Category Archives: stories

announcement, book release, fantasy, stories

Exclusive Preview of Immortal’s Death Cover and Story

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I’ve gone through the edited manuscript and returned it, now I’ve received the layout manuscripts, which I’ve just checked.

Things are progressing nicely. I am still hoping for a before Christmas release.

Anyway, I thought you’d like a preview of the cover, so here it is.

In this book, the group known as Wolf finally get to use the Sword of Sauvern on the man threatening their country. So that’s the end of the story–or is it?

Here’s the blurb.

A royal wedding. A missing duke. An empire on the brink of war.

Carthinal and his companions gather to celebrate Princess Randa’s wedding to Prince Almoro—until news arrives that Duke Larrin of Sendolina and his wife are missing, and their lands have fallen to enemy forces. With tension rising between Grosmer and Erian, the king dispatches a dragonet to uncover the truth.

As the Wolf mercenaries set out on a dangerous rescue mission, they are blown off course and forced into battles on land and sea. Meanwhile, rebellion brews in Hambara, and young Thadora—noble by blood but raised in the shadows—must uncover Erian’s next move.

Soon, loyalties will be tested, lives lost, and Carthinal will have to face a betrayal from someone he trusted the most.

A richly detailed epic fantasy adventure, IMMORTAL’S DEATH is the fourth book in the Wolves of Vimar series by V.M. Sang.

I’ll keep you updated on what’s happening with it, and when it’ll finally be out.

It will be possible, I think, to read this without having read the others, although it would be better read as part of the series.

If anyone would like a free early copy to read (and review when it’s published) I can send a pdf.

Do you like the cover? Let me know what you think.

book reviews, short story, stories

Glimpses by Hugh W Roberts. Book Review.

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Blurb

After publishing some of his short stories on his blog, Hugh W. Roberts, who is dyslexic, received numerous requests to publish his short stories in a book.

Here, at last, are 28 short stories that will take your mind on a roller coaster of a ride into worlds that conceal unexpected twists and turns.

‘Glimpses’ allows the reader a peek into the lives of everyday people who are about to have life lead them on an unpredicted path. From a mysterious deadly iPad app to a hole in the fence that is not all it seems, to a strange lipstick that appears to have a life of its own, you will encounter terror, laughter, sadness, shock and many other emotions on journeys which promise a thrilling and gripping climax.

If you are a lover of shows such as ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘Tales Of The Unexpected’, then you are in for a real treat with this first collection of short stories from Hugh.

Dare you take a glimpse into the lives of these unsuspecting characters?

As this is a book of short stories, my usual format for reviews won’t work.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading these stories. There were stories of different lengths, so you could choose a short one if you haven’t much time, or a longer one if you wanted to settle down and relax.

I began at the first story and worked my way through. 

Every story has an interesting twist, which, for me, made it very interesting and exciting trying to decide what the twist would be.

Some of these stories will horrify you, some will sadden you, yet others will make you smile, but they will all surprise you.

The book is well written and I didn’t notice any typos of grammatical errors.

If you are a fan of such TV programmes as The Twilight Zone or Tales of the Unexpected, then this is the book for you.

I give it 5*

 My ranking of books.

In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

And another review from Amazon


“If you are looking for a thoroughly entertaining read, Glimpses is the book for you. Each story, cleverly crafted through Hugh’s wonderful imagination, will whisk you away to many different worlds, past, present and future. Every story makes a compelling read and just when you think you know what’s going to happen next, Hugh masterfully reveals a brilliant twist. With bite-size and longer stories, Glimpses is a must-read. I loved it.” – Esther Chilton, Writer, and Author.

free book, Guest Post, history, novel, stories

My Visit to Mary Deal.

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First of all, before I begin this post, I would like to say that I tried to respond to the comments and suggestions that many of you gave for my story based on Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. For some reason, WordPress said they couldn’t respond. Apologies. I hope the replies get through eventually. I did try several times!

I have been honoured to appear on Mary Deal’s blog. I love Mary’s books, she is an excellent author of mystery and thriller, and all the books I’ve read kept me on the edge of my seat.

Mary has featured an excerpt from my historical novel, Vengeance of a Slave. This is set in Roman Britain and tells the story of a slave boy, ripped from his family at merely six years old, and how he builds up his hatred of the Romans in the hope of escaping and taking revenge.

There is also a link to an interview I did with Mary some time ago.

V. M. Sang

If you would like to be featured on Mary’s website, she is kindly offering to do so. You can contact her by clicking on ‘Write Any Genre’ above.

announcement, book reviews, fantasy, Guest Post, novel, Poetry, romance, stories

2 visits to other blogs.

