A To Z Challenge. CHAPTER FOUR -- A NIGHT'S STAY

            Refreshed from his bath and a change of clothes, Nándor gazed out the window at the darkening panorama.  A knock sounded on his door.  “Enter.”

            A young man entered.  “Sir, dinner is imminent.  I was sent to escort you.”

            Nándor nodded.  “Yes, Lady Ruya said someone would come.  Lead the way.”

            After a short and relatively easy route to the dining hall, Nándor was shown to his seat.  Another servant poured wine in his goblet.  A dulcet harp and flute duet filtered from the gallery above the diners.

            He studied the people at the various tables.  He saw envoys from almost every great house and nation.  Tapestries for each standard were suspended from the ceiling.    Only they did not place him under his country’s banner, which happened to be three tables away.

            No, he had been placed at a table with the Aerie standard above.  He wondered why, but his assumption was he and his fellow tablemates were here on disparate business from those at the country tables.  

            Nándor pushed away his musings as a hush enveloped the hall.  He stood with the others as Lady Ruya entered on the arm of a man.  At a guess, that had to be Doyen Cem.  They took their seats at the high table, signaling the meal was served. 

            A daedal magician entertained the hall with his illusions after the meal.  Miniature dragons flew overhead in an aerial dance, spinning and diving in dexterous feats before dissipating. 

Flowers grew from the stones and they opened to reveal tiny pixies.  They fluttered their wings then took off in an explosion of shimmering dust.  Streaking across the hall, they sped through the gathered people and left multicolored trails winding throughout the crowd. 

It was his imps that caused no end of diablerie.  Hunched over with long pointed ears and sharp nails, they grinned evilly.  Bouncing with the speed of a raging river, they pounced on tables and guests alike.  They poked noses, pulled hair, and knocked over goblets as they gave off high-pitched giggles at their mischief. 

As the last illusion vanished, Nándor clapped along with the cheering crowd.  He caught a glimpse of the high table from the corner of his eye.  Ruya fled the room in a flurry of diaphanous skirts.  The Doyen’s face fell in a dolorous expression before resuming a stony demeanor once again. 

He stood, nodding goodbye to his companions.  The young man that escorted him from before appeared beside him.

When they left the dining hall, he asked to be taken to Tesni.  He wanted to check on the stallion before he turned in for the night. 

Nándor saw that the horse had been well taken care of and wanted for nothing.  He spoke to the horse and rubbed the muzzle.  Giving Tesni a goodnight pat, he turned to leave, but a shuffling noise stopped him.  Walking farther down the stable, he stopped and sidled to the corner. 

He shifted just enough to peer down the shadowed aisle and descried something unexpected.  

©djinnia 2014

A To Z Challenge. CHAPTER THREE -- RUYA

            Her canorous laugh echoed throughout the garden when she saw Nándor’s shocked expression.  “Did you not think that we of the Aerie could not detect his chicanery?  We knew of it long before he arrived.”

            “No, my lady.  I’m delighted that you were not deceived by his duplicity.  He’s fooled many, much to my country’s detriment.  I was so close to finding him.  If only . . .” he trailed off,  rubbing his forehead as sudden exhaustion hit.  Both the journey and the rush of emotion at missing his target had taken their toll on him.  

 
            “Come,” she said concern etching her features.  She motioned for him follow her.  “What you need are a warm bath, meal, and bed.” 

            Nándor nodded with a slight grin at the celerity of her shifting personae.  “I would appreciate that, my lady.” 

            They exited through a different gateway and traversed a straight corridor of celadon brick.  After a while, she broke the silence.  “My name is Ruya, by the way.  It seems I have forgotten my manners.  I do not converse with our guests usually.”

            They turned right at the end of the corridor.  Nándor gazed at her.  “May I ask why?”

             “I do not mind,” Ruya assured him, but Nándor got the impression that there was resentment there.  “My augur abilities do not pertain to individuals.  I see events on world scale.” 

            Her mouth thinned.  “Doyen Cem does not think it wise for me to see our guests.  He wishes to protect me.  He believes that too much interaction with individuals would cause interference in my gift.”

 
            “And you believe otherwise,” he surmised. 

            She did not reply.  Instead, she stopped in front of a beautiful door.  The marquetry design of the dragon was intricate.  Its spread wings covered the top half of the door.  The tips of each wing met at the center just under the doorjamb.  

            “This is your room.  A bath awaits you.”  Opening the door, she entered.  “It is near crepuscule.  Our final meal is served then.  Someone will come and escort you to the hall.” 

She made to leave but Nándor stopped her with a gentle hand.  “You believe differently, don’t you, Lady Ruya?” 

