amber of the moment

like blaming the rain - chapter listing

2008-09-19T12:27:36Z

liberation

2008-09-19T12:21:46Z

anger management

2008-09-19T12:20:36Z

the age of discovery

2008-09-07T22:16:31Z

Taken for a monthly challenge at simgenix

and just a couple of extras I liked…

the effects of television

2008-09-07T22:12:00Z

Washing the Dust Away

2008-09-07T22:09:26Z

Title: Washing the Dust Away
Genre: Post apocalyptic sci-fi
Characters: Kalden and Siv
Prompt: 027 - Solitude
Word Count - 801
Rating: M
Summary: Siv accepts an invitation
Warnings: Adult themes, course language, very mild sexual references, sim in a bathtub.
Authors note: This is part of the world created for my minirimo. This takes place prior to Salt in the Wound. I have no idea why I seem to be working my way through this story backwards in time.

It was all sorted. We had a deal and I had a list and a destination in mind. I just wanted to wait until morning to set out. That walk back to the main road would take longer than I had until dark and there was nowhere good to stop on the way. I thanked him for his business and hospitality and started to get up from the table.

Kalden asked, “Wait, are you going right now?”

“I’ll set out in the morning, but you must have things to do, so I thought it best to leave you in peace.”

“Stay. I mean you can stay here in the house. My sister’s old room hasn’t been touched in years. I hate that it sits there empty now. And in honesty, some company would be welcome, I spend too much time on my own as it is.”

I really did not want to hear him chatter all night about the low price of wheat this season, or that his cows were not giving enough milk, but I could probably swallow my boredom for a real bed. “You must be the only man lonely enough to be willing to put up a collector, even folks out here in the in between aren’t that nice. I don’t know what kind of man that makes you but I reckon I will accept your offer just the same.”

He nodded and smiled to himself, he must of known I was thinking he was a bit sunfried. But even he couldn’t help himself when he looked at me. He tried to hide it but I saw the expression on his face change when his eyes dropped to my scars. Leave it to a man to just make it worse, “It must be hard to carry those around.”

Only when someone says something like that was what I thought to myself. What I said back was a bit different, “People tend to not look past the scars. Look, would it be possible to wash up somewhere? I have been on the road for a while. Just a basin or bucket of water, will be fine.” I was not even sure he heard me; he was too busy still staring at my cheek to notice that I had said anything.

He finally stirred from whatever weird fantasy was going on in his head when I cleared my throat quite loudly, “Of course. I’m so sorry. Like I said, I don’t often have company. I forget what you are supposed to do. There is a washroom through there,” he nodded at a door just off the kitchen. “If you don’t mind waiting, I can boil some water for you.”

When I said before I could probably put up with this weirdo and his farm chatter for a proper bed, well a proper hot bath that I don’t have to trade anything for is worth listening to anything for at least the next month. So I made myself comfortable by sliding my ass on the nearest kitchen counter so I could take in every minute of him scurrying around getting me enough hot water to fill that beautiful tub I spied.

***

I lay in that water well past it getting cold. My fingers and toes had pruned up and I was shivering, but it felt so good to be properly clean for the first time in weeks. The chill growing over me finally won out, I dried myself and hunted around in my bag for the cleanest clothes I could find. My washing was another thing I might be able to sort out here if I batted my eyelashes enough.

I found him sitting at the kitchen table looking all smug. Could have been anything that put that wickedly crooked smile on his gob. When he looked at me, his stare made me feel like I had forgotten to get dressed. His eyebrow tweaked upwards, “I didn’t think you were ever going to reappear.”

I just sat down and helped myself to a cup of tea. Nice pot. Old, kind of delicate and, you know, girly. Most people would have put this away for looking at and opted for something made by someone local. The medicinal oily tang of bush tea hit me when I took a sip.

I was going to have to think about this a bit. It was all so contradictory. You only used a pot like that if you were trying to impress someone, which was not likely me being what I am, and you sure as hell would not serve plain old bush tea if you were worried about what a stranger might think of you. He was either a nutter or had been alone way too long. I sure hoped my door had a lock.

