Worlds Within Worlds is the working title of a series of loosely connected writings that are shaping themselves into a story without my conscious direction. These are essentially unedited first drafts that I have made no attempt to shape with my conscious mind.  An introduction to the series and a list of the posts in order (should you want to begin at the beginning) is on the Writer’s World page.

This follows on from Worlds Within Worlds #2

www.informationliberation.com. New World Disorder: Patterns Of Psychopathy And Other Fractal Anomalies

Kelee’s World:
Worlds Within Worlds #3

Kelee slammed the dusty tome on the table and froze. The thump had sounded far too loud in the silent household. But no querying mother’s voice rang along the corridors, and Kelee reminded herself that the walls were thick stone. She breathed again. Dust motes danced in the sliver of rising sun that pierced the library’s gloom. She shouldn’t have to wake before everyone else just to read a book, but that was the way in Menhir Village when the topic was ancient Warrior lore.

Horses hooves clattered on the cobblestones. Kelee raced to the window. Who else was up at dawn? She peered through a lead-rimmed pane in time to see a black-haired man canter from the compound, his deep purple cloak streaming out behind him. Kestril. Her brother. Where was he going and why? He often disappeared for the day, but no one bothered him about it. Mother, however, would make a fuss if she didn’t know where her precious daughter was at every moment of the day.

Kelee looked down at her slim-legged trousers and black knee-high boots. Magan men wore the same style, along with the same kind of soft cotton shirt and leather waistcoat. Only the wide leather belt dotted with pockets and the black hair tumbling past her shoulders marked her as a modern woman. Mind you, few men would choose cerise as the colour of their trousers, and lavender for their shirt.

Keley’s sword still rested on the table by her bed to reassure her mother, should she enter the bedchamber, that her daughter was not far away. Women had the same education as men – those of noble blood at least, and others if they could afford it – but when it came to personal freedom, only daughters ever showed the results of sexual indiscretion. It mattered not for the common folk, but chief’s daughters were ‘encouraged’ to marry according to their parents wishes, and in Magan society a pregnancy made you married to the child’s father with or without a ceremony.

Kelee smiled at her secret – Mirimar’s herbs. Magic couldn’t prevent procreation, but the right kind of herbs could; the herbs of a skilled healer like darling, silver-haired Mirimar with the smiling eyes. Not that eighteen year old Kelee needed them yet, but she took them, just in case she and Slade ever took their passion beyond the furtive kisses that had fired her desire.

Her gaze wandered across the courtyard to the grey stone walls and slate roof of the stables. Kestril had closed the double wooden doors behind him, but Slade would arrive to open them soon. Perhaps an early morning ride was in order. A note to mother should suffice, so long as they weren’t gone too long. The twinkle in her brother’s eye told her that he suspected her friendship with the groom was more than it seemed – little escaped Kestril’s notice – but she could trust him not to speak of it; he had too many secrets of his own.

With a sigh, Kelee turned from the window and returned to the book. Mirrimar had told her she would find it somewhere in the recesses of the library. This book, her mentor had explained, was a doorway to the old Magan ways to power – a power that came not from the sword or the wand, but from the mind. You can lose a sword or a wand, she had said, but your mind is always with you. Once developed, no one can take your inner power away from you.

You can still lose your mind though, Kelee thought with a giggle.

That’s it for today folks. Any comments?

If you’ve read the Diamond Peak Series up to book 3, Demon’s Grip, you’ll recognise Kelee, and you’ll remember Mirimar from Book two, Stalking Shadows. You will have met Kestril in book one, Lethal Inheritance.

Make sure you don’t miss the next installment in this series;  click on the ‘World Within Worlds’ link next to ‘Follow these topics’ below.