Almost done with chapter four here, which puts me about a sixth of the way through my revision of The Silent and Brave. I also sent out two more queries yesterday, one for The Peaceful and Just and one for Chivalry. All that with a trip to Oakland to see the Vikings defeat the Raiders (great game, best I’ve ever seen, thanks Kim! That 80 yard AP run at the end was magic!) Also Bill and I are working hard to finish the door for Kim’s soundbooth. It’s almost done too! Kim is at a class this weekend, so everything is going really well.

I’ve mentioned before that I particularly like the beginning of this novel, and this chapter helps develop Kavela’s character. It shows his individuality, both with the fact that he has left his home to see the world in a world where that is basically a crime, and with the fact that when he returns he is reluctant to join his old friends in the Celestine cavalry. This brings him into conflict with Celerus, the cavalry commander, and will form the basis of a complicated relationship, where he wants to please Celerus but cannot bring himself to do all of the things that Celerus demands of him.

The other interesting part in chapter four is the relationship between Kavela, the best friend of his youth Alvaiinen, and Ullane. It is obvious that Ullane notices Alvaiinen, and that Kavela notices her notice him, so we begin to see the love that Kavela is developing with Ullane and also a little jealousy when another man enters the picture. This will also be a theme in book two. Ullane will definitely not make things easy for Kavela, even though they are meant to be together.