Arranged Marriage: A Much-Maligned Good

Not too long ago, my friend Megan Chappie posted on her blog a wonderful casual essay concerning arranged marriage and marriage in general, here. I loved it at the time, of course, and couldn't have agreed more with her. And then I started thinking. And then I started thinking too much. And now, I have so many thoughts on it, and additions, and eager agreement that I had to write a post and speak them. Megan's post was absolutely splendid - I agreed with every word! And it got me thinking, an it got me inspired. (I most thoroughly suggest reading it, not only to understand this post more fully, but because it was an extremely insightful work.)

What exactly is it about arranged marriage that Megan said that was so great? She challenged the age-old idea that it is necessarily a bad thing, and even concluded that it could well be a very good thing. Okay. So what is it that I'm saying about arranged marriage, then? Well, hold on to your hats, folks, because, whether you agree or not, I'm saying arranged marriage is a very good thing. Most certainly, absolutely, definitely, one hundred percent a good thing. But before you leave in shock, and before I continue, let me say this: I do not support abusive marriages, I do not necessarily support marriages of odd ages, and I am not advocating marrying a stranger just for the sake of it. That being said, though, I think arranged marriage is a good thing. In fact, I would call it a legitimate option, even nowadays, and possibly as legitimate or more (in some cases) as finding your own spouse.

Marrying For Love

So what's the big thing about marrying for love? What does it even mean? Well, if my understanding is correct, it means knowing somebody enough to know that you like them when you marry them - basically just marrying someone you don't hate and even find pleasant.

But wait. That's not what love is. Love is not liking someone, per se, love is wanting a person's good, and putting them before yourself. You don't have to like a person to do that. How many books or movies have we seen where the hero valiantly rescues a villain, a henchman, or a complete stranger? They rescue someone they obviously do not like, or possibly don't even know, and yet they love the person enough to save them. So you don't have to like a person to love them.

So, in a sense, 'marrying for love' is really just marrying for friendship. Which is a good thing, yes, as a spouse will be your lifelong best friend, of course. However. Friendship, while it needs more than this to continue, often is just founded on a whim - liking someone at random, or just meeting them and them liking you. Thus, oftentimes what 'marrying for love' tends to be is just marrying someone you like, rather than any particularly real affection.

Being Married For Love

Believe me, there is a difference between the two. Marrying for love, and being married for love are two very different things.

As I've said above, marrying for love is really just marrying someone you get along with; someone you like. Loving the person isn't always necessarily a part of it as it as the term is commonly employed. How many romances can you think of in various entertainment genres that the couple do not always act for each other's good, yet still like each other? Their marriage would technically still be marrying for love, according to the term's use.

Being married for love does not require necessarily liking each other, or really even having known each other before the marriage. What it requires is - for common good and peace - fulfilling the spouses' respective roles in the marriage regardless of what said spouses like or dislike about it. And this, yes, may imply arranged marriage, but even in chosen marriage, the spouses aren't always living exactly according to their dream - that's a given - but they are living as spouses nonetheless. As Tolkien immortally put it, "[Your] real soul-mate is the person you are actually married to."

Love and Marriage (And Attraction)

In our Christian faith, we are called to love everyone. True love is, as I described above, but wanting a person's good and putting them before yourself. Thus, we are called to do this with everyone. So, if we're called to love everyone like that, and that's what true love really is, then what's the distinction between that and romantic love?

Love really is just self-sacrifice - that's certain. However, there is another factor to romance (and thus marriage) that is often called love, though its nature is less voluntary then real love. The difference between ordinary Christian love and romantic/marital love is attraction. Obviously, in a romantic relationship, we feel a different sort-of liking for the person than we would for a sibling or a friend. We have all three of the things I described above - liking the person, loving the person, and also having an attraction to the person. This is what people generally mean when they say someone is 'in love,' is that the someone is merely attracted to someone else in a certain fashion.

Is this the factor missing, then, from arranged marriage? No, indeed, it isn't. Not by nature, at least. Being attracted to someone can happen at a very young age, and isn't always even meant to develop into a full romance. When you are too young, or already married, or feel called to a different lifestyle, *cough cough vocation cough* then you can still be attracted to people of the complimentary gender, though you cannot act on said attraction.

Thus, attraction can happen on the spur of the moment, or over time - you can just see a person and be attracted to them (I believe the common term for this is 'love at first sight,' though I've said above quite extensively that attraction and love are two different things). And yet, many people of nowadays would have you - if you so wished - marry that person because of that feeling. And that's what they would call 'marrying for love.' But, really, that's just marrying for attraction. And if attraction can happen at first sight, then what's the difference between marrying an attractive person you know, and that same attractive person by arrangement, before you know them? In the realm of attraction - the big gap between romantic and non-romantic love - there is no difference. And if that's part of what makes love romantic, then can't an arranged marriage be every bit as romantic or more than marrying someone you know?

Marriage and romantic relationship to the Christian is made up of all three components, of course - love, friendship, and attraction, in that order - but as we are called to love everybody, and attraction is not only the least important, but the least controllable of the three factors, this rule does not cross out arranged marriage. The only factor missing in arranged marriage of the three is the factor that often takes the longest, even after the marriage, to unfold, even with chosen marriages: friendship. Friendship comes in time - even someone you start out not being able to stand can become one of your best friends given time. And marriage gives people that necessary time, for sure.

