MeiLin Miranda's Blog, page 72
March 17, 2009
Chapter 17 book 3 is live
...and twice as long as usual!
The Beloved Beholding Her Beauty in a Mirror:
Temmin burst into his study Eddinday morning, full of good humor and a large breakfast, to find Teacher gazing out the window onto the lawn. His tutor flicked a glance over one shoulder, then turned back to face the window. “You look very cheerful today,” said Teacher.
“Do I?” said Temmin. “I suppose I am! I spent all day yesterday with Allis, it’s a beautiful day today, my oldest sister’s marrying a man I like and respect, and my future secretary is marrying a beautiful girl he’s loved since childhood. Matrimony’s rampant! Next thing you know, you’ll be telling me you’re getting married. What are you looking at?” said Temmin, squinting against the bright sunlight over Teacher’s shoulder. He just saw Brinnid and Sedra disappearing into the woods, but spent little time wondering why that might be of interest to anyone.
“Nothing,” said Teacher, turning away from the window. “Fen Wallek’s getting married, then.”
“Yes!” said Temmin, throwing himself down onto the green velvet couch in a happy heap. “He’s marrying Arta Dannikson, one of the downstairs maids--you know, the pretty little one with the corkscrew curls. They’re to be given Spring Cottage, wherever that is--somewhere on the grounds, but Fen talks about it as if it were Amma’s Lap.”
“Spring Cottage?” said Teacher with a frown. “A secretary in training, given one of the cottages, you say.”
“Is that a problem?”
“No,” said Teacher slowly; one long, white finger tapped on the library table. “Not a problem. Just unusual. How pretty is Miss Dannikson?”
The Beloved Beholding Her Beauty in a Mirror:
Temmin burst into his study Eddinday morning, full of good humor and a large breakfast, to find Teacher gazing out the window onto the lawn. His tutor flicked a glance over one shoulder, then turned back to face the window. “You look very cheerful today,” said Teacher.
“Do I?” said Temmin. “I suppose I am! I spent all day yesterday with Allis, it’s a beautiful day today, my oldest sister’s marrying a man I like and respect, and my future secretary is marrying a beautiful girl he’s loved since childhood. Matrimony’s rampant! Next thing you know, you’ll be telling me you’re getting married. What are you looking at?” said Temmin, squinting against the bright sunlight over Teacher’s shoulder. He just saw Brinnid and Sedra disappearing into the woods, but spent little time wondering why that might be of interest to anyone.
“Nothing,” said Teacher, turning away from the window. “Fen Wallek’s getting married, then.”
“Yes!” said Temmin, throwing himself down onto the green velvet couch in a happy heap. “He’s marrying Arta Dannikson, one of the downstairs maids--you know, the pretty little one with the corkscrew curls. They’re to be given Spring Cottage, wherever that is--somewhere on the grounds, but Fen talks about it as if it were Amma’s Lap.”
“Spring Cottage?” said Teacher with a frown. “A secretary in training, given one of the cottages, you say.”
“Is that a problem?”
“No,” said Teacher slowly; one long, white finger tapped on the library table. “Not a problem. Just unusual. How pretty is Miss Dannikson?”
March 9, 2009
Chapter 16 book 3 is live
Tea and Empathy:
Once they were all settled around the well-stocked tea table, Brinnid said, “You seem of a purpose today, miss. What’s afoot?”
“What’s afoot?” repeated Ellika, blinking rapidly. “Well--I should ask the same of you! Skulking around the Bloody One’s Temple and no one telling me why.”
“You know why, I’ve dedicated!” said Sedra.
“I don’t see why Brinnid has to go there, too. He’s not dedicated,” Ellika retorted. She switched on a blindingly charming smile and poured the tea. “But that’s neither here nor there. I just haven’t seen you, it seems. We’ve all been so busy, you at Harla’s Hill, me at the Healer’s--at the Lovers’ Temple.”
“Elly, we saw you at breakfast,” Sedra drawled.
“You had your nose in the paper,” sniffed Ellika. “I doubt you even see your food let alone the rest of us.”
“And yet I manage to eat,” said her sister.
“Don’t you mind it, Brinnid--her selfish addiction to newsprint?”
“There is nothing objectionable whatsoever in Her Highness’s conduct that I have noticed,” said Brinnid, bumping Sedra’s foot under the table with his own until she blushed.
Once they were all settled around the well-stocked tea table, Brinnid said, “You seem of a purpose today, miss. What’s afoot?”
