Book Launch

I've just received copies of Wolf Moon, Boook 3 of The Wolves of Vimar Series, for approval. As soon as I give the go ahead, it will be on sale.

This book follows the half of Wolf not arrested and taken to Frelli, the capital of Erian. They must escape and take news of the war preparations being made by Erian. During their escape, they have many adventures and surprises.

I will let you know as soon as it is with Amazon.

A Special Offer

On March 5th and 6th The Wolf Pack will be available on Amazon on special offer.

Hurry. don't miss this opportunity to get Book 1 of The Wolves of Vimar Series for only $0.99, £0.99.
Two days only.

You can get it by clicking on this link. It will take you to the book's page on Amazon in your country, or you can click the book image in the sidebar,

http://mybook.to/The WolfPack

About the book.

When Carthinal leaves Bluehaven to go to take the tests that would end his apprenticeship and make him a full mage, little does he realize the changes that are about to take place in his life. Strange prophecies dog his footsteps and he meets new friends. They are sent on a quest to discover a long lost artifact. On their journey they meet with sorrow and pleasure as well as many dangers. Help is found in the most unexpected places, they face their innermost fears and have great surprises. None of them returns unchanged.

The Legend of Grillon and Parador from The Wolf Pack

The legend of Grillon and Parador is one of the legends of the world of Vimar. Grillon is the god of nature and wild things, and Parador the goddess of agriculture. This tale is told on the first day of spring, the equinox, which is also considered to be the first day of the year. It is celebrated by feasting after a religious ceremony, and people let down their moral standards for that night.
Any children conceived on Grillon's Night are not considered illegitimate, but rather, are blessed, being thought of as Grillon's children.


One day the Lord of Nature was walking all alone
When beside a hidden pool a lovely sight was shown.
For bathing in the moonlight, where no-one should have been
Was a beauteous maiden, the loveliest he’d e’er seen.


Lord Grillon lost his heart to her
This maiden oh so fair.
He vowed that she would be his own
His life with her would share.


He showed himself at once to her
As forward he did tread.
She said “And who are you, good sir?
Should you not be abed?”

Oh lovely maid, my love, my life,
I ne’er will rest again.
Unless you come to be my wife
My heart will feel such pain.”

And so fair Parador was wed
To Grillon. She agreed
To always sleep within his bed
And others ne’er to heed.

But evil now will turn to dust
That love and bliss
For Barnat after her did lust
And swore she’d be his.

He poisoned Grillon’s mind and said
She was untrue
That she had been into his bed
And others too.

Lord Grillon he was truly sad
That she should treat him so.
He thought that he’d go truly mad
So far from her he’d go.

Now Parador had done no wrong
To deserve this fate.
She could not any more be strong
Beneath Lord Grillon’s hate.

So mourn she did and all the world
Did join with her in sorrow.
All green things died and creatures curled
All safely in their burrow.

But in good time, Lord Grillon found
How false the god of war.
He came to her and he reclaimed
The love of his wife once more.

So once again the land grew green
And springtime came again.
And summer’s warmth and life serene
While she forgot her pain.

And so each year the land remembers
The love of Parador
And autumn comes and winter’s embers
Till Spring returns once more.



If you want to find out more about the world of Vimar and its inhabitants, you can buy The Qolf Pack, Book 1 of The Wolves of Vimar by following this link.
mybook.to/thewolfpack

Aspholessaria. The End. Or is it?

A few days later, Asphodel took some food to a family not far from the temple. They were a very poor family, and the children were hungry. She had been taking food to them for weeks now, preventing the children from starving. Their father had no work and occasionally stole in order to feed them.

When she arrived, one of the children was sick. Asphodel did what she could to heal the child, but as a novice, her strength was not sufficient yet to heal him completely. It tired her.

She arrived back at the temple, exhausted. It so happened that a rector was passing as she entered.

'You look tired, Novice Asphodel. Where have you been?'

Asphodel told her she had been visiting a poor family and had healed one of the children as well as giving them food.

'Most commendable, Novice. Charity is extremely important. What family was it you were visiting?'

'The family of Yelver, Rector,' replied Asphodel, bowing her head as was expected of a novice to a rector.


The rector frowned. 'Isn't he a thief? One of the evil folk we have been told not to treat?'

'Rector,' said Asphodel, 'he might have stolen from time to time, but he only did it because his children are starving. He's not an evil man.'

The rector raised his eyebrows. 'A thief is a thief. Why doesn't he get a job to feed his children? No, don't answer,' she held up her hand as Asphodel was about to speak. 'There's no need to say anything. I must remind you not to visit this family again. You are not to have anything to do with them. Understood?'

'But...'

'I said, is that understood? Have I made myself plain?' The rector looked severe.

'Yes, Rector. Quite plain.'

The rector then walked away and Asphodel returned to her room.

'Yelver would love a job,' she muttered to herself as she walked along the passageway, 'but he's often unwell himself and can't work.'

A week later, on the day Asphodel usually went to visit Yelver's family, she collected alms as usual from the alms box and food from the kitchen. With her basket of food and pouch of money she set off on her charity work.

All week she had been thinking hard. She did not believe Sylissa meant for anyone to be ignored, and her vows said as much, so, after visiting those families on her list, she took the remaining food to Yelver's home.

The little boy seemed a bit better, and Asphodel did another healing on him, and told Yelver's wife to make sure he had extra food, then amid the thanks of the family, she left.

This went on for several weeks. Yelver's boy got better and the family were grateful--so much so that Yelver went to the temple to give thanks and some money he had saved from his last work.

His donation was noticed by the rector who had seen Asphodel a few weeks previously. He called the girl to him.

'Did you visit Yelver after I had forbidden you to go there again?'

Asphodel looked at her feet. 'Yes, Rector,' she said.

'Why?'

'His family were starving. His children were in danger of dying from lack of food. I went out of common sympathy.'

