Under the Pale MoonSpecter Chapter 1 (first 2,003 words at least)

Chapter 1 – Bands

None who witnessed it were taken by aback when Janna’s mother stood side by side with Martel’s mother in the central plaza of the Village of Pristille to proclaim the binding of their two children. All who witnessed it were pleased when Janna and Martel confirmed their bands before the village elders twenty-one days later, Bess surely wasn’t.

She watched as her cousin Janna pushed the last flower into her hair and checked in the looking glass to see that it was well placed. It wasn’t, but Janna seemed pleased anyway so Bess held her tongue and resisted the urge to reach out and straighten it. Martel, the groom, wouldn’t note that it was askew any more than Janna did. Martel looked past much when it came to Bess’s cousin- love was like that, Bess guessed. At least she hoped that it was- she had never been in it to be sure of what it was like.

Martel had been able to hear their family’s history and accept that his future wife was wither just a little touched in the head or she was descended from a long line of secretly powerful people who had changed the course of their kingdom’s history many times through the generations. It was amazing that he loved her enough for the wedding to go forward- that he believed in her, in their love enough to stay with her- no matter which he believed of her (insanity or a strangely blessed family). Bess surely wouldn’t have believed the stories herself if she hadn’t known their great-grandmother Eva, who could know the thoughts of others by glancing in their directions for a moment. Sometimes Bess still faltered in her belief of the blessing bestowed on generations of her family.

Martel’s mother stepped into the house, strolled across its one large room and said, “The Chantress awaits, as does my son. Are you ready, Janna-sweet?” Martel and Janna had been sweeties since before they wore proper clothes and Martel’s mother, Brenna, had always called Janna “Janna-sweet”. Brenna was perhaps even more pleased with the match than Janna and Martel.

Janna smiled large and grand, white pearl teeth bright against the dusky red of her lips. “I would be ready had I neither dress nor flowers at all- so long as I was getting Martel for my husband.”

“Ah, my darling-girl, come and take my son from me, then.” Brenna put her hands out- one to Janna and the other to Bess. “Come now, Bess, you beauty. Let us get your cousin married and then we can see about finding a good man for you from among the guests who came from the other villages to eat their meals for free.”

Janna rose and took the offered hand. Bess followed suit and the three women went out to the central plaza of Pristille to happily seal Janna unto her beloved Martel.

First 63 words (and then I’m going to bed)

Under the Pale Moon Specter

Chapter 1 – Bands

None who witnessed it were taken by aback when Janna’s mother stood side by side with Martel’s mother in the central plaza of the Village of Pristille to proclaim the binding of their two children. All who witnessed it were pleased when Janna and Martel confirmed their bands before the village elders twenty-one days later.

In Progress Outline

I. Before the Prophecy
A. In the Village
1. Janna and Martel’s wedding
a. Janna tells Martel of her family’s history
b. Bess makes an appearance
2. Talia’s birth- Bess is the midwife
B. In the Palace
1. Filiana meets Dravidian and they marry
2. The old king dies
a. Appearance that the old king betrayed Dravidian and the dead queen
b. Truth that Dravidian betrayed the old king
c. Details of the queen’s death (more later revealing that the old king killed her out of mercy as she was gravely ill or some such)
II. The Prophecy
A. The seers come to Dravidian
B. The seers argue about why they are not disagreeing
C. Dravidian gives the order to kill all the first-born sons of Pristille
D. Huntian receives the orders
E. Massacre
1. Word of the prophecy and that the troops are coming
2. Discussion of the prophecy between Janna, Martel and Bess
3. Martel goes to his death, Janna curses his name
4. Bess leaves for the palace
5. Huntian rues his choices
III. After the Prophecy
A. In the Palace
1. The Queen is barren- Bess is her handmaid
2. Dravidian is a tyrant who thinks his barren wife useless
3. Huntian loves Filiana and she loves him in return
4. Seers discuss how the old prophecy is showing signs again
B. In the Village
1. The village is deeply scarred even a generation later
2. Talia and Callie- bffs
3. Sammgitson- jerkface
4. Talia’s power begins to afflict her
5. She is troubled until Martel’s spirit helps her
6. Talia is seen by Sammit who wants to force a marriage to Sammgitson
IV. The Journey

Dravidian, Bess and Calipian, Talia

Dravidian- The old king, his father, ordered Dravidian’s mother killed when Dravidian was a boy. Dravidian, angry at both of his parents, decides to seize the throne as soon as possible- he kills his father for a traitor when he is 21 years old. The kingdom rejoices because they loved the dead queen and are well deceived by Dravidian. They think that they are putting a sympathetic prince on the throne a few years early and saving themselves from a tyrant. In truth, Dravidian is far worse than his father ever was.
Write him with parallels to both Sammgitson and Talia- Sammgitson and how he acts entitled/has no respect for women- more than that he considers them almost inconsequential. Talia with her anger issues due to losing a parent so young.