In Conclusion

So, what am I even rambling on about? In short:

• 'Marriage for love' is often really just marriage for attraction, which makes the freedom seem absurd
• Marriage has to be founded on love - self sacrifice
• If, we, as Christians, already love everyone, and make a lifestyle of self-sacrifice, then we could potentially marry anyone of the complimentary gender and be happy because the main foundation is there
• Friendship, the second foundation of marriage, takes time, even in chosen marriages, so to use it as a reason to discard arranged marriage is ridiculous
• Attraction is not easily controlled, and can happen as quickly as on first sight, so to base marriage on it without either of the other foundations is fallacious
• Arranged marriage has love, grows friendship, and may thrive with or without attraction (and has just as much a chance as chosen marriage to accomplish the latter), whereas chosen marriage often does not have one or more of those and can even be founded just on attraction
• Thus, in my own humble opinion, arranged marriage really is an overlooked good - I know it sounds screwy, but it is an amazing thing!



I know it may not be a particularly common thing, now, but it needs to be. Arranged marriage is very underrated, folks. Give it a break! I know I will - in fact, I'm brainstorming right now on story ideas to make an arranged marriage couple. I know this post is incredibly haphazard, but I would like to think that it was more excitement than carelessness that accomplished it. It's a serious subject! And, while I don't expect anyone to go out and do it because of this (that is, as always, at the discernment and abilities of each person), I do hope I've changed a few minds. But for now, addio, mia amici!

Concerning Modern Music - A Brief Essay

           [Note - this is an academically-inclined essay, though I wrote it with keen interest and enjoyment in the subject, so do not feel obliged to read it if you are uninterested, and know that it is not so casual as my usual writing in its style, and so may be less pleasant reading, if you do indeed still wish to read it.]

           Oftentimes when I discuss music with my peers, the first thing that comes up is modern music. They like this or that popular song that played on the radio, and wonder why I don't like it. I am a musician myself - an amateur vocalist and pianist. It can be hard to please me music-wise sometimes, and I know this. Thus, as a short and perhaps less adequate answer, often I simply reply that it's just not my style of music. As a full answer, should this aforementioned brief answer not be enough, I now supply my argument at greater length.

            The first thing that one might notice when contrasting modern pop music to, for example, opera or classical music is that often the melody of the latter takes up at least five sheets of music, while the former's melody oft may be summed up in four bars of music. What does this even mean, though? Even to those who do not read music and so may not be able to tell this fact for themselves, I believe, the result is obvious just by listening to the music.

            Pop music often ends up, in no small part due to the lack of melodic development,  monotonous or rather childishly simple, consisting of a grating repetition of patterns quite indecipherable except as a musical version of a toddler's scribblings or as an unfinished fragment of a melody. The melodies of opera and the classical works are often rich, keeping a listener entranced by minutes upon minutes of new, fresh melody that, while keeping interest, always correlates with what has already occurred musically.

            My second peeve with the rather faulty musicianship of modern music is the - for lack of a better word - emphasis upon rhythm. The operatic singer of only a couple centuries ago would have known his or her singing part inside out; they would have to, because often their rhythms were so complex and multi-layered, and they would be singing with an equally rhythmic accompaniment or other complexly-timed vocal parts. Nowadays, the so greatly convenienced modern singer finds themselves practically singing to a digital metronome as the so-called 'rhythms' of their songs. They are being handed the rhythm of the song on a silver platter.

            Before I continue, though, it may seem that I believe the modern song has no complexity nor any difficulty, and that this is my main case against it. But, indeed, the modern song is not a simple chanson to pick up in an instant, no. Nor do I believe it to be so. The modern singer deals with many difficulties and difficult songs as well as the operatic or choral singer might, and the modern songwriter may well put as much effort into their works as Beethoven or Palestrina. And of course there are modern songs which are complex in their own rite, confusing the beholder upon first attempt at the music. But this does not refute the point that modern music is lacking in the greatest essential to music: beauty.

            Beauty depends upon many factors to exist, but primarily upon order and place. Without some sense of correlation and relevance in the music, the music is not beautiful, nor even music; it is simply an incongruous collection of noises. Modern music is perhaps not completely without order; as I have noted, there are still complexity and difficulty in many modern songs. But modern music is lacking in order by comparison, and even without comparison is found wanting in other aspects of beauty, namely, maturity.

            Maturity is an aspect of beauty often left out because there are beautiful things without great maturity (i.e. children, beginnings, etc). But the distinction is not that those things have no maturity, but they only have maturity according to their order. Children are new to the earth, and oft have little maturity compared to an adult, but this is not because they are lacking; it is because this is the way they are naturally according to their place in order as children. And in this, modern music may be distinguished; modern music has the maturity of an untaught child without that place in order and quite without the innocence that goes with it. Modern music often bears lyrics of whiny, selfish, or simply immature proportion, even when those lyrics are attempting to promote a good message within them. The music is no different; its childish melodies and violent rhythms are not only immature, but oftentimes only an emphasis upon the incomplete lyrics.

            There is, however, another point, which is often brought up at criticism of modern music; beauty cannot be the only point of music, and so therefore, music can be good music without being beautiful necessarily. This is a contradiction of the concept of music itself, though; music is by nature an art, and the point of the arts is to accomplish beauty by imitation of Divine Art and Divine Beauty. However, the point brings up a concept which also cannot be ignored: beauty, while it is the greatest and therefore most necessary goal of music, is not the only goal.