'Come with me,' the rector told her, and he took her to see the Great Mother.

Asphodel knelt before her as was expected.

Mother Caldo was not impressed by Asphodel's reasoning.

'We have had a directive from the Most High,' she told the girl. 'The leader of our church has given us specific instructions. Yet you, a mere novice, seem to think you know better.'

Asphodel said nothing. Novices were not supposed to speak in the presence of a Great Mother or Father unless told to do so.

The Great Mother paced the floor, then she stopped.

'You have shown yourself, on several occasions, to be willful, young lady,' she said. 'You seem to think you know better than your elders. I think the discipline here is perhaps too lax. My friend, the Great Father in Hambara, runs a more strict regime. Perhaps he can make you see the importance of obedience. I will write him a letter asking him to take you and you can take it there.'

She sat down at her desk and picked up a quill. Dipping it in the ink, she began to write.
Then she looked up.

'You are, I believe, almost ready to be promoted from a novice to a curate. I will put this in the letter and you can be tested in Hambara. I understand there's a caravan leaving tomorrow. You will take that.'

So Asphodel left Bluehaven to travel to a new temple in Hambara.

But her story did not end there. You can find out more by reading The Wolf Pack. Just click this link.
http://mybook.to/thewolfpack

Aspholessaria.

The journey continued. There were, as Trinelli expected, a number of times her healing skills were called upon. True to her word, Asphodel helped as much as she could. It was little enough, because the girl had not been trained in healing. She knew nothing at all. Not even the simplest remedies used by almost every housewife in the land.

She had been brought up as a privileged daughter of one of the ruling families of Quantissarillishon. Although only minor royalty, she had not had to work, The result was that she knew little of how life would be for most people. She was fascinated by Trinelli's healing, both the mundane and that which the goddess channelled through her priestess.

One day, after they had been travelling for a week, Asphodel asked Trinelli about her religion.
'Well,' began the other woman, 'What do you know about Sylissa?'

'Not much, really. We elves tend to worship Grillon, as the god of nature. We know a little of the others, but Grillon is our god, really.'

'Well, Sylissa is the god of Life and Healing. She is the twin sister of Kalhera, god of Death. They are like two sides of one coin. Sylissa's colour is white, as you can see from my robes, while Kalhera's is black.'

Asphodel settled down to listen as Trinelli told her about how Sylissa and Kalhera were the daughters of the Chief of the Gods, Kassilla and her consort, Zol the god of Knowledge and Learning. how each chose some aspect of life to be their jurisdiction.

Because she chose to aid those who were sick, occasionally there were disputes between the two sisters, if Kalhera thought Sylissa were denying death to people, but generally they were on good terms.
The clerics of Sylissa were the doctors and nurses of the world, but they did not rely wholly on the power of the god to cure sickness and injury. No, they learned other ways too, such as herbs, and manipulation. They could set broken bones, although sometimes they would call upon Sylissa to help.
Asphodel became fascinated by this and began to ask questions about the various herbs and other methods Trinelli used, She fould the rest of the journey passed quickly, especially as Trinelli sometimes gave her little things to do.

Just as they approached Bluehaven, Trinelli turned to Asphodel and said, 'You seem to have some aptitude for healing, you know. Have you ever thought of becoming a healer.'

Asphodel was amazed. The idea had never crossed her mind.

'I'm not sure I'd make a very good cleric,' she said.

'You don't have to. We have some lay people who help us. Why not come to the temple with me and see the Great Mother there. You can decide then what to do.'

So Asphodel went to see the Great Mother and decided to become a lay healer.

Soon that was not enough, and one night she dreamed of Sylissa.

'Come and join me,' the goddess told her. 'You have great potential. It's wasted here. Join my clerics.'

So after a year in Bluehaven, Asphodel joined the novices at the temple of Sylissa.

All went well during her first year as a novice. Mother Caldo, the Great Mother of the temple praised the young elf, saying she thought she had great potential, and could rise through the ranks quickly. Mother Caldo told Asphodel that she could probably become a Great Mother herself, such was her potential in healing.

'There's just one thing, though,' Mother Caldo said one day, in conversation with one of the archbishops. She sighed. 'The girl is lacking in discipline. Sometimes she seems to think she knows better than her superiors.'

One day, the Great Mother called together all the clerics of the church of Sylissa in Bluehaven. She stood in the pulpit of the temple and began to speak.

'As you all know,' she began, 'the annual meeting of all the Most Highs of all the religions was held recently in Asperilla on Holy Island. There, they decided that all the sickness and other problems that surround us are a punishment by the gods for the evil that we do.'

She looked at the paper before her before continuing.

'The consensus of this meeting was that we should try to eliminate evil from the world. The best way to do this, they said, is to refuse aid to those who perpetrate evil. The discussion, apparently, decided against the active persecution and killing, as this would make us as bad as them. The Most High of Sylissa, therefore, has decreed that we will not give aid or healing to such people.'

She shuffled her papers and left the pulpit. An astounded Asphodel followed her fellow novices from the temple deep in thought.

This cannot be right, she thought. Surely we are supposed to give healing to all comers, regardless of anything they might have done. At least, that's what I understood I was promising when I took my vows.

She listened to her friends talking, and they all seemed to think it was a good idea to eliminate evil in this way, and so she said nothing.