She directed her gaze directly at him.  Her eyes coruscated with power, her demeanor authoritative and sure.  “Yes.”

His cynosure of her was secured in that moment. 

©djinnia 2014

A To Z Challenge. CHAPTER TWO -- AERIE

              He studied the architecture of the Aerie. It seemed to melt into the mountain or it had sprung from the mountainside. He could not decide which. It added to the overall mystery.

             Nándor entered the courtyard, his eyes checking out the shadowed corners of the complex. He dismounted, keeping his hand on the sword pommel. His skin crawled as if he was being watched. The atmosphere here was strange, heavy. Maybe that caused the leery feeling he had since entering the forest at the mountain’s base.

              A double set of doors opened at the far end of the courtyard. A group of people exited after an elderly man, who spoke benisons to each of them. They dispersed soon after.

              A welcoming smile grew on the man’s face when he saw Nándor. He motioned for Nándor to come closer. Was he one of the augurs?

             He approached with Tesni in tow.

             “Ah, I see you have arrived unscathed. The young one was concerned that the bandits would find you on the road yesterday.”

              Nándor stiffened. The man knew of his near miss with the encamped blackguards? No, he said the young one was concerned about him? Who was that?

              The man laughed. “Ah, the young one was correct, I see. You did not believe. She has impressed me with her bailiwick. She shows exceptional talent at augury at her age. Her gift is indeed remarkable.”

             Nándor shifted uncomfortably. He disliked these peoples’ abilities to perceive his movements. This place put him on edge, but he would tolerate it for some inkling of Ahriman’s location. “Sir, I would like to –”

             The man cut him off with a wave of his gnarled hand. “Yes, we know why you’ve come. I will show you where you need to go. Leave the horse. It will be provided for by our stable master.”

              He took Nándor by the arm and half dragged him to an archway. The old man’s strength surprised him, but he realized the folly of his amazement. This was the Aerie. Stories of its strangeness abounded everywhere. Nothing here should surprise him.

              Turning down endless passages, Nándor became lost almost immediately. They went left, right, left, before going around what seemed like an apparent circle. Just when his frustration was at the boiling point, the old man pushed open an arched gate. “There you are, lad. Follow this path to the end and you will find the one who can help you.”

              Nándor released a heavy breath. “Thank you, sir.”

              The old man laughed at the disgruntled courtesy, patting the younger man on the shoulder. “You’ll do.”

              Nándor shook his head at the cryptic remark and watched the old man walk away. He turned to enter the garden and stopped dead. The garden’s brio struck him. With slow careful steps, his astonishment grew. Never in all his travel had he seen the moisture loving plants of the island nations of the Southern Sea grow next to those of the high Northern Tundra. This place was truly magic.

              He reached the path’s end to find an open pavilion where a young woman reclined upon silk pillows. Intricate braids wove around her head and hung down in a thick rope. Her face was awash in sunlight, glowing like burnished marble.

              A slight smile curved her mouth, but she did not open her eyes. “I am glad you avoided the scoundrels.” Her lashes fluttered open. She turned her head to study him then stood and held out her hand.

              Nándor helped her descend. “My lady.”

               Her eyes glittered with deep intelligence as she studied him. “The man you seek came not a week ago.”

               Nándor could not believe her words. The devil had been here! “Where is he? Does he still have the bibelot?”

              “I know not, but neither does he have what he sought here.”

              When he made a move to speak again, she held up an imperious hand. “Do not interrupt. I give this information freely and you will be grateful and silent.”

              His chin tightened and the muscle there twitched, but he acquiesced with a bow. “Forgive me. I have tracked this man for months. This is the first news of him I’ve had in all that time.”

              She touched his arm. “Yes, I know. I have divined it.” An impish grin grew and her eyes danced. “He bedaubed himself in finery and scent, but his brackishness of breath, body, and soul were too great to ignore. He was escorted out of the Aerie and ordered never to return.”

©djinnia 2014

A To Z Challenge. CHAPTER ONE -- NÁNDOR

     The Aerie hid in the craggy mountain range, which bordered the outer rim of the land.  Dense forests cloaked the peaks in dark needles and darker shadows.  Strange creatures haunted the wildwood, humanoids that waited in the gloom to take the unwary traveler. 

The Aerie was not meant to be found by the faint of heart.  No, this place only helped those who faced their fears and trekked through the dangers of both man and beast. 

Many travelers came to find afflatus for their leaders.  Their monarchs wanted hints of the future, of knowledge to come.  They desired to know if their harvests would be plentiful and their kingdoms peaceful.  Their representatives sometimes waited weeks for aestival time to arrive to receive their audience.

