Let Her Walk a Little Longer

Editing Update & Journey Expansion – A Look Ahead

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After nearly two months of editing, I’ve finally reached the part of the story I’ve been waiting for:

Ishida’s journey to Brynstock. What was once a brief three-day passage has grown into a full twelve-day arc—and honestly, it’s everything this stretch of the book needed.

The biggest roadblock up to this point was the spring ritual and festival chapter. It spiraled into nearly 50 pages—by far one of the longest and most emotionally dense chapters I’ve ever written. But after an intensive rewrite and careful re-edit, it became exactly what it was meant to be: the heart of the first half. A bittersweet, joyful, painful sendoff.

Now, with that behind me, the road finally opens up. And this next part? It’s quiet. It’s personal. It’s haunted by what she left behind and what’s slowly drawing near. I’ve planned so much for these twelve days—each one shaped by a rhythm of breath, distance, memory, and foreboding. The story slows down, and then, gradually, begins to move again.

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s to come—without giving too much away:

📌 Chapter 1: The Road Unfolds (Days 1–6)

Tone: Reflective, emotional, peaceful.

This chapter anchors the farewell, establishes Ishida’s solitude, and gently shifts toward movement. Grief and hope walk beside her in silence.

🔹 Day 1: Departure

Morning: Final domestic moments. Kâllen makes a simple breakfast—warm bread, fruit, tea. Lyric is restless, reaching for everything. Farewell: The entire village gathers. Small gifts are pressed into Ishida’s hands. A soft promise to return. One last touch. One last look.

🔹 Days 2–3: The First True Days Alone

At the first fork in the mountain path, she pauses, unsure. That night, the silence is unbearable. She talks to her horse just to hear something. The stars feel too big.

🔹 Days 4–5: Plains & Bronze Reflections

The mountains fall away. The world opens into quiet plains. At night, she finds a bronze charm in her pack—Byron’s, meant for Lyric. She wonders: Did I bring this for her… or for myself?

🔹 Day 6: The Last Safe Rest

A small village. A warm bed. A traveler with a warning. A merchant who recognizes her kind. The road ahead forks again—but this time, she stays with the path she knows.

📌 Chapter 2: The Long Road to Brynstock (Days 7–12)

Tone: Faster-paced, with a thread of unease quietly unspooling.

🔹 Day 7: Loneliness Returns

The plains feel wider now. She sleeps with a knife at her side after something stirs just beyond the firelight.

🔹 Days 8–9: The Militia Encounter

She sees soldiers—not city guards. One of them carries a strange weapon at his belt, something she's never seen. That night, she can’t stop thinking about it.

🔹 Days 10–11: Nearing Civilization

More people. More rumors. Someone mentions unrest in Brynstock. She buys a small trinket for Lyric, something to hold onto when she feels too far from home.

🔹 Day 12: Arrival

Brynstock swallows her whole—crowds, movement, noise. She stands on a high balcony that night, staring down at a city that doesn’t know her name. And for the first time, she realizes: the world is far bigger than the mountains she left behind.

This entire section has been a joy to plan and a challenge to execute, but I can already tell it’s going to become one of the most emotionally layered parts of the book. There’s room now—room to breathe, to ache, to wonder. Room for silence to speak.

Thank you so much for following along with this journey—and supporting the work that lets me keep crafting stories like this one. I can’t wait to show you where Ishida goes next.