Showing posts with label excerpt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label excerpt. Show all posts
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Quests 2 Preview!
I'm pleased to announce the release of an online preview for Penumbra book 2 in my Quests series. You can view the preview by clicking on the book's name above. The preview contains the book's prologue and opening episode. Please note that the episode numbers are continued from book 1, therefore Episode 20 is the opening of book 2. Please feel free to leave me some feedback and enjoy the preview!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Preview of my 2010 National Novel Writing Month Story
Like so many other writers around the world, I've spent this November working on writing a novel in a month. This novel tells the epic saga of Irowasa's great magic war. Click here for a synopsis of Magic War. Check out this preview to get a taste of my NaNoWriMo novel and the beginning of the battle for magic dominance on Irowasa.
-Rebekah
-Rebekah
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Silver Sword Saga: Riddle of the Stones
This story takes place just before Irowasa's great magic war, whose story I wrote in full for National Novel Writing Month 2010. To find out more about the Silver Sword, refer to the post Fairy Vault which has back links to the rest of the Silver Sword Saga.
Riddle of the Stones
Let the praise of God be on their lips and a two-edged sword in their hand, to deal out vengeance to the nations and punishment on all the peoples.
Psalm 149: 6-7
Sunlight streamed through Fairy Wood’s eastern trees making the new fallen snow glitter like diamonds as Elmonrona, the fairy queen’s half-elvin monster hunter stepped out of a hut of tightly woven branches and into the icy morning. She squinted eyes as grey as the winter sky against the snow glare and pulled the hood of her forest green cloak over her ears, of which the right was pointed while the left was rounded giving her a lop-sided appearance. Walking with a sure step, she passed huts similar to her own as well as smaller fairy homes staggered up and down the larger trees, nestled in hollow spaces and holes made by woodpeckers.
After a few minutes she came to a place where the silvery trees opened to an expanse of flat ground covered in a sheet of snow broken here and there by blades of dead yellow grass. In the center of this meadow a group of fairies dressed in silver and white garments sat at a long table. Elmonrona glanced up and down the length of the table without seeing the person she sought. At one end of the table a tall fairy girl with locks of black hair held by a silvery net turned her intense blue eyes on Elmonrona. Smiling in recognition, she beckoned. Elmonrona stepped forward, stopped at her side and bowed.
“Light shine on you, Princess Vale,” Elmonrona greeted her.
“And on you, monster hunter,” replied Vale. Then she asked, “What brings you to the meadow so early in the day?”
“I am looking for the queen. I wish to report the details of the mission she sent me on yesterday.”
“The queen is attending to other business at the moment. I will tell her you were here when she returns.”
Elmonrona glanced at the other members of the fairy court watching her in silence from their seats at the table then asked, “May I speak with you privately?”
“Excuse me for just a minute,” said Vale, addressing the court.
She pushed back her chair and stood. Unfurling a pair of large gauzy wings she glided to the edge of the meadow and stopped below the first row of trees. Elmonrona followed on foot.
Once they were both shielded from view by the trees Vale whispered, “Did you find the thing that entered the forest?”
“I did,” Elmonrona replied. “I think the matter is far more complicated than we first realized.”
Vale narrowed her eyes then said, “Speak plainly.”
“Do you remember those notes I found when I was hunting the sorcerer Drazil?”
When Vale nodded she continued.
“I believe what entered the forest were two of his experiments, a shape-shifter and a human airwalker though how Drazil accomplished the later we may never know. It seems that the magic was fueling their abilities though it came from an external source and was not something they produced themselves.”
“Well that does sound like what we read in the notes but it in no way proves that Drazil was behind it,” said Vale. “How do you know it was him and not another magician using the same ideas?”
“I saw Drazil’s dragon flying over the forest just before I found the intruders. Also there was a group of mercenaries I questioned who confirmed they had been hired by Drazil. All these years after we thought the trail went cold, we have another chance at bringing Drazil to justice. When your mother returns would you please ask her to reassign me to that mission?”
“In my mind that mission will always be yours,” said Vale. Her eyes shone as she caught some of Elmonrona’s excitement. “Drazil never feared anyone like he feared you. I will carry your news to the queen. She will decide what must be done.”
“As is her right,” agreed Elmonrona bowing her head.