“What’s afoot?” repeated Ellika, blinking rapidly. “Well--I should ask the same of you! Skulking around the Bloody One’s Temple and no one telling me why.”
“You know why, I’ve dedicated!” said Sedra.
“I don’t see why Brinnid has to go there, too. He’s not dedicated,” Ellika retorted. She switched on a blindingly charming smile and poured the tea. “But that’s neither here nor there. I just haven’t seen you, it seems. We’ve all been so busy, you at Harla’s Hill, me at the Healer’s--at the Lovers’ Temple.”
“Elly, we saw you at breakfast,” Sedra drawled.
“You had your nose in the paper,” sniffed Ellika. “I doubt you even see your food let alone the rest of us.”
“And yet I manage to eat,” said her sister.
“Don’t you mind it, Brinnid--her selfish addiction to newsprint?”
“There is nothing objectionable whatsoever in Her Highness’s conduct that I have noticed,” said Brinnid, bumping Sedra’s foot under the table with his own until she blushed.
March 2, 2009
Chapter 15 book 3 is live
Discovery:
“I am tired,” admitted Sedra. “But I feel we’re close. Don’t you?” She put her hand on his arm. “Do you need to rest?”
Brinnid laughed. “Your concern touches me, my lady, but I’ve been on many a march. This is merely a dusty stroll.”
Sedra turned back to the wall and the nooks filled with bones. “Marches? And here I thought you were a sailor.”
“I am a king, ma’am,” he answered, turning his lantern towards her; its light turned her hair to dark silk and warmed the soft, curving profile of her smudged cheek. Ah, she’s a fine woman, even covered in dust and a shapeless robe. “We are men of many talents and abilities, we kings. Some time soon I hope to acquaint you with a few of them.”
“Is that so,” she murmured absently, gently moving aside a femur to inspect the back of a niche. Brinnid sighed; he turned back to the wall and peered into a deep crevice. They returned to working in silence. “And what talents and abilities would those be, sir?” she said suddenly.
Brinnid swung around, taken off guard. Sedra’s lantern sat in a niche; she herself leaned against the wall, arms crossed, observing him. He grinned. “Well, it would entirely depend on the situation, ma’am--whether we were outdoors or indoors, in daylight or lamplight...in company or alone. There are many variables, so there are.” He stepped closer to her, but she gave him a slight, quirking smile, retrieved her lantern and resumed her inspection of the niches. Brinnid lowered his lantern and put his other hand on his hip. “Your Highness, I do believe that you have been studying your sister’s ways.”
“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about, Your Majesty,” said Sedra crisply, keeping her back turned. “And why would you have been paying attention to my sister’s ‘ways,’ I wonder?”
“Because I have been waiting for you to pay attention to mine, Sedra,” he let slip. Her back stiffened. Too far, too soon, he despaired to himself; I had her for a moment, and now I’ve spoiled it. Well, in for a copper, in for a gold. “You said I could court you,” he continued, “and yet I find that instead of long walks in the gardens and charming conversations over cards, I have spent my courtship breathing in bone dust and brushing filth from my hair.”
“I am tired,” admitted Sedra. “But I feel we’re close. Don’t you?” She put her hand on his arm. “Do you need to rest?”
Brinnid laughed. “Your concern touches me, my lady, but I’ve been on many a march. This is merely a dusty stroll.”
Sedra turned back to the wall and the nooks filled with bones. “Marches? And here I thought you were a sailor.”
“I am a king, ma’am,” he answered, turning his lantern towards her; its light turned her hair to dark silk and warmed the soft, curving profile of her smudged cheek. Ah, she’s a fine woman, even covered in dust and a shapeless robe. “We are men of many talents and abilities, we kings. Some time soon I hope to acquaint you with a few of them.”
“Is that so,” she murmured absently, gently moving aside a femur to inspect the back of a niche. Brinnid sighed; he turned back to the wall and peered into a deep crevice. They returned to working in silence. “And what talents and abilities would those be, sir?” she said suddenly.
Brinnid swung around, taken off guard. Sedra’s lantern sat in a niche; she herself leaned against the wall, arms crossed, observing him. He grinned. “Well, it would entirely depend on the situation, ma’am--whether we were outdoors or indoors, in daylight or lamplight...in company or alone. There are many variables, so there are.” He stepped closer to her, but she gave him a slight, quirking smile, retrieved her lantern and resumed her inspection of the niches. Brinnid lowered his lantern and put his other hand on his hip. “Your Highness, I do believe that you have been studying your sister’s ways.”