             Music's beauty may be increased by the music also containing other goods. But what are these goods? I believe that, as with any art, or any pursuit in existence, really, the ultimate goals are the three great goods of being: goodness, truth, and beauty. Music may be beautiful in itself even if it communicates a message quite fabricated and untrue or immoral (i.e. just as opera oftentimes is beautiful musically, it oftentimes tells a story that is less than decent or communicates an idea or history that is untrue), but the beauty of music is enhanced by its dependence upon these other two goods. Gregorian chant is often far simpler than opera or classical music, but, at least to my own opinion, it may be considered more beautiful because it communicates the Truth of the Divine, and because it tends ultimately towards the goodness of God.  Even music without lyrics can contain one of these other two goods; many of the great instrumental composers founds ways to put meaning or truths within their music without adding words (such as Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sapphire Fairy from his ballet, The Sleeping Beauty, was put into 5/4 time to correlate with the five facets of a sapphire), and thus it is not impossible to accomplish goodness and truth in music even without lyrics.

            My case against modern music will undoubtedly anger some; debate often does by its nature, but this does not mean that it is not necessary to establishing the truth. However, whatever the populace may think of my opinion, and of this argument to which I firmly hold, I shall continue to firmly hold to it. And I shall conclude by expressing the hope that my argument has convinced some of my audience and that it was all in the pursuit of beauty, truth, and goodness, as all arts should be.

A penny for your own thoughts on the matter? Disagreement is fine (as I said above, I completely anticipate, so don't be afraid to disagree), just please keep it civil, as with any of my debate posts. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Bio of Princes Francis and Edmonde

I know, I know. It took  me forever. But - now I have remembered, and character interviews are back (finally)! And, since in the votes from the last interview, nobody could decide whether to have Prince Francis or Prince Edmonde from The Clarion Call (previously Alagna), I will do what I always do with them and put them together. After all, they're almost twins, as is frequently remarked by a few of the other characters.
Ask them questions in the comments, and soon, I shall put up an interview. So, that being said, without further ado, the rather short and uneventful bios of Francis and Edmonde.

***

Name: Prince Francis of Tresinta                           Name: Prince Edmond of Tresinta

Age: 19                                                                   Age: 17 (in the very beginning of the story, that is)

Nationality: Tresintan                                            Nationality: Tresintan

Height: 6'3                                                              Height: 6'2 1/2  

Hair Color: Honey-ish blonde.                              Hair Color: Honey-ish brown.

Eye Color: Deep blue.                                            Eye Color: Emerald green.

Title(s): Prince.                                                       Title(s): Prince.

 Family: Just their older brother, Blakely, their widowed mother, and the various distant noble cousins that the royal family has, including Philip Arraden, a young advisor to the throne.

Bio: Prince Francis was born in the capital of Tresinta, to Queen Gianni and King Percival II, when Blakely was almost three. A few months before Francis' second birthday, Edmond was born, and, perhaps due to their small age gap, and perhaps due to their similar characters, they were immediately like two peas in a pod. Quite inseparable, oftentimes, because of this, they would 'gang up' against Blakely for various pranks or such nonsense.

Besides, Blakely had his little friend, Alagna, so he didn't need those two (not that they didn't come and pester him anyways, of course). All three were good friends, but the 'almost twins,' as Francis and Edmond came to be called, were more. They always liked Alagna well enough, but could perceive quite easily Blakely's little boyish affections for her, and teased him about it frequently. They have no doubt that the two will end up together even at the beginning of the story, and have always made it clear. And they would certainly like to have Alagna as a sister, which they have also made clear.

Being princes, their childhood was charmed and rather uneventful, and so was, up to the beginning of the story, their youth. There is little to tell as to their separate characters, because they are very similar in most respects. They always enjoyed mischief, and in particular good-naturedly peeving Blakely. They have always been extremely fond and protective of their mother, Queen Gianna, and perhaps rather ever-so-slightly Mama's boys. Neither of them have any particular lady, though both are fairly popular among the court despite their attempts to keep out of good opinion.

Up to the beginning of the story, they are quite comfortable and have very little to worry about in life aside from not getting disowned for dumping wine over their older brother's head.

Doesn't really look like them, but it matched the one up there, so I had to use it, of course. :)

What did you think? What are your thoughts on the twosome? Do you have any questions for them? Post questions in the comments, and I'll have these two answer in an interview soon! Also, I shall be on hiatus during July due to Camp NaNo. See you in August!



Updates For June

As usual, I needed a post... and didn't know what to put up. And usually, I scrape something or other together at the last minute. But today, it seems I am giving in to laziness and just putting up life update... or it's possible that I'm giving up to those three semester end essays I need to write. Anywho. I suppose I'll get started instead of rambling.

What I Read

Mostly, I was still reading Philosophy of Mind, finishing that up. But in my free time, I decided it would be fun to do the summer reading challenge at my local library one last year. So I've been catching on some books I've meant to read for a while mainly.

How to Train Your Dragon was a good book, though rather crude in its humor (however, I'm told by a few someones whose opinions I trust very much that the books get better as they go on, so I'm sticking with them this time). I was going to get the second one as well, but it seemed that the library had lent it out to someone else already. Oh well. I shall amend that situation when I return the first book. It was definitely interesting, particularly that part at the end where *spoilers* they get the two giant dragons to fight each other *spoilers end*. However, on a whole, if the books didn't apparently get better, I probably wouldn't go on reading the series, as it was rather shallow and typical, if entertaining as light reading.

