Emmazel - Chapter 1

 Emmazel is written! It releases on Wednesday, and I hope you enjoy this first chapter enough to go check it out. Paperback might be available sooner. We shall see. 

Emmazel's chapter 1 contains no spoilers for the previous books.

 Chapter 1

Despite having lived her whole life in a tower, Emmazel had made it to maturity with a reputation of being clever and accomplished. Too clever, if one asked her father. And too fond of love potions.

Thirty-two companions, she’d had during her tenure in the tower, and nearly every one of them was now married into the country’s nobility. Anna was the latest, an older woman who had been a decided old maid. Emmazel had considered her an especial challenge but had still prevailed in the end.

“Emma! Emmazel, child, where are you?”

She sighed at her father’s call, sending one last surge of magic into the coriander she was tending, and then she stood. He had just returned home and clearly wasn’t happy with what he’d found.

“I’m in my garden, Father!” she shouted down the stairs. “It was such a beautiful day. I just had to do some gardening.”

The winds swirled, and suddenly he stood beside her in the room. Her garden was the most remarkable room – for though she couldn’t go outside herself, the roof was made of the clearest crystal, allowing light to pass through and her plants thrived.

“Emmazel, where is your companion?”

Emmazel blinked and glanced about herself, as though surprised that he should ask such a question. “Well, not here, obviously. Did you misplace her?”

“Emmazel, child, you are being meddlesome again, aren’t you?”

“It was another lord, sir,” she declared. “He’d been bothering us for weeks, convinced that I was here against my will, and I just had to do something about it.”

“You used a love potion on the pair,” piped up the black cat who lay sunning himself among her roses.

“Again, child?” Father twisted away, throwing up his hands in frustration, and the wind that followed him rustled through the room with particular agitation. A few of Emmazel’s plants complained, but most were used to his outbursts. “I go to so much trouble to find companions for you, here in your tower, and all you do is trick the poor girls into falling in love with lords and dukes and running away with them.”

Emmazel shook her head, kneeling to tend her plants. “Papa, you’ve forbidden me to leave this tower, so you can’t possibly expect me to have run off with him in her place. What else was I to do?”

“Turn him away! Make it clear that neither one of you is a damsel in distress and that his services are unneeded and unwanted.” Father shook his head in disappointment. “Love is not to be trifled with.”

“And young men who have it in their heads that there’s a helpless young maiden for them to rescue aren’t to be trifled with, either,” Emmazel countered. “You underestimate the power of love, Papa.”

“You meddle with things you don’t understand,” said Father. “Stop herding these poor fellows to marriage with your potions.”

“You do know that the entire reason that girls agree to come live with me is because I’ll help them find a husband of rank?” Emmazel raised an eyebrow. “Night can attest! None would be so brazen to admit it outright when you’re recruiting them, but most have said as much to me. And I make sure to let them know the risks of a love potion, and each is instructed to delay the marriage for at least the six months that it takes for a love potion to wear off. And I hear that most of my girls are quite happy with their lives since. Why, Lady Bellflower sent me a necklace just last month as a thank-you for my help. I assure you, I know what I’m about.”

Father threw up his hands. “As always, you won’t listen to me, thinking instead that you know best. Mark my words, dear Emmazel, and stop all this bothersome trouble before you regret it all.”

Emmazel tilted her head to the side as she considered her father. How old and frail he looked these days! Perhaps she really ought to pay more attention to him, for it seemed unfair for a man to slip away this quickly, and he’d been strong and hale for as long as she could remember.

“I think,” she said at length, “that you’re out of sorts because it’s dinnertime. Why don’t we retreat to the kitchen? Anna didn’t leave us without supper. You, too, Night. Come along!”

She scooped up the black cat and headed down the stairs, knowing that her father would follow. He would also continue his protests, despite the futility.

“You don’t have to bother yourself, good lady,” said Night, squirming in her arms. “I have four legs that work perfectly well, in case you didn’t realize.”

Emmazel laughed and hugged him closer. “But then you might get lost, and just think how distraught I’ll be!”

~

They sat down around the table, and Emmazel passed around the night’s dinner of vegetables and chicken. All were mindful of the empty chair.

Or, at least, Emmazel and her father were. Night hopped up to his seat and made himself quite comfortable, paying it no mind.

“There’s no question about it; I’ll just have to find another girl to stay with you.” Father tsked and shook his head. “It’s no good, leaving you here alone. No, you need a new companion, and I’ll just have to find one entirely disinterested in marrying above her station.”

“Good luck with that,” said Emmazel. “There’s no one in the land who wouldn’t like to improve their lives, and marriage is the best way for a woman to do that. Why, even as content as I am, I might be tempted myself if Prince Christian were to stumble upon my tower and suit for my hand.”

“Emma! Emmazel, child!” Father shook his head in distress. “Put such a thought from your mind! You have no need of anything outside the tower. And why would the prince have reason to visit you? I’m certain he’s far too busy doing the things that princes do.”

Emmazel just wiggled her eyebrows as she took a sip of her tea. “You’re quite likely correct,” she acquiesced. “Though, Anna’s husband-to-be is the Duke of Westbrook, Prince Christian’s own cousin. So you might never know.”

Father’s frown grew.

“Perhaps, sir, you ought not to worry so much about what Emma does with the girls,” Night suggested. “A fool she might be; at least it keeps her in the tower.”

Father harumphed. “The tower is for her own good, as she well knows. Emmazel is too delicate a flower for the outside world, and I don’t know if my nerves could take it, should she ever leave.”

Emmazel reached over and patted her father’s hand to comfort him. “And with the stories you tell, I shudder at such exposure. So put your mind quite at ease, Papa, and know that I have no intention of leaving the home you built for me.

So long as he lived, Emmazel could never leave her father. Not when he sat there before her, so frail and old. She was all he had, and she couldn’t leave him adrift.

“You’re a good daughter,” said Night. “A veritable model of perfection. Isn’t that right, sir?”

Emmazel sat up straighter, simpering under the praise, even if she had no idea how serious the cat was. He did love to tease her.

“She has flaws enough – which she would do well to remember,” said Father. “Don’t go filling her head with idle praise, cat.”

“Idle? Never!” Night licked his paw as though offended. “But if I puff up her head enough, it might well actually be able to match that braid of hers.”