Nándor wiped the sweat from his brow as he rested.  Even as high up into the range as he was, humid heat bore down on him.  This was the last leg of his journey.  The Aerie was close, but that also meant the forest's perils loomed closer.

His day had started well before dawn.  He rose as grey broke the darkness, breaking camp with efficient movements.  His horse had plodded along the overgrown path for the last two hours without complaint.  Now, the hearty stallion drank from the stream in the adumbrated clearing.

Filling up his waterskin, he stood and patted the horse’s glossy neck.  The horse snuffled his hair and blew out a large breath before mouthing his ear.  Nándor laughed, but it came out tired.  He pushed the horse away with a gentle hand then scratched the horse’s muzzle.  “I bet you’ll be glad to get there, won’t you?  So will I, Tesni.”

He stepped away and mounted the horse.  “Another hour and we’ll be there.”  He turned his gaze toward the mountain peak.  Squinting, he found the faint outline of his destination and frowned.

With a gentle tug of the reins, he turned his horse toward the mountain fortress.  He just hoped it was worth it.  Would the arcane augury help guide him against Ahriman?

Nándor did not know, but all was lost without a clue to the rogue’s whereabouts along with the sacred object he stole.  Ahriman absconded in the night and no trace could be found. 

His name was now an anathema among the people.  A once great man now nothing but a villain. 

Nándor’s face turned stony at the very thought of the man.  He would find the treacherous coward.

©djinnia 2014

OMG! IT'S NEARLY HERE!!!

Okay, peeps!  This is the home stretch.  Less than one week and counting until the A to Z Challenge begins.

As you know, I've bitten off a huge task of trying to finish (or I MAY have finished . . . **shakes head to shatter fantasy** Um, not happening.  EVER!) a story before the days catch up to me.

This is the awesome calender that shows each letter's day.  So you and I both can anticipate the next letter.

Of course, I'll probably be frantic trying to finish.  I may go stark raving nuts before the end, but I want to conquer that danged Z.  I want it desperately.  I want to use that cool Z word I found on the list.  My fingers tremble at the thought of typing it.

And so I leave you to go tear my hair out as my pen either flies across the page, my fingers tap quickly across the keyboard, or I'm stare in utter despair at them both as my mind blanks out in writer's block!

I hope not.  I really hope I can finish this.  It will make me happy see if I can finish this challenge and this story. 

A TO Z CHALLENGE . . . JUST HOW CRAZY AM I?

This is it, folks.  This is where I tell you what my theme is for the 26 days of the A to Z Challenge.  (See pretty A to Z Challenge clickie button on sidebar.  Go on and click it; you know you want to.)

DU DU DUN!  The epic reveal happens now.

I'm going to write a story.  Ha!  That was so anticlimactic it hurt.  Plus, it wasn't my theme.  MUHAHAHA!

No more teasing.  I will really tell you what my theme is now: Word(s) of the Day from Dictionary.com.

That's my theme in a nutshell.

 The story will incorporate words from the Word of the Day archives.  All the words used will begin with that day's letter.  For example, I will use A words (like apple) on April 1st and Z words (like zebra) on April 30th.  Each entry, of course, will run each letter that corresponds to each day. (minus Sundays.  We get those off for good behavior.)

I'm going to link up each word to its definition page just because I'm sick and demented like that.  So if you're just as weird you can see their epic meanings.

I hope I can complete this challenge.  I want to see if I'm able to write twenty-six chapters and complete a story at the same time.  I never can for Nano . . . so here's to me driving myself insane! Woo Hoo!

In the great words of Bill and Ted: "Party on, dudes!"

(and my prescheduling had issues!  Argh!   It was supposed to go up at 9 am, but it totally didn't do it!)

A BIT OF RANDOM BORINGNESS 2

So far my life has encompassed three things:  a gift project (which is done!  YAY ME!), A to Z (I'm on K), and editing my book (that's not happening, but I'm pretending it is . . . heh heh heh).

Other than that, it's just work, life, and my furry babies.

Then there is a certain person that shall remain nameless that I would like to bop on the head.  Frustrating is the term that comes to mind.

I finished reading Blackberry Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke.  Again frustrating comes to mind when I think of this book.  It ends on a CLIFFY!  GRR ARGH!

I'm also listening to the book Backwards by Todd Mitchell.  It's a very interesting book.  I won't say anything about it except that the book name says it all.

Also, I'm reading the Ghostwalker series by Christine Feehan.  I've finished the first one, Shadow Game, and i'm almost done with the second one, Mind Game.

It's fun to go back and read books you've read a years ago.  They're almost new again.