***
A couple hours later Elmonrona heard the smooth beat of large wings and sensed a powerful presence behind her. She turned as an elegant fairy with intense blue eyes wearing a silver gown tucked in her wings. Elmonrona stepped closer to her and bowed low. A tiara made of ice glinted atop the fairy’s silvery head as she turned her old yet unlined face toward Elmonrona.
“Vale told me of your discoveries and your request,” said the queen. “Though I think we should send someone after Drazil, unlike Vale I am not sure you would be my first choice for the job. You already failed me once.”
“I’m only asking that you give me a chance to redeem myself,” said Elmonrona. “The fact that I was once again the one to discover what he was after can’t be a coincident.”
“Vale has great faith in you and I trust her judgment. Plus you have been faithful in your duty of protecting the forest from monster attacks for several years. For those reasons I will give you one chance to prove yourself worthy.”
She produced a small pouch of red velvet and handed it to Elmonrona who opened it to reveal four small round colored stones.
“Take these to the source of the Farawad River,” said the queen. “If you can decipher the riddle of these stones and so unlock the secret of that place then you will be the one to go after Drazil. If you cannot, you must defer to another.”
Elmonrona pulled the drawstring closed and wrapped her fingers around the soft fabric.
“Understood.”
With an excited tingle lending her strength, Elmonrona bowed and set off in the direction of the river cutting through the center of the forest.
The water of the Farawad was covered by a thin layer of ice. The air beside the river was biting cold and even her constant movement couldn’t keep Elmonrona from feeling its chill. She pulled her cloak tighter around her body and pressed on, following the icy water upstream past bare branches and the dry darker patches beneath a few evergreens. By midday the ground grew steeper as it rose into the first row of foothills guarding the Emerald Mountains. During the afternoon she found herself climbing the slopes of the first mountain where the river was little more than a narrow stream. At last she reached the place where the spring feeding the mighty river flowed out of the side of the mountain.
Facing the stream, she poured the stones onto her right palm and examined them closer. The stones were smooth and unmarked. Each was a different color; one red, one blue, one green and one white. There was nothing very remarkable about them save that they were all solid colors without any streaks or patterns running through them. She rolled them around on her hand as she tried to understand their significance. Four stones each a different color. What did she know of with four parts each represented by a different color? An idea came to her and she smiled at the simplicity of it as she spoke the thought aloud.
“The stones represent the four major elements. Red is fire, blue is water, green is earth and white is air.”
She waited for some confirmation that she had found the answer but nothing happened. Frowning, she realized there must be more to the riddle. After all, why would she have to come all the way to the source of the Farawad just to find out the stones represented the elements?
Closing the stones in her fist she moved to look at the stream and the area surrounding it hoping it would reveal some clue. As she stepped onto a rise behind the spring, she slipped on a patch of ice. As she reached out to catch herself, her left hand landed on some long rocks whose shape felt like a cross. Kneeling beside the spot, she brushed away the snow, revealing a circle of tiny stones surrounding four longer rocks which formed a four pointed star. At the tip of each star point was a hollow about the size of the stones in her hand. The shape instantly reminded Elmonrona of a compass rose and she realized it was her job to figure out which color stood for which direction.
She opened her hand and hesitated for just a moment before taking a deep breath and reaching for the first stone. The color she lifted first was white. This she placed at the in the direction of north. White must stand for snow, she reasoned, and the ice lands of Imla lay in the far north. She place red in the position of south to represent the Sardi Desert which lay on the southern end of the main continent. Green she guessed was west because the Emerald Mountains lay west of all the human lands save a half-wild country called Algamar. That left blue to fill the eastern slot, which made sense since the ocean lay to the east past a kingdom called Caramyth.
As soon as she placed the last stone the rocks shifted apart and a long thin hole no more than a foot wide opened in the frozen ground. Sunlight glinted off a metallic object which lay hidden in that spot. Carefully Elmonrona pulled her newfound treasure out of the hole and looked it over. The object was a long broadsword which gleamed of polished silver in the sunlight. On the hilt and hand guard the metal twisted around itself forming a simple pattern. The sword was otherwise unadorned.
