Gemini Rising

I can't even begin

Well, I just want to pop in as I've got a second and try to catch up. Remember how I said we weren't planning to go to Disneyland. Well, we did. It turned out to be a great day even though it was a little cold. Joseph did great and had a good time. The baby even went on Pirates. Haha! Small World was Christmas themed and Joseph liked that as well.

The Children's Christmas Party at work went off without a hitch. I was there at 8:30 with my friend from work, Amy. Our helpers came at 9:30 and we were ready for busn at 12. Santa came in an old fashioned car and was a big hit. The kids had a lot of fun.

Ami, Aly, your pens on the way. While I was working on those, I also used the stills from my Internet Video of Torment to come up with some magnets. They came out great so if anyone is interested in magnets, let me know. Haha.

I emailed the lady at Borders who does book signings and she said I had to call new acquistions and request that Borders stock the book. After that's done I need to call the store manager to arrange for a book signing but she suggested I wait until after the holidays and things got back to normal. It's a small start, but a start. I'll call back after the holidays and keep you guys abreast of my progress.

Had the car serviced this past Saturday. I've had it since Sep 2005 and I've all ready got 55K on it. Can you believe that? Sigh...

I've been working on my editing with Wolf's Kiss and Flames of Madeoc. That said, I'll include my new Flames opening here if you want to read it. I'd love to get thoughts and feedback.

HappyHolidays!!

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THE FLAMES OF MADEOC

The Kingdom of Madeoc



Bastian Nash yanked on his horse’s reins, stopping him. The Arabian, Thor, nayed his displeasure, but Bastian ignored him. Instead, he squared his shoulders in a gesture that settled his metal helmet firmly on his face. He raised his wooden lance and stared down the jousting field. It didn’t matter that his good friend and second, Matthias Gaunt, was his opponent. In this moment, Matthias was his enemy.

The referee, who was standing on the sidelines, hit the drum. Bastian dug his spurs into Thor’s flank and the horse took off in a dead sprint. Matthias grew closer. Bastian steeled himself, holding his posture rigid. His eyes cut to Matthias’s helmet. His opponent was just as determined as he was. Their lances clashed. Bastian rocked in his saddle, but held on. He yanked on the reins, slowing down Thor. When he turned around, Matthias was on the other end, still on his horse.

Bastian chuckled. Good. That was why he was Bastian’s man.

He squared his shoulders, ready for another trip. The referee hit the drum again. This time Bastian not only held his lance firm, he pushed forward as he struck Matthias. His friend fell off his horse.

Bastian quickly jerked on the reins of his horse, stopping him. He jumped off and ran up to Matthias, who lay on the ground. A stablehand rushed to his friend’s side and helped Matthias take off his helmet.

Bastian looked at his friend. “Are you good?”

“Aye, my prince. I’m just a bit winded, that’s all.”

Bastian extended his hand toward Matthias and helped him up. A couple of attendants approached and Bastian gave them his lance and helmet to care for. Matthias also gave up his equipment.

“You’re a tough opponent, Matthias,” said Bastian. “You’d give Prince Oram a challenge, I’m sure of it.”

“You’ll win the joust, don’t doubt it,” said Matthias.

Bastian fell in step next to his friend as they walked toward Alban’s Keep. It was a bright summer day, and he was sweating in his chain mail. The servants’ area in the back of the keep had a bathing facility and he was going to wash himself.

“I know Prince Oram will represent Fenwick. Who do you think will represent Somerland?” asked Matthias.

“There’s a rumor Viscount Stratham will do it.”

“Theodore Stratham?”

“Aye.”

“King Amery would be better off if he jousted himself,” said Matthias.

Bastian chuckled. “You know, it’s usually the mild who surprise you.”

“Prauge will be there as well. Prince Vladimir is riding for them,” said Matthias.

“Vladimir cheats,” said Bastian.

“Well, the Kings Conference is two weeks away. You’ll be ready, I’ll see to it,” replied Matthias.

Bastian put his hand on Matthias’s shoulder. “You’re a good man.”

Matthias said nothing and they proceeded toward the keep. Bastian was the crown prince of Madeoc, a prosperous country on the northern coast of Vavirdock. Every five years the fellow kings of Vavirdock, Somerland, Prauge Fenwick, Hamlin, Madeoc, and Bremen, met in a designated location for the Kings Conference. He was eager to represent Madeoc in the joust. After all, the winner received great honors.

As he approached the keep, he spied his younger sister, Helga, exiting through the servants’ door. His eyes cut to the road that led from Albans proper to the castle. Emissaries heralding Fenwick’s colors were here. Curious. What would Fenwick want with his father two weeks before the conference?

“Bastian!” yelled Helga. She waved at him.

He kept walking toward her, waving his own hand in acknowledgment.

“What do you think the princess wants?”

Bastian shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know.”

Helga was fifteen and a rare beauty. She’d inherited their father’s Nordic looks – long blonde hair and angular features. He had, too. They both received their mother’s sensitive cerulean eyes.

“Bastian!”

“Aye, Helga. What’s up?”

His sister marched right up to him. “Emissaries from Fenwick are here.”

“I see that. What have you heard?”

“Ingrid in the kitchen says they’re here to broker a marriage arrangement that father will announce at the conference.”

“Marriage?” He was surprised. He always thought his father would allow him to pick his bride. After all, his father had chosen his mother as his bride.

“Prince Oram is your age, Bastian. Do you think he asked for me?”

Bastian crossed his arms. “It’s possible, but we’ve never had emissaries like such. Aren’t they usually here for the firstborn?”

“’Tis true, Prince,” said Matthias. “But your father favors you. He’ll let you pick your own bride I think.”

“Are they here for me or you?” Bastian asked his sister.

“I don’t know. Perhaps father is considering Oram’s sister, Lettice, for you.”

Bastian crossed his arms and scrunched up his nose. Lettice Aricsson did not appeal to him as a bride. She talked far too fast and far too much about meaningless topics that bored him.

“Ha! I’d rather marry Edana of Somerland. No, the emissaries can’t be here for me. Father would let me choose my own bride,” said Bastian, talking himself into that choice.

“Edana’s too shy for the likes of you, brother,” said Helga.

“At least she knows how to hold her tongue unlike Lettice. Oram must have asked for you. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“Well, when you go inside and talk to father, try to find out if it is me Fenwick is asking for. He’ll tell you. He tells you everything.”

“Aye, I’ll brooch the topic with him.”

Helga smiled. “Thank you, Bastian.”

“You’re welcome. Come, let’s go inside. I need a bath.”

Helga wrinkled her nose. “You do.”

He escorted his sister back into the keep and made his way to the bath area. The emissaries just couldn’t be here for him! Lettice was too much of a troublemaker. She gossiped and ran her mouth. She was demanding at best, infuriating at worse, and when he saw her at the past conferences, it was all he could do to reign in his patience around her.

Edana of Somerland – now she intrigued him. She was Amery Rambert’s only child. She was Bastian’s age with long, dark raven curls and sweet walnut-hazel eyes that always seemed lost in far away dreams. Edana had a reputation of being cool and aloof, but Bastian suspected there was more to her, especially when he managed to catch a rare peek of her alone at the conference without her father.

He walked into the bath area and two servants delivered him four pails of hot water. He thanked them and sent them on their way. The conference was going to be held to be held in Madeoc near Fenwick’s border. As he took off the last bit of his clothes, a sudden chill ripped through him. Still unsure if the emissaries were here for him, he was determined to find his father as soon as he cleaned up.