The Maiden Army Preptober 2024

TASK ONE: SYNOPSIS

Once upon a time, long long ago, every breath inhaled in the faraway land of Lyssea held just a pinch of magic. Not a single moment could pass without being exposed to the substance, for the land was created with magic itself. Every creature basked in its glory, and every faerie prided themselves for the magic which they possessed. Once upon a time, long long ago, the faeries believed that humans were good. They believed humans could be trusted. So they shared their gifts with their non magical counterparts in the hopes that every day would become better, the world brighter. Of course, they were very wrong. Humans were fickle creatures, and they hadn't been trusted with sacred magic to begin with for a very good reason. Wars broke out, then famine, then hunger. No one was happy, no child knew of the golden times of Before. In an effort to thwart the dark times steadily coming their way, the faeries tried to take their magic back, but a gift such as theirs was too great to return without a price.

Today, the magical land of Lyssea is wonderful no more. They are a nation like any other, the faeries having retreated into the Etherworld and taken most of their magic with them. Ah, you saw it didn't you, my child? The faeries have taken most of their magic with them. Then where, you ask, is that small piece of pure magic left in this world? We call them sparkles, the royals call them their Maiden Army. Centuries ago, when the faeries couldn't completely take away their gifts, all their magic was concentrated in one very special type of human: women. And not just any women, my child. No, only the most pretty of them all held the potent magic of the faeries within them. And, on the fifth of March, every sixteen year old girl, beautiful or not, is taken to the royal palace to get tested for magic and see whether or not she's fit to be drafted into the Maiden Army.

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Irène Auguste is a girl with no aspiration to become a sparkle, but with beauty like hers, its impossible to dream about having her own life. So she's planned every minute of it the way she knows it's going to end up. At sixteen, she will be taken from her doting mama and loving papa in their large farm home and escorted to the royal palace. There, the ominous "Testing" will take place. And soon after, when her magic is revealed, Irène will get drafted into the Maiden Army where she will work for the rest of her life, using her magic to exhaustion to better the nation that has never given her anything in return.

But her plan has more than a few inconsistencies in it. On the fifth of March, Irène is taken from her home, just as she'd expected. But what she hadn't expected was how the Tests take place. Every magic that the girls claim to have is stranger than the last, and, when Irène has been dubbed "claimed" by her magic, she cannot believe it. Nothing seems right and every story she has ever heard about the Maiden Army is wrong.

And, on top of that, the Crown Prince of Lyssea has come of age, and the time has come for him to pick a bride among the Maiden Army. The most powerful girl, and therefore the most beautiful, is to win his hand in marriage, and every girl is forced to enter the competition. Sixteen-year-old Irène has never
thought about marriage for a single day in her life, and she doesn't want to be queen, but what girl's heart doesn't stop when she spots the Crown Prince?

Falling in love, and feeling insane, Irène must get to the bottom of the girls' magic, and sort out of feelings, before the upcoming war is the end of all the girls she has come to care for, and the end of Lyssea as she knows it.

675 words

TASK TWO: PART A: WORLDBUILDING

The story will be set in the fictitious land of Lyssea. This is not a continent, but an independent nation. The governing body of this system will be, primarily, the royal family, as well as the novel's namesake, the Maiden Army, which is an army consisting entirely of female "witches" who are force-drafted into the army at the age of sixteen after being tested for magic. At the time in which the novel is set, the following people will be ruling:
His Majesty King Raphael Dumas
Her Majesty Queen Léonie Dumas
His Majesty Crown Prince Lyam Dumas
Her Grace Duchess-General Genevieve Laurent
Lyssea will be a large, prospering country, with its capitol city as Tvilla. The main character, Irène will be from Karasen, which is sister to the city of Callun. Other major cities described in the books but not with severe detail will be Rhesen and Adelphi. During the story, there will be the supposed attack and threatening messages from the next door nation of Liowa. Technology will still be pretty basic in this world and marriage will be more common with late teen, early twenties adults.
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Most of the story will take place in the Maiden Army's wing of the palace in Tvilla. This will mostly give Irène the freedom to roam the palace, except for the wings that are meant for royalty only, allowing for her to meet Crown Prince Lyam early (and develop feelings).

239 words

TASK TWO: PART B: CHARACTERS

The main character of the story will be Miss Irène Auguste, who is sixteen at the time of the beginning of the book. She is tall and lean, with doe-like gray eyes, ebony stick-straight hair, and features beautiful enough to be painted onto her face. Many say that she looks to be made of porcelain, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. While Irène looks as if she is delicate, she is really a whirlwind within. Having a businessman of a father who was barely home, he wanted to spend the most time possible with his only child, and did that in the only way he knew how. By teaching her all the things young boys learn. From climbing trees to hunting, running fast to fishing, Irène was well-versed in it all. But this didn't make her a rowdy, uncultured forest girl, as the villagers liked to say. Irène was as prim and proper in front of an audience as they came. She was smart too, with a small interest in reading and a large curiosity. And though she was often called the most beautiful girl in all of Karasen, she couldn't care much about her looks.

The second main(ish) character, and love interest, for the plotline is His Majesty Crown Prince Lyam Dumas, a boy with a crown and no idea what it means. I'm planning to write a slow romance plotline for Irène and Lyam, to show how she hates his ignorance, and then learns to love him for everything that she herself lacks. Because Lyam was not born beautiful like Irène. He has caramel skin and brown eyes, mussed black hair and skinny limbs. He isn't beautiful or handsome, but his smile is genuine and his eyes are always bright. Having never once, in his entire life, stepped outside of the Tvillan palace, Lyam is more than just a little sheltered, and knows nothing of the real world, but he too shares Irène's thirst for knowledge. He is charming and sweet, but shy and quiet. In a household with a controlling mother and a bold father, he feels alone, and that is where Irène comes in.

Playing the role of the best friend and mentor to Irène is Dahlia Floquet, great-niece to the queen and a fellow sparkle and Maiden in the army. She has deep bronze skin, with feline-like features. Her dark eyes and full lips, along with her long thick eyelashes and dark brown braided hair make her a timeless beauty. Unlike her friend, Dahlia doesn't represent fragile beauty, but instead unwavering strength and love. She is slightly smaller in height, with a more curved body. Personality-wise, Dahlia is mysterious and has a strong sense of righteousness. She is smart and quick and efficient, qualities that endear her deeply to Irène. Unwavering in her decisions and wise beyond her years, Dahlia is the oldest in of four children and comes from a more humble background.

Other Side Characters:
Madeleine Auguste - (Mad-uh-len Oh-guhst) - Irène's doting mother
Pierre Auguste - (Pi-yerre Oh-guhst) - Irène's loving father
Raphael Dumas - (Ra-fa-yell Du-mah) - Lyam's brave, bold father
Léonie Dumas - (Lay-oh-nee Du-mah) - Lyam's controlling mother
Gabrielle Moreau - (Gab-ree-yell More-oh) - Irène and Dahlia's Maiden Army roommate
Éliott Lavoie - (Eh-lee-yet Lah-voy) - a sweet guard in the palace

555 words

TASK THREE: FINDING TIME

Because I'm plenty busy, I'm going to try and finish most of my writing on the weekends. That would be 10,250 words per weekend. I've already began mass chapter plans in my head, which will probably help me achieve my goal. I'll try and get to my word limit by Saturdays and use Sundays as my "makeup" days to finish up any words that I have left over for my count. If I have any extra time during the rest of the week, I'll probably try and use it to write as well.

93 words