Pirates Sighted, Windmaster #SnippetSunday

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Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Visit the other participants on the list and read, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

​Today's excerpt is from Windmaster, the first book of the fantasy, romance series, the Windmaster Novels. To set, the scene, Sea Falcon has been boarded.  And now the SundaySnippet.

Excerpt:
 
 “Masts ho, on the starboard bow.” Before she could act, another yell reached the already edgy crew. “Pirates! She flies a black banner crossed by white lightning.”

“Pirates! All hands to arms!” Ellspeth’s voice, pitched for battle, carried from one end of the ship to the other. “Prepare to repel boarders. No quarter!”

The Sea Falcon’s first officer spun the ship’s wheel in an attempt to avoid the unseen object. The screech of hull on hull pierced the air.


End of Excerpt

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Windmaster  - Available at these online bookstores

​I hope you like the snippet I shared for Ellspeth this week. Be sure to read the other Weekend Writing Warriors blogs and the #SnippetSunday authors for more great reads. ~till next time, Helen

Hooked on Golem. Vision in the Bowl, #MFRWhooks

 

 

Magic animated the golem. Can someone without powers stop them?
 

A snippit from Windmaster Golem. To set the stage, the last snippit held part of Kiasel's first hint of her stalker. Now we see who was on the other end of the ethereal cord.

Excerpt 

 

“Tell me your name,” Relliq cooed. “I must know your name.”

In response, a sense of determination, then a clear rejection of the command came through the silver cord connecting him to the woman in the water. The image shifted. Even at the distance, Relliq could feel her gathering magic into a protective cloak.

Despite his demand for her to stay, the water returned to its natural state. Not even a ripple noted the passing of the ethereal connection.

“No,” he yelled. “I will have you.” His mind searched through the spells and incantations he knew. A quick search of the room and he realized he didn’t have the necessary materials for a spell. The image of the place of torment, the healer’s workroom, filled his mind. Containers of herbs lined the shelves and withies hung from pegs. “Ysbail’s shelves are full. She won’t miss a few things.

His feet took control and a heartbeat later he raced through the empty streets to the healer’s office. He barely slowed as he barrelled over the threshold and didn’t slow until he reached the back room. Rummaging through the wooden box in which she kept small items needed for the casting of magic, he palmed a spool of thread. A twist removed the cap from a finger-length wooden tube and he slid a needle out. “I just need one more thing.” A moment to center his thoughts and he cast his senses outward until he slipped into the Cyrcle of One. His hand hovered over the rolls of tubes containing maps of the known world.

“Powers that be, work through my hand, Show me the place so I can command.”

Where before the shaft of light coming through the window lit a small dot on the floor, now the beam slid across the stones and up the bookcase. It lingered at one spot until a tube glowed.

~ * ~

Windmaster Golem Available At:
Paperback: Amazon / Barnes&Noble / Amazon UK /
Ebook: Amazon / Kobo / More ebook stores

Weekend Writing Warriors, #SnippetSunday, Secret Revealed

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Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Visit the other participants on the list and read, and comment on their 8sunday posts. And now, Part two from the excerpt "Shall We Fly?" from Windmaster Legacy 

To set, the scene, Lord Dal and his mount, the gray falaire stallion, Tairneach, were in search for the captured Lady Ellspeth when the stallion snuffled a warning. Dal realized he was being herded to the edge of the plateau. They had no choice, but to jump. And now the SundaySnippet.

* * * *

​Excerpt:

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?”


* * * *

​I hope you like the snippet I shared for Dal this week. Be sure to read the other Weekend Writing Warriors blogs and the #SnippetSunday authors for more great reads. ~till next time, Helen

Out and About at the Nomad Authors

Windmaster is a sail into fantasy! More on the story and I share some about the writing life at the Nomad Authors Blog. Hope you'll stop by.

http://www.nomadauthors.com/blog/2020/02/10/windmaster-helen-henderson/

Hooked on Windmaster Legend, Lantern Rising, #MFRWAuthor

A forbidden love. An impossible quest. The accusation of witchcraft. Can love survive?

A snippit from Windmaster Legend

To set the stage, in the spirit of reflection and giving thanks, a scene from the lantern rising festival. Pelra will be helping crew one of the vessels releasing the collected lanterns and using the time to help settle her own feelings for the two men in her life. Bolte is a young ensign who is also working the event and his parents are Analese and Lendar, who came to see him off.

