Friday, July 26, 2013

Chapter 42: Burning




The messenger came early in the morning after Treveur and Gaelle's wedding, asking Sterren to come and tend to the new bride, who was feeling ill.

"It's like a fire in my womb," Gaelle tells her with clenched teeth, "I'm burning up from the inside."


Sterren is feeling a little of that herself this morning, truth be told. "It could be those sausages you served at your wedding feast," she suggests, clasping her own stomach as it roils in protest at the memory, "They were quite...spicy."

"Gaelle barely ate a bite at the feast," Treveur explains, "I'm certain she didn't touch the sausage."


"This isn't just heartburn," Gaelle growls, her torso lifting as she rises in pain, "And it's not the damn sausages! I want this thing taken out of me!"

"Beloved!" Treveur hisses in a distraught whisper, "You are speaking of our child!"

Sterren looks down at her patient, undecided if Gaelle is just exaggerating the natural discomforts of her pregnancy, or if there is something truly amiss. The burden of carrying such a lie as Gaelle carries, of sharing a bed with a man she deceived would eat at Sterren, even to the point of causing such symptoms. But Gaelle is a very different sort of woman, and her guilt may have nothing to do with this.

"I can give you a draught to cool the burning," she says, hesitantly. Gaelle insists it isn't heartburn, but she's at a loss to prescribe any other remedies, "And I have a tisane for nausea. But you've already been taking that...Perhaps a sleeping potion? Sleep might give you some relief while I research your condition further."


Gaelle takes both the draught and the sleeping potion, and Sterren gives Treveur more of the tisane for her if she wants it when she wakes, though Gaelle insists the pain is like a fire inside her, and not just the same nausea she'd felt earlier in her pregnancy.

"Could our encounter with the wolves have caused this?" Treveur asks in quiet voice once Gaelle has drifted off into a medicated sleep.

Sterren bites her lip, hating the lie she and Gaelle concocted to deceive this man, "I--I can't say," she mumbles in a faltering voice. "There is a priestess and healer coming from the Penguillies, to officiate my own wedding. I expect her tomorrow and I will consult with her about Gaelle. Perhaps she might see something that I am missing." 

The only theory she has at the moment is one she cannot voice to Treveur. The child's true father is a wilder, and if the savages in the woods are just humans as her people have always believed, it should not be a problem. But what if Reinier was onto something in this suspicion that the wilders might be more than they appear? Living as they do in the enchanted forest among the fair folk, the wolfen and even dragons...even if they are just men, they might carry some magic, have some difference about them that would make a crossbreeding difficult for the woman who bears the child.


"My spies tell me that the Penguillies are gathering allies to move against us," Reinier tells his father and his prospective father-in-law, "We're in their territory here, and most of our allies and their armies, like yourself, Lord Goth, live at a distance, while their friends and allies surround us. I think it would be best for us to make some preemptive strikes on those who have joined forces with them, sending a clear message to those who have not yet committed their aid that the Landgraabs will show no mercy to any who stand against us."

Reinbolt Goth nods his approval, "That's a good plan. Have you chosen a target for the first strike?"

"What about Marrec Avendale?" Gherrart suggests, "He was first to ally openly with the Penguilly cause. Making him the first to fall would make your message quite clear to the others."


"I want more than just a symbolic victory," Reiner says, "Avendale is small and unimportant in the larger scheme. Summer is ending and winter will be on us before this war is done. If we start taking the ports, we can cut off the Penguilly's supply chain, so that their allies starve while ours feast." It's purely strategy that is sparing Avendale from the first wave of this war, Reinier tells himself. He would not be so sentimental as to turn his army away because of the feelings he had for one girl.

"Good thinking," Gherrart says, his approval for his younger son clear and unmistakable, though he's not the kind of man to lay such praise on his children. "Port-de-Lanne, Geaune and Cadillac have all declared for Penguilly, and all have thriving ports." Gherrart may not be native to this area, but he makes a point of learning the strengths and weaknesses of any lands he visits, because war is always a possibility.


"Before you march off to battle, I'd like to see my daughter wed," Reinbolt interjects. "The union of our families is the center of our alliance."

"And you want to be sure of my heir before I risk my neck in battle," Reinier expresses what the Lord Goth would not say out out loud, "I have no intention of dying in this war. I'll return safely to marry Agneta."

"None who die in battle rode into it with that intention," Reinbolt answers, "I have every expectation of your victory, Reinier. But I would not risk my daughter's future on my expectations alone. Surely you can have no objection to this? Or were you planning on breaking our alliance after the war is won?"

Gherrart glares at his son, silently demanding the expected reply.


"Of course I have no objections. I'd marry your daughter here and now if it pleases you. I was only considering her feelings. Her wedding would be overshadowed by battle plans if we held it now. If we waited, she'd have her wedding during a time of celebration and victory," Reinier says, still putting off the inevitable, though it's well past time that he can ever hope to have any other bride than the one his father procured for him.

