#bhe: excerpt

[writingbyricochet]

Find the Word Tag

I was tagged by @worldofthraeia, thanks for the tag!

breath, between heaven and earth

From her bedchamber, Laesia observed the thick blanket of white that had settled on the western garden over night. It had landed light and fluffy like the puffs of her chilly breath when she exhaled into the biting air. Laesia smiled with a shiver when a breeze wafted through the window and she hastened to close it, retreating to the warmth of her bed.

concern, where paradise died and lived

“I wanted him to understand why you’re acting the way you are,” Lillian argued. “He’s infatuated with you, can’t you tell? And all you did at dinner was mope and chastise and act like a shrew—” “No—no, that’s what you think. Because you always do this, you’re always needling and poking your nose in places that don’t concern you, saying things to provoke me and get a rise out of others—”

blue, between heaven and earth

She pulled out her necklace. "This should be proof enough for you. The House of Durecane's royal emblem, made of pure mirellette." She held it out for the men to inspect. In the characteristic blue-silver light that it flickered onto the sentries’ faces when they held their torches closer to it, Laesia saw some of the doubt slip from their expressions. Every Velitovan knew genuine mirellette when they saw it—and that only very select members of society could afford such a jewel.

dust, between heaven and earth

Laesia shrugged off her traveling cloak (no—her only cloak, now) and hung it on a hook on the back of the door. She inspected her skirt, which she had been wearing the entire journey. The hem was browned with dirt and dust, and the whole garment clung to her rather disgustingly. She knew she looked filthy, for she felt the same.

Open tag to anyone who wants to play! Your words are fear, polish, panic, and tremble.

[writingbyricochet]

I haven't shared anything from Between Heaven and Earth in a long time, so here's something I wrote at the very beginning of the month! I haven't edited it at all, so forgive any typos.

Laesia took the tray to her hidden nook, a smaller chamber accessed through a secret door in her bedroom. None of the guards could see her from this place so she now ate all of her meals here, to save herself from the humiliation of them watching her in solitude. The nook was comforting and familiar, for Laesia had eaten many lunches in the same room before, with her friends or her ladies-in-waiting. Were those days really gone forever? Now she poked at the food with the tip of the fork dully. She wondered briefly if it would be worth it to go on a hunger strike. She’d learned of Velitovans doing it in the past when the Standing Council was considering unpopular measures. Yet somehow she thought Stesara had less interest in keeping her alive than the Standing Council did its constituents. She pushed the utensils off the napkin and whipped it open. 

From out of the flawless white cloth flew a tiny piece of paper. It passed through the air quickly and landed like a feather on the floor. Laesia scrambled to pick it up. The whole thing was barely half the length of her little finger and tightly rolled up with a similarly short piece of twine. Laesia plucked at the string and let the paper unfurl. The handwriting was one she had seen many times. 

All staff gone. Only Os.

Trick or treat!!! (@writingbyricochet)

Hey, Megan! I hope you’re well today. The Fates pick…TRICK! 🎃🍂

[rjzimmerman]

This guy invests in food products, renewable energy, the oil and gas industry, insurance, choo-choo trains, Apple, Coca-Cola and all sorts of stuff, and is usually guessing right. So there’s some credibility when he says our energy system is messed up.

Excerpt from this story from Inside Climate News:

Warren Buffett’s annual letters to shareholders are an entertaining read, as if your great-uncle was an investing savant.

In this year’s edition, released on Feb. 27, Buffett has something to say about the transition to clean energy and the necessity of making vast investments in interstate power lines.

The message, about the challenges and opportunities of building a cleaner grid, has been communicated before by many others, but not in quite the same way, and not by someone in a position to do something about it on the scale that Buffett can.

But it would be incorrect to say that his company is at the forefront of addressing climate change. His holdings are so large and in so many sectors that he is simultaneously financing the transition to clean energy while continuing to have deep connections to fossil fuel industries.

Buffett said in his letter that Berkshire Hathaway Energy is in the middle of an $18 billion project, begun in 2006 and continuing until 2030, to rework and expand the electricity grid in the West. This includes PacifiCorp’s Energy Gateway plan that is in the process of building 2,000 miles of interstate power lines throughout the West, and NV Energy’s Greenlink plan, with nearly 600 miles of lines in Nevada.

