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duty and destiny
Part 5 by armond But the spy Jaussen and the Glamorgan princesses form alternate plans…
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15.
“Is he …did they kill Caden?”
Gwyneth huddled on the floor, doubled over and weeping.
“Yes! No!” She looked up at her sisters’ worried faces. “I don’t know.”
“It has to be one or the other, Gweni, tell us!” Carme said. “Did they kill him?”
“Kill him? …in a way, they did-”
A whistle sounded outside their window.
“Wait! That’s Roni; she needs to hear this too.”
Gwyneth followed Carme and Laelia to the window and watched them throw down the makeshift rope.
“She didn’t,” Gwyneth hiccupped laughed through her sobs. “I should have known Roni would pull something like this.”
Soon their auburn haired sister tumbled through the window, rolling up to hug Gwyneth. “Gweni! You’re back! Where is Caden?”
“She won’t say; she speaks in riddles,” Carme said.
“Out with it now Roni is here!" Laelia said. "What have they done with him?”
“They …the wizard Faolá¡n, transformed him into… into…”
“Into WHAT?” Rhonwen said. “A stone statue? An animal or-”
“A young lass! As young as you, Carme, I SAW it,” Gwyneth said, breaking into sobs again.
“Holy Selene, this will kill father,” Rhonwen said, clutching her arms around Gwyneth.
“Is she healthy at least?” Carme said quietly. “And …not deformed?”
“Deformed? No, beautiful …like the painting of mother when she was young,” Gwyneth said. “Coel claimed Father and Caden betrayed him and planned to kidnap Avila to send her to Arcum as hostage. So he sends the transformed Caden instead in a prison wagon. But first, they will parade her at the Ball like a circus animal.”
“She’s in a prison wagon? Then we must free her and ride for Glamorgan, now!”
The sisters spun to the sound of the speaker, and saw a man crawling in the window.
“Jaussen!” Laelia cried out, as they ran to him. “Can you help Caden? Can you-”
Jaussen held up his hand. “What is done may be perhaps undone, though I have never heard the like of this! Coel will pay; King Rhys will strangle him! But now is not the time for revenge.”
He looked out the window, and saw nothing but the evening dark.
“Good. No one is alerted still, and our men are well hid. Pray to Selene our luck holds a while longer.”
He turned back to the Princesses and crossed his arms.
“What I do know, is we must get you …and Caden …out of here! War is coming, and the only safe place is in Ceyln. A coach waits on the edge of the city. Everyone will be distracted by Avila’s ball and darkness is our ally.”
“But what of Caden? How will we rescue him?” Rhonwen said.
“Her,” Gwyneth said, shaking her head. “Having seen her miraculous transformation, and naked body, I can in no way refer to her as man. When last I saw her, she was unconscious but breathing deep.”
Jaussen paced the floor.
“The Guard detail will be light —I hope- as everyone prepares for Avila’s Ball. Since the shift change at the stockade won’t happen for several hours, the alarm for our men’s’ escape won’t sound yet a while. By Selene we have enough time to …”
The broad-shouldered spy turned to Rhonwen.
“Your swordsmanship is amazing, Princess, but how are you with the more subtle arts?”
“Excuse me?” Rhonwen said.
“Though I suspect the guard detail will be no more than three or four, a direct assault is risky. You’ve a cool head, I have seen it. If her captors could be distracted by a …beautiful woman …I might be able to, uh, quietly subdue them.”
“Why Jaussen! You’ve managed to compliment my intellect and my looks; how efficient of you,” Rhonwen grinned. “How would you ‘quietly subdue them’ ?”
“I’ve a cache of potent blow darts from the Anatol Isles in my saddle pack. A single dart can drop a Nglal in his tracks,” Jaussen said. “So you’d consider it?”
“I will do anything to free my brother,” She glanced at Gwyneth, “Er, sister, I mean-”
“-We know what you mean,” Gwyneth said, taking her sister’s hands and squeezing them. “I know I can’t talk you out of this, so be careful.”
“I will,” Rhonwen said, and turned to Jaussen and bowed her head.
“We owe you, sir. You have risked much and do so again for us,” she said, and took his hand. “King Coel will kill you if you fall into his hands.”
“No thanks are needed, Princess, I do so for country and king. And,” he added, “don’t call me sir; I am but a handful of years older than you.”
Rhonwen nodded, and cocked her head. “What do you suggest I wear to distract the guards?”