Aspholessaria Part

Asphodel stumbled as she landed in the covered wagon. She lay breathing heavily for a few moments, then she heard a voice and a hand lifted her up.
'You just made it,' said a melodious female voice. 'A few more seconds and you'd have missed us.'
Asphodel looked at the woman who had helped her up and onto a seat. She was wearing white robes tied with a green sash. Asphodel knew this indicated the woman was a vicar and a cleric of Sylissa, the goddess of healing. The woman looked around forty years old and had a few grey hairs just beginning to appear in her dark hair. Her brown eyes had small laughter lines around them and she smiled at Asphodel.
'Thank you for your help,' the elf said. 'It might sound like an odd question, but where is this caravan going to?'
The cleric raised her eyebrows, then replied, 'To Bluehaven ultimately. We pass through a number of other towns though. First we go through several small villages in Erian before we get to the border with Grosmer. There aren't any large towns between Frelli and Grosmer.'
The vicar leaned back in her seat and then asked, 'Where are you going?'
Asphodel sighed. 'Wherever my coin will take me,' she said.
The vicar frowned. 'Running away? What have you done, or who are you running away from?'
Asphodel closed her eyes foe a moment, then opened them and looked straight at her companion.
'I've not done anything. It's what he did.'
The vicar said nothing, but continued to look at Asphodel.
Asphodel paused, then it all came out in a rush. She told the whole story from meeting Vass to him hitting her. Then her eyes filled with tears and she looked away.
The other woman moved across to sit next to the girl. she put her arm around her and said, 'You made a mistake, yes, but we all make mistakes, especially when young. How much did you give the caravan leader?'
When Asphodel told her, she tutted. 'That won't even get you to the border,' she said.
'But Vass saw which caravan I was on. He'll get the next one and come after me, I know it.' Her eyes darted around the wagon as though expecting to see Vass jump out from behind the cloth roof.
The cleric patted her hand. 'Don't worry about than for now,' she said. 'We'll sort something out. The next caravan in this direction isn't for a couple of days. By the way, my name's Trinelli.'
'Asphodel,' replied the elf, not giving her full name as she knew the human woman would have difficulty in pronouncing it.
The caravan stopped for a meal at midday. While they were eating, a man came running up to them.
'Vicar,' he shouted as he approached, 'vicar, please will you come to look at my wife. She's sick.'
Trinelli stood up. 'What seems to be the matter?' she asked.
'She's vomiting and says she feels dizzy,' he said. 'She says that whenever she moves, it feels as if the world is spinning around her.'
Trinelli followed the man to a wagon and went inside. Out of curiosity, Asphodel followed. She stood in the entrance to the covered wagon and watched as Trinelli placed her hands on the woman and prayed to Sylissa.
The cleric's head slumped forward. Asphodel watched as the sick woman's colour began to return. Trinelli, at the same time, became paler. Asphodel almost thought she could see something flowing from Trinelli to the woman, but then she decided she was imagining it.
When they left the wagon, and received the man's grateful thanks, Asphodel had to support Trinelli back to their wagon. The older woman rested for a while, then, as the wagons began to move once more, she seemed to be back to her normal self.
'What happened there?' Asphodel asked her.
'The healing?'
Asphodel nodded.
'Well. I prayed to Sylissa. She used me as a conduit to send her healing power into the woman.'
'But it was more than that, wasn't it?'
'Yes. When I--or any of us--heals someone, the goddess sends her power, but it also takes some of our life essence to work. That's why we're always tired after healing.'
'I thought I saw something going from you to her,' Asphodel said. 'I couldn't have, though, could I? What you give her is invisible.'
Trinelli looked sharply at the young elf. She frowned,
'You shouldn't have been able to see anything,' she told her, and she shook her head. 'I don't know what this means, but I need to think about it.'
The caravan stopped for the night. The caravan leader came to Asphodel and told her that her money had only given her passage to the next village. The girl looked frightened.
'I have this ring.' She reluctantly held out the ring she had picked up before leaving. 'It was my grandmother's. I think it's valuable.'
Trinelli turned to the caravan leader.
'You can't take her grandmother's ring,' she scolded him. 'It's valuable enough to take her to Bluehaven and half-way back again.'
'Well, she can't have free passage.' He shrugged. 'She has nothing else. Seems it's the ring or she leaves next stop.'
Trinelli fumbled in her purse and withdrew several gold crowns and a sovereign, which she handed over to the man/
'Here. This should pay her fare to Bluehaven.'
The man took the coins and left.
'I can't let you pay for me,' Asphodel protested. 'That's a lot of money. When we get to a town, I'll sell my ring and pay you back, I promise.'
Trinelli smiled at the young girl.
'You'll do no such thing. If you want to pay me back you can help me when I go to heal people. People are always getting sick or hurt on these journeys. Your help will be worth more to me than coin. I'm going to Bluehaven, to the temple there, so I paid enough for you to get there too.'

Has Asphodel has found a means to get far enough away from Vass? How can she help a healer? She's been brought up as one of the privileged classes in Elven society. How can she help a healer when she has no idea of healing?

To find out more about Asphodel's later adventures, read The Wolves of Vimar Series. 

Here are the links.
http://mybook.to/thewolfpack
http://mybook.to/NeverDying
 

Aspholessaria

Asphodel held the ring tightly in her hand. Her mother had given it to her not long before she left Rindisillaron. It had been her grandmother's ring and she felt an emotional attachment to it.

Although elves lived long lives in comparison with humans, they did not, contrary to popular belief, live forever, nor were they immune from diseases that ravaged the world of Vimar. Her grandmother had succumbed to one of these diseases the previous year. She wanted Asphodel to have her engagement ring as a keepsake.

Now, Asphodel clutched the ring as she wept for what she knew would never be. Vass had become addicted to the drugs and alcohol that his so-called friends had plied him with. He would never make the fortune he had promised her. All his money, and hers, had gone on his own addiction and not to selling the goods to others.

Asphodel did not approve of his work as a drug dealer, but now he was not a dealer, but an addict. She needed to get away.

She packed her few belongings and searched the apartment for anything she could sell, and for some food. She packed it all into the pack she had carried away from Quatissillaron when she and Vass had eloped. She paused to think for a moment before opening it again and taking out half of the food. She could not leave Vass with nothing.