Bess and Calipian- Bess lived in the village at the time of the massacre. She, being Janna’s cousin knows the family history and agrees with Janna and Martel that Talia is likely the Afflicted one (afflicted with the gift/curse of communicating with the dead). Soon after the massacre, she makes the sacrifice (it really was sort of a relief to get away from so much death and grief) of leaving the village and getting a job at the palace so that she can be there when Talia fulfills the prophecy.

She finds love at the palace with a man who is not of her station. He is the advisor to the king, Calipian, and despite being high in the tyrant’s ranks, he is a good man. He spends much of his time mitigating the king’s tyrannical choices and he does what he can to spare as many as he can as often as he can. He is still almost a hated a figure as both Dravidian and Huntian. He never married, not wanting to leave his children to be cursed by his own sins, but he does love Bess against his better judgment. They are secretly married, but no one knows that he is the father of Bess’s two children- she has the reputation of being a loose woman because she has never named her children’s father(s). Calipian served Dravidian’s father but managed to convince the new tyrant king that he would be both loyal and useful to him. He was so grateful for surviving the regicide and coup he promised himself he would try to save those who Dravidian menaced.

Talia- everyone in Talia’s village knows that she is a girl, but that is only because being a first-born, she must be female to have lived through the massacre. She dresses and somewhat acts like a boy- Janna encourages this in case Talia needs to play the part of a boy/man to save the kingdom. She is gorgeous once she is cleaned up- dark and round-faced.

Talia’s gift is seeing and hearing spirits- they all talk to her. Many are angry and some want to hurt/scare her, but they can’t hurt her. She doesn’t get her gift until she is grown. She knows the family history, the village history, her father’s fate, too, but Janna never spelled out the expectation that Talia was the Afflicted spoken of in the prophecy. Of course, Talia is not stupid and she know how likely it is.

Talia pursues fighting and other useful hero-type skills on the more than even chance that she will be called upon to change the kingdom. This is more self-defense than dedication- she wants to live through it. She doesn’t actually expect to though. She’s a bit John Connor-ish.

She’s half in live with Callie but has long ago accepted that they would be miserable as anything other than best friends and Callie will be heartbroken enough when her best friend dies. It would be cruel and selfish of Talia to get closer to Callie. Callie has no idea of Talia’s family history or likely role as hero/martyr/Afflicted.

Talia crashes hard for Sammgitson once they begin to really talk and Sammgitson begins to see her and all women as consequential people. One moment he’s this annoying git and the next he’s irresistible (even more than Callie ever was) and standing unyielding at her side. This shift isn’t when he does something cool or dangerous or heroic or impressive- it is when he does something ordinary and humble and thoughtful without looking for recognition or reward.

Janna & Martel, Callie, Sammit, Sammgitson

Janna & Martel were sweethearts from childhood- very devoted. Janna told Martel of her family’s history- they bring forth heroes- there is a long tale of her line bringing change when the world is in chaos or terrible phases in history. A good many of these heroes have been women- often disguised a men. So, when the troops arrive and call for all the first-born sons to come out, both Janna and Martel know that it is likely that the child she bore less than a year before is the one the prophecy is about. Janna wants Martel to run, but he knows that if he (or all of them) runs, the troops will follow, but if he reports as requested, Janna and the babe will be safe. This is what he does against Janna’s wishes- she never forgives him- at least not while he is alive. Once Talia starts talking to the dead- and Martel especially, Janna eventually comes around.

Callie is Talia’s best friend and hers is one of the few families relatively untouched by the massacre- her father and grandfather are both second born, both of their older brothers dies before the massacre of other causes and Callie has no brothers. Callie is a great beauty and a carefree soul. She uses her beauty to disarm both men and women and often to defend those less attractive, socially acceptable or less fortunate than she is. Her father is the village’s leader.

She and Talia are friends from before anyone cared if they were pretty and seeing how people treat Talia for being unkempt and ugly and non-feminine-normative has really made it important to her for there to be change and she wants to punish that kind of behavior in people.

Sammit is and elder in the village- his family is foremost in his priorities. His son was killed in the massacre, as was his first grandson. He is determined to make a good match for his remaining grandson, however the girls of the village all despise the grandson for he is a bog old jerk who respects no one.

Sammgitson is a jerk- he was just a babe when his father and older brother were killed in the massacre. His mother and grandfather both spoil him rotten and while he defers to his grandfather (mostly because the old bastard could still take him) he treats his marm like trash. Since she takes it, Sammgitson expects all other women to take similar treatment. This is why Callie and Talia both dislike him. He has a long emotional journey to take during the story.