“Something to show off those legs of yours,” Jaussen answered, as his eyes traveled down her body.”
Rhonwen sauntered to the walk-in closet, but paused before she closed the door. “Remember, what I wear is meant to distract the guards; I need you concentrating on saving Caden.”
“That may be hard,” Jaussen muttered, then turned to the remaining sisters.
“You must change into riding clothes, my Princesses, and ready to leave, but …give me your ball gowns. They might yet see the party tonight, even if you will be faraway, riding hard to blessed Glamorgan.”
16.
“Lord and Lady Kosota!”
Applause erupted as a gold-trimmed white carriage rolled up, pulled by a team of milky Anatolian horses.
The Parasian crowd had grown so large, it spilled from the Great Palace Hall entrance onto the lawn. Not even the chill winter night could dampen the crowd’s mood, for a rumor had spread of a special surprise from their King. The smell of hot cider and fiddlers’ notes that wafted from inside raised spirits as well.
“White coach and horses; how drool, how last Ball,” Avila said, through her too wide smile.
“The Duke and Duchess of Estius!”
A carriage, dripping in red velvet and ornate brass flourishes, pulled to stop to the cheers of the partiers.
Avila clapped her hands. “Now that is more like it!”
“You show a face of one having fun, daughter, but are you,” Coel said “Only hours ago we were set announce your betrothal.”
“I am over Caden; I am fine. Better,” Avila said, twirling one of her blond locks with a finger. “Lieutenant Ruben and Captain Vanlier have asked to dance with me.”
“But save a dance for me,” Coel said.
“Always, Father.” Avila said. “Speaking of Caden, when will our newest princess arrive?”
“Patience! You are like a child before yuletide.”
Avila stood with the king at the Palace Hall doorway, greeting the nobility as the arrived. To Coel’s left stood Malavet, dressed in a white minister’s uniform, with silver epilates on his shoulder.
To his right stood Faolá¡n, dressed in a gaudy robe covered in stars. The king had ordered him to wear it; he wanted his subjects to know he controlled a wizard.
Faolá¡n gave the robe no thought at all; Caden’s gorgeous face filled his mind.
“I can’t stand it,” Avila whined. “I’m going to wait with Cordia and Eleonor by the curb.”
“Fine, go.” Coel sighed. “Try not to pee on yourself when the wagon arrives.
“Father!” Avila glared at him before running to her friends.
“Your highness!” General Gares said, passing the squealing princess on his way to the king. His red formal infantry uniform was laden with medals from Parasia’s wars with King Amangons. “I must speak with you on a matter of the highest urgency.”
“Er, cannot it wait, my general?” Coel said. “At least until the after tonight’s festivities?”
“No sir, it cannot. Read this.” Gares handed him the letter.
Coel sighed, and held the letter to a nearby torch for light. After he read several sentences, he looked up at the general, uncertain whether he should be laughing or angry.
“I never realized you had such a jovial sense of humor, general,” Coel said.
“I have none at all, sir.”
The king handed the letter to Malavet, who scanned it.
“This is absurd! Rhys would never write such a letter to Gritha; it would be diplomatic suicide.”
“Yet, see? King Rhys’ hand written name sits at the bottom.”
“A forgery, obviously,” Malavet said. “Where did you get this?”
“Interesting that,” Gares smiled. “It was scribed by the same hand that wrote the letter you showed to the king earlier today. Compare the two. You will find the signatures match precisely; the Kotugul Scrivener that wrote them does fine work.”
“Lies!” Malavet hissed. “This is a trick!”
A murmur ran through the crowd; a prison wagon was rolling its way down the entrance circle. A boy sat atop the creaky wagon, waving to the crowd.
Faolá¡n stepped forward and spoke to Gares. “Are you saying Prince Caden was innocent? If so, I have worked the greatest crime!”
“The general is in league with Arcum,” Malavet said. “It is the only answer.”
“He is our greatest living hero. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t,” the king said. He turned to Faolá¡n. “Is there nothing you can do to resolve this? Some magic spell to get to the truth of the matter?”
Faolá¡n stroked his chin. There existed no such spell, but they didn’t know that.
“I know a simple one.” He brought his staff forward. “Gentlemen, lay your hands on the crystal tip of my staff and say ‘I speak truth.’”
“That is it?” Coel said. “What will happen?”
“If the speaker’s words are true …nothing.”
“And if they are false?”
Faolá¡n shrugged. “Then the speaker dies.”
Gares hand shot over the crystal orb. “I speak truth.”