Elmonrona gasped as she realized that this was the Silver Sword she had heard about in legends. It was said to be the most magical weapon on the world of Irowasa, forged by dwarves out of silver blessed the Lord of Light Himself and given to the fairies for safe keeping. Elmonrona knew that being given the opportunity to wield it was the highest honor she would ever receive from the fairy queen. Getting to her feet she gave the sword an experimental swing and felt its energy sing through her body, renewing her strength and returning warmth to her numb fingers. With a smile on her face she headed back into the forest. She knew that the sword itself proved her to be the right person for the job for it was a weapon of justice and it had chosen to help her fight Drazil.
Silver Sword Saga continued in The Great Magic War.
Riddle of the Stones
Let the praise of God be on their lips and a two-edged sword in their hand, to deal out vengeance to the nations and punishment on all the peoples.
Psalm 149: 6-7
Sunlight streamed through Fairy Wood’s eastern trees making the new fallen snow glitter like diamonds as Elmonrona, the fairy queen’s half-elvin monster hunter stepped out of a hut of tightly woven branches and into the icy morning. She squinted eyes as grey as the winter sky against the snow glare and pulled the hood of her forest green cloak over her ears, of which the right was pointed while the left was rounded giving her a lop-sided appearance. Walking with a sure step, she passed huts similar to her own as well as smaller fairy homes staggered up and down the larger trees, nestled in hollow spaces and holes made by woodpeckers.
After a few minutes she came to a place where the silvery trees opened to an expanse of flat ground covered in a sheet of snow broken here and there by blades of dead yellow grass. In the center of this meadow a group of fairies dressed in silver and white garments sat at a long table. Elmonrona glanced up and down the length of the table without seeing the person she sought. At one end of the table a tall fairy girl with locks of black hair held by a silvery net turned her intense blue eyes on Elmonrona. Smiling in recognition, she beckoned. Elmonrona stepped forward, stopped at her side and bowed.
“Light shine on you, Princess Vale,” Elmonrona greeted her.
“And on you, monster hunter,” replied Vale. Then she asked, “What brings you to the meadow so early in the day?”
“I am looking for the queen. I wish to report the details of the mission she sent me on yesterday.”
“The queen is attending to other business at the moment. I will tell her you were here when she returns.”
Elmonrona glanced at the other members of the fairy court watching her in silence from their seats at the table then asked, “May I speak with you privately?”
“Excuse me for just a minute,” said Vale, addressing the court.
She pushed back her chair and stood. Unfurling a pair of large gauzy wings she glided to the edge of the meadow and stopped below the first row of trees. Elmonrona followed on foot.
Once they were both shielded from view by the trees Vale whispered, “Did you find the thing that entered the forest?”
“I did,” Elmonrona replied. “I think the matter is far more complicated than we first realized.”
Vale narrowed her eyes then said, “Speak plainly.”
“Do you remember those notes I found when I was hunting the sorcerer Drazil?”
When Vale nodded she continued.
“I believe what entered the forest were two of his experiments, a shape-shifter and a human airwalker though how Drazil accomplished the later we may never know. It seems that the magic was fueling their abilities though it came from an external source and was not something they produced themselves.”
“Well that does sound like what we read in the notes but it in no way proves that Drazil was behind it,” said Vale. “How do you know it was him and not another magician using the same ideas?”
“I saw Drazil’s dragon flying over the forest just before I found the intruders. Also there was a group of mercenaries I questioned who confirmed they had been hired by Drazil. All these years after we thought the trail went cold, we have another chance at bringing Drazil to justice. When your mother returns would you please ask her to reassign me to that mission?”
“In my mind that mission will always be yours,” said Vale. Her eyes shone as she caught some of Elmonrona’s excitement. “Drazil never feared anyone like he feared you. I will carry your news to the queen. She will decide what must be done.”
“As is her right,” agreed Elmonrona bowing her head.
***
A couple hours later Elmonrona heard the smooth beat of large wings and sensed a powerful presence behind her. She turned as an elegant fairy with intense blue eyes wearing a silver gown tucked in her wings. Elmonrona stepped closer to her and bowed low. A tiara made of ice glinted atop the fairy’s silvery head as she turned her old yet unlined face toward Elmonrona.
“Vale told me of your discoveries and your request,” said the queen. “Though I think we should send someone after Drazil, unlike Vale I am not sure you would be my first choice for the job. You already failed me once.”
“I’m only asking that you give me a chance to redeem myself,” said Elmonrona. “The fact that I was once again the one to discover what he was after can’t be a coincident.”