Emmazel gave the cat an offended huff. She was quite proud of her golden braid, which had never been cut and was nearly twice as long as she was tall, despite her height. She had an idea that the length would be unmanageable if she had to move about outside, but in the tower, it was nothing to worry over. Brushing and braiding it kept her occupied for a good hour each day, besides, and she prided herself on always staying busy despite her confinement.

“She doesn’t need your help with that,” said Father, shaking his head. “Now, I don’t want any of that cake, sitting there under the towel, so I am off to bed. If you want my advice, you would leave that thing alone yourself, my dear. It’s far too rich for this late in the evening. But, of course, you won’t listen to me – ah, Night, is this how children are these days? Always thinking they know best.”

Night paused, a curious expression crossing his face as he sat up straight. “I wouldn’t know, but it certainly seems true of your daughter, sir. I think it comes of her confinement in this tower. It gives her ideas that she knows everything about the world.”

Father stared at Emmazel for a long moment, then turned away. “There’s nothing to be done about that. Alas.” With that, he disappeared from the room, taking his unruly winds with him.

Emmazel narrowed her gaze on Night. “You infuriating cat! You know better than to upset him like that!”

“And so do you, yet you still persist in making your love potions.”

“It’s hardly my fault that men are so obsessed with rescuing maidens trapped in towers.” Emmazel shook her head. “Neither is it my fault that they are so easily swayed by a potion. Why, it’s really only a precaution to keep them from fixating on me.”

“As you’ve said.”

“And I’m quite aware that I don’t know everything – how can I when there’s a whole world out there that I have never experienced for myself? But I do know what I know, and you can’t take that away from me, you disagreeable cat!”

“So you say.” Night was done eating, so he jumped down from the table. “Now, you seem to be on your own to clean up tonight. Such a pity. I’d offer to help, but I lack hands.”

Emmazel pursed her lips as she stared after Night. Shaking herself, she wrapped up the cake and put it away. It had been meant as a peace offering for her father, and since that had failed – well, it was better off as breakfast tomorrow.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

And check out this lovely cover for book 4! It's scheduled for release in December, as part of the Broken Mirrors, which you can check out here - including a sneak peek at the first chapter for anyone who preorders all six mirrors or shares the covers on their social media. It and Rose Petals & Snowflakes are both on sale this week for only 99 cents, so grab 'em while you can!

If you click through links, you may also see that the preorder link is live for Thornrose Estate with a temporary cover. My current plan is to design its cover live when Crown & Cinder hits 100 ratings on Amazon, and it's halfway there, so if you've read it, do pop over and tell people how you enjoyed it, if you can. (I don't know yet on what platform I'll be designing the cover, but it will likely be my Discord server, which you really should join if you haven't yet.)

Crown & Cinder Chapter 1

 

Chapter 1

It is a fact universally acknowledged that a girl, in possession of stepmother and stepsisters, must be in want of a fairy godmother to come whisk her away to some ball, where she might fall in love with a prince and live happily ever after.

Lizzy hated facts universally acknowledged. Far too often – and as in this case – they were the furthest thing from the truth. Yes, she had a stepmother, and, yes, Lady Benne did keep her away from polite society, but she’d never felt oppressed in her life. At best, “polite” society bored her, and she was glad to have an excuse to avoid it.

Besides which, fairies were, on the whole, a pesky folk who could rarely be relied on for anything. She had certainly never heard tell of any of them with enough self-awareness to godmother anyone. And who would ask that of a creature that would barely live a decade.

No, she was quite happy with her life. She knew her place in society, and she was glad of it. She had a roof over her head, a family that loved her, each in their own way, and she didn't have to listen to people whisper about her behind her back.

"Watch out for the Cinder!" she knew they would say. "Thinks she can be one of us - but it doesn't matter who her father is, it doesn't change the fire that runs through her veins!"

As though she would want to change one whit about herself! No, she was much better off acting as a servant in their household, where Cinders were supposed to be. Her best friend, cousin, and fellow Cinder, Charrie, was among the servants, and they didn't need anyone's approval.

And, so, Lizzy naturally thought it no consequence at all to herself when her younger half-sister rushed into the room, waving a sheet of paper, crying at the top of her considerably powerful lungs.

"Oh, Mother! Mother! Janet! You won't believe it! Oh, no, you won't believe it at all - I was just talking to the knights, and they had the most delightful news. Mother!"

Lizzy twisted the rag in her hand and rolled her eyes towards Charrie with a tired sigh. They had been sharing a very stimulating conversation, as they discussed Janet's latest insufferable beau, who had been to dinner last night. Janet was far too polite to him, in Lizzy's opinion, but she was far too polite to everyone. Why, if he'd been there to court Lizzy, she would have already turned him out on his ear.

But, then, when he eventually found out that Janet's real father had been nothing but a farmer, and that Lizzy herself was Lord Benne's true eldest daughter ... well, he'd be soon on his way, the same as all the other beaus. Not even Janet's sweet spirit and quiet beauty could entice a man who was truly after a title and connections. Perhaps Janet did well enough with her politeness. But she deserved better.

"Mother!" Lavinia shrieked again, and threw up her hands in frustration as she spun around and her eye fell on Lizzy. "Oh! Lizzy! Is Mother abed with another of her headaches? Oh, but she would so unreasonable at a time like this."

Lizzy stood, giving Charrie a regretful smile as she dropped her rag in the dirty water. She chose to not comment on Lady Benne being unreasonable, be it in agreement or otherwise. She hated agreeing with her half-sister for anything, and yet ... well, she was far too familiar with Lady Benne’s headaches. 

"Perhaps your marvelous news shall do mother good enough to cure her headache," Lizzy suggested, straightening the kerchief she kept tied around her otherwise unruly black curls. "She’s in her room with Janet. We may as well take the news to her."

Of course, given that this news apparently came from the knights, Lizzy didn't know how far she trusted it, but she knew that Lady Benne would want to hear it. Much as she tried, Lizzy couldn't convince her stepmother how improper it was for a young lady to spend as much time with the knights as Lavinia did. Truly, she had no idea why her father had married the woman - but she also had no idea why he'd married her own mother. 

Her father was a man who defied understanding. 