The few objects she had stuffed in, she left there. After all, Vass had plenty money with her jewellery. How he chose to use it was up to him. She blew her nose, looked round the apartment that now looked presentable after all her efforts and walked out of the door.

She looked both ways along the street. A few people were going about their business, but they took no notice of a girl coming out of her apartment. Vass was nowhere in sight. Asphodel supposed he had gone to sell her jewellery. The jeweller's shop was to the right, so she went left in the direction of her workplace.

It was dark on the street and Asphodel felt a little afraid as she walked. Where could she go? Perhaps her employer would allow her to spend the night there, then she could go and see if she could find a caravan going away from Frelli. If she could find her way to the caravanserai through the winding, spiral streets of the city.

She found herself outside her place of work. Lights gleamed from the upstairs windows. She knocked on the door.

A head appeared from the window upstairs.

'Yes? What do you want? We're closed now. Come back tomorrow.'

The Krommel, the scribe, was pulling his head back inside when Asphodel stepped into the light cast by his window.

'Asphodel,' he gasped. 'What are you doing her at this time of night? Wait, I'll be down in a sec.'
After no more than half a minute, the door opened and Krommel beckoned the girl inside. She entered into the room where they did the copying ever day, but Krommel led her upstairs to where the family lived.

As soon as she entered the room, Krommel's wife, a plump woman of around forty years of age, noticed her bruises.

'Oh, my dear, what happened?' she exclaimed. 'Let me tend to your injuries. Sit down over there.'
While she bustled around finding things that would ease the bruising on Asphodel's face, Krommel handed her a bowl of stew and a spoon. The girl ate gratefully.

After she had finished and the curious children been sent to bed, Asphodel explained what had happened.

'I need to get away,' she said. 'I'm sure Vass will try to find me. I need to go a long way away. I can't go back to him.'

She put her head in her hands and wept.

Krommel's wife put her arms around the young elf.

'Of course you can't,' she said. 'Men who hit women never change. Oh, they say they're sorry and perhaps they are, but then the drink and drugs will take over again and it will keep on happening.'

'I still love him,' said Asphodel, raising her tear-streaked face. 'I don't know why, after what he's done. Not only to me, but to others by selling them drugs. He started selling before he started taking them. I know if I saw him, and he asked me, I'd go back to him. That's why I need to get right away.'

Krommel smiled.

'I'll be sorry to lose you, girl,' he told her, 'but I agree. You must go away. Do you have money?'

She nodded. 'A little. I've also got a ring I can sell until I find some other employment.'

'Well, you must have your pay for what you've done since your last pay packet,' Krommel told her, walking over to a safe in the wall.

He returned with a pouch of money and handed it over.

'There's more here than you owe me,' Asphodel said.

'Take it. I can afford to give you a bonus.'

Asphodel thanked him and stashed the pouch away into her pack.

The next morning, Krommel told one of his sons to escort Asphodel to the caravanserai. Asphodel was glad of his company and guidance as she knew she would never have found it on her own. It lay just inside the walls to the west.

The lad said goodbye, and Asphodel rummaged in her pack and found a small coin to give him. He thanked her and quickly disappeared into the crowds now gathering in the caravanserai.

Which one to take? There were several that looked ready to leave. suddenly, Asphodel saw, through the crowds, a familiar figure. Vass. He looked angry as he pushed people aside. His head turned this way and that, looking.

How had he found out where she was? Had Krommel told him? No, her former employer wouldn't have done, she was certain of that. Perhaps he had just guessed. Then he spotted her. He reached into his pocket and gave something to a small figure. It was Krommel's son. Vass had bribed the child into saying where he'd taken her. She could not blame the child. No one had told him not to tell Vass.

She looked around anxiously. A caravan was just about to leave. Asphodel rushed over and asked the leader if she could join.

'We're just leaving,' he said as the wagons rolled forward. 'Do you have coin?'

'I have some. Just take me as far as this will allow.'

The man took the coin and Asphodel jumped into the last wagon and watched as Vass's figure grew smaller and smaller.

Where will Asphodel's coin take her? Can she escape from Vass?

Aspholessaria

The days passed. Asphodel worked and Vass went out with the people he called his friends. One day he brought them home with him. Asphodel did not like them and after they had gone, she told him so. Vass laughed at her and said that it did not matter. They would get them money and riches.

'When, Vass?' Asphodel asked him. 'I see little coming in yet.'

Then one say, about a week later, he placed a bag of coins on the table.

'I told you I'd get money, Asphodel, didn't I?' he said.

'Where has this come from?' she asked. 'There's as much here as I earn in two days.'

'Ah, from selling stuff,' he replied.

'Selling what?'

'Stuff.'

'Where did you get it from? You didn't steal it did you?'

'Steal?' Vass's eyes widened. 'Why would you think I stole it?'

Asphodel walked to the table and picked up the bag.

'Because I can't think of what you had to sell that would bring this much money,' she told him.
She put the bag down again.

'I need to know where you got the 'stuff' you sold, Vass.'

Vass turned away from her and stomped to a chair.

'You sound like my mother, Asphodel. My friends gave it to me to sell. They took some of the money and I had the rest. Now give it a rest. We've money for the rent with some left over. I'm going out again.'

And with that he strode from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Asphodel worried. She worried about where the money came from and what Vass had been given to sell, and she worried about Vass himself. He seemed to be changing. He was out much of the time and when he was in he was not as loving as he had been.

Asphodel waited, and waited, and waited. She went to bed. In the early hours of the morning she heard the door open and Vass came in. He was full of energy and sat on the bed.

'That was the most amazing evening, Asphodel,' he told her. 'We went all over the city and my friends took me to some places I'd never have been able to find without them there were lots of taverns hidden in back streets and I couldn't have got back on my own.'

Vass paused to take a breath. Asphodel rubbed her eyes and sat up.

