Tag: writing

Work-In-Progress Wednesdays #34

Featured Ariel Paiement

This is a sneak peek at a short story I’m working on for a short story collection that I hope to publish in 2021. I know, a while out, but I like to get a head start so I can make sure everything is finished on schedule. Anyway, this one is about Enlil, a storm god in an alternate universe who has kidnapped a princess who is supposed to be his Chosen, the one to keep him steady and complete him. Things are…not working out as planned. (But really, when do they ever, right?)

~~~

ENLIL watched Nunael from across the table. She wouldn’t lift her gaze from her food, and they had already passed most of the meal dancing around any real conversation. In fact, she had spent most of her words on avoiding any conversation with him at all. He hadn’t envisioned things going like this. His Chosen was supposed to obey and to adore him, and he was to love and to protect her. Had the ring chosen wrong this time? In his long lifetime, it never had. Still, this mulish, raven-haired slip of a woman wasn’t anything like the others the ring had chosen in the previous millenium. He tightened his grip on his cutlery. He’d been happy with all of the previous Chosen. What was the ring doing? Changing up a working system was madness. He frowned down at the ring, and the ruby set into the intricate metal band stared back, winking in the light. He looked up at the girl again.

She picked at her food with a groan. “Why do you insist on staring at me?”

His scowl deepened. “Why do you insist on giving me a headache?”

She snorted. “I’m not a telepath, so I can’t possibly give you a headache.”

“You most certainly can. There are ways to do it without using any magic, and you certainly have managed it in the short time since you came here.”

“Since you kidnapped me, you mean.” She returned to picking at her food, and candlelight flickered over her high cheekbones.

“You came willingly.”

“I came because I had to.”

“You still chose to come. And is it really that miserable here? Have I hurt you in any way?”

“Not yet.”

His grip on the silverware turned vise-like, and shocks flickered over his forearms. He forced himself to take a deep breath and to calm down. “I’m not going to. Do you know what a Chosen is?”

“An individual sacrifices to a god to act as a consort and a tie between mortal and immortal.” She pushed her plate away. “How is this relevant?”

“You are my vessel’s chosen.”

She sat back and slumped down in her chair with a huff of breath. Disbelief, judging by the expression on her elfen features. “Your vessel’s chosen?”

“The Chosen are picked by the ancestors of the deity.”

She frowned at that but didn’t ask the question that was obvious on her face.

He answered anyway. “We’re not really immortal. But it takes someone or something as strong as we are to kill us.”

“And if you aren’t killed?”

“We live for a long time.”

She stared out at the torch-lit courtyard below their window. “How old are you, then?”

“Old enough. You?”

“Eighteen.” She still didn’t look at him.

He watched her, curiosity warring with irritation. This was the least intractable she’d been so far. But even now, she looked for an escape from his presence. “You know you’re stuck here, right? Stuck in this palace with me…”

Her golden eyes finally shifted to him. Still, she didn’t answer, and stubbornness glinted in that shadowed gaze.

He stood and stalked over to her, pulling her to her feet. “You can’t go. Ever.”

Her gaze lowered, shut him out and blocked his words. “So you have said.”

What would it take for her to get it? He yanked her into his arms and caged her in his embrace. “I mean it. Until you and I are Bound and become one, this place will not let you leave.”

She tore from his grip with a mournful, angered cry. “You lie!”

“I don’t.” He crossed his arms. “Test it if you like. But you’ll only prove me right, Princess. Save us both the trouble and accept your fate.”

“Never.” She spun on her heel and fled out the door, her dress fluttering around her ankles.

He watched her go before shoving his hands into his pockets and following behind her. She rushed down the hall to the grand staircase. There, she paused and looked back. Her gaze caught on him, and she froze for a moment. Then she took off again, all but tumbling down the stairs in her haste. He didn’t rush. Why do that when he didn’t need to? She’d see soon enough.

They ended up in the gardens on the border of the castle’s wall. She stepped out of the gate in the wall, and Enlil waited by the burbling fountain. Moments later, she reappeared beside him, stumbling a bit. A confused whimper escaped her, and he steadied her. She tore her arm from his grip and sank to the grass surrounding his fountain. Her tiny frame trembled. “Go away! You won, so just leave me alone.”

He chewed on his inner cheek and crouched down beside her. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

He didn’t know. He just felt terrible about the pain she was in, and he wanted to alleviate it. He reached out to take her hand then pulled back. She wouldn’t welcome his touch. Not right now.

She kept her face turned away from him. “This is your fault. You’re not really sorry for anything. You just feel guilty.”

He wanted to be angry with her, but she was right. He didn’t know what he was sorry for, and he did feel guilty. It was, in some ways, his fault. But not entirely. He stood and glared down at the ring on his ring finger. The ring had chosen her, not him. The ring had decided this headstrong, unsubmissive, and angry woman would be the best match for him. He tore the infernal thing off his finger and threw it into the grass. “If I had my way, I never would have brought you here at all. You’re not what I need, and you’re not what I was hoping for.”

She laughed bitterly. “Then go away! Leave me be. I don’t want you either, so I guess that makes us even. At least we can agree on that.”

He shook his head with a sneer and stalked off. Cursed ring and its wretched judgment. Next time, he’d rather be damned for eternity in the fiery pits of Aratroth’s furnace than let the ring pick another ill-matched, ill-mannered wench. He’d choose his own woman next time, and his ancestors could just suck it up and deal with it. He could make his own decisions.

~~~

Well, that’s it for now, everyone! Hope you guys enjoyed. What are you working on? If you’d like, you can share it in the comments below! I’d love to hear from everyone.

Flash Fiction Fridays – Thuriel’s Dagger

Featured Ariel Paiement

This week’s flash fiction is about the forging of the dagger from Revelar’s Queen. Enjoy!

~~~

Thuriel bent close over the glowing silver in its crucible. Bubbles formed and popped on the surface. It was almost time. Soon he would forge the blade that would protect his descendants, the blade that would destroy her. The Seelie Queen who had taken everything from him. His soulmate, his throne, and his people. This dagger would take it all back and inflict the same pain on her. With each descendant who held it, it would grow in strength, in the thirst for revenge. His descendants would ruin her even if he couldn’t.

He plunged his hand into the boiling silver, wrapping his hand in a cocoon of magic and blending the magic into the silver. When it glowed and sparked with his power, he removed his hand and let the silver bubble in its crucible over the fire a little longer. Then he removed it and brought it over to cast the dagger. 

Each movement was precise, and he took each with care as if he were crafting the subtlest of masterpieces. He whistled to himself as he worked, continued to imbue it with his power throughout the entire process and ended the process with a final blow of the hammer. The dagger lay on the anvil, gleaming under the light, and he placed one last piece into it. Heating up the handle, he warmed the metal until it would give under his hammer. Then he embedded a single uncut ruby into it. This was the tricky part. He reached deep inside, grabbed a part of his soul and tore it away from the rest forcefully.

His body convulsed, and he screamed in agony, but he gritted his teeth and continued. This had to be done if the dagger was to guide his descendants. He directed the piece of his soul into the ruby and bound it there. Finished at last, he sagged to his knees on the ground and rested his head against the table. It was finished.

