Pete
18th January 2004, 20:31
I wrote this one day a little while ago, and since the place where I usually publish my writing on the net is not doing so for a while as it updates is procedures ect I will put it here. It is called "The Change" and is a mix of first person story telling with third person 'objective history' writing, a combination that I am trying to develop for my latest big project, a novel that combines this 'objective history' with third person limited story telling and the occassional first person flash back. It is on hold until I re write my Epic, and so nothing is typed yet.
Anyways here's the story. (And of course it is my own writing, and if anyone wants to copy it ect please ask).
The Change
The ring left its mark in the cooling red wax on the back of the envelope. If any one intercepted this message en route, they would easily be fooled by the imprint – an ant eating a great eagle – and think it was merely a correspondence from House Anders. To those in the movement the red wax would signify the truth.
Since the early days, resistance had fermented in the servants’ quarters of many Houses, and House Anders was no exception. Once the chief family in a medium sized clan, during the Change the Anders easily consolidated themselves into an influential House. Traditional places of honour were reduced to offices of servitude, and in the early confusion many family chiefs and elders accepted a reduced role, not seeing their bondage until to late. The subordinates of these figures were reduced to slavery.
He knew the letter would change hands dozens of times before it reached its reader; the movement grew around traditional inter-family ties of the previous time. As he made his way to the stables, where his contact slept, the air suddenly became very cold. The hair on the back of his neck prickled as if he was being watched.
Family and clan loyalty was never that important in the time before the Change. It was only with the rise of the Houses that this idea of divisive loyalty was born. Either ignorant of, or not caring about the inter-family bonds, the Houses did not try to grow this possible threat to their influence. By the end of the Change the thought of this system had left the Houses’ memories.
His eyes adjusted to the dark slowly. The sensation of being watched did not leave him as he took a few precarious steps. Gathering his courage, he turned around slowly to see a gathering of servants standing and pointing up towards the Castle Anders. Had it already happened? Turning again, he got his answer.
The rapid development of a highly stratified society was possible because of the internal conflicts the first attempts to create such a society started. By blaming these outbreaks of violence on the barbarity of the old system, the Houses that led the Change – Anders, Callum, Simon, and Scott – were able to brutally force their reforms onto the frightened populace. Overt resistance was soon crushed, but the inter-family communication routes, which the Houses did not move against. In hindsight the speed of the Change, and its resulting sloppiness, led to its ultimate downfall less than fifty years later.
The air around Castle Anders shimmered as flying rocks smashed into an invisible barrier. The barrier also cut off all sound from the exploding castle, making the scene all the more awesome. Smiling, he dropped the envelope. It was no longer need. The Guild had decapitated House Anders, as only the Noble family is allowed in the Palace at this hour. Now, he thought, new change will come.
Anyways here's the story. (And of course it is my own writing, and if anyone wants to copy it ect please ask).
The Change
The ring left its mark in the cooling red wax on the back of the envelope. If any one intercepted this message en route, they would easily be fooled by the imprint – an ant eating a great eagle – and think it was merely a correspondence from House Anders. To those in the movement the red wax would signify the truth.
Since the early days, resistance had fermented in the servants’ quarters of many Houses, and House Anders was no exception. Once the chief family in a medium sized clan, during the Change the Anders easily consolidated themselves into an influential House. Traditional places of honour were reduced to offices of servitude, and in the early confusion many family chiefs and elders accepted a reduced role, not seeing their bondage until to late. The subordinates of these figures were reduced to slavery.
He knew the letter would change hands dozens of times before it reached its reader; the movement grew around traditional inter-family ties of the previous time. As he made his way to the stables, where his contact slept, the air suddenly became very cold. The hair on the back of his neck prickled as if he was being watched.
Family and clan loyalty was never that important in the time before the Change. It was only with the rise of the Houses that this idea of divisive loyalty was born. Either ignorant of, or not caring about the inter-family bonds, the Houses did not try to grow this possible threat to their influence. By the end of the Change the thought of this system had left the Houses’ memories.
His eyes adjusted to the dark slowly. The sensation of being watched did not leave him as he took a few precarious steps. Gathering his courage, he turned around slowly to see a gathering of servants standing and pointing up towards the Castle Anders. Had it already happened? Turning again, he got his answer.
The rapid development of a highly stratified society was possible because of the internal conflicts the first attempts to create such a society started. By blaming these outbreaks of violence on the barbarity of the old system, the Houses that led the Change – Anders, Callum, Simon, and Scott – were able to brutally force their reforms onto the frightened populace. Overt resistance was soon crushed, but the inter-family communication routes, which the Houses did not move against. In hindsight the speed of the Change, and its resulting sloppiness, led to its ultimate downfall less than fifty years later.
The air around Castle Anders shimmered as flying rocks smashed into an invisible barrier. The barrier also cut off all sound from the exploding castle, making the scene all the more awesome. Smiling, he dropped the envelope. It was no longer need. The Guild had decapitated House Anders, as only the Noble family is allowed in the Palace at this hour. Now, he thought, new change will come.