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I was recently asked if I would post on Roberta Eaton’s poetry blog, Writing to Be Read. I was greatly honoured, as I admire Robbie’s poetry. She has interviewed me, and reviewed my poetry book, January to June. One Poem a Day, Book 1.

The interview includes one of my favourite poems as well as a couple of mine.

Here is the latest Amazon ranking for this book.

If you want to find out more, click the button below.

Take me to Robbie’s blog.

If you enjoy poetry, you can buy this book and the next one, July to December, by clicking the two buttons.

Buy January to June
Buy July to December

But suppose you aren’t into poetry? Many people aren’t.

I have a post on Beetley Pete’s blog, too. This one has an extract from my latest book, Horselords, a novella.

Click the button to take you to Pete’s blog to read the post. And while you’re there, check out some of his other posts. He frequently features a serial that’s always worth a read.

Go to Beetley Pete’s blog.

Horselords is a book in the new genre of Romantasy–a blend of Romance and Fantasy, and, being a novella, is a quick read.

Here’s what Amazon said about it.

For all her life, Kimi has been taught that the Wanderers, as the nomadic tribes are known, are violent thieves.

But they are not a threat, and she hopes to have the life of a Settled Horselord, raising horses like her parents. When her family’s horses are stolen, everything changes. Kidnapped by violent tribesmen and threatened with a forced marriage to the chief’s son, she is terrified of what the future will bring.

Fearing for the lives of her father and brothers, will Kimi be able to escape and return home?

As it’s new, it doesn’t have any reviews as yet. (I’m hopeful for some good ones soon, though.)

If you are interested, here’s a link to take you to your favourite online store.

Buy Horselords

I would like to thank both Robbie and Pete for giving me time on their blogs to get to know a few more people.

My books can be bought by clicking the image in the side bar. This will take you to where you can select your favourite on-line store.

The ebook of the first in all series is free.

book reviews, fantasy, novel, stories

Review of The Reviled. Book 1 of The Dark Fey by Cynthia Morgan

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OVERVIEW 

An original and intriguing story.

BLURB

From a young age, Ayla has learned about the mortal enemy of all Fey of the Light: The cruel Reviled Fey.

Gairynzvl is a Fey of the Light who was abducted by the Reviled when he was young. Now, he is one of them.

Lurking in the shadows, he lingers near Ayla and secretly whispers to her. The mystery he presents is irresistible, although she knows the Reviled Fey are menacing and devious.

Learning what he wants is only the beginning.

Should she trust him? Or will he tear her world apart?

STORY

Ayla is a fey of the Light. She has unusual gifts. She can distinguish truth from lies, and her empathy is so great that she can take on the pain of others and relieve their suffering.

She is a retiring person, but when her best friend, Nayina, suggests she go to a festival with a young fey of Nayina’s acquaintance, she is at first reluctant. However, the pair are attracted to each other and soon form a bond.

But Ayla has a secret she’s kept from everyone, including Nayina. She has sensed a male presence that seems to be watching her. He hides in the shadows and doesn’t reveal himself.

Could he be one of the Dark Fey, known as the Reviled? These creatures steal young fey and, by means of torture and harsh treatment, turn them to evil?

Eventually, Ayla tells Nayina who urges her to tell the Elders, but, strangely, Ayla doesn’t want to. At least not until she has more idea who the stranger is.

Is this person one of the Reviled? He seems reluctant to leave the shadows, as a Reviled would be. The Light actually hurts and injures them, eventually leading to their death. And what does he want with her? 

CHARACTERS.

Ayla is a gentle soul who likes her own company. She is employed to look after the children, along with Nayina. 

Her encounter with the mysterious stranger makes her plumb depths she never knew she had.

Nayina is not so developed but she isn’t a major character.

Ayla’s ‘boyfriend’, Mardan, is another character who develops through the story. He is a likeable person, and cares deeply for Ayla. He does change throughout the story.

As does the mysterious figure, when we finally meet him.

I don’t want to say much more as the development of the characters is such that to discuss it more would be a spoiler.

WRITING

Cynthia Morgan gives a good description of the Fey and we can picture these wonderful people quite clearly. Maybe a little more description of the setting might make it easier to visualise it, but I did not find it detracted from my enjoyment of the story.

There are few typos and grammar errors.

One thing that did stand out to me, though, was that occasionally the author swapped the point of view character in the middle of a scene. On one occasion this was in the middle of a paragraph. I didn’t find it much of a problem–more an irritation. I think this is because the pronoun changed, from Ayla to Mardan (I think).

I enjoyed the story very much and am looking forward to reading the next part.

I give it 4*

My ranking of books. In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

Have you read any of the other Dark Fey books? Let us know what you thought of them in the comments.