“Vale has great faith in you and I trust her judgment. Plus you have been faithful in your duty of protecting the forest from monster attacks for several years. For those reasons I will give you one chance to prove yourself worthy.”
She produced a small pouch of red velvet and handed it to Elmonrona who opened it to reveal four small round colored stones.
“Take these to the source of the Farawad River,” said the queen. “If you can decipher the riddle of these stones and so unlock the secret of that place then you will be the one to go after Drazil. If you cannot, you must defer to another.”
Elmonrona pulled the drawstring closed and wrapped her fingers around the soft fabric.
“Understood.”
With an excited tingle lending her strength, Elmonrona bowed and set off in the direction of the river cutting through the center of the forest.
The water of the Farawad was covered by a thin layer of ice. The air beside the river was biting cold and even her constant movement couldn’t keep Elmonrona from feeling its chill. She pulled her cloak tighter around her body and pressed on, following the icy water upstream past bare branches and the dry darker patches beneath a few evergreens. By midday the ground grew steeper as it rose into the first row of foothills guarding the Emerald Mountains. During the afternoon she found herself climbing the slopes of the first mountain where the river was little more than a narrow stream. At last she reached the place where the spring feeding the mighty river flowed out of the side of the mountain.
Facing the stream, she poured the stones onto her right palm and examined them closer. The stones were smooth and unmarked. Each was a different color; one red, one blue, one green and one white. There was nothing very remarkable about them save that they were all solid colors without any streaks or patterns running through them. She rolled them around on her hand as she tried to understand their significance. Four stones each a different color. What did she know of with four parts each represented by a different color? An idea came to her and she smiled at the simplicity of it as she spoke the thought aloud.
“The stones represent the four major elements. Red is fire, blue is water, green is earth and white is air.”
She waited for some confirmation that she had found the answer but nothing happened. Frowning, she realized there must be more to the riddle. After all, why would she have to come all the way to the source of the Farawad just to find out the stones represented the elements?
Closing the stones in her fist she moved to look at the stream and the area surrounding it hoping it would reveal some clue. As she stepped onto a rise behind the spring, she slipped on a patch of ice. As she reached out to catch herself, her left hand landed on some long rocks whose shape felt like a cross. Kneeling beside the spot, she brushed away the snow, revealing a circle of tiny stones surrounding four longer rocks which formed a four pointed star. At the tip of each star point was a hollow about the size of the stones in her hand. The shape instantly reminded Elmonrona of a compass rose and she realized it was her job to figure out which color stood for which direction.
She opened her hand and hesitated for just a moment before taking a deep breath and reaching for the first stone. The color she lifted first was white. This she placed at the in the direction of north. White must stand for snow, she reasoned, and the ice lands of Imla lay in the far north. She place red in the position of south to represent the Sardi Desert which lay on the southern end of the main continent. Green she guessed was west because the Emerald Mountains lay west of all the human lands save a half-wild country called Algamar. That left blue to fill the eastern slot, which made sense since the ocean lay to the east past a kingdom called Caramyth.
As soon as she placed the last stone the rocks shifted apart and a long thin hole no more than a foot wide opened in the frozen ground. Sunlight glinted off a metallic object which lay hidden in that spot. Carefully Elmonrona pulled her newfound treasure out of the hole and looked it over. The object was a long broadsword which gleamed of polished silver in the sunlight. On the hilt and hand guard the metal twisted around itself forming a simple pattern. The sword was otherwise unadorned.
Elmonrona gasped as she realized that this was the Silver Sword she had heard about in legends. It was said to be the most magical weapon on the world of Irowasa, forged by dwarves out of silver blessed the Lord of Light Himself and given to the fairies for safe keeping. Elmonrona knew that being given the opportunity to wield it was the highest honor she would ever receive from the fairy queen. Getting to her feet she gave the sword an experimental swing and felt its energy sing through her body, renewing her strength and returning warmth to her numb fingers. With a smile on her face she headed back into the forest. She knew that the sword itself proved her to be the right person for the job for it was a weapon of justice and it had chosen to help her fight Drazil.