A Series of Unfortunate Events was the same case as How to Train Your Dragon in that the library only had the first book at the time (somebody must've just been going through and reading the same series as I, just one book ahead). However, despite this inconvenience, I enjoyed it far more. The humor was far more respectful, and less shallow, though, unfortunately, still on the slightly more common side. It was definitely light reading (this first book, btw, was called A Bad Beginning), but it was a good beginning to a good series. I - heathen that I am - watched the tv series first, but have wanted to read the books since. The first book was good, but I can't wait until the second (it was my favorite of the episodes!).
I also was beta reading a good deal for my best friend, who started yet another new story recently. But that was probably the most enjoyable of the books I've read this month.

Overall, aside from the first-mentioned, it was a rather light reading month, but in my defense, I have only managed to get to the library once all month due to being sick, so I was not exactly as able as in other months.

What I Watched

I watched the first two Tobey Maguire Spiderman movies for the first time. What else even matters. These were some of the best movies I have seen in ages, and possibly the best superhero movies I've seen period. I absolutely loved them. I loved Spiderman. I loved Tobey Maguire's acting. I loved everything about them. Especially with how disappointed I had originally been with Tom Holland's Spiderman. You see, from a very young age, I was in love with Spiderman - my first great fandom love. When I was about seven, I used to watch the Spiderman cartoon all the time, and I absolutely loved Peter Parker. His hair, the way he dressed, the way he acted, and how lovable he always was. And I have had a distaste for every other Spiderman possibly because of this. Until Tobey Maguire. He was almost exactly like my beloved cartoon Peter, even down to the swept-aside caramel hair and constant adorable dorky way of saying 'Mary Jane.' I loved him. I hardly think any other movies I watched this month mattered.

The Bat, The Undying Monster, and The Last Man on Earth were my 'talkie' horrors of the month. I watched a lot of silent movies this month, as well as a lot of horrors, but these were the non-silent horrors I watched, I think. The second was a British Wolfman film (so, unfortunately, no Mr. Talbot in it), but it had the feel of a murder mystery more than an actual horror. Same case for The Bat, a Vincent Price movie that you should not watch at night when the only people up are you and your sister watching with you. The Last Man on Earth was very eerie, but its eeriness was betrayed near the end by a giveaway 1960's cheesiness. The ending, however, was no joke, and put you right back on the idea that this was no happy - nor cheesy - movie. Another Vincent Price that I don't recommend watching at night. Actually, come to think of it, I did watch two more 'talkie' horror movies - I watched Son of Dracula and House of Frankenstein. Both were Lon Chaney movies, and the latter was also a Boris Karloff, but both were cheesy. The second one was less so, but Son of Dracula had only a rather shockingly good ending to its name and nothing more. House of Frankenstein at least had some proper scares.

It was one of the most famous romantic comedies of all time, though a silent movie. I liked it, but the so-called 'It girl,' Clara Bow's character, was rather unlikable. Her two best friends, however, Monty Montgomery, and the young mother whose name I could not catch, were quite likable characters. The main guy, Mr. Rich, or whatever his name was (it's so much harder to catch names in silent movies!), was also a good character, though a bit of a dunce, honestly. The plot was pretty good, and I can see why it gained such fame.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the silent movie version, was another horror movie of the month. While being good, the overall creepiness of the film was interrupted by the rather bad acting of Dr. Jekyll during his transformation scenes - unless, of course, my laughter had been what the producers had wanted during those scenes. The Haunted Castle was good, though decidedly a murder mystery and not a horror as it was labeled (the genres seem to cross often in old Hollywood...). Let me see. What else. Well, I started to watch another old movie called Eternally Yours, but once I realize the cover was no joke, and David Niven (an extremely boring fellow) really was the male lead, then I switched it to something else.

Yeah... it seems most of June was spent watching old movies. Which is kinda pathetic. But, I suppose, better old movies than new ones. At least the acting's better (most of the time).

What I Wrote

I didn't write a whole lot this month. Mostly, I wrote more in The Pain of a Memory and The Second Brother (and, yes, to any readers of The Second Brother that are reading this, I will be sending it soon). Also, I suppose I was writing a lot in my co-authored fantasy (which I may or may not introduce on here at some point). I also joined an online writing group with some acquaintances from a parish back in Virginia. Our newsletter is in the making, and, if allowed, I may post it on here when the first edition is finished.

What I Listened To

Music-wise, I had a good month, I think. I discovered a new artist, called One Voice Children's Choir. I don't listen to most of their things (just because I'm not a big fan of modern music, and they seem to do a lot of choral covers of popular songs), but a few select ones got replayed a good few times. Namely, When You Believe, A Million Dreams (from The Greatest Showman), and Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep, a very sad, but particularly beautiful choral piece. I highly recommend checking them out, and - to the more modernly-minded listener - check out Something Just Like This as well, as it is also worth checking out, if a modern song.

I also discovered that there is a new Il Divo album (called Timeless) coming out - I am checking today if it has actually come out yet, and I will probably come on here and rant with delight if it has... and probably moan in agony on here if it hasn't. Either way, you'll hear of it. ;P

Also, I was shown a song which has immediately become a common sing-around-the-house anthem by a friend, this song being Style, from Bing Crosby's Robin and the Seven Hoods. If you have not listened to it, you must needs do so. (Warning: It will probably get stuck in your head.)

