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Episode 5 of Sergeant Vardan and her patrol during the Pargunese invasion.
Noldin looked at her for a moment, then said, “In the storeroom we have dried beans, trail bread, and meal in casks. Cookpots and a couple of spare mugs and bowls. You will find also a stack of blankets and five spare cloaks. I’m sorry it is not more.”
Vardan bowed. “We are grateful.”
“I must go,” Noldin said. But she hesitated.
“You will eat with us?”
“No–but do you want me to tell any other Halverics I find where you are?”
“Yes,” Vardan said. “We cannot stay here long. But when we go, I can leave them word which direction.”
Noldin disappeared among the trees like a wisp of smoke. Vardan told off her troops for the necessary chores, and by midmorning everyone had eaten at least some meal moistened with hot water and had a mug of sib. She let half of them sleep, dirty as they were; the others, she set as rotating sentries, with those off watch cleaning themselves and inspecting their weapons by daylight. She felt better when she’d washed the bitter ash from her own face, when she’d brushed the now-dried mud from her uniform, and exchanged the useless scorched frill of her cloak for one of the rangers’ cloaks.
In midafternoon, she woke the first group and put them to work, and then slept until midnight. She woke with a clear idea of what she should have done, and what she should do now–send someone to Chaya to tell the king what the current situation was, take the rest to Riverwash to link up with Captain Talgan. But last night’s situation would have changed by now–surely the rangers would have sent someone to Chaya. She forced himself out of the shelter and then heard the rattle of sleet falling through the branches.
“Sergeant?” Ganeth, the watch-first, spoke at once; he was huddled by the fire; it hissed when a bead of sleet hit it.
“We’ll need to move tomorrow,” Vardan said, wondering as she said it if that would be possible. If the sleet turned to heavy snow–and she was not sure of the way to the River Road–they could be lost. The maps she’d had burned with the camp. “Unless it snows,” she added, sighing. “I’ll take over, Ganeth. Go in and wake sentries; I’ll tell the others they’re off-watch.”
Flurries of sleet and snow alternated the rest of the night; at dawn the ground was powdered white. The troops looked better for sleep and food and cleanliness. They made breakfast smartly, straightened the campsite, and looked to Vardan as if they expected her to know what to do next.
Three hands of them, and herself. What could three hands do best?
The winterwards sentry hooted; in that instant Vardan knew one thing they could do: kill Pargunese who did not outnumber them. She signaled in Halveric hand-talk; her troops arranged themselves and moved out.
The Pargunese they saw skulking through the forest looked as desperate as she had felt the day before. Four hands of them, half with pikes and half with crossbows. They stopped every few steps; they muttered in Pargunese, pointing this way and that.
They were lost, that was clear, and they did not agree on something–direction? Intention? They were not expecting trouble–or had no discipline, which she did not believe.
Comment by Caryn — December 29, 2011 @ 1:06 am
This is wonderful. Thank you. I hate reading snippets that will be in the book (anyone’s book), but this sort of side story I adore. (I don’t want to know what will happen ahead of time, and I remember what I read such that I think I’ve already read the book when I’ve just read a bit online, so I’ve learned I need to avoid previews.)
Comment by B Ross Ashley — December 29, 2011 @ 1:08 am
“No discipline” kills you quick, and these people must have survived something to get this far. But if they are not expecting trouble on enemy ground they don’t have enough discipline.
Comment by elizabeth — December 29, 2011 @ 1:22 am
The Pargunese were expecting trouble, but they were bewildered, confused, and scared enough to be less effective than usual. They’d heard conflicting things about Lyonya–that it was full of mysterious elves with magical powers, and a magical forest, and that it was a weak land full of pacifists with no standing army amd their secret weapon, scathefire, would destroy the forest. Which was true? They’re used to following a leader to whom they’ve given oath. This bunch got separated from their oath-taker and now they’re lost. They haven’t met any serious opposition yet, but the forest itself is giving them the spooks.
Comment by elizabeth — December 29, 2011 @ 1:32 am
You make an important point, Caryn. I don’t mind preview snippets as much as you do, but I don’t enjoy them as much as some others do. I do love short stories or background that relates to a group of books, though. I wonder if anyone who normally enjoys “in the text” snippets would miss them if I posted only “side-story” snippets.
Comments, anyone?
