Pen's Blog - Posts Tagged "magic"
Excerpt #2 SOT Book Three: At Sword's End
“How noble a steed,” Desdemona said. She looked down at Heather again. “Pity.”
Desdemona waved her hand.
Heather waved hers at the same moment.
Galindore stopped galloping as he felt himself surrounded by an unseen barrier.
Heather’s protective shield covered him only moments before Desdemona’s spell reached it. A cloud of white sparks burst against the shield. The spell became a cloud of mist with sparks twinkling in the sun, and surrounded the shield.
“Oh, my,” Desdemona said with mock delight. “The Princess knows magic. I wonder where she got that from?” She looked down at Heather. “Remove the shield you little urchin.”
Heather trembled from both anger and fear but she looked defiantly up at Desdemona. “No,” she said. “He’s an innocent horse! He’s done nothing to you!”
“Oh but that doesn’t matter sweetie,” Desdemona said. “Any friend of the Realm is an enemy of mine!” She waved her hand and in it appeared a mirror. She looked into it for a moment, and then she began to smile. She slowly turned the mirror to face Heather.
Within the mirror, Heather saw her mother. She was in a cell in Desdemona’s castle along with her Aunt Tiernan, Jancie and Kelsie. As she watched, her mother began to breathe hard, as though breathing were difficult. Then she clutched her throat and began gasping for air.
Tiernan ran to her sister’s side. “Are you all right?”
Barbara shook her head to indicate she was not all right and went to her knees in an effort to draw breath. Jancie and Kelsie were by her side in an instant.
“The horse or your mother, Princess,” Desdemona said. “The choice is yours.”
Desdemona waved her hand.
Heather waved hers at the same moment.
Galindore stopped galloping as he felt himself surrounded by an unseen barrier.
Heather’s protective shield covered him only moments before Desdemona’s spell reached it. A cloud of white sparks burst against the shield. The spell became a cloud of mist with sparks twinkling in the sun, and surrounded the shield.
“Oh, my,” Desdemona said with mock delight. “The Princess knows magic. I wonder where she got that from?” She looked down at Heather. “Remove the shield you little urchin.”
Heather trembled from both anger and fear but she looked defiantly up at Desdemona. “No,” she said. “He’s an innocent horse! He’s done nothing to you!”
“Oh but that doesn’t matter sweetie,” Desdemona said. “Any friend of the Realm is an enemy of mine!” She waved her hand and in it appeared a mirror. She looked into it for a moment, and then she began to smile. She slowly turned the mirror to face Heather.
Within the mirror, Heather saw her mother. She was in a cell in Desdemona’s castle along with her Aunt Tiernan, Jancie and Kelsie. As she watched, her mother began to breathe hard, as though breathing were difficult. Then she clutched her throat and began gasping for air.
Tiernan ran to her sister’s side. “Are you all right?”
Barbara shook her head to indicate she was not all right and went to her knees in an effort to draw breath. Jancie and Kelsie were by her side in an instant.
“The horse or your mother, Princess,” Desdemona said. “The choice is yours.”
Book Mark
I read it in a book once
of kings and queens
and knights of old;
around the table at which they sat
their medieval story was told.
I read it in a book once
of planets and aliens
and spaceships of glory;
a galactic war between good and evil
was the climax of their story.
I read it in a book once
of hobbits and wizards
swamps and scary things;
I travelled a land called Morder
and vanquished the evil ring.
I read it in a book once
of tombs and treasures
and priceless recoveries;
thousands upon thousands of stories
of magic discoveries.
In distant lands far away
where secrets are revealed;
I read it in a book once -
I know it to be real.
of kings and queens
and knights of old;
around the table at which they sat
their medieval story was told.
I read it in a book once
of planets and aliens
and spaceships of glory;
a galactic war between good and evil
was the climax of their story.
I read it in a book once
of hobbits and wizards
swamps and scary things;
I travelled a land called Morder
and vanquished the evil ring.
I read it in a book once
of tombs and treasures
and priceless recoveries;
thousands upon thousands of stories
of magic discoveries.
In distant lands far away
where secrets are revealed;
I read it in a book once -
I know it to be real.
