August Novel Essential Information

Novel Title: Intimidating Adversity

Time Setting: 2016

Genre: Sports/Life Fiction

Minimum Word Goal: 90,000

Timespan: March–September

Locations: Kannapolis, North Carolina

Main Character: Lane Sheenan

Background Information: Born the only child of a union which was his mother's second and father's third, Lane did not have the most stable childhood.

His parents divorced when he was three, and he has rarely seen his father since — in part because his father lives in British Columbia, and in part because his father really has no need for him, as he already has an heir to his profitable fish processing company from his second marriage — his mother then moving to the Calgary area and marrying a nice farmer.

Unfortunately, their union was also short-lived — as most all of his mother's unions have been, due to the fact that she spends far beyond her means and will not stop — but Lane hasn't stopped having things to do with the farmer, who is responsible for his career.

It was his first stepfather who began teaching him to play baseball, and got him enrolled with a local team, and it is his stepfather who has been his greatest source of encouragement throughout his slowly blossoming career.

Despite the divorce, he kept up baseball when his mom moved back to BC to marry her fourth husband, where he really developed his pitching ability and decided he wanted to be a pitcher in the MLB, and even when she left that husband and moved back to her home province of Manitoba.

He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the MLB draft, and thus played for their Rookie affiliate, the Great Falls Voyagers, in Montana last year — not much more than a five-hour drive from where his first stepfather lives.

This season, however, he's been promoted to play for the White Sox's A affiliate, the Kannapolis Intimidators, who aren't at all close to any family or friends he knows. He's not sure why, though, being as he ended his season in Great Falls abysmally with seven straight blowout losses that helped cost the Voyagers their playoff hopes, but he hopes to do his best and figure out what they saw in him to promote him so quickly — he's also glad to have an excuse to not attend his mother's third wedding in his lifetime, this time to a chef in Ontario.

The novel begins on August 1.

Loveless: Day 15

Word Count: 90,034

Year to Date: 690,085

Summary of Events:

Le Démon heard military drumming and thought the army was out to get him, so he hurried to hide Thérèse in one of the castle turrets. Henri was gathered with the men preparing to go to Château Montegnard to fight Le Démon when the King rode through; he led the men in following the King to see what he was doing in Tiegnais. Thérèse was puzzled as to why she'd been locked away until she heard shouted orders and guessed he'd hidden her away in safety. Le Démon watched a battle begin when some strange forces attacked those marshalling outside of the castle, he then spied someone leave the battle and approach the castle, he attacked the man when he entered and they battled, Le Démon getting run through by a sword three times. Thérèse, who'd managed to get out, went to Le Démon's side after the fight was over . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

""No," Thérèse choked, tears blurring her vision as she pressed her face into his furry neck. "No."

He couldn't be dead. She couldn't let him be. He had to make it. If only she knew how to will him into living again.

"Please, you can't die," she sobbed into his neck. "You can't die."

A feeble croak came from his throat that almost sounded like he was asking why.

Why? Well . . .  well . . . "Because I love you," she whispered.

Suddenly a force thrust her backwards and, despite the fact that her eyes were closed, a flash of light blinded her and she thought she may've even heard an explosion. Then everything went still.

Nervously, Thérèse opened her eyes and looked. There was still blood on the floor, but instead of Le Démon and Évrard on the floor, there were two men. One was Évrard, and the other was quite bloody.

Then a third man appeared, with a slight glow about him. He knelt down beside the bloodier man and touched his hand to the still feebly moving ribcage, then he bowed down, cupping his hands on either side of the other man's face and blew.

Suddenly his ribcage leapt into motion and he gasped. The glowing man touched his own chest and then bowed. Moving to rise, he looked at Thérèse.

There was a sort of gratitude in his face, and also a reverent respect. He then beckoned to her.

"Where is Le Démon?" she whispered.

"He's right here," the glowing man whispered in reply.

Thérèse moved closer and looked at the strange man, wearing bloodied tatters, staring at the ceiling with eerily familiar green eyes, breathing more normally now. She gasped when she saw his face. It looked terribly like King Guillaume's, and that could only mean one thing.

"Crown Prince Laurent!" Thérèse gasped.

His head suddenly lifted and looked at her. Those were Le Démon's eyes staring at her. It couldn't be.

"But how?" she breathed.

The glowing man helped the Crown Prince sit up. He looked himself over as if seeing himself anew, then looked at her. He opened his mouth, but only a hoarse croak came out.

In an instant the glowing man had a glass of water for him and he drank it thirstily, then he practised making sounds for a few minutes before looking at her with an expression of pure desperation.

"You're not his fiancée are you?"

"No," Thérèse replied. "All the gossips thought us as good as married, but that's it."

Relief relaxed his body as he gazed at her.

"Oh, I was so terrible toward you," Thérèse whispered.

"Like I behaved in a manner becoming of the heir to the throne," he replied dryly.

"But I forgive you," Thérèse said.

"And I return your forgiveness with my own," he replied, taking up her hand gently. "And I give you my love.""

Summary of Events (continued):

After the rather abrupt end of the battle, Henri followed King Guillaume to the castle, where they both found their children alive and well, and Henri agreed to give Thérèse's hand to Laurent; they also learned that — distraught at having stabbed the Crown Prince three times — Évrard killed himself.

Pronunciation:

Laurent: lohrohn'

With the completion of this novel, once again, I am a

Look for the next post on July 29.

Loveless: Day 14

Word Count: 84,007

Summary of Events:

Thérèse tried to think of what Le Démon could possibly be trying to communicate to her. Henri, although disappointed by the slowness of progress, hoped to be able to rescue Thérèse within the week, and greatly anticipated doing so. Le Démon, frustrated by his inability to communicate with Thérèse despaired greatly. Late at night, Thérèse got thinking about it again, and wondered if Le Démon might be able to write, using his claw as the pen, and thereby communicate with her . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"It would be a good idea, if it worked. There was also that too. Would it work? Would she be able to find ink? Would his claw hold it, and would it lay down on the paper nicely?

And also, would he be able to write without cutting the paper to shreds? She hoped that it all would work and that he wouldn't get frustrated by the efforts. He would probably be prone to getting quickly frustrated now that he already seemed to be in a consistent state of frustration.