Gherrart snorts derisively, "Honestly, Reinier, sometimes I'd swear you were the girl your mother always wanted and not one of my sons," he says, ever ready to reprimand his children even as he withholds his praise. "This is war; we don't have the time or luxury for romantic notions and maidenish nonsense."

"As you will," Reinier nods, accepting what he can no longer deny or delay. 


With the meeting done, Reinier strolls through the marketplace with his betrothed as the sun begins to set. 

"I am sorry that our fathers want to rush our wedding. You won't have much time to plan the festivities," Reinier apologizes.

"Celebration and festivities don't mean as much to me as seeing my new husband off to battle with the affection of his bride, and the assurance of his heir," Agneta answers, her voice giving no indication if she speaks truly or just mouths what she is expected to say. Reinier's own mother was a master at this, and his father never cared either way what his wife's real thoughts were on any subject. Sterren, Reinier knows, would never hold back her true feelings.


"My lord?" Agneta's voice trembles hesitantly as she stops, and her fingers play with the jewels at her neck nervously.

"You wish to say something?" Reinier asks, "Never be afraid to speak honestly with me."


Agneta smiles, gaining confidence, "I hear things, whispers and talk from the servants in the keep," she tells him, "That witch you hold in the tower...he is beloved to many here, and his imprisonment has become a rallying cry for those who would resist the gaze of the Watcher. I fear that when you are gone away to battle, those that are left behind may rise up to free him."

Reinier nods solemnly, "Yes, I've been worrying about that myself. Father Jakob has pressed him, hard, but the man refuses to recant. Something will have to be done. The law is clear; witches are an abomination and must be burned."


Agneta lets out a small gasp, and Reinier takes her hands in a gesture of comfort. "We have offered the man mercy if he will confess and recant. I would not leave him to endanger you while I'm at war."

"I know, my lord," Agneta whispers, sighing in resignation, "The Watcher is merciful to those who ask His mercy. But to those who turn away from him...This witch is too powerful a symbol to be allowed to persist in his defiance unchecked. He becomes a beacon of hope for those who would resist us. If he will not recant, he must be burned, in accordance with the law, and as a message to his followers."


"There aren't many of these ancient places left to us anymore," Cecilia muses as Sterren shows her the old grove behind the house, "It's lovely place for your wedding. But it is rather small..."

"I'm not planning on a lot of festivities," Sterren tells her, "The Brannons just had their wedding and the village is still recuperating from that feast. Taran and I would prefer to just have a small ceremony; he only has his daughter for family, and mine...well, my uncle will attend, but a peasant wedding is too far beneath my aunt."

The priestess presses her lips together in a tight smile, "Sometimes it's easiest to just forgo the pleasures of family and devote yourself to the Lady," she muses.


"Speaking of the newlyweds," Sterren broaches the subject of Gaelle's illness, "Gaelle Brannon's pregnancy has been more difficult than normal." Treveur had sent her a message just this morning saying that Gaelle's condition was no better, and that she complained constantly of feeling like a fire burned in her womb. She describes her condition to her fellow healer. "She has no fever at all, and her husband says she's barely eating more than plain bread and cheese," she concludes, "I've given her cooling draughts, but if they work at all, it's only for a few hours."

"I've never heard f such a thing," Cecilia tells her.

With a sigh of regret, Sterren reveals to her Gaelle's secret. "I thought perhaps, if the wilders are more than just men, if they are of the fair folk, or some other enchanted creature, that might explain the unusual nature of Gaelle's pregnancy."

"I suppose that could be true. You have spoken with this wilder?"

"I have...but not about his child," Sterren says, "I promised Gaelle not to speak of it. And, I don't know how he would react to knowing she carried his child, what demands he might make. If the village knew, if her husband knew...I fear for the child's future."

"Yes, it is a complicated situation," Cecilia agrees, "I will pay the girl a visit and see if there's any help I might offer. Otherwise, if you won't bring the true father into it, you may just have to wait and see how the pregnancy progresses."


"I've been hearing things from Odet," Cecilia changes the subject, "You know the Landgraabs have locked Fransez away?"

Sterren nods, "I wish there was something I could do for hm. Besides just praying."

"Indeed. But we have no army do we? The Penguillies and your uncle mean to face the Landgraabs in battle, but rescuing one priest is not their priority. Lady Galena has even given up hope of retrieving her niece, Edelina, the one Reinier sent off to their convent. Even if we prevail in battle her, invading the Landgraab territory up north would be far more than Lady Galena could expect from her allies."

"Politics is an ugly business," Sterren muses, "No one seems to care about justice."


"The situation in Odet is worse than just Fransez being imprisoned," Cecilia continues, "They've outlawed any worship of the Lady, and labeled us all witches, abominations who must be burned. There are some who still meet in secret, putting faith above their lives. I've tried getting word to them, but the Landgraabs are on the lookout for spies, and getting anyone in is too perilous."