The projects are indicative of how “our country’s electric utilities need a massive makeover in which the ultimate costs will be staggering,” Buffett said.

“Historically, the coal-based generation of electricity that long prevailed was located close to huge centers of population,” he continued. “The best sites for the new world of wind and solar generation, however, are often in remote areas.”

Berkshire Hathaway Energy, or BHE, is building transmission lines to carry electricity from remote areas to population centers. But, as the company has learned, such projects are difficult.

“Billions of dollars needed to be invested before meaningful revenue would flow,” he said. “Transmission lines had to cross the borders of states and other jurisdictions, each with its own rules and constituencies. BHE would also need to deal with hundreds of landowners and execute complicated contracts with both the suppliers that generated renewable power and the far-away utilities that would distribute the electricity to their customers. Competing interests and defenders of the old order, along with unrealistic visionaries desiring an instantly-new world, had to be brought on board.”In those few sentences, he has encapsulated why transmission line proposals can get bogged down in years of delays and debate.

[writingbyricochet]

Find the Word Tag

Thanks for the tag, @lexiklecksi!

petrified

not found

moonlit

not found

kingdom; in the light

"I've told you; Nestoron is much better. He’s taught scores of young healers and is the very best in this kingdom, far more capable than I. Don't you want to learn from the best?" she asked. 

sauce; where paradise died and lived

Sophie did mean it, at least a little, but trust Anne to at least make her feel a bit ashamed about it. The moment was quickly forgotten when they passed through the kitchen—though Mrs. Yamaguchi had departed the house already, she had left on the still-warm stove a full pan of rice tossed with soy beans, carrots, and green onions. The mound was topped with fried eggs and slices of Spam cooked in soy sauce. As a child, Sophie had found the cuisine of Anne’s family peculiar, but her mouth watered now at the smell of it. Years of eating Mrs. Yamaguchi’s food had elevated her palate, to the point that she almost never came by without an empty stomach. The Yamaguchis were perpetual feeders.

forgotten; between heaven and earth

Honestly earned? Had he forgotten she was right there when Varden paid him that first day she arrived?

Tagging @rudeneles @sugar-phoenix @orphicpoieses @moonscribbler with the words ache, crimson, glass, adore, and whistle xx

[writingbyricochet]

Last Line Tag

It's been 84 years since I even had a last line to post since I have no time to write now...thank you for the tag dear @lavender-laney x Here's one from Between Heaven and Earth:

“MOVE!” Sephris shouted, pulling Laesia toward the remains of the doorframe as the ceiling finally collapsed down feet from them in a rush of charcoal and flames. The force of it brought them their knees and they cowered, hands covering their heads.

Gently tagging @mthollowell-writes @vintagecivet @novel-emma

[writingbyricochet]

Last Sentence Tag

Thank you @worldofthraeia!

From Between Heaven and Earth (and unedited, so excuse any typos):

The sight of the ecletera didn’t lighten the feeling of unease that had settled in Laesia’s stomach, however. With Sephris by her side, apparently moving through town without a care, she tried to relax, but it was hard to ignore the eyes that followed her from her first stide under the arch. With every step, heads turned and people whispered among each other, all the while staring at her. A life in the public eye had inured her to the awkwardness of being constantly scrutinized, but here the gaze was decidedly more so. Laesia almost would have preferred being faced by a crowd of detractors, which, if not pleasant, was at least familiar to her. These looks…they were neither welcoming nor hostile. The middle ground of what almost seemed like wariness took her aback more than anything.

Open tag dears x

[writingbyricochet]

hey! this is chance & here’s week 3’s prompt. share an excerpt that you’re very proud of from any of your wips.

Hello!

From Between Heaven and Earth:

The sight of the ecletera didn’t lighten the feeling of unease that had settled in Laesia’s stomach, however. With Sephris by her side, apparently moving through town without a care, she tried to relax, but it was hard to ignore the eyes that followed her from her first stride under the arch. With every step, heads turned and people whispered among each other, all the while staring at her. A life in the public eye had inured her to the awkwardness of being constantly scrutinized, but here the gaze was decidedly different. Laesia almost would have preferred being faced by a crowd of detractors, which was a sensation at least familiar to her. These looks…they were neither welcoming nor hostile. The middle ground of what seemed like wariness unsettled her more than anything. 