Silver Sword Saga continued in The Great Magic War.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
ABNA Quarterfinals
Well, my first YA novel, THE JERICHO EFFECT, made it into the Quarterfinals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award! To read my first couple chapters, click on the title of the book above to download them from Amazon. You may have to download Kindle software to read the excerpt because of some changes made for this year's contest. You can go to the contest website for more information. My goal for this contest was to make it at least as far as the Quarterfinals where I can now get some reader feedback. Also my entire manuscript will be reviewed by Publisher's Weekly! It's all very exciting.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Wikeon
I was really disappointed when I learned that because of the word count, the on-line preview of the Jericho Effect doesn't make it to the part where I introduce the character, Wikeon. For that reason I decided to post a couple scenes from an early draft of the book introducing you to Wikeon here on the blog. You may choose to read these scenes either before or after reading the preview. Wolfgang is the leader of the werewolf pack and Fang is his brother and second in command. When the scene opens Fang has gone into a human village to steal supplies for the pack.
-Rebekah
Fang was gone for a long time. As the sun sank lower in the west Wolfgang paced nervously. Finally a howl went up from one of the guards, signifying Fang’s return. Wolfgang heaved a sigh of relief as he walked to meet his brother.
Most of the pack ran to greet Fang. A murmur of surprise swept through the small crowd, and as they moved away, Wolfgang saw why. Fang was in his wolf form. On his back rode a small, dark skinned, ragged human boy who looked about seven years old. The boy raised a grubby hand and pushed dirty locks of shaggy black hair off his forehead revealing warm brown eyes. His other hand rested on a leather bag draped over Fang’s shoulder. The bag was filled with stolen items.
“What’s this?” Wolfgang demanded fiercely.
“The solution to one of our problems,” Fang replied. “The humans should be a little more willing to trust their own kind. The boy will be our thief.”
“Have you lost your mind?!” Wolfgang bellowed. “Do you seriously think the humans will forgive us for stealing one of their children?”
“He’s one of those orphans who live on the street,” said Fang, flexing his shoulders.
The boy slid off his back and stood, looking frightened and hugging the bag of Fang’s loot to his chest.
“I did him a favor,” Fang continued. “He would have starved living in the alley where I found him. Believe me, no one is going to miss him. Now we won’t have to put ourselves in danger by entering the villages. We’ll send him. As long as they don’t discover he’s a thief, he should be in no danger. Besides, since he’s one of them, he’ll be able to stay longer in the settlements and bring back more supplies than any of us ever could.”
“And what have you offered him in return?”
“A home with the pack and food.”
Wolfgang turned to the rest of the pack and asked, “What do all of you think of this?”
There was a mixed response. Some cried, “We don’t want a human in our camp, take him back where you found him!”
The boy moved closer to Fang.
Others said, “It’s a great idea. We won’t have to put ourselves in danger anymore, we’ll send a human! He can make up for the wrongs of his race by working for us.”
Wolfgang faced the boy.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Wikeon,” the boy replied.
“And Wikeon, are you prepared to earn your keep?”
“Yes sir, I am,” said Wikeon.
He met Wolfgang’s eyes with a look of determination. Wolfgang had to give him some credit for this, since he was not sure he would be so brave in Wikeon’s place.
Finally Wolfgang said, “Welcome to the pack.”
The other werewolves howled their welcome, Wikeon smiled timidly, and Fang whispered to Wolfgang, “You won’t be sorry.”
“I better not be!” Wolfgang snapped.
A few days later when the pack was again camped near a human village Fang brought Wikeon to a wooded valley from which they could see the settlement.
“All right, Wikeon,” said Fang. “It’s time for you to prove your worth. We need clothes for two men, three women, and a child. We could also use some more blankets and coats since winter’s coming. Don’t even bother returning without these things. I’ll wait for you here. When you get back I’ll check to make sure you got what we need. Now get going.”
“Right,” said Wikeon trying to match Fang’s serious look. “Should I get any food?”
Fang thought for a minute then answered, “Get some bread, fruit and vegetables if you can manage it. Don’t bother with meat. We hunt for that.”
“Okay,” said Wikeon.
He turned and ran toward the village while Fang melted into the shadows of the trees. Wikeon returned a few hours later wearing a large brown coat which was several sizes too big for him and munching on a plum. Fang stepped out from behind a pine tree and demanded, “Well, did you get everything?”
Holding the plum with his teeth, Wikeon unbuttoned the coat, pulled out a canvas sack and dumped it at Fang’s feet. He also emptied the pockets of the coat, shoving a few more plums, some apples, a zucchini and a cucumber into Fang’s arms. He then flopped down on the pine needle covered ground, finished his plum and tossed the pit at the trunk of a tree. While Fang set down the fruits and vegetables and sorted through the bag, Wikeon laced his fingers behind his head and lay back staring at the clouds skidding past behind the branches overhead.
