“I assume we have reached a bargain, then?” Darkniciad asked. The man before him pursed his lips for a moment and his brow furrowed. He took a breath, nodded his head, and said, “It’s a square deal.” “Excellent,” Darkni said while extending a hand. As he...
Darkniciad melted into the kiss, lost in the feeling of her soft lips. She pressed her body against his and he subconsciously followed her lead when her other hand slipped behind his back. Even as he marveled at the feeling of her tongue slipping into the...
Christi settled the bag slung over her shoulder into a more comfortable position and set out for town. She was in good spirits, even though she harbored no illusions about actually having the opportunity to sell her sword. She'd gained the confidence of h...
Christi flipped her dark ponytail back over her shoulder with a sigh, and leaned up against the side of the building, where she had been for quite some time. Wrinkling her nose and shaking her head a bit did nothing to chase away the smell of sweat and an...
Christi and Rochelle both rose early, feeling quite refreshed from the unbroken sleep. They aided the men who were chosen to cook, and the smell of breakfast soon roused the camp. The company set out once more, moving at a slightly quicker pace this time....
Alicia fought to keep her eyes open, and thought that she was certainly going to lose the battle this time. Oblivious to her waning attention, Alfred continued to drone on about his exciting – at least to him – day of trading. He hadn’t even noticed that...
Alicia awakened with the sun, as she had the day before. This time, however, she felt rested. While the dirt floor was a far cry from her feather-stuffed mattress, it was a great improvement over sleeping on sticks and pine cones. With only a little food...
“Welcome home,” Fantil declared as the wagon crested a hill, revealing the sprawling city of Freeland. The bright noonday sun sparkled on the Groen Sea and the river Lionsfare, framing the city in a glimmering halo. Roads converged upon the city from ever...
Alicia sat cross-legged beneath a cherry tree in the garden, blissfully savoring a few of the ripe fruits, plucked directly from the tree. As with the day before, her parents were simply too stunned by her sudden shift in behavior to articulate their disa...
Alicia awakened to the sound of birds singing and the scent of flowers on the wind. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled as she beheld Thakkor asleep in the bed next to her. Her cheeks warmed a little as she considered her thoughts – and dreams – about...
Alicia rode at Thakkor’s side down the hill, once more traveling on the well maintained roads of Freeland. After four days of easy riding, she and Thakkor were within a day’s ride of the city. As on their previous journey, Alicia’s coin purse proved a wel...
The muscles in Cerebus’ bare chest rippled as he hefted the sack of grain into the wagon. It groaned a little under the weight, but had proven its solidity with numerous round trips.He wiped the sweat from his brow and walked toward the front of the wagon...
Mindblind came to, feeling rain on his face and grass beneath his back. With a great deal of effort, he managed to open his eyes and sit up. His vision swam, and he could feel the knots beneath his hair when he reflexively rubbed his head. A glance up rev...
The firelight from the encampment finally provided enough illumination for Mindblind to figure out what he was doing as he followed Raven, miming her movements. His knees ached from inching along in a crouch below the top of the waist-high grasses, and hi...
When the conversation about what to do next didn’t really go anywhere, Mindblind watched Yani leave the room, scratched the dark shadow of a beard on his chin, and then turned to Raven. “She’ll be fine,” Raven answered his unasked question while waving he...
Mindblind winced when one of the boards underfoot made a loud creak as he stepped out onto the porch of the inn. He slipped his sword from its sheath, his eyes and ears alert. The town was silent, save for the taproom of the inn, and even that had quieted...
The journey started pleasantly enough. The ladies of negotiable virtue chatted and laughed, still relating to each other the tales of their latest adventures and clients before leaving town. Indigo whistled as he drove the wagon, and even Raven seemed to...
Mindblind ran, fighting the wind, rain, and muddy terrain to stay upright with his burden. Raven had barely breathed when he found her, and there was no guarantee that she still was. Upon reaching the turf house, he turned his back toward the door and thr...
Mindblind stood staring at the wall, fist clenched tight around his sword hilt, and his vision red with rage. He tried to master his emotions, as he’d done all his life, but it was having no effect. After everything – even killing the last of the assassin...
The wagons creaked and rattled down the road as the sun sank toward the horizon. The women were excited, because familiar bits of scenery appeared the closer they moved toward Lakenshire. Mindblind, however, was on edge. He kept his eyes roving and his ea...
Mindblind blinked his eyes open, squinting against the morning light streaming through the window, and tried to focus on his surroundings. Eventually, Raven congealed out of the haze, standing at the foot of the bed with her hands on her hips. “Well, what...
The sun rode high in the sky, nearing its zenith and the heat made the moist air feel thick. Not even the breeze of the ship running at full sail could disperse the stifling heat. Thakkor shook his head to release drops of sweat clinging to his eyebrows a...
( A Darkniciad Story. This is an early story, and POV switches a little ) The hall was packed with people, all standing in complete silence. The evidence and testimony detailing the horrific nature of the crimes committed by the man before the King this d...
Heads turned when the door to the servants' common in Blackhawk Hall opened and a blonde woman entered, looking somewhat unsure of what she was supposed to be doing. Her face bespoke youth, still having an unmistakable softness that would fade with age. S...
The Duke and Duchess had just dressed after bathing when Arilee walked into the bath room. She marveled for a moment that there was no evidence of the battle that had occurred there only a short time before. She found that she had to concentrate to mainta...
Arilee and Christi broke from their kiss. Christi shivered and softly moaned, "Oh, that was good." Arilee giggled and blushed. "Really?" "Oh gods – yes. Your lips are so soft. It made me tingle all over.” The Duchess then twirled her fingers through the b...
Arilee and Christi walked through the massive double doors of Blackhawk Hall into the cobblestone courtyard beyond. Both were dressed to impress, and the effect was not lost on the guards flanking the door. Christi turned around after a few steps, knowing...
Christi was barely awake when she heard the knock on her door. Looking next to her at Arilee curled up in the sheets – smiling sweetly in her sleep – the Duchess couldn't help smiling as well. Another knock jolted her out of her reverie, this one register...
"The elf mongrel is in the Hall, and the half-breed moved on to fort up in the inn once they broke the charm over our dupes," Cordell reported. Garvin, self-appointed Governor of Darius, frowned. "They moved forward after the attack? How much does that...
( A Darkniciad story. About a year 9 mos. after King Thakkorias ) Queen Alicia stood before the doorway of her parlor, bidding goodnight to the last of her guests. Naturally, Christi and Arilee had stayed later than any of the others, more accustomed to l...
