Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 11

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. Cassandra and her mother have been talking about why Mom took her to the Tunnel of Love to see the goddess Frigga:

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Cassandra stared at her mother for a moment and then shrugged.  “I have spoken the words of my heart, and now I am empty.”  She turned back to the line.

“Don’t forget this, my darling.”  Mother passed her the copy of Jane Eyre and followed her back to rejoin Geoffrey in line.  “Good afternoon, Geoffrey.”

“Good afternoon, Missus Worthington.  Thank you for suggesting that we go through the tunnel together.”

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 10

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. Cassandra and her mother are talking about why Mom has taken her to the Tunnel of Love to see the goddess Frigga:

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“I wish to love no man because a goddess decrees it so. You have satisfied my mind that Geoffrey North will be a good husband. I can see that he works hard, keeps his word, and that he cares for me. Allow our hearts to come to love in the natural way. Do not subject us to Frigga’s whim.”

Mother brushed at Cassandra’s curls. “You say this because you do not know the fleeting nature of ‘natural love.’ If I could have frozen the love your father felt for me into a stone, I would have cherished it all the days of my life.”

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 9

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. Cassandra has asked a poor young man, Henry, to create a diversion, but doesn’t really get a chance to explain why…

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“Her lot is all the same, thinking that because we’re not as richified, we’d do anything for a few shillings. Well, you can forget it, my lady.”

Cassandra considered making one more appeal, coming clean, and then she heard her name called again. “Cassandra dear, where are you?” Cassandra stood up straight and tall, knowing that Mother would be keeping an eye out for her bright golden hair, and stepped away from Henry and Raven.

She pulled her mother away from the line of waiting couples.  “One last time I beg you, and then I hold my peace forevermore:  do not ask this of me.”

“You do not wish to love Geoffrey on your wedding day?”

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 8

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. We’ve been learning more about what Frigga’s tunnel of love means to the other couples waiting in line, but Cassandra hasn’t stopped looking for a way out…

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When she thought Geoffrey was busy enough with another conversation, Cassandra leaned close to Henry and whispered, “Would you like to make a little money?”

He shrugged, his eyes steady on her face and his mouth an even line. “That depends on what I’d have to do to earn it, miss.”

“Just pretend to get into an argument or…”

Raven cleared her throat. “You want us to create a disruption or a distraction. What will you do then?”

Cassandra hesitated, not sure how she could explain. 

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 7

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. We’re learning a bit more about what the tunnel of love means to the couples waiting in line…

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“It’s not all about the presents or the love what’s already bloomed,” Henry said.  “I’ve seen it time and time again back home.  We find somebody new to try our chances with, pay our ha’pennies to the wise ones, and come up with any old thing what has some memories to it.  Doesn’t work often, no, but if we can’t stand the sight of each other after we’re through the tunnel, it’s no skin off our noses.  But when Lady Frigga blesses a lad and a girl, they’re good together.  I think that’s the key; she looks at what could be, not what is already.”

 

 

Other people in line shared their stories:  an older couple, widow and widower, lost childhood sweethearts prevented from marrying with their hearts when they were young; a poor knight and a rich man’s least favourite daughter who had come together for a marriage of convenience; and unfaithful parents attempting to mend their cheating ways.  They all showed off their sentimental sacrifices, but Cassandra couldn’t bear to look at more precious personal treasures thrown away for the sake of divine love.

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 6

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. We’re learning a bit more about what the tunnel of love means to the couples waiting in line…

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“I hope Frigga blesses us all,” Faith said. “There are other things that matter more than the sentimental gifts. She judges the love in the couple, doesn’t she? I think that’s our best hope. Julian and I love each other so much. If the goddess is pleased she’ll preserve our love forever in its full beauty.”

Cassandra kept her mouth shut. What if Frigga judged Julian and Faith’s love strong but fleeting, and decreed they should face a loveless marriage sooner rather than later?

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 3

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. Cassandra and her mother have come to the park, where Cassandra’s supposed to meet Geoffrey and other couples are lining up.

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“It seems soon to be proving your love,” the man with the pocket-watch said. “But I wish you the best of luck.”

Cassandra nodded politely, and stepped sideways, just a little out of the line, to check for Mother. She was already nearly out of sight, just rounding the corner where the line of waiting couples approached the shallow canal. This might be her best shot. Cassandra hitched up the hem of her dress a little and ran for the busy street on the edge of the park. There would be horseless hansoms there, and she had a little money. She wasn’t sure where she would go, but the longer she could stay away from here . . .

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 2

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. We’ve just met Cassandra and her mother…

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“We were supposed to meet Geoffrey promptly at two. What time is it now?” Mother pointed at the last man in line, who’d been whispering in the ear of the mousy woman next to him.

He looked up, retrieved his pocket watch, and consulted it. "I make it a quarter to three."

You stay and hold a place in line," Mother told Cassandra. "I'll find out if Geoffrey is doing the same thing further along."

Cassandra nodded and breathed a sigh of relief as her mother paced up the line.

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 1

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

After the technical difficulties last time, I’ve decided to move to a different short story, one that I started up at Odyssey. For the time being, it’s tentatively called “Love is a Masterpiece”, and it’s set in an alternate universe England in the Edwardian period, (so just after the turn of the 20th century, post-Victorian.)

When Cassandra and her mother got to Frigga’s Park, the line of couples stretched a quarter of a mile down the path.

“Are you satisfied?” Mother asked, brushing a curl of Cassandra’s golden hair back from her forehead. “You dallied long enough at the house that we’re late.”

“No.”  Cassandra leaned in close to her mother.  “Please don’t make me do this.”

Mother ignored her entirely.

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