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Lady of the Lake

Penulis: Xendres
Fantasi
Sedang berlangsung · 21K Dilihat
  • 7 Bab
    Konten
  • 4.8
    21 peringkat
  • N/A
    DUKUNG
Ringkasan

Two smugglers, hoping to pass unseen, ride in a boat through supposed 'cursed' waters. To pass the time Bo, a seasoned smuggler among other things tells the legend of a creature that lives in the lake, a humanoid creature with the fangs of a lion, the gills of a fish, the wings of an eagle, the poison of an Valudutti frog. The legend of the Lady of the Lake. Duchess Elisia has set off with an escort to make amends with the past. Normally a quiet road, suddenly her carriage is brought to a standstill and a soldier informs her that someone blocks the road, asking for her by name. Someone, not normal... Lady of the Lake, follows Duchess Elisia, through her set of trials and tribulations. Action-packed with slow tender moments of reflection, and perhaps even a bit of romance and drama. It's my first published project, even though I've been writing and reading for a while now. I will try to publish a chapter once a week, and would love to hear what you think in the reviews. Don't be fooled by the prologue, this is not a 'country' story.

Chapter 1Prologue

It ain't a bad day.

Calm waters, bright blue sky not a streak of white overhead, a bird singing far-off. What more could he ask for?

It ain't a bad day at all.

Even the humid heat couldn't ruin it. Still new to sailing, he'd learnt quickly to savour such waters. Nestling his back against the curved bow of the boat with his head in his hands, he listened.

Resonating in the bleached wood, he heard the water against the boats underside, running and gurgling. If he put his ear to the wood it would sound like a roar, but if he took it away it would be soft as a murmur again.

It reminded him of something. A while back when he was just a grub, he'd met a traveler, who taught him that if you tap your elbow it makes a soft sound but if you put a finger in your ear and then tap it, it becomes a whole lot louder.

The boy winced as three times, in quick succession a loud thwacking noise rang out.

Samantha. Her name was Samantha (he just called her Sam). She was a capital woman. His momma had warned to be wary of capital folk, saying 'they only know wet when it rains.' He hadn't the faintest idea what it was supposed to mean. Not like it mattered, no one from the capital ever came through that backwater of a place. Until she did.

Thwack! Thwack! He pinched the bridge of his nose, and sighed deeply.

There was something striking about Sam. He saw plenty people. It wasn't just that she was strange. Strangers came and went all the time. She wasn't like two-tooth Tom, or like the man with the braided beard that sold potions for hip breaks and heart aches. No she was different - different.

What with clean clothes in the mud, hair all plated and organized. Maybe it was how she strutted, straight-backed, prim and proper. Maybe it was how she always held her head up, not like the rest.

Cra! Cra! Cra! Wood splintered and sundered. He winced again at the noise, but kept quiet. Nothing, not even he was going to ruin this for him.

She was soft where everyone had been hard, quick where they'd been slow and bubbly while they'd been dull. In fact she seemed not of this world, like a-

A loud clattering sounded. A metallic ring.

"Dangit Bo." Said the boy "Yur ruining my peace and quiet."

In a gravelly voice Bo responded.

"Well Shane." Dragging his name out, Bo responded in that gravelly voice of his. "I'm bored, what else am I supposed to do?"

"Count the trees or your toes, go sleep, I dunno."

"I tried that, but I ain't tired." Bo exclaimed. "And considering you ain't paying me any company, I'm gon' continue thank you very much." The boy sighed before closing his eyes and hoping he could sleep thr-

Thwack! Thwack! He let out a growl of irritation. Sleep was clearly not happening. Propping himself up, Shane rested his arms on the edge of the boat.

Opposite him was the old man. With a buck knife, he chipped away at a big block of wood. His head was bent down, brows furrowed in concentration.

"Whatcha carvin this time?" Still taking shape, it looked like the beginnings of a person.

"I'm nit too sure." Bo rotated the block, and chipped away at the base. Flakes of brown flew off, only to rest with a growing pile at his feet. "I'll figure it out later."

You could spot him for a seamen a mile away. A face crinkled like a used map, cracked like parched earth and weathered from years that were too hot, suns too bright. His hair and beard were long, bleached salt white. He had this pudgy nose that looked like it had been broken more than once, a reminder of brawls long past.

"Where are we?" Shane yawned. The scenery had changed since he'd last looked. The mouth of the water had tightened, A large cliff towered to their left. Overgrown trees and shrubs leaned toward them from both sides, like grasping hands.

"I..." Bo twisted and turned, looking at his surroundings as if for the first time. "I think we're by Goring." Bo's face churned in confusion. "Or have we passed it." He mused.