To distract herself from the emotions rising at Iol’s closeness, Pelra read the handwritten notes on the sky lanterns closest to her. Some were thanks for a profitable year, while others were prayers for the one to come. Many were poignant remembrances of loved ones who had passed beyond the veil. The dream listed on one lantern clutched at her heart.

Air and sky together forever,
May our two lives be as joined.
With nothing between but a gentle zephyr.
Air and sky, bless our journey.

Even more than the words, the signatures, one small and neat, the other large and scrawling, had Pelra adding her own prayer that the wishes being sent skyward be granted. The lantern bore the names Analese and Lendar. She looked at Bolte to see if the youth had noticed his parent’s contribution to the festival. However, he was concentrating on arranging things to get all the lanterns in the air as quickly as possible and appeared oblivious to the dreams and hopes he would soon be sending into the air.

Bolte will be the one to launch Analese and Lendar’s lantern, Pelra vowed. And added her own wish for it to rise high. For legend said that wishes on a lantern that caught fire before reaching the clouds would never be fulfilled.

~ * ~

You'll have to read Windmaster Legend to see the release of Analese and Lendar's lantern. And whether or not Pelra's own wishes come true. Ebook on sale at Amazon for the holidays.

Available in Ebook or Paperback at Amazon, Amazon.uk and other amazon sites

Gremlins stole the turkey and the link for Affinities (J. L. Walters. https://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com/2019/11/wednesday-confrontations-affinities.html

Hooked on Windmaster Legacy, at the door, #mfrwhook #mfrwauthor

Chose between magic, revenge... or the life of a loved one.

In honor of the season of weddings, a smippit from Windmaster Legacy. To set the stage,vows have been exchanged, and a celebration held. Now its time for the bride and groom to escape.

EXCERPT:

Ellspeth's skin tingled as much from the cloaking spell Dal threw over them as the touch of his hand. By magesight, Ellspeth ran hand-in-hand with him down the darkened corridors. She didn’t even attempt to keep track of the left and right turns, or how many stairwells they climbed. She knew where he was leading her—to his room, to his bed.

Dal stopped at a pair of intricately-carved wooden doors. A rope of green ferns, the Mtwan mountain people’s symbol for happiness in marriage, hung over the door. “Hope you approve,” he murmured. “I told you I could find a better place than a cave in a blizzard. And I promised you a warmer room than Fearguis offered us in Dardlen.”

A kick opened the left-hand door and before Ellspeth could squeal, he had swept her up into his arms. Two steps took them over the threshold and to a night she been awaiting and yet dreading for many sevenday. She held her breath as he pushed the door closed with his foot. Their privacy assured, he walked toward the bed. As if he sensed her uncertainty, Dal stopped in the middle of the room and set her on her feet.

In the soft candlelight his eyes sparkled with an inner fire.

~ * ~

Windmaster Legacy Available At:

Ebook Amazon / More Ebook sellers
Paperback: Amazon

Windmaster, At Day's End, #mfrwauthor

Since summer is approaching, I thought I'd share a scene from Windmaster of my favorite way to cool-off after a hard days work. And the reason the cover for Windmaster Legacy is shown when the excerpt is from Windmaster? The hunk on the cover is the one in the mill pond.

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An old wagon with a plume of dust in its wake, rattled up the road to the mill. Olier moved to the doorway while Dal stood in the shadow alongside the door. His grip tightened on Ellspeth’s shoulder.

“It’s old man Steryl,” Olier hissed. “He snarls a lot but has no love for the Oracle. Dal, can you mill his grain? If I leave now, we’ll lose the entire batch of syrup. Just to be safe, Ellspeth stay out of sight. I can explain Dal’s presence, but not yours.”

Dal gave Ellspeth’s shoulder a quick squeeze and stepped out to Olier’s side. The men raised a hand in greeting to the wagon driver. Before the newcomer could say a word, Olier pointed to the mill wheel. “You know where to take it, Steryl. The marka’s at a critical stage. Darmen here will grind it for you.”

The wagon driver grumbled in response.

Dal gave a pointed stare at the doorway behind Olier. But, there was no sign of Ellspeth. Good, Ellspeth is doing what she’s told. Although he mused, I wonder how long that will continue. An inadvertent sigh of relief escaped him. The wagon creaked as he swung up beside the driver.