Quietly Thérèse rose from her seat and went over to the desk. If there was going to be ink anywhere, there would be ink in or around the desk.

There was nothing on the surface — and she wasn't surprised, as she was sure she would've noticed it sooner — so she started looking in the drawers.

She found paper, pens and all of the things necessary for their usage and upkeep, an array of other things that she didn't really know the significance of, a significant quantity of deep blue sealing wax — the royal colour for sealing wax — and a signet ring that was adorned with a detailed raised version of the royal coat of arms for the kingdom of Rocaille-Alpages.

Unfortunately, despite her most thorough searching, she found none. There was everything for writing a letter and sending it except the ink to write it with — not to mention the address of the recipient.

She might have to ask Le Démon if he could find some ink for her tomorrow. Unfortunately, being as the rest of the castle was quite cold they would have to thaw the ink out, but at least they would have it. 

Making her way back to the chaise lounge, she put the blanket over herself and sighed; she hoped there was ink somewhere in this place. She knew that it was usually carried around when a person moved, though, because it wasn't always the easiest thing to acquire.

With that being the case, there was the distinct possibility that there would be no ink whatsoever in the castle. She did know how to make ink, though, and if all of the supplies were present she might be able to do something.

She hoped there would be some ink around, or the supplies to make some, as she had a feeling that would be the thing that worked best, all that remained to be seen, though, was whether he knew how to write, and would be able to.

If that was at all possible they would finally be able to communicate and she would know what he wanted her to do and be able to do it for him and finally relieve him of the frustration which he was suffering so greatly from."

Loveless: Day 13

Word Count: 78,004

Summary of Events:

Thérèse and Le Démon shared a delicious Christmas dinner together. Le Démon, recalling that Christmastime was when gifts were given, gave Thérèse a necklace; the gesture profoundly touched Thérèse. Henri found Évrard at the New Year's party and told him about his plan to at least see Thérèse one more time, if not rescue her. Thérèse though about how Le Démon had a distinct humanity, and wondered why he would. Le Démon resumed disconsolation at their return to routine . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"Unfortunately, things seemed to have settled back into their usual routine. She read all day and, for the most part, he either laid in front of the fire or tried desperately to remember his name.

She did seem to spend even more time with or near him, she'd even fetched a basket from the kitchen and brought all of his bones to the bureau so that he could gnaw on them whenever the mood struck him, instead of having to leave for the dining room.

But still, it seemed like things had regressed, and he was honestly more than a little disappointed. He wanted to be freed from this nightmare, and although she didn't know it, time was ticking down faster and faster all the time — at least as far as he was concerned.

If she didn't do something soon then it would all be over. All the hope he might've had would be destroyed, and even though it'd been refortified at Christmas, it was starting to crumble again.

She lay against him, reading, at the moment, completely absorbed in whatever it was, he hadn't seen the title.

He reached around and nosed at her face. Absently she reached over and started rubbing and stroking him behind the ears. He pulled his head away. That wasn't what he wanted.

Still she rubbed, now more toward his shoulders, completely oblivious to what he wanted so dearly. What he needed so desperately. He dropped his head to his forelegs and sighed.

Lazily his eyes scanned the gold-leafed titles written on the spines of the books that lined the shelves that filled the room. He knew them all nearly by heart, having looked at them for hours, days, weeks, months, and years.

He seemed so close to freedom, and yet, at the same time, so terribly far away. He could almost taste the freedom that could so soon be his. But just as easily could never, ever come to him.

It tormented him to think that he was so close to gaining the freedom he dearly hungered for, and yet also so close to having it be impossible to achieve. If he were to, after all this, not be able to get his freedom, he was sure that he would keel over and die. He was so close, and he wanted it so badly.

But he couldn't force her. He'd tried, and it hadn't worked. It'd worked more for him to be nice to her. She seemed to get closer the nicer he behaved. But he wasn't sure what to do now. He'd given her something, but now she'd regressed.

If only she would do something. Even if she did it in passing, surely it would count and bring him freedom. Maybe, hopefully, it would even count when she thought it. It had to!

Turning, he nosed her again. She stopped stroking him. He sighed and dropped his head back onto his forelegs. She wasn't getting it. She didn't understand what he needed her to do."

Loveless: Day 12

Word Count: 72,015

Summary of Events:

Le Démon struggled with the idea of trusting Thérèse and whether or not he should. Thérèse thought about how she enjoyed reading, then felt pity for Le Démon, being as he looked to be in a great deal turmoil. Le Démon sat in the main bedchamber, thinking, and then spied a bird, which he tried to catch, but failed and fell off of the balcony. Thérèse heard the fall and tended to Le Démon after he was magically brought in. Feeling better, Le Démon decided to go hunting from lower ground and caught a buck, which he brought into the bureau to eat . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

""Oh please no!" she cried.

He looked at her indignantly. If he wanted to eat it, he could eat it.

"I don't want to see it, please go eat it somewhere else," she said.

Sighing, he collected the buck and went to the dining room to eat it.

Again, however, before he could dig in, he was stopped. This time it was the others taking the buck from him.

Furiously he roared and sprang after them, but they managed to get it into the kitchen and close the door on him before he could get inside.

In anger, he roared at the door, then he threw his weight against it before clawing at the door and peeling strips of varnished oak off of it to fall in narrow, curled strips on the floor.

After far too long the door was opened and he collapsed inside. He found a pile of entrails and other parts considered by many to be useless before him. None of the meaty carcass itself.

He growled at them for taking his buck from him, but settled down and started eating what they'd presented to him anyways. He'd hunted it, he'd killed it, why couldn't he eat all of it now?

What they gave him was enjoyable enough, but it didn't take him too long to eat it because he didn't have to chew through bones and whatnot to get it. He then looked around the kitchen to see where they would've hidden the rest.

He decided the cool room was his best bet, but found, when he reached its door, that it was locked. In anger, he roared and beat on the door. It was his! Why couldn't he eat it!? Why did they have to go taking it from him!?

With much snarling and growling he left the kitchen and made his way back to the bureau where she looked at him with a worried curiosity.

He flopped to the floor heavily and exhaled sharply as he dropped his head down onto his forepaws. It wasn't fair. It was his, he'd caught it, and he had a right to eat it however he pleased.

