1-005, 'Abandoning the Fleet'

At Candletoe, a distant outpost, the woman first noticed this voice calling to her, beseeching her to journey here.  She regretted abandoning the fleet at such a perilous time, but what else could be done?  There was a tone of urgency in the request, a pleading on the part of the one making it.  And to be called here, to the Royal Palace, could only mean the summons was of greatest importance.

Sounding of hurried footsteps descending a hidden staircase in the North Guard Tower startled the woman.  Reaching for the dagger at her side, she crouched in battle preparedness.  Then, eyeing the tower’s opening, she listened and waited.  Footfalls echoed from the passageway and off the metal gates, confusing her ears as to the number of feet on the stairs.  An instant more and she would know if the approaching feet were that of friend or foe.

Laughter erupted from the doorway.  In a sudden rush, a couple holding hands, eyes fixed on each other, sprang from the blackness.  Paying no heed to their surroundings, they nearly bowled the woman over.  At the last instant the man saw her and, pulling hard on the girl’s arm, twirled her around and into his.

Not having noticed the stranger in their midst, the girl flirtingly cooed, “Why Zadar, has your hunger overcome you so quickly?  Do you wish to revisit the tower lounge before we return to the others?”

A handsome man with thick dark hair, deep-set hazel eyes, bushy eyebrows, and a neatly trimmed beard pretended to clear his throat and pointed past the girl.  “We…we have a visitor.”

The girl’s eyes followed Zadar’s hand, her shining blackhair dancing in the air as she spun her head around.  She stared, the flirting smile still on her face, and then, when she recognized the woman standing there, cried out in surprise, “Mihai!  My sister!  What a thrill to see you safe and well!  Oh, how I’ve missed you!  Come!  Share the wine and good times with me again!”  Releasing Zadar’s hand, the girl lunged for Mihai, locking her in an iron embrace.

Mihai wheezed, “I… I’ve missed you, too, my darling Darla.  Please… allow me a breath.” . . .

Enjoy other posts: 

Prologue,

Destiny's Road 1-001, 1-002, 1-003, 1-004, 1-005, 1-006, 1-007, 1-008, 1-009,

1-010, 1-011, 1-012, 1-013, 1-014, 1-015, 1-016, 1-017, 1-018, 1-019, 1-020,

1-021, 1-022, 1-023, 1-024 & 1-025

Of Councils Great and Small 2-026, 2-027, 2-028, 2-029, 2-030, 2-031, 

2-032, 2-033, 2-034, 2-035, 2-036, 2-037, 2-038, 2-039, 2-040, 2-041, 2-042, 
2-043, 2-044, 2-045, 2-046, 2-047, 2-048, 2-049 & 2-050 

Legend's Heroes 3-051, 3-052, 3-053, 3-054, 3-055, 3-056, 3-057, 3-058,

3-059, 3-060, 3-061, 3-062, 3-063, 3-064, 3-065, 3-066, 3-067, 3-068, 3-069,

3-070, 3-071, 3-072, 3-073, 3-074 & 3-075

Forges of Hell 4-076, 4-077, 4-078, 4-079, 4-080, 4-081, 4-082, 4-083, 4-084,
4-085, 4-086, 4-087, 4-088, 4-089, 4-090, 4-091, 4-092, 4-093, 4-094, 4-095,
4-096, 4-097, 4-098, 4-099 & 4-100

Or find your own book at:

Amazon.com; Smashwords.com; 

Diesel-Ebooks.com, BN.com; ebookstore.sony.com

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