[writingbyricochet]

Heads Up, 7 Up

Tagged by the lovely @vintagecivet, thank you so much x

From Between Heaven and Earth:

“I don’t like this,” she said. Sephris glanced at her. “So quick to form an opinion, huh?” Laesia resisted pursing her lips in frustration, an expression she had been taught was uncouth. “I mean I don’t like them looking at me like this.” Taller than her by a head, Sephris peered around and shrugged. “You’re new,” he said. “What else do you expect?” She stopped, compelling him to do the same in the middle of the gravel road. “Surely you cannot mean that. I’m heres pricena. Don’t they know who I am?” Sephris rolled his eyes at her indignation. “Of course they do. We might not be Fareis, but we do get the papers here, Your Highness.” His mocking tone raised Laesia's hackles. “You might refrain from the sarcasm, Ster Wiel,” she snapped. Then, remembering her position, she took a moment to compose herself. A breath. “If they know I am the heir, they should know I mean them no ill will. Far from it. Why do they look at me like I will level the place to the ground?

Open tag to anyone who wants to participate!

[writingbyricochet]

Find the Word Tag

Thanks for the tag, @j-1173!

forget, between heaven and earth

Laesia laughed coldly. "Do you forget yourself, Stesara? Where you are? This is my throne, my house."

few, between heaven and earth

At last the hill leveled out, enough for Laesia to come to a stop. Her entire body ached. The air had been knocked out of her and she was too pained to even attempt to roll herself over onto her back, even though breathing was more difficult lying on her stomach. After a few moments of trying to get her breath back, she pushed herself to her feet.

fast, where paradise died and lived

Sophie knew people who had enlisted, of course—it seemed every young man she had ever known had signed up for the service. Arthur had joined the Navy a year before the war even started, and all of her male cousins were in the ranks too, all of the neighbors’ sons who had lived on the same street as her for practically her entire life. Yet the news Anne now delivered was such a jolt to her. She was almost as close to Brian as she was to his sister. Sophie could have called him the brother she’d never had. She could see him now, a strong but wiry gentleman with a jovial sense of humor and fast feet—he’d played baseball at their high school and had broken the record for bases stolen in a single season. 

found, where paradise died and lived

Her father, a professor of marine biology at the university, was drowned after he was pulled out by a rip tide while on a research trip. He had been off the coast of Maui and planned to return at the end of the week. Then, quite unexpectedly on Thursday, a police officer and someone from the university pulled into the driveway to explain what had happened. They had already brought the body back to Oahu. Lillian went off in the police car while Sophie stayed at home to worry alone. When Lillian returned, she found her daughter sleeping at the kitchen table. The next day, Good Friday, Sophie called out from school and went with her mother to the funeral home. They spent their Easter weekend phoning and writing relatives of the news and planning the memorial service.

Tagging @juls-writes @mr-writes @maguayans

Your words are never, sweet, color, and warm

[writingbyricochet]

Find the Word Tag

Thanks for the tag @juls-writes!

snow, between heaven and earth

Normally Laesia welcomed the return of cold weather. Winters in her recollection were filled with long nights in her apartments in the Mirellette Palace under a coverlet in front of the hearth, a book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. Fareis would be covered with a picturesque blanket of crystalline snow, just in time to celebrate First Recognition and the Coronet Masquerade to cap off the year. All of high society’s most glittering events were held in the winter and Laesia’s calendar was always full at the end of the year.

tight, between heaven and earth

Laesia pulled her knees closer to her chest in discomfort. Her stomach felt uncomfortably tight—as far as she was concerned, there was no need for this discussion. She would have bet her necklace on who the culprit was…

reflect, between heaven and earth

All of the buildings were a bright white, the kind that could almost sting the eyes if one looked too long on a sunny day. It was not as forgiving as the cooler tones of mirellette. Still, the Dyten House was beautiful it its own way. They were coming up on it now, and Laesia could see the fine artistry that adorned its edifice and roof, sweeping curves of stonework and intricate details carved into the façade that she just caught a glimpse of before she had to shut her eyes from the reflecting sun—

trip, where paradise died and lived

She declined to swim in the hidden coves in case she were washed out to sea, didn’t drink from the raw coconuts that fell on the beach in case they were contaminated with a strange germ, and didn’t explore the tide pools among the slippery stones and coral, convinced that either a rogue wave or the uneven footing would trip her and leave her a concussed vegetable.