“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about, Your Majesty,” said Sedra crisply, keeping her back turned. “And why would you have been paying attention to my sister’s ‘ways,’ I wonder?”
“Because I have been waiting for you to pay attention to mine, Sedra,” he let slip. Her back stiffened. Too far, too soon, he despaired to himself; I had her for a moment, and now I’ve spoiled it. Well, in for a copper, in for a gold. “You said I could court you,” he continued, “and yet I find that instead of long walks in the gardens and charming conversations over cards, I have spent my courtship breathing in bone dust and brushing filth from my hair.”
February 24, 2009
Chapter 14 book 3 is live
Things Known and Unknown:
Late in the morning the next day, Twenna awoke. She didn’t remember where she was until she looked up and saw the dark red canopy; she was in Harsin’s bed in his private rooms at Middlemont. She wanted very badly to stretch, but Harsin’s body nearly covered her head to toe in a muscular, hairy blanket. She stretched as much as she could and raised her head to look at the clock above the mantel--but her view of it was blocked. “Harsin?” said Twenna timidly.
“Hmm?” he mumbled into her neck.
“Harsin? There’s a man standing at the foot of the bed.”
Late in the morning the next day, Twenna awoke. She didn’t remember where she was until she looked up and saw the dark red canopy; she was in Harsin’s bed in his private rooms at Middlemont. She wanted very badly to stretch, but Harsin’s body nearly covered her head to toe in a muscular, hairy blanket. She stretched as much as she could and raised her head to look at the clock above the mantel--but her view of it was blocked. “Harsin?” said Twenna timidly.
“Hmm?” he mumbled into her neck.
“Harsin? There’s a man standing at the foot of the bed.”
February 19, 2009
Chapter 13 book 3 is live
Targets:
That night, Harsin idly swirled the brandy in his snifter; Affton had sent a few bottles of the 914 Leuteplum to the Middlemont cellars, and he made a mental note to have Winmer send the butler some small token of thanks. He took a long sip of the brandy and studied Twenna. She was the picture of the womanly arts, sitting demurely at the spinet; she was quite a competent musician, he thought, and looked so charming in the lamplight. Her evening dress was cut just to above scandal, and the rose-colored silk of her dress temptingly framed her white bosom and shoulders. He glanced at the timepiece on the mantel and absently counted the minutes until he could decently close the night’s festivities and get that dress off her.
Scattered around the room were the members of tonight’s dinner party, four of Harsin’s close friends and their own mistresses. Elbig Shelstone was not among them; he was not invited. Harsin didn’t know where the oily little man was and didn’t really care as long as it wasn’t here; he had agents watching any move Shelstone made outside the house, and the Middlemont staff were vigilant on his behalf within it. Twenna looked up from her music and smiled at him adoringly; he raised his snifter and returned the smile. He needed this relaxing evening, in the warmth of a worshipful mistress and the company of good friends.
Meanwhile, Elbig fumed in his study. Snubbed in his own house! It was almost unbearable. The entire point of giving his wife to the king was to gain the king’s ear! Instead, he found himself completely cut off from the source of power he so desperately needed to access, for his sponsor was back and bringing pressure to bear on him.
That night, Harsin idly swirled the brandy in his snifter; Affton had sent a few bottles of the 914 Leuteplum to the Middlemont cellars, and he made a mental note to have Winmer send the butler some small token of thanks. He took a long sip of the brandy and studied Twenna. She was the picture of the womanly arts, sitting demurely at the spinet; she was quite a competent musician, he thought, and looked so charming in the lamplight. Her evening dress was cut just to above scandal, and the rose-colored silk of her dress temptingly framed her white bosom and shoulders. He glanced at the timepiece on the mantel and absently counted the minutes until he could decently close the night’s festivities and get that dress off her.
Scattered around the room were the members of tonight’s dinner party, four of Harsin’s close friends and their own mistresses. Elbig Shelstone was not among them; he was not invited. Harsin didn’t know where the oily little man was and didn’t really care as long as it wasn’t here; he had agents watching any move Shelstone made outside the house, and the Middlemont staff were vigilant on his behalf within it. Twenna looked up from her music and smiled at him adoringly; he raised his snifter and returned the smile. He needed this relaxing evening, in the warmth of a worshipful mistress and the company of good friends.
Meanwhile, Elbig fumed in his study. Snubbed in his own house! It was almost unbearable. The entire point of giving his wife to the king was to gain the king’s ear! Instead, he found himself completely cut off from the source of power he so desperately needed to access, for his sponsor was back and bringing pressure to bear on him.