After as moment, he took it off and looked at the king. “You see?”
The king turned to Malavet. ‘Well, minister?”
Malavet jumped away from Faolá¡n’s staff.
“My intent in the ruse was pure, Majesty. I did this to prevent a war; a high ranking Arcum agent told me if Caden and Avila wed, Grithra would attack Parasia as a preemptory strike.”
“The letter was a fraud and you knew it?” Coel stammered. “But then …Caden-”
“-Oh Selene forgive me!” Faolá¡n cried.
“You fool!” Gares growled at Malavet. “Arcum’s forces muster to attack us as we speak. I pray to the gods your actions haven’t caused a rift with Glamorgan when we need them most! What have you done to Caden? Is he locked in our stockade?”
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” Avila’s voice rang out in the cold air. She stood before the wagon with her hand grasping the sheet. “As you know Prince Cadon and I were to announce formally our engagement tonight. The prince, however …sought to betray Parasia …and sell me into Arcum bondage.”
Anger murmurs rose from the crowd, and they gathered closer to the wagon.
“Stop her, king! End this tragedy!” Faolá¡n said. “Do not make Caden suffer more,”
“What have I done?” King Coel’s eyes turned glassy. “What do I do?”
“Yet the deceitful prince’s plans were discovered,” Avila continued, “and your king devised the most delightful punishment. The wizard Faolá¡n’s magic transformed prince to princess, and she will travel to Arcum in my place.”
“Is this true?” Gares gasped. “If so, we are doomed; Glamorgan’s calvary will thunder upon us before Arcum has a chance!”
“Stop! Stop!” Faolá¡n tried to push his way to the wagon, but the crowd was too thick.
“Behold, I give you Princess Caden!” Avila said, and ripped the cover sheet away from the prison wagon’s windows.
The crowd gathered closer, and soon laughter arose. Above it, Avila screeched:
“What is the meaning of this?”
For on the wagon’s side was painted: Princess Avila’s Bridesmaids.
Inside lay four men —two bearded- unconscious, and each wore a ball gown of differing hue.
17.
“I can’t stop looking at her. It isn’t possible; I feel like we’ve left our brother back in Westfalon.”
Laelia brushed a strand of rich black hair from the sleeping girl’s face, an action she had done many times since their hard run to Glamorgan started hours ago. The coach hit another bump, sending the sisters crashing into one another.
“Must we ride so fast?” Carme said. “At this pace, either our horses will drop or the coach will fly apart.”
“Didn’t Jaussen say he asked General Gares to clear Caden of the fake charges?” Laelia said. “Maybe they aren’t even following,”
“Oh, they’re following; I feel it,” Rhonwen said, looking out the coach flap. A light snow had started falling.
“We must assume so,” Gwyneth said. “Even if the general was successful, Coel will want us back. Once he realizes the wrong he has committed, he will be desperate to grasp a shield from Father’s wrath. Holding us captive is his best option.”
The coach smacked a boulder, knocking the sisters around again. Caden’s eyelashes fluttered open, showing eyes that sparkled blue.
“Where …am …I?”
Her voice was so soft -and unexpected- that the sisters were speechless for a moment.
“C-caden? Sweetie…” Carme took her hands. “How do you feel?”
“sooo strange…” she answered in a soprano pitch. “Blue light swirls round my mind, and there’s a beautiful woman there too, talking to me …singing to me. She sings the way Mom did when I was a kid.”
Her eyes closed, and she leaned against Carme’s shoulder. Rhonwen nudged her.
“Caden? Are you still with us?”
Caden’s eyes opened again. “Why is everything …bouncing?”
“You are …sick, honey, and we are rushing you back to Celyn to …see our healers.”
Caden’s eyes widened and became luminous; she gripped Rhonwen’s arm. “Llamrei! Where is she? WHERE IS SHE?”
“Sssh, Don’t worry. Llamrei rides with us; Jaussen leads her.”
Caden let out a soft sigh and lapsed into unconsciousness; they could not rouse her again.
“Well, Lali?” Gwyneth said.
“Well what?”
“Any doubts now?”
Laelia shook her head.
“Her first thoughts were of her horse; she’s Caden alright.”
The sudden lack of movement was more jolting than the bumps. The sisters —save Caden- stared at each other.
“Trouble,” Rhonwen said, and popped open the coach door to hop out.
