Due to a cold I’ve caught this week, I’m going to cheat a little bit and post some snippets from a few choice books of mine, because I don’t think anyone wants to have to read something I write while I have a cold…it’d be very incoherent, trust me. Then again, I don’t know if anyone wants to read anything I’ve written at any time… But I try to post once a week and I just hated to miss a week, cold or not, so snippets it is. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ More Blue than Sky
(Colors of a Dragon Scale Series)     Bryth stood up and made her way down the cave to the entrance. There she stopped and looked out at the rainy world. It was foggy out but clearly late morning. The sprinkles dripped merrily from the sky and atop the leaves, tapping down onto the ground as if in a dance with the woods.
    Bryth had never liked rain. She felt like it was pouring on her out of malice. She had always thought everything bad that happened to her was from spite, that everyone and everything in the world had a great distaste for her and tried to make life as miserable for her as it could. Living out in the woods and streets made rain even more dreadful. Yet hearing it now and its constant patters actually made her feel good. The cave was cozy and the morning felt pleasant somehow. The rain was helpful and cleansing, instead of cruel and spiteful like she had always seen it.
    Bryth felt Reshin’s presence and soon the dragon was standing at the entrance next to her. "It is rather nice out there, isn’t it?" she asked the dragon.
    She could feel Reshin’s smile.
    "I never really take the time to enjoy simple things," Bryth sighed. "I am always so caught up in what my next meal will be, making sure I am not rusty on my fighting skills, trying to survive; it just never occurred to me that the world is actually sometimes a very lovely place."
    Reshin set her head against her rider’s shoulder and hummed lightly.
    "I wish it could always be this way," Bryth went on. "Just quiet and peaceful; no one around to bother us, no one to take away our joy. Just this." She looked out for a moment more before turning back around, not wanting to look at the rain anymore. "But the world is nothing like this," she murmured. "Beyond this quiet spot, children are starving on the streets like I once was, evil men are running around doing harm, people are dying and being tortured, and war is spreading. No matter how it seems, nothing is really peaceful."
    Reshin brought up her head and studied her rider for a long while. Finally, she shook her head at what Bryth said. Bryth sensed what she was trying to tell her, though it puzzled the elf. You can always have peace if you just look in the right direction. ~~~     "Perhaps we should have waited until morning," Eryth said as they drew closer, now feeling uneasy. "From our time here, I have noticed that even at night the region is still quite alive. I am not sure anyone ever sleeps."
    "They like the darkness," Bryth said, as if it was a common knowledge.
    "Like the darkness? Who?" Eryth found this most unnerving.
    "The thieves, rogues, bandits, all of them. Darkness covers them with protection from their wrong doings. The sun just beams down as if to expose them."
    Eryth did not like Bryth’s tone; she spoke as if she knew this from personal experience. She wrapped her cloak around her even though the air was warm. "Do you like the darkness, Bryth?" she then questioned quietly.
    Bryth just walked through the flat fields, staring straight ahead. Eryth was wondering if she was ever going to answer. But finally she did. "I think I am trapped into liking it," she sighed, still looking forward. "It’s somewhat…" she hesitated for a moment, "consuming."
    Eryth just looked at the white-haired elf with no words to say. She was unsure if they were still talking of night and day, or something else. Eventually, she looked on silently as well, unable to respond. ~~~ More Pink than Sunsets
(Colors of a Dragon Scale Series)     "So that is how it is, then. First you suggest dressing like beggars than you blame me for everything. You’re as foolish as a goblin, Nyria."
    "At least goblins have much more sense than you!"
    "Maybe the brain capacity of a boulder is more what you possess."
    "Boulders do not even have brains."
    "Exactly." ~~~     "And look at the bright side," Naidren said, "we do have two beds."
    "That is a relief, I don’t want you snoring in my ear while I’m trying to sleep."
    "Me? Snore? I should say not."
    "And I would say yes. It has been hard enough sleeping on the ground, but next to you…well…it is like trying to fall asleep next to a hog."