Perhaps there was a reason that Janet compensated by being far too polite. Lizzy would be the first to admit that it was probably the only thing that saved their family's respectability among their peers.

If only she were Lord Benne's real daughter. Letting people live on assumptions was dangerous business.

Lavinia was practically bouncing on her toes as they walked to her mother's room, and Lizzy was pretty sure that her younger sister was going to burst into pieces if she didn't tell her news at once. At least she wouldn't burst into flames. Lavinia's outbursts and foolishness only hurt her dignity and caused natural damage.

Lizzy couldn't imagine the terror and disgrace her sister would have been if she were the Cinder instead. Oh, but if only her father could have had a proper heir!

They could hear Lady Benne's moans and tears a full hallway before they reached her room, and Lizzy released a pained sigh. She was never quite sure how much of her stepmother's "headaches" were real, and how much she affected in a bid for sympathy. She had her guesses, though.

But she wasn't about to agree with Lavinia and call the woman "unreasonable." 

Lavinia burst into the room with a shriek of triumph. "Mother! You can stop this right now! I have the best of news, and even your worst headache can't compare to it, I promise. So quiet up and listen." She waved a sheet of paper about that. As Lizzy slunk into the room and leaned against the wall, she wondered if she should have taken note of this piece of paper sooner. But how important could it really be, coming from the knights the way it did. 

Lavinia was sixteen - far too young to be spending as much time as she did with the knights. And far too old to be acting like a child, the way she did.

But no one would listen to Lizzy's concerns about her youngest sister. Lady Benne was nearly as childish and silly as her daughter, Janet was sure that Lavinia would grow up in time - though where she got that idea, Lizzy had no clue - and their father would only smile indulgently and say that Lavinia was only making use of her youth while she had it. 

But, really, what use was it listening to the reclusive Cinder who preferred to spend time with the servants over her own peers? But who really were her peers? As far as she was concerned, servants were far less complicated, and far less concerned over the fact that Lizzy could toss sparks from her fingertips. 

"It's Prince Liam! He's finally coming home again, after all these years away!" Lavinia announced gleefully, as she shoved the paper into her mother's eager hands. "They're going to throw three balls to celebrate - and they're inviting every eligible maiden in all of Binfield to attend!"

"Every eligible maiden?" repeated Janet, glancing towards Lizzy, as though for help. Lizzy just shrugged. After all, she was just learning this information herself.

"Well, that's what the proclamation says." Lavinia gave a small shrug. "Though, it's an exaggeration to make them sound more benevolent, or at least, that's what Sir Owen said. The actual truth is that to actually attend, Father will have to register us, and then they'll let us know if we're selected - but we're the first to know! Sir Noah promised me so! If Father makes sure to register us at once, then we're sure to be chosen!"

Mother sat up straight and then fell back against the pillows with a cry of despair. "Oh, but then we are doomed! That man will neglect his duty just to vex me, I swear he will. He cares naught a wit for the fates of his daughters, only that I am the most miserable woman in all the land! And this is such an opportunity, too! Why, a royal ball! Think of the husbands you could find there! Perhaps even the prince himself!"

"It's a royal ball, after all," said Lavinia, nodding sagely as though she knew what she was talking about. "In the prince's honor, where they're making a specific point to invite maidens. Sir Nathaniel says that means only one thing."

Mother gave a massive sigh and glanced towards her eldest daughter. "Of course - if they have our crown prince safely home again, it's high time that he take a wife." She suddenly pushed herself out of bed, clutching the paper to her heart. "And shouldn't that wife be one of our own, not some foreign princess - we were all sure that he was going to take a foreign wife, you know. Ah, but love is never sensible." She shook her head with a passion and called for a servant to help her out of her nightdress and into something practical. "I shall take this to Lord Benne, and I will have him send it in, as he ought. Troublesome man he might be, he shall do his duty, or I won't let him hear the end of it."

Lizzy, though servant in all but name, wasn't allowed to handle clothing - fire was too much of a liability with cloth. So, she quietly slipped out of the room, wishing that this would be the end of the matter, but knowing that, no matter the outcome, it most certainly wouldn't. No, they would be hearing about this ball for the end of their days, their mother forever lamenting how Janet could have won the prince.

"The proclamation says every maiden," came Janet's quiet voice, as she stepped out into the hallway with her.

Lizzy shrugged. "Even farmers' daughters, I suppose. I doubt you have much of a chance, no matter what your mother might think, but I suppose you can let yourself dream. If anyone deserves love, it's you. And, surely, someday, some man will look past your birth to see that."

"I was thinking more along the lines of a certain Cinder's daughter." Janet laid a hand on Lizzy's arm. "You deserve love just as much as I do." 

Lizzy drew in a deep breath and shrugged. "I have all the love I need right here in this house, though. Besides, I'm not just a Cinder's daughter, but a Cinder myself - there's no arguing about that." She held up a hand and let a small flame lick at her fingertips. "I don't know why my father married my mother, but he was always an eccentric. I'm not an easy person to fall in love with - and I will only accept the purest and most ardent affection in marriage. And I know that my noble birth is the only thing attractive about me."

Janet pressed her lips into a line and shook her head. "I think you care too much about what others think of you."

"I don't care a whit what others think, but I'm not going to put myself in a position that I'm at their mercy." Lizzy balled her hand into a fist, extinguishing the flame. "And I left Charrie alone, cleaning the entry hall, and you know how intimidating that entry hall can be. Or, if you don't know, take my word for it. It's intimidating."

Janet shook her head. "Lizzy, the only reason that people will never accept you is because you've decided in advance that they can't."

"That and the fact that I'm a Cinder." Lizzy glanced over her shoulder at Lady Benne's bedroom door. "You know, for someone who ran away from duty to marry a farmer in her youth, your mother is terribly determined to see both you and our sister in a high-ranking marriage."

Janet glanced down and heaved a heavy sigh. "She loved and lost and learned the error of her ways. Mother doesn't talk about it, but I know the hardships she faced because of her marriage to my father proved more than she could bear. She just wants to see Lavinia and I taken care of. We don't have fire magic to protect us, after all."

"Well, I hope you find only the truest love, too," said Lizzy, shrugging. "Maybe this ball will change things. Maybe you can find true love."

She pulled away from her stepsister and hurried down the hall.