Sighing, he hoped that they would give him all of the parts of that buck in subsequent dinners if they were going to go and be so unkind as to take it away from him. He didn't want to go sharing it with anyone.

Although, really, the only one he had to share it with was her.

He stared at the fire for awhile before raising his head and looking at her. She was back reading again. He thought about it. Was it really that bad to share a little venison with her?

No. So long as the others didn't go cooking all of the venison for her, though, he'd caught it, and he had a right to it, besides, he'd probably eat more of it than she would anyways, women didn't have that terribly big of appetites."

Loveless: Day 11

Word Count: 66,006

Summary of Events:

Thérèse thought about how good it felt to have forgiven Le Démon. Le Démon fruitlessly searched for any clues as to what his name was. Thérèse went to build up the fire because it'd gone out and made her cold, but she accidentally stepped on Le Démon's tail and he did it for her. Le Démon, returning from more fruitless searching, was presented with a bath, and unwillingly bathed after soggy persuasion. After he'd dried off Thérèse decided to see if he'd let her use him as a pillow while she read, and she was pleased to find he did. Le Démon woke to find she'd fallen asleep on him, and thought about how many intangibles she'd given him that he really owed her in return. Henri thought about how Château Montegnard was the only place Le Démon could live and plotted to go see Thérèse there after Christmas. Thérèse thought about how she'd somewhat tamed Le Démon as she rested against him some more . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"If she could convince him to leave Château Montegnard with her, she might have to bring him home and show Father that she'd tamed him, and Évrard too. She couldn't get him to do tricks, but she could get him to behave, and to be presentable too.

She wasn't sure she wanted to try training him to do tricks, she had a feeling that he wouldn't exactly appreciate doing such a thing, but she was sure they would consider it impressive enough that she could get him to behave.

Although, if she were to bring him home, she would have to make sure that Évrard was invited over without a weapon, so that he wouldn't kill Le Démon before he could see that Le Démon was fully tamed and docile.

There was also the question of his name. Le Démon didn't seem appropriate, and he also hadn't seemed to take favourably to it when she'd called him by it.

She wasn't sure what to call him, though. She hadn't really thought about it at length, but no name had struck her as being fitting for him.

Possible candidates she'd thought of were Rodolphe and Adolphe, both having to do with wolves, if she wasn't mistaken, so they would fit somewhat, unless she wanted to call him Ourson, or maybe even Lupe outright.

She turned her head as Le Démon moaned softly, then lifted his head and yawned, his jaws spreading wide, his great pink tongue curling.

He licked his nose and looked at her as if he were wondering what she was thinking, and why she'd set her book aside.

"You don't like the name Le Démon, do you?" she asked.

His curiosity changed to glaring and a low growl rumbled deeply.

"So what should I call you then?" she asked.

Sadness came onto his face and he dropped his head to his forelegs with a mournful sigh. A whimper escaped his throat.

"I was thinking maybe Ourson," she suggested.

He shook his head.

"Rodolphe?" she asked.

Again a negative response.

"Adolphe?" she asked.

He was still for a long time, then sighed, but gave her no response.

"Do you think Adolphe would be a good name?" she asked.

There was merely another sigh. She wasn't sure if he thought Adolphe would be a good name or not, but being as he hadn't shook his head at her, she decided it must be the one he was most in favour of.

She wasn't sure about other names, she felt like one having to do with wolves would be a good idea. She might have to think of different candidates and run them by him to see what he thought of them. She'd find a name for him yet."

Pronunciations:

Rodolphe: rhohdohlf'

Adolphe: ahdohlf'

Ourson: oorsoh'

Lupe: luhp

Loveless: Day 10

Word Count: 60,008

Summary of Events: 

Thérèse thought about how she should forgive Le Démon, but was worried about what he might still do. After a trying game of charades Le Démon finally got through to Thérèse that he wanted her to read about Château Montegnard in hopes of hearing his name, which he didn't. Thérèse then summoned an enchantress to learn more about Le Démon; most of it was actually encouraging, but she didn't learn as much as she'd hoped. Henri was visited by the same enchantress at Thérèse's request and was relieved to hear she was alive and well, but upset that she wouldn't be coming home and he couldn't go visit her. Le Démon sat in the main bedchamber, dejected about the fact that he couldn't remember his name . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"In his fury and rage he'd destroyed any evidence that may've been in the castle as to what his name was, and now he was left nameless. He had no idea who he was. He knew he had a name that wasn't the one she'd called him a few times, but he'd forgotten it.

It seemed utterly inconceivable to him that he would forget his own name, even though he hadn't been addressed by it for so long. He would've thought that he would've been able to remember Maman or Père speaking it; even the upset exclamations of his younger siblings when they'd been upset with him.

They'd always been upset with him. His little brother because he didn't want to play or because he would win at things, his sisters because he would always deride them for their appearance or mock them for the fuss that they made.

But he couldn't remember it. He could see their mouths forming it, but he couldn't hear them say it. He couldn't even remember what letter it started with. He didn't remember it at all.

He'd gone through the entire chamber and found nothing at all, any evidence that had been in the room was gone. He'd destroyed it all in the torment and rage he'd felt when he'd first come here, and now he wished he wouldn't have.

Silently he rose of of his nest and made his way back down to the main floor and the into the warmth of the bureau. Dropping down in front of the fire, he sighed. He had no idea where else to look. He had a feeling that there might be more evidence elsewhere in the castle, but he had no idea where to look.

After awhile a hand gently touched his neck and he didn't protest. There was a soothingness in her touch, even of she wasn't Maman, and he didn't think it was because of Maman's dress — as much as Maman's dress almost seemed to have had an effect on her otherwise.

There was something about her touch, and it'd been there since the first time she'd stroked him, some sort of gentle caring, almost a maternal quality, as she ran her hand over his coat, always gently working her way through the tangles, never stroking the wrong way.

As she stroked his neck he closed his eyes and shifted his head into a more comfortable position. Slowly her hand neared his ear and she massaged gently around it before he felt her fingers playing softly over his forehead, his snout, his upper lips, his chin, and his throat.

"I forgive you," she whispered. "For taking me away from home, and everything else that you've done to me. And I thank you for saving my life from the wolves."