Salt in the Wound

2008-09-07T22:06:22Z

Title: Salt in the Wound
Genre: Post apocalyptic sci-fi
Characters: Kalden, Siv, Toste
Prompt: 30 - Angel
Word Count: 552
Rating: M
Summary: Toste becomes a marked man
Warnings: Blood, Medical Procedure, Sexual References
Authors note: This is part of the world created for my minirimo. This takes place prior to Speechless and Shape Shifter.

The man smelled of infection. He must have been cut several days before, but had not managed to keep his wound clean. The blood was caked to his face. Kalden looked to me for some words to stir him from where his feet had ground into the floor and found themselves stuck fast.

I didn’t hold back the sting tied to my instructions, “A spoon of salt stirred into a pot of boiling water, and don’t make it stingy. Bring me some clean cloths and the finest needle and thread you can muster. And grab that bottle of brandy you keep hidden away behind the sack of potatoes. In that order.”

He was a bit taller and lean from the road, had brown hair, but his face was too similar for this not to be Kalden’s bother Toste. I was certain of this when he stared at me with his good eye. The colour was lighter, but they still had the same effect, my chest tightened and I hunted to catch my breath.

Toste grimaced as he spoke, “Did my brother find an angel to rescue me?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Kalden had said he was well known for undressing women with just his words. I winked at him and said, “From what I hear you are more likely to be looking for anything but an angel.” He gave me as much smile as he could manage, and I could see why so many women would easily drop their knickers for him.

When Kalden brought me the bits and pieces I asked for, I set to work quietly, alternating between forcing as much brandy down my own and Toste’s gob and gradually clearing away all the blood and ooze out of his wounds. I threaded the needle and carefully poured a bit of the liquor over it and had Kalden hold his brother down while I stitched the wound up. I sure wouldn’t win a prize at any fete for my darning, but it was the best that could be done with a patient that spent the whole time thrashing. When I was done tying off and cutting the loose end of the thread, Toste stopped his jolting about and was left panting from the pain.

I looked at Kalden and hissed at him, “This has something to do with you no doubt.”
But he just stared back at me in that bitter way of his and then asked his brother what had happened. After a few gasps Toste replied, “There was a roadblock near the Oskari Enclave. They caught me with the volumes you wanted and marked me right there. They didn’t even bother to call the magistrate. I’m sorry. They took the books.”
I glared at Kalden, “Your brother is marked because of you. Everywhere he goes for the rest of his life people will know that he was caught with books.”

Kalden shut his eyes and let his teeth gnash against each other before he walked out. I was planning to follow him with a tempest of words but what Toste said to me rang through my head and steadied me. They still flow through my head, “Don’t blame my brother for what was done, he was not the one who ran that knife blade down either of us.”

a girls own adventure

2008-08-11T17:52:22Z

they put me in this room 2

2008-08-11T17:45:49Z

This is just my entry for the “They put me in this room 2: Vampire formal” contest at GoS, the 6 pics I entered plus a crapload of extras.

pretend

2008-08-11T17:38:45Z

understanding

2008-08-11T17:34:57Z

guilty conscience

2008-06-29T16:08:01Z

sloth

2008-06-29T16:06:26Z

Taken for a monthly challenge at simgenix
From wikipedia: Sloth is “simply a sin of laziness or indifference, of an unwillingness to act, an unwillingness to care.”

pride

2008-06-29T16:04:54Z

Taken for a monthly challenge at simgenix
From wikipedia: Pride is considered the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins, and indeed the ultimate source from which the others arise. It is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive than others and excessive love of self.

safe haven

2008-06-29T16:01:33Z

Title: Safe Haven
Author: goodbye_sun
Rated: M
Written for a monthly challenge at simhaven
Prompt: Write an alternative history story.
Summary: Candace contemplates her isolation.
Warnings: Adult themes and course language.
Authors Note: So I could never quite get away from writing about a much more bleak alternate history, so I did my best to at least make it as much fun as I could. Hopefully you can pick the point of divergence easily enough.

