Yep that time of the year that is totally and completely crazy-stressful!  Which of course means I won't have the new chapter up for some time.  I've started it ...barely.  But don't worry.  I always finish what I've begun.

In spite of the hectic schedule that comes with the end of the school year I do have a sketch.  It's sort of a "deleted scene" from last chapter.

Jane may be tough and strong, but she's still a 12/13 year old girl.  I'm certain there are still times when she just throws herself onto her bed and cries.  Now I don't think it happens very often or that she would ever let anyone see her in this state, but every once in a while a girl just needs a good cry.

There are many problems here.  The most glaring being my overuse of wrinkles on the bedsheets, but I was experimenting a little.  :)  Will I fix this up and color it?  Probably not.  Too lazy/busy.  My next update will coincide with a new chapter - promise.

Suspicion - lots of people get suspicious about lots of different things in this chapter.

Dark eyes promptly widened in realization, then narrowed in anger.  "The cheater!" Gunther muttered, "No wonder Jane keeps winning,"  Gunther thinks she's taking the midieval equivilant to steroids or something.

"As you wish, milady."  "What in the kingdom could that be?!" Jane cried unexpectedly, rising nearly out of her seat.  Jester turned swiftly. "What? Where?"  Clink. Clank. ... he had slipped the potion into both cups this morning.
Anyone recognize this scene?  The Princess Bride was my favorite movie in Junior High. :-)





Theodore watched as his pupil's countenance slowly glazed over, a slight smile hidden at the corner of her mouth.
The thought of a daydreaming Jane was too good to pass up.
 
The old knight shook his head at her retreating form. He knew that dazed expression all too well.
Theodore is suspicious about Jane's distracted state.

It was a lie. Jester knew it and already he felt bad.
I had the worst time writing the parts where Jester lies to Jane.  I felt awful for the both of them.

Jane turned towards her friend, a bewildered look across her face. When he gave no response, her face flickered with hurt then turned to steel.
She may not know he lied yet, but she does know that he has been deceiving her.  Poor Jane - hurt and confused.

This chapter had such a melancholy ending... If you get too sad, just go back and reread the section where Jane and Jester look through the books.  That's what I'll be doing. ;-)

I feel awful.  Really I do.  This chapter is coming terribly slowly for a multitude of reasons.  To those who have been waiting - I apologize.
Part of the reason for the delay is that many of the decisions I make in this chapter will affect the rest of the story line... how complicated the plot will become, how characters will interact, etc.  I'm trying to work through the actions, motives, and reactions of several characters all at once and do my best to keep them all in character.  I had really hoped to be done by today, but it will be at least another week.

By way of apology here's the first two paragraphs of the new chapter.

Gunther walked purposefully down the corridor to the knights’ quarters.  Jane had beaten him at their last few matches and he was determined not to loose again.  Glancing out the windows that lined his walk, the boy spotted his rival seated alone at the table below.  Suddenly a voice yelled out her name, sending her scurrying towards the practice yard… a voice that sounded very much like Sir Ivon.  Gunther’s brow wrinkled as he gazed down the hallway behind him where, only a moment ago, he had passed the Scottish knight headed in the opposite direction.  Understanding dawned as he turned back towards the garden and found the court fool standing where the red-head had been only moments before, setting a freshly-poured cup of milk down on the nearby table.  Jester’s uncanny ability to sound just like different members of the court was well known throughout the castle, though he rarely impersonated Sir Ivon.  Something to do with a duel of wit or some such nonsense, Gunther had never really gotten the whole story from his mentor.

 

Down below, the fool looked abnormally jumpy.  His gaze kept swinging back and forth from the kitchen door to the entrance to the practice yard.  A loud crash sounded and the fool’s eyes shot to the kitchen window.  He waited a few silent, tense moments.  Certain that no one was headed his way; he filled a second glass with milk.  The bells on his hat rattled softly as the fool made one last scan of all the possible entries, then his hand moved to his pocket.  Gunther’s head jerked in surprise when the jester pulled out a suspicious looking vial and added its contents to the cup in his hand.  Dark eyes promptly widened in realization, then narrowed in anger.

~Sorry if this leaves you hanging a bit, but I don't want to give too much away yet. ;-)

I sketched this picture over the summer, but didn't color it till this week.  Please excuse the grainy quality. A result of trying to fix the washed out color.
You could consider this a sneak peak into the next chapter of "The Potion". ;)

Chapter 4 is done!  Hopefully the ending is okay.  I kinda rushed through the last two scenes just cause I wanted to chapter to be done. :)

Here are some of my thoughts / references:

Nothing helped. No matter how he tried to lay still and relax, that little doubt kept gnawing at his mind.
This happens to me all the time, normally with story ideas that I'm afraid I'll forget by morning.  I finally got a notebook that sits beside my bed to write them down in.  I have been surprised to find that my handwriting in pitch black isn't half bad. ;)

flash a smile in Jester’s direction
High School Musical, anyone?

He hesitated, briefly wondering if he should just tell Jane about the potion.
Internal conflict here we come...