~

True to Lady Benne's prediction, Lord Benne proved reluctant to send in the registration that, supposedly, would secure his daughters' futures and fortunes. As Lizzy expected, this boiled into an ongoing argument between them, Lady Benne pestering him to send it every moment they were together, and Father egging her on with his silence and stubbornness.

"I don't see how you say you care about them, when you won't do even this small thing for them!" Lady Benne declared one day, as Father sat in the sitting room, reading a book with Lizzy. She wasn't allowed to handle paper, so would read over his shoulder for an hour at least, every day. "Think of the opportunity, my Lord! Why, I was just talking with Lady Kalis, and her husband is filling out the application as we speak! And when we could have sent it in a full week ago! Oh, but if the prince choses their Birdie, I don't know what I'll do. A more brainless girl, their never was."

Lizzy had to agree with that statement. Lavinia's best friend was harmless enough on her own, but wouldn't even think twice about following Lavinia into the worst of her schemes. It was truly embarrassing.

"If he choses Birdie, then I will pity the kingdom, but isn't the girl's only purpose to look pretty on his arm and charm his guests?" Lord Benne gave a long, tired sigh. 

"Oh, but the brainless fool will mess even that up! Ah, and to think that he could have my Jane, but, no, you insist on sitting there, letting this opportunity slip through our fingers! I swear, I married the most unreasonable man alive!"

"Well, given that I haven't died yet, like your last one did, I think you could have done worse, my dear." Father turned the page of the book without even glancing her way.

Lady Benne gave a huff as she sauntered further into the room. "How can you deny the girls such an opportunity! It would take but seconds of your day, and yet there you still sit."

"This is a good book, and my Lizzy is enjoying it." Father finally glanced up. "You should know better than to interrupt our reading time, by now, though you're welcome to claim your own book and join us."

"You know what, I'm tired of all this! I don't want to talk about it anymore! If I hear another word about our prince and his balls, I swear I shall scream. I am going to lock myself away in my rooms, and I shan't emerge until this whole foolishness is over. I don't even want to know what poor girl he choses! If he chooses one at all."

"Well, that really is too bad, given that this came today, and you're expected to chaperone the girls." Father pulled a letter from the pile of papers next to him and held it out to her. "The crown expects to see the girls there, so there will be no avoiding it. Perhaps Lady Kalis will receive an invitation, and the girls can attend with her..."

Lady Benne gave a shriek that liked to have turned every soul in the house deaf, and she rushed forward to snatch the letter from his hands.

"You vexing, vexing man!" she cried in triumph, as she greedily read the official document within the envelope. "All this time, and you had sent it in all along."

She rushed from the room, calling for her daughters, once again leaving Lizzy and her father to their book.

"You could have told her from the start and saved yourself a week of grief," said Lizzy, wrinkling her nose as she stared after her stepmother.

"Saved myself, perhaps, but what grief would she have wrecked if today's invitation had never come?" Father glanced up at Lizzy with a conspiratorial smile. "No, it was best that I remain the sole villain in this crime. Besides, in a life as dull as mine, I have to take my entertainment where I can."

Lizzy frowned over the fact that Father considered this to be entertainment. "Well, she's happy now, at least. I doubt we'll still have any peace, but at least she's happy."

"The invitation is for all three of my daughters," said Father.

Lizzy tensed, and she smelled smoke from where she gripped the back of his chair. "Would they really miss one girl? I'm a Cinder, Father. You know I can't..."

"Things haven't been as cruel to people of your type, not as they were when your mother lived."

But Lizzy just shook her head, folding her hands together as she glared at the fingerprint scorches that she'd just left on his chair. "I can't, anyway. Not that night. I have to attend the hazel tree."

Rose Petals & Snowflakes - Chapter 1

 Okay, first off ... a bit of a statement - I am semi-retiring this blog. I mean, I have been posting less and less over here, you may have noticed, but I'm going to go ahead and say that posting here is no longer a priority. I will still post first chapters here and the occasional announcement, but mostly because this is the blog tied to my Amazon page and is thus the easiest way for me to put announcements there.

To properly keep up with me, I highly recommend being subscribed to my newsletter (which will give you access to Ardnek Afterthoughts, my blog with sneak peeks and bonus content) and/or joining my Discord Server (which is where you need to be if you're interested in betaing my books in the future). 

And now the first chapter of Rose Petals & Snowflakes!

(Click the pretty picture!!!)

1

The king of the North Country lay dying. Even his wife and younger daughter, who’d been optimistic to the end, were forced to concede to reality, and they now took turns in a constant vigil at his bedside. His elder daughter, ever the pragmatist, applied herself to matters of state so that their kingdom not fall into ruin.

Of course, the most pressing matter was finding their elder half-brother, on whose shoulders the affairs of state ought to fall.

She had sent messengers to all corners of the land and beyond, and, one by one, they had only returned in vain. Today, however, a man had finally returned with news – and it was troubling news indeed. If he was right – and the uncomfortable knot in the princess’s stomach said he was – then they were in trouble indeed.

And so she tucked the matter away and went in search of her sister. She needed a distraction and figured that her sister, who’d been at their father’s bedside the whole day, could use the same. By the time she’d reached his bedchamber, she’d settled the knot of nerves in her stomach – after she’d nearly worried off her lower lip.

Knocking lightly at the door, she stepped into the room and sighed as she sat down at her sister’s side. “How is he, Mari?”

Snowmari blinked and sat up straight. “Asleep. Keep quiet and don’t wake him – you know that he doesn’t like to hear us talking about him.” She took her sister’s hand. “Oh, Elin! Just look at him! Does he even resemble the father we know and love? And if James – Elin, have you found any news of James?”

Elinrose released a sigh. “I have a lead, and that’s why I need to talk to you. This … it’ll be best if I personally pursue this. I’m leaving in the morning, and I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I’ll return with James when I do. I promise.”

Snowmari sucked in a breath. “Very well. Where is he?”

“Nowhere good, which is why I’ll have to retrieve him myself.” Elinrose put a hand on Snowmari’s shoulder. “Also, it’s Mayblossom’s bedtime, and I think she would like it if we both tucked her in.”

Snowmari frowned, her gaze flicking to their father. “Very well. We can leave a servant with him for a few minutes.” She shook her head. “Oh! But to see him like this, when he was always so strong and…” She took a deep breath and stood. “Let’s go find Mayblossom, yes?”