What I Did

"Eh... I play de guitar." But seriously, despite the fact that that's a quote from an awesome movie, and well-worth quoting, unfortunately, I do not play the guitar. However. I am learning a simplified version of my favorite piano piece, Fur Elise, on my cupboard piano, as well as The Entertainer (a classic ice cream truck anthem) and a Paisello piece. I have been writing accompaniment finally to the main theme for my opera, which was a task long overdue, and not altogether easy. I also was finally assigned to sing Der Holle Rache, which is a very difficult, very famous opera aria I have always wanted to sing and probably will take a million years to get right.

I have mainly been doing a lot of unpacking. However, I have still found time to procrastinate (you have to make time for it, you know), and so I have three essays long overdue that I need to write. So, until my next post, arriva derci!

What did you think? What have you read this month? Watched? Written? Listened to? Been up to in general? Have you ever seen a Vincent Price movie?







The Liebster Award

Finally, another tag! This one is called the Liebster Award, and it's from Hope - thanks, Hope!

The rules are as follows:

• Create a new blog post on your blog thanking the person that nominated you, link to their blog, and put in a graphic of the award.
• Answer the questions that were provided, and then share some facts about yourself.
• Create a new set of your own questions for others to answer.
• Nominate others (around ten) and share your blog post with them so they can accept their award! This award is for bloggers with 200 followers or less.

And here are the questions Hope provided me with -

Are you an indoor or an outdoor person? Elaborate on your answer with pictures.

I am most certainly an indoor person. However. I just moved, and so don't have any pictures of the inside of the new house yet. Plus, outside pictures are more fun anyways!

What's one goal you'd like to accomplish in your lifetime?

Well, finishing a book, for one thing. Which I'm very close to doing. Publishing it, for another. Aside from anything strictly writing-related, I would most love to get one of my musical works performed - in fact, that probably more than getting a book published.

What's the weirdest thing you've ever done?

Haha, I don't think I'd put it on the internet even if I could pinpoint what it was! However. As far as things I will divulge, I once wrote a rap/poem concerning a hungry chicken and duck (in my defense, it was for a rather goofy relative who liked such things). I also have made a movie (with my sisters) using Barbies on strings as puppets (it was pretty hilarious!).

What's your favorite thing to do in the summer?

Probably roller skating. Or swimming. Something like that. Or very possibly staying inside and reading.

If you could choose your superpower, what would it be, and why?

Well, perhaps this is boring, but I'd take a page from my dad's book and choose to be able to control whatever powers I'm given in exactly the proportion they need be controlled in. It's boring, but really, you know, if most superheroes were able to have perfect control under reason of their every mental and physical ability, they wouldn't get into scrapes of their own making all the time.

What's on your bucket list?

Well, finishing my opera. Finishing a book. Finishing my musical. Basically... finishing stuff.

And now, some facts about yourself...

Hmm. Well, I think you guys know most of what there is to divulge at this point. I suppose, as what's new, I am currently in a bit of an obsession with silent movies. I have just been watching silent movie after silent movie, most of them horror movies, but a couple divergents from that path. I also have been watching a lot of horror movies (old horror movies). I fairly recently moved back up north, I am about to be the oldest of nine children, and I absolutely hate the movies Coco, Frozen, and Brave. I think that's everything even relatively recent that you didn't already know.

Now, while I can't nominate all ten people - almost everybody I know has been nominated, I think - I shall still give this tag some questions and send it out to whosoever has not yet done the tag yet.

What is your favorite musical?

If you were to choose your name to be something else, what would you choose?

Who do you hang out with the most?

What are you most likely to be seen doing?

What is your most despised book? Movie?

What is the most beautiful place you've ever seen?

What were you doing before writing this post?

What is a place you definitely don't want to go to?

And those facts about yourself...

This goes to whoever has not yet done the tag, as well as

Catherine and Lilah

Thanks again, Hope, for this lovely tag!

What did you think? Have you done this tag? Or are you going to pick it up? What's your favorite thing to do in the summer?





The Pain of a Memory - Part X

 I must apologize once more for my absence as of late - busy, busy, busy have these times been, and yet, it's the beginning of the summer! But, I shall make it up to you. Hopefully, I shall have a nice recovery here and start posting again more regularly. Until then, I suppose I shall just give this next part of Anwynne's tale to hopefully momentarily satisfy. Also, hopefully you will enjoy meeting the final POV character in this part.

The other parts may be found here below:

Parts One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine.

***

            "Errius?," Elystra's small voice rang through Errius' thoughts like the saving sound of a church bell.

            Errius turned to face her. "Yes?"

            Her fair face was in a doubtful and somewhat confused expression. She bit her lip, as though hesitant to say what it was she had roused his attention for. "Errius... I - I... How long will it take us to get to the river road?"

            Errius was quite sure that this question had not been her originally intended one, but he was silent on the matter nonetheless. "It will take us about the rest of the day and a bit of tomorrow. Once we find the river, it will be a day's travel to the first village. From there on, it will be a lot faster, though"

            Elystra nodded, but did not speak again. So they both trekked on.