He opened his eyes and looked at her skirts folded near him. He didn't know what to think, or even really what to feel. He'd just been told he was forgiven by her for all the things he'd done to her."

Pronunciation:

Père: pehr'

Loveless: Day 9

Word Count: 54,004

Summary of Events:

Thérèse searched the castle for the keys some more, until she got too cold. Le Démon, trying to find his name, tried to search through a book, a painstaking process in page-flipping, and was embarrassed and upset to be come upon by Thérèse, attacking her. Thérèse, her dress reduced to mortifyingly immodest rags, sat and thought about how hopeless Le Démon was. Le Démon, cold and mad, went into the dining room to keep warm, and then to eat. Thérèse apologised to Le Démon for embarrassing him and other things. Le Démon thought about her apology and then decided to take her a dress so she wouldn't be just sitting around in tatters. Thérèse put on the dress the next morning, which took awhile because she wasn't sure she should be allowed to wear such fine fabric, and went to breakfast. Le Démon, startled by how nice the dress looked on her, and the fact that she knew he'd brought it to her, spent his breakfast in discombobulation.

Excerpt of the Day:

"He looked away from her, wishing he could leave the table and eat his meat on the floor before the fire like he'd been doing the past several days. He felt completely uncomfortable around her.

She was being so nice to him, and on top of that, she looked better than any woman had a right to look in Maman's dress — which he'd noticed was a bit short on her, but not too much — other than Maman herself.

He felt guilty about not forgiving her for having thrown books at him, screamed at and gotten away from him, and hit him on the head, and all of the other things that she'd done to him. It wasn't really that much, he'd done worse to her.

And he probably owed her an apology for all of that too, she didn't deserve it, and on top of that it was probably all rather counterproductive, although a lot of it had been motivated by the fact that she'd been frustrating him.

Sitting in her presence was pure torture, he wanted to leave and eat somewhere else, or have her just go back to taking her meals in the bureau, or something that would keep them from being together.

"Would you like to come into the bureau and have me do some reading for you again today?" she asked as she finished. "Or are you going to stay out here today?"

He glanced at her and then shook his head. He wasn't the least bit comfortable, he'd stay out here and see if maybe Maman would have a sewing kit and a cloak, he might as well, but then again, if it would keep making her nicer, he wasn't sure that he'd want to.

"Well, if you would like me to read to you, feel free to come in," she said. "Or even if you don't want to be so cold."

Finally she rose from the table and left the room. He sagged back in his chair. It was nice to be free of her presence. He'd never felt more wracked by guilt in his entire life. He felt terrible.

It was like, because she was wearing Maman's dress, he could feel Maman's gaze, intensely weighty, yet not really raging so much as weightily saddened, that gaze she'd always looked at him and his siblings with when they'd done things displeasing to her.

He'd done a lot of things Maman wouldn't be happy about, and having seen her looking so similar to Maman had torn him up as he could still feel the feeling that gaze had caused within him — which he felt surprising, being as he didn't remember the sound of his name on her lips.

If it weren't for the fact that she was his key out of this nightmare he would've sent her back home and tried to find another woman instead, but time was too short for that. It had taken long enough to get her, forget the idea of trying to find someone else instead of her."

Pronunciation:

bureau: buhroh

Loveless: Day 8

Word Count: 48,007

Summary of Events:

Le Démon bemoaned the fact that he couldn't remember his name, and that he'd yet to find it written down somewhere. Thérèse thought about all that she'd learned reading the book on castles, especially about the first kingly residence. Henri's daughter and son-in-law arrived and they discussed what had happened to Thérèse and where she could possibly be currently. Le Démon, lulled by Thérèse's stroking, remembered his mother's deception; this caused Thérèse to be frightened, as he roared and thrashed at the mere memory of it . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"Being as he was just moaning, Thérèse thought it wouldn't probably be a bad thing for her to go up to him and resume stroking him, to see if maybe she couldn't give him some sort of comfort.

Quietly she rose up from behind the big, oaken desk where she'd taken shelter and crossed the room slowly to his side.

More easily now she could see that his sides were heaving as if he'd put in some sort of great effort. She put her hand against his side softly, but the instant she did so he popped up, teeth glinting like ivory sabres.

Before she could move he had her wrist seized in his mouth and yet was still ferociously snarling at her, his unsettling green eyes staring at her with murder. He looked like he was ready to do what she'd been afraid he'd do from the start: kill her.

Fear gripped her icily and she put her other hand against his muzzle, pushing at it, which caused him to utter a sharp growl.

"Please," she whispered, lest her voice break, tears rushing out of her eyes like they were trying to escape from something. "Don't kill me."

The murder seemed to fall from his eyes, being replaced by a furious, yet frustrated expression.

He released her wrist and quickly she clutched it to herself. He then got to his feet slowly, growling at her with his teeth bared.

Suddenly his mouth snapped open in the deafening blast of a roar as he continued to stare at her, his gaze vicious. He closed his eyes and uttered a bit of a roar that almost seemed exasperated before his face suddenly snapped into an expression of fury and he roared at her again, a sharp, loud blast.

Turning away, he flopped down before the door and draped a paw over his muzzle as if he was frustrated.

"What don't I understand?" Thérèse whispered.

One ear swivelled in her direction.

"What don't I understand?" she asked again, a little bit louder.

His paw slid off of his muzzle and he looked at her. His gaze looked almost irritatedly sarcastic, and he uttered a growl before turning away and lowering his head again.

"How can I help you?" Thérèse asked.

He didn't seem to have heard her. She crawled closer, using just her legs and one hand, keeping the other, which was slightly bleeding, clutched against her chest. She put her hand on his shoulder, causing him to raise his head and look at her almost indignantly.

"How can I help you?" she repeated.

He looked at her, his mouth slightly ajar, as if he didn't know what to make of what she was asking. He lowered his head and turned away.

Thérèse gently stroked his shoulder. He needed some kind of help, that's what it had to be; but what kind, and how she could offer it, those she had no idea."