    Naidren darted for the nearest bed, whipped up the pillow, and hurled it at Nyria. "I am not a hog."
    "You’re right," Nyria said, a mischievous twinkle gleaming in her eye. She reached down and picked up the pillow. "You sound much more like a toad," she teased, rushing up to her brother and pounding the pillow into him.
    Naidren snatched it from her and whacked her on the head. "I’ve never been much for hopping," he said, keeping his face perfectly serious.
    "No, but sometimes your cheeks puff out like theirs when you’re angry."
    This got Nyria another blow from the pillow right in the face, muffling her giggles. ~~~     "You do not have these long curls brushing against your shoulders all the time." This time more feeling showed up in her voice. "Sometimes they do tickle."
    "That’s just because you’re the most ticklish person in all of Aerigethel," Naidren spoke up, trying to keep to his teasing tone he was so accustomed to using on her, despite how hard it was to make light of things. "I think you are the only person who has trouble with their hair tickling them."
    Nyria turned to him. He had never been more happy to see her scowl in all his life. "You try having long curls and then tell me what you think about it."
    Naidren chuckled with a shake of his head. "I’d rather not, thank you."
    "I don’t know, Naidren, long curls might suit you." Airen leaned back, giving Naidren a smirk.
    "A black eye might suit you but that does not mean I’m going to give you one."
    That did the trick. A small giggle slipped from Nyria’s lips.
    Naidren and Airen shared quick, knowing nods.
    "A black eye, eh?" Airen continued. "That’s going to be hard being as how I’m taller than you."
    "Maybe two. So they’ll match. I think you’ll look quite lovely that way, Airen." Naidren took a side-eyed glance at Nyria to make sure she was still smiling. She was.
    "Are you going to stand on a crate to reach?"
    "You would look even better with a crooked nose. It certainly needs improving anyway. My fist does wonders."
    Airen let out a dramatic mock gasp. "My nose is the epitome of perfection."
    "Then perfection could use some work." ~~~ More Purple than Amethysts
(Colors of a Dragon Scale Series)     "I don’t understand."
    Riana’s voice pulled Eldoren out of his thoughts and he just now realized they had stopped. Riana was surveying the area in a bit of a frantic.
    He sighed and propped an arm against a tree. "What’s the problem now?" he groaned impatiently.
    Riana crouched down and rubbed a hand through the dirt, her brow furrowed in confusion. "There’s no trail. I can’t find their trail anywhere!"
    Eldoren’s eyes went up to the sky as he shook his head. "For goodness’ sake, Riana, they’re dark elves. Their greatest ability is stealth. They know how to cover their tracks. Barely anyone can trace down a dark elf."
    "I can," Riana murmured, still studying the ground.
    Eldoren rubbed a hand across his eyes, taking a deep breath before speaking again. Was there no end to this girl’s arrogance? "What do you know about tracking?"
    Standing up, Riana brushed her hands clean and gave him a pointed glare. "More than you, obviously." She then pivoted around and marched on.
    Eldoren had to hold back his scream of rage and instead slammed his fist against the tree before continuing on. ~~~     "I wonder what started the fire," he mused out loud to his dragon as they trekked across the green countryside. He suddenly grinned mischievously. "Were you snoring out flames in your sleep, ol’ boy?" he teased.
    Irevik held up his head and snorted haughtily. He would never do such a thing.
    "Oh, I beg to differ. I’ve heard your snoring. It’s pretty powerful." ~~~ Secrets of Camelot
(Legends, Thieves, & Dragons Series)     “I usually can hit my target, though you probably do not believe that." Lisseria blushed and gestured to the hole in the tree trunk where her arrow formerly protruded. "Of course I didn’t mean to almost hit you. Though I did…just when I thought you were a deer. Of course I did not mean to when I realized you were a human. But don’t get me wrong, you do not look like a deer, it is just…"
    Lucan laughed, halting her agitated ramblings. "It is all right. You need not fret. I know you did not mean to kill me."
    She calmed and looked amused. "No, of course not. Then we would be out a second messenger," she teased.