always, between heaven and earth

Muffled noises that seemed vaguely like the clattering of dishes sounded from beyond her door. Sephris must have been moving around somewhere in the kitchen. Maybe he was making dinner, Laesia thought. How long would that take, to make a meal for two people? She had no idea, had never given it an inkling of her time to consider the effort that went into such a mundane task. In the palace, when she was hungry, food was always there. Always ready. She could ring a bell from her bed and have a feast before her in less than five minutes. 

tagging @tsainami @moonlitinks @wayoftheghost @mr-writes @darkgazer

your words are gray, midnight, hushed, petal, and touch

[writingbyricochet]

FIND THE WORD TAG

Thanks for the tag, @sunset-a-story! It's been a while since I've done one of these.

please. between heaven and earth

Reluctantly, Laesia stepped up to the door. She put her hands on the sides of the carriage, and then turned around to her father. "Please, tell me what you're doing—"

drink. where paradise died and lived

Their evenings typically began with making dinner and rehashing the work week, but eventually it devolved into mixing drinks and painting each other’s nails with Cutex while one of them read from that week’s edition of Life and showed them the photographs. Sometimes it felt like they were just playing house as grown women, but Sophie savored the time she spent at Ethel’s place. It was impossible to forget about the war, but at least Sophie could forget about her mother for more than a few hours while she was there. 

stall. between heaven and earth

Despite its small size, Market Street was a well-kept stretch of town, the type Fareisians would describe as "charming." The storefronts were swept and tidy, some of them boasting small flower boxes or other decorations like a chalk board with a short message of welcome scrawled on it. Every door, and many windows, stood open to invite potential customers into its depths. Sephris pointed out some of them: the cobbler, the inn, the school. There were no alternatives here. The only exception seemed to be the grocers. They passed one market at the beginning of the street, there was another at the end of town, and otherwise specialty sellers set up shop with carts and stalls on any part of the road that wasn't already occupied. A handful of shoppers frequented the road with unbothered leisure. It was a far cry from the heart of Fareis, where people always bustled about and there was never a still moment.

eyebrow. between heaven and earth

The jab cut Laesia like a knife. She glared at Sephris. “You’re wrong."

Sephris raised his eyebrows. “Of course you say that, you’re his daughter. But that doesn’t meant he’s beyond criticism.”

“I didn’t say he was.”

“You clearly think it. But on this issue, he didn’t do this area any good. Take it from someone who knows.”

fire. where paradised died and lived

So she was an odd child, compared to the other keiki she grew up with who capitalized on their tropical upbringing. She left luaus before the fire twirlers began so she would not be in the audience if one of them lost their grip, didn’t drink from the raw coconuts that fell on the beach in case they were contaminated with a strange germ, and did not explore the tide pools among the slippery rocks, convinced that either a rogue wave or the uneven footing would trip her and leave her a concussed vegetable.

Tagging @darkgazer @harinawa @athemarina @chishiio! Your words are orange, cut, music, tedious, and lament.

[writingbyricochet]

FIND THE WORD TAG

Thank you for the tag @dontjudgemeimawriter!

stay, between heaven and earth

Fever season began as soon as word came that the first case had reached Kyrie, the last town on the other side of the Idylwild. Within a month, it would reach Albision. Its people stocked up on essential items and cleared their social schedules so they could stay at home and wait the disease out.

bite, between heaven and earth

Behind her, Sephris leaned forward. "I thought you said they'd recognize you," he murmured. There was an amused bite in his voice despite the situation. "Shut up," she muttered, and Laesia felt around under her shift.

trick

not found!

last, poco a poco

Rika had practiced since their last rehearsal, of course, but she had pointedly not given any more attention to the passage in question than she would have normally. Self-destructive? Potentially. She didn't deny that it had been enjoyable to spite Masahiro, however, even if he had no knowledge of it at the time.

Open tag! If you want to play, your words are blanket, test, annoy, and memory.

[writingbyricochet]

Last Line Tag

I was tagged by @inkthepage, thank you!

I've been working on Between Heaven and Earth recently, so here's a snippet.

Joss studied her. "Would you be interested in learning?"

Laesia looked up. "Learning history and diplomacy?”