~~~

That’s it for this week, everyone! Have something you’d like to see on Flash Fiction Fridays? Feel free to leave the suggestion in the comments!

Work-In-Progress Wednesdays #32

Featured Ariel Paiement

This week, I have a scene from Pathway of the Moon’s most recent chapter. I’ve got ten chapters to go in this monolith of a book! Super excited to have the end in sight. This has been my most rigorous project yet, and the sequel promises to be even more complex in its plot and the execution of that plot. Lots of threads are going to be woven into the story’s tapestry, and it’ll be interesting to pull them all together as things continue on through the story. Hopefully I have the skill to pull it off. But only time will tell!

~~~

ALRIAN and Brennan stared down at the blackened, charred path through the grain field. She couldn’t believe the amount of destruction this one creature was capable of. Of course, they had some destructive animals on Alcardia, but most of them were shy or reclusive, and they rarely caused much trouble even if they were capable of it.

Brennan put his hands on her hips with a groan. “This thing is certainly determined to leave a trail behind it.”

“It’s almost as if the creature wants us to find it.” Alrian leaned back into his chest. “Do you think it hurt any villagers this time?”

He raised an arm and pointed to the village nestled in all of the fields. “I don’t think so. The village is still in one piece, and it shows all the usual signs of life.”

She watched the smoke trail up from chimneys and nodded. Her Bond was probably right. He usually was. She craned her neck to look up at him. “You know, I’m very glad I don’t have to track this thing alone.”

“You would find it just fine on your own, especially if this thing were to continue leaving a trail this conspicuous.”

She turned her gaze back to the charred path through the fields with a sigh. “Why would it leave such an obvious path, Brennan? What do you think it wants?”

“No way of knowing.” He ran his fingers through her hair and turned her to face him. “But I think we’re going to find out. Together, as usual.”

She grinned. “Yes, yes, we are. That thing is going to wish it never stepped through that Pathway.”

“Don’t be hasty, love. Besides terrifying some villagers and terrorizing the local livestock population, it hasn’t actually hurt anything.”

“You’re forgetting the field.”

He snorted. “It didn’t burn the whole thing down. Just a small portion of it. Doesn’t really count.”

She smacked his shoulder. “Brennan! That’s someone’s livelihood.”

“You’re right, you’re right.” He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Don’t hurt me over it!” 

“Well, alright. This once, I’ll let it go, Captain.” She grinned up at him, not wanting to miss a chance to give him a hard time now that he was running the Imperial Knights.

He dipped his head until his lips almost brushed hers. Almost. But he didn’t close the last little bit of distance, the tease. She whined, but he only laughed. “Isn’t it High Imperial Knight now?”

“Why, sir, I didn’t know you were such a stickler for formality.” She smirked, her hands inching up his back to rest against his shoulders. She had to stand on her toes to reach, but he put his hands on her waist and steadied her, making the task easier.

“You’re the one who’s using formalities and titles.” His breath fanned over her face, and a shiver slipped down her spine. “Although, I’m not objecting.”

She bit her lip and lowered her gaze. “So, you’d accept any nickname I came up with, husband?”

“It would depend. But I haven’t heard one I didn’t like yet.” He finally dipped his head and claimed her lips for a breathless moment. “And I don’t think I will. Not if you give it with affection.”

She tried to hold back her smile and her laughter, but in the end it bubbled out. She dropped back to a flat-footed position and rested her forehead against his chest. Brennan always knew just what to say. He was always there, supporting and listening. He’d even kept her secret for her when he could’ve chosen to turn her in. After finding out she’d lied to him, he would’ve had every right. But instead, he’d loved her as much as her false identity allowed and kept the rest of his love to himself. Until now. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tight. “Thank you.”

He held her close too. “For what?”

“For caring.” She lifted her head. “For being you. For everything you do for me.”

He stroked her cheek with one large hand. “Anything for you, my love. Now, let’s get going. We have a creature to catch, and it isn’t waiting around. The sooner we catch it, the sooner we get to return to a warm bed and something besides hard tack.”

She pulled away and flipped her braid over her shoulder. “You love hard tack. It’s the best on-the-road food there is. Your words, not mine.”

He groaned. “I never said that. And why would you think I love hard tack?”

“You always ate my share and yours in our army days.”

“Only because you gave it to me. I was doing you a service.”

“A service?”

“The sergeant used to check up on everyone to make sure they ate their share. Do you know how many men got in trouble for not sticking to ration or for wasting their ration? I risked a good caning for you.”

“How come he never checked my share?”

Brennan gave her a sheepish grin. “Well, I may have told him I was taking your portion when you weren’t hungry.”

“You told Sergeant Croops that?” She stopped and stared at him.

“Yes.”

“And he didn’t turn your back black and blue?”

“No. But he told me if I didn’t finish both portions, I’d get two canings for taking an extra share and wasting it.”

“I can’t believe you did that!” She shook her head with a laugh. “So you didn’t really like hard tack?”

“No. I hated the stuff, to be honest.”

She chortled, wiping tears from her eyes. “I never knew.”

“Don’t laugh about my pain, woman! That was three years of misery while we were deployed out in the middle of nowhere.”

She dropped back to walk beside him, leaning into his side with a smile. “I won’t, I won’t. Thank you for eating double your share to save me from Sergeant Croops’ wrath.”

“You’re welcome. Glad to know you appreciate it. Later, you’d better show me just how much you appreciate it too. A massage and a hot meal sound nice.”

Her lips curved up in a smile. When they got to a village that had an inn to stay in for the night, she’d make sure they acquired a hot meal and the nicest bed she could find. And she’d pay for it out of her salary. If he wanted that and a massage, he’d have it. It was the least she could do for him. He’d given her so much, and she wanted him to know how much that meant. “You’ve got it.”

~~~

That’s it for this week’s WIP Wednesday. What are you guys working on? Feel free to share in the comments!

Sunday Sub-Genres: Flintlock Fantasy

Featured Ariel Paiement

Introduction

Most of us know what steampunk and Victorian fantasy is, but I’m guessing most of us haven’t heard of flintlock fantasy. To be honest, I myself hadn’t prior to researching different fantasy genres to discuss for Sunday Sub-Genres. It isn’t one of the more commonly known or widely spread genres in fantasy, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a style of fantasy that appeals to readers and writers alike, so we’d be amiss if we skipped it. Let’s get started!