“Yes,” agreed Elinrose, hooking her arm through her sister’s and guiding her out of the room. “Now, I just want to let you know that I’ve already spoken with Chancellor Markim. You won’t need to worry about affairs of state while I’m away, as he will handle them. I hope to not be gone long … but if I don’t return with James before … well, you know happens, don’t hesitate to hold a coronation for Mayblossom and take the position of regent.”

“But…”

“Only if I don’t return.” Elinrose held up a hand. “I plan to return with James before the inevitable and not leave you in this position. I just want to make sure that we have the backup plan in place.”

“Right.” Snowmari gave an exaggerated sigh. “It’s just, the way you’re talking … I’m worried, that’s all.”

“Of course, but I’ve already told you that you have nothing to worry about.” Elinrose patted Snowmari’s hand.

She didn’t like patronizing her sister, but Snowmari could overreact with such melodrama over the most minor issues … and that was the last thing that Elinrose wanted right now.

Snowmari released a sigh. “If you say so. You’d better return with him – I don’t know what I’ll do if you don’t.”

“Chancellor Markim will take care of affairs – whether until my return or until Mayblossom comes of age. You will be her regent officially, but he will be your chief advisor. Use him.”

“But shouldn’t you…”

Elinrose pulled them up short as they had reached Mayblossom’s room. “I plan to return with James. Now, no more of this – we don’t want to upset Mayblossom. She may well have the world on her shoulders before long.”

“And yet you stand there, upsetting me!” Snowmari shook her head and pulled away from Elinrose. “Now, look at me! I’m a ball of nerves – how do you expect me to not upset Mayblossom when I have this weighing on my mind?”

“Hey!” Elinrose bit down her frustration, knowing that one of them had to remain calm. “Everything will be fine. But if you don’t want to give Mayblossom her good-night kiss, then, by all means, run back to Father’s side and worry yourself away.”

Snowmari folded her arms over her chest, drawing in a breath. “Fine. Where is James?”

Elinrose took Snowmari by the arm again and pulled her into Mayblossom’s room, where their eight-year-old niece sat on her bed, playing with her dolls. Mayblossom smiled at first, but it melted into a frown as she glanced between her aunts.

“Is something wrong?” Mayblossom hugged one of the dolls to her chest.

“Oh, Aunt Mari and I are just so regretful that we have to come put an end to your game!” Elinrose slipped into a smile as she swept over to the bed and sat down at Mayblossom’s side. “Bedtime, you know.”

Mayblossom gave a slow nod as she reluctantly set her dolls to the side. “All right. I thought Grandpa…”

“Grandpa’s still with us,” said Snowmari, rushing over to sit down on Mayblossom’s other side. “Don’t worry – he’s stubborn and will cling to life as long as he can.”

“Daddy needs to come back home soon.” Mayblossom gave a huge sigh. “I know he doesn’t like to be around me ‘cause I remind him of Momma, but with Grandpa so sick…”

“Your daddy loves you plenty well!” Elinrose countered, tapping Mayblossom’s nose. “He’s just silly and likes to adventure instead of staying here with us. Now, sweet dreams, and don’t worry yourself about it. I’ve already made up my mind that I will be going to find him myself this time and let him know that it’s more than time for him to move on and come home.”

Mayblossom wrinkled her nose but nodded as she tucked herself under the covers. “Good. I just wish…” Here she gave a colossal sigh. “I hope I don’t scare him away once he’s the king. It won’t be any good if he runs away then.”

“I think you eavesdrop more than any little girl ought.” Elinrose pulled the blankets up to the girl’s chin, pressed a kiss to her niece’s forehead, and then stood, shaking her head. “As I said, there’s no reason for you to worry.”

She nodded to Snowmari, who launched into a quiet lullaby. Mayblossom gave a slow sigh, closing her eyes.

Elinrose pinched her lips together as she listened. Mayblossom’s fears weren’t unfounded. Perhaps if Raine, her mother, had survived her birth, then things would have been different, but she hadn’t.

James loved his daughter, Elinrose had no doubt about that, but the truth was, he was sentimental, and Mayblossom was the image of her mother. James had adored Raine, and while that affection did extend to their daughter, the pain of loss still drove him away after only a few weeks with the child.

Indeed, the problem only got worse the older Mayblossom got. The more she looked like her mother. No, the girl had a right to worry. James wouldn’t have the liberty to wander away for adventures once he was king. If he returned home at all in order to become king…

Elinrose balled her hands into fists. Her brother was sentimental and an idiot, and tomorrow she was going to risk her own life and freedom to get him out of the trouble he’d found himself in this time.

But that sentimental idiot was her older brother, and even though it was only by half-blood, she loved him as much as though it were full-blood. She would save his sorry backside, and she would see him on the throne. And then she would face the issue of how to keep him on that throne, rather than gallivanting across the countryside as was his princely wont.

Snowmari’s song ended, and with a few whispered words of comfort, she stood and retreated to Elinrose’s side.

“Good night May-dearest,” she said, twisting into a smile, and Elinrose pried herself out of her thoughts to repeat the words, and two sisters stepped out of the bedroom together.

“Do you have to go find James yourself?” Snowmari protested, hooking an arm through Elinrose’s, as though she could physically anchor her sister to the castle. “Surely some messenger could do just as well. Or … maybe I could go in your place! You know that I can’t do half the things that you do for the kingdom. Let me go! Let me be useful!”

Elinrose bit back a sigh and shook her head. “I wish, but I’ve already considered all of our options. Alas, Mari, but you and James are too much alike, and the trouble he’s in is … tricky. Mayblossom might be able to free him, were she older, but she’s not, and as his only heir, we can’t risk her. No, it has to be me. I leave in the morning, and there will be no further argument.”

Snowmari released a long sigh, tightening her hold of her sister’s arm. “Fine. I … I guess I’ll just stay here. And worry. Do what you can.”