After a minute Wikeon said, “It’s all there. I got everything you asked for and a little extra. Plus I got these to help me next time.”
He sat up, reached into an inner pocket of the coat and withdrew a few trade coins which could be used as currency in any of the four human kingdoms of Irowasa. Fang raised an eyebrow.
“How did you get those?” the werewolf asked.
Wikeon shrugged and said, “Some people don’t watch their pockets carefully enough.”
Fang smiled and replied, “I think we’ll keep you.”
-Rebekah
Fang was gone for a long time. As the sun sank lower in the west Wolfgang paced nervously. Finally a howl went up from one of the guards, signifying Fang’s return. Wolfgang heaved a sigh of relief as he walked to meet his brother.
Most of the pack ran to greet Fang. A murmur of surprise swept through the small crowd, and as they moved away, Wolfgang saw why. Fang was in his wolf form. On his back rode a small, dark skinned, ragged human boy who looked about seven years old. The boy raised a grubby hand and pushed dirty locks of shaggy black hair off his forehead revealing warm brown eyes. His other hand rested on a leather bag draped over Fang’s shoulder. The bag was filled with stolen items.
“What’s this?” Wolfgang demanded fiercely.
“The solution to one of our problems,” Fang replied. “The humans should be a little more willing to trust their own kind. The boy will be our thief.”
“Have you lost your mind?!” Wolfgang bellowed. “Do you seriously think the humans will forgive us for stealing one of their children?”
“He’s one of those orphans who live on the street,” said Fang, flexing his shoulders.
The boy slid off his back and stood, looking frightened and hugging the bag of Fang’s loot to his chest.
“I did him a favor,” Fang continued. “He would have starved living in the alley where I found him. Believe me, no one is going to miss him. Now we won’t have to put ourselves in danger by entering the villages. We’ll send him. As long as they don’t discover he’s a thief, he should be in no danger. Besides, since he’s one of them, he’ll be able to stay longer in the settlements and bring back more supplies than any of us ever could.”
“And what have you offered him in return?”
“A home with the pack and food.”
Wolfgang turned to the rest of the pack and asked, “What do all of you think of this?”
There was a mixed response. Some cried, “We don’t want a human in our camp, take him back where you found him!”
The boy moved closer to Fang.
Others said, “It’s a great idea. We won’t have to put ourselves in danger anymore, we’ll send a human! He can make up for the wrongs of his race by working for us.”
Wolfgang faced the boy.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Wikeon,” the boy replied.
“And Wikeon, are you prepared to earn your keep?”
“Yes sir, I am,” said Wikeon.
He met Wolfgang’s eyes with a look of determination. Wolfgang had to give him some credit for this, since he was not sure he would be so brave in Wikeon’s place.
Finally Wolfgang said, “Welcome to the pack.”
The other werewolves howled their welcome, Wikeon smiled timidly, and Fang whispered to Wolfgang, “You won’t be sorry.”
“I better not be!” Wolfgang snapped.
A few days later when the pack was again camped near a human village Fang brought Wikeon to a wooded valley from which they could see the settlement.
“All right, Wikeon,” said Fang. “It’s time for you to prove your worth. We need clothes for two men, three women, and a child. We could also use some more blankets and coats since winter’s coming. Don’t even bother returning without these things. I’ll wait for you here. When you get back I’ll check to make sure you got what we need. Now get going.”
“Right,” said Wikeon trying to match Fang’s serious look. “Should I get any food?”
Fang thought for a minute then answered, “Get some bread, fruit and vegetables if you can manage it. Don’t bother with meat. We hunt for that.”
“Okay,” said Wikeon.
He turned and ran toward the village while Fang melted into the shadows of the trees. Wikeon returned a few hours later wearing a large brown coat which was several sizes too big for him and munching on a plum. Fang stepped out from behind a pine tree and demanded, “Well, did you get everything?”
