*Ch 17* The call of a night-bird woke him, or perhaps movement from one of the sleeping horses. The warmth of Kamesh lying spoon-fashion in front of him, the weight of his cape, was the first thing Sandik was aware of. He noticed how she filled this small world, the physical presence of the sleeping dancer in his arms. _So close. She always seems a little insubstantial when she's awake, all movement, light and fire._ He could imagine her face (_His face. Remember._), slim, intelligent hazel e...

*Wine & Tears* *Ch 14* Battalion commander Makandesh strode down the hall, the intermittent illumination of the candles in the sconces making the shadowed lines of anger dance, turning his face into a demon mask. Flinging open a reinforced wooden door, he entered the office with considerable energy. He pushed one side of a heavy armchair, turning it toward the desk where his second-in command sat. Stripping off his jacket, he threw it over another chair and sat with considerably more force th...

*Wine & Tears* *Ch 16* “How many men are there?” Sandik took charge, snapping out the question. The newcomer, Kal, responded to the authority in the soldier's voice. “Don't know. I seed mebbe 7, but I thinks there's more. Not many more, but.” “Tell us everything you can.” “I were coming back from th' privy when I heared 'orses, an' hid. They rid up, an' broke apart, sending some up 'round th' back, so's they cud see 'twixt th' houses. Then one stopped wid th' 'orses, and four o' em went busti...

*Wine & Tears* *Ch 15* Drojendrik felt as if he was being watched. He scanned the shadowy low roofed hall, broken on both sides with recessed doors. It was lit with small cups of ghee in which floated tiny boats holding wicks. They sat flickering in shallow niches in the plastered walls. Here and there would be a cup placed by a door. Looking both ways, Drojen could see three nearby doors with lights, several more in the dim distance in either direction. Most of the doors were unlit, the room...

These are maps for the story Wine & Tears. This is the plains of Saran. Saran is an empire, and Saran as a region is the southern plateau, but the plains have long been in their possession. Saran is in the southern hemisphere. !http://www.cats.oceandrop.org/saran_plains.jpg! http://www.cats.oceandrop.org/saran_plains.jpg The site of most of the early action in the story is Pujin, the region of the eastern plains. It is a relatively dry area, particularly toward the east. The Sindhal region to...

Kamesh felt a measure of relief as he slid into the hot water. _I'm glad my secret is out. I don't like pretending with people I like. It makes things too awkward. I hope Sandik gets over his hissy-fit._ Kamesh giggled a little at the way the soldier's irritation had visibly settled as he ate. _Men really are affected by their stomachs. Feed them well, and trouble subsides._ It was probably eating that led Sandik to tell him about this spot. This place was lovely; the sound of the river, the...

*Wine & Tears* *Ch 11* Nilara aimed for stillness as she went through a cycle of breath/body relaxation, resisting the impulse to clench her jaw. She knew the other Nagas in Council, equally trained at observation of minor emotional cues, would see the muscle movement as clearly as a watchman would see a signal fire. As the only woman here, she was already under enough pressure. If Tendrith were here, Chendarig and the other men would not be so overt in dismissing her, but the representative ...

*Wine & Tears* *Ch 12* By the time Sandik reached the camp, he had picked up and thrown enough stones, had broken enough branches, that he'd regained a measure of control. He'd walked away from Kamesh, emotions running far too high to trust his temper. Pulling his pack out of the leaves, he slammed it on the ground in the clearing with enough force to realise that while he was still this angry, it was better to leave it alone. No point in damaging his equipment. Some small part of his mind st...

*Wine & Tears* *Ch 11* In the city of Vasunantang, Nilara tapped her pinky against her thigh under the table, working hard not to betray her anger. The level of disrespect she felt might have been tolerable from the division commanders. The military of Saran had been kept itself as a boys club. But she expected better from her fellow Naga. Women in the Nagas were in the minority, but they clearly demonstrated they were every bit as proficient as men, both in fighting and in magic. Though the ...

*Wine & Tears* *Ch 10* Without the warmth of another body beside him, the chill of early morning drove Kamesh out of bed to gather kindling, and blow the coals to life. He'd slept poorly, a consequence of the jagged edges of his conscience poking at his heart. His mind turned inward as he did morning tasks, unaware of the solemn beauty as the light hit the treetops above him on the cliff and began to work it's way down across the stony face, painting it in shades of ochre and sienna. Putting ...