Elinrose forced a smile. “Austere willing, I’ll be back before you even realize I’m gone.”

 ~~~~~

Of course, Elinrose knew even then that her words were but a cheerful exaggeration. Though she left at the first light of dawn the next morning, she had a journey of two days on horseback before she arrived at the mysterious Forest that formed their country’s border. Rarely had anyone ever stepped into that wood and returned afterward. She couldn’t imagine what had possessed her brother to take the risk, but here she was now.

“None of you are to follow me,” she instructed the soldiers that had accompanied her this far. “You can wait for me a week, but then return to the castle if I haven’t emerged again.”

“Of course, your highness,” said the captain. “Are you sure you want to go in there yourself?”

Elinrose shook her head. “I have to, but thank you for your concern.” With that, she spurred her horse forward into the ominous wood.

Despite the temperature rising as she threaded through the trees, a chill settled over Elinrose. This forest was oddly lit. No sunbeam seemed to penetrate the foliage above, yet a green glow was everywhere, casting shadows at odd angles.

The plant life was odd here as well – though, having grown up in an ice-locked kingdom, Elinrose supposed that the large, leafy trees, vines, and bushes could be perfectly normal in a warmer clime. Still, it set her nerves on end, especially as she stared at the jagged leaves and thorny stems. The very air hung with a sense of foreboding, and the constant rustling in the undergrowth didn’t help.

She tightened her grip on her horse’s reigns. If she could just see what were making the noises…

No, she had to focus. She had to find James, do what she had to do to get him out of here, and then see him back to the castle. If she didn’t escape herself, if she had to remain behind to buy his freedom, then so be it.

But she really hoped that it wouldn’t come to that.

And, first, she had to find him. Elinrose hardly knew how to begin. The Forest was huge. How was she to even know where to begin.

Well, there was nothing to do but to press forward and pray to Austere that she was going in the right direction. People lived here – or so the legends said. She didn’t know how much faith to put into those legends, but what else did she have?

And then it started raining.

It didn’t rain in the North Country; it snowed. And while the canopy of leaves over her helped, it also made for solid streams of water that dumped on her head at the most inopportune moments.

Still, Elinrose pressed forward. She had to find James. She was in the Forest. She’d made her decision. There was no turning back now.

The rain subsided, and a thick mist took its place. The light was fading, so Elinrose decided that it wasn’t worth it to press any further that day. She dismounted, and, not knowing where better to set up camp, she opened her saddlebags to retrieve some jerky and sat down dejectedly on a rock.

What was she doing? Her country was in a critical state, she was the best to lead it, and here she was, chasing after her idiot of a brother who clearly had no respect for the power that was due him. And she was pretty sure that it was too late for her to turn back.

An unexpected crack of thunder tore the air, and her unsecured horse bolted. Elinrose hadn’t even time to leap up and grab the reigns. The mare was gone.

The day was getting worse by the minute. Now she was alone in this Forest without her supplies and little practical knowledge for survival. She wanted to curl up under a rock and cry … but there were no rocks at hand to serve such a purpose. No, she had to press forward and … well, she honestly didn’t know what she was going to do. She didn’t do things on whim and without a plan … but this Forest defied plans.

It was growing dark, so she knew that she needed to find somewhere to sleep for the night. But the ground was wet, a chill had settled into the air, and her horse had taken her blanket and tarp. What was she to do now?

The trees shifted, and another chill shuddered down her spine as they formed into an arching path ahead of her. She dared not take this path, and yet, as she glanced about herself, she found that the Forest had closed on her every other side.

“Foul magic,” she swore under her breath, and then she stood. She had no recourse but forward.

Was this why no one returned from the Forest? She hadn’t even found James yet!

Hiking up her riding skirts, she took one step forward, then another. Then she broke into a run.

She was already lost. Why not follow the path before her?

Then, just as suddenly, she was at a dead end. The trees closed into a curtain before her, and she drew up short.

“What now?” she breathed, gaze darting about, and she drew back in muffled surprise as she saw a pair of eyes glowing from the darkness before her.

“Are you lost, princess?”

 Elinrose swallowed down fear at the rough, growling voice.

“Who’s there?” The question came out at a higher pitch than she liked. “How do you know that I’m a princess?”

The answer was a low chuckle that sounded even more like a growl. “I smell the nobility in your blood, and you reek of purpose and quest besides. Are you related to one of the princes we have wandering about? Perhaps you’ve chased after your lover?”

Princes? The thought lodged in her throat.

“I’m looking for my brother,” she admitted. “Our father is dying. Do you know where I might find him … sir?”

There was a sound of crunching and crackling as the mysterious figure drew near. The shadow … did not seem human.

“I may be able to take you to the foolhardy fellow who shares your scent,” the man answered.

But then, he burst out from the tree line, and Elinrose saw that it was, indeed, no man at all, but a great, shaggy bear.

She took another step back, but held her composure in an iron fist.

“You’re a talking bear.”

“And you’re an observant princess.”

Elinrose nodded sharply. “Will you help me find my brother?”

If legend and lore were to be believed, then this bear was as likely to be friend as foe.

“I might,” he answered, with another growling chuckle. “How desperately do you wish to find him?”

He was bargaining. Elinrose knew better than to give in to such a scheme – yet what else could she do? Her brother had to be found, and she was without a horse now.

“I’m afraid that my horse ran off with everything I had of value,” she answered noncommittally.

“Did he, now?” asked the bear, tilting his head to the side. “How unfortunate.”

Elinrose lifted her chin. “Are you patronizing me?”

The bear took a step towards her, giving a growl that sounded strangely – and terrifyingly – like a chuckle. “You have courage, princess. Perhaps I shall take pity on you.”

“I don’t need your pity.”

“Ah, but you do – and your brother as well,” the bear answered. “So does every mortal soul that steps foot inside this Forest. Pity, for they are fools. Come, mount upon my back, and I will take you to your brother, though what good it shall do, I don’t know. Every soul who steps foot in this Forest entangles themselves in a web that is not easily undone.”

He took another step towards her, and every muscle in her body screamed to run, but she held her ground.

“How can I trust you?” she asked.

He gave another growling chuckle. “You already trusted yourself to this forest, and it is a thousand times more dangerous than I could ever be,” he answered. “You will trust me because you must. Without my help, you have no hope of finding your brother – no hope of finding your way out of this Forest.”

