Current wordcount, Carrion: 3,746. I fully intend to get to 4k tonight.
A snippet:
"Years and years ago," the girl said, dismissing the sorcerer with a toss of her honey-blond hair. "I have been--instructed to offer you a boon for your cooperation here. You did not have to allow us to take the bodies."
"That is true, but why should I prevent you from taking them?" Gabriel asked. "If you grant me any boon, I would ask that you ask your kin to leave us in peace."
She bit her lip. "I cannot speak for my kin, but I can ask." Another hesitation. "My--My parents would be pleased if you accepted something a bit more--concrete."
"Your parents?" Gabriel asked, and wondered just who this girl was.
"The King and Queen," the girl murmured, not looking at him. "My name is Amalea. With my brother's untimely death, I am now third in line for the throne."
That certainly explained her attitude. Someone had raised her to treat others with respect, and expect the same in return. Which was rare for an elf, in truth.
"You needn't look so surprised," Amalea said with a quick glance at his face. "I volunteered to come."
"I am surprised they allowed you to come," Gabriel said. "What sort of boon were you thinking about?" He understood her insistence in granting him with something; the elves would feel they owed him something if he did not accept.
But short of the impossible request he had already asked, he truly wanted nothing from them. They could not free him from the Council's binding, and if he told her of the girl in the dungeons, they would only try to take her away.
"A brownie," Amalea stated without hesitation. She had clearly thought about this boon of hers.
Despite himself, Gabriel felt a grudging respect for this girl. A princess, in truth, but she did not act like a princess. "A brownie?" He tried to keep the doubt from his voice.
"All of this--" she indicated the piles of rotting meat and bones. "If you intend to live in that house, it will need to be cleaned."
That was true, but Gabriel did not know whether to be amused or offended by her offer. "You offer me this as your payment for allowing you your brother's body?"
"The house needs to be cleaned, does it not?" Amalea asked, and the glint in her eye told Gabriel that she was not used to being refused.
"Yes, it does," he said, and remembered wondering if he could allow his Hunt their human forms just to scrub the floor. But what would happen if the brownie saw the girl from the dungeons? "If I accept this boon, then I will make one request in return: that your brownie not venture beyond the library. My Hounds will be there, resting, and I do not wish them to be disturbed."
"Very well," Amalea said, and did not seem to think anything wrong with his request. "At dusk, then. Don't lock the door. I'll see that your boon is honored."
"Agreed," Gabriel said, and watched as she rejoined her fellows. She would be one to watch out for, this Amalea. For a princess, she was almost too self-assured for her own good.
copyright 2006 Jennifer St. Clair
A snippet:
"Years and years ago," the girl said, dismissing the sorcerer with a toss of her honey-blond hair. "I have been--instructed to offer you a boon for your cooperation here. You did not have to allow us to take the bodies."
"That is true, but why should I prevent you from taking them?" Gabriel asked. "If you grant me any boon, I would ask that you ask your kin to leave us in peace."
She bit her lip. "I cannot speak for my kin, but I can ask." Another hesitation. "My--My parents would be pleased if you accepted something a bit more--concrete."
"Your parents?" Gabriel asked, and wondered just who this girl was.
"The King and Queen," the girl murmured, not looking at him. "My name is Amalea. With my brother's untimely death, I am now third in line for the throne."
That certainly explained her attitude. Someone had raised her to treat others with respect, and expect the same in return. Which was rare for an elf, in truth.
"You needn't look so surprised," Amalea said with a quick glance at his face. "I volunteered to come."
"I am surprised they allowed you to come," Gabriel said. "What sort of boon were you thinking about?" He understood her insistence in granting him with something; the elves would feel they owed him something if he did not accept.
But short of the impossible request he had already asked, he truly wanted nothing from them. They could not free him from the Council's binding, and if he told her of the girl in the dungeons, they would only try to take her away.
"A brownie," Amalea stated without hesitation. She had clearly thought about this boon of hers.
Despite himself, Gabriel felt a grudging respect for this girl. A princess, in truth, but she did not act like a princess. "A brownie?" He tried to keep the doubt from his voice.
"All of this--" she indicated the piles of rotting meat and bones. "If you intend to live in that house, it will need to be cleaned."
That was true, but Gabriel did not know whether to be amused or offended by her offer. "You offer me this as your payment for allowing you your brother's body?"
"The house needs to be cleaned, does it not?" Amalea asked, and the glint in her eye told Gabriel that she was not used to being refused.
"Yes, it does," he said, and remembered wondering if he could allow his Hunt their human forms just to scrub the floor. But what would happen if the brownie saw the girl from the dungeons? "If I accept this boon, then I will make one request in return: that your brownie not venture beyond the library. My Hounds will be there, resting, and I do not wish them to be disturbed."
"Very well," Amalea said, and did not seem to think anything wrong with his request. "At dusk, then. Don't lock the door. I'll see that your boon is honored."
"Agreed," Gabriel said, and watched as she rejoined her fellows. She would be one to watch out for, this Amalea. For a princess, she was almost too self-assured for her own good.
copyright 2006 Jennifer St. Clair
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