"It's scheduled for tomorrow," Gillis tells his wife, not have to say what 'it' is. The execution of her father has been rumored for weeks, and now that their Lord is preparing to set out for battle, that rumor has become reality. Fransez has refused to recant and accept the new religion, and he's been accused of witchcraft. "I will have to be there," Gillis continues sadly as Melisenet stands quiet in his arms, "They can't have any question about my loyalty, not now with war coming." The Landgraabs have their own blacksmiths, but with tons of this strange blue metal being brought in from their homelands and their orders to have every sword and dagger, every shield and piece of armor, even every horse shod in the stuff, their smiths are not enough for the work. Every smith in or near Odet has been tasked with working the new metal in the service of their lord, Gillis among them. "But you should stay home," the smith finishes, "You should not witness your father's death."




"No, I must go with you," Melisenet sobs, falling into his arms, "I should be with my father in his last moments, even if I cannot speak with him or embrace him."


His parents' words are muffled, Jean can barely hear what they're saying, hiding behind the door. It's been tis way since the guards took his grandfather away, his mother crying, his father trying to comfort her. And the same guards coming here, bringing his father more metal, giving him more work.


The clearing is small and well lit, with a spring of fresh, exactly the kind of spot dragons traditionally have chosen to make their nests in.

"What do you think?" Morvyn asks, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and kissing her cheek.


"We could pitch a tent and set our own fire, just like the ancient dragons," Kelyn laughs, "I'm surprised you'd be so traditional. Even Inira and Fearghus built their house right by Aymeri's."

"I grew up in a tent," Morvyn whispers in her ear, "And I am one of those ancient dragons. This land is still in Aymeri's range, and we'd always have a place in his house. But I thought we should have a nest of our own, and the privacy being at some distance from the others affords." 


They share a moment of laughter, and then grow serious as they move to the ground, embraced. "And we are to have a nest? You will be my mate?" she whispers as her lips meet his.

"I will," Morvyn answers, working his hands around her back, pulling off her clothes as she pulls off his.


"The mark on your hip..." Morvyn notices, seeing her unclothed for the first time.

"It's an alfar design, " Kelyn explains, "Ceyrth gave that one to me. They mark themselves with ink and needles. It's slightly less painful than how we make our dragon markings."


Morvyn would ask her more about this alfar custom and  the meaning of the bird symbol Ceyrth gave her, but Kelyn silences him with a kiss, wrapping her legs around his waist. Questions can be asked later, he thinks, supporting her by the small of her back, holding her as she takes him inside her.


Kelyn is shy and reticent when it come to talking about the act of love, but Morvyn quickly learns her shyness only extends to talk. She moans his name as she rocks her hips against him, calling for him to take her and make her his.


Human girls have said similar things to him, but they never meant it the way Kelyn does. They have both played outside the normal rules, but their union is pure and traditional, a bonding between dragons that doesn't break. She is his mate, and he is her First, and love is no longer a game to be played at.


"You already wear a mark on your arm," Kelyn notes, stopping short of sealing their own bond with her mark of ownership on him, which would be the traditional conclusion of a dragon pair's first mating.

"I've never been claimed by any female," Morvyn says, "I marked myself. Despite the changes to our ways, going around with an unmarked arm made me feel like a juvenile. It was the same with Talfryn, he'd marked himself in the same way."

"And now?" Kelyn asks, laying a playful kiss on his lips.

"I am yours, Kelyn," Morvyn says, "I want you to mark me. Claim me for all the world to see."

Kelyn smiles, and kisses him again. "Underneath it all, you really are just an old dragon, set in your ways and stuck in ancient traditions," she whispers, making him laugh. "I've worn my own marks for centuries. Maybe it's time we both changed things up a little, and marked each other."

"I don't understand," Morvyn says. Females choose their marks when they come of age, and then mark each male she takes as a mate to match her, a sign of claim warning other females away. The idea of a male marking a female seems almost absurd.

"Open your eyes, old dragon," Kelyn whispers, ticking him with feathery kisses, "Open your mind. It shouldn't be so hard to understand. You marked yourself, as did I. Together, we can make a new design, and each mark the other with it. Not my claim on you, or your claim on me, but a sign of our bond."

"That would suit us," Morvyn says, once he gets his mind around the idea. "Ancient as I am, I'm not quite as stuck in the traditional mindset as you think."


Creating a new pattern for their shared markings would take more thought than either is prepared for, so they fall asleep together as lovers rather than as mates in the traditional sense, but neither of them require the bonding ritual to know that what has passed between them this night is anything less than a true mating.


Morvyn wakes in the early hours of the mornng to the sound of his own name, but it isn't Kelyn who's calling to him.

"Evie?" he murmurs, opening his eyes and lifting his head. He hasn't seen her since Talfryn was killed. "Evenfall, I'm sorry for..." he begins a heartfelt but awkward condolence, on to drift off into silence as he notices her belly, round and, well, pregnant. "Are you...you're with child," he whispers, as Kelyn stirs beside him, waking to the sound of their one-sided conversation. If Talfryn had known, would he have still flown off so rashly to chase after the dragonslayer? Morvyn sighs to himself, knowing the answer would most likely have been 'yes'. Talfryn was over-confident and could never be talked out of any bad idea.


Evenfall sits before the couple, letting out one piteous sob. "It hurts," she whispers, "It hurts so much, I don't know what to do."


