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Chapter 13
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The Birthright Series Chapter 14
I LISTENED WITHOUT REALLY HEARING, fascinated with their unusual accents. They had what sounded like a hint of a Scottish burr to the 'r' in words, well developed consonants but with heaviness to their 'w' so it sounded more like 'wh'. Something about the way they spoke triggered an odd sensation in my mind and a weird sense of anxiety; how are we speaking with them?The sudden thought of not understanding them, or being understood made me nauseated and I pushed it away.I'll just be thankful, I thought, squeezing my legs back under the bench seat while blocking out those concerning thoughts. I'll just be thankful.Studying the people and what they wore distracted me while Sian asked Henja for the directions to the castle. The variety of styles and lack of corsets surprised me. I couldn't see any evidence of electricity or modern technology, yet what they wore felt rather modern. A couple of women seated nearer us wore mid length skirts of a dense fabric, belted at the waist. Their
The Birthright Series Chapter 15
LOI'S EYEBROWS SHOT UP WHEN Henja said "out the back" what did that mean? Henja ushered them out the back of the Inn, past the tables and more staring people. Audi snuck along behind and scooted through the door before it caught her tail.There, in a concealed courtyard stood four iron baths lined with sheets and filled to the brim with hot, sweet smelling water. Tiny coal fires burned underneath to keep them warm. A hot and flustered looking woman stood to the side of the courtyard, hooking a long metal pipe back to the side of the building. She wore heavy looking gloves and steam wafted from the end of the pipe.That's where the hot water came from, Loi thought in fascination, wondering how it all worked.The others appeared to realize this at the same time and all four of them thanked the maid, making the woman glow even redder. Henja waved the maid away as the girls grinned at each other, gesturing the baths again in delight. Loi felt the tension in her shoulders start to evapor
The Birthright Series Chapter 16
FOR A MOMENT WE STARED at each other in disbelief. Then our heads snapped up. In the small square of visible sky, a huge reptilian body came into view with an enormous wingspan.Oh. My. GOD!I gaped at the sight. Gleaming emerald in the afternoon sun, the dragon vanished from view, its huge wings carrying it away swiftly. You could still hear the sound of its wings beating. Like a helicopter, but with a different rhythm. We sat there in a stunned silence.Holy shit.For a moment everything felt stark, bright and overexposed; the scent of the water, the sound of Audi's panting beside my bath and the clear almost ringing silence of our astonishment.I let out a sigh and shook my head then turned to look at Sian, wondering what she made of this. Still staring upward, her mouth open a hint.'Sianus,' I called. She turned to stare at me her eyes glistened; totally enthralled. 'That was one heck of a spell, Siany.'SIAN NODDED AT CAT'S WORDS, unable to get the image of that creature
The Birthright Series Chapter 17
WE MADE OUR WAY TO the kitchen as instructed then Henja led the way up a narrow staircase and along a corridor to our rooms.'Did you see the dragon? Such a big one too, what a good example for your first time.' She beamed at us while we made appropriate remarks but all I could really think about was food. The smells that wafted from the kitchen almost made me dizzy with hunger.Henja opened one door with a key from a laden iron ring and ushered us in.'I have given you two rooms that have an adjoining door, so you don't have to go out into the corridor. As you can see you will have to share two to a bed and please,' she pointed at Audi beside me then to Lucky in Kassie's arms. 'No animals on the beds.'I nodded in agreement along with Kassie and Henja smiled, satisfied.'Well, I will go get your supper.'She disappeared back down the corridor. Sian and Laura took the other room and Kassie and I the first. I wandered around the small room. Nothing extravagant but it had a couple
The Birthright Series Chapter 18
KASSIE AND LAURA MADE THEIR way down to the kitchen and stopped at the doorway, peering through. Kassie couldn't spot anything at first, distracted by the workers who rushed around the crowded room while pots and pans steamed and sizzled on an excessively wide stove that took up most of one wall. 'Ah, there she is,' Loi pointed and Kassie could see Cat at a table, wedged in at the end of the room, enjoying her breakfast with her eyes closed in bliss. Kassie's stomach growled and they made their way to the table, sitting opposite Cat.'Morning, kitty Cat,' Loi teased. 'Enjoying your breakfast?'Cat's eyes snapped open and she stared for an instant then reverently said, 'Real cream.'Kassie twisted, looking for the pot of porridge.'Hello girls, you're awake now.' A kitchen maid with strands of pale blonde hair escaping her white cap smiled at them. 'Would you like some porridge?' She chuckled at their enthusiastic responses and turned. 'Oh look! Another one. Well, have a seat and
The Birthright Series Chapter 19
KASSIE PICKED UP THE PACE, relieved to leave all the staringalbeit very politevillagers behind and pulled Lucky out of the bag, draping the compliant cat around her shoulders. After the first hour of cautious looks and careful steps their initial wariness wore off. They passed through the grazing lands of the village and the normal stock in the fieldssheep and pigsmade it feel just like wandering past a farm in New Zealand. Then the fields gave way to young trees, as if this land had once been farmland too. Lucky clacked in Kassie's ear when she spotted birds in the trees and Kassie reached a hand back to rub behind the cat's ears, making Lucky purr and knead the shoulder strap of her pack. The cloudy sky gave way to brilliant sunshine and the young trees grew sparsely enough for them to see the track continuing a way ahead.I ENJOYED THE BEAUTIFUL SCENERY, it all looking so familiar in some ways yet totally different in others. Spindly, dark-limbed trees stretched for the sky with
The Birthright Series Chapter 20
SIAN STAYED CLEAR OF THEM, wanting to practice with her bow first, and while practice would just be with sticks so not to waste the quiver of arrows, she didn't want to take out anyone's eyes. Roughly measuring out a distance of around twenty yards, she created targets out of piles of stones balanced on a waist-high boulder. Targets in place, she headed back to the starting mark and picked up the bow. Fitting the notched end of a stick into the string she took aim and released. The stick shot through the air and easily took out the lowest pile of stones. A thrill of delight ran through her at the accuracy and speed.A strong bow, she thought, regarding the weapon in her hands with absolute pleasure; it almost sings when I release.Taking another stick, she slipped into the rhythm of the bow, time flying while she practiced.LOI, WHO'S PRACTICED KENJUTSU FOR nine years, instructed Kassie and I with our swords and my daggers. First, she showed a move and then explained the reasoning
The Birthright Series Chapter 21
KASSIE'S PULSE HAMMERED IN HER ears while she stared at them. Holy fucking hell, they're so close!They had to be the freakiest things she'd ever seen; just under five foot, with broad shoulders and long arms that came close to touching the ground. They had large pointy ears that stuck out and an almost flat head with tufts of fur or hair. Their wrinkled faces had short muzzles, visible canines when they snarled, and slanted eyes that glinted black in the moonlight.I COULDN'T TAKE MY EYES off them. All of them held weapons; maces, evil looking cudgels, pretty much anything heavy with spikes, blades or stakes.So not the welcome wagon, I thought grimly.The top-heavy creatures would have looked almost comical if it weren't for the murderous intent they readily displayed, swinging their weapons and grunting or growling to each other while keeping those beady narrow eyes locked on us. Beside me Audi snarled again, the fur around her shoulders and down her spine beginning to bristle
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