In my editing, i came across a pretty big plot hole. and its kind of annoying because this sub plot was one that I brainstormed on here (i didnt know it would be a plot hole when I asked. now I feel silly). Ok, sub plot Jorre (a 14 year old side character) has an argument with another side character who basically tells her "your mom and dad left you because they cant stand you". Upset, she wants to go to the desert to find her parents (because... irrational teenage emotions) Jorre asks Olun to help her find her parents (because Olun is from the desert and knows how to find the desert clans) Olun doesnt want to do it, but knows Jorre will go with or without her. so she goes with her with the plan to talk her into coming home instead. (this is all going as planned and isnt the issue) THE ISSUE: the antagonist (Jorre's sister) goes after them to bring her sister back and to harp on Olun for using her sister as an excuse to go back to the desert. Olun's love interest (who had been absent for the first couple of chapters and whom Olun promised to wait for) is among the search party with the antagonist that catches up to them. he is hurt because he believes that Olun going back to the desert was her attempt to quietly pack up and leave. How do both of them know they are going to the desert? The purpose of this sub plot is for A) Olun to find a dead body on their mini journey, and B) to cause mistrust between Olun and her love interest. Also, Olun wouldn't leave the village without a reason. She tried running once, and it went badly. Then, once she gets to know her love interest, she made a promise to at least stay put until he comes back from his expedition so they could go together. So her leaving the village in an effort to talk her young friend out of a dangerous journey (in my mind) is a good reason to get her to leave and to cultivate that mistrust between her and her love interest. however, I dont know how he would find out about her leaving, especially if he's been gone all this time.
I see it a couple of different ways, or one way with a couple of angles. 1. Why does Jorre think she will find her parents in the desert? If her sister knows about that reason before hand, she could guess that's where Jorre went. 2. Even if her sister doesn't know her rational, Jorre could leave a clue (or just a note) that her sister finds. OR maybe Jorre leaves a note/message with the person who said her parents couldn't stand her "I know my parents love me, I'm going to the desert to find them and prove you wrong." Then Jorre's sister finds this person and they tell where Jorre went. 3. What's Olun's Love Interest relationship with Jorre's Sister? How well do they know each other? How well does the sister know Olun? How well does the Love Interest know Jorre? Because of the issue of "mistrust" in my opinion the best bet is if the Sister is the one who knows Olun, and maybe she meet's the love interest while the love interest is looking for Olun "Oh I bet she's with my sister in the desert" If the Love interest doesn't know the relationship between Jorre and Olun, the fact that Olun ran off into the desert could single she's doing something dirty, planting the seeds of mistrust Or something like that (or not, I'm sure better writers on this site can give better suggestions), good luck.
First thought was that maybe it's not a secret where the parents went when they left. It's not a matter of knowledge, it's a matter of being able to survive the journey in the desert. So, Olun is going along to assist with the survival aspect of traversing the desert, rather than for her knowledge of the desert clans.
Thanks for the responses. I finally have some time to devote tonthis after letti g it sit for a while to process. Its kind of an unspoken common knowledge thing. The whole village knkws about the issues between Jorres parents and how the mother walked out on them and the dd went after her and neither never came back. The mother was from the desert. Jorre tells Olun that no one will talk about them. Her sister gets mad when she brings them up and her grandmother gets sad, so she wants to do this alone. This seems like the best option.... maybe after Jorre doesnt show up for dinner, the sister goes to Jorre's friend who tells her about the argument and learns what was said. The love interest and Jorre's sister grew up together. Their mothers were friends. The sister has always had feelings for him (he knows this), but he's never liked her in that way. So he is very familiar with their family and family drama. The sister doesnt like Olun for a number of reasons: she is a "dirty desert dweller" (she is prejudice against desert people), they are both apprentices under the village healer so they are rivals, and the guy she has always liked is interested in Olun. Aaaaaaaaand right now as i've finished answering the last questions, i have an idea! They dont even worry about Olun. The ove interest comes back to the village and sees the sister upset and looking for Jorre. Even though he wants to see Olun, he figures she can wait while he helps look for Jorre. When they find Jorre, Olun is with her, the sister accuses her of taking advantage of her Jorre, and the love interest is hurt.... and the plot is back on track! -jazz hands-
