Gearing up for the 3 day novel contest

I've wanted to enter this contest for years. Last year I thought about doing it because it was the first Labour Day weekend when I didn't have something else on the go, but I was in so much turmoil emotionally, that I had trouble concentrating. Now, I'll finally have the opportunity -- and the mindset.

We are allowed to have an outline beforehand, but can't start the actual writing of the piece until midnight of Friday on Labour Day weekend. We have to stop at midnight of the Monday.

It's a story that I've had in mind for the past 27 years. Originally, I wanted to make it into a play, in the style of the 1590's, but the friend who was going to help me work on the script died in the mid-1980's. For a long time I wasn't able to work on it without missing him and now I think I'm finally ready to do it.

Here is my outline.

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The Tragedy of Chloe

Back story
A few thousand years ago, on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea, lived a king named Minos who had commissioned the famous architect, Daedalus, to build the most magnificent palace in the world in the city of Knossos. The palace was so huge that the local people referred to it as 'The Labyrinth' because it seemed to have hundreds of rooms and halls that went on forever, and it was easy to get lost. Since this project took many years to complete, Daedalus brought his son Icarus to live with him in Crete.
After the palace had been completed, the King was so proud of the new structure, that he imprisoned Daedalus and Icarus in order to prevent Daedalus from building anything more magnificent. But Minos was a canny man. He wanted the most magnificent palace in the world, but he also wanted to keep Daedalus alive, because he was renowned for his genius in other fields as well as architecture. So, he imprisoned the father and son together in a tower by the sea, where they could see the water and the sky, but could not escape. They were allowed to go for daily walks, accompanied by guards. Minos set one of his most trusted servants, Karpos, to organize the guard for the prisoners, with instructions to bring him word if Daedalus was seen working on anything that might prove useful.
One of the palace servant girls, a beautiful Athenian, was given the tasks of bringing food to the prisoners and cleaning the tower. Her name was Chloe and, although she was beautiful, she wasn't very clever. She soon fell in love with Icarus, but he never seemed to notice her much. She did not despair, however, and quietly went about her business, telling only her good friend, Karpos, of her feelings for the handsome young prisoner.
Another young man did notice her, though -- Prince Theron, nephew and heir apparent of Minos. Theron dared not declare his love to her because if his uncle ever learned of it, he could easily have her removed or even killed. So he, too, went about his business, trying to pretend that all was right with the world. The only person who knew of the Prince's passion was his faithful servant, Sophron.