Joss sighed in exasperation. “No, you silly little fool. This," she clarified, gesturing around her at the apothecary. "It's a useful skill to have, knowing how to take care of people. Unless you think you’re more helpful to Sephris on that farm, which I doubt you are.”

Stung, Laesia drew herself up. It was true she couldn’t contribute much to his work there, but she was at least trying. It was ungracious for Joss to make fun.

Joss saw her indignation and tilted her head to the side with a smirk. “You’re not going to sit there and tell me I’m wrong, are you?” she challenged.

Laesia pressed her lips together. She wanted to argue but knew she could not. “No,” Laesia said defiantly, scrambling to still retain some of her dignity.

Tagging: @darkgazer @athemarina @chishiio @mr-writes @tsainami

[writingbyricochet]

transcript + notes under the cut

The carriage rolled forward once again. Within seconds, the inside of the compartment was thrown into darkness as the dense branches and foliage obscured the pink, early evening sky.  Like a wave, the immense haze rose around them and sank deep so it was level with the top of the coach. All but the closest trees disappeared into the fog; Laesia could only distinguish them somewhat through the window as various black-blue pillars. They were a few shades lighter than the lupincress that too surrounded them and which bloomed so prolifically that the ground could not be seen but for the wide indigo petals of the flora. Despite their fragile appearance, lupincress were hardy flowers, able to thrive in the forest even though there was little sunlight here.

The party moved slowly, for the forest path was just as unforgiving as it had been when the Lonely Ones trekked through it all those years ago, snaking in every direction and steadily upward. Attempts to clear some of the trees or lay down proper roads had long since been abandoned; though the Durecane wolves were not as hostile as they had been before, they still were averse to prolonged human presence in the forest. Traveling carriages were tolerated, but extended stays, such as those that would be required to improve the forest's infrastructure, were decidedly unwelcome. In any case, the Clouded Forest was near-sacred ground. To alter it in any way, even for ease of movement, seemed tantamount to defacement.

notes: aaahh officially posted my first bit of writing for this blog! i was having trouble choosing an excerpt since i felt the writing done for later chapters was stronger and i wanted to select something from the beginning, but i ultimately decided this short passage would be a good first excerpt. it’s pretty representative of my overall writing style and hints at some of the worldbuilding without getting into it too much. this was written probably a few weeks ago and is largely original to the first draft save some minor phrasing/syntax revisions. 

last revision: dec 29, 2021

source: between heaven and earth, part i, chapter 2

tags: @leave-her-a-tome​, @canofpeaches​

please ask to be added or removed!

[writingbyricochet]

LAST LINE TAG

Thank you for the tag @maguayans! Apologies it took Here are the last lines I wrote for Between Heaven and Earth, provided with some redactions because it’s actually from an extremely major plot point!

Laesia did as she was told; she knew the standard procedure here. They bound her wrists, blindfolded her, and even secured a strip of cloth over the crown of her head so her ears were covered. Then someone took her arm and began to guide her forward. The grip was firm but not painful, as she had anticipated. The [REDACTED] prided itself on its decency in warfare, and that included how it treated those outside of the [REDACTED]. That didn't mean it wouldn't take every precaution to protect any unknown persons from learning anything about the goings on in its camp, though, especially during the war.

Tagging @wayoftheghost! (no pressure ^^)

[writingbyricochet]

Last Line Tag

Tagged by @bebewrites!

After almost two months away from Between Heaven and Earth, I think I've had a nice long break and am ready to dive back into Velitova.

Muffled noises that seemed vaguely like the clattering of dishes sounded from beyond her door. Sephris must have been moving around somewhere in the kitchen. Maybe he was making dinner, Laesia thought. How long would that take, to make a meal for two people? She had no idea, she realized, had never given it an inkling of her time to consider the effort that went into such a mundane task. In the palace, when she was hungry, food was always there. Always ready. She could ring a bell from her bed and have a feast before her in less than five minutes. 

Laesia please, check your privilege.

Tag list: @leave-her-a-tome @canofpeaches @houndmouthed @elysianhymns @ariadnaes @thelaughingstag @jacquesfindswritingandadvice @wip-nook @whimsyqueen @authorminamoroz @athenswrites @josephinegerardywriter @jacquesfindswritingandadvice

Tagging: @moonscribbler @chishiio @inkthepage @fromthetypewriter