The last rays of a swift-fading dusk were departing from the small upper windows of the high hall. Servants in livery of muted red and gold shuffled quietly about in the newborn shadows lighting lamps and torches, no more obtrusive than the mice which scuttled at their feet. Rich tapestries depicting scenes of ancient battles and the long dead warriors who...
As the lottery began, it was not difficult for Ciara to appear concerned. The lottery was an annual tradition in her village. As it began, an urn was prepared (it had been the same urn since Ciara's Grandmother's first lottery), filled with one white ball for every girl of bleeding age in the town. Then, in a solemn ceremony in front of the assembled villag...
Only two weeks after the public execution of Captain Helman, Careena and Kalas began a return journey to Kennai Palace. They would only stay one night before traveling to Daarkscrag to meet with King Drakin. Kalas had intended on staying behind, but Careena had begged him to come. Knowing that his presence was the only thing that kept her from losing complet...
FLASHBACK #1 Her neck stretched, the muscles pulled taut as he wrapped his hand solidly in her hair. That damned ticking clock in the background provided the only other noise besides his breath. Air left her lungs in a hitched and halting way. His breath solid and furious. Tick, tick. From the corner of her eye, she could only make out the shape of his mo...
“What do you mean it doesn’t fit?” The armor smith asked, “Surely you must be fooling with me.” “No, sir.” The young soldier said. “You’re telling me that your steel codpiece is too small?” “That’s right,” the soldier confirmed. “I don’t believe it,” the armor smith said. “Well you see when I was a young lad, a witch caught me spying on her while she wa...
That night Princess zara snuck into Duke Elrik's chambers after the guard had been posted outside T/their rooms. Even with the ruling against the now deposed Lord Ulrich, neither of them felt that safe and a guard was still posted to protect them. King Edward had insisted upon it even. zara thought that it was a wise measure considering how angry Lord Ulrich...
It was a dark and cold evening in the coastal city of Deni. Fog and mist filled the night air, nipping at the thick pale skin of the fur-covered Nordics as they closed their shops. As the mead halls slowly came to life, filling the night air with the scent of smoked pork and beer, the town guard took to the streets and towers to keep watching over the small...
Chapter Eighteen Queen Velorina was nursing her newborn babe when the guard stormed in. All black armor, he clanged over to the queen. A vassal of King Toros's trailed behind him, his gangly form stumbling the moment he entered the queen's birthing chambers. He looked young, no older than eight and ten with light hair that fell into his blue eyes. He spo...
With a sigh and a slight groan, he began. "We have precious little time, but I shall try and explain what I can." "As you discovered in the library of books deep below us, long ago we imprisoned a dragon in its hold 'neath the castle." "We?" thought the princess, but said nothing as he continued. "That should have been the end of it, the beast would have...
The queens hand maid accepted her new title of "friend" with the feelings of amazement and honor. As the next two months trekked on, she felt comfortable asking the queen questions. She would ask the queen how she should inform a young man that she was interested in that she liked him. "If you were in my place my queen." She would comment after every questio...