An Excerpt From Choices Meant for Gods for Romance Enthusiasts

Or...The Dragon's posting last night's shared excerpt from the PIVR show

This is a romantic scene as Nigel Taiman and Amanda Chariss ride from the estate at Arcana to Arcana City. Her wizard guardian has already clued her in to the fact that Nigel wants to court her, and she's upset over it. The scene mentions the bear-like ryfel creature that nearly killed Nigel in the training arena...

Nigel frowned at her. Spurring his horse slightly, he reached out to take hold of Shadow’s bridle. Bringing them both to a stop, he turned in the saddle to face her.

“Hey!” she objected.

“Indeed. Have I done something to anger you?”

Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment.

“’Manda?”

“You’re staring at me.”

“By the gods, Woman. All right, I’ll look at your horse. ’Manda,” he said to Shadow, “what have I done that’s made you angry?”

“I’m not angry.”

“You’re not a liar,” he spoke to Chariss again.

“All right, so I’m a little angry. It will pass.”

“And you don’t want to tell me what it is?”

She couldn’t blame her reticence today on worry over Drake. She also couldn’t blame her health because she’d completely recovered from her telabyrinth poisoning. With Hrazon and The Master attending the summer festival, she couldn’t blame some sort of timidity at being ‘alone’ in the city. No, she had to take a deep breath and be honest with him. Considering the number of suitors she’d sent packing in the past few years, this should have been an easy thing to do again. It wasn’t. She sighed, closing her eyes as if she could make the scene disappear.

“Do you agree that you’re my friend?” she finally asked.

He watched her open her eyes then, realizing where the conversation must be going.

“Yes.” It was said with exasperation.

“And that I’m your friend?”

“Yes.”

“And does that please you?”

He sighed, but didn’t get a chance to answer.

“You see, Nigel, it pleases me. I appreciate your kindness, and I would be disappointed if we hadn’t built such a…such a…”

“Friendship?” he retorted.

“Such a rapport.”

He rolled his eyes. “A fancier word with even less affection.”

“My stay at Arcana is much more pleasant because I have this relationship with you. But someone has tried to convince me that your…your…”

“Feelings?”

“Well…your…”

“Intentions?”

“Well…your opinion of our relationship might be somewhat different from mine.”

“’Manda, just say what you’re thinking. You won’t hurt my feelings.”

She looked miserable then. “I don’t want to say what I’m thinking.”

“Good!”

“No, that’s not good. Hrazon thinks you’re…Hrazon believes you spend time with me because…” She paused, searching for the words.

“Because I’m in love with you?”

She nearly fell backward. “Just blurt it out!”

He chuckled slightly. “This is uncomfortable, isn’t it? I’m sorry to embarrass you. This conversation would be better in a darkened corner of Arcana’s parlor. ’Manda, I’m not going to lie to you. Hrazon has every reason to believe I’m after his ward because I am. It’s no secret to anyone I enjoy your company. What, where are you…You’re the only woman I know who can scoot that far away on a saddle without falling off.”

“I don’t think you should say those things.”

“Aye,” he sighed, watching her fidget with Shadow’s reins. But he made a decision to press the matter. “I’m going to say them and get them out in the open. Then we can decide if you’re to die of embarrassment, or slap me across the face.”

She couldn’t help smiling, even though her heart beat as if it would burst through her bodice from the tension she felt.

“I enjoy being with you because you’re my perfect match,” he said. “Have you noticed that we agree on almost everything? And the few things we don’t agree on are intriguing to argue because you make them intriguing. There’s no one at that entire estate, The Master and every intelligent student combined, who can hold my attention as you do. None of them compare.

“I’m attracted to everything about you, including your compassion. Even now, when you’re on the verge of falling off a horse with embarrassment, your concern is for my feelings, not your own. Godric, who doesn’t deserve to wash your feet, who finds every excuse to correct you, gets your respect because you remind yourself that he’s your benefactor. Do you know what strength of character that shows? Do you know how it endears you to me to know you bite your tongue after his arrogant remarks to save my mother’s feelings?”

She merely nodded, her eyes cast down.

“And do you know how it endears you to me to know you would fight to the death for little Kaylin?”

She nodded again.

“And do you know how it endears you to me to know you instinctively threw yourself into healing spells to save my life?”

“You shouldn’t assume that means—”

“I remember sliding toward death that night, life spilling out of me, and poison seeping into me from that thing’s claws. But do you know what I remember most distinctly? I remember you commanding me not to bleed to death…and I remember your hands afterward. Once I was healed, once Master Rothahn became preoccupied with the dead ryfel, you crawled over to me and put your hands on me again, as if you had to be sure He’d done a good enough job of healing me. But you would’ve done it for any member of my family. I daresay you would’ve done it for any student in the school. And it’s because you care about others, and you want the best for everyone around you. And you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

The last comment caught her off guard. It didn’t seem to fit with the logical argument he tried to make.

