The Plan was the first book I can truly say I felt inspired to write. It started with a simple thought, What if our world was created for a bigger purpose than anything I had ever been told? That thought turned into a driving force that put me in front of my computer until I had written 35 pages of a very rough story. That was almost 10 years ago.
Today, this is a story I still love. The characters have become more real to me than I ever thought possible. It’s also a story I love to share. Since we find ourselves with lots of time on our hands, I thought I’d break The Plan down into daily readings and share it with my friends.
So here it is. The Plan in chapter by chapter blog posts. I hope you enjoy it!
THE PLAN
A Story of Redemption
To the Fallen Souls who have not realized the need for forgiveness, May your journey lead you back to the King.
PROLOGUE
Chaos had overtaken the entire Kingdom. The sounds of people yelling and shouting blended together with the pleading and wailing of the loved ones they were leaving behind. It was so loud that Konnory couldn’t make out his own footsteps on the stone floor as he sprinted up the stairs and down the hall towards the Dining Room. The fear and confusion had given birth to a darkness that was quickly enveloping the Kingdom.
The King and Queen looked up as Konnory rushed through the door into the Dining Room. Without a word he walked over to the Queen, leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Mother,” he said softly. She did not reply other than simply nodding her head in acknowledgement. Konnory walked behind the King and took the empty chair that sat next to Him. “Magnor has reported,” Konnory said.
“He is still with the troops?” the King asked.
“Yes, he is. He has ordered that no one is to make any attempt to prevent anyone from leaving. A few have already challenged that command. Now, they stand together and watch as family and friends walk through the gates.” Konnory’s head dropped.
“They must. It is agonizing. This will be the most difficult experience of their lives. But they must let them go. It is their choice. Holding anyone back will not be tolerated,” the King said as He reached out and took the Queen’s hand.
With each moment the crowd heading towards the gates grew. The gate was opened and a flood of figures began pouring out into the darkness. Above the roar there were shouts of triumph and screams of anguish.
The Dining Room door opened once again. Carasi stood holding a ledger. “Father, Magnor has reported that there are those within the ranks of the Captains that have left. It also seems that Waldemar has left.” The King closed His eyes and the Queen gripped His hand tighter. “Do you want to put an end to this?” Carasi asked.
“We must not,” the King replied. “They are each making the choice for themselves. We will honor their free will to do so.”
“But Father, we are losing so many!” Carasi protested. “They don’t understand that once they are outside of those gates…”
“No,” interrupted the Queen. She spoke gently but with great authority. “We must honor their choice.” Carasi bowed his head and took his leave. As he opened the door, a wave of shouts from outside flooded the room.
The castle itself had almost entirely emptied of people. Trays of food and bottles of wine had been left on shelves by attendants who had rushed outside to see what was happening. Servants had abandoned their brooms and mops as they sprinted home to check on loved ones. Scattered piles of papers and documents lay strewn across the Throne Room bearing witness to where the King’s advisors and scribes had been standing when the shouting began.
“He has done great damage,” the King said. His words brought a weight of certainty and heaviness into the room. “Konnory, go find your brothers, no one should be alone on this day.”
Konnory hesitated, not wanting to leave them. Not wanting to leave the security that the Dining Room embodied. Eventually he found the strength to stand and walk out into the storm.
“He has done as he threatened,” said the Queen.
“Yes My dear. Patho has waged his war and taken his prisoners. When the last one has left and the gates close, that is when the real battle begins,” said the King.
“Are you sure it is a battle we want to fight?” the Queen asked ever so gently.
“This is not about what I want to do. But we must,” the King said as He raised the Queen’s hand to His lips and kissed it. Another wave of shouting was heard just outside the window. The cries of mourning and screams of anguish continued well into the night.
Excerpt from The Plan, ©2011 Jeannie G Bruenning