Loveless: Day 7

Word Count: 42,003

Summary of Events:

Freezing cold, Thérèse spent the night in the dining room — the only room she recalled having a fireplace. Le Démon, his hind paw aching terribly, found Thérèse was missing, but decided to go to breakfast before looking for her, which, thankfully, her presence in the dining room negated need. Thérèse tried to get Le Démon to let her look at his injured paw, and managed to remove a piece of glass embedded in the paw. Le Démon, having tolerated her bandaging it, resented the fact that she seemed to be treating him like a dog. Thérèse managed to get him to let her stroke him and discovered his coat was almost eight inches thick. Le Démon continued to think resentfully until he realised that he didn't remember his name, which pained him greatly. Thérèse heard his agonised howls . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"These howls seemed to have all of the ache of a terrible heartbreak, some sort of agony, a pain so deep that surely no wolf had ever known. Besides, wolves used their howls as a summons to move in for the kill, these howls sounded much more emotional.

Thérèse felt like crying and pitying the poor creature that was making the air ring with its heartbroken, lonesome cry. She had no idea what sort of creature it would be, if it wasn't a wolf.

After awhile the howling stopped, and within a few minutes of that Le Démon returned, his head hanging, none of the alertness and emergency of his actions before he left the room anywhere at all.

He dropped down heavily onto the carpet, crossed his forelegs in front of himself, and dropped his head onto them with almost a mournfulness.

Thérèse wondered, being as he was rather doglike, if those howls hadn't come from his throat, not that she was sure why he would be tormented by anything. He seemed more determined to be the tormentor.

She settled back into her reading, listening to hear if the howls sounded again, but they didn't. Instead she heard a very doglike whine very close by.

Setting her book down, she looked at Le Démon. He wasn't looking at her. He appeared to be staring at the book he'd taken off of the shelf and, it seemed, almost tried to read.

An idea in mind, Thérèse rose and went over to him. There was suspicion in his eyes as he glanced at her. She picked up the book and looked at the title. It was a guide to the castles and their residents in Rocaille-Alpages.

She sat down by his head. He still looked at her suspiciously. Opening the book she went to the beginning and began to read aloud the introduction.

He remained silent, his pointed ears attentively listening despite the fact that he wasn't looking at her.

Castles of Capucine was the first chapter, and foremost listed therein was the Château Tombée, the royal home of King Guillaume and Queen Éloïse-Léonne.

At the mention of their names there was a whine and she looked over at him to see the skin above his eyes, which on dogs functioned like eyebrows, gathered somewhat worried and sadly, a pain and sadness in his eyes like she'd never seen in an animal before.

He looked almost as if he were going to start crying big dog tears — not that she'd ever known a dog to shed tears — and all that pain and sadness on his face threatened to make her start crying, but she continued on, reading the list of children."

Pronunciations:

Capucine: cahpoohseen

Tombée: tohmbay

Guillaume: gieowm

Éloïse-Léonne: ehloheez lehohn

Loveless: Day 6

Word Count: 36,003

Summary of Events:

Thérèse stayed cloistered in her room, terrified by the noises of groaning and thudding she'd been hearing of late. Le Démon, who had been drinking wine to alleviate the pain in his shoulder, found the wine cellar locked and exploded into a rage that involved chasing Thérèse around the castle. After getting away, Thérèse thought about how she might just let Évrard kill Le Démon, and then got onto thinking about marriage. Le Démon, feeling cold due to the recent frosts, wished he could make someone suffer for having made him suffer this nightmare. Thérèse, also feeling cold, decided to go look for the keys to warm herself up. Henri, cold and frustrated, got word that his eldest daughter and her husband were coming to visit, and then told everyone to quit searching because it was too cold.

Excerpt of the Day:

"In pained fury he roared again and leapt into the cool room, where he found a side of beef that he raked his claws over until all of the flesh hung in ribbons.

He surged out of the room again and then all the way through the kitchen, heading for her room. He'd never dealt with her about escaping yet, he'd just remembered when he'd seen the little bit of residual blood oozing on the beef.

Bursting into her room, he made sure to shut the door behind himself as she shrieked a high-pitched cry.

With all the air and power his lungs had, he roared at her several times before moving in to catch her.

She scrambled away from him quickly, and it didn't take her long to have popped out of the room.

He followed after her, despite a dull pain he was starting to feel in his hind paw, and followed her into the ballroom and up the stairs, toward the balcony.

The leftover fabric she hadn't used for her escape was still there, but he could tell she was frightened to find the rest of the fabric was forty feet down at the slope.

Quickly she headed off in another direction and he followed her, no matter where she went, even as they worked their way up to the third floor, then the fourth, the fifth, and finally the sixth again.

She scrambled up into the attic and he powered himself up in after her.

In such confined quarters her shriek was deafening. He roared at her savagely to get her to shut up and then slashed at her, still scrambling for places to put his hind paws while trying to fit himself into the rather cramped space that was the small attic.

Her fists struck at his head and his mouth, and even his arms and hands, as he struggled to push himself in.

He could hear a bit of creaking despite the noises of their scuffling as he tried to get into the attic and she tried to get him out, or somehow otherwise get away from him.

Suddenly there was a loud crack and her full body slammed against him, striking his wounded shoulder.

In pain he bellowed to the ceiling before the attic floor gave way and they both fell down.

There was more pain, but she was also scrambling toward one of the surveillance platform doors. He seized her skirts with his hand as he struggled to free himself from the debris, pulling her back onto himself.

She beat at him viciously, even kicking him.

He caught her one hand in his mouth, but she dragged a fingernail over the roof of his mouth that incited him to bellow, which released her hand.

Instantly she popped up and scrambled down the stairs, out of his reach before he could catch her."

Loveless: Day 5

Word Count: 30,020

Summary of Events:

Le Démon frustratedly moped over his lack of progress. Thérèse managed to make a getaway from the castle, although she was somewhat frightened by the wolves. Le Démon, having woken, discovered her missing and tracked her through the forest. Thérèse came on some wolves, which frightened her, but was rescued and brought back to the castle by Le Démon. Henri, having been told by his grooms of wolf activity to the northeast, went and searched; they found dead wolves, and a blanket, which his hunting hounds tracked as to have come from Château Montegnard, which Henri found eerily unoccupied, which quite strongly disturbed him. Le Démon lay on his bed, aching and sore from the night before, particularly his shoulder, which had been gashed deeply.

Excerpt of the Day:

"Now he was sore and aching from defending his territory and stopping his escapee, and he couldn't bring himself to get up.