“I fail to see how these things tell you you’re in love. Kaylin enjoys my company. Mia enjoys arguing with me. I saved Sorne’s life once. Does this mean they’re in love with me?”

“If love could be explained that easily, it wouldn’t be real.”

“But what makes you think it’s real now? If you can’t explain your feelings, how do you know you’re not misled?”

“How does the rose know to bloom in spring?”

“Oh, now that talk I’ve heard before. I didn’t believe it then, and I don’t think you should let yourself believe it now.”

“’Manda, I’m telling you the truth and I’m telling you what I know. If I’ve made you angry by falling in love with you, you’re just going to have to deal with it. Because you’re not currently interested in me, you have to give me time to change your mind.”

They were silent then; he waited for some sign that she wasn’t going to cast him aside, she waited for her heart to stop beating so loudly in her ears. As far as she was concerned, she was often a foolish girl, but her intentions at the beginning of this conversation were foolish beyond compare. She realized—with alarm—that the blood rushing through her veins, the lightheadedness, the excitement at getting to spend an afternoon with him, were all signs she had chosen to ignore.

She swallowed hard against the fear in her throat, and, with as much calm as she could muster, said: “What gives you the idea that I’m not interested in you?”

If you'd like to read more scenes from the fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods, by Fantasy Author Sandy Lender, the first three chapters are available as a free sample at the publisher's site at http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm. You can also purchase the eBook there for $3.99. The hard cover edition is available for order there, or at Amazon, Barnes&Noble, etc. I know you'll enjoy the story.

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy novel, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, PIVR, http://technorati.com/tag/www.archebooks.com, Amanda Chariss, dragon, ryfel

An Excerpt From Choices Meant for Gods

Or...Author Island's chat question can be answered by reading this little nugget from Sandy Lender's fantasy novel

(Henry gets described before this part of the scene, so we're jumping in in the middle of the "Jenkins Tavern" scene without his introduction. He tends to talk - A LOT. For those of you unfamiliar with Nigel, he calls Amanda Chariss by her given name (Amanda, or Mandy) while everyone else calls her Chariss, so don't let the name confuse you.)

Henry, it appeared, could drink the bar dry without any ill effect. Chariss had no taste for ale, so hers sat mostly untouched. Henry’s tankard, on the other hand, was refilled time and again. At one point, the bartender gave Nigel a knowing look. “You’re not up to trouble this afternoon, are you, Mister Taiman?”

“No, no, we’re only talking about the old days, not reliving them. The lady might like some water to drink.”

“Not reliving those days, eh, Nigel? And why not? What’s going on at that boring old school of your father’s to keep my best friend and accomplice from setting out to sea with me? I could use a strong hand for my next journey.”

“Henry, it wasn’t the life for me six years ago. It’s certainly not the life for me now.”

“Ah, yes, we’ve got a sweet little miss now. So, tell me,” he focused his loud attention on Chariss.

“Where are you from, ‘Manda, because I know no one in Arcana City had a gem like that on their cheek when I lived here.”

Her soft smile was meant to lower his voice, and the light spell she transferred to him as she spoke clouded the memory of the gem from his mind. “I’m from Tiurlang.” (It wasn’t a complete lie; she had lived there briefly.) “My grandfather and I only came to Arcana a few months ago. We both teach at the school. But you haven’t lived in Arcana all your life, Henry. Where does your ship take you next?”

“Oh, fooling around with the hired help, are you, Nigel? How intriguing. But to answer your question, I’ve got a great adventure ahead of me,” he slurred, leaning over the table. The volume of his voice dropped dramatically, and he looked over his shoulder as if expecting someone cared enough to listen to his story. “Maybe not so much an adventure as an opportunity, I guess. There’s not too much adventure in moving goods from one shore to the next anymore; it’s become old hat to a veteran seafarer like myself, but I’d at least call my next voyage an opportunity. I met up with a man who has need of supplies. Have you heard of Jamieson Drake?”

She hid her astonishment like a seasoned warrior, and touched Nigel’s leg on the bench to impart a spell to him. His alarm was thus clouded when Henry looked at him.