Holding the plum with his teeth, Wikeon unbuttoned the coat, pulled out a canvas sack and dumped it at Fang’s feet. He also emptied the pockets of the coat, shoving a few more plums, some apples, a zucchini and a cucumber into Fang’s arms. He then flopped down on the pine needle covered ground, finished his plum and tossed the pit at the trunk of a tree. While Fang set down the fruits and vegetables and sorted through the bag, Wikeon laced his fingers behind his head and lay back staring at the clouds skidding past behind the branches overhead.
After a minute Wikeon said, “It’s all there. I got everything you asked for and a little extra. Plus I got these to help me next time.”
He sat up, reached into an inner pocket of the coat and withdrew a few trade coins which could be used as currency in any of the four human kingdoms of Irowasa. Fang raised an eyebrow.
“How did you get those?” the werewolf asked.
Wikeon shrugged and said, “Some people don’t watch their pockets carefully enough.”
Fang smiled and replied, “I think we’ll keep you.”
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Beginning of a Rivalry
Today I'm going to share with you one of my favorite scenes from episode 1 of Quests which won the 2008 National Writers Association scholarship contest. In this scene the elvin princess, Beritta is asked by her teachers, the elders, to practice her fighting skills with a lower ranking elf named Oakley. Beritta is none to pleased thinking she will easily beat him. This is scene is the resulting skirmish.
Don't forget the Name That Creature Contest! is still going on. Also please check out Fedrick & Felnar's Interview so that we can do a question and answer session with them in the following weeks.
Now the story:
Beritta made a disgusted face as Oakley moved to stand beside her. As one of the highest of High Elves, she was expected to be an expert warrior, since she would some day lead other elves in battle. Turning her back on Oakley, Beritta followed one of the elders until they were out of Oakley’s earshot.
“Excuse me,” she said tugging on the elder’s robe. When he turned to face her she continued, “I think there’s been a mistake. You see the elf you partnered me with is a Wood Elf.”
“It’s not a mistake,” the elder replied. “I’d like you to work with Oakley.”
“But you know I’m one of the best fighters in the city,” Beritta argued. “I’ll beat him in no time and it won’t even be a challenge! You should find me a different partner, one who will put up a good fight.”
“I will not cater to your pride, princess,” said the elder. “If he is below your level you can help him improve.”
So Beritta grudgingly returned to Oakley, secretly vowing to go easy on him. She sized up his skinny body with an inward sigh. This would be far too easy.
“We’ll start with swords,” Beritta announced with a toss of her long hair.
Oakley nodded and picked a thin curved sword from the pile of weapons the elders provided. Beritta rummaged through this pile for a minute until she found her favorite practice sword. It was curved, like Oakley’s but with a small blade a few inches longer than her forearm. She swung it through the air experimentally, enjoying the whistling sound this made. Oakley stretched and sliced the air in front of him before moving into a ready position with his blade pointed straight in front of him. Beritta also took a ready stance.
Once all the pairs stood ready, an elder signaled them to begin. Beritta swung her sword forward but Oakley moved at the same moment, blocking her attack. The blades met with a metallic ring, sending up a shower of silver sparks like pixie dust. They pulled back and circled each other until Oakley jumped forward, forcing Beritta to block his blow. Beritta retaliated with a series of stabbing motions which Oakley parried, swinging his sword from side to side in a quick motion and starting the fight in earnest.
They wove in to deal blows and out to avoid the other’s weapon. Their movements were quick and graceful like a dance. Beritta loved the feel of the smooth motions and the fire in her blood which made her powerful. Usually she was faster and stronger than any elf she skirmished, but that day she found her opponent’s skill greater than she expected. Oakley was just as good as she was, moving his sword smoothly through the air in time with her.
As Oakley forced her to yield ground through a fierce attack, Beritta took back on her promise to go easy on him. With a two handed sweep of her sword, Beritta chopped at Oakley’s legs. He jumped back, giving her the space she needed to push herself into an offensive leap. Yelling, Beritta extended her sword, intending to smash the flat down on Oakley’s head, ending the fight. Positioning himself in a crouch, Oakley sliced upward using the force of Beritta’s leap to send her flying backward. Beritta felt the wind knocked out of her as she hit the ground and slid, raising a cloud of dust and pine needles.
By this time most of the other pairs stopped sparing and gathered to watch Beritta and Oakley. Beritta got to her feet and rubbed her sore scratched back. She glared at Oakley who held his sword in front of him with a calm air. With a shout Beritta charged. As she neared him, Oakley swung out his sword, slapping Beritta’s hand with the flat of the blade then swinging it beneath her weapon, disarming her. It was a complicated move only the best swordsmen knew. Beritta stared at Oakley, red faced and humiliated. She, Beritta, princess of elves had been beaten by a Wood Elf.