Religion, Romans, stories

Groundhog Day vs. Imbolc: Spring’s Weather Predictions

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I know I’m a bit late with this, and it would have been better last week, but I already had a post scheduled. 

I was struck with the similarity of the US Groundhog Day with the ancient Celtic festival of Imbolc. 

It happens on the same day, more or less, and is the harbinger of spring. And just as the groundhog gives a weather forecast, so does Imbolc.

I think it’s probably easiest for me to describe Imbolc in an extract from my book, Vengeance of a Slave, where Ailbert and his sister, Awena, take part in their very first Imbolc after their escape from slavery under the Romans.

Soon it was Imbolc, the time when the young lambs began to be born. The villagers had much preparation to do, for they invited the goddess, Brigid, into their homes to bless them, and they prepared special food for this day. Awena, was delighted when the villagers chose her to help carry the image of Brigid around the village. 

She helped to clean the house with enthusiasm, sweeping out all the old rushes and piling them up outside ready to be lit into a bonfire. Ailbert laughed at her enthusiasm saying he had never thought of her as a domestic type. 

She stuck her tongue out at him in response. “It’s important everything is ready for Brigid.”

“What about the gods we worshipped in Londinium? Have you forgotten them? Jupiter, Juno, Venus and the rest?”

“They’re gods for the Romans.” She shook her head. “They’ve no use for the Britons. Only if we become Roman Citizens will they care for us, and that’s not going to happen. We’re now Britons and we must worship the gods that care for the Britons.”

She carried on sweeping while Ailbert continued walking towards the sheep pens to see if any lambs had been born. 

He met Madoc on the way and the boy told him in excited tones that one of the ewes had gone into labour and the lamb, or hopefully lambs would arrive very shortly. Ailbert quickened his steps towards the pens in the hope of seeing the actual birth. Being a house slave in Londinium he had never been present at the birth of any of the animals owned by the dominus and domina.

They arrived in time to see the ewe pushing out what turned out to be the first of two lambs. Ailbert frowned. He had not expected blood. The little lamb lay on the ground, wet, and the mother turned to look at him, for it was a male lamb. Ailbert watched as she began to lick him clean. The second lamb was born soon afterwards and she repeated the process. The lambs staggered to their feet and immediately began suckling. 

Ailbert smiled. He had witnessed a wonderful thing. New life being brought into the world and he ran off to tell Awena and Gwen the first lambs had been born and Imbolc was due to start.

At sunset that evening, the unwed girls carried the image of Brigid around the village. The villagers had made a crude image of reeds and the girls visited each house in turn, walked three times round it and then asked for admittance for Brigid. Each house opened the door and let the image and girls in. They gave them food and each householder added a decoration to the reed image.

For some weeks before, the women and girls had been busy making Brigid crosses out of reeds, and one hung over the door of each house.

As it was winter still, it soon got dark. Each household put out newly made clothes, and food and drink for the goddess. They also made a bed for her in the house, just in case she decided to visit. 

They ate and drank the foods made for this special day. They had a kind of porridge made from the starch left in the husks of the oats, soaked out and left to ferment. It tasted sour to Ailbert and Awena but they ate their share as it would have been discourteous to do otherwise.

The next morning, Gwen looked carefully at the ashes that she had raked smooth the evening before, to see any disturbances that might indicate that Brigid had visited in the night, but they were as smooth as they had been when they all went to bed.

Gwen led the way outside to be met with a frost on the ground and an overcast sky. “Ah! That’s good. A cold, miserable day means that the Cailleach is still asleep and not gathering wood for fires to keep her warm through the next cold spell.” She turned to the young people who frowned and looked at each other. Ailbert shrugged his shoulders. 

“Cailliach is winter personified. If today is bright and sunny, then she can come out and look for firewood and so keep herself warm for longer. If it’s cold and miserable, or rainy and stormy, then she’s asleep and will soon run out of firewood, so Brigid can bring the spring sooner.”

They, along with the rest of the village, made their way to the well. Here they walked round it in the direction of the sun and prayed to Brigid to bring health and prosperity. They gave offerings of strips of cloth and a few coins to the goddess.

Singing and dancing followed, as well as eating and drinking, and the day passed quickly, darkness coming early at this season, half-way between the winter solstice and spring equinox. Tired and happy with the prospect of a good season to come, the villagers retired to their beds.

Here’s the blurb.

Forced to watch his father’s crucifixion and separated from his mother, orphaned six-year-old Adelbhert’s life forever changes when he is sold into slavery in Britannia.

Years of servitude fill his heart with malice and he resolves to escape, determined to rescue those he loves and deliver retribution to the Romans who wronged him.

