Craft Element: Dialogue

“Your Majesty, I have His Royal Highness here.” the butler announced. 

“Thank you Aston, that would be all.”  

Taking a deep breathe, Nicola walked into his mother’s sitting room, immediately feeling goosebumps develop on his arms. Guess this is going to be a frosty encounter, he thought. 

“Hello Mother. I was told you called for me.” 

One look at his mother and he knew this meeting was not going to be different from any of the others. Raising from her chair and turning her back to her son, Queen Agatha pours herself some tea. 

“Jaxon tells me that you have been down to the nearby towns. Sighters happened to see you fraternizing with the likes of … farmers and fishermen.”

“That is true. I wanted the chance to get to know more of those who are part of the kingdom but do not reside within the city walls.”

“Hmm,” stirring her tea, Agatha slowly turned around and looked directly at her son. “If you want to learn more about the people of Minalima, you can spend more time with the Royal Historian or any other member of the Court instead of consorting with those beneath you.”

“Beneath me? Those people are the very core of Minalima. You do realize that you are nothing without them? That we are nothing without them? This kingdom is not just what is found within the city’s walls.” 

Agatha continued to coldly stare at Nicola. He couldn’t understand. His mother wasn’t always like this. He had distinct memories of her, good memories of her. Smiling, laughing, enjoying life. Who was this woman that had fashioned herself as his mother; wrapped up in her gowns and tiaras? What exactly occurred that turn his mother into a total and utter bi—

“And what of this dark-haired man that the Sighters speak of?”

–tch. 

Wide-eyed, Nicola opened his mouth several times in an attempt to speak. How could she know about that? 

“Yes… I knew there was another reason for your visit to these so called ‘cores of Minalima.’ Nothing gets passed me, Nicola. Nothing.” 

“I– I’m not sure what the Sighters told you but that’s exactly what happened, nothing.” 

“Make sure that nothing does. You may be able to live with your… affliction but Minalima would never have a king like that. She needs someone strong, valiant. Someone who can continue the bloodline and run into battle when needed. Not someone… someone …”

“Someone like what, Mother? Someone gay?” Nicola’s heart had never felt like this. He imagined this is what it sounds like as a thousand horses gallop through an empty, narrow valley. And while his stomach may have dropped into the dungeons of the castle, he knew he had to continue. 

“Yes, Your Majesty, your son is gay. This is not an affliction. The future king of Minalima is a gay man!”

“The future king of Minalima is no such thing! Someone lied to you several times if you believe that to be true.”

“And who else would it be, huh!? You have no other children, Mother. There is no other choice as your successor!” 

Suddenly, Agatha began to smirk. “And that’s where you are mistaken, Nicola. Laws can be overturned and rewritten. New rules can be put in place. I would tear down the city walls myself before I see someone like you crowned.” 

Nicola took a step back as if he had been pushed. She wouldn’t… she couldn’t. 

“I am your son; your own flesh and blood! I can’t believe you would say something that is so hurtful.”

“Well I did.”

 

*I hate writing dialogue and this was honestly a real struggle. HELP!*

Craft Element: Character

Name: Nicola, Crown Prince of (tbd)

  1. Image: Nicola is a tall 24 years old prince. He has short, curly hair and broad shoulders, that give way to a well-built figure, due in part to his years training with the Royal Knights. He has a light dusting of freckles surrounding his nose and light brown eyes that many folks have said contain speckles of gold, hence his nickname “Sunshine.” 
  2. Voice: Nicola is educated and very proper, having been raised in the palace. However, he exhibits a bit of code-switching and lets go of any formality when around close friends, such as Delphine. Nic can be sarcastic in his delivery and is shy yet passionate. He makes a solid effort never to appear too effeminate. 
  3. Desire: Nicola desires to live his life freely and openly as a gay man. He also yearns for his mother’s acceptance and love, as she has become colder throughout the years. Nic also seeks to have a kingdom that is more inclusive, allowing women to do things like continue their education and have farmers be able to be represented in the Court. The ultimate goal is to be a good king to his people, worthy of the throne his mother sits on. 
  4. Conflict: Nicola faces conflict from what society, or the kingdom, believe is the ideal prince– someone who can further the bloodline and ensure the throne stays in the family. His mother also prevents him from achieving his goal as she is not open-minded nor warm to him or things outside of the traditional scope of things. The Royal Council are adversary as they are extremely loyal to his mother and refuse to budge on any sort of topic. 
  5. Action: In order to be a good king, Nicola decides to take a pilgrimage to visit the townsfolk around the kingdom. This is done to understand them better and to see what life is really like outside of the palace walls. While in Court, he begins to be more open about his opinions and feelings on certain matters, such as women continuing their education and farmers having representation in the court. 

