2026 L : Lilac, daffodils, It’s spring. Oh, my.

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 A personal reflection on some of the things that indicate spring. Even before the leaves can be seen, a layer of green powder covers everything outside from car windows to farm equipment. forsythia bushes and clumps of Daffodils add pops of yellow to the world. Beneath the old peach tree on my childhood farm a circle of daffodils disturbed the brown stable of last year's hay field. 

Image by -Rita-👩‍🍳 und 📷 mit ❤ from Pixabay

However the most vivid memory of the shift between winter and summer was the scent of lilac. Large vases of the purple flowers sat in the middle of the kitchen table. The source of this bounty was a ten-foot tall, twenty foot diameter bush that to me seemed ancient. Years of children playing hide and seek branches wore a path through the middle. Even the animals enjoyed the shade of the branches. A bonded pair of a sheep and a Shetland pony evoked laughter as long as you didn't get caught in the stampede when the sheep realized the pony was out of sight and raced around the lilac bush to find him. 

Below are two excepts containing flowers at ceremonies. One from Windmaster and the other from Windmaster Legacy.

A Southern Sea handfasting

“My friends, let us ask the water gods for success for our hunters and blessings for those who journey on the morrow.” 

A young man, a few seasons short of his second decade, led a woman the same age to where Semelen stood. The boy’s face was solemn, the girl’s shy and wistful. The old wizard wrapped a floral vine around the pair’s wrists. His hands upon the pair’s heads, he closed his eyes and spoke a blessing in an ancient tongue. The couple departed hand-in-hand into the jungle. 

A few minutes later another couple approached Semelen, who repeated the short ceremony. This couple ran off toward the beach, sleeping mats tucked under their arms. 

Ellspeth slipped around the dying fire, her light tread silent on the soft carpet of short grass. 

Dal looked up into her eyes, now a light willow green sparkling with emotion. 

“For a safe journey.” She placed a floral wreath around Dal’s neck. 

Dal fought down the feelings that rose with Ellspeth’s touch. Then his eyes hooded with suppressed passion, he stood. A swift motion lifted the wreath from his neck and placed it around Ellspeth’s. Her fingers felt warm in his as he led her over to Semelen. At their approach, the islander’s brown face glowed with a broad smile.

 Flowers at a king’s reception 

Two floral wreaths of purple trumpet flowers interwoven with orange blossoms from the southern isle hung around the bard’s neck. “Those flowers must have been hothouse raised,” Vika whispered as he guided Ellspeth the final few steps to the waiting trio. “The trumpet flowers are only found in the highest mountain meadow and should just now be breaking through the ground. They are almost as difficult to grow as the island blossoms. It is a tribute to you and Dal that Fraunces had them produced for this day.”  

And just because it is spring, one of my favorite pictures, cherry blossoms.

~till next time Helen

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2026 K : Karora

 

This time around I struggled with "K." The only K that hadn't been used in earlier challenges was kill. Which I didn't want to use to keep the blog a little more PG and because even though some bad guys may end dead, my writing does not contain gratuitous violence or gore. 

Karora is a secondary character in Windmaster Legacy. She is a warrior and a princess in her own right. Well-educated by the formal education such as that of royalty and guild leaders receive her family made sure she was familiar with the traditions and knowledge of those who live in the bush Skilled with javelin, short her physical talents include being a long-distance runner and being able to hunt and track with the best of the bushmen. While not yet tested in battle, weapons training from masters skilled with javelin and short sword prepared her for her eventual role in life. 

This except comes from the meeting between Dal and Ellspeth and Karora's father. His sources have told him the diplomatic envoy had come to take his daughter. So they are trying to diffuse the situation. Which is aided by the reunion of two old friends.

Ellspeth smiled as Dal gave another bow, envious of his ease with clan chief. While she was skilled in diplomacy and trading, she had to work to achieve what Dal did with an effortless natural charm.

“My talents are meager,” Dal said, “only the magic of the archmage of the world and the fighting skills of a former lieutenant of Telarim the Red.” Despite his deprecating words, his low tones were laden with assurance.

“Do not sell yourself short,” Kurrin said. His snort showed a hint of humor. “Even here in Tarekus we are familiar with the exploits of Telarim.”

The soft scuff of leather on stone drew everyone’s attention to the door. Looking past Eilidh’s shoulder, Ellspeth identified the three women who entered. She recognized Karora on the arm of a woman who was obviously her mother from the red highlights they shared in their light brown hair. Karora’s long hair hung in a simple braid tossed over her shoulder while her mother’s locks were curled in formal clan knots. Behind the pair trailed a tall, dark-skinned Dheni woman about Karora’s age. Several knives hung from the newcomer’s belt and the hilt of a long sword peeked above her shoulder. The way the warrior kept her hands always within reach of her weapons established her as Aranin, Karora’s friend and bodyguard.