Shane groaned. "Don't tell me-"

"Hold on." Bo continued assessing the surroundings.

"I can't believe we don' lost again."

"We ain't lost boy, I know exactly where we're goin'."

"Bo you as blind as yur ugly, it ain't supposed to look like this." He spread his arms wide, gesturing to the expanse.

He pointed the buck knife at Shane. "I been smugglin' to Hyute since before you were born. All the ravines connect to the main water soon enough."

Shane grunted.

"You'll see." He continued. "We won't see a soul for days."

"Why dja say that?"

"This is widows way. Not even the devil dares pass through. "

"Widows way?" Shane had smuggled more than his fare share into the glittering city, but he'd never heard of widows way.

"Aye, most dangerous way into Hyute." Bo gave a gummy grin, showing some charred teeth.

Shane felt his hand hover by his longbow, instantly he started scanning the cliffs. When Bo saw this, he merely smirked. Shane rolled his eyes and reminded himself to never travel with the old man again.

"Bandits?" It was a simple question, but it sent Bo A'laughing. Shane gritted his teeth as he watched Bo laugh. Minutes later, wheezing for air he responded.

"Put that toy away. It'll use the dan-gum thing as a toothpick."

"It?" Shane raised a brow.

"Well if you want to be technical, her."

"Stop riding my hide Bo, what the hell you taking 'bout?"

"The lady of the lake."

"The what?" Shane furrowed his brows in bewilderment; Bo hunched over his bag. Rifling through it, he pulled out an apple and rubbed the cuff of his sleeve against it. Holding it before his eyes for a moment, he bit into it.

"The lady of the lake, we travelling through her territory soon enuf."

"Bo we've been on water for weeks, If there were ladies on the lake I'da sniffed them out like a hound dog by now."

"This ain't no ordinary lass, I'm talking about a monster tall as the trees, with tusks, claws and gills." Bo's face grew grave as he spoke.

"No way." Shane studied his expression, waiting for a smile to crack or a smirk to escape but none did. "Y'ure joking right?"

"I'm as serious as pig shit in summertime."

Now it was Shane's time to laugh, and he did whilst slapping his knee. From his gloomy face, it didn't seem like he got the joke.

"Oh don't be like that Bo." Teary eyed, Shane continued. "Common you don't really believe there's a monster in these-here waters do ya?"

"You won't be howlin so loud when the damned thing bites you harder than a June bug."

They kept quiet. Rather than watch the man opposite him, the boy turned and idly watched the scenery pass by. The boat curved around the cliff, and they needed to push its jagged side with the oar to stay centered. A winding path was spread out beyond them. A long, winding path. Bo noted he had to bring something to entertain him for the next trip. When he grew tired of the surroundings, he lay back against the bow of the boat only to find it uncomfortable, no matter how he wriggled and writhed.

Thack! Thack!

Bored, Shane asked. "Fine superstitious, tell me about her."

"Who?" he responded innocently. Shane gave him a look and Bo couldn't resist a smile, knowing it wasn't long before he wore out.

"Well she wasn't always a monster. No, in fact she was royalty and the p'urtiest of all. Making lords stare and ladies envy."

"Heh, I betcha she was a sight."

"That's what they say, but the redder the rose the sharper the thorn and this bitch was prickly." Shane wondered if she was like the town girls, chasing drunken men out of their house with the edge of their boot and the bite of screaming words. He shuddered at the thought.

"Well how the hell does a lady turn into a monster?" Shane asked, not minding the embellishments – I mean he wasn't in a rush to get anywhere – but he knew how Bo could take his time.

"Mmmm, so now you've an ear for my tale. Well I suppose..."

Anda Mungkin Juga Menyukai

Royal Secret: I'm a Princess!