Name: Lady Delphine, Daughter of the Earl of (tbd)

  1. Image: Delphine is an average height 25 years old woman of noble birth. She has straight, mid-length blonde hair and a lean body from years as an equestrian, 
  2. Voice: Delphine is mildly-educated in comparison to Nic but is also very proper, having been raised in the palace. However, he exhibits a bit of code-switching and lets go of any formality when around close friends, such as Nicola. However, she is very witty and blunt yet can be coy when it benefits her. She has a huge heart that can often lead her to place herself in harm’s way.
  3. Desire: Delphine wants to get a higher education, due in part to wanting to serve a higher purpose than simply being a Lady in the court. She dreams of seeing the world and studying the stars, brought on by the teachings of the famed astronomer, Leo Hawkings. She also wants her best friend to feel safe and at ease in life, noticing the strain it is having on him. 
  4. Conflict: Delphine faces conflict due to society’s expectations of a woman, as universities are not seen as a place for women. Books and teachings are locked away and only accessible to the man of the Court. Also, her dad’s misogynistic attitude prevents her from being open with her family about her true desires. 
  5. Action: Delphine moves away to Spain for a year to “find herself” but really continues her studies in disguise as a man. She also never uses pronouns when talking of Nic’s paramours, as at first she suspected but was not sure of her best friend’s sexuality. 

Prompt #1: Imagery

Inspiration: Jerome describing the Kipps. Write a narrative in which a character describes someone he/she/they have visited. Include as many concrete sensory details as you can.

The moment their eyes landed on him, their chest cavity became home to a pair of syncopated wings belonging to the fiercest of birds. Broad shoulders gave way to what appeared to be lean and sinewy muscles. The cuffed midnight blue jeans and well-worn white sneakers presented an air of comfort while the dress shirt, with its sleeves rolled up to the elbow and first three buttons undone simply oozed sex. Watching him stop and say hello to all his friends did nothing to stop the rapid somersaults taking place in their stomach. The closer he got, the more there was to take in. Expertly tousled black hair, which brushed his shoulders, sharp cheekbones, full red lips, and a light dusting of freckles around his nose immediately crept pass their defenses and cause a warmth to be felt on their face.

Suddenly, this god is standing right in front of them. Taking his sunglasses off, he looks right at them with his piercing green eyes.

“Hi, I’m James.”

Prompt #2: Setting 

Making his way down 5th Avenue, towards Central Park, Dante felt meh. How could he have been so stupid as to fall for this again? When will he ever learn? 

He passes The Plaza, an enormous building that reeks of splendor and glamour. He watches the bellboys help a group of laughing, fur-clad women with their monogrammed suitcases. Men in suits stand scattered around the steps of the hotel, smoking cigarettes. Dante suddenly stops and just stares at all the activity. How different would life be if he was able to live that carefree and oblivious to struggle?  A sudden yelp from a very small and hairless dog awakens him from his dazed moment, and he abruptly continues to walk. 

Crossing the street and narrowly avoiding getting hit by a dingy, yellow cab, Dante walks briskly pass the many horses and hot dog carts lining the entrance to Central Park. Hot dogs. Those were Josh’s favorite BBQ food. What an asshole. Absolved to forget his troubles for a bit, Dante enters the park and sits on the first bench he can find. The wind has picked up, making the late afternoon colder than expected. Golden leaves begin to fall all around him, as pigeons coo in the hopes that some stragglers might divest themselves of food. Letting out a huge sigh, Dante takes a look around and notices all the different kinds of folks. You have your runners, with their bluetooth headphones on, running to the sound of the beat in their ears. The stroller clad mothers, probably heading to meet up with friends. The older gentleman, drink his coffee while walking his dogs, who weirdly look just like him. 

Dante closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and says to himself, “You’re gonna be just fine.” 

And for the first time in a while, he believed it.