            Errius looked at Elystra. He pushed a branch out of his way. How he wished he could have spared her this journey, and that she could have just been warm and comfortable at the Nistrian palace already. By now she could've been too, if not for the unseen complication of bandits. Errius hadn't know that there were so many... Otherwise he would've advised the king to build the host for force rather than stealth. And now, because of this mistake, his poor little sister was trooping through the woods at his side, probably very fearfully.

            Errius sighed, and pushed another branch out of the way. He hadn't wanted any of this to happen to her. But then, he hadn't wanted any of this to happen period. All of it had happened too fast for him to take it in. But now he would mend it, now he would make sure that everything was put aright. Soon enough they would be in Nistria, and he could fulfill his promise to the princess. And then he could make sure Elystra was safe, and taken care of. Yes. That was a pleasant thought.

            The hours passed in silence, and soon the sun was low on the tree-ridden horizon. Errius looked over at Elystra. She looked weary. Her dress was torn, her steps were becoming ever slower, and there were shadows under her eyes. Errius took a deep breath. It was definitely time to set up a camp. He stopped, and looked around.

            Elystra glanced up at him. "Errius?"

            Here is a good spot. Errius faced Elystra. "We're stopping, Elystra. We've been traveling all day without a rest. We'll stay here for the night, and then once morning comes, we'll set off for the river again"

            Elystra nodded, and sat down. She looked down at her hands. After a moment, she laid down on the forest floor. 

            Errius looked around. There had to be something he could do to make her at ease... She wasn't used to tracking paths outside the lights of civilization... not like he was. Errius felt his belt. He didn't have a satchel, he didn't have a sword, and he didn't even have a knife. He didn't even have his cloak anymore. Errius clenched his fist, and sat down. He hadn't wanted it to be like this for her. He had to have something. It was cold out, it was in the middle of the woods, and neither of them had eaten. Surely there must be something to help any one of those things...

            Errius felt inside his jerkin. Suddenly his hand came upon something hard and small. He took it out. The princess's bracelet. It was indeed her bracelet. A small, silver ringlet, delicately fit for her tiny wrist. Errius examined it gently. It had an inscription on it in Ingrecian. They were only the words of Anwynne's royal house, but hopefully they would be enough for the Nistrians.

            Errius held the bracelet out in his palm. He looked down at it and nodded. I promised, Princess. I'll come back. I gave you my promise. And I intend to keep it. He held it tight, and pressed it to his face quietly.

            All of the sudden, a moan came seemingly out of nowhere. Errius looked around. Elystra was moaning, and moving in her sleep. Errius stood up, and walked towards her.

             Then Elystra stopped moaning, and sat up. Her cheeks had tearstains down them, and she looked worried. "Erry!" She turned around frantically until she saw Errius. "Errius... oh..."

            Errius sat down next to her, and looked into her face. What could be wrong? "Elystra, what's wrong?"

            "Errius, I..." She looked down. "I've had a dream... With a face... And I thought it was just a dream, but then, back at the bandits' cave...." She turned her face up to Errius, worry shining in her silvery eyes. "And I saw the face. There, at the bandits' cave, I saw it again... And I thought that I'd just imagined it up..."

            Errius stroked her face with his finger worriedly. "Who, Elystra? What face?"

            Elystra's eyes shone with fear. "I don't know! I kept seeing a face in my dreams, and somehow vaguely remembered it, but I thought I made it up because I didn't know it... But the bandits' cave... Errius, the bandit's captain - I've seen him before! Both of us have, I think... I knew the face..."

            Errius furrowed his brow. How could such a thing be? Neither he nor Elystra had ever met the bandit captain before...  "Elystra..."

            "I know it sounds mad, Errius, but I know we've seen him before! His face is familiar to me... I just don't know how..."

            Errius looked down. The bandit captain..? But, then when they'd been dueling, Errius had almost thought the same thing... that he had seen the face somewhere before, in the vague realms of the past...

*** 

"Angelo," Marcina called for her brother, knocking upon the large doors of the throne room. "Angelo?"

Marcina opened one of the doors cautiously and stepped in. She looked around the throne room. Sitting upon the throne was Angelo, gazing distantly out with an unreadable look on his countenance. It wasn't exactly an unusual sight. Marcina sighed.

Marcina stepped forward, walking up to the throne upon which Angelo rested. "Angelo? What are you doing?"

Angelo's gaze remained distant for a moment, but eventually centered on Marcina. He almost looked surprised that she was there. "Cia? What is it you wish for?"

Marcina smiled a little in spite of herself. "I asked you what you were doing, Angelo"

"Just thinking... that's all, Cia...," Angelo trailed off, starting to look distant again before he shook himself. He smiled a little, as though to reassure her that nothing was wrong. "Is there anything else you wanted, Cia?"

Marcina attempted to ignore his distance in mind. She smiled brightly and gestured out the door playfully. "Why don't you walk in the garden with your sister before you're crowned king and you have a thousand score duties?" She laughed a little. "Instead of having only a stiff, grumpy regent for company?" She looked up at him hopefully, still smiling.

Angelo glanced out of the window nearest the throne. Then he looked back at Marcina. "Cia, it's raining"

Marcina looked outside. It was indeed raining. Oh, fiddlesticks. She hadn't thought of that. "Well, then, ah, why don't you walk in the halls with your sister instead?," she queried hopefully.

"Is that what you want, Cia?"

Marcina sighed. "I suppose so, yes" Oh, why could she never think of a good way to speak to him? It was just so frustrating!