But he had to. He needed to get up, otherwise he would surely become all seized up and his shoulder wound might well heal improperly and lead to him being unable to move about painlessly.

Setting his teeth, he took a deep breath and gathered his sore hind legs under him; they weren't too bad, it was mostly muscle soreness from the heightened state of intense activity the night before.

Slowly, growling and snarling in pain, he drew his forelegs under himself.

He lay, panting, and valiantly resisting the urge to shift back to the way he'd been laying so as to ease the pain, for a few moments before managing to shift himself up into the sitting-laying position.

The pain in his shoulder was almost blinding. It was terrible, he clenched his teeth, closed his eyes, and growled savagely.

Finally, with a great and agonising thrust, he surged to his feet for all of five seconds before collapsing down to the nest again in sheer agony.

Again, this time a little faster, he tried, and managed to hover shakily on three legs for a few moments before collapsing again, exhausted, his body screaming in pain, and blood from his shoulder wound soaking into his fur again.

It took five more tries, each standing a little bit longer, before finally he felt like he could keep his feet and maybe actually try travelling somewhere.

He wanted to go out and see her, and give her the retribution she deserved for trying to get away, but walking was a whole new, and even more blindingly painful process that caused him to collapse again.

Several times he rose and walked a few steps before collapsing, eventually just making his way back to his nest.

Sitting down — a more painful position than sit-laying, he found — he bent his head around and licked at the blood seeping from the separations in the scab, and between the scab and the flesh.

With his tongue being an abrasive, he tried to get the hair out of the wound, but unfortunately he was unsuccessful.

Gently using his teeth, he gnawed at the wound. He had to get the hair out of it at least, that would surely ease a great lot of the pain, as there would be no tugging and pulling of the hair out of the scar tissue.

He growled at himself because of the pain as he used his longest canines to peel as gently as he could, alternately licking to help lift more gently and keep the area clear.

Finally it came free and he licked profusely to direct the hair away from the wound, which now hurt even more than before, having been exposed all over again."

Loveless: Day 4

Word Count: 24,025

Summary of Events:

Le Démon went into Thérèse's room and got insulted when she called him Le Démon, she then kicked him in the face and ran off, leading him to pursue her before the shock of the kick stopped him. Thérèse was somewhat lost in the castle and discovered the ornate throne room and ballroom, before deciding to look for keys despite the threat of ghosts, until she heard a terrifying moaning and saw blood on the floor, then she fled to her room again. Le Démon, once he was feeling better, went to Thérèse's room and stroked a claw down her forearm in retribution for her kicking him. Thérèse, having used a knife from her meal and her skirts to make a bandage for her arm, got the idea that she should use her skirts to make a rope and escape the castle from a balcony she'd discovered near the ballroom. Évrard, frustrated in his searching for Thérèse, dreamed of his hoped future for them together, and the prestige he hoped to gain by killing Le Démon. Le Démon dreamed of the visit by the unwelcome visitor who'd ruined his life . . . 

Excerpt of the Day:

"Shortly after the servant had finished mopping the guard had returned. He'd startled indignantly.

"Has she gone away?" he'd demanded.

"No my liege, she insists upon having an audience with you," the guard had replied.

"On what business?" he'd snapped.

"I shall go see, my liege, she has not said," the guard had replied.

The guard had hurried away and the servant had scurried over to mop up the water before the guard returned and potentially slipped and fell on it.

In short order the guard returned, bowed, and doffed his hat. "My liege, she refused to divulge her business until she is in your presence."

"Tell her she must divulge her business or she shall not gain entrance!" he'd snapped.

The guard had left again, and the water had been mopped up for a third time. Everyone had waited for the guard to return, but he hadn't when suddenly the doors flew open with the sound of thunder, and he could've sworn he'd seen a flash of light head to either side of the room.

Standing in the doorway had been a woman, an old, haggard woman, in black rags. For having stood out in the rain for as long as she had, she hadn't looked like she'd been wet at all. He'd thought it rather confusing.

"You are not granted an audience!" he'd cried. "Guards! Evict her!"

None of the guards moved.

"I have an audience, and I shall not depart until it is completed," she'd replied in a voice that hadn't sounded terribly old, as she'd stepped into the room in complete and utter defiance of him.

"You cannot do this!" he'd shouted.

"No one can stop me," she'd said. "Not even you."

"Just watch me!" he'd shouted, surging to his feet and seizing his sword from the throne-mounted sheath.

She'd cackled and old, witchlike cackle. "You foolish, vain little boy."

"I am not a boy!" he'd snapped. "I am a man."

"No, you are only a boy," she'd said, smiling sinisterly.

Authoritatively striding down the stairs, he'd held his sword in front of his right shoulder and advanced with even stride.

"Because of your selfish vanity I've come," she'd said. "And I've come to fix the problem."

He'd stutter stepped for a moment. Vanity? If she wanted to talk to someone about vanity she should've gone talking to his sisters, they were vain.

"You have entered into the presence of the king's representative against the orders given by him," he'd said. "And you shall either leave now, or die."

"Oh vain one who seeks to slay me, it is others that shall be slain by thee!" she'd declared, a glowing white orb forming between her hands.

Suddenly it'd rushed toward him and he'd been knocked over. Then there'd been an explosively loud thunderclap, gasping, shrieking, and one piercing, bloodcurdling scream."

Loveless: Day 3

Word Count: 18,017

Summary of Events:

Thérèse searched unsuccessfully for a key to the front doors and then was taken by Le Démon to her room against her will. Le Démon, kept her in the room for two days before going in to see her; she tried to escape, but ran into the door and then grabbed his face and made him mad. Exhausted from nearly a week of fruitless searching, Henri returned home and comforted his youngest daughter Anastasie, who was regretting that she'd not been so nice to Thérèse. Le Démon visited Thérèse again and brought her food, she then managed to make an escape and ran all the way up to the castle attic. Le Démon let her stay there and once she fell asleep left her up there, feeling she'd be better contained. Thérèse woke up and discovered she had a magnificent view, from which she could even see her home, and decided to see if maybe she couldn't spy her father searching for her and signal to him; to that end she decided to head out onto one of the two balconies that opened off of the room . . . 

