Paksworld

Even though we didn’t actually end up fencing yesterday–taking a guest from far away around the land took up the time that might’ve been spent with swords–the swords were around and unsheathed from time to time for purposes other than putting bruises on one another.  There was an award to hand out, and the very special sword to show to the guest from afar, and another to demonstrate on a pell to someone who hadn’t seen that one yet.   As for the feast–this being Thanksgiving in the US–we ate like a mercenary company in Aarenis, finally in a good Valdaire inn.  Platters and serving dishes emptied with amazing speed.   Although I’m normally a casual cook and diner, I love setting out a beautiful table a few times a year, using “the good stuff”  to its fullest extent and piling on the food of all kinds.

So there were two turkeys, with the stuffing (and more in a separate pan), the gravy, the sweet potatoes and the green bean casserole,  the homemade bread, the homemade cranberry sauce (made by friends), the fruit and flower centerpieces,  the various additional bits: carrot and celery sticks, olives, pickles, peppers,  jam and pecan-honey-butter for the bread, multiple pies brought by several people…and the fancy layout on the table.

But in the midst of the early morning preparation (getting the turkeys into their respective roasters by 7 am),  the scene I hadn’t written in the previous several days due to the other preparatory work came crystal clear into my mind, and was reinforced by the presence of swords of various sizes and shapes.    Books one and two have battles and fights of various kinds, and some sword practice scenes, but it’s been awhile (in book time) since a good old-fashioned swordfight appeared, and now the time has come.   Kieri and his sword…I was in midswing with the biggest blade I have when more details popped out at me (and with guests around–not the time to dash to the computer and start writing.   But this is why I got the bigger blade–it’s more like his, and thus in using it, even as the rank novice I am in the moves you can make with it, I get some of the feel of using it seriously.

Today, in between other things, that scene will (I hope) come to life in the file.   My shoulders are twitching with the moves.    (And boy is it going to be fun to write the Midwinter Feast celebration in Chaya!)

Food, friends, music, swords.