“And you’re doing this out of pity?” she asked.

“Does it surprise you that a bear can possess a heart?” he asked. “Did you not know that our hearts are the largest in the Forest? Come now, let us find your brother. If I have heard correctly, your father’s life drains away as we speak. There is no time to waste.”

He was upon her now. Even on his all-fours, he stared her in the eye. And yet, that seemed to reassure her, for though his mouth was filled with teeth sharp indeed, those eyes were strangely gentle. Human, even.

“You’re a trifle large for me to mount,” she pointed out.

“True enough, but we must manage,” he answered. He turned from her and crouched down so his belly was against the forest floor.

She grimaced as she took hold of a large clump of his fur, hoping that she wasn’t hurting him, and climbed onto the beast’s back in a heartbeat. In the rain, the bear smelled strongly of wet dog, and Elinrose knew that her dress was ruined for good.

Well, that was why she was wearing an old dress.

“Hold tight,” the bear instructed, and then he took off at a bounding run.

The Forest blurred into a streak of gray-green, and she held tightly to two fistfuls of his fur, not knowing what else to cling to. He didn’t protest, so she supposed it must be all right. At length, the bear slowed to a walk, pausing every few moments to sniff the air.

“So, what is your name?” she asked after a moment. When he didn’t answer, she continued. “Come now, I can’t just call you ‘bear,’ now can I?”

“Bear will do,” he answered. “Now, quiet, princess. We’re near your brother.”

Elinrose clamped her mouth closed in a frown.

Happy Birthday Jane Austen + Let Me Rewrite Your Masterpiece

So, apparently, it's Jane Austen's birthday today. Or it was yesterday, as it will probably be tomorrow before you read it.

And so, to celebrate, I'm going to share an excerpt from Rose Petals and Snowflakes, which is my high fantasy mash-up between Sense and Sensibility and Snow White and Rose Red. Really looking forward to getting back to this story when I get the chance.

Please note that this is largely unedited and may change in the final version.

  When Elinrose finally stopped for the night, a terrible crash tore the air, spooking the horse that she had not yet tied. The poor steed ran into the woods, with all of the supplies that she had brought with her. And, as she was still staring dumbly after it, it began to rain.

  “Well, well, weren’t you ever told that it’s not a good idea to wander into the Forest, Princess?”

  It was a man’s voice, and yet, when Elinrose spun around to face the speaker, she saw no man.

  She wouldn’t let that perturb her – it was not her way to let anyone know that she was at their mercy. “I seek my brother,” she answered. “And how do you know that I am a princess?”

  “You wear the crest of the north country,” the speaker answered. “And I have been following you since you crossed the border – it’s not often that people cross into this territory. Even rarer that they’re allowed to leave. You really should have left your brother alone.”

  Elinrose frowned, wishing she knew what this man wanted of her. He had to want something of her, to be talking to her. That was how the Forest worked. Everyone knew that.

  “My brother must be returned home,” she answered. “I did not care for the dangers.”

  “Then you are not as sensible as they say, Princess Elinrose,” the man answered. “Still, loyalty to your family is to be admired. And there was a time when I was not as sensible as I thought I was.”

  Another crack of lighting boomed above them, illuminating the clearing for a split-second, and Elinrose finally beheld the stranger.

  A large bear.

  She stifled a gasp and took a step backwards, eyes widening. She fought for her composure, though, and stared the beast firm in the eye. “Do you know where I might find my brother?”

  If legend and lore were to be believed, this bear could be as easily friend as foe. And he hadn’t seemed to terribly foe-ish, yet.

  “I might,” he answered. “How desperately do you wish to find him?”

  He was bargaining. Elinrose knew better than to give in to such a scheme – yet what could she do? Her brother had to be found and she was without a horse now.

  “I’m afraid that my horse ran off with everything I have of value,” she answered, with a shake of her head.

  “Did he, now?” asked the bear, tilting his head to the side. “How unfortunate.”

  Elinrose lifted her chin. “Are you patronizing me?”

  The bear took a step towards her, giving a growl that sounded strangely – and terrifyingly – like a chuckle. “You have courage, princess. Perhaps I shall take pity on you.”

  “I don’t need your pity,” she answered.

  “Ah, but you do – and your brother as well,” the bear answered. “So does every mortal soul that steps foot inside this forest. Pity, for they are fools. Come, mount upon my back, and I will take you to your brother. He has sadly entangled himself in a web that will not be easily undone.”

  He took another step towards her, and every muscle in her body screamed to run, but she held her ground.

  “How can I trust you?” she asked.

  He gave another growling chuckle. “You already trusted yourself to this forest, and it is a thousand times more dangerous than I could ever be,” he answered. “You will trust me because you must. Without my help, you have no help of finding your brother – no hope of finding your way out of this forest.”

  “And you’re doing this purely out of pity?” she asked.

  “Does it surprise you that a bear can possess a heart?” he asked. “Did you not know that our hearts are the largest in the forest? Come now, let us find your brother. If I have heard correctly, your father’s life drains away as we speak. There is no time to waste.”

  He was upon her now. Even on his all-fours, he stared her in the eye. And, yet that seemed to reassure her, for though his mouth was filled with teeth sharp indeed, those eyes were strangely gentle. And human.

  “You are a trifle large for me to mount,” she pointed out.

  “True enough, but we must manage,” he answered. He turned away from her and shifted down so that his belly was against the forest floor.

  She grimaced as she took a hold of a large clump of his fur, hoping that she wasn’t hurting him, and climbed onto the beast’s back in a heartbeat. In the rain, the bear smelled strongly of wet dog, and Elinrose knew that her dress was ruined for good.

  Fortunately, she’d had the foresight to wear an old dress.

  “Hold tight,” the bear ordered, and then he took off at a bounding run.

  The forest blurred into a streak of gray-green, and she held tightly to two fistfuls of the bear’s fur, not knowing what else to cling to. He wasn’t complaining, so she supposed that it must be all right. At length, he slowed to a walk, pausing every few moments to sniff the air.

  “So, what are you called?” she asked, after a moment. When he didn’t answer, she continued, “Come now, I can’t just call you ‘bear,’ now can I?”

  “Bear will do,” he answered. “Now, be quiet. We’re near your brother.”

  Elinrose clamped her mouth closed in a frown. 

The Austen Fairy Tale

So, hello there, internet.

I have no focus. BUT I DO HAVE AN EXCITING NEW WRITING PROJECT THAT I'M WORKING ON.