My brother Mark is a moron. This whole thing was his idea so you only have to look around to confirm exactly what I’m saying. He was the one who got us in this mess. But hindsight and all that jazz you know. I mean really, who thinks going up to some remote cabin in the middle of nowhere on the New Years Eve is a good idea?

No running water, no electricity and no damn reception on my phone. I couldn’t even pick up a radio station when I tried the one in the car the next morning. And they say I’m the impractical one. Assholes.

At least he planned well. I mean we brought up tons of gear. You would have thought he intended to be up here for months not just a couple of days. I suppose he was just being careful in case we got snowed in. If he would have told me it was a possibility I wouldn’t have come with him to this stupid cabin though. Hell I don’t even know how he even knew about this place.

But do you think my brother even thought about bringing any chocolate or decent coffee? I am so going to murder a half decaf skinny soy mocha latte when I get home. But I have to do something about my hair first. I mean just look at it. And all the smoke that blew in a couple of weeks ago and still hasn’t let up is so not helping.

And some of the food is just hideous. Freeze dried camping meals. As if I would eat that many carbs in one sitting. I don’t know what he was thinking. I just won't tell him that it has been the best diet in my life. Just look at my ass. How amazing is that? Jeremy is so going to wish he hadn’t dumped me for that skank Melissa. Oh don’t look at me like that.

At least Mark’s whiney ass girlfriend is gone now. She left a week ago mumbling something about needing to find out what was going on and I haven’t seen her since. She just took off in the car one morning. And of course Mark went looking for her a few days ago. He really got pissed off when I told him that he shouldn’t waste his time on her, but he has always been annoying like that.

So now I am stuck here until they bother to turn up. I mean I would go after them, but the cold air just plays havoc on my skin. I am so going to let them both have a piece of my mind when they come to get me.

be my everything

2008-06-29T15:58:13Z

Title: Be my everything
Author: goodbye_sun
Sin: You can’t make me pick just one…
Rated: M
Written for a monthly challenge at simhaven
Prompt: A flash fiction piece (strictly 300-500 words) on one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Summary: How badly do you want to know?
Warnings: As per usual - adult themes, course language and sexual references.

My sins? But I have had so many. So very, very many. I have hoarded them, devoured them and told them lies. I have wrapped them around me like a woollen cloak and let them slide down my throat. I have fucked them like there is no tomorrow, and left them weeping on the ground ashamed and spent.

But that’s why you are here isn’t it? Curiosity killed the cat don’t you know. Ah, I see what it is now, that is your own worse sin isn’t it? You would let yourself be teased and tortured through the excesses of others? How very curious. And how very, very tantalising.

Why do you need this so badly? Why does the want and desire seep through your skin so strongly that I could feast on it for the next week and never grow hungry? I came by my sins honestly, they were not taught, they were borne in me and I merely let them guide me to their deepest darkest end. But you don’t believe me do you? Are you that desperate to know them all intimately yourself?

So be it.

Would you prefer to know how I treat my lovers or my enemies? Of course, boundaries do get crossed so often with me, you could miss out on so much if you chose one over the other. Or you could just choose a sin, whichever one appeals the most, but again, what is lust without gluttony or wrath without pride? It would be so hard to separate them. It would leave so much untold and I know you want to find out every last detail.

But you want to hear about them don’t you? You are shaking with anticipation to find out ready to plead and howl and give yourself over just to know. Such sweet perversion in my midst. However my dear, that is not quite enough for me. I want more. I always want more. But you knew that. You were counting on that.

