Strand of Faith, the first book in the Choices and Consequences series, starts just before Christmas and they are greeted on Christmas Day by a light snowfall - just enough to enjoy. A huge snowball fight develops between the residents of the monastery, much to Leonie's surprise.
I had thought this was just a figment of my imagination, I mean, monks having snowball fights? Shortly before Strand of Faith was published I was on a trip to Italy and our guide took us to visit a monastery where St Francis had lived. The guide told us he'd come up to the monastery in the snow one year to find all the monks in the main courtyard having a snowball fight!
And here's the scene from Strand of Faith for you to enjoy - from Leonie's point of view.
We were heading back to the main courtyard when something shot past my ear and hit someone a few yards in front of me on the shoulder. Without thinking, I gathered the power around me, turning and forming it to defend us and attack whoever was attacking us. Almost in the same instant someone put their arms around me from behind, pinning my wrists to my sides and using their own gifts to dampen my power.
“Just a snowball, just a game,” they whispered in my ear and then I was released again, the power gone.
I looked round, but couldn't work out who it could have been; it had all happened so quickly I thought I could almost have imagined it. Around me all these serious, senior, respectable adults were gathering snow, forming snowballs, starting to throw them, ducking to avoid their colleagues’ missiles. Struggling with the aftermath of thinking we'd been attacked, I watched, bemused, for a few moments until Andrew nudged me.
“Come on,” he said. “You'll be a target if you stand still. Attack’s the best form of defence.”
He pushed a snowball into my hands and indicated Prospero some distance away, with his back towards us. Now that was a temptation I couldn't resist, no matter what the consequences. I got him square on the back of the head then ducked round Andrew, giggling at the look on Prospero's face as he turned. After that, the only possible choice was to join in wholeheartedly, so I did. The game continued until everyone was breathless and laughing and most people had snow in their hair and clothes.
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