Weekend Writing Warriors: Snippet 39- Braeden
It’s time for Weekend Writing Warriors! Every Sunday, a bunch of writers post 8-10-sentence snippets from their WIPs on their blogs. There’s a lot of reading, commenting and great writing. Click on the link to see the full list.
I finally bit the bullet and started posting this on Wattpad. I’m committing myself to putting up three chapters weekly in hopes that it will inspire me to stop editing at some point. You can start reading it here.
Last week, Flavia Maxima indicated she might be flexible when it came to sentencing the rambunctious Father Landrus. Braeden knows this is only because she fears civil unrest if there’s a big public execution. So I can finally move on from this chapter, I’ll summarize a bit. Flavia offers Landrus clemency if he will confess to heresy, recant everything he’s said and go into exile. Kendryk looks hopeful (though I don’t know why), but Landrus immediately refuses, forcing Flavia to sentence him to death. But then Teodora shocks everyone by being diplomatic and reasonable. For now.
“Your Holiness,” Teodora said, her voice low but carrying. “I wish to propose an alternative. I do not think the mood of the populace is such that we should carry out the execution here in Kronfels. It would have greater impact throughout the empire if the execution took place in Atlona. Naturally, I would bear sole responsibility for the prisoner’s security until that time.”
Flavia stared  at her, then looked at the temple doors, which someone had opened onto the square. News of the verdict had gone out already and ugly noises rose from the crowd. If the woman had any sense, she’d take Teodora’s offer. The last thing she needed was the public execution of a popular rabble-rouser on her front door. She’d clearly sought to avoid that situation in the first place by giving Landrus a way out.
Maybe Braeden nagging Teodora about angry mobs finally got through to her?  She does have moments of sanity, though they never last.
Previous snippets are here.
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So, Crazy Teddy is being reasonable? Smells like a trick to me.
She may be crazy, but she has an excellent instinct for self-preservation, unfortunately for everyone else.
Nicely maneuvered! Glad she is not my mother-in-law!
Nicely done, Christina!
Hmm…something tells me she has a reason for suggesting it, and I’m definitely curious to find out why! Great excerpt!
Thank you!
The journey could give Kendryk a chance or two to get Landrus out of there . . . or give Braeden a chance to get his head out of his rear and switch sides?
Either way, love this!
Yes, I do have to give our boys a few more opportunities to cause some trouble. Teodora shouldn’t have all the fun.
Hmm, Teodora has something up her sleeve, I’m sure! Love it! You certainly pulled me in! 🙂
And Landrus escapes where he may breathe free. Uh huh. Happy ending but not yet. You are a devil.
Clever woman… I can’t help but think she’s got some other ploy up her sleeves. Great eight!
Teodora is the best kind of villain, intelligent and capable of surprises. I’m glad her plotting has given Landrus another chance.
Dumb villains are no fun! Landrus is kind of cat-like, with many lives. 🙂
Wow, I’m hooked! I love executions anyway, but your characters have moxy and awesome names 😀 I google +’d and can’t wait to get a copy of this!!
Aw, thanks! I’ve had a lot of fun choosing names, and have only torn out a few clumps of hair in the process. 🙂 I’m hoping to have this out in mid-June.
Will it be “reasonable”? I’m looking for an escape.
An escape is definitely needed!
Teodora quite the villain indeed! I agree with Amy’s comment about her having something else up her sleeve.
She never does anything straightforwardly. But when you have as many enemies as she does, you have to keep them off balance at all times.
You always do such a marvelous job with your dialogue, Christina! Best of luck with the Wattpad-ing! 🙂
Thank you! My brother and cousin are already reading it on Wattpad and since I have a large extended family, I’m highly optimistic! 🙂
Teodora -so- has an agenda here. I can smell it, taste it… I don’t think Flavia has any good way out of this one.
Yes, poor old Flavia is out of her depth here. Teodora can’t function without an agenda, it seems. 🙂
Interesting twists and turns here, with motives and agendas…very real! Enjoyed the excerpt.
Thank you!
I wouldn’t bet the farm on it!