Excerpt of the Day:

"Going to the nearer one, she found the handle turned easily and opened the door to look out and, for the first time in a long time, get a welcome breath of fresh air. She hadn't realised how long it'd been since she'd been outside until the fresh air hit her.

As she stepped out onto the balcony, she spied some observational equipment, a telescope, a sextant, some binoculars, and even a table with a notebook that had writing in it, and it seemed to be increasing as she watched.

Thérèse then saw that there was a pen, moving across the page, all by itself, dipping itself into the ink and blotting itself when necessary, just like the utensils and the dishes in the dining room.

The pen laid down and then suddenly a pocket watch appeared as if it had just been pulled out of thin air.

After a few seconds it disappeared again. Thérèse screamed in fright. She'd never seen something like that before, and it terrified her, not that she was entirely sure why.

Quickly she hurried back into the room, she'd try the other balcony. But she screamed again when she saw the door to the other balcony opening by itself.

A breeze blew by her despite the fact that she'd felt no wind outside. Quickly she rushed to close both doors. If only she could find a way out of this place, at least this room, but preferably the whole palace.

She screamed again as the door to the balcony she'd gone onto opened, and then the one to the other balcony, which closed shortly.

Suddenly a key appeared out of thin air. Thérèse screamed.

With terror and trembling she watched as it floated through the air, over to the door that was in the floor, preventing her from getting out, fitted into the lock, and turned.

The door slowly rose and Thérèse ran as fast as she could down all of the flights of stairs and back to her room, where she slammed the door firmly and leaned against it, trembling with fear, for a long time.

She'd never thought ghosts could possibly exist until now, but now there was no other explanation other than ghosts. That was the only way those things could possibly have happened.

This castle had to be haunted. There was no question about it. Was it haunted by the sprits of the dead staff? They must've been murdered with the Crown Prince when Le Démon came.

That would mean there was a ghost of the Crown Prince wandering about too, somewhere.

What if it could actually be seen? What if there was a blood trail? A maimed body?

Thérèse screamed compulsively, even though she was only seeing the horrifying sights in her imagination. She didn't want to see the ghost of the Crown Prince. She didn't want to see any more ghosts of the dead staff. She wanted to go home."

Pronunciation:

Anastasie: ahnahstayzee

Loveless: Day 2

Word Count: 12,004

Summary of Events:

Thérèse was taken to dinner by Le Démon — which happened to be in an actual dining room, and at a table — before she tried to escape and ran into a wall. Le Démon carried her back to her room and then went back to chewing the bones from his meal. Thérèse's father, Henri, arrived home exhausted and fruitless in his search, hoping against hope that his daughter would survive the night. Thérèse was taken to breakfast by Le Démon and then wandered around the place and discovered that she was in the crown prince's palace, and the crown prince wasn't. Le Démon came out from lunch and was confronted by Thérèse accusing him of murdering the crown prince, which confused him. Évrard learned that Thérèse had been taken by Le Démon from Henri and set out to help find her. Le Démon dreamed of the beginning of his nightmare . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"A feminine silhouette was near to him. He blinked, and as his eyes adjusted he recognised the figure. Maman.

He tried to speak to her, but leather straps bit into his mouth, or snout, as it seemed to now be. It was wrapped in a muzzle of leather.

Maman tried to smile, but instead her face crumpled into sadness. She spoke something, he felt like it was his name, but he couldn't hear it. Then a man entered who seemed to emanate a light of his own.

He was dressed in more robe-like garb than was common, but not straight up robe like a monk — and besides, it was deep blue — and he looked wise and sage, with dark hair that was longer than was considered fashionable, with a small goatee and moustache as well.

The man held out a hand over him, and it started to glow.

Quickly he scrambled back against the wall, the chains binding his ankles and wrists tinkling with his motion. The man merely shifted his hand and continued murmuring lowly, while Maman stared at him with an expression of utter torture.

The glow brightened, but didn't grow. The man spoke sharply and it was like the light popped and the glow dropped into a fine white mist that rolled over him like he was a roadblock on its way to its destination.

Dipping his head reverently, the man then turned and left, leaving him alone with Maman, who slowly lowered herself to her knees, her skirt spreading out all around her. She looked at him pleadingly, sorrowfully.

Slowly, and reluctantly, he crawled toward her. His reluctance faded the instant her hand softly rested on his cheek. He needed her.

He quickly crawled the rest of the way and settled his head on her lap. She stroked his hair as she wept, tears dripping down onto his face, her quiet sobs and sniffling bringing a pain to his ribcage and tears to his own eyes.

She was whispering, but he couldn't tell what she was saying. All he knew was that things were horribly, horribly wrong. He was bound in chains. He had a snout — and muzzled no less — and a tail, he was separated from his family.

A male voice that sounded both authoritative and respectful spoke Maman's name. She gently lifted his head and rose out from underneath it. He rose into his laying position and watched as she left, the cage closing behind her.

He crawled as close to the bars as he could before his chains stopped him and watched as his mother followed after the uniformed man.

A whimper escaped his throat, but by then she was almost gone. He backed up so that he could bring his forelegs up to standing, then turned his head to the sky and howled in agony. He wanted his mother back. He wanted his family back. But above all, he wanted his life back."

Pronunciations:

Henri: ohnree

Maman: mahmoh

Loveless: Day 1

Word Count: 6,005

Summary of Events:

Le Démon was woken from a terrible nightmare and bemoaned the fact that he couldn't wake up from the horror of his life. Thérèse got up and was pleasantly surprised by discovering her father had returned home slightly earlier than expected; she then learned that she, her father, and her sister had been invited to a ball soon, but she didn't want to attend and her father was willing to let her feign illness. Le Démon settled by the roadside and waited for an opportunity to attack; he got one, and it failed, but he discovered a roadway . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"Where did that lead?

Quietly he started up it, then thought better of letting himself be out in the open and crawled into the tangled bush, tracking the road to his left and pushing his way forward.

Finally the trees in front of him ended and he was greeted with the sight of a handsome mansion with an elegant white and redbrick façade. Wide, square, and imposing.

He scanned the landscape with keen eyes before slowly making his way out of the trees, toward the doorway, silently; eyes and ears ever alert for any sign of danger.

Mounting the broad stairs, he arrived at the door and reached his fingers around the handle. He pressed the door inward and looked around at the elegant foyer.

