27 am (UTC)Thank you! History is such fun to work with... ^_______^