Teaser
I wrote a short clip from my new story, Wings of Perthan. I've actually finished the prologue and some of chapter one, but this scene takes place later--probably around chapter ten or so.
It's short, so read! :3
As a brief introduction to the characters...
Danae is part of a race called the Adra, winged people who had shut themselves off from the rest of the world for thousands of years. They were believed to be myth.
Kelphias is a healer from the Kingdom of Isdrin, who was sent by the king in search of the Adra, because he believes they may be responsible for the kidnapping of his daughter, if they exist.
Shri is one of the king's daughters, part of a race called the Kellians, who long ago took control of the land and forced all the other races to submit to their vanity and immorality. She and Kelphias have been off and on lovers.
On the way back to Danae’s room, Kelphias bumped into Shri-literally.
The Kellian woman cried out indignantly as Kelphias collided with her, the towels and bowl he’d collected falling from his hands. “Watch where you’re--!” she started, but broke off abruptly when she recognized him.
“Kelphias, you’re back,” she said, and suddenly her voice was much more pleasant. “It seems like it’s been ages-“
“I’m sorry, Shri, but I’m in a hurry,” Kelphias interrupted, trying to push past her. Shri, however, was not a woman to be brushed aside.
“Why didn’t you come see me when you returned?” she asked, catching his arm. “I have been waiting for you. I have taken no other lover-“
“I’m in a hurry,” he repeated, yanking his arm free. Shri managed to look hurt, her lovely eyes sparkling with-undoubtedly fake-tears.
“Have you not even missed me?” she asked, and the tone of her voice made Kelphias pause, gently lowering the basket of towels to the floor again. “Don’t think I haven’t heard…that you returned here with a winged woman from the forests! Is she more beautiful than me? Is that it?”
Kelphias sighed, and gathered her into his arms, stroking her blonde hair. “It’s not that,” he murmured. “It’s not that way at all…”
“Then why have you not been to see me?” She was already calming down, thinking that it would be impossible for him to walk away from her now, that the feel of her body against his would arouse his lust for her again.
“The woman who came back with me is hurt,” he said softly. “She was wounded in the forest trying to protect me…I must tend to her.”
Shri stiffened with jealousy. The winged bitch had no right to take him away from her! “Let one of the palace nurses take care of her,” she cooed, planting a few sensual kisses on Kelphias’ neck. “She is not your responsibility…”
“But she is, Shri.” Kelphias gently caught her hands, and stepped back from her. Now Shri was trying hard to contain her anger. “I brought her here, and she was injured because of me, so she is my responsibility. And I am the only one here she knows. She is a very long way from home.”
“She is nothing but an old, dusty legend!” the Kellian woman spat. “She is not worth your attentions! You are of Kellian blood! You’re too good for her!”
Kelphias’ temper was rising with hers. “If my Kellian blood was so valuable, I would not have been forced into servitude for your father,” he hissed, his eyes very cold. “If my Kellian blood was so valuable, I would not have been turned out into the woods alone, to hunt for a myth that may well have not even existed! Don’t even speak to me of being too good; your people have been telling me otherwise my whole life!”
He whirled around, picked up his basket, and stalked down the hall without another word.
Shri stared after him for long moments, unable to believe that he had actually spoken to her that way. She, Shri Kathoni, one of the most noble of the Kingdom of Isdrin! No one, and certainly not a half-blood like Kelphias, had ever taken such a tone with her.
Her eyes hardened. It had to be that winged bitch, making him talk in such a way to her. It had to be her black magic working in Kelphias’ blood.
Well, if the bitch had been so injured in the woods, surely it wouldn’t take much to end her life for good.
It's short, so read! :3
As a brief introduction to the characters...
Danae is part of a race called the Adra, winged people who had shut themselves off from the rest of the world for thousands of years. They were believed to be myth.
Kelphias is a healer from the Kingdom of Isdrin, who was sent by the king in search of the Adra, because he believes they may be responsible for the kidnapping of his daughter, if they exist.
Shri is one of the king's daughters, part of a race called the Kellians, who long ago took control of the land and forced all the other races to submit to their vanity and immorality. She and Kelphias have been off and on lovers.
On the way back to Danae’s room, Kelphias bumped into Shri-literally.
The Kellian woman cried out indignantly as Kelphias collided with her, the towels and bowl he’d collected falling from his hands. “Watch where you’re--!” she started, but broke off abruptly when she recognized him.
“Kelphias, you’re back,” she said, and suddenly her voice was much more pleasant. “It seems like it’s been ages-“
“I’m sorry, Shri, but I’m in a hurry,” Kelphias interrupted, trying to push past her. Shri, however, was not a woman to be brushed aside.
“Why didn’t you come see me when you returned?” she asked, catching his arm. “I have been waiting for you. I have taken no other lover-“
“I’m in a hurry,” he repeated, yanking his arm free. Shri managed to look hurt, her lovely eyes sparkling with-undoubtedly fake-tears.
“Have you not even missed me?” she asked, and the tone of her voice made Kelphias pause, gently lowering the basket of towels to the floor again. “Don’t think I haven’t heard…that you returned here with a winged woman from the forests! Is she more beautiful than me? Is that it?”
Kelphias sighed, and gathered her into his arms, stroking her blonde hair. “It’s not that,” he murmured. “It’s not that way at all…”
“Then why have you not been to see me?” She was already calming down, thinking that it would be impossible for him to walk away from her now, that the feel of her body against his would arouse his lust for her again.
“The woman who came back with me is hurt,” he said softly. “She was wounded in the forest trying to protect me…I must tend to her.”
Shri stiffened with jealousy. The winged bitch had no right to take him away from her! “Let one of the palace nurses take care of her,” she cooed, planting a few sensual kisses on Kelphias’ neck. “She is not your responsibility…”
“But she is, Shri.” Kelphias gently caught her hands, and stepped back from her. Now Shri was trying hard to contain her anger. “I brought her here, and she was injured because of me, so she is my responsibility. And I am the only one here she knows. She is a very long way from home.”
“She is nothing but an old, dusty legend!” the Kellian woman spat. “She is not worth your attentions! You are of Kellian blood! You’re too good for her!”
Kelphias’ temper was rising with hers. “If my Kellian blood was so valuable, I would not have been forced into servitude for your father,” he hissed, his eyes very cold. “If my Kellian blood was so valuable, I would not have been turned out into the woods alone, to hunt for a myth that may well have not even existed! Don’t even speak to me of being too good; your people have been telling me otherwise my whole life!”
He whirled around, picked up his basket, and stalked down the hall without another word.
Shri stared after him for long moments, unable to believe that he had actually spoken to her that way. She, Shri Kathoni, one of the most noble of the Kingdom of Isdrin! No one, and certainly not a half-blood like Kelphias, had ever taken such a tone with her.
Her eyes hardened. It had to be that winged bitch, making him talk in such a way to her. It had to be her black magic working in Kelphias’ blood.
Well, if the bitch had been so injured in the woods, surely it wouldn’t take much to end her life for good.