Comment by Iphinome — December 29, 2011 @ 1:49 am
Snippets are rather new to me, I’ve only seen them from a few authors but what I’ve found is that when i read the book my eyes gloss over when I hit a section that was snippeted. Bad for me if what I saw had parts redacted.
It is completely in my power to avoid reading snippets though so any failure on my part to read carefully is my own damn fault, I deserve to miss whatever it is I miss.
Comment by Celina — December 29, 2011 @ 1:50 am
I just love Vardan. She is so calm even though most of her troop are gone, the rest of them have no spare material for anything… Somehow she managed to fix something up for everyone. She is a great leader.
This is what I like the best with you Elizabeth, your way of writing female characters as competent, calm and not easily frightened people. But yet they are still human and have feelings and emotions.
Comment by Ed Schoenfeld — December 29, 2011 @ 2:04 am
I enjoy ‘in text’ snippets when I can get them, but frankly for me ‘side story (or back story’) is just as good, and maybe better on the principle that we get to see more of the story world.
I think the main point to authors giving ‘in text’ snippets is attract a new readers, especially if they go up on a shared website or forum of some sort. You probably want stuff from the text to hook new readers, as they will probably appreciate ‘kicking the tires’ before buying. But it seems like most folks commenting here are already committed to buying the story in some format or another, so maybe side story is what your readers on this site want.
And yes, I’d really enjoy getting access to these and other snippets that expand the story-world in a more accessible format than disparate blog entries. Maybe Dear Publisher would be interested in hosting a few easily accessible web pages as a form of marketing ploy, even if it is ‘too expensive’ to put out an actual e-book.
Comment by pjm — December 29, 2011 @ 2:26 am
Thank you for this series of snippets. It is helping to stave off impatience while waiting for the next book to arrive on the shelves.
I agree that these extra bits should be collected and collated into some sort of order, but I would suggest web-based publication rather than trying to assemble them for formal publication as p(aper)- or e- book. Perhaps they could be put on a link from the main Paksworld page.
Blessings for the New Year
Peter
Comment by Moira — December 29, 2011 @ 2:53 am
I’m thoroughly enjoying this – thank you. (It’s making me salivate over the coming new book, too. Good marketing! :))
Side-story snippets, definitely! I’m steering well clear of anything else, as I hate to be spoiled. (Well, you know what I mean – you’re spoiling us rotten with the snippets and I’m loving every minute of that. Heh.)
But if the majority of folks want to-be-published snippets, then go for it. I would only beg that you continue to make it obvious which is which, to avoid inadvertent angst.
Comment by jjmcgaffey — December 29, 2011 @ 3:10 am
I like in-text snippets, but I love side-story snippets. After all, I’ll get to read all the published bits when I get the book, but the side stories might not ever _be_ published. And getting a glimpse of that which was written (or at least came to the author) and didn’t make it to the book is fun. I just read one book (Mastiff by Tamora Pierce) where there are two areas that I’m pretty sure she knows exactly what happened but they didn’t get into the book. Which is a good thing, in both cases, in terms of story flow, but it would be fun to read them…
Comment by Jenn — December 29, 2011 @ 7:38 am
I think that I would prefer side story snippets. First they are longer :)! And I love learning things that never make it into the books but may help understand why X eventually decided to Y or won’t speak to W or was once a T etc. So for me, any snippets from the last 7 books would all be equally appreciated.
Comment by Kerry aka Trouble — December 29, 2011 @ 8:12 am
I am loving the side-stories as well. I am happy when any snippet comes up, but the extras from outside what gets published give even more depth to an already amazing world. So as another commenter said, any extras from any of the books is more than fine with me.
Comment by Chuck — December 29, 2011 @ 8:50 am
I enjoy the side snippets best; I agree that you probably need to keep on with the other kind, for attracting new readers. I like it that you have been labeling both kinds clearly so that readers who pay attention can keept from setting themselves up for disappointment either way.
Comment by elizabeth — December 29, 2011 @ 9:49 am
I don’t have a lot of long side-story segments like this one, unfortunately, but I do sometimes have shorter bits that could be snippets. It’s good to see where reader preference comes down–I had no idea that many people were bothered by in-line snippets even when they were carefully chosen not to be spoilers. (The longest side-story snippets were in the DEED, but those are on old floppies, since the notebooks still haven’t surfaced.)
I’m glad you’re enjoying these. The adventure’s not over yet. And meanwhile, back to work on Book IV.