Steryl glared at the man beside him. The whip crack was accompanied by more mumbled comments.

Dal hid a smile. He knew how to handle this one. And with a little luck, he’d get the latest news.

One big heave and the bag of meal thumped onto the wagon bed. Dal’s hearty, “All done,” was answered by Steryl’s grumble. Glad to see the grouchy old man leave, Dal snatched a cloth from atop the grain chute. He wiped his face to see the rough material turn brown with dust and sweat. The millstream looked so inviting he dropped the makeshift towel and stripped off his shirt and breeches. Three steps took him into the cool water. Several quick splashes cooled his sweat-drenched skin and ran in rivulets down the muscles of his chest.

~ * ~

Buy Links: Links to ebook sellers 
Paperback at Amazon   

/

Z is for Zethar

Z is for Zethar

Finding a character or place name that began with the letter "Z" was hard. The only common word that came to mind was zoo. But I didn't use a zoo setting in any of the Windmaster Novels or the Dragshi Chronicles. So, I decided to go with Zethar, the golden falaire mare in Windmaster Legacy who served as Ellspeth’s mount during their travels in Tarekus.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Zethar's coloring is gold with a tan mane and white front stockings. She is the daughter of Wynne, head mare of one of the falaire herds that inhabit the vale near the Isle of Mages. Zethar was one of the falaire who, under Wynne’s lead, traveled with Lord Dal and Lady Ellspeth to bring new blood to the falaire herd in Dal’s mother’s ancestral lands.


An excerpt from Windmaster Legacy where Ellspeth explains to a new friend about the falaire, and Zethar's comment.

Fàlaire are special. I remember my first meeting with one. I was on sentry duty and sensed someone watching me. Finally, I woke Dal. He scryed the area outside the camp, but didn’t see anything untoward. Apparently, some of the fàlaire can do more than disguise themselves as ordinary horses. They also can block a wizard’s ability to see them using magic.”

Zethar’s soft whinny sounded like a small child saying, “I can do it, too.”

Windmaster Legacy - one click to estores
 

With "Z" the A-Z challenge is complete. I hope you've enjoyed the insights into the Dragshi Chronicles, and the Windmaster Novels. and that you'll continue to 
visit the blog. Besides the journey to the stars and worlds of imagination, here's the master list of the other participants in the challenge.


~ till next time, Helen

W is for Werehouds

w is for Werehound.

Fearsome creatures of myth and legend, in the world of Windmaster, werehounds are real. Created by a magic powered by spilled blood, they look like huge dogs. Their long black fur with silver tips that shimmer when the animal runs. They hunt in packs and in the night gives the impression of a hoard of ghostly dogs.

Those who see the creatures are paralyzed with fear from the sight of the white forms racing in the dark. If not, the werehounds’ bright red eyes that glow like hot coals terrify their intended targets.

Beyond installing fear and terror, the werehounds push their prey until the person physically collapses or is cornered. A magical bond between hunter and hunted guides the werehounds across barriers of high mountains and desert sands. Only deep, fast-running water can stop the creatures… Only a wizard can break guided by the ethereal link to their prey.

From Windmaster Legacy

In hushed tones, Ellspeth explained a way to make the werehounds drop the blood lure and break the magical link to their prey.

Nobyn repeated the incantation until he’d perfected it. The fear rose in Ellspeth. She did not know if the spell would work. A hard breath hissed out. Dal would know. But he isn’t here.

“I’m ready to try,” Nobyn said. He closed his eyes and bent his head over his steepled fingers.

“Lure now drop and end the hunt,
Werehounds prowl no more.
Let the chased now stop their run
Through forest glen and desert moor.
Magic binds break, blood calls be broken,
Werehound threat be gone.
Selah, so mote it be.”

Ellspeth’s senses flew out of the temple and soared to the canyon rim. Neba’s pale light flickered off fast-moving white shapes—the werehounds. Glad Nobyn had not yet learned to cast his senses very far, Ellspeth shivered as one eerie howl after another sounded down the canyon.

Nobyn’s spell had failed.