"Of course it does," Morvyn sympathizes, "You and Aymeri both have--"

"No," Evenfall cuts him off, "That's not what I mean. The child, Morvyn, Talfryn's child--she burns for vengeance. Her spirit claws inside me, demanding the blood of the man who killed her father. I sing to her to try to soothe her, but she is so angry, nothing but vengeance will calm her."

Morvyn lays a hand on her shoulder, hoping his gift as a healer might make sense of her words. But Evenfall is a fairy, and her body doesn't respond to his magic. "We can get vengeance, for you and for your child," is all he can promise. The dragonslayer is past due for his rightful punishment, for Talfryn and all their brethren.


"Vengeance is done," Kelyn says, confused by Morvyn promise, "I killed the dragonslayer myself."

"You killed the wrong man," Morvyn tells her, "You killed his brother. Reinier Landgraab still lives."


The marketplace is as busy as ever, but today it is not commerce that brings the people out to gather in the tow's center. Today they've come to witness the execution by fire of a man they've all known, trusted and loved, by the order of their lord and the priest they've been told to follow.


"This man is a witch!" Father Jakob proclaims, preaching to the gathered crowd, who murmur in disbelief but do not dare protest the judgment of the Landgraabs, "He has practiced foul arts in the nam of a false goddess, and has deceived you all."


Gillis holds his wife close, supporting her so she doesn't fall to her knees in her grief.

"I can't look at him, tied to the stake like that," she moans, and her husband presses her even closser to his chest. She had insisted that she needed to be here for her father, but now that she's here, she cannot bear the sight of him, of what they've done to him.

"Don't look, then" he husband advises in a sad whisper, "I will hold you, and I will bear witness for you."


"The law of the Watcher is clear; witches may not be allowed to live. Their magic endangers us all," Reinier proclaims. Except wen it heals, he thinks, remembering Sterren's hands, bandaging him, "Fransez le Bihan," he calls to the trussed captive, "You have only to recant your beliefs, give up your witchery and swear allegiance to the Watcher, and you may live. What say you?"

Take what I'm offering you, old man, Reinier thinks, trying to will the old priest to do his bidding. One way or another, this man and his religion must be dealt with, Reinier would much prefer to be able to show mercy today, and bring this whole town into the Watcher's fold, and thus under his own sway with one public conversion, but if the old man refuses that mercy, there will only one choice left. Letting the witch live despite the laws would be a weakness that would be exploited again and again, and Reinier Landgraab is not about to appear weak before his people.


Fransez keeps his silence as he has throughout his imprisonment. He doesn't look up, knowing his daughter watches in the crowd below. To look at her now might destroy his will, lead him to say whatever they ask just live, for her sake. For his grandson. The old priest moans as he thinks of his grandson, how much this death will affect him. Will he despise his grandfather as a witch, or will he look up to him for keeping his faith? Or will he just be saddened and broke by the cruelty of men?

For Jean, he thinks, and begins to move his lips. His voice is gone, a croaking rattle that no one hears above the din of the crowd. It's too late, now, he realizes, too late to say the words.


Gasps of horror mingle with the murmurs of approval that come from the most faithful of Father Jakob's flock, those higher up in society and most eager to please their lord, as the priest sets the fire alight beneath the condemned.


Gillis shields his wife from the sight of the flames with his own body, holding her as she sobs helplessly into his chest.


His parents had told Jean to stay inside today, and not come outside for any reason. Which was all the reason the boy needed to sneak out to the marketplace. He'd been hearing whispers, snippets of sentences, enough to tell him that something was happening to his grandfather today, but not enough to understand what.


For as long as he can remember, he'd been taught to pray to the Lady, to look to her for comfort, safety and help. Recently, his parents had been teaching him to pray to the Watcher instead. Faced now with the terror of seeing his grandfather put to the torch, Jean cannot choose between Lady nd Watcher, and simply prays for help to anyone or anything  that will listen.


It had been a clear and cloudless morning, but the skie open with a sudden crash of thunder, pouring a heavy rain down on the square.


"Impossible!" Father Jakob shouts as the fire turns to steam.


"We are truly blessed, to witness such mercy from the Watcher!" Agneta proclaims, her voice lilting with happiness. Reinier wonders how anyone could be so naive and innocent as to believe this sudden rain a true miracle.


Then she turns to him, her eyes shining as she gives him a knowing smile, "Isn't it wonderful, my lord?" she asks, her voiced pitched low so only he can hear her, "That the Watcher could show even a sinner such as this man His mercy, and spare his life?"

She's a clever one, Reinier thinks, understanding her meaning, and the opportunity she's offering.


"We are witness to a miracle today," Reinier declares, standing to make a speech, his voice rising above the crowd, stilling the shouts and chatterings below.


"The witch has sinned against the Watcher, but even he is not beyond His divine mercy. None of us, no matter how great our transgressions, is too low, too depraved or too far gone for the Wacher to notice, and aid." Of all the role Reinier has take in his life, warrior, son, brother, lord, lover, and dragonslayer, the one he'd never imagined was taking that of the preacher. But he finds it coms naturally to him, as the crowd turn their attention to him, hanging onto his words, being fed on his lies and begging for more. This is power, he realizes, not to compel with his sword, but to convince with his words.