Clink.  Clank.  Jester picked up and set down the cups, without switching them.
This scene is based on an Abbott & Costello gag seen in their movie "The Naughty Nineties".  I searched and searched for an online video clip to show, but I guess that gag isn't well enough known.  However, there is another scene in that movie that they are famous for.  So this is for all you who have no idea who I'm talking about... or if you just happen to like the sketch "Who's on First?" :D


*** So just in case the scene with the cups confused you, Jane did drink the potion.  Jester switched the cups once, then Jane switched them back again.  Jester acted like he had switched them by  picking them up and laying them back down in the same spot (leaving the cup with the potion in front of himself) so that when Jane swapped them the final time she actually ended up with the potion cup.  She thought she won, but really didn't.  And the potion does have a bit of a taste.  That's why after taking a sip "... she made a face at her cup."

Jane’s head flew up, eyes wide, mouth slightly ajar.
If you really want to get to Jane's heart, compliment her.  Between Dragon's compliments in "Shall we Dance?" and Jester's comment at the end of "Mismatched" I realized that little sweet comments really affect her.

Always knows how to cheer me up when I am upset. He knows me so well he can practically read my mind…” Jane trailed off, her head tilted down thoughtfully.
I've had a moment like this.  I was writing a note to cheer up a guy friend, but the more I wrote the more I suddenly realized what an amazing guy he really is and that maybe I liked him more than I had thought.

I do care for Jester, but I…I do not know.
Jester's not the only one with internal conflict. ;)

You finally got to hear what Jane's been thinking.  And Dragon got in there too.  I just wish I could come up with funnier lines for him.  Hopefully Jane is a little closer to being in character.  She can be tough for me to figure out. 
Next chapter will introduce a little external conflict and a character we haven't heard from yet.

No new chapter yet and for that I am terribly sorry.  I blame it on one part finals week, one part sister in hospital again, and one part writer's block.  I have just one more scene to fit into this chapter, but this writer's block makes it like trying to pull a boulder out of knee deep mud.  ugh.

Well, to make up for it I have a ( few sketches )

Between the snow (what little of it we have) and all the Christmas music (and I do love Christmas music) I was inspired with a lovely little one shot of a story.  Normally I scribble down and save all story ideas for when I've finished my current piece of fiction, but seeing as my current story may not be finished until late spring or even summer at it's current rate... well a winter story just doesn't make sense in the summer, does it.  Anyways, I am planning on writing more chapters for "Winter Wonderland", just not immediately.  The truth is, I may leave it at one chapter until winter next year (awful... I know).

Just a few tidbits:

I picture Smithy's sled to look something like this (you may need to scroll down to see the picture)

The original story actually included my OC Lily, Smithy's girl, but it was making the tale too complicated and drew attention away from Jester and Jane's mushiness.  She'll probably show up in a later chapter, but who knows when that will be. ;-)

I love the idea of Jester in a blue scarf and Jane in a coat.  Winter clothes are so much fun.

The title of this chapter, Sled Ride, is a play on "Sleigh RIde" a fabulous holiday song.

Too mushy... perhaps, but I haven't gotten to put any kisses in "The Potion" yet... and probably won't for some time yet.  So forgive my slight indulgence. :-)


Now if it we could only get enough snow around here to cover the grass...

As promised, chapter 2 is up! Thanksgiving break is coming soon, so here's hoping I can finish another chapter within a month. :)

Here's a few of my thoughts on this chapter:

In the first chapter I didn't give voice to any of the character's thoughts. In this chapter I found it impossible to really convey what I wanted without at least giving you insight into Jester's brain. The challenge is to limit myself to only telling you his thoughts and communicating everyone else's thoughts and feelings through their actions and words.

“My, you are certainly up early today!”
From what I can tell from episodes like "Jester Justice" and "All Fool's Day" Jester seems to always be the last one up.

“I believe I heard the town clock strike 6 not long ago,”
Yes, I know clocks hadn't been invented yet, but the castle seems to be pretty far ahead of its time in so many other ways, why not in this area too? Besides I'm sure Smithy could build one. :)

Clink. Clank. Quick as a wink, Jester had swapped his cup with Jane's.
This situation will be appearing again, keep an eye out for it. I pulled the idea from an old classic movie. Do you know which one?

“Your roses seem to be extra fragrant this year, Rake. I can smell them from here.”
This idea will show up again too.

The first time their arms touched was purely by accident
Most of the rest of this chapter is a reminder of what it's like to have a crush in junior high. Don't worry, Jane and Jester won't stay at this stage for the whole story.

I hope you all are enjoying your halloween.  I am currently dressed to look like Kim Possible (but I like to keep my belly covered, thank you very much.)  If you are unaware of who that is... you ought to look her up.  She bears some interesting similarities to Jane.

I have not forgotten about the story.  There have simply been many road blocks recently.  When I started the first chapter I had definite plans as to where it was headed, but once finished with that chapter the plot bunnies began to multiply in my head.  Oh the many, many directions I could take this story.  After much deliberation I decided to keep my original plan and perhaps write a few little drabbles later on with my other ideas.

<short rant below>
But my struggles with this story continue to multiply... I disliked parts of chapter one.  Each time I sat down to write chapter two I ended up editing chapter one instead.  Finished that and switched it out on FF.net.  The changes are small (no need to reread it), but I am now satisfied.  Wrote half of the new chapter and then decided Jane seemed pretty out of character in different parts.  That has been corrected (hopefully).  Now I am stuck on pacing.  I wanted to speed through some parts, but I'm afraid you'll miss out on some subtle changes.  Lengthened parts and now I'm afraid the chapter is turning out much too long.  Grr...
<end of rant>

My goal is to have the chapter done within two weeks.
In the meantime I have a treat for you for bearing with me.