Story
One day, Karpos sent word to the King. Daedalus, who had been collecting feathers from the seashore for months on his daily walks, was finally making something with them. Minos replied that he would visit the prisoners the next day, so Karpos arranged to be with the guard for that shift.
That night the stars fell thick and fast from the sky. Many members of the court, including Minos, watched in awe from the palace windows. The next day a storm blew in from the sea and Minos, taking both of these events as portents of evil, postponed his visit to the prisoners until a more auspicious time. By late afternoon the weather cleared and the king, advised by his right hand man Philokrates, decided to see Daedalus the next day. That night even more stars fell from the sky, but Minos decided to continue with the visit anyway.
The following day was warm and sunny. Theron decided to go hunting with some of the other young men of the court, rather than visit the prisoners.
On such a beautiful day, Chloe was light-hearted as she took breakfast to the prisoners. When she emerged, she told Karpos that she was certain that she was starting to win a place in Icarus' heart, because he smiled at her and thanked her for his food.
Suddenly, the King's retinue arrived at the tower and Chloe was about to hurry out of the way with her tray of dishes, when one of the courtiers shrieked and pointed at the sky. All eyes turned heavenwards and pandemonium reigned when they realized that the strange-looking birds flying away from the island, were none other than Daedalus and Icarus, using the feathers that they had so painstakingly gathered and formed into wings.
The King was furious. He stormed up to the stupefied Karpos and demanded to know who was the last person who had been in the prisoners' company. Karpos pointed to a stunned Chloe, who was unable to look away from the flying men. Minos ordered Chloe brought to him. Only when two of the guards had grabbed her arms, causing her to drop the tray and dishes with a crash, did she tear her horrified gaze away from the sky and become aware of the people around her.
When brought before the King, Chloe was stunned to learn that she was being blamed for the prisoners' escape. Minos said that she should have reported the unusual activity in the tower to the guards. Chloe tearfully replied that she hadn't noticed anything -- except that Icarus had been polite to her.
Minos ordered her to be shut in the tower prison until he could decide what to do with her. He was so angered by the escape of his prize that he was looking for someone to serve as a scapegoat.
No one was willing to defend her, in case they should be forced to take her place.
Karpos led her away to be imprisoned but allowed her to stop and pick a flower when the King wasn't looking.
Meanwhile, Minos dismissed all the courtiers but Philokrates. They strolled through an olive grove and, thinking that they were alone, the King spoke freely about the punishment he would inflict on Chloe as an example to the rest of the servants. Minos told Philokrates’ that, because of his clever way with words, he would be leading the questioning of the prisoner at her ‘trial’ that afternoon.
Unfortunately for the King and his advisor, Sophron, personal servant of Prince Theron, had hidden himself nearby and hear the whole conversation. After the plotters returned to the palace, Sophron left the grove and immediately ran off to find Prince Theron and the hunting party.
Later that day, Karpos led Chloe from the tower to the palace for her trial. On the way, Chloe burst into tears and told Karpos about how she had seen her belovéd Icarus fall from the sky into the sea. Never had she felt so helpless. She had cried out for someone to take a boat to rescue him, but no one had heard her and she was certain that he had drowned.
As they entered the court, the king looked formidable, indeed, upon his throne. Under Minos' harsh stare and the relentless questioning of Philokrates, Chloe was completely bewildered. She kept trying to explain and only ended up contradicting herself. Her story became hopelessly muddled as Philokrates continued to insist that she had been an accomplice in Daedalus’ plan, thereby causing the King to lose a valuable tool.
Poor Chloe! She wasn't very good at staying out of the verbal webs that Philokrates was spinning and, realising that she was doomed, began crying again. Finally, Minos declared her tears to be an admission of her guilt and delivered the judgment that Chloe should be entombed in a cave on the very seashore where Daedalus and Icarus used to take their walks accompanied by guards.
Karpos led the shattered young woman away to her fate. A few moments after they left, Prince Theron rushed in, still muddy from hunting. He pleaded with his uncle to release Chloe, arguing that such a perfect face and body could never harbour an impure soul. After some discussion, Minos, who had a soft spot for his nephew, rescinded the penalty and ordered Chloe’s release. Elated, the Prince ran from the court to find her, closely followed by Sophron.
While all the discussion was taking place in the palace, Karpos and his henchmen were down at the beach with the prisoner, standing by an open cave which had a large stone in front of it. Karpos asked Chloe if she wanted to have a poison to drink which would make her drowsy, causing her to die painlessly in her sleep. She said no, but he put the flask in the cave anyway and then moved away so that his men could roll the stone into place. As they sealed the tomb, they could hear Chloe singing a lament for Icarus -- and how she would join him soon in the land of the dead.
After their work was done, Karpos and his men decided to broach an amphora of wine at a tavern in town. Executions were always an unpleasant business, even when bloodless.
A short while after Karpos and his men had left, Theron and Sophron rushed onto the beach and started trying to push the rock away from the mouth of the cave containing Chloe. Unfortunately, the two of them alone couldn't move it, and when they paused to get their breath, they decided to look for Karpos and his men to help them.
They looked and looked, and finally Sophron found them, but they were just drunk enough that they didn't believe his story about the stay of execution. It wasn't until Prince Theron appeared on the scene, that they finally believed there had been a reprieve, and they hastily accompanied the Prince back to the seashore to release Chloe.
But when they arrived and rolled away the stone it was too late. Chloe, despite her earlier intentions, had taken the poison and was drifting into a deep sleep. Theron carried her out of the cave and set her down on the beach where he told her of his love for her. Within a few moments of their arrival, she died.
Theron returned to the palace where he vehemently cursed the King -- that Minos would be humiliated by his wife falling in love with a bull, that his daughter would betray him by allying herself with his enemy, and that Minos, himself, would live to see the fall of Knossos and the destruction of his magnificent palace by earthquake and fire.
Then Theron left Knossos and set out to wander the world, lamenting the needless death of Chloe until he, too, died and joined her in the realm of shades.

More visitors in town

Today, we spent most of the day around Tobermory, playing in the waters of Georgian Bay, then down to Sauble Beach for a late afternoon dip in Lake Huron.

Tomorrow, we're playing black light minigolf. Should be interesting ... I've been trying to convince the junior member of the group that high score wins. No luck so far.

Stratford's offerings this year

Last week some friends were in from Ottawa and we went to see three shows at Stratford. This time, it was
- Ever Yours, Oscar
- Bartholomew Fair
- Cyrano de Bergerac

I don't recommend Ever Yours, Oscar. It was reading a series of letters to, and from, Oscar Wilde. Most of them, I had already read over the years.

I found Bartholomew Fair absolutely delightful. Fast paced and highly amusing. Unfortunately, one of my companions was confused at the beginnning and found the whole thing incomprehensible.

Cyrano de Bergerac, however, was just amazing. It was so well done that I was in the grip of the story from the very first scene. When Cyrano dies at the end, I was in tears. This is one show people should try to see if they can.

We also found a delightful little restaurant, the York Street Kitchen. Tiny, with great food and an excellent selection of wine. Unfortunately, they only accept reservations for six or more. Open 8 to 8. If you want dinner, you better be there right on the dot of 5. We went in at five past, and had trouble finding a table for three; it's that popular.

Crazy busy

I've been so busy with the writer's circle that I've not had much time for anything else. I did, however, take my eldest godson to Stratford to see The Importance of Being Earnest in June. In July, I attended his graduation at Borden. This past weekend, I went to one of the best parties I've ever been to -- the people were actually interesting and intelligent and erudite!

Today, Mike and Tom will be arriving for a visit. We'll be off to Stratford for the next couple of days.