Defining Flintlock Fantasy

Simply put, flintlock fantasy is fantasy written in a setting with all of the bells and whistles of the early stages of the Industrial Revolution. It received its name because the firearms’ advancement level is usually right around the flintlock stage of gun development. A creative name? Maybe not. But it does serve its purpose. Politically speaking, the scene is more attuned with Napoleonic-era Europe than you see in most fantasy stories, which typically use a more Middle Ages-style structure. So you’re going to see a rise of industry and industrial buildings as well as more technology. This makes things interesting, as you’ll see when you read through the next section of the post.

Writing Flintlock Fantasy

Now we get to the interesting part. We mostly know what to write and expect in typical fantasy genres, but flintlock fantasy is a whole different beast from what we’ve tackled in previous posts on fantasy sub-genres. Still, it makes for some fun combinations in story-telling, so let’s get into it!

Magic

We’re going to start here because this part is pretty unique to flintlock fantasy or any fantasy book that has a more developed society. Magic use can be all over the place in these books. Some have very high magic use while others really don’t. Some may keep the magic hidden away from general society while others may allow it out in the open. But here’s the thing. When you can easily gun down the mage with no magic of your own, things tend to shift in the power balance here. People with magic are no longer the only ones with an edge. They may use the magic to do many things, but if technology can do those same thing or do them more efficiently, then that leaves magic-users with an option: adapt or die in obscurity. Keep in mind that one of the most interesting things in flintlock fantasy is the way the authors end up combining magic and gunpowder. That can create some very interesting combinations and effects. So if you’re writing this genre, you’re going to do some serious thinking about magic and how you want to include it because this is one of the hardest decisions you’ll probably make regarding this type of fantasy.

Society

Here’s a critical one. Flintlock fantasy is set in a society on the cusp of some amazing inventions and changes, as well as some not so great ones. One way of life is slowly dying to give way for another, and depending on how you choose to tell the story, your tale will reflect that. It won’t have much of a choice because of the nature of flintlock fantasy. This opens the door for remarking, through the use of fiction, on the horrors of trends in society as technology began to really barrel forward. It allows writers a chance to make a commentary on history and on what may happen to us in the future because of it. 

Steam Power

Okay, this is a little of a weird one to include, but it’s also really important. You might be tempted to think at this point that this isn’t much different from steampunk besides maybe focusing more on flintlock innovations and what not. But that’s actually very far from the truth. While an argument could be made that these two are closely-related cousins, flintlock fantasy is not steampunk fantasy. So no steam-powered machines of gears and cogs that can do wild things. If it was an actual invention during the time period flintlock is based on, it’s probably fine. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t have anything steam-powered, but it shouldn’t be prominent or the focus because then you’d be writing steampunk, not flintlock fantasy.

Change and Military Might

Remember how I said your society is on the cusp of change? Well, it’s not just technology that changes. When technology changes, everything does. Your warfare tactics have to adapt. Your society alters to adapt to the new amenities and struggles. Most of us probably don’t even realize just how wide-spread the influence of technology is in our lives, and even though the technology in this case will just be gaining the first bit of momentum in a flintlock fantasy’s society, it’s going to create ripples. Nothing is going to be able to remain as it was, especially when it comes to guns and new weapons.

This means that flintlock fantasy often focuses on themes of change or military.

Plot

Flintlock fantasy is one of those sub-genres that has very high plot complexity. Because it draws on readers’ understanding of history, the time spent setting up the world is not as heavy as it would be for other types of fantasy. As such, more time is then devoted to the plot and making it full of action and battle. Since military is often a theme in flintlock fantasy, it’s quite usual to find that flintlock fantasy is more focused on a linear plot surrounding soldiers or military characters of some sort. Things are still changing in this genre, but one of the best ways to explain the plot is to say it’s high-powered. Lots of momentum, lots of forward movement. That’s going to be important if you want to write in this genre. There’s room for you to make it your own, of course, but these are some guidelines generally used for the genre.

Conclusion

Flintlock fantasy can be a lot of fun for the right writers. But it’s also specific in its requirements. If you want to have dwarves facing off against elves with bows, arrows, and swords, well… That’s not going to work in a flintlock fantasy for obvious reasons. They’re going to die because they’ll be up against guns, not bows and arrows, when they face off against the enemy. If you want to write this genre, I cannot stress enough how important it is to read books in the genre! These books can be pretty high violence and can get dark depending on the theme of change that’s focused on or what type of military themes are brought in. But if this is what you want to write, you absolutely must read it! I’ve included some recommendations below.

Brent Weeks’ works in particular are ones I’ve read some of, and I feel he’s a good author to learn from. Reviews are mixed, and there were certainly some things that weren’t the best about some of his earlier work, but he had a good grasp on how to write flintlock style fantasy. His societies are definitely ones on the cusp of change, and the one book I read through entirely (first in the Night Angel Trilogy) had very strong political and military themes. You don’t see as much of the guns side of things, but you definitely get an industrial revolution feel from it.

Sanderson is another very good author to learn from. I personally have learned a great deal from dissecting his work to learn from it, and I highly recommend you read his work, regardless of what sub-genre of fantasy you want to write. He’s a must-read fantasy author in my opinion, and you rob yourself of some seriously useful learning opportunities if you don’t take the time to read his work and digest it. His Mistborn series, Elantris, or Warbreaker are great places to start.

If you’re more of the epic fantasy sort, I can’t recommend his Stormlight Archives more highly. You’ll learn more about writing fantasy, phenomenal world-building, and superb characterization from reading his work and looking at what he does than you will from a lot of writing guides. Almost everything I know and nearly every technique I utilize for world-building in my novels came from what I learned reading the Stormlight Archives. I’ve since added to that knowledge, of course, but I haven’t seen a more valuable example of how to use extensive world-building well than I have in his work.

Further Resources and Reading

Brent Weeks’ Night Angel and Lightbringer series (Two separate series. Based on what I’ve read from Weeks, I don’t recommend this for kids. It would be best if readers are fifteen or sixteen at least because it gets pretty violent and has language.)

Brandon Sanderson’s Alloy of the Law (Sanderson is a phenomenal fantasy author to learn from! If you only read one book on the list here, read his. His books are generally suitable for those fourteen and up.)