Comment by s.e. — December 29, 2011 @ 11:15 am
I’m really enjoying these too, and also thank you for posting on twitter when there is a new post here because I never remember to check the website.
Comment by Annabel (Mrs Redboots) — December 29, 2011 @ 11:16 am
Add my vote to everybody else – I like in-story snippets, but LOVE this side-along story, which is like getting a short story from one of my favourite authors! (Could you, perhaps, make it into a short story, and perhaps some of your other out-takes as well? I know you are in the middle of a 5-book marathon, but maybe working up some out-takes into a short story would help when you get stuck?)
Comment by Linda — December 29, 2011 @ 11:20 am
I’m another who loves the side stories … and this bunch of snippets is particularly engrossing. Hurrah for your incredibly competent women …
warriors, administrators, orchardists, wives and mothers. They set your work apart and make it sparkle.
Comment by Genko — December 29, 2011 @ 11:43 am
I like it all. Reading bits of the actual to-be-published book doesn’t bother me, and since I read all the books over and over again anyway, pretty soon it all blends into this comfortable story that I know and love and want to return to again and again.
The thing that’s so cool about the side-story snippets is that it’s like something extra, like dessert, maybe, both in that it fleshes out the world we’re reading about and that it has its own lovely reality that we get to enjoy.
Comment by Daniel Glover — December 29, 2011 @ 12:38 pm
Elizabeth,
I think the side snippets are just pent up demand since it’s been so long since you wrote in the world. Lots of us have developed our own opinions and interpretations and we’re just happy to have anything more that you consider reasonably close to a “finished” product to devour and add to our frame of reference.
By the way, I like both types since they fill in the back story and foreshadow what is to come. Not any different from movie “trailers” that are really meant to show what’s in the movie.
Thanks and keep writing for that deadline.
Comment by Kathleen — December 29, 2011 @ 5:13 pm
I’ll agree with the majority — I prefer the side-snippits as that gives me more of your writting. I also like the additional backstory/context they provide.
That being said I like the in-story snippets too. I like to catch them in the book and see them in context.
Comment by Alessio — December 29, 2011 @ 5:30 pm
I like both kinds of snippets.
In my opinion “in the text” ones are right to keep alive the attention and makes me dream of what could be, the others complete the world: Paks in Fin Panir said “I’m just a soldier” and (if I remember well) Rufen answered that before their meeting he wasn’t able to think that his subjects were real; this kind of snippets does the same, we want to know everything ’bout Paks, Kieri, Dorrin and so on, but there’s a whole world outside them, with their lives and stories 🙂
Comment by RuthB — December 29, 2011 @ 6:28 pm
Thank you this particularly interesting back story snippet. I like Varden’s character a lot. I am enjoying it immensely. I like both kinds of snippets. The in story make me speculate on where the plot is going and the side story help flesh out the characters and the world. I agree that it would be nice to have all of the side story snippets isolated in one place to reference back to if we want as we read the published story. I also like your additional explantions to the side snippets such as the Parganese unease with the Lyona mythical forest. This can be used against them. This has been a wonderful holiday gift.
Comment by Kip Colegrove — December 29, 2011 @ 7:43 pm
While getting ready for evensong on Epiphany, two parish meetings in January (ah, the joys of a combined pastorate) and with Lent looming on the horizon–to say nothing of recovering from Christmas (which technically is still going on): In the midst of all this, it’s a true refreshment to spend a bit of time with Sergeant Vardan and her command. You do such a good job with senior enlisted!
Thanks, Elizabeth.
Comment by MaryW — December 29, 2011 @ 11:12 pm
I like both kinds of snippets. This year you are helping to save my sanity. Our darling granddaughter has given many members of the family the gift that keeps on giving – the flu. I am the only one left standing at present. These snippets are fun to look forward to and serve as an excellent distraction. She is now well and should be here to visit on Friday. I just hope that the rest of the family will be able to enjoy her company.
Comment by Sue — December 31, 2011 @ 6:17 am
I tend to skip past the in-story snippets as I prefer to read the whole thing fresh as soon as I can get the book.
I’m loving the side stories though and look forward to reading any others you’re able to post 🙂
Happy new year to you, Elizabeth
Comment by Kevin McLeod — January 11, 2012 @ 12:28 pm
The comment about troops being lost and confused in forest rings so true.
nothing confuses leaderless troops more than deep forest.
Loving these snippets.