A sample from FROGGY WENT A-COURTIN'
I’ve written a third of the story but I wanted to share the first chapter as it serves as a backstory to the plot and a healthy bit of exposition. It’s the first thing the reader will see in the story though it technically happens about two-thirds of the way through the events of the book…
“Once upon a time, a war raged between the kingdoms of Schmidt and Jingleheimer. The kindly King Otto Jingleheimer repelled an invasion from King Rupert Schmidt, a ruler that King Otto had once considered a friend.”
“What happened?”
“I just told you. He invaded.”
“No, I mean, why did his friend betray him like zis?”
“Are you telling the story?”
“I vas under ze impression zat you were ze storyteller here.”
“Exactly. Now if you’ll let me continue, all your questions will be answered.”
“Very well, continue.”
“Many of Jingleheimer’s finest soldiers fell in the battles that raged, many more were captured and imprisoned in the Iron Pits of Castle Schmidt.”
“Ze Iron what?”
“Shh!”
“Alright, alright, continue.”
“Jingleheimer’s Kingdom nearly fell, as Schmidt’s forces marched northeast toward Otto’s Castle. The Royal family scattered, fearing capture—”
“Zey abandoned zeir King?!”
“By his command, yes. In the event of the King’s capture or death, his heir would take the throne. As the Schmidt army pressed onto the inner lands of the Kingdom, King Otto worried that his whole family may be wiped out, leaving the throne to be taken by Schmidt.”
“And what happened to zis throne? Vas it taken?”
“I’m getting there!”
“Yes yes, okay, tell your story.”
“The Royal Family scattered and the King hurried to the Frigid Forest.”
“Ze Frigid—Zat is my home!”
“He sought the help of an old friend, a blacksmith so full of wisdom and renown that travelers from all over the world came to see him, to gain his counsel, and to wield his weapons.”
“And what did ze King Otto want with zis wise old friend? Counsel or weapon?”
“A weapon. A sword unbreakable, in fact. Forged from bronze, silver, and gold, King Otto—”
“Bah!”
“What?”
“I said ‘bah!’”
“I heard you; why did you say it?”
“It is what my peoples do when we scoff at a silly part of a silly story.”
“First of all, this is no story. This is history.”
“His story, her story, whosever story it is, there is no blacksmith in ze world zat will make a sword from such metals as bronze, silver, and gold. Zey would break too easily.”
“As I said, this was no ordinary blacksmith. King Otto Jingleheimer took his weapon and led the counter-attack against the forces of King Schmidt. A terrible battle took place in the Valley of Sheep but, armed with the blade that could not be beaten, King Otto won the day and repelled the Schmidt invaders.”
“And what of zis evil King Schmidt? Did he fall in ze battle?”
“He wasn’t there. The rumor was he was too scared to fight in the war and chose to stay in his castle.”
“Coward.”
“That’s what many of the Jingleheimer soldiers said, but King Otto didn’t believe it. He and King Rupert fought side by side as young princes in their father’s Kingdoms, joining forces to resist the expanding Doodle Empire.”
“Ahh yes, ze Mountain and Desert dwellers.”
“Rupert was known as a cunning warrior and not one to run from battle.”
“And yet he did not lead the invasion of your homeland. Zis makes no sense.”
“That’s what King Otto said. So he sent spies into Schmidt territory—”
“Spies?”
“People who sneak around and collect information—”
“I know what a spy is. Why is ze King sending spies when he should he celebrating his victory at ze Valley of Sheep with an invasion of Schmidt’s territory?”
“King Otto didn’t want to invade. He wanted peace. He sent spies to see if King Rupert was still in power. As it turned out, he was in bed, sick from poison.”
“Treachery from within! How scandalous is zis!”
“Schmidt’s King had been sick for months, for the whole duration of the invasion and war, in fact, and in his absence his brother held the throne.”
“Ahh yes, zere it is, I suspect.”
“You suspect right. Once King Otto learned of the poisoning, he led a small army to Castle Schmidt, waving a white flag of truce. Though King Rupert’s brother tried to rally his troops to attack the Jingleheimer forces, the generals would not fight an army marching under a truce flag.”
“Naturally so. It’s good to know zere is some honor among ze Schmidt peoples.”
“King Otto and his army reached Castle Schmidt and was welcomed by the sickly King Rupert. That night, while the two old friends talked and uncovered the truth of the war, Rupert’s brother fled to parts unknown.”
“A traitor is a coward and a coward is a traitor. Zis has always been true.”
“That’s not even the worst of it. As he fled, the evil King’s brother kidnapped the King’s newborn princess-daughter. No one has seen either of them since.”
“Unconscionable.”
“That was twenty years ago.”
“It is a marvelous tale.”
“It’s all true.”
“I have only one final question.”
“Yes?”
“How does it help us escape from zis prison?”
“Well…” Justin looked away, hiding his embarrassment. The sound of a water droplet plopping onto a puddle echoed around their dim, dank, and cold stone prison cell. “I like to think the story was good enough that it didn’t need some grand purpose.”
“Justin…” Yonder grumbled.
“The tale was worth the telling, you might say.”
“Justin?” Yonder said again, his patience running thin.
“Perhaps you could tell me a story from your Kingdom? I’m sure there are many—”
“Justin, you have no plan to escape ze prison do you?”
“I don’t need a plan, Yonder. I thought I mentioned that.”
“We are doomed.”
“Now hold on. There’s no need to start getting pessimistic.” Justin said, rattling his chains as he tried to gesture with his hands. “I told you before, we just have to wait for our rescue party to arrive. He’ll be here.”
“And what if he never arrives?” Yonder wondered, buzzing around in his confinement, unable to quell his anxiety. “Time is of ze essence, yes?”
“He’ll be here.” Justin insisted again. “Don’t worry.”
“Don’t worry.” Yonder repeated the words with a scoff. “You have ze foolish confidence of a man who has never been in a prison before!”
“Actually, I have the calmness of a man who’s been in prison many times.” Justin replied, smirking at the reaction his companion had to that remark. “Come on, Yonder: This is hardly the first time I’ve been locked in a jail cell…”
I hope to be done with the book by the end of May. It’s coming along nicely and I’ve got some very nice art done with it, too.