A high chandelier dominated the overhead, and all around was sleek tile flooring. Still he could see no one. He listened.

The soft sound of a pianissimo cello reached his ears and he quietly followed it until he found an ajar door into a room full of chairs, some music stands, a piano, and several other instruments, including a cello, held between the knees of a young woman whose back was to him.

In order to get into the room he had to shoulder the door open slightly more, which caused it to make a small creak.

The young woman finished playing her soft passage, set the instrument down, and turned toward him.

Her face exploded into an expression of sheer terror and she screamed repeatedly.

If there were any men nearby he would be trapped. He bounded forward and seized her, one arm around her legs, one around her head and mouth, muting, but not halting her screams.

Turning, he hurried out of the place on his hind legs as quickly as he could and bounded toward the forest, several shrieks ringing out after him as he charged through the forest and toward his own home.

\

Throwing the back door open, he rushed inside. As he rounded the bend in the rear hallway he saw Roselle trembling, balled up in the corner.

He strode forward, seized her arm, and hauled her to her feet. "What was the screaming?"

"Le Démon Monsieur Beaumont," Roselle replied, sobbing.

"Here?" he demanded. "In this house?"

"Non, he's gone," Roselle sobbed. "With Thérèse."

Horror thudded against his chest worse than when he'd been told Nadine was gone.

"Non," he breathed.

"Oui," Roselle wept. "He carried her out, I saw him. He is terrible."

Releasing Roselle, who promptly returned to her place on the floor, he strode toward the front entry; he noticed that there was grit from the forest across the tile, but he hurried over it and searched the grass.

He couldn't see where the creature had gone. He listened, but heard no cries — and he was sure Thérèse would've cried out.

"Thérèse!" he screamed. "Thérèse!"

No response came, not that he'd expected to hear one. Dropping to his knees, he sobbed into his hands."

Pronunciations:

Monsieur: missyoor

Non: noh

Nadine: nahdihn

Oui: whie

June Novel Essential Information

Novel Title: Loveless

Time Setting: 1536*

Genre: Fantasy

Minimum Word Goal: 90,000

Timespan: September – February

Location: Tiegnais, Rocaille-Alpages

Main Characters: Le Démon, Thérèse Beaumont

Background Information: Tiegnais is a notable city located high in the mountains that contribute to the Kingdom of Rocaille-Alpages' name. It is notable because it is one of the major centres of the textile industry internationally, and also because nearby it is the grand Château Montegnard, the residence of the Crown Prince of Rocaille-Alpages.

In the last decade, however, it has gained a new, and disturbing, notoriety . . . 

It started with travellers sighting a strange figure lurking in the woods on approach to the city, and not that terribly long after that, it became attacks by a fearsome black creature. Mercifully the attacks have yet to take a life, however they have left many wounded and everyone petrified.

As time has passed, though, a pattern has been observed: the attacks happened only when a woman was in sight, or spoke. Men were perfectly safe on their own.

It soon, therefore, became municipal law that any woman leaving Tiegnais, or intending to come to it, was to be hidden and remain silent for the entire climb up or down the mountainside.

Upon the creature — whom the people have called Le Démon because surely it can be nothing but — being discovered, men intended to go after it and kill it, however, the creature seems to exclusively reside on the lands allocated as part of the Estate of Montegnard, therefore belonging to the Crown Prince for his private use. Anyone caught trespassing — much less hunting — on the land could be punished by death.

Being as they cannot hunt and kill it, or they do not want to take such risks, many businesses are shutting down or relocating, as many of their customers, despite the fact that safety precautions are known, refuse to journey to Tiegnais.

The ones who wish to remain want to send a petition to the King for permission to hunt on the Crown Prince's land, but they cannot get as many signatures as they need for the King to consider it.

No one dares challenge the King's wrath to enter the Estate of Montegnard, but they do not want to see Tiegnais' demise either, and sooner versus later something will have to give.

Born the second of three daughters to one of the most notable tycoons in the textile industry — who, naturally, resides in Tiegnais — Thérèse unquestionably has a privileged life, although it hasn't been an entirely happy existence.

When she was ten years old her mother took ill and died, leaving her father to run a business and raise three daughters. He did his best, although his daughters are considered a little free-spirited and too intellectual for women of their standing among many.

However, being as they have all possessed some of their mother's beauty, and their father has an immense fortune, finding men to marry has not necessarily been a difficult endeavour. Her older sister is already married to a handsome man of means.

And, being as she possesses the greatest beauty of all of her father's daughters — according to most everyone in Tiegnais — hope abounds for her future, and many a man hopes to marry her and prove himself worthy of inheriting her father's fortune.

To most everyone — except the other eligible men — it seems thus fitting that the most beautiful maiden in town should have the most handsome bachelor in town as her suitor, and very near to indeed taking her hand in marriage, which is the case, as the incredibly handsome Évrard Guillory is her suitor, and some women in town are already hearing wedding bells.

Probably the biggest obstacle standing in the way of their betrothal is Le Démon. Évrard wants to enter the Estate of Montegnard and kill it without waiting for a petition; Thérèse wants to see if they can't just set out some drugged food and capture it without any lives being risked, possibly even seeing if they can't tame it or discover what it actually is, killing it only if it won't be tamed.

Le Démon is not actually his name, but even he hardly remembers his name, having not been addressed by it for so long. In fact, his memories of life before this nightmare began fade more with each day.

All he knows is that he is running out of time. There is an opportunity to escape this nightmare, but as quickly as his memories fade daily, so quickly the window closes daily.

What he needs to do is simple — as far as he's concerned — however, he has been frustrated in all of his efforts to do it, causing his hope to fade even faster than his opportunity.

If he cannot succeed in escaping this nightmare while the window is still open to him, then there is no hope. He doesn't want to be trapped in this nightmare forever. He has to escape, but chances are looking more toward him not being able to.

Pronunciations:

Tiegnais: t'yeghneigh

Rocaille-Alpages: rowkai ahlpahzhe

Le Démon: leh dehmoh

Thérèse Beaumont: tehrehz bohmoh

Château Montegnard: shahtoh mohnteggnahr

Évrard Guillory: ehvrahr gieohree

*does not correspond to 1536 A.D.

The novel begins on July 4.