But as new allies shed light on old perspectives, Adelbhert begins to question his path. Will he find true freedom, or allow his vengeance to consume him?

And a review:

D. Peach

Ailbert keeps a running list in his head of all the reasons why he hates the Romans—they crucified his father, stole him as a child from his mother, and enslaved him. As he grows into his teenage years as a slave, the list gets longer. With the help of a network of Britons, he escapes, determined to exact his revenge, but not everything is as clear cut as he once thought.

The plot is straight forward, and though there are some tense moments, battling and mortal danger isn’t the point of the tale. This story has a strong moral message about the nuanced nature of people and how they treat and judge each other. Ultimately, it’s about a young man’s growth and the events that change his perceptions as he matures.

The pace is moderate with some repetition, but I was engaged throughout. The historical details seem well-researched, adding to the authenticity of the story. Point-of-view focuses on Ailbert for most of the book, with occasional shifts to other characters, and all main and secondary characters felt believable to me. Ailbert is particularly well-rounded and likable as the story centers on his thoughts and experiences.

Recommended for YA and adult readers who enjoy coming of age stories, historical fiction, and adventure.

If you want to read more about Ailbert and Awena, and how they escaped from being Roman slaves, click on the button below.

The book is available in ebook and physical book from your favourite online book store.

Get my copy now.

Do you enjoy historical fiction? What is your favourite era to read about?

Let us know in the comments.

book reviews, novel, stories

Miira Tahn: A Sci-Fi Journey Through Life and Death. My Review of the book.

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OVERVIEW.

This is an omnibus of three books, but it reads as one. I would not be able to say where one book ends and the next one begins. As a result, I would recommend reading the omnibus rather than an individual book.

BLURB

Because I couldn’t find the omnibus on Amazon to copy the blurb, here are the blurbs for the three books in the series.

In 2101, the average life expectancy is one hundred and ten. Miira Tahn, last Lady of Dhurai, is dying at just fifty-two. Faced with a slow, agonizing death, her only hope is Innerscape, a virtual paradise in which the Residents inhabit beautiful, digital bodies indistinguishable from the real thing.

Or so the brochures say. But even Eden had a snake, and once inducted, the Residents of Innerscape can never again return to the real world. If anything goes wrong, they’ll be lost in the dark forever.

Yet for Miira Tahn, even a tenuous hope is better than the fate that awaits her.

‘…sometimes you just have to close your eyes and jump…’

‘Miira’ is the first book of the Innerscape cyle and corresponds to Episode 1 of the original series.

Desperate to find a version of reality she can live with, Miira Tahn sets out to explore the digital world of Innerscape, but along the way she discovers there are other worlds open to her as well. The HUBs connect Innerscape to every location in the virtual universe, and some, like the gaming world of the Shogunate, prove to be a lot of fun. Back in Innerscape, however, a darker game is unfolding. Someone wants the Burned Man silenced, but only the AI knows which body is where, and it’s immune to threats. People, however, are so much easier to manipulate. Caught in a web of intrigue and deceit, Miira and her friends become pawns in a game where losing means death.

More alone than ever, Miira Tahn clings to the bonds of friendship, yet even there, nothing is quite what it seems, not even her own memories. Driven to search for answers out in the real world, she uncovers the one truth that can tear apart the tissue of lies surrounding the Burned Man. But is she strong enough to face the consequences? And what of the powerful people who would prefer the truth to remain safely buried? In Nabatea, the past finally collides with the present as Miira risks all to save a good man.

STORY

Miira Tahn is a  Refugee (with a capital R). She is old and severely disabled and so she has come to Innerscape. Here, her useless body is immersed in a tank and she is given an avatar of her young self. Now she, along with many others, inhabits a virtual world.

People from the real world can enter a tank and also enter Innerscape and interact with the avatars of the patients.

Miira forms a relationship with a young doctor, an expert in Innerscape. When it appears he has committed several murders, she finds it hard to believe the man she knew could do such things.

There is a mystery behind the killings, though. It appears that Miira is a possible intended victim, along with a mysterious man known as Alex Tang. 

This summary is quite difficult to write without giving away too much, so I’ll stop there.

CHARACTERS.

Miira Tahn is a likeable character. At first, she is rather staid, but her meeting with a young man, Jaimie, helps her. He introduces her to the world of virtual reality gaming, which she, surprisingly takes to.

Jamie Watson is an 18 year old who almost died 10 years previously in an accident. He is full of energy, somewhat brash, and is a perfect foil for Miira.

Kenneth Wu is the young doctor whom Miira finds herself drawn to. He is understanding and kind, and seems to reciprocate Miira’s feelings.

Peter MacAlistair is the CEO of Innerscape. He is devious and has something to hide.