*Bradley P. Beaulieu’s Lays of Anuskaya

*Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

*Michael A. Stackpole’s At the Queen’s Command

Work-In-Progress Wednesdays #30

Ariel Paiement

This week’s main work-in-progress has been Pathway of the Moon. With eleven chapters left to a total of sixty chapters, this books has been a major undertaking. It’s the longest project I’ve ever worked on, and it’s hard to believe that, a little more than a year after I started it, it’ll be finished, at least in its rough draft form. I’m really excited! This week’s WIP section comes from the last chapter I completed.

~~~

LEO rubbed his eyes and stared at the pages in front of him. They’d come no closer to answers with their night of studying than they were the day before. Books and scrolls donated to their work by the scholars from the Argos Records Library and their new friends among the Disciples of Rith lay scattered everywhere. Amadeira had fallen asleep at some point, her head resting atop one of the smaller tomes they’d received. He sighed and set aside the diary.

He’d learned a great deal more about the things he was, supposedly, capable of, but in all that searching, nothing to explain the problems with the Pathway. His blood should have opened it. And it had, but now the Pathway was broken, allowing no further travel to and from their world. He’d discovered only one thing in all his searching. 

Pages were missing from the diary. Who knew what they’d contained or where they’d gone. Maybe they were another prophecy. Maybe another explanation to help him, the Son of Shadows, find his true path. But so far, he just felt like his head might explode, and he wanted to throw the book across the room.

He stood and rubbed his temples. Maybe fresh air would help. He glanced over at Amadeira. Still asleep. She shivered slightly in the draft coming from the window. He walked over and latched it shut before snatching a blanket from the seat beneath it. Then he returned to Amadeira and settled the warm, scratchy wool over her sleeping frame. She whimpered but didn’t wake up.

Satisfied with that, he left her to sleep and meandered out into the halls. His aimless walk led him to the gardens, the still crisp air of early morning washing over him. He settled onto a bench with a sigh. All the things he’d learned about himself and the frustratingly elusive solution he needed permeated his mind, refused to let him relax. Two days of searching for nothing. Leo buried his head in his hands with a groan. What good did it do him to know he could use the shadows to teleport or that he could quite literally touch another person’s soul with them if he was unable to solve the issue they most needed to solve?

“You look restless.”

He glanced up to find his mother staring at him with arms crossed. “What are you doing up so early?”

“I’ve been an early riser for quite some time.” She settled beside him. “But you were too busy dispensing justice to others to notice.”

He frowned. “What?”

She fixed him with a stern gaze. “Did you think I had no idea what you were doing? What you were trained to do?”

His frown deepened. “You mean you knew the whole time?”

“Suspected at least. And when you went traipsing off on some secret mission, I guessed the rest. They’re saying you defeated Kiarhsu while you were away. The least you could have done was tell me the truth.”

He sighed. “I couldn’t. They wouldn’t allow it.”

“Before that, you could’ve.”

“I didn’t want you involved.”

She smiled and took his hands in hers. “I know you didn’t. I just wish you hadn’t gone through everything alone. I heard from Amadeira that the king’s making you his liaison with the nobility.”

He nodded. 

“So what has you so down?”

“Honestly?” He sighed. “Too many things.”

“Very well.” His mother squeezed his hands and stood. “Walk with me, and tell me what you can about it.”

He complied with a worn out smile. “Where to start?”

“How about with the trip? I’m certain that’s where some of these troubles are stemming from.”

He laughed sadly. “Yes, some of them. Actually, most of them.”

“What’s troubling you most?”

“The Pathway. We found it, and I opened it because I wasn’t given a choice.”

“Weren’t given a choice?”

“Well, when it’s between letting the one who owns your heart die and saving them by sacrificing yourself to open a Pathway… What would you do?”

She smiled. “You love that girl a great deal. A very large change from when you first met her.”

“I was just trying to protect her back then.”

His mother snorted. “You just didn’t want to pull anyone else into your fight. You were afraid of getting attached and losing her.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fine. That was part of it. But that’s beside the point. The point is, I couldn’t let her die just to avoid opening that Path. So I let it happen. We barely made it out alive, and this time, she saved me. But ever since I went undercover out there, I’ve been finding more and more things that unsettle me.”

“Like what?”

“Well, first of all, I’m the object of numerous prophecies written by Queen Bane of Ashkarith. Did you know that?”

She raised a brow. “Is that accusation I hear in your voice?”

He glared at her. “Mother, for the love of Albrith! Did you or not? I’m having an existential crisis here. I don’t need to add to it.”

She patted his arm with a sweet smile. “I didn’t know anything about it, no. Your father suspected your potential back when you returned from the woods that night at six. But he never confirmed those suspicions.”

“He confirmed them,” Leo muttered.

“The night you killed him?”

“You knew about that too? Why am I not surprised?”

“I know more about you and your life than you realize. So, you opened the Path?”

“And now it doesn’t work. I’m supposed to figure out why using the diary and books given to me by the Disciples of Rith and the king’s scholars. But I can’t find anything. All I’ve done is uncover the ways my power can be used and all the ways it can go wrong.”

“Go wrong?”

“Plainly put, I need a tether of some sort. I need to be grounded the same way the strongest of those with Controdene abilities do. Even though mine isn’t a mental power, it could still consume me if I’m not careful, and my tether pulls me back from the edge of insanity.”

“That tether is Deira.”

He swallowed and scuffed a foot through the gravel of the path before lifting his head to watch the rising sun. “I think so. I can’t be sure, but she was able to bring me back from the edge of death back in Dubarin. My powers were consuming me and my mind, and she followed me into the dreamscape I was in.”

“Does she know what her part in this is?”

He shook his head and shoved his hands into his pockets. He still hadn’t brought it up with her. Didn’t know how to, if he was honest. How would he tell her that she was in the prophecies right alongside him? That she would be the difference between his salvation or damnation of himself and all of Alcardia.

~~~

Hope you all enjoyed! What have you all been working on? Did anyone finish out their NaNoWriMo projects? I did, though I didn’t manage to finish all of the things I was working on when I started. However, the important thing is that I met my goal of writing at least 50,000 words in November!

As always, feel free to share bits of whatever you’ve been working on or to offer feedback to others here. Just remember to keep everything polite and friendly.

Saturday Setup – Magic: Effects on Development

Ariel Paiement

Introduction

Last time, on Saturday Setups, we talked about different systems of magic. This week, we’re going to talk about the effect of magic on development. This is quite an expansive topic, and I could give many, many examples. But I’ll do my best to keep it short and to the point. The concepts and things you need to think about may vary depending on your world, but the general direction should be roughly the same. 

Development

First, let me explain what I mean by development. Development here is the development of society in any area that magic in your world might be usable. If magic can replace an innovation in our world, that’s an area of development. This is important because there are quite a few areas that magic can affect. 

Areas of Impact

Alright, let’s dive into the main point of this article. Magic impacts many things about the world your characters live in. For example, if everyone is capable of teleporting wherever they need to go, there wouldn’t be much use for cars or other transportation devices. These are the kinds of things you have to think about. Let’s consider some of the areas that magic can have an impact.