"My Lord!" Father Jakob protests, "Who are we to question the laws of the Watcher? This man is a witch, and he must burn."


"It is not I who questions the will of the Watcher," Reinier answers, feeling the approval of the crowd, "We condemned this man, and the Watcher demanded we spare him. I would not be such a fool as to test His will any further." Shouts of joy ring out from the crowd; they are his now, and Reinier will make use of their loyalty.


Melisenet collapses in her husband's arms, the relief almost too much to bear. 





27 comments:

  1. Oh Auberon. You really are an old softie at heart. Dunno if he really helped or hindered things though, or what Fransez will think. I mean, he was ready to recant the Lady for his family's sake but he must still believe in her. Surely that "miracle" must make him believe in her more, right? Make belief in her stronger?

    Bah. Politics and religion are weird.

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    1. I don't know if Fransez will believe the rain was a miracle or just rain, actually. So far he's tended to be more down to earth in his beliefs, as per his previous discussion with Sterren about how it's up to people like them to find cures for diseases and not rely on the Lady to do everything.
      But, yes, his belief in the Lady hasn't changed, though he did come to the point of being willing to recant if it meant staying alive for his daughter and grandson.
      Certainly, Reinier isn't just going to let him walk without some kind of public acknowledgment that a miracle of the Watcher saved him and a disavowal of his belief in the Lady.
      And in that sense, Auberon's help is likely to backfire; a martyr might have shored up belief in the Lady for some believers (it's worked for other religions) while seeing an admired figure crumble and disavow his beliefs will disenchant many.

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  2. Yay for Morvyn and Kelyn. ... Is Gaelle feeling the same revenge thoughts from her baby that Evenfall feels? Or maybe the baby dragon feels the father's anguish and knows the mother is the cause. I hope it doesn't think that it needs to break free from a shell. That would require a lot of explanation and a lot of cleaning up.

    hmmm... whose side is Agneta on? Good for her that she can make good of something not so good.
    I hope they let Fransez go. That Watcher priest won't allow that though I don't think. Little Jean best be careful too.

    Loved it.

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    1. I did use similar language about burning for both Evie and Gaelle to tie everything together in a whole burning theme. But Evie was being more metaphorical, the 'burning for revenge' she feels from her unborn daughter's spirit is more metaphorical than real, andthe pain is emotional rather than physical. For Gaelle, it's real physical pain.
      Sterren's theory that there might be an issue with the crossbreeding being somehow incompatible might be the culprit. But, not an egg hatching issue, lol. I know our mythological dragons are hatched from eggs, because they are always lizard in form. My dragons have the humanoid form as their primary form and don';t even learn to transform until puberty-ish,so they are born mammal style.
      But, ew, yeah, I wouldn't want to clean that mess up...like Alien being born, lol.

      Agneta is very much on Reinier's side. She saw an opportunity for him to save face and turn a bad situation to his favor, and he took it. The Watcher priest is not going to be happy, but he's not the one in charge. He'll complain, I'm sure, but he's too cowardly to actually stand up to Reinier.

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  3. I see you there, Auberon...does Jean?

    Agneta is one dangerous future queen!

    Excellent post :)

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    1. If anyone saw Auberon, it would have been Jean. He's a special little boy. =D
      Agneta is very shrewd and manipulative beneath her submissive exterior, and she could defnitely be dangerous.

      Thanks!

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  4. Wow, the rain. I found it touching that even though Reinier was the one who gave the okay to burn Fransez, that he was wishing Fransez would just accept The Watcher so he wouldn't have to burn him. Of course, making someone believe in something they don't believe in isn't a good thing, but I saw that little bit of thought as Reinier's version of trying to be nice. I'm not surprised that he took advantage of the rain to make the people believe in The Watcher, but I do think he was relieved anyway that Fransez didn't have to be burned.
    Teehee Auberon.

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    1. Reinier would have preferred to not burn Fransez, but it was as much a political desire than kindness. Just burning a 'heretic' is a strong message, but not as powerful as getting that heretic to recant publicly.
      I don't think Reinier was particularly eager to watch a man burn, he's not that depraved, so yes, it was a relief for him to have a way out of that which would also work to his political advantage.

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  5. Ha ha! I think I've had my suspicions confirmed, but I suppose only time will tell. =)

    I had a feeling that Evie was pregnant with Talfryn's child. *is excited* Oh my goodness, so many babies to look forward to! Though I wonder what is wrong with Gaelle?

    Yay for Morvyn and Kelyn, and how neat that they are starting their own traditions as well as their own nest!

    I'm glad that Fransez was rescued at the last moment, that didn't look like a very nice way to die, and with his grandson/daughter watching too, that would have been terrible. I wonder if the grandson will credit the Lady or the Watcher though? Since he prayed to whoever would listen (which apparently was Auberon, lol).