Angelo smiled ever-so-slightly. "Then I shall... at least for a little while"

Marcina frowned. "No, don't if you don't want to, Angelo..." She crossed her arms disappointedly. "We can just stay in here"

Angelo nodded. "If that's what you want, Cia"

Oh, honestly he was so frustrating! Somehow, there were times these days when Marcina didn't know what to think of Angelo and his doings, or how to even speak to him. He had become so distant in the past few months. It almost always seemed as though something was wrong, but when she asked him, nothing ever was. He kept to himself, he kept to his room, and the throne room seemed to be the only other place he ever frequented. And he never showed preferences or pleasure for anything anymore, not even around Marcina. Just however she liked it, or just whatever she wanted to do. Well, Marcina knew that this was only gentlemanly behavior, but she was getting sick of it! She just couldn't read him anymore, and it bothered her.

But, relentless of however reclusive Angelo chose to be, it was not in Marcina to be the same way by any means. So she sat herself down in the chair right next to him. She began to tap her fingers on the arm of the chair, as was often a habit with her.

Eventually, she plucked up enough boldness to speak again. "Angelo?"

Angelo turned to her, breaking from another distant unknown reverie. "Yes, Cia?"

"You know, you're going to be married in less than three weeks" Maybe this was what was upsetting him. Marcina would just watch his reaction to see.

Angelo nodded slowly. "Yes, I am"

Marcina bit her lip frustratedly. "Aren't you excited, though?"

Angelo smiled at her. "You know very well, Cia, I never really thought about it very much. I suppose, though, I best begin to do so"

Marcina smiled. "Yes, I'm afraid you must... otherwise you'll be a rather poor husband!"

Angelo didn't reply. He seemed to grow distant again, and his smile faded softly. Was the subject of his upcoming matrimony, then, what had been so keeping his thoughts? Perhaps...  But then, for a moment, he almost had seemed happy about it... Then maybe it was in association with that...? Marcina just didn't know... And she couldn't bring herself to ask him. But then, maybe she would have to... An unanticipated streak of courage surged through her. Marcina would know what was putting her brother out of sorts, or else forever give up trying to. 

"Angelo?," she spoke again, her voice shaking a little. "Please tell me what's the matter... You haven't spoken three words for days, and have spent so much time alone - or with Lord-Regent Orvond"

Angelo smiled, if a little sadly. "Is it so apparent that something's wrong?"

Marcina put her hand over his and looked up at him. "No... Only to your sister"

Angelo sighed. "I am worried, Cia. But perhaps I am merely being ludicrous in my worries" He smiled, and squeezed her hand gently. "Yes, I'm just being worrisome. No need to distress yourself for one of my follies, Cia" With this, Angelo got up. He looked back at Marcina, and held out his hand. "Perhaps now you would let me have that walk with my sister you spoke of?"

Marcina sighed, still disappointed that he wouldn't let her in. But, nonetheless, she smiled back at him, and stepped forward to take his hand. "As you wish, Angelo"

***

What did you think? Perhaps you are relieved that there are no more surprise POVs coming? Or perhaps you're thinking there are already too many...? :P Any comments? Critiques? Suggestions? I love any and all critique of any kind, so please chat with me!

Meet the Books! - A Broadway Waltz

Hallo! I'm back!... finally. ;) With another Meet the Books! this time! Haha, it seems like it's been forever since the last one... :P Anyways, for any and all who are interested, new, or don't remember, this feature is one of my own invention to introduce my stories on my blog here, but I intended it as a way for anyone to do the same if they so wish. Only rules are to answer the questions and link back on my blog here, Worlds of Ink and Paper, so that I may see it. And anyone who wants to do this feature is also quite welcome to take the picture with them as well. That being said, I'll get to business.

What is the genre?
The genre is Romance, I think. It could be also mistaken for Romantic Comedy, but it definitely leans more into a serious romantic setting than my previous Romance/Romantic Comedy, The Top-Hat Gang.
What is the title? Time period?
The title is... in speculation, to say the least. But the temporarily winning prototype for it is A Broadway Waltz. Some other ideas were A Brooklyn Waltz, Step by Step, Change Partners, and Shall We Dance? (the main reason that the latter two were rejected was because they too closely resembled titles of a couple of Fred Astaire movies or songs). I also considered Broadway Melody as a title for it, but I seem to vaguely remember five different movies all having that very same title... ;) As for the time period, it is my sole story written in modern day - all of the others are respectively in medieval times, the 1600's, the 1950's, WWII, and the near future (around the year 2121).
How is it written (Point of view, MC, etc.)?
It's written - again, haha - in third person limited, and usually the only POV is the MC, named Amy Cassidy (however, I wrote a single lone scene from a different point of view and may write later parts of the book with different POVs).
Who are the characters?
Well...
Amy Cassidy is a young aspiring dancer who has danced all her life, and is, at the beginning of the story, beginning to make her way in the world. All her life she's longed to be performing. She is an small, auburn-haired, Brooklyn-born girl who can be slightly sarcastic, perhaps, but is often seen mothering her best friend/unofficial date,
Alejandro Lorenz, another young aspiring dancer. He and Amy have been dancing together since they were only four years old, just toddlers in a junior ballet class, and they have remained partners against all odds for almost eighteen years, through all the academies and recitals along the way. He is very good-natured, but is often playful (and is, despite their mostly casual relationship, rather stuck on Amy). He's at least nominally her date, but mostly is in more of a position as her best friend. He's also Brooklyn-born, though Hispanic in descent and looks (and, funnily enough, accent).
Blane Thomas is a big star in the performing world. Not only the sweetheart of Broadway, but the envy of every male singer who ever stepped on stage - and he knows it, too. Not to mention he's handsome and knows a good few lines. ;) But, though he's got everything (he thinks), he's thrown for a whirl when he sees something he actually doesn't have...
Surprisingly, those are the only characters as of yet. There's another one in the making, but I'm not sure if I want to keep her or not yet.

