Word Count: 11,353

Yes, I wrote practically nothing today and yesterday.

This is what comes about when you toss two characters together just for the sake of dialogue, and then try to coax some life out of them.  It’s fun in the sense that I threw historical accuracy out the window and just played with it.  Not so fun in the fact that it’s hard to coax life out of two rather flat characters.

For those of you who were so kind as to comment on the last excerpt…well, I won’t even try to give a disclaimer.

All you who are embarking on your first NaNoWriMo, or considering it for next time: read and understand the absolute truth of the statement “quantity, not quality.”

—

Lilly paused a moment, and then decided that he had no right to treat her thus.  She ran a few steps and stood to face him again.  He didn’t appear surprised.

“What’s your name?” she demanded.

“Joel Delaney.  Second lieutenant.”

“Lilly Maloch.”  She paused.  “Laundress.”  She tried hard to keep any insincerity out of her voice, and was satisfied upon seeing the corner of Joel’s mouth turn up in a crooked smile.

“You do laundry?” he asked after a moment, as if giving in to her small-talk.  “From the looks of it, the boys in here need it.”

“Of course they do.  That’s why I do it.”  She tossed her hair over her shoulder.  “You said your name’s Delaney?  It sounds familiar.”

He shrugged.

Lilly brightened suddenly.  She always appreciated it when she remembered something important—or not so important.

“It’s in Erasmus’s book!” she said triumphantly, and he raised an eyebrow.  “He’s writing a story.”

“Erasmus?  Can’t say I know the man.”

“You do too.  He counts heads three times a day.”  She grinned.

“Ah.  The clerk.  What’s this about the story?”

“He likes to write, and he borrows his names from his lists.  Congratulations, Mr. Delaney.  You’re his main character.”

Joel blinked.  “He doesn’t even know me.”

“Well, he does now.  Or he knows the paper version, anyway.”

“That’s ridiculous.  What’s he writing about?”

“A prison escape.”

She saw him start, and his eyes shifted toward the floorboards.

“A prison escape?”

“Yes.  It’s positively ingenious.”

Lilly eyed him sideways, wondering whether he’d continue to press for more.  He didn’t appear too interested, regardless of his featured position in the tale.  How rude of him.  He ought to at least pretend to show interest.

She sighed a little and turned to leave.

“Well, I don’t suppose you find that terribly fascinating, Mr. Delaney, regardless of the pains I took to tell you.”

He didn’t appear to take that bait, either.  “Well, I hope the pains will leave you shortly.”

She frowned darkly.  “Good day, Mr. Delaney!”

He tipped his hat to her as she left.

—

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