Windmaster Legacy - one click to estores

The next post up is for the letter X, and it stands for Xelme. If you're interested in following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

~ till next time, Helen

V is for Ver

V is for Ver

So, what is a Ver. In Imprisoned in Stone, Ver is a large, raw-boned dog. Because of the dog's red coloring, I used an image of an Irish Setter as the inspiration for Ver. Besides assisting in hunts to provide food for those hiding on the island, Ver helped repeal invaders who attacked the island sanctuary.

Showing the stamina and loyalty of the breed, after being set adrift with the child after her parents were killed, Ver survived and became her protector.

Picture courtesy of Pixabay.

An excerpt from Imprisoned in Stone.

Prayers that Dylan would arrive in time to help and that the two of them would be able to hold off the Brethren did not slow Colwynn’s preparations. The weight of the sword belt around his hip provided little comfort, nor did the dagger he slid into his boot. With practiced movements, he strapped panniers on Gramail’s four-footed guardians and stuffed a jacket, blanket, food, and a skin of fruit juice into the leather bags.

A step took him to Gramail who watched in wide-eyed silence. “Sweetie, we are having some big people visitors. I need you to go with the dogs to the ship cave and stay there until called.” As he spoke, Gramail’s trusting look added to Colwynn’s determination to make certain no harm came to the child. She had lost enough already. Kneeling, he dropped to her level. “It’s time to play the ‘shhhsh’ game. You need to stay quiet with the dogs, do you understand?”

She nodded and with a wise look on her face put a finger to her lips.

Colwynn patted each dog on the head. Opening the lower half of the door, and kissing the four-year-old, he gave a command he prayed he would not regret. “Ver, Da, protect Gramail. Go, cave. Go, now.”

He watched the dogs trot out with Gramail running between them. Before they covered more than a dozen paces, the rest of the pack joined them. Brown and red forms flowed across the sand. Colwynn could barely make out Gramail’s dark curls above the dog’s backs.

Imprisoned in Stone - one click to estores


Tomorrow’s post is W for Werehound. If you're interested in following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants

~ till next time, Helen

T is is for Tarekus

Image courtesy of Pixabay

T is for Tarekus

Tarekus is an island continent at the far end of the Southern Sea that was the setting for Windmaster Legacy. While fictional, the land of Tarekus was inspired by Australia. 

During the writing of Windmaster Legacy, the series notebook was filled with pictures. The large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory in central Australia called Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, held center court along with images of the Australia outback.

As described in Windmaster Legacy. Fine white sands form a glittering ring between scrub-covered rolling hills and warm turquoise waters. Hills steepen into forested mountains and valleys. The interior is called the hinterland by the sailors and the bush by natives. In the center of the hinterland, running north-south, is a wide swath of veldt. Occasionally, great cracks in the earth form valleys hundreds of feet below the main ground level or thrust great plateaus skyward.

Like the land that inspired Tarekus, the land Ellspeth and Dal visit is home to many strange animals. Some hop, others have other means of ambulation. Among the inhabitants of Tarekus is a small bear that only eats the leaves of one species of tree. 

In the veldt, you can encounter long-necked animals that eat the tender leaves off the top of trees. These creatures are called by tree-trimmers by the locals.







Windmaster Legacy - universal buy link
 

Tomorrow’s post is a change of pace, the darker science fiction of the short story, Uncommon Mercy. If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

~ till next time, Helen

P is for Pelra

P is for Pelra.

Who is Pelra?

Lady Pelra of the House of Pirri is a lady of legend from the World of Windmaster, Pelra was first introduced in Windmaster when Captain Ellspeth told the tale of the star-crossed lovers to the Archmage Dal. The post about the encounter is part of the A-Z Challenge as the letter, "L."

But what about Pelra the person?

She is tall and slender. On special occasions, her hair is worn in a braid that is turned into a golden crown, held by glittering pins. Despite having devoted her life to earning the bold bracelets of a captain, she is an accomplished musician and composer.

Excerpts featuring Lady Pelra as seen through other's eyes can be found in the following posts.

Meeting a Lady
Shall We Dance?

And before I forget, the lady herself.

Windmaster - one click to estores
Windmaster Legend - one click to buy paperback or ebooks

 

The next post up is for the letter X, and it stands for Xelme. If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

~ till next time, Helen

O is for One

O is for One

When writing the posts for this challenge, the ones that gave me the most trouble were O, U, V, and Z. After quite a bit of investigation, I decided that "O" stands for "One," as in the "Cyrcle of One."