Snow crunched under her feet as she hit the ground. When she oriented north she saw the Kibane forest a mile or so to her right and the Llanad Plateau looming in the distance to her left. Jaussen came cantering to her on his dapple-gray mount.
When he threw back his hood, she saw steam rising from his sweaty head.
“I’d ask you to get back in the coach, but you would no doubt refuse, and …we could use an extra sword.”
Rhonwen’s eyes narrowed. “Company?”
Jaussen nodded. “A mounted Parasian platoon, 25 or more; they double our numbers.”
“Can we outrun them?”
The dark-haired man shook his head. “They are half a league back and our horses are spent. We should face them here where we have scrub oak cover. We are still half a dozen hours from the Glamorgan border, and will be easy prey when we reach the Caldawy Flats.”
“Well then, what do you suggest?” Rhonwen scanned the landscape. “An ambush?”
“I love the way you think!” Jaussen grinned as he vaulted off his horse. “A pitch fight should be our last resort. I won’t risk any of your lives. How are you with a bow?”
“Better than you; why?”
“Ha! We’ll see.” Jaussen said. “If a few of us could pine them down for a while, we might delay long enough for help to arrive.”
“You expect help?” Rhonwen said, putting her hand on her hip.
“I expect nothing,” Jaussen said, “but I do have hope. Before I rode to Westfalon, I sent my falcon to Celyn with a message telling them you all were in danger. If my message reached them, then they are overdue.”
“How much time do we need to buy?” Rhonwen said.
Jaussen shrugged. “An hour? Ten? A week? I have no way of knowing. As I said, it is a hope.”
“Hmm. I suggest a different tact. We can’t ‘pin them down’ for more than an hour or two. If you want serious stalling time …let Gweni negotiate with them.”
“You are serious?” Jaussen said.
“Absolutely!” Rhonwen nodded. “She knows the law better than a pack of Father’s chancellors. And her tongue is so smooth, she could convince you to build a bridge where there is no river. The only way I win an argument with her is if it involves physical violence.”
“Forgive me, for I am confused, Captain Tyron,” Gwyneth said, widening her hazel eyes and batting her eyelashes. “You say the king has given you orders to escort his guests —us- back to Westfalon?”
The Captain nodded. “Yes, for the tenth time, yes. He said there was a …misunderstanding …and felt terrible for the way your visit ended. He wishes your return so he can make amends.”
“Yes, yes, I understand that part; it is most …gracious and sweet …of King Coel to offer this. Where I struggle …due no doubt to my limited female brain, is your statement that we are guests. Let me clarify …we are not charged with a crime?”
“Again. no, princess,” Tyron sighed. “None at all. So now that is cleared, let us depart for-“
“-Yet we are not free to continue to Celyn if we wish?” Gwyneth said.
“Er …no …King Coel has given me explicit orders to bring you and your-”
“-King Coel’s position expressly violates the Treaty of Viriatona; is it your wish to provoke a diplomatic incident?”
“Treaty of Viriatona?” Tyron scratched his balding head.
Gwyneth smiled. “But surely you know of it! It holds, among other tenants, that each person (1) has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each signatory country, and (2) has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
“That is your interpretation, I am sure, but-”
“No no, it is fact. Let me recite Article 12 to you in its entirety.”
“That’s quite alright, princess-”
“-I insist good captain,” Gwyneth said, holding up her hand. *Ahem*
“…Article 12, Concerning Freedom of Movement. 12.1 As used in this Article, “Natural Right of Movement” shall mean…”
Some fifty long minutes later, Gwyneth halted her recitation, at the approach of thundering horse hoofs from the west.
“Ah! That would be the 2nd Company of the Glamorgan Calvary. Do you wish me to continue? Or …do you now concur with my position that, as guests, we should be permitted to continue on our way?”
Tyron eyed the 100 men who sat on horseback before him; members of the finest Cavalry in the Western Reaches.
“Er ...no, I …see your point and …unless you wish to return with us, we will be on our way.”
Gwyneth stood and bowed to the captain. “Thank you …but no, for we travel on to Celyn.”
Jaussen doubled over in laughter as the Parasian platoon rode away. “Princess Gwyneth, I doubt we needed the 2nd Company. Your position on the Treaty of Viriatona was as spectacular as it was time consuming.”
“Yes, thanks for that. Now if the treaty actually existed…” Gwyneth said, but her smile was sad. She turned to the men before her.
“Good sirs, I thank you for your service. We must take joy from what little victories we find, for dark days have come. Arcum raises a mighty war machine to the south, our Parasian allies have cast us aside, and we bear the most tragic news to our father the king.”