Huntian & Filiana

Huntian

Huntian was the commander of the small fort a few miles East of Pristille. He was ambitious and very loyal to his king. Overseeing the massacre at Pristille, killing so many changes him- he regrets deeply, but he feels trapped by the deed- his name is forever linked to the massacre and he feels that the only way he can go on is to stay in the service of the king- he has to stay the course or he will be hated and without the protection and scarce company of his troops. He grows to hate the man he had become- guilt making him bitter. He also hates himself for his cowardice. He knows he should break with the king, but he is afraid not to have the support and protection and- possibly even more frightening- afraid to admit that he was wrong not to defy the king’s order to kill all those men and boys and infants.

Huntian also loves the delicate flower known as the Queen.

Filiana

The queen was swept off her feet by a young and brash Prince Dravidian. She was long sickly in her childhood but was restored to health just a few months before she met the prince. She knew little of the ways of the world due to being infirmed and coddled. Dravidian was like no one she had ever met and much of the attraction for her was the fact that he never knew her when she was ill. She also loved his energy and his confidence. She more than anyone believed in who he was and how he’d been wronged by his father, justifying the old king’s execution. The first year of their marriage was the best time of her life, but it drew to a close with no sign of a child and Dravidian grew cold to her. Her old health issues began to resurface as well. Then the prophecy was revealed and she spent the next 16 years being married to a man she loathed.

She is smitten with Huntian, having spent long weeks waiting out a war her husband was waging with the country to the East. Huntian was assigned to her personal guard- a stepping stone to his eventual leadership of the king’s guard. Huntian and Filiana spent long nights deep in their cups together and she came to know the man he wished he were. They never lay together, but that is the lone intimacy they denied themselves- they shared all of their secrets.

Places

The Village of Pristille
Small and unremarkable in the far South of the country at the foot of the mountains that shield the kingdom from a barbarous rival country. Just a few miles to the East is a fort and two days’ ride to the West is another. These are part of a long line of Forts that sit along the hostile border. Few people had even heard of the village until the prophecy. After Dravidian heard the prophecy, he sent troops out from the nearest fort, led by the fort commander, Huntian. They killed all the first-born sons. After that everyone in the kingdom knew of the place- even some across the borders had heard of the massacre.

Many in the village, including Talia and her family are dark of skin.

The Palace of the Stars
The Palace lies in the North-East quadrant of the kingdom. It is the capitol city, but not the largest. Dravidian has spent much of his reign placing levies and taxes and such on the two larger cities trying to make the capitol larger and the “Two Pearls” (the two larger cities that both lie on the Northern coast) smaller. Yes he is that vain and worried about consolidation and maintaining and justifying his power.

Many in the palace, including Dravidian, but not Filiana are light of skin. Filiana is from a far country and is mediaum of skin and almond of eye.

The Two Pearls
These twin cities lie on the kingdom’s Northern coast on two large bays that are the only safe access to the king from the North. The two bays are a full week’s ride apart. The rest of the coast is rocky and unapproachable by ship. With the Capitol, the Two Pearls form the heart of the kingdom where most of the wealth and culture can be found.

The people of the Two Pearls are mostly dark of skin, but Dravidian has lords in place overseeing the cities who are light of skin.

The Prophecy

The tyrant is very superstitious and keeps astrologers and seers and diviners and so on to help him to know what threats are coming after him and his kingdom. These groups never agree on what is coming or what threats are most primary and which others are minimal. Most of them seem to be frauds. They do agree on one prophecy and that of course freaks them kind of the heck out. The prophecy is the one concerning our hera and it is vague enough that no one susses out that it is a female first born that will take the king down. They do all figure out that it is our hera’s village that is the birthplace of the coming conqueror and that leads to the deaths of all the first born males (infant through elder) in the village. The village is of course horrifically scarred as a community and the prophecy is of course not averted through this violence.

Beginning of the Cast of Characters

In the Village Pristille

Talia- Our Hera
Janna- Talia’s Mother
Martal- Talia’s Father
Callie- Talia’s Great Friend
Sownur- Village Elder
Turin- Sownur’s Son
Sammit- Turin’s Son
Various Other Villagers

In the Palace of the Stars

King Dravidian- a Tyrant
Queen Filiana- a Fragile Woman Who Proves Strong in the End
Calipian- High Advisor to the Emperor, a Good Man
Bess- Head Chambermaid, Janna’s Cousin
Huntian- Sergeant at Fort Nearest to Pristille, Later Dravidian’s Captain at Arms
Various Courtesans and Soldiers