Notes: Chapters 6-10

Chapter Six (2,201 words): I almost had Throp ask the princess, in all sincerity, if it was okay for the Fake Princess to be prettier than her. The princess was going to take offense to that, because it's one thing to judge people's prettiness in general but another to judge their prettiness in relation to yourself.  I decided not to, though. I don't think you have to be totally insecure or egotistical to get annoyed when it's pointed out that someone's prettier than you are. I bet even really confident women do it sometimes. But I didn't feel like it was clear enough yet that the princess is a secure, confident woman, so having her react that way would just make her look insecure or uppity in that way that royalty in stories often are. 

If I were to edit this, I would probably expand the search for the new princess. If I were to make it into a movie, the scene would be a montage.

I didn't plan on Agnes being a talker, but once it started it just kept going. Also word padding.

Originally, Throp was going to accompany the girls onto the Trident and the thing that kept him on the ship long enough for it to set sail would be a long, awkward goodbye with the princess, as if they weren't quite ready to leave each other. But by that point it was clear that wouldn't be an issue for Throp.

Chapter Seven (789): This chapter is very short because if I continued it until the natural stopping point it would be too long. I opted for short over long, in part because I am lazy and it gave me an extra chapter to work with.

It really isn't enough for Throp to just wish he was at home instead of on the ship. If he ever does learn to enjoy traveling, now is not the time. So he has to be sick. I get sea sick and it is just the worst. Especially when your husband and your friends are oohing and aahing at the magnificence of whales and you're taking deep breaths and starting at a fixed point and hating life. But that's my stuff...

I love the trope of the girl dressing as a boy, so there it is.

Chapter Eight (1,591 words): Truthfully, I do think the princess is spoiled and has no idea how privileged she is. I still love her, I just think she has a reality check coming her way.

I almost divided this chapter and chapter seven up evenly, but that would have put the split right in the middle of their fight and I felt like that all needed to be in one chapter. I don't think he should have forgiven her so easily, but he's the kind of guy who takes the path of least resistance.

Chapter Nine (1,078 words): Oh, did I struggle with this. How do the pirates get onto the ship? How is it the Trident's crew couldn't overtake them? There needs to be a fight scene but I am not prepared to write it. Aaaah! So I chickened out and wrote what I wrote instead. Also, almost gave the pirate captain a peg leg but even in a story full of cliches, it seemed like too much.

Chapter Ten (1,266 words): The princess revealing herself was one-third ill-conceived bravado, one-third genuine attempt to make things right and one-third me needing a way for her and Throp to end up in the same place as Agnes.

I love that Throp immediately got pissed at the princess again. I don't know what kind of arguments they'll get into in the future, but I think I'll have a lot of fun writing them.