Get on your knees and beg me to answer you. Act coy when I want, and like a feral beast when I don’t. Follow my every last whim no matter how vile or disturbing. Do this and I will make you my indulgence, my newest and greatest sin.

transference

2008-05-13T17:35:32Z

Title: Transference
Author: goodbye_sun
Rating: M
Warnings: Adult themes, Sexual References. Course Language and Violence.
Written for a monthly challenge at simhaven:
Prompt: First person narrative - “The bag they had wrapped around my head smelt of sweat and rotten fish. It took every ounce of self control to keep from retching. I stumbled and felt a hand reach out to steady me.”
Authors note: I'm a bad girl, I broke up the three lines of the prompt...and its kind of weird...And much thanks to azzy and enchanted_black for letting me abuse sims of their creation.

The bag they had wrapped around my head smelt of sweat and rotten fish. The odour tickled this nose of mine, but after a full ten year contract serving on a reprocessing barge made it less inclined to notice those sorts of things. Four years since returning planet side and it still hasn't improved. That fucking lying bastard recruiter.

Them swiping me off the street was a surprise. The practice was supposed to have been wiped out years ago because of all the professionals in the city proper who were into the more extreme kinds of kink. Money gets you whatever you fucking want. A small handful of credits will have bought them exactly what they wanted rather than chancing if a victim would willingly do whatever it it that they were after.

When they pulled the bag off it took every ounce of self control to keep from retching. Flashes of a distant memory piled the bile into my throat and I had to swallow the taste and the thoughts down. It was two of Ellis' special ones. What the fuck did you do? The fancy boys of his that looked like shiny toys. No wonder they pull innocents off the street, they were after things even the most desperate would not have sold themselves for.

I had no good choices for sorting this matter at all. If I relented, I was dead. These two liked a bit of fighting back and if you didn't, they got bored quickly. If I went along with it, they would keep me around for a while, but my last few days would all be spent getting a serious mind fuck. Please fuck no, I don't deserve that. Or worse.

One of then pushed me roughly. I stumbled and felt a hand reach out to steady me. Shit, she is already starting to take her mind back. Get the fuck out of my head. Damn those cheap transfer shops in Old Town, I should have had at least two more days before I had to find a new donor. I didn't go through all of this to stop now though, so all that was left was deciding which one to keep.

What they wouldn't have known was when I had the transfer done, I added some upgrades at the same time. Spent every fucking cent of mine.The heels of my hands made quick contact with one chin and one nose in quick succession. Both went down at the same time, but only one was left breathing. I might even splurge for a bit of extra time in my new body. So long as you get the fuck out of mine. I haven't been in a man for a while, it could be amusing.

La Belle Dame Sans Merci

2008-05-13T17:28:44Z

Taken for a monthly challenge at simgenix: a recreation of a painting by John Waterhouse.

La Belle Dame Sans Merci
O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms!
So haggard and so woe-begone?
The squirrel’s granary is full,
And the harvest’s done.

III.
I see a lily on thy brow
With anguish moist and fever dew,
And on thy cheeks a fading rose
Fast withereth too.

IV.
I met a lady in the meads,
Full beautiful—a faery’s child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
And her eyes were wild.

V.
I made a garland for her head,
And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;
She look’d at me as she did love,
And made sweet moan.

VI.
I set her on my pacing steed,
And nothing else saw all day long,
For sidelong would she bend, and sing
A faery’s song.

VII.
She found me roots of relish sweet,
And honey wild, and manna dew,
And sure in language strange she said—
“I love thee true.”

VIII.
She took me to her elfin grot,
And there she wept, and sigh’d fill sore,
And there I shut her wild wild eyes
With kisses four.

IX.
And there she lulled me asleep,
And there I dream’d—Ah! woe betide!
The latest dream I ever dream’d
On the cold hill’s side.

X.
I saw pale kings and princes too,
Pale warriors, death-pale were they all;
They cried—“La Belle Dame sans Merci
Hath thee in thrall!”

XI.
I saw their starved lips in the gloam,
With horrid warning gaped wide,
And I awoke and found me here,
On the cold hill’s side.

XII.
And this is why I sojourn here,
Alone and palely loitering,
Though the sedge is wither’d from the lake,
And no birds sing.