These are the main characters, but there is a plethora of others. In fact, I found it difficult to remember who was who a lot of the time. Something of a downside.

WRITING

I didn’t come across many, if any, grammatical or spelling errors. 

However, I did find it slow going at the beginning. When the mystery kicked in, though, I got interested, and quite immersed. I was anxious to know if Miira could clear Kenneth’s name, and how their relationship would develop.

Having said that, though, I was left a little disappointed. Some things that had seemed important were left ‘in the air’.

We found out who Alex Tang was, and why ‘someone’ wanted him dead. He was a whistleblower, but we never found out what whistle he had blown.

Miira is a Refugee, but we weren’t told what she was a Refugee from (and why it needed a capital letter). It did seem important, and seemed to be linked to what the whistleblower had said, but no clear statement about it.

Someone in the government was involved, but it wasn’t made clear who, how or why.

Because of the slow start and the loose ends, I feel I can only give it;

3*

My ranking of books. In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

This is the first Scifi book I’ve read in a while. On the whole I enjoyed it, but for the comments I made in the review.

Do you enjoy Scifi? What is your opinion of books that leave loose ends?

announcement, book release, fantasy, novel, stories

Horselords has been released

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I heard this morning that the fourth novella in the Wolves of Vimar prequels is not available. This one tells the story of Davrael and Kimi; how they met and how they come to be in Grosmer.

BLURB

For all her life, Kimi has been taught that the Wanderers, as the nomadic tribes are known, are violent thieves.

But they are not a threat, and she hopes to have the life of a Settled Horselord, raising horses like her parents. When her family’s horses are stolen, everything changes. Kidnapped by violent tribesmen and threatened with a forced marriage to the chief’s son, she is terrified of what the future will bring.

Fearing for the lives of her father and brothers, will Kimi be able to escape and return home?

Here is a short excerpt.

CHAPTER 1

Ullin, the silver moon, was high in the sky when Kimi heard a gate creak. She shot up in her bed as she heard voices speaking in quiet tones. Horses whinnied and hoofbeats sounded, gradually disappearing into the distance.

She leapt from her bed and ran to the window of her small bedroom. There, in the silver light of the moon, horsemen drove a herd of horses across the plains. 

She covered her mouth with her hand as she gazed through the window overlooking the corral where the family kept their best horses–the same animals that were now disappearing over the horizon.

In her haste, Kimi tripped over her nightgown and crashed against her parents’ bedroom door. The door flew open and banged against the wall as she stumbled into their room. 

Gasping, she righted herself. “The…the horses have been stolen.”   

Her parents sat bolt upright in their bed. “Are you sure, Kimi?” her father called after her as she sprinted to her brothers’ room. He came out of his bedroom pulling on his traditional horselord leathers. 

Kimi grabbed her brothers and pulled them from their beds, not giving them a chance to get dressed. 

“Of course I’m sure. The gate creaked, then hoofbeats. I saw them galloping over the plains.”

Eighteen-year-old Olias looked at his sister, a slight frown wrinkling his forehead. “Are you sure they didna jump the gate? Or break it? Did ya see any people?”

Kimi stared at her brother. “I’m not that stupid, Oli. The gate was open. Unless the horses have developed hands, someone did it for them.”

“By Zol’s balls.” Her elder brother, Yeldin, swore as he sprinted back to his room to get dressed.

“The Wanderers!” Her father turned to her mother as she came out of the room they shared. “It must be one of the tribes of Wanderers, thieving scum that they are.”

The family was one of several settled folk living close to The Barrier, the range of mountains that cut off the Western Plains from the rest of the continent of Khalram. 

Once, the Settlers had been Wanderers themselves, following the herds of wild horses that roamed the plains. Several generations ago, some of the people decided they could rear better horses if they had more control, so they settled in one place. 

There had been mistrust between the Wanderers and Settlers ever since. 

Kimi’s mother emerged from the bedroom. “It don’t matter who it is, Har. They’re getting farther away every minute.”

 “A Wanderer’s allus a thief. It’s bred into ’em,” her father lectured, as he strode down the stairs and out of the door. Looking back, he called, “Get dressed, and quick. Pick up your weapons and come wi’ me. We’ve some horses to get back.”

Kimi ran to her room and dressed in leather trousers like her father’s, and a fringed leather jerkin. She opened a cupboard and took out a fleece-lined jacket. This she donned over her jerkin. Once dressed she rushed out with her brothers to join their parents at the corral.

Her father was inspecting the gate as they approached. He stood and beckoned them to follow as he strode to a second corral. “You were right, Kimi. Someone let ’em  out,” he called over his shoulder. “No sign of ’em breaking the gate. Let’s go after ’em.”