She turned and looked to the Glamorgan highlands, shimmering in the distance.
“Gentleman …take us home.”
End Part 5.
Author's note: This story is set in the same world as two earlier stories I have written called The Necessity of Winter, and After Winter (pdfs of those stories can be found here.) duty and destiny follows After Winter by three years. A map of the Argentian Western Reaches (where this story takes place) can be seen by clicking here. A cast of characters (evolving) can be seen by clicking here.
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Comments
Well done Armond
Moving along nicely, what was that saying about the word being mightier than the sword, it was in this case!
I'm not sure there was enough time to dress the guards in ball gowns, but it was a nice touch.
Thank you
LoL
Rita
Age is an issue of mind over matter.
If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!
(Mark Twain)
LoL
Rita
Thanks Rita!
...and yeah, you're right, I couldn't resist the gowns...
Always enjoyed that universe
It was off to a slow start but the last 2 chapters has finally gotten the tale rolling. It would be interesting to see if they will approach the high priestess to revert said changes and maybe Rose Red might make a cameo that way as say a confidant/mentor for this unfortunate Princess.
Kim
Thanks Kimmie!
There will be a cameo from the After Winter characters (one or more, not sure yet) later in the story.
-A
A Fine Chapter
This had humor, action and yet hinted at much more. Caden's referring to a lady singing is indeed interesting. Has Selene herself taken her under her arm? Very funny bit about her asking about her warhorse and it confirming her identity. :) This is really picking up now.
Hugs!
Grover
Thanks, Grover, and yes...
...Selene is very interested in Caden...
Duty and Destiny - Part 5
What are the repercussions of the forced gender change? How will the Kingdoms align wit this new information?
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Indeed!
For King Rhys doted over his only son, almost to the exclusion of his daughters. What will happen now?
I hate to bring
it up but there are political considerations as well. Medieval/feudal systems were really big on heirs to the kingdom. For stability you want to know who's next line for the throne. Normally it's the first born male. I don't recall which of the siblings was the older, but this could be a real big deal. Imagine someone kidnapping the Vice-President and doing a big number on his brain with drugs. Can we trust him now? Can he still do the Job? Of course just think about how the country would react. That's somewhat the situation, and that's without the whole Arcum Army getting ready to swarm the border.
Some of the things we don't know is if women can inherit the throne, and we don't know how irrational this is going to make King Ryhs.
With War and Politics dominating the future, we can't forget about a young man who was expecting to marry someone he at the very least was fond of, but was betrayed. What about her? Caden did throw herself into Selene's care. The singing she dreamed is hope that the Goddess is watching over her.
Hugs!
Grover
PS: All I can say is Wow. I love fantasy stories and the past year with Armond, Maggie, Nancy, Persephone and others has been a great year. Just finished a main stream book, that had plot holes big enough to drive a small moon though. Worse it didn't answer a damn thing. Not just leave a few unanswered questions, but not even the central one of the story! ARgh!!!! Then I read another chapter of any one of a great group of writers here at BC and I'm blown away buy the quality. Sure I find a few grammar and spelling errors here and there, but at least some of us know how to really tell a story. Give me that over a dry poorly reasoned POS that is grammatically perfect.
Sorry for the rant!
you have hit upon the two main areas...
...Of conflict, Grover. What will happen to the Glamorgan throne now, since only male heirs succeed to the throne, and, what will happen to Caden? Her life as Prince and later, King had been carefully mapped out - his duty.
But that has now been swept away, and she must discover what the Goddess has planned for her - her destiny.
You bring up good points with regard to King Rhys, because Caden's change may be harder on him than on Caden.
On your p.s. note, I agree with you competely about how frustrating 'commercial' works can be. I finally got so mad once that I threw up my hands and said 'I can do better than this'.and started writing stories. Now, I don't 'do better' by any stretch of the imagination, but I have found I love to write. Go figure.
This is still one of those
This is still one of those "We hang together or we hang separately" situations. They will still align with King Coel but rather than coming to Coel's defense, Glamorgan will attack Arcune while Coel's forces draw Arcune's army into a protracted war. After Glamorgan sacks Arcune and neutralized it as a military threat, Glamorgan will turn back and their attention to Coel's weakened forces.
Two for the price of one. Of course that's assuming sane rational rulers are making the decisions here and not fantasy kings.