- John Keats

Waterhouse’s painting

Unedited (but resized) image

hylas and the nymphs

2008-05-13T17:24:45Z

Taken for a monthly challenge at simgenix: Complete a photo shoot that depicts the events from one of your favourite myths, legends or fairytales.

Hylas was the son of Theiodamas, King of the Dryopians. Heracles killed Theiodamas in battle, but spared young Hylas and took him into his household. Hylas became Heracles' devoted companion for many years and accompanied him on the voyage of the Argo.

When the Argonauts reached the island of Cios, Hylas was sent ashore in search of water. He discovered a spring, but the nymphs were so enchanted by his beauty that they kidnapped him and took him into the spring. The fate of Hylas is uncertain. It could have been either an abrupt death by drowning or everlasting sexual bliss.

All sims used in this shoot are courtesy of the GoS self sim thread here. They are Ghanima Atreides, Bosie, Feathered, Debbycus, Funkybunk, Anghard, Azzy and my own self sim. Much thanks to their creators for letting me take them out to play.

homage

2008-03-18T14:09:53Z

inspired by jessicus and her promise of violence

wicked one

2008-03-18T14:07:43Z

Kumo

2008-03-18T14:01:43Z

Title: Kumo
Author: goodbye_sun
Rating: For the first time ever - G
Warnings: None.
Created for a monthly challenge at: simhaven
Prompt: Pick any myth, legend or fairytale and provide an interpretation of the events from the point of view of one of the central figures.
Summary: The Japanese word kumo carries with it two meanings. This tale explains why it is one word is both spider and cloud.
Authors note: Even as a child, long before I learned to weave, this was one of my favourite stories. In fact, this is the version I read.

When I first met Yosaku he was tending his fields. Even now I like to look out from my high vantage point and watch him preparing his garden for the new years planting. It was the same task he was doing when I first met him, he was a young man then, but touched with age my eyes still find themselves wandering his direction.

I like to imagine he suspects the silly way I stare out at him because occasionally he stops his work and looks up at where I sit hidden from view. But alas you are not interested in the esteem in which I hold him now; you would like to know how this simple farmer came to help someone like me at all.

Both our kinds appreciate the way the sun warms you through on an early spring morning, and it was for that reason I found myself perched on a rock one very fine morning only metres from where Yosaku was working. It was while watching him diligently turning the soil that my mortal enemy was able to sneak up on me from behind.

If it had not been for the quick actions of Yosaku, my life would have ended there. He had seen the snake and drove it away, thus sparing me. Fearful that the snake might return, I quickly bowed to Yosaku before retreating to the safety of my web. I did not forget the kindness he had shown me, and after a few days I came up with a way to repay his generosity.

It used all my will to alter myself into the form of a woman, and all my bravery to walk up to his house and call his name. When he appeared he eyed me with curiosity until I explained, “Yosaku-san, I understand you are in need of a weaving girl. Won’t you please allow me to stay and weave for you?” He smiled and accepted my offer with a shy bow before showing me the weaving room. When I was certain he was busy in his garden I began to work.

By the time the sun was dipping its head below the tree line I had finished eight lengths of cloth. It was more than enough to please my new master, but it also raised his curiosity for he had never known anyone to weave so much in one day. “Yosaku-san, I do not ask how you grow the finest vegetables in the region, please respect my work and do not ask me such things. I must also kindly request that you not watch me when I am working on the loom.”

He had agreed, but we all know how prone to curiosity mortal man is. A few short days later, he slipped quietly to my window and peered in. It was that day he saw me as what I really was, for sitting at the loom busily working away was not the shy girl he expected, but instead the spider he had saved. He was not shocked, or fearful at the sight of me weaving cloth for him. Quite the opposite. It filled him with happiness that I had so wanted to show my appreciation.

When I was nearly out of cotton Yosaku set out on the long journey to the nearest village. On his return, he stopped to rest, and as he sat in the shade along the path, the snake he had chased away slithered into the sack he was carrying back to me. He returned to the farm never knowing what was waiting at the bottom of the bag of cotton.

