1
(First Rinday in Lashanari)
Towani City, Towani
A black hawk drifted lazily in the early summer sun, high above Towani City. It watched the water far below, hoping for a ripple that might indicate a fish close to the surface. Equally tasty would be the rejected fish thrown overboard as the boats returned later when the fickle tide rose enough to let them safely over the reef which guarded the harbor of the capital city. But, for now, the hawk would wait, content to soak in the sun and laze in the updrafts of warm air.
There was very little time for laziness at the towering Refuge in the middle of Towani City. This structure was probably the largest purpose-built social project aimed at helping the hopeless on the entire of Terrenden, and certainly the largest building (not on Irola) that wasn’t run solely for profit, education or governmental purposes.
Very near the Refuge was the A’mara Complex, the A’mara being heavily involved with the project. Creating the third point in the triangle across the way, was the smallest of a set of large greenhouses, for which Towani City was rapidly becoming famous across Terrenden.
At the heart of the Refuge, and often helping to bind the three points of the triangle together was a restaurant called the Wind Rose. It had formal dining on one side of the state-of-the-art kitchen, and on the other, was the canteen for the A’mara and residents of the Refuge. It was probably one of the best-served canteens on the planet as the dark-haired chef, Zara Vine, was more than happy to whip up an extra batch of lasagna or the day’s special to help feed the residents. She was more than happy to help those who had helped her get started in this grand dream of hers – and who remained her most loyal patrons, even though she had begun to make a name for herself throughout the city and beyond.
At lunchtime, many of the A’mara were eating in the canteen near the kitchen. Zara watched as her twin sister Zukie Majan sat with the man who had swept her off her feet only a few months previously. The ginger-haired A’mara had apparently been considered one of the more eligible bachelors before Zara had managed to interfere just enough to make sure the pair fell in love. Zara chuckled at that memory and sent a basket of bread rolls out to her now-pregnant sister. The fact that Zara had remained single was an annoyance, she had to admit, but it had been worth it to see her sister remarried and her restaurant started here in Towani.
“Catalia!” Zukie called as she saw the former waitress walking in, hand-in-hand with her partner, Murin Colí, a dark-skinned A’mara who wore a deep purple cloak from his native Tephsa. The couple joined them a few moments later. Murin’s chola, Kwillon Okoro, a tall Kri’enden teen with a tribal cloak, sat opposite Artem Hulver, a young man wearing a silver Maalan cloak.
“Guess what, guys!” Catalia Vendar said as she sat down.
“What?!” Zukie asked, chomping at the bit.
“We’ve finally decided to make the life-bond together!” Catalia said, grinning. Murin was smiling as well, his arm around his beloved.
“It’s about time!” Zukie said. “But congratulations!”
“You two probably have loads of advice for us!” Catalia said.
“Most of it is simple,” Akeld Majan said, looking at Murin. “She is always right!”
Everyone laughed including a tall, fair skinned, aging man wearing a pink fringed cloak. A woman wearing a fringed aqua stole walked with him; another young Kri’enden man walked closely behind. “Akeld is spot on!” he said with a smile.
“Cyanus, Nina, Tyree, please sit with us!” Akeld invited.
“I have some news for Zukie, actually,” Cyanus Ivald said as he sat close enough to talk to the woman. “Our new head gardener will be in later. I will introduce you as soon as he gets here.”
Zukie felt slightly worried.
“Don’t worry, your job is completely secure. You are doing a fabulous job, actually, but our funding is reliant on A’mara being at the helm,” Cyanus explained.
“Okay,” she replied with a smile.
“It is my hope that the two of you will be able to function as a team,” Cyanus added.
“I will do my best,” Zukie replied.
“That is all I expect,” Cyanus said with a smile.
Balan Center - nearby
“You’ve had a weekend to think about your inability to fight,” Tasp Yaiver started off telling the Balan students nearby. “Anyone care to explain to me what went wrong?”
The students were generally silent.
“Breckan?” Tasp indicated.
“Not enough practice?” Breckan Hurst suggested.
“Perhaps. As a result, practice will be a daily requirement. It was embarrassing to have you not be able to overcome a teenage girl!”
“She has Kri’enden-style training,” another young man observed.
“So what, Elíaz?” Tasp demanded. “Are you really unable to handle a teenage girl?”
“I can,” he replied.
“So, why didn’t you?” he asked.
Elíaz Kalvår didn’t reply at first. Although he thought he knew why he would not fight the pair, he wasn’t sure how to say it in such a way that wouldn’t get him a Death Edict of his own. “It just didn’t seem right,” Elíaz finally said. “Their leya imprints did not read like horrible, dishonest people. They were… noble, somehow.”
“I don’t believe the Curator normally tells us his reasons for issuing Death Edicts. Just that they have been issued. Are you questioning his judgment?” Tasp asked.
“No…,” Elíaz said quietly.
“But you did – you decided that you knew better than the Curator whether this pair deserved death. I suggest you think about your actions – further examples of insubordination will find you… punished,” Tasp warned.
“Yes, Mestari,” Elíaz said, humbly, but keeping a thick guard on his thoughts.
“Do not allow a misguided sense of ‘honor’ to get you into the same trouble that this Zilan got himself into,” Tasp warned. “That’s all I will say about the man.”
“I do have a question,” Elíaz said.
“What do you ask?”
“If this Zilan is so dangerous, why is it that none of us are dead or even injured?” Elíaz asked.
“You may go now,” Tasp said with strained patience.
As Elíaz left, he found himself wishing he had defied Elið at the non-battle and gone with Zilan, asking for instruction. He knew that he feared the Death Edict, but maybe it was a price worth paying if he ended up with a mestari who could train him in honor as well as to that degree of shaze proficiency. If Zilan ever returned to Towani City, he knew he would go with him without further hesitation.
He went to his quarters and began readying himself for the evening’s activities while awaiting his roommate, Breckan.
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
|
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! |
|
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. |
|
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? |
|
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. |
Writing and artwork copyright myself 2005-2018 – all rights reserved.
If you are interested in helping me publish these works, please contact me on Facebook or Discord, viking-ventures#2883.
Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
find me on Twitter
also on: Whaleshares, WeKu, and Bearshares
Banner by @shai-hulud