    Another terrific chapter, I loved it, and I'm *burning* to read more, lol Sorry for the bad pun, I just couldn't help myself! :P

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    1. Yes, I think some suspicions might have been confirmed here.
      I almost fel bad about so many babies, ol. I sem to have piled them on at this point, and I don't really want every story line to be about pregnancy. But, it happens and I need these kid for future stories, so here they all are, lol.

      Morvyn and Kelyn would have to do things their own way. I enjoy that they both have a rebellious streak, but they are both also very dragon..not against their kind or their traditions at all, they just want the freedom to do what they want, and maintain the traditions in their own way.

      Jean is going to be an important character, and all the stuff he witnessed as a child will play role in how he develops.

      Thanks so much, Nirar!

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  6. Great update, I loved it! So many things happening here...

    Let's hope there's nothing the matter with Gaelle's child; it would almost seem that the unborn child is punishing her for her deceptions.

    And Morvyn and Kelyn's coupling, yay! I loved the idea of them marking one another; as dragon's laws go, it seems quite a rather subversive thing to do ;-).

    I was so glad to see how Auberon spared Fransez's life. That whole scene was deeply moving, and the shots were simply perfect. Great job!

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    1. Thank you, Marsar!

      It's true, Gaelle's problems would be a fitting punishment for her deceptions.

      Morvyn and Kelyn marking each other is a subversion of the normal tradition. But at the same time, they will end up with matching markings just like all dragon mates have, so as I was just saying to Nirar, they find a way to keep their traditions while subverting it at the same time.

      The burning scene was really difficult to stage, I'm glad you like the pictures! And it was touching for Auberon to find a way to spare Fransez's life while remaining anonymous.

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  7. Let the stormy clouds chase, everyone from the place...Come on with the rain I've a smile on my face!

    Looks like someones prayers were answered and right in time too. I knew Agnetea was dangerous...she really is and likely more so than Reinier. She was quick on her feet too...but who thought of fire!? I mean that is a horrible way to go! On a scale of 1-10 that's about a 10...although I hear that after awhile your nerves are burnt and you don't feel anything or something like that...anyways!

    I thought the dragon love was cool! It's good to see Morvyn all settled down and Kelyn too and they are doing their own thing.

    With Gaelle...well, I feel the truth is going to come out one way or another...and by come out I mean...yeah...

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    1. The rain was a well-timed miracle. Though for Auberon, making ran is a pretty easy thing to do.
      Agneta is pretty quick thinking and clever. Reinier will be lucky to have her working for him.
      Fire is a traditional way of killing 'witches' even in this world. In our medieval era, it was believed that the fire would cleanse the sinner, and it was being sold as a 'mercy' to execute witches in this way, as it would allow them to get into heaven rather than burn in hell for an eternity. It's a pretty horrific way to die, that's for sure.

      Dragon love is awesome. =D

      Gaelle is still holding on to her secret. A few more people are in on it than she expected, but so far all have agreed that it's for the best. We'll have to see how that goes for her.
      Thanks, Aeon!

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  8. Wow, a lot going on here!

    Where to start? (I've just opened it in another tab to hopefully prompt me and remind me. here goes...)

    Ah yes, the fire in the womb. So, Gaelle and Evie (SQUEEEE, btw) both have burning in their wombs, and they both have dragon babies inside them. Dragons breathe fire, therefore, fetus is cooking mama from the inside cus daddy dragon ain't around to sooth it. Or something like that. Maybe.
    I'm guessing Sterren (And the Penguille woman who's name I forgot) won't be able to help Gaelle with that, but Evie should be fine as the dragons have probably experianced this before.

    Poor Rainier... Wait... What?! *clears throat*
    Rainier really did/does love Sterren. He tried to put off his wedding, because somewhere in the back of his mind is the idea that maybe Sterren will come back to him. I feel bad for Agneta, she doesn't love him, either, but she's at least willing to try. Plus, how must it feel to know you're destined to only be a baby machine?
    Actually, Agneta is a very bright woman! Loved her hinting to Rainier about how the Watcher was forgiving him and we should too. When I say loved... It's confusing. I hate that they were able to turn that to their advantage, because the Lady is the one true religion, but it shows how she is a strong, clever woman, and Rainier will be lucky to have her by his side (as much as it's bad for the good guys)
    Loved Rainier getting pwnd by his own father ;D

    Cecilia is the Penguille womans name. I just got that far.

    Feel awful for Gill and Mel (I'm shortening their names. You know who I mean.). And poor Jean! I can't imagine knowing your father is going to be burnt at the stake, and I also can't imagine *not* knowing my grandfather was being burnt at the stake! I'm glad Jean was able to save Fransez with his prayer for now (GO AUBERON! <3)

    Ok, Morvyn and Kelyn. Just, awwww! :D hehe, love that they're making an old-fashioned nest, but marking each other with a twist. Will we get to see their design in detail? And how they mark it on?

    I've already mentioned Evie, and...
    Auberon! The superhero of the middle ages.
    I loved those last two pictures together at the end, btw, with no words. Made it almost poetic.