Technology

Obviously, I already pointed out one example of how technology can be impacted by magic, but really, the possibilities are limitless. There may be specific areas of technology that simply never develop because magic takes their place. Why use an engine made of metal and parts if you can power a car off a magically imbued crystal? Why bother with a stove if you’re able to boil water with a thought? There are so many things that either society or individuals may never need or use simply because of magic. Depending on whether or not a specific magical ability is wide-spread in society, you may have parts of technology that develop but are only used by a certain subset of people. This could, of course, lead to divisions between classes based on magic too.

Social Development

Magic can often impact societal development as well. A natural hierarchy can appear depending on the kind of magic most common and the system it naturally promotes. If some people are naturally more powerful than others magically speaking, this leads to a system starting with the strongest and moving down the line to the weakest. Given that it’s human nature to group, categorize, and label, it stands to reason that at some point, those groups and labels might be used to keep one group or another down or even as a prejudice that people justify because of the group they’ve assigned other individuals to. Cliques and prejudice toward those of a lower class or those who are different has been seen in just about every society on the face of planet Earth. So, it stands to reason that magic could end up being a tool people use to divide themselves and to keep the “lower class” down. 

Exploration and Science

If people are viewing the world through the lens of magic, what would they be capable of discovering that we cannot? Would they be able to see more of the universe than we do? Would their methods of exploration and their approach to science be completely different? There’s no way of knowing for sure what might be different here, so as the writer, you have to use your creative thinking to come up with things that might change because of the system of magic you have chosen to employ in your world. Since every system is different, no one answer will be right in every situation. The things that have to be altered from our methods and exploration of the world around us will vary based on the magic available, so it’s important for you to think through that one on your own to make sure your changes fit your system.

Conclusion

These are, as I said, only a few of the ways magic can have an impact on a world and those living in it. There are certainly more ways and more areas that magic can impact. But these are the ones I consider to be the most major in their impact on society and your characters. Have another area you can think of or something to add? Or do you have questions about this topic? Feel free to ask in the comments below!

Mindfire – Worldviews in Writing

Featured Ariel Paiement

Introduction

Okay, guys! So, this book review is a little bit of a different fantasy sub-genre than I’ve reviewed in the past. Hunter and Shifter were both more allegorical fantasy or high fantasy. This one is superhero fantasy. If you don’t know what that is, you can take a look at my Sunday Sub-Genres post on it here.

Normally, I’m not much for superhero books, honestly, so when Allen asked me if I did book reviews on my blog–which I do–and asked me if I’d be willing to review Mindfire, I was kind of a little bit… Hesitant. Yeah, I know. I read a lot, and so why would I be hesitant about this? Well, my family and good friends will attest to the fact that I seriously have a thing against superhero movies on the whole. I watch very few of them. Sorry to those of you out there who adore the genre! I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it, obviously. I’m just saying I don’t enjoy it. Doctor Strange and the very rare episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D when my family has it on is the extent of my superhero movie or show watching.

Given that, you might understand why I didn’t really feel overly excited about Mindfire. More like, cautiously curious. I knew Allen was a Christian author though, so I was really interested to see how he would handle superpowers and weaving God into his stories. I was pretty happy with what I got. So, that said, let’s get into the reader’s review first, and then we’ll talk about the writer’s side of it.

Reader’s Review

As I said above, I wasn’t jumping with excitement over reading Mindfire. I approached the book with curiosity because it wasn’t my usual genre. However, since I’d just finished blogging about superhero fantasy, I thought it would be a great example for my blog’s review section to help those looking to write this kind of fantasy.

As a reader, I found that I did have a bit of trouble getting into the story at first. I guess just because I don’t usually enjoy the genre. It also didn’t help that my reading time often consists of ten minutes snatched before work shifts or on a break from grading papers. So not all of the attention issues stemmed from the book. However, once I was into the book, I did enjoy it a lot more. I was invested in the characters and wanted to see what would happen to them.

Allen used a varied approach in how people had powers and why, which I appreciated. Some of the superheros were your typical, my powers just showed up or I had an accident and they manifested, kind of superhero. But others were genetic, like the werecats and werefoxes. One of my biggest complaints about superhero-themed books and movies is that they generally tend to develop the powers because they were in some freak accident or something. Obviously, that doesn’t hold true in every case, but things get pretty predictable after a while in the genre. Because that’s one of my biggest pet peeves about the genre, I was extremely happy to see that Allen didn’t do that. The story, while it may have highlighted superpowers, did not tell the typical story you see in the superhero genre.

One noticeable difference I saw was the characterization. Often, superhero films and the few books I have read seem to portray superheros as these epitomes of goodness. That’s going by the wayside a bit as you get heroes like Arrow who aren’t always morally black and white, and I appreciate that shift. I do believe right and wrong should be clear in any book or movie, and Allen definitely adhered to that, but the choices we make aren’t always black and white. I felt that Allen’s characters stayed true to that. Some of them made really terrible choices and had to live with the consequences, but all of them came across as very human. They had reasons for what they did, even if the reasons weren’t good. Superhero and supervillain alike struggled with decisions made and had things they regretted. In short, the characters weren’t all good or all bad. Even the best of them had their problems, just like we do in real life.

If you really enjoy this genre, you’re probably going to like this book. I will say that, for those who aren’t religious or aren’t Christian, just to be very transparent, you may not be the audience for this book. Allen is very overt in his talk about God, Christ, and salvation. Even when it isn’t directly mentioned, the theme of second chances, redemption, and forgiveness are woven throughout the entire book. If you don’t mind this, you’re probably going to enjoy the story. If you’re actively anti-Christian or just prefer to avoid reading books that are openly pressing home the points of Christianity, you may not like this. Still, if that’s not you or you’re just on the fence, I would highly recommend this book to you. It’s a good choice, and once I got into it, it was a very easy read with relatable characters. I don’t think you’ll regret it. As a bonus, parents, if you’re looking for a good book for your superhero-loving child or teen, this book would be appropriate for even the younger kids, though it might be a little hard for some of the young ones to grasp all the concepts.

If you’re interested in Mindfire, the purchase link is below.

Amazon

Writer’s Review

For those of you who are here to learn more about the craft of writing, this review is for you. Don’t read this if you plan to read the book and wish to avoid spoilers. Read the book first, then come back to this if you’re interested in seeing my take on what we can pull from this book. With that disclaimer, let’s jump right into this.

Characterization

Let’s start here because this is one of the things I felt the author did a phenomenal job with! Now, I kind of came to this book expecting a run of the mill superhero story. I was not, by any means, expecting characters who would come to life on the page the way Allen’s did. I guess I was anticipating larger than life characters for both superheros and supervillains. Relatable was definitely not in the list of expectations.