    Her quick change in moods was humorous to Lucan. ~~~     Not far away from where they had stood, sat the thieves’ camp in the forest clearing. Lanterns sitting here in there and a roaring fire in the middle penetrated the darkness, giving a cozy setting to the camp. But what Lisseria saw was not what she was accustomed to. The normal homey setting had been torn apart, leaving a disarray of odds and ends. A few tents still stood, but tears cut into their surface. Things were scattered about in odd places, and everything was in an absolute mess.
    Lisseria just stood there wide-eyed for a moment. "I knew you need straightening out, but I did not know this much," she finally said. "What on earth happened here?"
    Donovan shuffled in front of her and picked up a long stick, giving it a few swings before pointing it at Will. "Well, you know. Will and I were having a bit of a fall out, then Percival had to jump in. Little John tried to stop us but Tuck starting throwing things angrily everywhere, you know how he gets. Of course, Allin was just sitting on his rock playing a melody while it all went on. I am not sure he knew what was happening. I did catch him throwing a pebble in Will’s direction at one point though."
    Lisseria could see the sheer mischievous sparkle gleaming in her brother’s eyes even in the dim lighting.
    "Donovan Hoodereth," Tuck scolded, shaking his finger again, "you better throw out that ridiculous story of yours and tell the truth or I will start throwing things angrily." ~~~ The Avriot
(The Traveling Library Trilogy)     Old though Mortimer may be, he did not have too many wrinkles, save for across his forehead from all that frowning. Ethryl many a time told him he should try smiling more often. His response was always that one cannot smile and think at the same time, and it was his job to think.
    He was frowning even now as Ethryl barged into the room and took in the scene. "You’re late for tea, Ethryl," he scolded. "You’re always late for tea. One should never be late for tea, you know. How many times have I tried to pound this into that thick skull of yours?"
    Ethryl just smiled at him. "Sorry, Timer. I was a bit delayed."
    He just took another sip and nodded. "The fault of these discourteous pirates no doubt. Do you know what time it is? Twenty-three minutes past tea time!" he exclaimed, as if it was the greatest of tragedies. "And I’ve only now gotten my cuppa. One should not have to plead for their tea." His bushy eyebrows lowered further as he glared over in front of him at a specific pirate standing just in front of the desk. ~~~     Lae-Marie could not understand why she was the only one alarmed by the fact that there was an enormous library in a place it shouldn’t be. "But I looked out the window, I know this street," she blurted out. "It doesn’t make any sense."
    "Life never does," said the elderly man with a wag of his head. "Life does not take common sense into account."
    Lae-Marie did not think any of these people took common sense into account. ~~~     All eyes were very quickly turned to Lae-Marie who still lay on the floor, but now something green and small sat atop her chest, looking most vibrant against the white of her dress. The girl let out another horrified screech as she held up her head and stared face to face at the thing, its long snout only inches away from her nose.
    "Moseley!" Faerwen screamed in delight.
    "Help!" Lae-Marie also screamed, but definitely not in delight. "Get it off me! Help!"
    Smiling, Ethryl reached down and picked the mischievous creature up, holding him firmly in her arms. In his place, right under Lae-Marie’s neck, was what appeared to be a pastry of some kind—small, round, and sugary.
    "Hey! Those are mine!" Nhimvaria scolded. "That atrocious beast has been raiding the food storage in my ship!"
    Arrow burst into laughter. "If only we had known you had food with you. The only thing Moseley likes better than exploring is eating. There was no need to worry about him running off with food around."
    Nhimi did not seem very amused in the least.
    "He was being generous though," Faerwen said, an amused twinkle in her own eyes. "He brought Lamie some food. He must have been worried about her when she fainted and thought something to eat would help."
    "Just like Mo, thinking food fixes everything," Arodathan snorted. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ All right, the torture is over, I promise. If you read all that then…goodness! go read some real literature to make up for it, you poor soul! But really thank you so much for reading!! Happy almost the weekend, everyone! May it be an adventurous one! (In a good way.)