    Right, think that's everything :)

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    1. This was a long chapter with a lot going on, yeah. =D

      The 'burning' Gaelle and Evie felt are kind of different things. I went on about this in my comment to Zhip, but I'll say it again. For Gaele, it is a real physical pain, while Evie was being more metaphorical and dealing with emotional pain. It is unlikely that Sterren or Cecilia will be able to help Gaelle, since they don't really know what's going on. It's not exactly cooking her, but it does have to do with being a dragon's baby. Fairies don't have the same problem carrying dragon babies, apparently. Shayeleigh had one, and Ico is pregnant. Evie's deal is her unborn baby is somehow aware of her father's death and actually desires revenge. She's a fairy as much a being a dragon child, and has a fairy level of consciousness...they have a kind of existence in spirit even before they are born physically.

      LOL, I love your responses to Reinier and Agneta. They are o the 'villain' side but I don't like dealing with pure evil,s so I like that people can be sympathetic and even like them. Agneta could be a much stronger woman if she were born in another time and siciety. But she's doing what she can in the situation she was born into. She's being sold off into marriage, so she's going to have as much influence on her husband as she can, and use her status as the wife of a powerful lord to its fullest extent.
      I loved having Reinier's dad call him a girl, too. His brother did that too, in the one conversation they had. Reinier is actually a sensitive type for his culture, and this has been an issue for him. Poor kid probably got called a girl a lot.

      I feel bad for Fransez's family too. That's a crappy situation to be in.

      We will get to see Morvyn & Kelyn's designs. And I really want to show the marking process, I just have to figure out what kind of poses would be involved and if I could pull it off. So, we'll see.

      LOL Auberon does like to swoop in an save the day, superhero style. I need to find him a cape. So he can be a Caped Crusader.
      I started writing stuff for the last two pictur, but deleted it, because I felt the pics said more than words could do. +D

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  9. Oh boy. Two dragon mix pregnancies. Evie's is the most interesting since technically she's also half human. When a dragon and fairy mixed it produced the wolfen. I wonder what Evie's child will be like.
    I wonder how Morvyn will react to hearing (as he must soon, I'm sure) about his coming child that the mother wants OUT. I'd hate to think of um, I forgot her name, Morvyn's mate, her reaction. Scary I'm sure. esp since they're not officially marked. oh boy.
    And she now finally knows that she didn't kill the dragonslayer.

    wait... the red fairy. hm

    anyway
    Reinier still oves Sterren. Oh, I can't decide whether or not to loathe or love the man. He tries to do right, but his sense of right is twisted by his dickweed of a father.
    Agneta might not be as stupid and brainless as I originally found her to be. I think Reinier knows this too. I worry that she's nothing but a power-hungry bitch.

    So glad that Fransez was saved. I assume it was Auberon... or Ico. Very likely Ico. She has a soft spot for that boy I think. :)

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    1. Dragon/Fairy cross-breedings can produce interesting results. The way I'm doing it, anything special about the child will derive from what sort of magic the fairy has and/or elemental affinity the dragon (and/or fairy) has. To me, the fairies tend to represent chaos, and their magic, like their society, has no governing law. The results can really be anything from just another fairy to a whole new creature.

      Morvyn may not be hearing about this child of his as soon as people are anticipating. Kelyn does at least know about Morvyn's relations with human women, and about the most recent one. So, having her turn up pregnant might be a bit dismaying, but probably not a deal breaker. Anyway, that's probably a moot issue, as I don't think that's coming to light as soon as all that.

      Yes, the red fairy. =D

      I loved the mixed feelings about Reinier. I really have tried to make him a man of his time and culture, which would be generally unappealing to the modern mindset, but it's hard to hate him for that. He does try in his way to what's right, but his view on what is right is very much formed around the idea of nobility having greater rights and abilities than lesser folk.
      Agneta isn't stupid and brainless, but I don't think she's a power hungry bitch either. Like Reinier, she's a woman of her time and culture. She's smart enough to not want to be shut out of the decision making, and she was raised to exert what influence she can through charm and manipulation. I tend to see her and Reinier as pretty equal in that.

      It was Auberon...he's in the second to last picture, standing on the roof of the building to the right.

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  10. Your story is always fantastic--artful photography and well told story that blend together perfectly. I can't help but wonder which of the gods Jean believes to have saved his grandfather--or if he believes it was indeed something else entirely. Sterren is the most wonderful character--good, intelligent, compassionate and sympathetic--and has chosen her mate well. I hope she is able to give her new hubby a child, in addition to the child she now carries that will be his in name only.

    Agneta--lovely and smarter than she appears upon first meeting. I suspect she is as cunning as her husband, but approaches things from a different mindset. Her mother/tutors have trained her well. I love the way you are weaving the long-time sims families into your story. Would make for a great published novel--the historical cannon of the sims franchise!!

    And the dragon/fae stories--I would love to see even more of them!

    Do you have a particular group of myths, religions or histories that have inspired your writing? Everything is so interwoven--the thought you put into these stories to make everything fit together so seamlessly--quite impressive. I imagine you spending many hours plotting and outlining, and writing before even beginning to take the pictures. Your efforts are much appreciated--and quite successful!

