Elements of the Writing Craft. Part Two: Character, Lesson Thirty-Seven, Characters Who Meet.

  1. List three special meetings, times when people came together unexpectedly and a friendship ensued. For each, write down names, place, season and time of day.

1a. It was early summer, the last ships of the day were docking and the Green Gryphon Tavern was filled to bursting. Beatrice backed out from behind the bar, four mugs in each fist. She set them down at the table of tallest, scowliest, saltiest, mustachioed sailor of the crew, the man called Hawthorne.

1b. It was on the edge of spring, in a small ring fort on a windswept cliff above the Wailing Strait.
Brigid Saehe was cartwheeling in the dandelions when she spotted another girl at the hedge. She stopped upside down and whistled, the other girl turned and gasped then scowled and crossed her arms. She knew Erin Duffy by reputation, the third child and only daughter of Lord Aaron Duffy. “Serfs are supposed to be plucking berries!” Erin said. Her short blonde curls bounced when she stamped her foot and put her hands on her hips. Brigid fell, heels over head.

1c. Snow piled on the branches and at the base of the oaks. It was still early winter but, much too late for dragon eggs. At the center of the grove, tucked under a freshly fallen sheep, in a warm hollow lay a scaly, green shell. The egg came up to her knees before she knelt beside it.
“What devil lay this curse here?” said Siobhan. She sat down, crossed her legs, and leaned on her knees as a spine slit open the shell.

  1. There was an occasion for these meetings. Write down the conditions of each special meeting.

2a. Hawthorne and his crew were regulars at the bar but recently, he had been showing up early and sitting at her nearest table.

2b. Erin didn’t often get to come into the village but this time she slipped away from her brother and went straight to where that dirty-faced peasant girl would be goofing off.

2c.Siobhan walked this way often, tending to the grove. There hasn’t been a person, besides her to visit sacred place in days and months since the last sacrifice. Now there lay a dragon egg beside a bloodless sheep.

  1. Write a spirited beginning. Refer to the lesson.

3a. “Can you shove off this table please?” Beatrice pushed a mug away from Carn’s grasp. “We have some important people coming in.” She said and flicked her wrist to shoo them away.
“You have indeed,” said Carn tugging on his long red mustaches. “Why else would you wear your rubies?” Beatrice flushed and shook her head, flashing her hooped, ruby-studded earrings.
Carn stood up halfway from his chair, “I’ll find some other purpose for this.” He said patting his pocket. “You wouldn’t dare,” said Beatrice extending her arm and forcing him back into his chair.

It was early summer, the last ships of the day had docked and the Green Gryphon Tavern was filled to bursting. Beatrice backed out from behind the bar, four mugs in each fist. She set them down on the table before the tallest, scowliest, saltiest, mustachioed sailor of the crew, the man called Hawthorne. Hawthorne and his crew were regulars at the bar but more often he had arrived early and sat at her nearest table, alone. His crew filled the next four tables.
“Can you shove off this table please?” Beatrice pushed a mug away from Carn’s grasp. “We have some important people coming in.” She said and flicked her wrist to shoo him away.
“You have indeed,” said Carn as he tugged on his long red mustaches. “Why else would you wear your rubies?” Beatrice flushed and shook her head. Carn stood up halfway from his chair, “I’ll find some other purpose for this.” He said patting his pocket.
“You wouldn’t dare,” said Beatrice extending her arm and forcing him back into his chair
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