15
(Silnaday, cont.)
Towani City, Towani
“Elíaz! Breckan! Brush up your shaze skills! We have a battle tomorrow!” the aging mestari called as he entered the room with several younger students, tossing training shazes to the two young men.
Breckan Hurst moaned slightly as he was forced to get up and defend against his teacher. “I was studying!” Breckan protested as he defended weakly.
“Girls?!” Elið Seyri replied. “You also need to brush up your mental defenses if you want to pull an A’mara girl – or be of any use to me tomorrow!”
“Yes, Mestari,” Breckan replied defending himself more, but still quite lazy and weak in his form.
“You need to be on the offensive too,” the teacher chastised. “Elíaz, take over!”
The duel lasted a few minutes until Elíaz Kalvåg disarmed Breckan.
“Try again,” the teacher said to them. “You’ve both become lazy!”
“Who are we fighting?” Elíaz asked. “I thought we had no threats to us here.”
“That’s why we’ve become lazy,” the teacher replied. “One of the best shazes I’ve ever met, a very dangerous man – is here, and we’ve been asked to kill him and his student.”
“The student should be easy enough,” Breckan said.
“Not if you fight like this,” the teacher censured. “We will talk strategy over dinner, but right now, you need a full practice like you haven’t seen in a long time!”
“I’m hungry,” Breckan complained.
“And you will get hungrier! Defend!” Elið commanded attacking the young man.
Elíaz defended Breckan, getting between him and their mestari. “That’s more like it, Elíaz!” Elið shouted as he attacked the young man again. They caught in a bind.
Elið used the opportunity to goad his students. “But you’re out of practice, Elíaz. Maybe if the two of you spend the rest of the day dueling, you will have a chance of being able to handle the battle tomorrow.”
Elið broke the bind and left disgustedly. He turned at the door. “I will be watching the cameras. I want to see a good workout from the two of you today. If I’m not happy, you’ll be back in the sparring room this evening as well!”
Elið left wondering how he was going to be able to fulfill the Death Edicts when their best shaze wasn’t in Towani right now.
Palerma, Tephsa – A’mara Complex
Kauri was very nervous when she met the trainer later that morning. She had spent most of the morning working with Kanesh, rehearsing all the moves they had already learned together. Still, the whole idea of getting both her feet off the floor was frightening.
“First thing’s first,” the trainer began. “You’re going to have to trust me. I’ve been training dancers for over 20 years. If anyone can get you air-stepping, I can. I can also tell you that Derick is one of the finest dancers I’ve ever worked with. You can trust him too… and Kanesh, of course!”
Kauri nodded nervously.
“Let’s see what you can do,” the man invited, turning on some music.
Kanesh took Kauri’s hands and led her through various swing dance steps. Kauri felt good, as she did the familiar steps, even though the dance had not been choreographed, she found it easy to follow Kanesh’s subtle cues. She could dance like this with him forever, she felt.
“Not bad,” the trainer said, cutting through her thoughts and turning off the music. “Kauri, you’re going to have to be braver. Trust your partner to guide you through the moves. This will be absolutely critical for the air-stepping. Do you trust this man?” He put his hand on Kanesh’s shoulder.
“Yes,” Kauri said without hesitation.
“So, let’s try to trust him a little bit more,” the trainer said. “You are going to have to be comfortable climbing and jumping onto your partner. Do you trust he is strong enough to hold you and catch you?”
“I… I suppose so,” Kauri stammered. “I’ve never had anyone hold or catch me – not since I was a small child anyway.”
“That must change today,” the man said. “Stand here d... uh… Kanesh, your beginning base stance.”
Kanesh obeyed and stood in an open posture, knees bent.
“Kneel on his thigh,” the trainer instructed.
Kauri tried to work out how she was meant to do that without falling. She’d have to climb on him, using his shoulder for stability.
“Yes! Grab him, use him – that’s what he’s here for today,’ the trainer instructed, guiding Kauri’s body to the right posture, kneeling on Kanesh’s thigh as she was meant to. His arm came around her waist to support her. She felt a little embarrassed.
“No need to be embarrassed, Kauri. You’re his tool, he’s your tool. That’s how you will learn to dance. Good. Get down again,” the trainer instructed again.
Kauri obeyed, but tried to guard her thoughts better, realizing the trainer was leya-sensitive.
Next, the trainer had Kanesh put his hands on her waist. “Jump!” the trainer said.
Kauri did and Kanesh lifted her jump much higher, then put her down gently.
Kauri felt slightly frightened, but grinned as well.
“Told you,” Kanesh said with a wink. “It only gets better from here!”
They practiced long and hard, Kauri grinning most of the time – when she wasn’t feeling terrified from a new step.
“You need to rest now,” the trainer insisted. “We will do more tomorrow.”
“Come to lunch with us?” Kanesh invited the trainer.
“Nah, there are people in this complex that I haven’t seen in years. I’ll catch you two tomorrow!”
The trainer left and Kanesh and Kauri went to eat lunch along the waterfront. Kauri noticed that several A’mara hung about nearby.
“I’m so pleased with how you’re developing,” Kanesh complimented as they ate. “After lunch, let’s do some scenes with lines. We need to develop the plot about how we come to join the swing dance competition and why it has anything to do with me investigating the Neví.”