After living as a famous Korean vlogger-slash-mukbanger, Neoma died a (shameful) death and regressed to her tragic first life--- the life where she has to live as a hidden princess with a tyrannical father and a yandere twin brother. She died at the hands of her psycho brother in her first life. But luckily, she charmed her "big brother" this time. Her father remains a sc*mbag, though. But a blessing in disguise happened when her twin brother got "sick." Because of that, she has to pretend as the "Crown Prince," forcing her father to treat her well. She thought she was finally on the road to becoming a lady of leisure. But, despite her laziness, she still ends up completing royal duties that put her closer to the throne than her sick twin brother. The next thing she knew, they already prophesied her to be the first empress of their very patriarchal empire. Now Neoma finds herself in the middle of the succession war she never wanted to be involved in! *** [EXCERPT 1] “Neoma de Moonasterio, the first princess of Moonasterion Empire. From now on, you’ll live as Prince Nero’s proxy.” [The hell is this psycho saying?] Neoma, despite her confusion, still smiled at her father--- the emperor. “Father, what do you mean by that?” “From now on, assassins sent by my enemies would target Nero,” the emperor explained. “Until he’s strong enough to protect himself, you’ll pose as your twin brother.” Her smile froze, but she still acted innocent. “But Father. If I take my brother’s position, then wouldn’t the assassins mistake me for him and…” She stopped talking when she realized that was exactly what the emperor wanted her to do. [This sc*mbag wants me to be bait?!] “You’re no longer a princess, Neoma de Moonasterio. From now on, you’ll live as Prince Nero de Moonasterio,” Emperor Nikolai said coldly while looking down at her with glowing red eyes. “Try to survive until your twin brother comes back to take his rightful place, understood?” Neoma was too shocked to react. [Are you f*cking kidding me, you sc*mbag?!] *** [ORIGINAL BOOK COVER. Artwork by sola_cola.] *** [EXCERPT 2] “I’m so sick of your tyrannical a*s,” Neoma yelled at her father aka the emperor. “I won’t forgive you for hurting Lewis and Tteokbokki!” “What will you do about it then?” Nikolai asked with a smirk. “Kill me?” “Yes! I’ll f*cking kill you, sc*mbag!” “Language,” he warned her, upset that his five-year-old daughter curses like a sailor. “Using vulgar words is unbecoming of the future Crown Prince.” “I’m a princess!” Upon yelling those words, the royal princess’s eye color changed from ash-gray to red. [This is getting serious.] “Stop it, Nero,” Nikolai told her sternly. “If you keep that up, the royal knights will come and–” “I’m not Nero!” Neoma screeched angrily. Then she jumped in the air with her left fist, ready to punch him. “In the name of the moon, I’ll punish you!” [What…?] And Princess Neoma, pretending as the Crown Prince for her sick twin brother, punched Emperor Nikolai, her father, in the face.

sola_cola · Fantasi
4.8
1015 Chs

Guide to tame my villainous husbands

Sequel to Guide to raise my cutie husbands. Mo Qiang, an architect was chosen by the fairy of nature who brought her to the world of interstellar where she was punished to revive the nature that she has destroyed with her own hands while creating architecture that she thought was paving way for the future. Now, stuck with a nature-reviving system in a world full of poisonous gases and intergalactic stuff where she has to start from the very beginning and plant more forest and crops while creating a liveable world for the humans, Mo Qiang was suffering. But it sounds easy right? No! In her path she has three villainous husbands, all three of them want to kill her such that they will be able to marry her capable sister after kicking her away who was trashy and good for nothing. Mo Qiang has nothing against them, in fact, she is more than willing to divorce them after securing her life and raising her favourability in their hearts such that they will not kill her but —— Why are they coming for her now? Hello, you all wanted to marry her sister right? Excerpt: “ Here you go,” said Mo Qiang as she pushed the divorce agreement looking at her first husband who was gentle but poisonous like a snake. “ I have already signed the document of our divorce, you can take a look —-wait, why are you taking your clothes off?” The mer looked at her and smiled gently as he took off his glasses and said, “ Looks like my wife is not happy with me not giving birth to our child, don’t worry I will work hard tonight.” Mo Qiang: “…..” I do not want you to work hard! Take second! “ Take this and sign it,” said Mo Qiang, this time more fiercely as she looked at her second husband who was reading a script for his film. “ I am sure you want to divorce me right? I have already signed —-woah! What are you putting me on the bed for?” She asked while looking at the gorgeous face. Her second husband stared down at her and with a blank expression and voice as cold as water said, “ I have to practice a love-making scene, help me, dear wife.” Mo Qiang: “……” This movie that you are shooting is based on the Zerg apocalypse, don’t lie to me! With whom are you going to make love with? A Zerg? Take third! “ Huff, huff..this is the divorce agreement, sign it... I know that your company does not allow idols to date so here sign it,” she said to her third husband who was practising his dance moves. The mer who was dressed in a loose silk shirt and sweat dripping down his body took a look at the document that she was handing him and then hugged Mo Qiang. A second later she heard his sniffling voice while he peppered kisses on her neck, “ Wife you do not want me? Is that the new idol who attracted your attention, I knew it! I will take care of him!” “Put down that knife will you!” And why is the third prince of the imperial family who hated her to the bones coming after her with flowers? She already has her hands full! ….