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    1. Thank you so much, dreamsong!
      I will be getting more into what Jean believes in upcoming chapters..
      Sterren is pretty special to me, she does have a lot of amazing qualities. And I'm happy for her that she did ultimately choose Taran for her true mate, he suits her very well.

      Agneta is very cunning, though she does hide it under her meek facade. She was very much trained by her mother for her role of a noble wife, and she does seem to be quite good good at it, even though she's only gotten stare=ted at putting this training to work. She's not even married yet but she's already influencing Reinier's decisions. Her mother would be proud.

      It would be fun for EA to accept my canon. =D I've really enjoyed weaving their histories into my own. But they'd never let me publish a novel using their characters, I don't think. But thank you. =D

      I love doing the mythological/folklore/fairy tale stories, too, so I'm sure there will be more.

      I've been interested in mythology and religion for as long as I can remember, as well as folklore and history, and it's probably all influenced my writing. For this story I'm probably most interested in Celtic stories because I'm basing a lot of the culture here on Celtic society and belief. But I drew a lot of inspiration from Asian lore about dragons for mine...they have stories of dragons taking human form and mating with human women. But I've tried to keep a European dragon to feel for them as well, with their somewhat violent nature.
      And Auberon, though I didn't intend this at first, it just kind of happened naturally, is heavily drawn from the Hindu god Vishnu, who creates our world while he sleeps.

      I do put a lot of thought into these stories, and I've been amazed at how things are developing. I do a fair bit of outlining and writing before I start shooting, but the pictures do influence the final draft, too.

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    2. Don't you find it interesting how many events, themes and even characters seem to be repeated in various myths, cultural traditions and religions all around the world? The names of the characters and gods are different, but traits and events are very much the same. Specifics vary, but at the heart, the similarities are almost too much to be mere coincidence. I love the tales, legends and myths from around the world and am constantly amazed, if not surprised, when I stumble upon yet another set of stories that falls in line with those I already know.

      Probably why your story has become one of my favorites of all times--blends so many of the things I love--sims, folklore, myth, fantasy, religion, and more sims...awesome!!

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    3. Absolutely! I love reading some folklore or myths from a culture I haven't studied before and seeing familiar themes.
      I've always been drawn to folklore, religion and muthology, it always creepinto my own writing even when I'm trying to be more 'realistic'. Summerdream lets me just go with it, and I am having a great time with it. And I'm so pleased you enjoy it as well. =D

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  11. Only just realised this chapter was up (I think I missed it while I was computerless). So, Evie's pregnant, with a fairy-dragon baby girl who's very very angry about her father's death... That definitely feeds into certain suspicions of mine...

    I love the way Auberon brought the rain to save Francez, but I hope Reinier and Agneta aren't going to be able to use that as a way of turning people to their belief structure. I'm finding Agneta a very interesting character, she's a lot stronger and more intelligent than she appears and I kind of wish she didn't have to be so manipulative just to have her voice heard. I also fear that will backfire on her if/when Reinier realises how much she's already manipulating him

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    1. I'm sorry I didn't get to replying to this comment earlier!
      Yes, I think you know exactly who Evie's baby girl will be. =D

      Agneta is a lot more than she appears, and she does that on purpose. It is because of her society and upbringing; if she had been more like Sterren was, she would be a lot better for it.
      Though Reinier has mostly dealt with women like Agneta in his life, who put on a submissive face while using their intelligence more subtly, I think he values opinionated women like Sterren more. Though he did of course clash with her when their opinions differed, because he was taught to expect deference from women. A conundrum for him, and we'll have to see how his relationship with Agneta plays out.

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  12. Man can I just say how much I loved this chapter, especially the final scene, you did such an amazing job, from setting up the scene to the writing. Did I ever tell you how much I love Agnetta? I love, love, love that woman. I love how she offered Reinier a way out (or a way in which ever you look at it), and saved the old man, and restored most of the townsfolk's belief in the Watcher, and I think she restored Jean's belief in magic and miracles, my heart was just breaking for that little boy watching his grandfather burn.

    I think Sterren, Gaelle and Cecillia secretly know the truth about the nature of Gaelle's unborn baby, but only time will tell how wrong/right their suspicions are.

    Morvyn and Kelyn = powerful love scene, your pictures speak volumes of the devotion and love the love they feel for one another.

    Enjoyed very much!

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    1. Thanks, Val!
      This was a hard chapter to set up, but so worth the effort.
      I'm so pleased you love Agneta. She' very clever and I think she does have a good heart.
      Sterren has some strong suspicions about Gaelle's baby, definitely. I haven't thought much bout what Gaelle thinks, maybe I should.
      Morvyn and Kelyn...I love them.

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  13. Auberon did come through, however what does this mean for Fransez or any of the other Lady worshipers?
    I'm glad for Morvyn and Kelyn. I can't help but think that the burning and pain that Gaelle and Evie are feeling is the same kind of pain. I think that maybe just Gaelle may not recognize what is happening..edenz~

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