Captain of the Guard Zipporah Sanderson
Human, captain of the guard with Aruam Castle guard, first appeared in chapter 4 of Shadows in the Stone
The door opened, delivering an icy wind into the guard house. Zipporah Sanderson shivered. The captain of the guard was ill dressed for the frigid weather.
“Sir.” Sawney closed the door and brushed snow from his shoulders. “It’s brisk out there.”
“With the clouds breaking and a clear sky ahead, it will be a colder night.” Sanderson fastened his vest. He required more layers before starting his rounds.
“I look forward to the fire,” said Sawney. “And the warming season.”
“That’s in the thoughts of many.” Sanderson entered the wardrobe chamber and snatched a fleece sweater from a hook. Its warmth stalled his chill. Next, he donned a hat with flaps that passed over his ears, swooped under his neck and laid over his shoulders. The long, thick overcoat he pulled on kept the flaps in place.
As he dressed, he thought about the day; it had been quiet, as if no one dared cause mischief for fear of freezing to death. In the kitchen, bathed in lantern light and heat from the hearth, the cooks cheerfully sang as they prepared the rations, and the maids in the scullery joined them.
The frosty weather seemed to lighten the spirits of those within Aruam Castle, not stifle them. He recalled other cold seasons creating similar feelings of happiness though he could not understand why.
Sanderson stepped out the door and a blast of icy wind struck his eyes. Bitter, was the only word that came to mind. Nevertheless, his rounds would be completed. It was his duty to inspect the exterior of the castle before darkness fell. In his thirty-eight years as captain of the guard, he had missed his rounds only once, and that night he’d always remember, for the woman he loved had disappeared, taking his heart with her.
Castle Keepers Vignette: Almost five years has passed since Isla was kidnapped and Bronwyn left Maskil in search of her. In many ways, not much has happened; the inhabitants of the Land of Ath-o’Lea have continued their daily routine. But if you look deeper into the individual lives you’ll see much has changed in little ways.
The Castle Keeper vignettes provide a glimpse into the time betweenShadows in the Stone and Scattered Stones. You’ll have already met many of the characters, but some you will meet inScattered Stones.
These vignettes won’t be complete stories, only 300 words of a moment. I consider them exercises in writing and editing. I hope to write two a week and post them on Mondays and Thursdays as we lead up to the release of Scattered Stones, the second fantasy novel of the Castle Keepers series, on May 6, 2016.
The collection of vignettes will be organised on the Castle Keepers Vignettes page. On the first of each month, I will post the schedule of the characters I will write about that month.
Diane McGyver 