Weekend Writing Warriors: Snippet 188 – Henryk
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.
More from Sword of Destiny. Since we last saw him, Henryk has been recovering from his wounds under the care of Emma Winberg, Jory’s governess. Henryk has a huge crush on her but has struggled to get her to open up to him about her past. She finally confesses that the king’s policies bankrupted her father and drove him make an attempt on the king’s life, after which he was executed alongside other criminals.
“Oh, Emma,” Henryk wished he could comfort her. She sat so near, on a little chair right beside his bed. He took a deep breath and said, “Come here.”
Without hesitation, she moved to the edge of the bed and let him pull her close. It seemed she wasn’t one for tears, but she buried her face in Henryk’s shirt and wrapped her arms around his waist.
He stroked her bright hair and murmured comforting nonsense for a satisfyingly long time.
At last she pulled away, though she left a hand on his arm, “I haven’t told anyone else,” she said, “My mother died, likely of shame and grief, and I couldn’t bear to stay in Arenberg.”
“There was nothing to be ashamed of,” Henryk said, “The king drove your father to recklessness.”
“The king is reckless all the time,” Emma burst out, “and is never punished for it.”
“We’re punishing him now,” Henryk said, then took both her hands in his, “And I swear to you, I will never allow this king, or any other to have the power to do such a thing again.”
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I hope he is able to fulfill his promises. And it is promising for him that she is opening up to him. Nice snippet!
This strikes me as a rash promise designed primarily to win her over. I could be wrong, though . . .
That seems like a pretty big promise to make.
I’m wary of huge promises like the one he just made! But I certainly understand why he said it to comfort her…enjoyed the excerpt!
That is one heck of a promise! Is it within his power to keep it, I wonder?
She’s found her champion. But it can’t be that easy . . .
But Henryk, that’s what kings do. Sweet moment between them, but with an ominous ending.
Those are big words. i hope he can live up to them.
Like the others, I think he’s made a big promise. I hope he can fulfill that promise.
Aww cuddles! And I really hope he can keep his promise as well. 🙂
One rule for the powerful, another for the less so. Despite his good intentions, that’s not likely to change…