Kurrin waved the women forward. “Karora, these visitors wish a formal audience,” he called out. He stepped aside with a flourish and added, “Dheal, my wife, look who visits us.”

The matronly clan leader looked where her husband pointed and scanned Dal’s mother from head to foot. Ellspeth smothered a laugh at the older woman’s happy squeal.

The two women met in the middle of the chamber with kisses and hugs. 

“Congratulations, cousin,” Eilidh said. She turned to Kurrin, “This is a surprise. I told you that we would not make a good match. But, Dheal?” Eilidh shifted her attention back to the woman in her arms. “Well done, cousin. And this is your daughter?”

The informal greeting between the two women changed what Ellspeth had planned to say. Instead of the ceremony of the king’s envoy, she made it a personal appeal. “Karora, I believe you know my friend, Fraunces. He sends greetings to you and your parents.”

Karora’s face lit with an inner emotion and urged Ellspeth to continue.

A glance at Dal whose smile showed he too remembered their betrothal, Ellspeth added, “And a request for a betrothal.”

~till next time Helen 

If you want to see my previous postings for the challenge, go here. If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the participants.

Buy Windmaster Legacy at Amazon and elsewhere.

2026 J : Jump

 

Below is a brief except from Windmaster Legacy. Lord Dal is on a rescue mission to save his kidnapped bride. He is trapped on a cliff with open air at his back and an enemy blocking the path to freedom.

An authors note: I foreshadowed the magic used to same the hero without ever knowing it. I just included a tale told to children earlier in the book about horses with wings that flew in the sky with the birds. And a personal thought, I especially liked the stallion's snarky attitude afterwards.

Dust off to the left indicated mounted men galloping toward him in a flanking maneuver. When a third group of men on horseback raced into view, Dal realized he was being herded to the edge of the plateau. Tairneach skidded to a halt, sending rocks flying over the edge. Eagles soared up from below, disturbed from their nests.

With a quick glance, Dal evaluated their odds. Fifty men with drawn swords formed a wide arc, cutting off any escape route.

“Just like old times, huh, Taer?” Dal scanned the stone-faced men, searching for weakness, some misalignment in the formation that would give him an advantage. However, these were not untrained troops. He knew why they did not attack. They awaited their commander.

Dal took a guess. “Come on out, Third. No need to hide. Show your men your great leadership skills.” His voice ringing with sarcasm bounced off the rocks and sang back multiple times. “Or are you afraid? After all, I’m not a helpless mare slowed by a foal.”

Still no answer came from those facing Dal or from behind their lines. “Taer, we need to save Ellspeth. That has to be our only concern. I’ll break their ranks so you can get through. I should catch up in a few days.” At the scornful look, Tairneach cast over his shoulder, Dal added a hasty afterthought. “If they happen to capture me, and that is doubtful, they will take me to Ellspeth. You can track me and we will rescue her that way. What do you think?”

Tairneach answered by nodding toward the open sky. When Dal started to climb down from the saddle, the stallion sidestepped. Dal kept hold of his sword, but had to grab the saddle horn. “Taer, what are you doing? No one can survive that fall.”

The fàlaire’s neigh drowned out Dal’s words. Tairneach trotted two steps toward the edge, then spun on his haunches to face the oncoming force. His commands were clear.

“You’re sure about this?”

Taer’s trumpeting drowned out the screeches of the circling birds.

Dal slid his sword back into its scabbard. Lightning bolts flew from his fingers into the mass of men. Commending his fate to his ancestors, he draped himself over Taer’s neck. With a wild neigh, the stallion spun and raced to the cliff’s edge. This time he did not stop, but leaped into space. Wings emerged from Taer’s side. His triumphant bugle resounded to the clouds. After a few heartbeats of free flight, Dal released his death grip. Sitting up, he adjusted his legs so they would not hamper the slight shifts Taer’s wings made during the glide toward the ground.

Dal held his breath as the earth closed to a handspan beneath the fàlaire’s hooves. Instead of the bounce he expected to experience after a hard fall, Taer’s slow trot absorbed the forward motion. His whinny when he came to a stop sounded like the giggle of a mischievous child.

“You didn’t tell me you could fly,” Dal mumbled. “After all these years, you’re still keeping secrets from me?” A smack to Taer’s neck brought forth another whinny from the stallion and a toss of his mane. “All right, you had your fun,” Dal said. “Now let’s go before those archers find our range.” 

Taer pranced a few steps before heading out at a lope.

~till next time Helen 

If you want to see my previous postings for the challenge, go here. If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the participants.

Buy Windmaster Legacy at Amazon and elsewhere.