'One tavern had a bear in a cage at the back and you'd never believe what it could do and they had a talking bird--I don't know what kind, but it was colourful--it was swearing like a...a...oh, I don't know. Someone who swears a lot.'

'Vass,' said Asphodel, 'slow down. I can hardly make sense of what you're saying.'

Vass laughed. It was almost a giggle. He stood up and began to jump around the room like a child.

'Oh, I feel so great, Assy. I could do anything. I can't sleep. Come out with me.'

'Vass, I need to sleep. I've got to go to work tomorrow.'

'Oh pish to your work. I can earn enough for us both. Look, I've got a bag of money here.'

He pulled a rather thin bag out of his pocket and put it on the table. He looked crestfallen for a moment, then he laughed.

'Oh, look. I seem to have spent it all. I wonder how that happened?'

Asphodel got back into bed and turned over.

'Asphodel, come out with me, please.'

The girl took no notice of him and so he eventually left once more, picking up the meagre money pouch as he went.

This went on for several weeks. Vass had initially been selling grimlo, a powerful drug. Then one night his friends has persuaded him to try some himself.

'After all, you need to know what you're selling to the punters,' one of them said.

Soon Vass was spending more money on buying the drug for his own use than he was getting from the sales. His 'friends' demanded their share of the sales, but Vass did not have enough to pay them for the drugs he bought from them. He was also drinking heavily.

One day, he came to Asphodel and demanded she give him money.

'Vass, you've been spending money we can't afford on your drinking and, I suspect, drugs too. That was the 'stuff' you were selling, wasn't it?'

Vass looked her in the eye.

'What if it was? It got us money, didn't it? We needed money too.'

Asphodel sighed.

'Vass,' she said, 'you've not brought any money in for an age and you've spent all my earnings. I don't have any money. We are in debt and are likely to be thrown out of this hovel because we have no money to pay the rent.'

Vass narrowed his eyes.

'Then give me some of your precious jewellery to sell. I can get some more grimlo from my friends and sell it for more than a necklace is worth. That'll get the rent and more.'

Asphodel reluctantly handed over one of her gold necklaces and Vass left. She left soon afterwards for her own work.

Later that day, when she arrived home, she found Vass sitting on a chair in the apartment. He looked at her as she came through the door.

'I need some more jewellery,' he said abruptly. No greeting nor kiss.

'Where's the money you promised when I gave you the last piece?' demanded Asphodel.

Vass made no reply, but stood up and walked over to her.

'I need some more,' he said. 'That wasn't enough. I needed to pay my friends for what I've already had. Now I need money to get more.'

Asphodel looked him in the eye.

'Well, you're not getting it from me. You've spent all my cash and my wages and are now spending my jewellery. You aren't going to sell any grimlo, are you? You'll buy some more from your so-called friends and use it yourself. You're addicted, Vass. Those people saw you coming. They trapped you nicely. Get you to start off selling the stuff and promise great riches, then they get you to try it yourself, and bam! you're addicted and spending all your, no my, money making them rich.'

Vass's eyes blazed.

'Give me your jewellery.'

He reached towards the cupboard where the jewellery was kept.

Asphodel stood in front of it.

'No!'

Vass raised his hand and swiped Asphodel across the face, then he punched her in the stomach and left her doubled over in agony as he reached into the cupboard and took the pouch of jewellery. As he stormed out of the room, a ring fell from the pouch and Asphodel crawled over to pick it up.

Aspholessaria

Once in the village, the pair found an inn where they booked a room for three nights. Vass said if there were work in this village they would see about finding a more permanent place to stay, if not, they would need to move on. After all, their money and Asphodel's jewellery would not last for ever.
Asphodel left Vass in the inn bar talking to some of the villagers about work. She made her way to a herbalist.

'Do you have any herbs to prevent pregnancy?' she asked the old woman who seemed to be in charge of the shop.

'Is it for you?' the old woman said, peering over her glasses.

When Asphodel answered in the affirmative, the old woman looked at her sharply.
'Are you married?' she asked.

Asphodel blushed and looked down at her feet. 'Why do you ask?' she said.

'Because I don't encourage promiscuity. I don't sell to unmarried women and girls.'

'Y-yes,' lied the girl. 'We were married in Quantissillaron just before we came here.'

'Hmm.' The old woman peered again at Asphodel, then said, 'I'll have to believe you. I don't know anything about elves so I can't tell if you're lying or not.' She turned round and reached up to a box on a shelf behind her. She weighed out some of the herbs then reached for another box. From this one she added a different herb. She put them into a pestle and began mixing them together.

When she had finished, she took a small pot and poured the herbs into it, then fastened a lid over the top.

'Take a tea made with one spoonful of the mixture each evening and you will have no trouble with pregnancy,' she said. 'You have enough there to last you for three or four weeks, but don't forget you need to take it every evening.'

Asphodel handed over the money the old woman demanded than almost ran back to the inn.
Vass laughed when she told him she had got the herbs, and almost rushed her up the stairs to their room.

They did not find any work in the village, and so they left after their second night at the inn. Vass thought they should go to Frelli, the capital of Erian. There would be more work there, he reasoned, and so they set off once again.

It took them a sixday to reach Frelli. The capitol city was in a wide valley in the Mountains of Doom, not too far from the border with Grosmer. in days gone by, there had been many wars and skirmishes fought between the two neighbouring countries and Frelli had developed into more of a fortification than a city.

From the Erian side, it appeared as a normal city, with surrounding walls it, but on the Grosmer side, the valley narrowed and the walls had been built across the valley, completely barring access.

Asphodel and Vass approached form the Erian side, of course, and so did not see the forbidding approach from Grosmer. They passed through the gate into a city of streets that seemed to wind around in a spiral towards a castle with a high tower.

'So this is Frelli,' Asphodel said, as they searched for an inn. 'I'm not sure I like it very much. Not much in the way of trees is there.'