So, I was very happy when I discovered that the characters were relatable. Particularly Leia and Dane. These two characters both had superpowers, and both of them discovered more about themselves and those powers in the course of the book. These characters definitely went through some traumatic stuff. Dane lost his mom, the only family he felt he had left. Leia lost both of her aunts by the time things were said and done, she killed one of those aunts trying to protect her birth mother, husband, and unborn child, and she discovered her mother wasn’t really her mother, among other things. To top it all off, her birth mother is the supervillain everyone most feared: Malevolence. Not exactly what one wants to discover about one of their parents, right? 

Through all of these challenges and difficulties, these two characters continually rise to the challenge. But they don’t make the choices you normally see people make in the superhero genre. These two, one of them a previous superhero and the other trying to figure out where she fits, both end up deciding not to become superheros. I was a bit shocked by this turn of events, especially with Dane, because their parents were superheros, and they had powers. Normally, things go the direction of saving the world (or at least their city) one crook at a time. But not with Mindfire. 

All throughout the book, every character faces difficulties and decisions that aren’t fun to make. Leia and Dane are only two examples, which I felt were very prominent. But even the super-villain, Malevolence, is made relatable and human for the reader as the reasons for her choices and the difficulties she faced, which led to her assuming the identity Malevolence, are revealed through the book. No character remained flat or inaccessible because of some super-human ideal. Unlike Superman, who almost doesn’t seem touchable, every superhero and supervillain in this book is as human as you and I, with the exception of having a little extra boost of superhuman ability.

While not everyone here is going to write a superhero book, everyone here will have some degree of characterization required for their story. With Mindfire, you see a very good example of how to make characters realistic and relatable for the reader. If you’re writing fantasy, there’s a pretty good chance magic is involved, even if it isn’t in the form of superpowers, and other species besides humanity may also be front and center. You need to ensure that, despite these differences, readers can connect, and Mindfire is an excellent example of how to do that.

Themes

This is another area I felt worked well for Mindfire. Allen did a good job of weaving themes into his story. You can see the Christian influence everywhere, but this book isn’t allegorical like Joanna’s books Shifter and Hunter. Set in this world as opposed to other planets, Mindfire took a much less subtle, but still appropriate, approach to the author’s worldview. The most obvious themes in the book are those of redemption, forgiveness, and second chances.

Malevolence is probably the clearest example of these themes. While she wasn’t necessarily a huge obstacle our heroine had to overcome to save her loved ones and home, she still made choices that, while relatable, led to suffering. In particular, her choices in trying to be a mother to Leia indirectly led to the death of Leia’s mother-in-law and Black Fox, Dane’s mother. Her choices also led directly to deaths or injuries to people around Leia as Malevolence used her telepathy or telekinesis to protect her daughter. Through the course of the book, Malevolence gradually changes. She reverts back to Angela Merrick, her original identity, for a time until that’s too much to bear because of the guilt and pain. But once she’s back to Malevolence’s personality, she still doesn’t quite become like she was. Far from being a heartless villain who wants only power, she is a concerned mother, about to become a grandmother, and a grieving individual who has lost too much. As the story continues, Malevolence eventually does find forgiveness and redemption as well as a second chance. She goes from being the villain everyone fears to being friends with her daughter’s family and having a place to belong.

For writers interested in using themes, what you can learn from Allen’s approach in Mindfire is two-fold. First, you have to realize that a theme should be a natural extension of the story. If Malevolence hadn’t been working toward being better, hadn’t realized her mistakes, hadn’t regretted anything, then Allen’s themes wouldn’t have worked out. The characters and the story have to support it. Two, the integration should be smooth. If it fits well with the characters and story, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem, but the key point here is that readers should get the idea without being smacked in the face with it. It should be clear but not overwhelming or obvious in a heavy-handed way.

Christianity

Okay, so this was an area I had mixed feelings on. Allen wove themes of Christianity into the entire novel. (See my previous point on those themes). That worked really, really well for Mindfire. However, he also included some places where salvation, God, and Christ were discussed quite prominently. As a Christian author, I wasn’t particularly bothered by this. I appreciate the courage it takes for an author to overtly include Christianity that way because it definitely will alienate certain audiences. The mixed feelings came in more with certain conversations. Some of them felt a little bit contrived.

There were a few I really liked, such as the conversation between Leia and Sue, her adoptive mother, at a few points in the book as Sue tries to help Leia to understand that Christ and a relationship with God can be the calm in her storm as well as an answer to her current unrest. However, there were others that felt much less natural. The points where Leia was saved and the conversations between Sue and her mother in the flashback scenes felt a little more heavy-handed. They pulled me out of the story to sit and think about the scene instead of reading through it, grasping the main concept being presented, and moving on. I didn’t enjoy those parts as much because they felt out-of-place instead of intentionally woven in. The different terms used were also very much “Christianese”.

I think the thing to learn here is that your worldview, no matter what it is, can be presented in a way that’s natural and in a way that’s heavy-handed. Obviously, you don’t want to be the kind of writer who tries to hide their worldview. That’s not a good thing, and it’s, in my opinion at least, wrong to manipulate the reader like that. But worldview and beliefs ought to be woven into the story so that readers are able to see how it fits. It needs to make sense. If it’s feeling forced at all, it probably is. So, if you really need it to be there, find a way to smooth it out and fit it in without trying to make a round peg fit in a square hole. Readers will notice if you’re forcing it, and that isn’t what you want.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, despite points where the use of Christian terminology and Christian viewpoints was a little preachy, the book was still a good read. I skimmed those parts and moved on with reading the story without too much disruption to my suspension of belief. For writers looking to learn from Allen’s use of writing techniques in Mindfire, there’s definitely a lot to learn. Picking apart his writing style and the various tools he used will provide you with a lot of different things to learn. I’ve just scratched the surface in covering the areas I felt were most important. Hopefully you’ve learned something from this though. If you’re interested in Mindfire, the purchase link is below.

Amazon

Sunday Sub-Genres: Coming-of-Age Fantasy

Ariel Paiement

Introduction

This week’s discussion of sub-genres is all about coming-of-age fantasy. This genre, both fantasy and otherwise, is fairly popular, particularly for young adults and teens. Why? Probably because the entire premise has to do with change and growing up or finding your place. But we’ll look at things a bit more closely in this post, so let’s get started!

Defining Coming-of-Age Fantasy

As noted in the introduction, coming-of-age fantasy places a large focus on how someone who is unique in some way or another goes from normal life to a new normal. These stories, as a result, generally start out with the protagonist losing something or someone. Some event acts as a catalyst to force them to move from the comfortable place they were at into the unknown where they will discover themselves and ground themselves in who they really are. 