An elder standing nearby raised an eyebrow then clapped. Beritta and Oakley both turned in surprise. A mighty cheer went up from the watching elf children.
Exasperated, Beritta faced Oakley again and yelled, “All right, I admit it, you’re better than I am! I QUIT!”
She stormed off leaving Oakley confused and partnerless.
Don't forget the Name That Creature Contest! is still going on. Also please check out Fedrick & Felnar's Interview so that we can do a question and answer session with them in the following weeks.
Now the story:
Beritta made a disgusted face as Oakley moved to stand beside her. As one of the highest of High Elves, she was expected to be an expert warrior, since she would some day lead other elves in battle. Turning her back on Oakley, Beritta followed one of the elders until they were out of Oakley’s earshot.
“Excuse me,” she said tugging on the elder’s robe. When he turned to face her she continued, “I think there’s been a mistake. You see the elf you partnered me with is a Wood Elf.”
“It’s not a mistake,” the elder replied. “I’d like you to work with Oakley.”
“But you know I’m one of the best fighters in the city,” Beritta argued. “I’ll beat him in no time and it won’t even be a challenge! You should find me a different partner, one who will put up a good fight.”
“I will not cater to your pride, princess,” said the elder. “If he is below your level you can help him improve.”
So Beritta grudgingly returned to Oakley, secretly vowing to go easy on him. She sized up his skinny body with an inward sigh. This would be far too easy.
“We’ll start with swords,” Beritta announced with a toss of her long hair.
Oakley nodded and picked a thin curved sword from the pile of weapons the elders provided. Beritta rummaged through this pile for a minute until she found her favorite practice sword. It was curved, like Oakley’s but with a small blade a few inches longer than her forearm. She swung it through the air experimentally, enjoying the whistling sound this made. Oakley stretched and sliced the air in front of him before moving into a ready position with his blade pointed straight in front of him. Beritta also took a ready stance.
Once all the pairs stood ready, an elder signaled them to begin. Beritta swung her sword forward but Oakley moved at the same moment, blocking her attack. The blades met with a metallic ring, sending up a shower of silver sparks like pixie dust. They pulled back and circled each other until Oakley jumped forward, forcing Beritta to block his blow. Beritta retaliated with a series of stabbing motions which Oakley parried, swinging his sword from side to side in a quick motion and starting the fight in earnest.
They wove in to deal blows and out to avoid the other’s weapon. Their movements were quick and graceful like a dance. Beritta loved the feel of the smooth motions and the fire in her blood which made her powerful. Usually she was faster and stronger than any elf she skirmished, but that day she found her opponent’s skill greater than she expected. Oakley was just as good as she was, moving his sword smoothly through the air in time with her.
As Oakley forced her to yield ground through a fierce attack, Beritta took back on her promise to go easy on him. With a two handed sweep of her sword, Beritta chopped at Oakley’s legs. He jumped back, giving her the space she needed to push herself into an offensive leap. Yelling, Beritta extended her sword, intending to smash the flat down on Oakley’s head, ending the fight. Positioning himself in a crouch, Oakley sliced upward using the force of Beritta’s leap to send her flying backward. Beritta felt the wind knocked out of her as she hit the ground and slid, raising a cloud of dust and pine needles.
By this time most of the other pairs stopped sparing and gathered to watch Beritta and Oakley. Beritta got to her feet and rubbed her sore scratched back. She glared at Oakley who held his sword in front of him with a calm air. With a shout Beritta charged. As she neared him, Oakley swung out his sword, slapping Beritta’s hand with the flat of the blade then swinging it beneath her weapon, disarming her. It was a complicated move only the best swordsmen knew. Beritta stared at Oakley, red faced and humiliated. She, Beritta, princess of elves had been beaten by a Wood Elf.
An elder standing nearby raised an eyebrow then clapped. Beritta and Oakley both turned in surprise. A mighty cheer went up from the watching elf children.
Exasperated, Beritta faced Oakley again and yelled, “All right, I admit it, you’re better than I am! I QUIT!”
She stormed off leaving Oakley confused and partnerless.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)