Vass shrugged. 'We can stay here for a while and make some money, then we can go somewhere you'd like better, if that's what you want.'

Asphodel smiled. 'Yes, I'd like that. Somewhere where the wildlife can flourish, Perhaps a little farm somewhere.'

Vas put his arm round her. 'I know nothing of farming,' he told her, 'but if that's what you want, I'll learn.'

The pair found an inn, and the next morning set off to try to find work. Asphodel quickly found a scribe who was looking for someone who could read and write. His last clerk had left the previous week. Vass, on the other hand, found work more difficult to come by. He had no skills required by the businesses in Frelli.

'Couldn't you get something as a labourer?' Asphodel asked him one evening.

'What? Get myself filthy? Darling, I don't want to come home to you dirty.' He lifted up a lock of her black hair and kissed it. 'I have more respect for you than to expect you to live with someone who's dirty.'

'But you could get washed, Vass. I would barely see you dirty.'

Vass looked at her. 'Asphodel, the labourers end up with the dirt ingrained in their skin and hard hands. I don't want you to have to put up with callused hands on your beautiful skin.'

Asphodel sighed. She argued no further but thought she would not mind as long as the hands belonged to Vass.

Vass left again the following morning to look for work and for somewhere for them to live. After all they could not live at the inn. It would be far too expensive. Asphodel left soon afterwards to begin her new job at the scribe's office. At the end of the day, she rushed back to the inn to tell Vass about her day. He told her he had not looked for a job that day, but had found them somewhere to live. He had put down a deposit and they could move in immediately.

Asphodel was delighted they had somewhere to live, but said, ' Why didn't you wait until I came home before you took it. I'd have liked to have a say in where we're going to live.'

Vas put his arms round her and said, 'Asphodel, my darling, I daren't wait. The place might have gone by the time you got home. There aren't many places to rent in this city, you know. I had to make a decision straight away.'

They gathered their meagre goods and, after eating a last meal at the inn, went to the apartment Vass had found.

Asphodel was appalled. It was in the poorest quarter of the city with rats running around in the filthy street. The apartment itself was one room. It had a filthy rug in the centre of the room and a sofa that looked as if it had been dragged in from the rubbish tip. It, too. was filthy. There was a greasy sink in one corner of the room, and a fireplace with an oven at the side. In the fireplace were ashes left from several fires.

As she stood there, not believing that Vass could have agreed to rent this place, a cockroach ran across her feet.

'Vass, this is awful,' she told him. 'We can't live here.'

'It'll only be until I find work and we can then get something better. Darling, we can't afford anything better at the moment.'

'I suppose it won't be too bad if I can get it clean. I'll start now. It's a good job we ate before we left the inn. I wouldn't like to eat anything that had been cooked in here.'

Vass told her he would only be in her way if he stayed. He was not very good at cleaning, he said, so he would go out.

Asphodel spent the evening cleaning. She did not get everything to her liking, but it was better than before. She killed at least two dozen cockroaches, and went out to buy mousetraps as she felt sure there must be mice there.

A large cupboard stood next to the sink, and this she filled with cleaning products and then she cleaned out a small cupboard with a mesh front for food. The bed she could do little about, but she determined to wash the sheets the next day. They had access to a small garden at the back of the house and she thought she could wash the sheets before she went to work the next day and with any luck they would be dry when she got home. The mattress she could do little about that night, but decided that one of the first things she would do would be to go out and sell some of her jewellery and buy a new one.

Vass turned up just before the eighteenth hour of the day. (On Vimar, the day began at sunrise on the equinoxes, 6am, and so it was the middle of the hours of darkness when Vass arrived home.)
Asphodel brushed a strand of hair from over her eyes and stopped cleaning the fireplace.

'You're late,' she said.

'S-sorry,' stammered Vass. 'I meeted, no, met, shome blokes in the tavern.' He staggered. 'They shtold me all shorts of shtuff. Oh, I feel shick.'

He rushed to the sink and was sick.

'That'sh better,' he said, collapsing on the bed.

'Vass, you're drunk!' Asphodel said, but he was already snoring.

The next weeks followed a similar pattern. Asphodel cleaned before and after work and Vass went out to meet his new friends. Each evening he came home drunk. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
One evening Vass did not arrive home at all. Asphodel was at last satisfied with what she had done to the apartment and had been out and bought some flowers and put them on the table. she cooked a meal with what they could afford and waited for Vass to arrive.

The meal got cold, then congealed. Asphodel threw it away. The night crept on and Asphodel fell asleep on a chair. She worried that Vass had gone somewhere else in Frelli and had got lost in the maze of streets. The layout of the city was confusing. It appeared to be straightforward, with the roads spiralling towards the castle, but in reality it was a maze.

Just as she woke, the door opened to admit Vass. She had dark circles beneath her eyes from worry and lack of sleep.

'Asphodel,' Vass said, taking her in his arms. 'You look awful. so tired.' He ran a finger over her eyes. 'You mustn't go to work today, but sleep to get your beauty back.'

Asphodel yawned and pushed him away.

'I must,' she told him. 'You've no job and we need money. You're spending what I earn drinking with your friends.'

Vass laughed. 'I'm investing it,' he replied. 'My friends can get me work. I need to keep on their good sides though, so I must drink with them.'

'What sort of work? Your 'friends' don't seem to do very much.'

Vass tapped the side of his nose.

'I can say nothing, yet,' he told her. 'I need to sort a few things out first, but be assured, I'll soon have more money than you've ever dreamed of.'

Asphodel turned to the door. Then she turned as she left and said, 'I've never dreamed of money, Vass. Just you.'

Aspholessaria

At first they passed through the forest Asphodel knew. she had not been far away from Quantissarillishon, but had played in the forest around as she grew up. She knew the little streams and the tall trees. She could tell Vass which ones were the best to climb and which were almost impossible. She laughed as she pointed out one where Liss had got stuck when he climbed up too high. He was there for several hours until his father came and helped him down.