“You mean Derick, right?” Kauri asked.
“Of course. Derick’s character is investigating the Neví,” Kanesh agreed with a slight flush. “I was getting myself confused.”
“That’s something we can do on the rooftop, right?” Kauri asked, wondering about this man she’d been living and working with.
“For now,” he confirmed. “Eventually, though, we’re going to have to find some extras and work outside.”
“How do we keep safe?”
“I know someone who, I think, is going to come and see us soon. He’s one of the best shazes of our time.”
“Personal body guard?”
“He’s not for hire – for anyone, as far as I can tell, but he’s one of the best men I’ve ever met,” Kanesh said.
“I have a question,” Kauri said.
“What’s that?” Kanesh asked.
“If you’re only standing in for Derick, why film?” she challenged.
He seemed to be surprised at the question. “Uh… because… if for some reason, Derick cannot film it, then at least we have something all ready when he gets here. Also, sometimes, we edit in and out different actors – especially important when someone’s life is in danger, as is the case right now.”
“Okay,” Kauri replied, sensing that he wasn’t telling her everything. But the A’mara trusted him unquestioningly. She knew she could trust their opinion. Whatever he wasn’t telling her was for a good reason. She did trust Kanesh, despite the secrecy.
Then, she thought about her writing – that Kanesh had been reading after she fell asleep. She wondered if he’d read the one she’d written based on meeting Derick. She couldn’t remember if she’d ever deleted the dedication part of it or not. The part that made it clear who the story was about. She felt herself flush again. “I still can’t believe you read so much of my writing!”
“Sorry,” he said humbly. “I felt compelled to keep going. I was enjoying it – and it got me through the thunderstorms.”
“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I just wish I didn’t feel so embarrassed about it!” Kauri said.
“Maybe you won’t feel quite so embarrassed when we film them,” Kanesh said.
“Or I’ll be even more terrified!” Kauri said, grabbing his arm. “You wouldn’t without me saying it was okay, would you?”
“No. I’m sure you have terrifying lawyers who would stop me very quickly!” he said.
Kauri laughed, thinking about the fact that she might just have to find one or two in the near future!
They went back to work, Kauri finding her character easy enough to play and the lines natural to her. She enjoyed acting with Kanesh. There was something very livening when she was with him. She wondered whether it would be the same when Derick finally turned up.
Other Chapters of this set
Acting the Part - chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Building on Promise - Chapter 1
Acting the Part, part 2 - Chapter 10
Maps and Guides
- continents of Alacantis and Kranisis (five maps)
- continent of Almara (five maps)
- countries of Kri'enden and Yezi'im (four maps plus "other places")
- characters, pronunciation and glossary
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Brighid's Blood 2006 and 1200 B.T.C.E. Katja and Rachel are so desperate for love that they cast two love spells one night. But the Guardians do not consider spells "fun", but rather as cries for help from the very depths of your soul. Certainly Katja and Rachel could not have possibly imagined where these spells would take them! |
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Birth of the Neví 829 T.C.E. It is a tumultuous period of Terrenden history. As is all too common, there are those who wish to profit from the misfortune of others. Some of these come together in a new "charitable organization" and step on the toes of the notorious Uugli. Combine this with draconian new measures to combat pollution and Terrenden has a situation ripe for a power struggle. |
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Rebound of Power: 850 T.C.E. Collection of Romance Terrenden is being terrorized by a previously underestimated Neví who, through the mysterious “Curator,” have been controlling elections all over the planet. In this collection, we meet some interesting women. Iyva - a homeless teenager in Irola whose untrained power leaves her close to death; Marc’la - a breeder of prized caballus in Kasago whose heart lives in the past; Zukie - an abused widow whose heart is afraid to try for future happiness; Jenna - an elections assistant manager and masseuse who has a prejudice against A’mara; Kami - a chola student in Varkevand who has been assigned to protect Ardin, a man who has his own reasons to distrust A’mara. |
| COMING SOON | TO AN EBOOK STORE NEAR YOU!!! |
| Rise of the Neví - 830 T.C.E. The Neví begin their rise in power with the completion of several large housing projects that seem totally charitable, but also hide a great evil within. The draconian measures brought in the previous year has caused major distress throughout the world, perfect for giving the Neví a further foothold on the Terrenden stage. Will the A’mara, now removed from the Council of Peers, be able to shut down the Neví? |
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Acting the Part - 851 T.C.E. Collection of Romance The Neví have infiltrated the Terrenden Freedom Party. Dr. Jarly is on the run and the Curator still dominates the Terrenden stage. Famous actor, Derick Aiden has released his Neví expose film and now the Neví want him dead... In this collection, we meet more interesting women. Kauri - a simple receptionist who doesn’t realize one of her wildest dreams has come true; Tirry - an elections manager who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride; Zara - a chef who has all but given up on finding love for herself; D'zani - who isn’t even looking, but has to chaperone her more vulnerable roommate; Soala - an heiress who is expected to marry, but refuses to marry someone she doesn’t love; Moxara - one whose past griefs have locked away her heart. We also get updates on some of the lovely ladies we met previously. |
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Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
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also on: Whaleshares, WeKu, and Bearshares
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