It’s that time of week again – Six Sentence Sunday – where writers all over the world give a little peep between the covers of their WIPs or published works.
It’s a simple procedure. Just register with the Six Sunday website then post your six sentences – no more no less – on the following Sunday. Anyone who wishes can get to your post from the link on the website. Most weeks I manage to read most of the excerpts and I comment quite often. If I haven’t commented it doesn’t mean I didn’t like yours. I might just have had a router hiccup, or my ancient RAM deficient PC couldn’t cope with stuff on the website, or the phone rang and I forgot I hadn’t done it. Six Sunday is one of the highlights of my week. It’s great to feel that I’m not the only one tussling with characters and trying to bend them to my will for plot purposes when we all know that my guys would probably sooner romp off to get drunk and find someone to fight.
So, this week’s Six. As usual it is from my WIP A Fierce Reaping, concerning the 300 warriors sent by King Marro to drive the Saxons out of Bernicia.
The next morning Cynon led them on a long patrol, riding east to the sea then south along the coast, in filthy weather and an increasingly filthy mood. They followed Cynon through bogs and across rivers. They swam their horses from one bay to another, scaled cliffs and felled saplings to build a bridge from poles and raw leather taken from hinds they shot with their bows. They ate well, slept huddled together for warmth in what little shelter they could find and by the time they turned homeward it was with a new sense of purpose.
“I’ll kill him,” Aeddan snarled, glaring towards the head of the column, where Cynon’s bay horse was stepping out proudly.
“And I’ll hold him down while you do it,” Cynfal agreed.
Elin Gregory 
Ha ha. I know how Aeddan and Cynfal feel with some people. Keep em coming gal. 😀
I often wish I could lay about me with an edged weapon and at work I often have some. 🙂
Now that’s teamwork!
Partners in crime!
Fantastic six. The last couple of sentences were a real punch. And great details leading up. I enjoy these every time. You’ve crafted a band of charismatic men.
Thanks so much 🙂 I’m looking forward to finishing their story now I’ve finished the other novel.
Welcome! Looking forward to seeing more from this story, so here’s to hoping that it’s easy to finish. 🙂
Wow, that sounds absolutely miserable. Poor men, but at least they ate well! And sometimes hating a commander can unite a group of men. (maybe that was Cynon’s goal) Great six!
Winter manoeuvres will sort the men from the boys 🙂 thanks, lady.
Filthy weather and filthy mood — that is brilliant! And so is the exchange of dialogue. I always enjoy your six, Elin. Always. 😀
Thanks Monica. That’s very encouraging. 🙂
Your dialogue made me smile. How often have I uttered those words and wished someone else would echo them?!
Thanks Edith. I’m so glad I raised a smile. 🙂
Do not kill off the horse. This will make me so sad. Just don’t go there! ): I love men in filthy water. Teehee!!
The horse will be safe, I promise. Cynfal and Aeddan are reserving their homicidal urges for their troop leader 🙂
Ha!
Ha! thought you’d fool me with a change of name and picture did you? 🙂 see you on your Six in a minute.
Wow–you packed so much into that, it’s a mini-adventure unto itself! Great descriptions. I was quite well immersed in the scene. I do love their names, too! 🙂
Thanks, Teresa. These fellows are such fun to write. I’m looking forward to finishing their story.
A lot said in a few words. One question–wouldn’t they be swimming their horses from point to point of land rather than from bay to bay?
Hmm, point to point. I wonder if you and I are thinking about the same things. This piece of coastline features later in the story. The points are the high places that jut out into the sea while the bays are the flatter recessed areas where it’s possible to get back onto dry land and often off the beach via paths or watercourses. Going from bay to bay would be far less perilous.
The action is very condensed there. I wanted to get them back to the dun so Cynfal could get into more trouble. 🙂 thanks for commenting.
I guess I’m thinking horses are far more suited to inland paths, even rugged ones, than swimming. They’d be swimming across river mouths, but otherwise staying on land as much as possible.
I love the visual description and intensity of this six. My one caveat would be the scaling cliffs. You can ride horses up sand dunes and hills, but it takes a special animal to be trustworthy on a cliff, one spook and it’s all over. Not a big deal, just me being a little nit picky. Otherwise, a great six and I can’t wait to read more.
Poor punctuation choice there. 🙂 I should have had a new sentence for the bit where they scale cliffs and build bridges [both non-horse related activities] but that’s what second drafts are for. Mind you they do have to force their horses up a considerable slope at one point. That’s going to be edgy to write because a lot of them aren’t going to make it. Can I pick your brain for horse behaviour when I write that bit?
Meantime, thanks very much for the input and encouragement.
Great intensity and vivid descriptions, Elin. You do an absolutely amazing job bringing this to life, conveying their comraderie and maintaining suspense.
Thanks Ryan. And thanks for commenting. 🙂
I love the humor here, and the description is wonderful!
[…] I, of course, remembered on Tuesday, but it was before the new post went up and I forgot to return. So instead of six sentences here’s an excerpt that I haven’t counted that follows on directly from last weeks. […]