These can make some awesome stories for teens and young adults since that’s the age where many young people are doing exactly what the characters are doing: finding themselves and figuring out where they fit. But people of all ages can and do enjoy coming-of-age stories, and fantasy lovers are no exception.

Please note that, unlike many sub-genres we’ve discussed before, coming-of-age fantasy is often more a theme than it is a specific sub-genre. In virtually any tale, a character can be forced to move from comfort to a hard road towards self-discovery. As a result, the coming-of-age fantasy sub-genre can fit in with many other sub-genres, even if it isn’t the main focus per se. It fits particularly well with epic or high fantasy in many cases because the themes and storylines mesh very well.

Writing Coming-of-Age Fantasy

Now, on to the interesting part! How do we write coming-of-age fantasy? As I said earlier, this sub-genre really works well with almost any genre of fantasy and even with non-fantasy genres. It’s popular with younger audiences because it’s relatable, and because of it’s flexibility, you as a writer can utilize it as a theme with your main sub-genre of fantasy even if you don’t intend to write it as a main sub-genre.

So, let’s dive in to some of the aspects of coming-of-age fantasy.

Magic

Because of the nature of coming-of-age fantasy, the level of magic in your story may vary greatly. Magic is a great way to force the characters to move from innocence to experience in the novel or short story, though, so it is often a strong feature in these stories. Or, at least, the discovery of it and subsequent struggle to learn to use it and control it often ends up being a pivotal point in these stories. Because it’s so useful for getting the ball rolling, most fantasy tales that are going to be specifically coming-of-age stories will feature magic heavily. The protagonist, antagonist, and most of the supporting characters met along the protagonist’s journey will likely be special in some sort of magical way. How, however, is widely variable and entirely up to you.

Violence

Unlike some of the sub-genres we’ve been looking at in the last month or so, coming-of-age fantasy is actually low violence in most cases. If there is violence, it’s rarely disturbing in nature. This makes these books great for younger readers, assuming the content is free from explicit sexual content.

Graphic Content

Speaking of sexual content, this is one area where coming-of-age fantasy really can vary. When older characters are the focus of a coming-of-age novel, I’ve seen a lot of variation in this one. Some of them do include content that won’t be appropriate for younger readers, particularly if the focus is romantic in nature. However, if the character’s story arc is more focused on self-discovery and belonging in other ways, then the stories may still be safe for teens or kids. Because of the low violence level, this area is the main one where parents may worry. As a writer, then, you have to decide on your target audience. If you want something everyone can enjoy, then skip the sexually explicit (and preferably all sexual) content just to be safe. But if you’re aiming for an older audience and choose to include it, that’s your choice too. It’s fine not to be all things to all people. However, you have to decide who you want to appeal to. So this is one area where you’re going to have to make a decision since there isn’t necessarily a standard for the sub-genre one way or another.

Social Implications or Grand Ideas and Themes

This one varies quite a bit too. It honestly depends on the story. Some of our previous sub-genre discussions have been non-negotiable here due to the type of writing. On this one, it’s not such a hard and fast rule that social implications must be made or larger ideas and themes incorporated. It doesn’t mean they won’t be, but here you should go with what feels right for your story. If those kinds of themes and ideas fit in well, then include them. If they don’t, avoid forcing the issue. It isn’t necessary, and readers of the genre don’t necessarily expect it to go one way or the other.

Characterization

By nature, the genre tends to lend itself to higher characterization. The focus is, after all, mainly on the character’s journey of self-discovery and new experiences. This means that the attention is fixed firmly on our protagonist(s), and as such, readers will want to get to know them. Complexity might not always be extremely high in the plot, but the characters must feel real and inviting to the reader because otherwise, the reader won’t want to take the journey witht hem.

Conclusion

I hope this has been helpful to anyone considering writing coming-of-age fantasy or thinking about including it as a theme within another sub-genre. Do you have something to add to the comments made about coming-of-age fantasy? Or maybe you have more questions? Feel free to comment below with either! I’m always happy to hear from you guys as readers and writers!

Further Reading and Resources

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series

**Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy (Hobb is not an author I recommend for children, just based on what I know of her work. For older teens or young adults, they may be a good fit. She is a good writer for those looking to learn what good fantasy looks like.)

Patrick Rothfuss’s The Kingkiller Chronicles (Some of Rothfuss’s work may be suitable for teens, but parental review is suggested.)

**Tad Williams’s Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn (Not sure on the appropriateness of this series for children as I haven’t read anything by Williams.)

Flash Fiction Fridays – Kidnapped

Ariel Paiement

This week, I’ve got a flash fiction about Rhubhian from Trader Prince of Aleshtain. Enjoy!

~~~

RHUBHIAN stared out across the village, almost unable to comprehend what she was seeing. Smoke and fire curled up from the hide and straw huts. She sank to her knees on the promontory above her village, and the tears streamed down her cheeks. She’d heard the stories from refugees about the slavers who were hitting outer villages, but she’d never expected it would come this close to Faeridhia. This close to her cousin’s domain. Why had this happened?

She spun on her heel and hurried down the steep, rocky path to the village. Her mother and baby brother were down there, and her father had probably been involved in the fighting before the village was ransacked. She had to find them. Her foot slipped on the rocky ground, and she struggled for balance. Regaining it, she continued her headlong rush down the path. 

Something rustled ahead of her, and a man stepped out onto the path. He wasn’t wearing the attire of her people, and his skin was paler than anything she’d ever seen. She took a shaky step back up the path. His grey eyes fixed on her, and his lips parted in a leering grin. “Guess it’s my lucky day.” 

She struggled to understand the words, but the look on his face told her what his words didn’t. Her Common wasn’t good enough to understand his accent. But then, it didn’t need to be because the lust and greed was etched all over his face. She backed up more and shook her head.

The man took a step forward with a laugh. “Where are you going, girl?”

She shook her head again and turned to run. Her foot caught on a root, and she stumbled. She fell to her knees and released a cry. The sharp rocks dug into her knees, and she sniffled, forcing back the tears. She shoved herself to her feet and continued running. The man cursed and hurried after her. She could hear his sharp breaths and his footsteps growing closer, and she gasped. Increasing her speed did nothing. A hand wrapped around her hair and yanked her backward. She screamed and thrashed back against the man now holding her. She reached out for the objects around her, prayed that there was something large enough to knock him out. 

Nothing happened. His hot breath fanned over her ear, and he laughed, his hands holding her tight. “Don’t bother. Your mind tricks won’t work against me because I can negate them.”

She choked on a scream as he wrapped his fingers around her throat and dragged her back toward the path. With his grip around her throat, she couldn’t even struggle now. She tried to scream, but he slapped a hand over her mouth. Something bitter coated her tongue. Rhubhian attempted to spit it out, but the man pressed his giant palm over her nose and mouth, leaving her no choice but to swallow.

She squeezed her eyes shut and thrashed in his grip. But it did nothing. And as the bitter tablet he’d shoved into her mouth dissolved and trickled down her throat, she found her muscles slackening. Her heart rate spiked, and a moment later, she felt the line connecting her to her ashtra dim. She couldn’t reach it. She couldn’t use it. Tears dripped down her cheeks. As the man dragged her down the path toward her burning village, she couldn’t even lift a finger to save herself. Her mind drifted as the drugs seeped through her entire body. Then darkness settled over her like a heavy blanket, and she left the world of consciousness.