In the morning I went to the weaving room and began to eat handfuls of cotton so that I could spin it into thread to weave with. I had run out the day before so I consumed it greedily wanting to make up for the work I had not been able to finish the day before. As I made my way down the bag, I grew closer and closer to where the snake was hiding, and heavier and slower as I filled my belly with cotton. When it was sure I could not out run it, the snake slithered out of the bag.

I ran as fast as I was able, but the snake easily caught up with me. Just as it was about to gobble me down, I was once again rescued. The Old Man Sun had watched everything that had happened to me, and wanting to show how pleased he was that I had repaid Yosaku for helping me, reached down and pulled me from danger high up into his home in the sky, safe from the snake forever.

I show my gratitude to the Sun by weaving beautiful white clouds from the cotton Yosaku had bought for me. On the days the Sun burns the hottest I weave extra clouds to help shade Yosaku while he works. I think he is grateful, for he often looks up into the sky and smiles.

Speechless

2008-03-18T13:57:09Z

Title: Speechless
Author: goodbye_sun
Rating: M
Warnings: Course language.
Created for a monthly challenge at: simhaven
Prompt: Write a first person narrative about being, or having a secret admirer.
Author's Note: This is part of the world created for my minirimo. This takes place prior to Shape Shifter.

I could hear them yelling at each other from all the way across the yard. That wasn’t something that would normally strike my interest, but I then I heard the distinct sound of my name in the mix and well that’s always a close second to an actual invitation to barge in. I mean I could have waited outside the door and hoped to hear more, but I have always found you learn a hell of a lot more by catching people off guard and sticking your nose in than by straining your ears.

I stepped into the room and Kalden was the first to see me. His mouth closed up solid and he glared at me hard. Toste stopped talking when he finally noticed that his brother’s eyes were on someone else. A whole half sentence later, and damn my luck it was some rubbish about which one of them had the balls to do something.

Kalden was the first to acknowledge me, “Siv, I...can I help you?”
I figured I might as well push a bit to see what I could get out of him, “You know you should not talk about someone behind their back.” But that only made Kalden squirm about a bit. They were not at all easy to rattle.

Toste draped his arm across my shoulder and said to me in the honey throated voice of his, “I was just telling my brother how useful you were on our journey back, and suggested that you could start helping me on my regular trips. By my word we would make a great team. Just you and me on the road. I think we should leave him to consider it don’t you?” He started leading me out of the room, but I glanced back at Kalden.

He looked first at his brother and then to me. Damn, even after all this time I could not read him very well, but if I was going to guess, the first look on his face told me that the discussion I interrupted was not close to being over and the second…well that one was odd. It sort of looked like he wanted to say something to me. At least for a second it did. I kept my eyes fixed on his, trying to solicit something more from him, but instead Kalden turned his back to me.

That was all it took for me to relent and let Toste guide me away.

this heart that flutters

2008-03-18T13:49:33Z

Taken for a monthly challenge at simgenix. Give me your heart – complete a photo shoot that features at least four different hearts in each image.

Shape Shifter

2008-01-06T14:11:20Z

Title: Shape Shifter
Rating: M
Warnings: One occurrence of course language, sexual references.
Created for a monthly challenge at: simhaven
Prompt: Incorporating the three words - cross, ship and book into the context of a story.
Summary: Some things are best left unsaid; others should never be said in anger.
Author's Note: November’s challenge, but just a bit longer. This is part of the universe I created for my minirimo. There are excerpts posted if anyone wants to just to get a better feel for this world.

Fineas extended his long arms in to the air and waved them furiously when he saw me make my way up the path to the house. His amber hair made him instantly visible in the sea of wheat growing around him. I should tell him one day that he need not make such a fuss to be seen. He laughed and lifted me up in his arms when he caught up to where I was. I was astonished to see that he had taken to growing so much taller in the past month. He would soon tower over me despite being five years my junior.