The family caught five horses from a second corral, put bridles on them and leapt onto their backs. 

Kimi rode her piebald mare she named Magpie. She patted the horse’s neck. “We need to be quick, girl, if we’re to get your friends back. Pretend you’re the winter wind.”

The Horselords did not use saddles. They considered the use of a saddle and bit to be an insult and enslavement of their beloved horses. The animals responded to reins attached to a noseband, as well as their riders’ knees. 

Kimi and her older brothers, alongside their parents, cantered westward across the plain following the tracks of their animals. They all carried bows, and the men were armed with knives. 

It was winter, and snow covered the ground. The thieves had taken around twenty of the family’s best animals and they left plenty of signs of their passing in the snow.

After the family had ridden for a couple of miles the tracks split into three. 

Kimi’s father pulled his horse to a halt. “They want to confuse us so as we don’t know which way to go. We need to split up to find ’em.”

Kimi’s mother pulled her horse nearer to her husband. “Don’t you think we’d be better off stayin’ together? We dunna know how many there are.” She glanced around her family. “There might be too many for two of us to take on alone.” She turned and looked at the three tracks. “P’raps we should go after one group and get those horses back. At least we’d have some of our stock.”

“Those’re our best animals.” Kimi’s father shifted his seat on his horse. “We need to get ’em all back. If we allow thieves to get even one, they’ll spread the word we’re easy and keep comin’ back till we’ve no horses left.”

Kimi gripped her reins and her lips trembled. She made up her mind to speak. “Stop!” Her voice sounded loud in the silence of the night. “We can’t waste time arguing.”

“She’s right.” Twenty-year-old Yeldin sidled his horse nearer to his sister. “We must get after ’em quick.”

They took a vote and all three young people voted with their father and the group split into three.

Kimi found herself with Yeldin. They followed one set of tracks to the southwest. The light dusting of snow made the passage easy to follow.

“D’you know how many are in this lot?” Yeldin gazed at the tracks left by the passage of many horses. 

Of the siblings, Kimi was the best tracker despite being the youngest. She dismounted to study the prints left behind. “Nine or ten p’raps, but how many are ours and how many are ridden by the thieves…” She shrugged.

Yeldin smiled at her. “Well, little sis, they took twenty horses. If each group has the same number, then there’ll be six or seven animals in each. That’d be no more’n three riders. We can take ’em on. Let’s get going.”

Kimi’s stomach turned over as Yeldin mentioned taking on the thieves.

Yeldin smiled, and Kimi knew he realised her fear. “You’ve got your bow. You can shoot from a distance. No need to get close.”

They rode for two miles until they spotted movement on the horizon. “There they are,” Yeldin called from ahead. “I’ll circle in from the east and you approach from the west.”

Kimi nodded, pulling Magpie around and galloping in the direction Yeldin indicated. Guiding her horse with her knees and heels she readied her bow, nocking an arrow as she rode.

A small copse appeared. Kimi slowed her gallop as she rode past. She would round this small stand of trees and double back. By now she would be past where the thieves were and she and Yeldin would take them by surprise. True, there were only two of them, but surprise would give them the advantage.

But she was not prepared for the three mounted warriors who came from the stand of trees. 

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christmas, serial, short story, stories, Winter

Goldie’s Journey: From Hardship to a Warm Home. (Goldie and the Beare Family Part 7)

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Image by V.M.Sang using Bing Image Generator.

Picture shows a well-dressed Victorian woman with small blonde girl and a slightly older boy walking along a snowy street. A ragged man and boy watch them pass.

Goldie could not believe what was happening. This must be a dream, and soon she would wake to hunger and cold, not to mention fear of Mr Smith. 

She sat on a small stool before the fire. Warmth. Lovely warmth. Even with no clothes on, she felt warm. Warmer than she ever remembered.

This was a beautiful house. She had never been inside a house like this. It was clean, with furniture that was not broken or torn. Thick curtains that would keep out the cold. Clutching Jacob Rabbit to her naked chest, she stood and wandered to feel them. Soft. Almost as soft as Jacob.

“Is this real?” she whispered to the rabbit.

The door opened and Mrs Beare came in. 

Mamma, she said I was to call her.

“I’ve borrowed these clothes from the vicar’s wife, Emily. She has a little girl about your age. Come and let me help you to dress.”

I’m Emily again. I have my proper name back.

Mamma dressed her in what looked like expensive clothes. She had always worn clothes passed on to the poor by richer folk. They had been worn out in places, and the fabric thin.

Mamma held up a white dress. “Arms up,” she said. 

When Emily complied, she dropped the dress over the child’s head. “Now turn around so I can do up the buttons.”