It's called The Austen Fairy Tale, and, as you probably can gather, it's a collection of mash-ups between Jane Austen's six novels and classic fairy tales. See, I was reading Kelsey Bryant's Suit and Suitability, and remembered that I'd always wanted to retell Jane Austen's novels. With fairy tales. And my brain went into hyperdrive picking out fairy tales to go with the novels. For each, I wanted a fairy tale that had similar themes, characters, or plots. I had to ask around on a few of them, but I think I've come up with a pretty good line up. Shall we proceed? (I have organized these in the order that the original novels were published, as that's the order that I also plan to publish these. Just as an aside.)

Worldbuilding for this world has been interesting, as it includes elemental magic (an addiction of mine), and a number of mystical creatures.

(I also distracted myself by making gorgeous mock covers for all six books. Call it graphic art practice...)

 First off, we have Rose Petals and Snowflakes, aka Sense and Sensibility. This one is, perhaps, the most immediate and intuitive of my selections, and one of only two that I haven't had anyone question. S&S is a tale of sisters, so, of course, I went for a fairy tale that focused on a pair of sisters - Snow White and Rose Red. 

So I'm combining Elinor with Rose Red and Marianne with Snow White. Colonel Brandon gets to be the bear. I am making Einrose and Snowmari princesses, and their father is dying as the book opens. There is an element that I plan to steal from the regular Snow White, and there is some set-up that I'm taking from The Six Swans, so that's been fun. Also creepy, magical forests = life. Am I right?

This one actually has been started and I've made it through a two chapters and 5,000 words. It's been awesome.

Then we have Crown and Cinder, aka, Pride and Prejudice. This is one I thought was intuitive, but I've had a couple people squint at me and go "I don't see it - this should be Beauty and the Beast." But, I don't really feel B&B from P&P. This is a story about class distinction, falling in love at balls, and dysfunctional families ... and, to me, there is no fairy tale that supports that story line as much as Cinderella. 

Of course, this is more of a "Pride and Prejudice completely derails Cinderella" retelling, featuring a Lizzy as a fire-wielding cinder in a country where cinders are not well-trusted. Janet and Lavina are the stepsisters, and I've moved the other two Bennet sisters to "friend" status. (And, possibly, combined them with other characters.)

This one has also been started, but I so far only have the introduction. But it includes an awesome twist on P&P's opening line and I love it.

Then we have Emmazel, long for Emma. This one is probably the least intuitive, and I actually had a girl tell me that it was the most impossible choice I could have made. But, hear me out. What are the biggest obstacles to Emma's happiness? Her pride, of course ... but also, her father. Now, don't get me wrong, he's one of my favorite characters in the book, and she loves him dearly, but the fact remains that he has tied her to himself and she would sacrifice her own happiness to ensure his. And so, and maybe it was because I had the fairy tale on my brain thanks to the Arista challenge, but I went with Rapunzel. 

Emma, of course, will be combined with the titular character, and her father will be a hypochondriac wizard who puts her in the tower to keep her safe from the world. Mrs. Bates will be a herbalist that lives nearby and who the Wizard hires to train Emma with her plant magic. Isabella, Anne, and Harriet will be a series of companions that the Wizard had procured to take care of her and keep her company ... and who Emma processes to marry off to the princes who are trying to rescue her. (Emma has a small obsession with love potions, much to her father's annoyance). Jury's out as to how Emma came to be the Wizard's daughter, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

And Knightly ... is a black cat named Knight. Inspired by Salaam from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Yes, there will snark. Loooooots of snark.

 And now we get into the Austen novels that I ... haven't actually read. *glances about nervously.* Now, I promise that I WILL read them before I retell them, and I am acquainted with their plots thanks to reviews, wiki's, etc. But, this is why I had to do asking around for some of the novels.

However. I did come up with Winter Palace on my own. WP is a retelling of Mansfield Park, and I admit that this is the retelling that I'm least sure about, but everyone who has read both the book and my chosen fairy tale seems to like it. As I understand it, MP is the story of a girl who's in love with a close childhood friend (cough, her cousin). But he doesn't really see her that way, and falls for someone else instead - and the book's about how she keeps him out of the girl's clutches. Now, that might be an over-simplification, but it was enough for me to choose The Snow Queen to match it. 

Since I've not read the book yet, I can't tell you how things are going to line up and go down, but it's going to be exciting. 

And then we have the one for Northanger Abby, that took me the loooooongest to pin down, and I actually have Kelsey Bryant herself to thank for the suggestion. Creepy gothic mansions, a heroine who loves to read - what fairy tale could be more perfect than Beauty and the Beast. 

Except ... I actually have a second fairy tale planned for this one as well, as a plot twist. It also features roses as a motif, but that's all I'm going to say about it. (Roses are a common motif in fairy tales.) 

This is the Austen novel that I know the least about (though I have read its wiki summary), so, again, I can't really tell you how things are going to line-up and go down, but let's just say ... it's going to be a roller coaster. And I might have a sword-wielding Charis. I know she doesn't have any personal magic, but Pinterest is trying to sell me on her having a sword. And her not liking the fact that she has a sword. mwahahahaha.

 Then, finally, we have Prevailing Winds which is a retelling of Persuasion. I've actually started reading Persuasion, a couple years ago, but I'd only made it a couple of chapters before review books took precedence, and I never got back into it. *sigh* But I actually have Jenelle Leanne Schmidt to thank for this book's fairy tale. I had been considering Snow White, thanks to a post someone had done in the Rooglewood group, but I wasn't sold on it, due to already having two other snow-themed books in the collection, one of them Snow White and Rose Red. And so when Jenelle suggested Little Mermaid, I was immediately sold. 

After all, they're both about a forbidden romance. 

Now, the plan is for PW is to be more of a sequel to LM than anything else - with the twist being that, instead of trading her fins for legs, she realized that it wasn't worth it, and gave him up instead. And now it's been a few years and her underwater kingdom's in trouble and she has to go to land to save it. Or something, hazy on the details. I just know that she's going to go to land as a human, reunite with her former lover, and he's not going to recognize her 'cause it's been a few years and he's used to her with fins.

It's gonna be awesome.

But, yes, that's the line-up. Which of these is your favorites? Any that you just don't get? Feel free to check out the gorgeous pinterest Board that I have for the series.