Lazette Gifford's Blog, page 18

Flash Fiction #530 -- The Long way Home/29

  "Stay here!" Jamison ordered.  Rory started to object.  "Just stay where we can find you if we need to!"That made enough sense that Rory sat down and decided he could stay there, at least for a while.  They were not in port yet.  There was no fighting on the deck, and it seemed they were sliding past the sound of battle.Good.Zorian showed up and nodded when he saw Rory sitting at the table.  He

Flash Fiction # 530 -- The Long Way Home/29

 Rory moved up the steps, Zorian on one side and Andora on the other.  Prince Palkin walked between the two generals and didn't look thrilled to be on show right now.  Rory suspected this was not the place Palkin wanted to be.  Neither did he.And more so when each step upward to the next brought him the conviction that there was magic in that next bailey.  A considerable amount of it.Rory looked

Flash Fiction #529 -- The Long Way Home/28

 For a long time, Rory did not know where he might be and didn't care.  When he opened his eyes for a moment or two, the room seemed dimly lit and the bed steady.  Still on the ocean, though.  He could hear the water against the hull.Safe, he thought.  Quiet.  No one needed him to do anything heroically stupid.  All he had to do was rest.Jamison sat by the bed when he woke the next time.  He

Flash Fiction #528 -- The Long Way Home/27

 Unanik stared at Rory with a frown.  Then he caught the mage by the arm, but only because the ship had started to turn. Sailors and soldiers shouted across the deck, and the wind moved fitfully in the sails.  Zorian came bounding down and grabbed Rory a bit more forcefully."You better have a good reason --""Pyrida," Rory said with a wave of his hand toward the ship behind."No, no," Zorian

Flash Fiction #527 -- The Long Way Home/26

 Zorian dumped Rory on the deck and didn't even pause to see if he had survived the drop.  By that action, Rory knew they were in some trouble still.It did give him a chance to consider the situation, though.  Until now, the New Order of Man had been a strictly military cult.  Where had they gotten a mage?Where had they gotten a mage with this much power?Atria was his best guess, though why the

Flash Fiction #526 -- The Long Wy Home/25

 Well, the first thing that could go wrong was the weather.  Not being from somewhere close to the ocean, Rory did not expect the wind's fury.  Back at the Euriday capital, they'd had the protection of solid buildings and even a few hills.  The wind came straight off the ocean and brought half the sea.  Crests already as tall as ship decks were crashing against the ships and the sea wall.Then the

Flash Fiction #525 -- The Long Way Home/24

 For far too long, they all stood staring at each other and waiting for someone to answer.Andora cursed, spun, and took off at a run. Jamison headed for the Euriday troops. Prince Palkin looked at Lt. Tanrun as though he hoped for some answer from him."I've told the scouts to look toward the sea and the bay whenever they reach high ground," Lt. Tanrun admitted. "They've seen nothing so far, and I

Flash Fiction # 524 -- The Long Way Home/23

 Andora rejoined them in midmorning.   From the slight frown, Rory could guess something had gone wrong, though there was no sign of the news spreading through the troops."Yes?" Rory said."A pair of Sciwhen scouts are long overdue. They were about two miles off to our right," she said and glanced that way. "We have reason to believe there might be an Atrian force out there.""Of course. Why not? I

Flash Fiction #523 -- The Long Way Home/22

 Something clicked with the general's admission that they were already heading for Euriday."You didn't know the king was dead before you started," Rory said with a nod."No, we didn't. We were on the road for several weeks and coming at your king's request.""Not my king," Rory reminded her. She made a sign as though to say it hardly mattered, and she was right.Rory turned his attention to Unanik.

Flash Fiction #522 --The Long Way Home/21

 Rory struggled to his feet and looked around. No one appeared happy. "What is going on now?" he asked softly. "They weren't upset before.""There are many more forces wandering around than they thought," Jamison explained. He looked bothered. "And more questions every time we sit down to talk, with no answers for any of them. Prince Palkin is convinced his brother didn't kill the king, though.""