They held hands as they walked, and did not stop even to eat. Asphodel took out some food she had pilfered from her mother's pantry and they ate as they walked. Vass said they needed to get as far away as possible. Although Asphodel's parents were away for a few days, Vass was unsure how long Liss's parents would wait before becoming anxious. Certaily they would not worry until after nightfall, but would they be anxious then when he did not return for the night. He suspected they would. After all, he was their responsibility while staying with them.

The darkness began to creep in and Asphodel shivered.

'Are you cold?' asked Vass.

Asphodel shook her head. 'No, not really,' she told him. 'It's just that the forest seems different at night.'

'Haven't you been out in the forest at night before?'

'My parents are very protective. I'm a girl, after all, and not expected to go adventuring in the forest.'

Vass stopped in a clearing through which a little stream ran.

'We can stay here for the night,' he said. 'We'll need a fire, though. You get water from the stream while I gather wood.'

When Asphodel got back from the stream, she found Vass cutting the turf in the little clearing to make a circle.

'What are you doing?' she asked him.

'Preparing a hearth for our fire. We can't risk setting fire to the forest.'

Asphodel sat down and watched with interest. After cutting the turf and setting it aside to replace after they had finished with the fire, Vass picked up a stone from a pile he had collected. They were fairly large and he built a ring around the hearth.

He picked up some dry leaves and placed them in the centre of the hearth before laying some small twigs over the top or them. Once he had everything prepared, he took a small metal box from his pack. When he opened it, he removed, a piece of steel. and a small sharpened piece of flint which he struck against the steel. Inside the box was some tinder and when the sparks from the steel fell onto it, it began to smoulder. Vass then blew gently and, taking a wooden splint, he lit it and applied it to the dry leaves.

'Asphodel, can you blow gently on the leaves to get them burning while I put out the tinder in the tinderbox and pack it away?'

Asphodel was only too pleased to comply, and as the small twigs caught fire, she fed some slightly larger ones onto the fire. Vass took over then, gradually adding larger pieces of wood until he had a hearty blaze going.

'There, that should keep us safe tonight,' he said, sitting back on his heels. 'Wild animals won't come near fire.'

Asphodel looked around the clearing, fear showing in her eyes. She had not thought of wild animals, but of course, there would be bears, wolves and wild boar at the least. She realised how unprepared she was for t his adventure.

Vass smiled at her. 'They won't come near the fire, I promise you,' he repeated.

'What if the fire goes out while we're sleeping?'

'We must take it in turns to watch it. It's not like having a full night's sleep, and we'll be more tired tomorrow, but it's necessary. I'd let you sleep, but I need some too.'

He reached over and pulled her to him, kissing her passionately. Asphodel pulled away.

'What's wrong? Don't you want me?'

Asphodel looked at him. 'I'm here, aren't I? Would I be here if I didn't want you?'

'Well, why are you pulling away?'

'Firstly, I'm a bit afraid. I've never...you know. Then, what if I become pregnant?'

Vass frowned. 'Surely you knew what would happen if you came away with me? I want us to be married, but there's no need to wait. We're not in Quantisarillishon now.'

'Oh, Vass, I'm worried about the pregnancy thing. I know elves expect youngsters to experiment, and it's not really frowned on, but illegitimacy is. We're expected to make sure we don't get pregnant.'

Vass lay down on his blankets and turned over. 'Take the first watch,' he snapped. 'I'll relieve you in a bit, and don't let the fire go out.'

Asphodel's eyes filled with tears that she quickly brushed away. She was not going to let Vass's anger upset her. This was their first quarrel, and undoubtedly they would have many more over their long lifetimes. She would get used to it, she determined, and not let it get to her.

After a while, she felt her eyes closing. She stood up and walked around the clearing, gathering some more wood to put on the fire as it seemed to her to be getting low. The walking cleared her head a little, and as she sat down again, Ullin, the silver moon, broke through the clouds above the clearing turning everything silvery. Asphodel smiled. Ullin was full, and seemed to be smiling.

He seems to approve of my running away with Vass, she thought.

Just then, Vass woke and told her to get some sleep. He would tend the fire now.

The next morning, when Asphodel woke, Vass was putting the fire out. He removed the stones by kicking them out of the way. They were still hot. Then Asphodel watched as he replaced the turf he had cut away. Soon it would be difficult to see anyone had lit a fire here.

Vass said little as they ate some stale bread and cheese, not as they walked hand in hand towards what they hoped was the Erian border.

'Vass, what's wrong?' Asphodel asked him after an hour of silent walking.

'I told you last night. I'm going mad being this near you all night and not being able to make love to you.'

Asphodel sighed. So he was still angry at that. She stopped walking and looked at him.

'You can wait, Vass, surely. We'll have all our lives to make love as much as we want once I can get herbs to stop pregnancy.'

Vass looked at her through narrowed eyes. 'Are you regretting coming away with me?'

Was she? She could turn back now. Perhaps her parents had not come home from Daisy's yet. and would not know of her escapade If they did know they would be angry, yes. Very angry. She would undoubtedly be punished severely, but they would forgive her. Frishillondor was not too bad. He was quite good looking for a man her father's age, and he seemed kind. She might get to love him, eventually.

'Well?' Vass spoke sharply.

Asphodel looked at him and her stomach did a somersault. This was the man she loved. She had every right to be with him.

'I left my home and family because I love you, Vass. I would go anywhere to be with you. I regret nothing.'

'Then why wait for us to make love? You know elves have few babies. We're not a very fertile species, unlike humans. It would be very unlikely you would become pregnant before we could get married.'

Her grey eyes took on a steely glint.

'Unlikely isn't impossible, Vass. My mother had two babies whereas most elves only have one. We are of House Royal, and you know there are twins in the Royal line. We are more fertile than most elves. I'm not risking it.'