“Why in the world should I find you here?” I asked.
“Kalden set me to work here instead of shipping me out to one of the farms in the neighbourhood. He said he had wanted help for some time, but knew that just as the fates had brought you his way, they would see fit to bring him a farm hand when the time was fitting.” He wrapped his arms around me a second time and whispered in my ear, “Go, go, he has been beside himself with worry the past few days. He did fret over you being gone so long. I hate to think how morose he would have been when he was on his own.”
I tousled his hair, “Aye, he does like the toys I bring him back from the past.”
“Sister, you are a fool if you think that is all he gets pleasure from seeing turn up on his doorstep.”
My brows furrowed in displeasure, “He wants his books and that is all.”
“It is good to lay my eyes on you again, but we should save our talk for suppertime. I should get back to my work and you need to get yourself in that house.”

I tuned back towards the house and I saw Kalden staring out at me like one of those nameless statues you find in the in the cities. There was nothing but cold hard anger in his eyes. It gave me chills. Just as quickly as he brought it on, my fear was cast aside by another figure appearing from inside the house. My brother had to be mistaken; this had to be whom he meant. “Toste, so good to meet you here. I had expected to see you on the road before now.”

He took hold of my forearm with those wide hands of his and leaned in close to me, “Aye, I called to you every evening to see if you were camped near by. We must make some changes so that our fellow collectors don’t begin to think ill of me for disturbing their quiet.”

Our conversation was cut short by the sound of the screen door swinging closed, “I better deliver these to Kalden. You know how cross he gets if he is left to wait for anything.”
“Don’t mind him, he hasn’t half been in a foul mood the past few days, and today he is filled to the rim with drink.”

Inside the house was not much warmer than outside, but the shade brought me relief from the wind. I found him brooding in the lounge. He was slouched in a chair his left hand holding firm against his temples and balancing a large glass of brandy in his right. He must have poured it with wild abandon, because there were several drips falling away from the bottom of the glass on to the carpet below. “Kalden?”

“Sit.” He gestured to the lounge with a shake of his glass. More brandy ran down his hand. “I want to thank you for bringing your brother here. He works hard and he is more experienced than his age would imply.” We both watched him run his finger around the rim of his glass while he paused, “He tells me there is a girl that he wants to marry. Have you ever wanted to marry Siv?”

I didn’t even bother to shake my head at him, “No one wants to spend their life with someone that has been tainted by the past. Even hidden here you would know that.”
He took a long swig of his drink and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, “Do you have a lover?”
“I don’t see that it would be any business of yours.”
“So you do. That must be why you are always gone so long.”
“I am gone as long as it takes to get you your books. They are not always easy to track down, it takes time to get them and manage to stay clear of the patrols on my way back here.”

“And to stop off and see your lover.”
“You are mistaken.”
“Surely you and my brother have shared a bed. I have seen the two of you together, just now you were…”
I did not give him the chance to finish his comment, “I assure you that my word to work for you is taken seriously. There is no one getting in the way of that. Not even Toste.”
He held up his glass to me, “I certainly applaud you for being the only woman who is not fucking my brother. Not to worry; given the chance he will make you one of his whores yet.”

That was enough to try the limits of my patience. I got up and headed to the door. Kalden called out, “Before you storm out, I think you have something for me.”
I slung his books down at his feet with such force it caused another wave of his drink to peak over the side, “Your tongue is very loose this afternoon, I shall enjoy seeing how viciously the brandy nips at your head in the morning.”
As I turned to leave he grabbed my hand, “Was it a relief when they cut you?”
His words stung enough to shock any firm thoughts from my head, “What?”

“It’s just you use them to full advantage don’t you? You let those scars guard you from letting anyone near your heart. If I could break you open, I fear I would find that you are filled with dust, that there is nothing at all living inside. I wonder it its not all too late already to bother finding out if I am wrong.” He hesitated for a few seconds before he let his grip drop away, “I think it would best that you leave me to my drunken misery before I say any more that I will surely regret tomorrow.”

As I pulled the door shut behind me, I heard the sound of his glass shattering against a wall.