The Cyrcle of One is a meditative state which connects all living things. In the Windmaster Novels, it was used to locate and communicate with a person afar.

Ever since the sun sank beneath the edge of the plateau, Dal had searched in the Cyrcle of One for Ellspeth. The fleeting contacts he had been able to make with his scrying crystal were more frustrating than helpful. All he ever sensed was her presence in a place devoid of light.

Not all contact is verbal. Read on as an apprentice enters the Cyrcle of One to keep a fatally wounded woman alive until his master can come and heal her. And as always, magic has a price to pay, even if it is only exhaustion and the pins and needles of circulation too long denied to cramped limbs

Barris forced himself to his feet and staggered yet again into the small room where Eilidh lay on a bed piled high with rushes. Dumping his small bag of materials onto the floor, he picked up the blue chalk. Clumsily, with the moves of something newly learned, Barris drew the healing spell Dal had taught him. Fighting his exhaustion, he entered into the Cyrcle of One. Dark clouds enveloped him. Deeper and deeper he sank until he located the silver cord that marked Eilidh’s lifeline. Willing his shadow-self to move, Barris watched the purple orb of his life flash to the spot where Eilidh’s lifeline joined her soul.

He reviewed the instructions Dal left. Now to strengthen the ties between her body and spirit. Back and forth Barris wove an invisible rope between the two aspects of Eilidh’s being. “Ancestors of Clan Daimh beyond the veil, guard and guide your kinswoman,” he prayed. “Eilidh has served you well in this world. Strengthen her in this journey and at the designated time, welcome her to the next.”

Having done all he could, Barris began his passage back into his own body. His first sensations after returning to the here and now were limbs tingling from lack of circulation.

Tomorrow’s post is from Windmaster Legend.  “P is for Pelra.” If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

~ till next time, Helen

N is for Najest

N is for Najest

Previously in the A-Z posts, the letter “G” stood for Givneh, the home of the Oracle of Giveneh and his temple. In the time of Windmaster Legend, Najest wore the white robe of the oracle. He often travelled the countryside incognito to get the lay of the land. On one of his trips, he needed transport across Botunn Loghes to the city of Berife. The winds that take the boats between the ports of Aigeal and Berife were unusual. In the morning they blew the boats taking pilgrims bound for Giveneh to Berife. Then at dusk, the winds reversed sending the ships back to their berths at Aigeal.

Between Iol’s skillful handling of his ship and knowledge of the currents beneath the surface, and Najest’s ability to control the wind, Loch Bird avoided being becalmed in the middle of the lake and enabled Najest to return to his temple undetected.

That encounter set the scene for Iol to keep a woman escape her abuser by gaining sanctuary in the temple.

Now that you’ve met Najest, if you see a tall thin man with a regal air who moves with the sure step of one familiar with a sword, just nod as you pass him by—unless you need a blessing from the Oracle.


Windmaster Legend - one click to buy links

Tomorrow’s post "O is for One." If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

~ till next time, Helen

K is for the Kapuna Tree

K is for the Kapuna Tree.

In the following excerpt from Windmaster the archmage, Lord Dal, is introduced to the tree of mages by his friend and mentor, Semelen. The tree holds the heritage of every wizard back to time immemorial and to a future not yet revealed.

Three steps took Dal into the veiled clearing. The stillness, the feeling of peace, was even more overwhelming here than on the mountain. Even the need for vengeance, bred into his bones by the traditions of generations of his ancestors, gave way before it.

An ancient tree, old before time began, almost filled the small space. Long tendrils hung finger-like from the branches that formed a high canopy. Heart-shaped leaves covered each narrow strand. In each leaf, veins, the brown-red color of dried blood, made the tree look like the grisly aftermath of battle. Dal slowly walked around the tree. Close up he could see a faint symbol—a mage identification—on each leaf. With each step he traced the names of dead friends and the fellow members of the Wizard’s Council.

Something shimmered at the end of a branch. The leaf’s vein was a vibrant pure red. Instead of the stillness of the other leaves, this one pulsed. Even before he spotted the rune that symbolized his own name, Dal realized the leaf’s rhythm was that of his own heartbeat. The leaf marked his lifeline.

At the end of the branch, a leaf without a symbol also vibrated. He ran a finger along of its main vein. Despite the feather-light touch, a shock numbed his arm. Ellspeth’s face appeared then faded, leaving behind only an undefined yearning.