Vass relapsed into silence and they continued walking. Then he suddenly turned to her and said,
'You are a most stubborn girl, Aspholessaria.' He softened his words with a smile and bent to kiss her gently.

Three days passed as they walked through the forest. There had been no sign of pursuit, nor any dangers from the denizens of the forest, either. Vass had been right about the fire keeping wild beasts away. After these three days, the trees thinned and then they met a track leading westwards. They followed it and soon saw smoke rising from chimneys in a small human village.

'We must be in Erian,' exclaimed Vass. 'At last. Now you can go and seek out those herbs you were talking about.'

'One track mind,' laughed Asphodel and she ran ahead into the village.

Aspholessaria Part 3

Asphodel left the house, tears streaming down her face. She would go to Vass. He would have a solution to this. She could not, would not marry this man. He was old, in spite of what her father said. It was wrong to force someone to marry against their will. It was one thing if the two people both agreed to the arrangement, but she did not agree. She loved Vass. If she married Frishillondor she would never be able to see Vass again. she could not bear that thought.

She ran down the path leading to where he was staying with his cousin, Liss. It so happened that the two young men were just leaving the house. Vass ran to Asphodel and took her in his arms.

'Oh, my darling, what's the matter?' he said, stroking her long black hair.

Asphodel stopped sobbing now she was in Vass's arms and leaned her head against his chest.

'Vass, it's terrible. Father has arranged a marriage for me with a man who himself is old enough to be my father. I told father I won't marry him and ran out of the house. He'll be so angry. He'll make me marry Frishillondor, I just know it.'

Vass pushed the girl away from him, holding her by her shoulders and looked down into her grey eyes, no longer clear as the usually were. He smiled at her.

'Asphodel, I swear I won't let this marriage go ahead. I love you and you love me. It's right we should be together, and this marriage is all wrong.'

'But what are we going to do? I know we should be together, Vass, and somehow I'll make sure we will be. I don't know how, just yet, but whatever happens, I won't marry this man.'

Asphodel's tears had stopped. She clenched her fists pressed her lips together and looked up at Vass. She saw his smile and her heart beat faster. Yes, this was the right man for her, not Frishillondor.

'You don't much like being told what to do, do you?' Vass said.

'It's not that,' replied the girl. 'What I don't like is being told to do something I know is wrong, and I won't do it.'

Vass turned to Liss.

'Do you think your parents will let Asphodel stay here for tonight?' he asked his cousin.

Liss shrugged. 'It might not be easy to persuade them. After all, they would be likely to agree with Asphodel's parents, that it's her duty to marry the man they choose for her.'

The three walked through Quantissarillishon thinking and occasionally putting forward ideas. Eventually they decided they would have to lie about why Asphodel wanted to stay with them overnight.

As it began to get dark, the trio made their way back to Liss's parent's home. Liss's mother was preparing the evening meal as they entered.

'Ah, there you are,' she greeted them. 'Did you have a nice walk?' she turned to Liss.
'Your father will be home soon, so go and get washed. And you, too, Vass.' Then she looked at Asphodel.

'Would you like to stay for the evening meal, Asphodel? If you're sure your parents won't mind.'
Asphodel looked at Vass who smiled at his aunt.

'No, they won't mind. In fact they won't even know until Asphodel tells them. They've gone away to stay with her sister for a few days.'

'That's settled then. You'll stay to eat with us.'

She returned to chopping up vegetables when she suddenly stopped and, brushing her hair from her eyes, she said, 'I've just had an idea. How long are your parents going to be away for?'

This took Asphodel by surprise. She had not thought this question might be asked.

'O-Oh, er. I don't know. Daisy, that's Dassirrola, my sister, is expecting a baby any day and I think they'll stay until she's had it.'

Vass looked at her and raised his eyebrows. Asphodel looked back at him and gave a little nod to say that it was the truth she told about her sister.

'Oh, I understand that,' said Liss's mother. 'Your mother is so lucky having two of you. That's rare in elvenkind. Most of us have to make do with one child.'

She picked up her knife again and resumed her chopping before continuing.
'What I was going to say was; would you like to stay here while your parents are away? It'll be lonely for you at home by yourself.

Vass almost broke out laughing, and Liss's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. How easy it had turned out to be after all. No arguing a case for Asphodel to stay after all. His kind-hearted mother had done it for them.

The next morning, Vass took Asphodel out to walk in the forest outside the city.

Once there, he took her hand and said, 'I hardly slept last night, darling. I was thinking and thinking how we can be together and I came to the conclusion there is only one way. We must run away.'
Asphodel stopped and looked at him. 'Run away? Run to where? Wherever we go in Rindissillaron they'll find us.'

'Not to anywhere in Rindissillaron. This is a big continent. We could go to Erian. They'd not find us there. But we must go quickly. Your parents will be already looking for you. First they'll think you stayed with Sissi and not worry, but this evening they'll begin asking. It won't take them long before they think of looking here. We should go tonight, or at the latest, tomorrow morning.'

Asphodel walked to the edge of a small brook that ran through the forest.

'Leave Rindissillaron?'

'Yes.'

'I've never lived anywhere but here in Quantissarillishon.'

'Then it'll be an exciting adventure for you. It's the only way I can think of that we can be together.'
Asphodel turned to face Vass.

'Then we'll go. I have a few jewels and a little money. If I can get them without my parents seeing me, then I will. We'll need money.'

'I've a little money too. Not much, but I can work, and you can read and write so you can get a job as a scribe, I expect. We'll get along just fine.'

'I don't speak Erian, do you?'

Vass laughed. 'No, but we're both intelligent people and we learned Elvish, didn't we? How hard can it be to learn Erian?'

Asphodel laughed and Vass picked her up and spun her round.

'Here's to our new life in a new country,' he said