~~~

I hope everyone enjoyed this week’s flash fiction! If you did, you can look forward to reading more about Rhubhian in Trader Prince of Aleshtain. Once I have more content written, I’ll start posting that on Wattpad and Inkitt for readers.

Work-In-Progress Wednesdays #27

Ariel Paiement

This week’s WIP Wednesday is from Trader Prince of Aleshtain, the second book in the Legends of Alcardia series. This is a scene from the most recent chapter I finished. Let’s take a look!

~~~

WHEN he strode into his room, the first thing he laid eyes on was Rhubhian’s drawings. They were scattered around the room, and the ones she’d done reflected a dark, haunted mood. Pained expressions, empty gazes, and screaming faces filled the pages. He swallowed and stepped past them, his gaze flitting around the room. Where was she? Her mind wasn’t in a good place judging by these drawings, and he didn’t want her trying to hurt herself.

The sharp weapons in his closet came to mind, and he hurried toward the other room and the adjoining bathroom. He was about to go into the closet when he caught a flash of bright red clothing in the bathroom. Stepping back, he stared at Rhubhian. She was huddled in a heap on the bathroom floor, her tiny body curving in on itself. Tear stains tracked her cheeks, but she was breathing slow and steady. At some point, she must have fallen asleep.

How long had he been gone? Now that he thought about it, he’d left her here alone for almost an entire day, if he included the night he’d spent at Ifan’s plaza. He hadn’t even considered how she might feel if he left. In fact, he hadn’t thought she’d care that much. But then, he had taken off after yelling at her for being so stupid. She must have been going out of her mind with worry, boredom, and guilt. 

He walked into the bathroom and crouched down beside her, brushing her damp hair off her neck with a sigh. She stirred, and her long lashes fluttered against her cheeks before she opened her eyes and met his gaze. At first, confusion clouded her eyes, and then recognition dawned, and she bolted into a seated position.

Eras pulled back. She probably wanted her space. Maybe she was even angry at him for leaving her for so long. He’d be angry if he was in her position. But strangely enough, no trace of anger appeared. Instead, she flung her arms around his neck and clung to him, sobbing like a child.

This was new. Not that he’d complain. He liked having her close, and he liked her display of her humanity even more. While he’d prefer she weren’t upset or in pain, he was glad to see her opening up. Hopefully after the trauma faded from her memory a bit, she wouldn’t revert back to her previously closed-off self. He wrapped his arms around her and cradled her against him.

Her fingers fisted in his shirt, and he rubbed her back. Murmuring soothing nothings in her ear, he continued to hold her close and comfort her. She tried to say something past the tears, but the words came out garbled. He leaned back and brushed her tears away with a sigh. “I’m so sorry for leaving you alone for so long.”

She tightened her hold on his shirt. “You are angry at me…” 

“No, No, I’m not angry anymore.” He took her face in his hands and ignored the tears dripping down his palms. “Rhu, look at me.”

To her credit, she obeyed more promptly than usual, but no doubt that was born out of fear he might leave and guilt over not staying put the day before. She didn’t say anything further, and he wished he knew how to convince her he was no longer angry. Frustrated, certainly. But not angry. In fact, now he mostly felt relief over her safety and guilty for leaving her alone. “I never should have left you alone. I never gave you the chance to apologize if you needed to or to tell you that I was only angry because I was so scared for your safety.”

She ducked her head as much as he would allow. “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you yesterday, but you left so quickly, and I didn’t know what to do.”

He pulled her back into his arms with a sigh. “Rhubhian, everything is forgiven. In your position, I would’ve done the same thing, and you were never told you should stay put in the room. It’s my fault. I should’ve made sure you knew what I was expecting. Next time, I’ll make sure I do. But if you’re ever unsure, you put your safety first, you hear?”

She nodded and rested her forehead against his shoulder. “Why did you leave?”

“I needed time to cool off. But I didn’t think about how it would affect you. I should have, and again, I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry.”

For a while, she didn’t say anything. Maybe she wasn’t willing to forgive him. If it made her feel better, though, he’d bear that burden. He didn’t deserve forgiveness after the way he’d gone off on her before leaving her to stew in her own self-reproach with no way to fix anything. So, he just sat there and stroked her hair while holding her close until the slight trembling of her body stopped.

Finally, she pulled away and looked up at him. “I forgive you.”

He blinked. “You do?”

“You asked me to, right?”

He nodded.

“Then I forgive you.”

He sat there for a few moments in silence. Then he reached out and stroked her hair away from her face with a sigh. “You think I deserve it? Even though I was selfish?”

She shrugged. “You saved me. And…” She bit her lip. “And you were right to be angry.”

He stayed quiet.

“I’m sorry too.”

She understood her mistake, then? But maybe she didn’t. Who could say? She could be apologizing just to smooth things over. “Sorry for what?”

She cast him a look that bordered on rebellious. Eras crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. The irritation dimmed, and guilt replaced it. “I’m sorry that I went after you. Even though you didn’t tell me to stay put, I still knew you wouldn’t like it. But I did it anyway.”

“Why?”

“I was… I was lonely, and I needed to get out of this room.” She ducked her head.

He reached out and tipped it back up. “You should have said so.”

Her gaze met his, and she swallowed. The sheen of tears glossed over her eyes. “Are you angry?”

He shook his head with a sigh. “No. No, I’m not angry.” 

She didn’t say anything, and for once, he gave in to the temptation to peek into her mind. He found only pain, fear, and a tiny bit of hope. Hope that he might not be lying.  He shook his head and reached out, gathering her into his arms. She tensed before relaxing. The time they’d been spending together every day and his kindness to her were paying off. At least she didn’t fear him. Only what might happen to her if he didn’t choose to stick around to protect her. He wove his fingers through her hair and pressed her head to his chest. “I’m not going to leave you, sweetheart.”

She shivered against him and sighed. “No matter what?”

“No matter what. After all, I did get you into this mess.”

~~~

Well, that’s it for this week from me. What are you guys working on? Feel free to share in the comments below! Is anyone doing NaNoWriMo this November, by the way? I am, though I’m aiming for 50,000 words total between the various projects I have going on, so I’m not doing it the traditional way exactly. So, what about you guys?