When the buttons were fastened, Mamma tied a blue ribbon around her waist.

The dress was not as long as Mamma’s. It came halfway down her calves. A hint of the frill around the legs of her bloomers peeped from below.

Mamma picked up a brush and teased out the tangles from her golden hair. “I can see why they called you Goldie. And you have a soft natural curl to your hair. It will be easy to fashion.” She held Emily at arm’s length. “You are exquisite. Now let us go and eat dinner before Mrs White has a fit.”

They left the sitting room and entered the dining room. 

 Mr Beare’s eyes opened wide. “I can’t believe this is the same little girl that was asleep in Harold’s room. She’s beautiful.”

Emily smiled and cast her eyes down.

Jane had set a fourth place, and when all four were seated, Mrs White entered carrying a platter on which sat a large goose. She was followed by Jane with a tray of dishes. The pair placed their burdens on the table.

“I’m sorry about the soup, Ma’am,” Mrs White said. “There was not enough to feed you all.” She glared at Emily.

Emily felt her face heating.

“That is all right, Mrs White. It wasn’t your fault,” Mrs Beare replied.

Emily squirmed in her seat and kept her eyes down. It was her fault there was not enough soup.

Mr Beare, Papa, carved the goose and served everyone.

There were potatoes, and a sauce made from some kind of green fruit. Mamma said they were gooseberries, so called because they were served with goose. Another dish had sprouts, and yet another had carrots.

After eating all these delicious foods, Emily had never felt so full in her life. She thought of the thin gruel she had eaten at Mr Smith’s, and grimaced.

After Jane cleared the remnants and dirty crockery, Mrs White returned with a plum pudding. She placed it carefully on the table and Mrs Beare served each of them. 

When they finished eating, Harold looked at her, and took a deep breath. “It’s Christmas, Mamma. We had our presents, but Emily hasn’t had anything.”

Emily grinned. “Yes, I have. I have a new home and family. That’s the best Christmas present ever.”

“But I want to give you something.” He pulled Jacob Rabbit from under the table. “You are now my little sister. You love Jacob, and so I’ll give him to you.”

His parents smiled.

After eating, the family repaired to the sitting room, Emily clutching Jacob Rabbit to her chest. Mamma sat at the piano and played Christmas carols, to which they all joined in singing. After a while, Papa got out the dominoes and they played until Emily ‘s eyes began to close.

Jane had made up a bed for her in her very own room. As she lay, her eyes closing, she believed this was the best day ever.

*****

Mr Smith stomped around the sparse loft room. “What d’you mean, no one’s seen ’er? She can’t just disappear.”

Jack spoke quietly. “P’rhaps she ran away after you beat ’er.”

“Then she’ll be ‘idin’ somewhere.” He turned to the other children. “All of you. Go out and search. Look in every corner, every empty ‘ouse, ware’ouses; everywhere you can think of.”

A few weeks later, Jack went up to Mr Smith, cowering. “I seen Goldie.”

Mr Smith grabbed the boy. “Where? Why didn’t you bring her back?”

“Couldn’t. She were with a well-to-do lady. Dressed nice, she were. Lady were ‘oldin’ her ‘and, like she were her mother or summat.”

Mr Smith sank into his chair. “Couldn’t be ‘er. A girl what looks like her. That’s who you saw.”

Jack shook his head. “Was ‘er a’right. Saw me, she did. Shook her ‘ead at me. Rekernised me for sure.”

“Well, we’ve searched for ‘er for weeks now. We need to get back to business. There’s no money coming in while you are all out searchin’. If that were Goldie you saw, she’s lost to us.”

The End

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serial, short story, stories

Finding Family: The Journey of Emily the Orphan. (Goldie and the Beare Family: Part 6)

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Mrs Beare looked at the child, who had cowered away at the mention of the orphanage. She frowned. “What is it, child? Surely the orphanage is better than your Mr Smith?”

“Ma said it was a bad place. When I were bad, she said she’d send me there.”

Mrs Beare put her head on one side. “So you have a mother?”

“No. She went to heaven. Annie found me and took me to Mr Smith. She said I’d be one of her girls when I’m old enough.”

Mr Beare strode into the room. “That settles it. She must go to the orphanage. We cannot allow her to become a fallen woman.”

His wife sat on the bed with an arm around the little girl. She turned to her. “What’s your name?”

“Mr Smith calls me Goldie.”

“But what did your mother call you? Can you remember?”

 Mrs Beare had to lean forward to hear the whisper.

“Emily.”

“Well, Emily, tell me what you did for Mr Smith.”

“Begged. He said I’m pretty so people’ll feel sorry for me and give me more.”