“The man’s crazy powerful. More powerful than that wizard that trained your father, I’d bet. Although I’d have to say I’ve heard stories of the wizard that trained Godric, and he sounds pretty fierce from those tales. But Drake is a sorcerer, I’ve heard tell, and I believe they’re only outmatched by the gods themselves, if I remember the hierarchy right. He’s got the whole Joveran Army wrapped around his little finger. And he’s the ofersey’n of one of the counties up north somewhere. I’m pretty sure it’s Kida, but no one pays any mind to the happenings in the west. Anyway, he needs supplies taken to the east continent. He’s got an alliance with King Tothe over there and he’s planning to help him take over the whole countryside. Can you imagine? I’m going to be rewarded handsomely for a little transport of goods from here to there. Nigel, this is something to get in on. I’m hiring a third boat for my fleet to handle the load, and I’m looking for a captain.”

“Nigel would be thrilled,” Chariss offered.

Henry beamed. “See there! I knew she was a player when I saw her. She’s got the look of someone who can make a decision, eh, Nigel? I bet you could captain that boat yourself, Missy. Did Nigel tell you he was in the Arcanan navy once?”

“Henry, those are old days gone by—”

“But those were volunteer days as well, my friend. What I’m talking about now is riches beyond your dreams.”

“I have the estate, Henry.”

“Hmpf! You can’t tell me that bastard’s giving you a penny when he dies. Pardon my language, Miss. It’ll all go to Jake and we both know it. Your lady friend here is right. You’d be thrilled to captain my boat.”

“Of course,” Chariss said. “Wouldn’t you be thrilled to be in charge of a whole ship of Drake’s war supplies?”

Nigel understood she was planning something, but didn’t want to make rash decisions. His reasons for remaining at Arcana had multiplied since her arrival, and Henry’s appearance couldn’t alter that.

“Would Nigel have to meet Mister Drake’s approval, or can you just send word that you have all the ships and sailors necessary?”

“He’s too busy planning a war. He wouldn’t want to come here to talk to sailors.”

“Oh, so he’s not here in Arcana?”

“No, I met up with one of his ‘advisors’ at Mar Dell. It’s the port just north of here. They’ve got a lot of the inbound trade locked pretty well there, but Drake knows it’s best to ship out from Arcana City’s harbor for a quicker delivery.”

Chariss felt herself growing impatient waiting for him to get to his point. “So you’ve not discussed this with Drake in person?”

“No, I got the impression Drake was rampaging the northwest of the continent and couldn’t be bothered with the mundane aspects of moving an army’s supplies oversea. But I don’t have to meet my associates in person. There was one fellow—”

“Aren’t you concerned the emperor will put you in prison?” she interrupted.

“Prison? For what?”

“Treason, for one.”

“Sweetie, by the time Maken dies and someone else figures out I even exist, I’ll have my payoff and I’ll be hiding out in a nice little palace somewhere on the other side of the Meredore. I’ve got a couple picked out.”

Nigel looked at his old friend seriously. “Until you get your palace, where are you staying tonight?”

“Oh, one of the wenches in town will remember me and take me in.” He winked at Chariss. “Nigel here was always the favorite—”

“Come stay at the estate,” Nigel interrupted. “Have you got a horse?”

“Yes. No. And I can’t stay at the estate. That bastard father of yours would kick me out so fast…”

“Henry, I won’t even consider your offer if you don’t come stay with us while you’re in port,” Nigel said.

“Argh. All right. All right. You win. You see there, Missy? He’s always been able to have his way. Let me get my things from the ship. I’ll get a horse and I’ll be there by bedtime. I’ll pull the bell and send old Godric Taiman into a tailspin.”

Nigel smirked at the suggestion. “Yes, I rather enjoy the idea of seeing his face when you walk into the parlor tonight. Are you sure you’re able to get yourself to the house?”

“What!? Man, I can hold more ale than you’ve seen in your lifetime. I’ll get there.” He looked at Chariss. “Nigel always did take care of me. That’s why I need him in my fleet so badly now.”

She smiled politely. The man had no idea what he needed if he’d struck a bargain with Jamieson Drake.

You can download the pdf of CMFG at http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm.

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, author island

Sunday, December 2, 2007
Word of the Day
Lavishly (adverb) — extravagantly; producing with extravagance or much pomp and profusion; ornately overdone

Word in an Excerpt from my Book (for context, you know):
He somehow knew this was expensive material, the kind Lord Drake would have a cape or robe made from. Why was this penniless orphan wearing a dress from such material? Nicolas didn't know the elder Taiman son provided lavishly for the guest, but he was starting to suspect. He guessed that the cut of the dress was sewn to accent her form and the color was to match her eyes because that's the way Nigel Taiman instructed the dressmaker in Arcana City.
– page 177 of the fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods

Your turn! Oh, there are thousands of ways to use this one in a sentence of your own. Pour your creativity out on me extravagantly and abundantly with the comment link below!

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, word of the day