October 16th flesh out outline

Growing in the Green

Chapter Outlines

1. On the fringe of an ancient, forest, ignoring the warnings engraved on stone pillars about the penalties for those found trespassing, a group of men are attempting to fell one of the magnificent trees. A warden wearing Lord Bannah’s badge challenges them but they surround him and take him prisoner. They beat him up and its only when he looses his hat that they realise that his hair is almost white and his ears pointed. They taunt him, tie him to a tree and use him for archery practice. He is injured and they laugh, but then there’s a noise and they turn to find they are completely surrounded. They are killed to the last man.


2. Eleanor is alone, sitting in a special glade (Atmosphere…describe), listening to the trees. She is practicing her magic (make up rules…it only has to sound possible) , thinking about her up-and-coming rite of passage. She has volunteered to become a warden, and for that she must be able to “walk the world.” She will be taken to a local town and released, with the expectation that she will make her own way in the world for a month and return to the forest with knowledge of the enemy (humans) and how best to defeat them. He father interrupts her brooding, and asks why she has chosen this path, a path that takes her to the borders of the great forest, away from her family, and into danger. She answers..

3. In the downstairs room, in a house, in a small town, Eleanor waits with the other wardens that brought her there. She is told that her magic has been bound and that she can only remove the binding and use it, in conditions of greatest peril; but by using it she will automatically have failed the test. At midday the door is opened and she walks out into the streets. The noise and the smell of the streets contrast sharply with that of the forest.(atmosphere … describe). A couple of burley apprentices follow her, nudging her and making lewd suggestions. She is saved further embarrassment by a goodwife who chases them off. She is asked if she is there for the Hiring Fair in three day’s time, where likely employers come looking for servants. Quick witted, she says yes. The woman (Catherine) offers to hire her. She runs an inn and has two boisterous boy twins. She needs help

4. Working at the inn (describe –its hard…up early lighting the fires for the main rooms, bedrooms and kitchens, helps prepares meals, serves food and drink in the common room) she meets Gerald, who come for a drink one evening. He is Lord Brannah’s esquire. Catherine explains who he is and what he does, but thinks she has set her cap at him. El talks to him, etc all the while gathering information for her people to use. She finds out that Lord Brannah has his enemies, and what they are doing. She also overhears two merchants discussing where they can get long wagons suitable for moving tree trunks. She tells all this to Gerald, who is indignant when she mentions the desecration of the forest. He tells her that Brannah is fighting tooth and nail to hold onto his land and estates. Petty incursions into the forest is the least of his worries. All too soon her month is up and she must return. She makes up some excuse to leave. Catherine is in tears, the boys hang on to her skirts. Even Gerald is gruffly sad that she must go.

5. El returns to the forest. Her superiors are happy with what’s she’s found out. She volunteers to go back to learn more, they question her motives. They probe, suspecting that her expose to humans has warped her judgement. She wonders at her own motives, but manages to convince them that she has the safety and security of elves at heart. They teach her special spells and give her special equipment, this time she is going armed.

6. She returns to the town and after several days manages to infiltrate the castle kitchens. She hears that Gerald was sent on a diplomatic mission to the neighbouring demesne, and hasn’t been seen since. Alarmed, she follows. (how, what disguise, how does she get into the Marquis’ castle????)

7. Working as a seamstress, making dresses for the Marquessa she discovers that she is a sorceress (amulet?). She watches her closely, trying to work out if she is behind what is going on…She follows her one night and is led to an underground prison, they are torturing someone down there……The screams are terrible…The next day, after everyone has gone to sleep she goes down there and using her magic finds Gerald, and is almost discovered by the sorceress.

8. She gets Gerald away but they are pursued. He tells her what he has learnt about the Marquis, that he is behind the attacks and the thefts. They know who, but not why. They go to the capital to interview the Marquis’ banker. They meet and pretend to be investors, (Eleanor dresses well and Gerald too, pretending to be husband and wife –very amusing). The find out that the king need ships for his campaign against the Reedbank Pirates, that’s why they are stealing timber from the forests and why they were trying to discredit the Lord Sherriff. They hatch a plan.

9. Using the name of a contact they are given, Gerald poses as a woodcutter and offers to sell them illegally felled timber. They are given a delivery address and find the secret ship-making facility. There is evidence of treachery against the king. They burn the yard to the ground, but are captured and taken to the Marquessa.


10. En route, Eleanor manages to communicate with an ancient tree and calls for help. Gerald is hurt and each day grows weaker, she fears for his life. In manacles she cannot do any magic. She brews herbs and trys to stanch the bleeding and the infection. He gets worse so her captors tie him to a tree, use him for taregt practice and leave, him to die. Eleanor is devastated, and only then realises how much she cares for this human. AT the keep she is thrown into the dungeons where the Marquessa finds out she's an elf. She then tortures her using her knowledge of elves. After 3 days of terrible torture a night comes when the keep is attacked by wood rangers (elves in disguise) and Elenor is rescued. She hears that Gerald has been saved too, by birds.

11. Gerald sits in the forest playing a song on his lute, Eleanor appears. She says nothing, he takes her hand....he asks her to be his wife, she declines and says why...they talk about the trees and the need to protec them, He reaffirms the Sherrif's promise to keep the woods free from timber harvesting...they agree tenuously to meet again. In leaving he reveals that the marquis and the marquessa have left the country...Eleanor smiles...a knowing smile... a cruel smile.
The end.