fairytail72 · Fantasi
4.8
1361 Chs

The Young master's fake bride and her lucky system

[Sweet, satisfying, pampering, lots of face slapping.] Zhang Caishen's era had come to an end and he could never rise again, or so they said. But why did he seem to be getting richer and more powerful even if he was now crippled and abandoned by his betrothed? Why was he suddenly so unnaturally lucky? The answer was simple; his new wife!! Lin Alix was not lucky when it came to her family. She was the older, less loved and less talented one in comparison to her younger sister who stole everything from her. But fate intervened and she got lucky when it came to a husband, not only was he wealthy but he loved to spoil her. Suggested by her infinite luck gaming system, Alix married her sister's unwanted crippled husband to be and stepped on the path of a winner in life. She swept up music awards, gained international recognition and got her revenge on her cruel family while becoming Beijing's most envious wife. "Are you crazy, you willingly married a crippled man?" her friends asked. "Yes, but have you seen how much he pampers me?" she asked in turn. "She will cheat on him, he is a cripple and he can't perform his husbandly duties." others gossiped. Alix looked at the so called crippled man who climbed into her bed night after night and laughed. Sorry, he was more than capable. "Honey, I am here to perform my husbandly duties." he would always say coquettishly when he flipped her over. This book is participating in the WSA and the author will appreciate all your support. Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, nothing should be compared to the real world no matter how similar. You can also check out my other works here on Web novel.

1cutecat · Fantasi
4.8
626 Chs

Reborn As Cursed Alpha's Mate

What happens when a goddess falls in love with a shifter? Asara; the goddess of love, was punished by her father, the god of thunder. Her crime being falling in love with a mortal shifter Alpha. To pay for her sins she was reborn as Cassandra LeBlanc; a mortal Princess in the magical Kingdom of Speldaria. Her family and kingdom, except her middle sister, shunned her for she was born without any magical abilities and she had no recollections of her true identity. Her betrothed, the powerful mage commander of the Speldaria, was unbothered by her. He wished for someone strong. Cassandra’s life was toppled when she was gifted a warrior slave by the mighty Alpha of Dusartine. She was asked to take part in the Yearly Arena Event by collaborating with the warrior. Cassandra who hated ‘The Arena’ with her very breath. A place where blood flowed like wine and life was cheaper than the very air they breathed didn't understand her purpose in it. On top of that, the mysterious warrior affected her in unimaginable ways. His hypnotic gaze unsettled her. His rare essence overwhelmed her. His muscular bronzed body consumed her with sinful thoughts. Even the dreams of her past life plagued her. When ‘The Arena' began the hidden agendas and underlying truths came to light and Cassandra was played a hand of fate. She was left with no choice but to give in and choose a path. The question would be. How will Cassandra grapple once she learns of the curse placed on her? Will she be able to obtain her magical abilities and stand up to her father? Who will help her along the journey? ~Excerpt~ Then she felt him, all of him. All his ruggedness. The strength of his arm. The softness of his lips. The grip of his hand. The warmth of his breath. Every muscle in her body went taut at the implications of sleeping in a man’s arms. She had never slept in a male’s embrace before. Her whole skin tingled like tiny sparks dancing on the very parts that connected with him. The crevices of her brain had these memories which weren't hers. This touch somehow didn't seem foreign to her. She felt safe in his soothing embrace and didn't wish to push him away and yet she knew this was far from appropriate. Cassandra tried to wriggle out of his hold, his arms seemed to be built from iron for they wouldn't budge. The light garment she had worn had lifted from her milky thigh baring it as his bronzed muscular one was draped on it. And now she could sense something poking her back. Her eyes suddenly expanded from the realisation and Cassandra fully panicked. “Let go!” She voiced out, heavily. Siroos slowly lifted his leg and slackened his hold on her waist so she could shuffle away. He had awakened when she had stiffened for the first time but wished to behold what she would try. With eyes blown wide she stole a glance towards the man who had her wrapped in his embrace like a precious treasure, his treasure. His molten gold eyes had flickered open and there was this softness and want with which he stared at her. Those soft brown curls cascaded over his eyes as he forgot to blink, watching the timeless beauty that she was. Her one-of-a-kind fragrance was a torture to his senses. How he wished to grab her dainty ankle, pull her from it and have her sprawled underneath him. To kiss the very skin that oozed such scent which was driving him insane. Instead, he bent his arm and placed it under his cheek using it like a pillow to watch her with desire-filled eyes. The awkward lull between them prolonged as Cassandra cleared her throat. “Did you have to climb on me to sleep?” “It wasn't intentional but was certainly enticing and definitely won't be the last time.” His deeply hypnotic voice was even more alluring this early in the morning as it resonated all around her. The book cover is mine.

Sunny_Shumail · Fantasi
4.8
264 Chs
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