“Emily, I will not let you go to either Mr Smith, or the orphanage. I have an idea, but I need to talk to my husband about it.” She stood. “Stay here. Harold, come along with us. Bring a toy to play with, but leave Jacob with Emily.”

“But, mother…”

Mrs Beare frowned. “Don’t argue, Harold. Do as you are told.”

He handed his rabbit to Emily with a sullen look, and followed his parents. “What if she runs away with him?”

“We will be outside the room. She will not be able to leave without us seeing her. Go and take your train into the sitting room until we call you.”

Mr Beare stood, head cocked to one side. “What is it, Grace? What’s going on in that head of yours?” He laughed. “I can’t see what alternative there is to the orphanage.”

“Oh, but there is, Albert. You know how I…we…wanted more children, but none came after Harold? Remember our prayers, asking God to help us? We thought that He had decided we should have no more children.”

Mr Beare nodded.

“Well, I think He has answered our prayers after all.”

“You mean… .” He looked at the bedroom door.

His wife nodded, a smile covering her face. “Yes. Emily. I think that God has sent her to us, both in answer to our prayers and to help her, too. I think we should adopt her.”

Mr Beare frowned and shook his head. “I’m not sure, Grace. Adopting a street child? She’s a thief. She entered our house and took things.” He gazed at his wife. 

“She took an opportunity that presented itself. She only did it from fear of this Mr Smith. She’s a beggar, not a thief.”

“It’s a big risk, Grace. Suppose Mr Smith still has some influence over her?”

Mrs Beare sighed. “If she’s living here with us I do not see how Mr Smith, whoever he is, can get to her.” She held onto her husband’s arm and gazed into his eyes. “Please, Albert. You know how I long for another child, especially a little girl. And here God has provided us with one. Are you going to reject God’s gift?” She opened her eyes wide and smiled at him through her eyelashes.

“You know I can’t deny you, especially when you look at me like that.” He bent and kissed her. “I won’t reject God’s gift, either.”

If it had not been unladylike, Mrs Beare would have jumped up and down.

“You realise we’ll have a difficult job getting her civilised?”

She grinned. “Yes, but I like a challenge.”

On entering the room, Emily was huddled in a corner of the bed, holding Jacob the rabbit tightly. She stared at Mrs Beare with wide open eyes.

Mrs Beare sat next to the little girl. “How would you like to live here with us, Emily?”

Emily frowned. “You want me to be a maid here?”

“No, no. I…we want you to be our little girl. Our daughter. We want to adopt you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You will live here with us. We will give you clothes and food. You will go to school. You will have toys. You will have everything our son, Harold, has. He will be your brother.”

“Not go back to Mr Smith?”

“No.”

“And have a rabbit to cuddle, like Jacob?”

“Yes. And other toys, too.”

Mr Beare entered, looking severe. “You’ll have to be good, though. No more stealing.”

Emily put her hand in her pocket and drew out the brooch she had taken from Mrs Beare’s jewellery box. 

She held them towards Mrs Beare. “Sorry. Mr Smith would beat me if I had nothing to give him.” She hung her head as tears filled her eyes.

“You will call me ‘mother’, or mamma, if you prefer, and Mr Beare you will call ‘father’ or ‘papa’. But first we must get you clean and see to those wounds.”

Mrs Beare called Jane and told her to prepare a bath. When the hot water had been poured into the metal bath set before the fire, Mrs Beare washed Emily’s hair and gently sponged her back. Her clothes she gave to Jane with instructions to wash them, and to dry them as quickly as possible before the range. She then plastered a salve on the raw switch marks.

“What are we going to dress you in? You can’t walk around naked. It is indecent.” Mrs Beare thought for a minute. “Wait here, Emily, I won’t be long.” She left the room and sought her husband.

As she crossed the hallway, Jane rushed up the stairs.

“Ma’am, Mrs White says the dinner is ready, and will be spoiling.”

“Oh, Jane, tell Mrs White I’m sorry. We shouldn’t be too much longer. Try to keep it hot, please.”

Jane dropped a curtsey and went back down the stairs. 

Mrs Beare entered the dining room. “Albert, we can’t have Christmas dinner with Emily with no clothes. The vicar has a little girl about the same size as Emily. I’m sure his wife will not mind lending us an old dress of hers.”

Mr Beare rose and tapped his pipe on the side of the fireplace, where a fire blazed. “And you want me to go and ask.”

“Yes, please. She can’t put her old clothes back. Not only are they ragged, but they were filthy, so I had Jane burn them.”

“And I suppose I’ll have to ask for some underwear, too. All right. I’ll go straight away.”

Mrs Beare reached up and kissed him on the cheek, then returned to the sitting room and Emily.

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