The name for the ancestry tree of mages came from the Hawaiian word for ancestor. Not only does the Kapuna Tree have a leaf on it for every living mage, in the vein of ancestry, the tree has a leaf on it for every mage that has ever lived, even those that have passed beyond the veil. Where the previous excerpt forshadowed one mage's destiny, another leaf tells not of life, but of death. of a mage who is about to join his ancestors.

The flicker of the adjacent leaf was noticeably slower, and with each passing second, the color turned darker and darker. Its small veins had already shifted into deep red. Dal knew without even looking that the name marked on the leaf was Semelen’s.

Semelen’s hand felt warm on Dal’s shoulder, despite the coolness of the glade. “It was not your fault, my friend, that you were away when it happened. The poison spread so quickly not even the most skilled healers among us could have saved those on the island. We’re just fortunate you survived to carry on the work... and to rebuild the council.”

Dal wrenched away from the intended comfort. “There is no council anymore. Everyone is dead. I built the pyres myself.” His voice grew quieter with each word, until it was almost a whisper.

Semelen spun Dal around, his grip firm despite his impending death.

Windmaster - universal buy link


Tomorrow’s letter is "L" and stands for Legend as in Windmaster Legend. If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

~ till next time, Helen

H is for Horses

His for horses

Now how, you wonder, did such an ordinary word get into a fantasy world. First, let me say I like horses and have even ridden them a few times. In most fantasy worlds, horses and sailing ships are two of the most common means of transportation, besides flying on dragon back, of course. But the main reason these horses are included is that they are not true horses. They may look like nothing more than big horses, but they are magical creatures of intelligence, unusual speed and stamina, loyalty and character.

The Seidheirn of the Dragshi Chronicles possess a special kind of magic. Their intelligence and character made them fun to write. In Forever Bound, Wiral liked to kick down the gate to his stall when his rider, the dragon lord Lasair was not available and the grooms didn't open the door fast enough. Ohlmar provided solace and companionship to Talann in the dark years when everyone waited for a dragon soul twin to awaken and Talann to join the ranks of the dragshi, but no song was heard. The stallions often have the unusual markings of black and white striped manes and were battle trained. Their loyalty and skill was recorded in the song, the "Battle Hymn of the Seidhern."

Lanterns hanging from stall posts illuminated a nightmarish scene. Mares and their foals cowered at the back of their stalls. Horses and seidheirn stampeded up and down the aisles in panicked confusion. The flying manes and tails of both blurred in indistinguishable color. Branin found it difficult to tell which were the true horses and which were the seidheirn. One spot of order appeared in the chaos. Marsainn and his offspring lined the aisle, white-striped manes rippling over their gleaming midnight coats while the seidheirn formed a living bulwark between the mares and the bedlam.

The rest of the excerpt is found in the post, Year of the Horse.

In the worlds of the Windmaster Novels, the equines are called falaire. They live in a vale near the Isle of Mages. Taerneach is not only the head stallion of the falaire herd in the vale, but he also chose Lord Dal, the archmage, as his rider--and his friend. A snippit of one of their meetings after Dal's extended time away is at Watcher Revealed.

The last breed of magical equines to be mentioned are the seisag. Like the other horses written about, they have magical speed and stamina beyond that of a true horse, but even an earth magic doesn't make them immune to trouble. Eirean and his heard of seisag needed the assistance of the apprentice mage, Maerva, to survive a blizzard. More of that post is told in the post The Weather Strikes and Weather Fought.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Here's an excerpt I love of a turn's end encounter between two magical beings: sprites and seisag.

The thunder of hooves shattered the silence of the meadow. In a flash of white, Rascal galloped out into the center of the sprites. Kai moved like a dark shadow at the stallion’s side. Instead of a solid glowing sphere, the sprites broke apart into four balls that each mirrored the full moon. Clusters of the golden creatures settled on Rascal and Kai, limning them with a ghostly radiance. The remainder formed ethereal versions of the horse and seisag. Real and sprite-created horses cavorted around the meadow to an ancient tune that floated through the night.

Whether a falaire, seidheirn, or seisag, I want to go for a ride in the mountains. Care to join me? Click on the covers for buy links for each of the books mentioned.

Tomorrow’s post "I" is for Imprisoned in Stone. If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

~ till next time, Helen