What does the plot consist of?
It consists of three things:
a) Amy's (and Alejandro's!) bid for a place in the performing world,
b) a Broadway show that seems to have Fate against it ever being performed,
c) one (or two... or maybe even three) rather difficult romantic development(s) concerning Amy and a certain gent.
What is the setting?
The setting is the high society/everyday society of Brooklyn, New York, and the life on Broadway (or, in Amy and Alejandro's case, the struggle to get the life on Broadway).
What gave you the idea?
I was just listening to some laid-back Gregorian chant (plus a bit of baroque) with my dad, and we listened to a piece that contained castanets (of baroque, haha, not chant). ;) Then we got to talking about how fast castanets could even be played, so we looked up pieces with castanets. We found this awesome Spanish baroque piece consisting of harpsichord and castanets, and we loved it. I listened to it over and over - even after my dad was gone doing something else. And it snapped - just like a castanet. A story. My first instinct, though, in listening to the song, was to write a Spanish historical novel of a certain time period. However, a friend of mine had just started doing the same thing, so I felt like it would be taking her idea (which was silly, but I'm glad it led to what it did). So I thought I might write people doing a Spanish activity instead. So I wrote a lively scene of a couple of teasy and ever-so-slightly flirtatious flamenco dancers at practice (and play), and decided I absolutely loved them. So I continued the story, in modern times and not Spanish historical of any kind. (fun fact: Alejandro's name was originally Sebastio - odd, right?). ;) Then as the story went on, another character developed in my head - and, oh boy, was he a character! He sure was. And now... Mr. Difficult (a.k.a. Mr. Blane Thomas) is a prominent person in the story.
Who are the favorite characters so far?
That I can answer without a doubt. Alejandro. Alejandro. Alejandro. Everybody has said Alejandro. Except my stubborn sister, who favors Blane (though she insists that his name is not Blane Thomas, but Darby Blane - the name she suggested for him originally).

Not Darby - just Blane. :)

What is the favorite scene so far?
The scene in which you first meet Blane (not Darby!), and in which Alejandro says and does a few super awesome guy things of various types (and the best cutting in on a dance I have ever written in my perhaps not-so-humble opinion).
Any themes of music for this work?
Actually, the book itself has a theme song - Sway, or Quien Sera (the Il Divo version specifically, because it differs from other versions in a very significant way - plus, Il Divo's way better!). :) It has significance in more than one way as well - it's in Spanish, which makes it somewhat reminiscent of Alejandro, and it is a request for a dance (and, after all, dancing is the core of this story!). Not to mention the Il Divo version has a depth to it and an almost sad part which emphasizes the drama part of the plot. So there's your Belle-rant-analyzing of the day. ;)
Any drawings?
Nope! Not a one, unfortunately. I never tried to draw Alejandro because I already knew exactly what he looked like in my head, and I never tried to draw anybody else from it just out of laziness.
Any snippets?
I'm afraid not for the moment - you see, I have just moved back up north from my Virginia post. So I have not yet unpacked all of my notebooks, and this story will have to wait to be found.

Strong point in story?

The banter. The laughs are - to say the least - very flourishing in it, and comic relief is not without place to be sure.

Weak point in story?

The communication. I have what seems to me like a good idea, but it's very hard somehow this time to get it through in writing. There are so many emotions and ideas flourishing, but I'm afraid that your average reader won't spot them, and I'm afraid that no one short of a romantic expert would spot them. This has always been my problem in writing romance. I write romance with the old-movies method - communicate the biggest feelings by the smallest things. A glance, some sentimental item, a mere sigh - anything. But I feel like this method may be slightly outdated, and ineffective on the modern reader. I think now is more a time when you need more clarity when writing such things.

What are your plans for it?

Well, I want to finish it in the next year or two (hopefully!), and then get it published maybe. Pretty small-town, commonplace plans, but they do for me. :)
Any particular writing habits for it?
Well, I almost always listen to music. The three main ones being the lively Spanish baroque piece that started it all (here), the story's theme, Quien Sera (Sway) - which is linked to above - and the song Red Roses For a Blue Lady by Andy Williams (here).
If it were made into a movie, what would be your ideal cast?
I would definitely have Ricardo Montalban play Alejandro (after all, he was unwittingly Alejandro's look-alike), Thomas Hampson as Blane (Blane's looks are loosely based off of young Thomas Hampson). As for Amy, I'm not sure. I think Natalie Portman would be a good Amy, only it would be weird to see her with auburn hair (not to mention, as far as I know, she neither dances nor sings). Oh well. :P
What did you think? Would you read it? Who do you think would be your favorite character? Are you considering joining up for Meet the Books!? (please do!) Do you have a WIP? A Romance novel also, perhaps? I would love to hear about it! I want to hear all your thoughts! Chat with me, my lovely readers! :D