Gwyneth apparently knows the
Gwyneth apparently knows the old say "if you can't defeat your enemy by force, baffle them with Bull***t". She seems to have taken that art to another level entirely. Great little story and I do hope that the new princess will be able to handle her new gender. King Coel and his daughter, just might find themselves on the receiving end of some sort of magical sentence. Jan
Thanks, Jan! Gwyneth is a force to be reckoned with...
...all of the princesses are, in their own way. Caden will need to learn from them, and will have to find where her talents are too, although Selene has sent her a large hint or two.
Thanks again!
-A
Judging from the illustration in the previous chapter
Caden's large hint or two are on her chest.
Jesse-Louise and I thought MY heroine Joanie was well endowed. Hubba hubba!
-- snicker --
LOVED how you handled the news that the King and Princess had been deceived. Just enough to be satisfying but enough left unsaid/behind the curtain to allow us more revelations later or for our imaginations to run riot.
The stupid king is in a damned if you do damned if you don't position now. He knows he fucked over an innocent thus possibly breaking a long peace and alliance, that one of his chief aids is a conspirator or more likely a dupe of the real enemy who now mass to attack. He has angered his best ally AND compounded that by sending troops to *escort* the *Prince * back to *make up for the wrong that was done the Prince* or however the captain of the troop put it. Taking hostage someone you have wronged to assuage the anger of that person's allies is proof he is a big a fool as is his daughter is a callous, cruel, selfish and vain child. Sounds to me like in his impotence and "What do I do Now?" condition the princess or others ordered the *escort*.
As to the loss of the male heir... The one princess in particular, the fine swords woman or the one who is so deft with words could rule. If the brother can be made female could they be made male? Though perhaps simply changing the rules as in the end of Disney's Aladdin? Or maybe the several women could jointly rule as princesses regent(s) until one of them or the former Price has a male heir of suitable age?
Or is there *shoestring* male relative and potential heir.? The muscular and brave spy who helped the women and ex prince escape seems a fine candidate. Hell, couldn't the King just make him royal and the heir? Would help if he was at least technically of the royal line though.
As to changing the prince back. It was hard enough to change him the first time AND he and the mage threw themselves on Selene's mercy. It would need Selene to agree, unlikely. I hope the father, the king will reconcile with his now new daughter and recognize the fine other children her sired and ignored. He may benefit from this as much as the former Prince will eventually.
Not being tied to that harpy of a princess is already a fine reward for his sacrifice. The singing SHE hears must be Selene working more magic, subtly helping calm and instruct her new avatar? As to Princess Bit*h, she need a serious *attitude adjustment*. I hope she will see her errors and make amends. Maybe a do over? As a child again but not so young she can't remember. Or some years of servitude, learning what he insolence and selfishness have done to her *lessers*?
War seems inevitable now. Though with luck it will be confined to the attacking nation's land and that of the stupid king and Princess Ass*ole.
WOW again.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
Coel is not utterly redeemable,
but his subjects will suffer, terribly, needlessly, because of his rashness. Humility, restitution, spending the rest of his life performing deeds to counterbalance his sins, this would be a proper penance for the very unmerry King Coel.
And for Avila? Perhaps the harsh realities of war will wash away her spoiled nature. I like to think everyone has some good in them, even King Grithra, though their goodness 'quantum' may be far overshadowed by their other traits.
-A
Dunno, I'd think
Caden is going to have a great singing voice, myself. :)
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
Okay ...*ahem* maybe she is a little...
chesty... Selene was generous...
How can I apologize?
I loved the Lilim tales. It shook me. Yet, I avoided the next works, the Winter stories and Duty and Destiny. Why? Well, I don't really enjoy the "Knights and Ladies" kind of fiction, I guess.
I woke up this morning and read "After Winter", and then I had to read everything else I had missed. I couldn't have been more wrong. I LOVE this. It stirs me-The stories of Brian Cooper, Rose and Lilly, and now Caden and his sisters...they are fantastic! I can't tell you how much I enjoy these. My only regret is that, like the Lilim tales, this, too, shall end, Damn it! I apologize for my earlier mistake, and I promise to read your stories, no matter where they lead.
Wren
Don't apologize Wren!
I'm just happy you are enjoying it. I had never written anything like Lilim before, it was a step out for me, and your encouragement there really helped.
The writing for the early Duty\Destiny chapters is a little stiff, because I was trying a different POV narrative (3rd person limited), where I didn't show any internal dialog. I'm loosening it up for the second half of the series, so hang with me (please?)
-A