Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the blog hop where writers from a wide variety of genres share excerpts from their work in ten sentences or less. It’s good to be back after missing last week. I’d like to say my absence was due to being on a fabulous vacation, but no, I had to work two 12 hour days last weekend at my day job. I don’t know about you, but I get very antsy when all of my writing time is consumed by the mundane requirements of reality.>>insert heavy sigh<<

I’ve been sharing from my work-in-progress, a reimagined fairy tale based on Snow White.  We’re into the second chapter now, where Prince Gabriel is reunited with his brother for the first time in three years. Their relationship was never exactly loving, and Gabriel doesn’t know what to expect. You can read last week’s snippet here.

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The flap of the largest tent flew aside and a servant scurried out to tie back the heavy fabric.

Although seized by an irrational desire to turn Tempest around and flee, Gabriel slid from the back of his horse and tossed the reins to a nearby groom. He waded through tall, wet grass, his heart beating hard against his ribs.

Tristan emerged, a golden goblet in one hand, the other on his hip. His long, tousled red hair gleamed in the dim light and when he spotted Gabriel, a grin broke across his handsome face.

Fear and tiresome worries fled as Gabriel recalled his brother of old, the brother who kept Gabriel under his wing and led him on many jolly adventures in the rolling woods surrounding Rosenthal Castle. That was before their father died, and all the unhappiness that followed.

As he drew closer, Gabriel’s brief impression of a young, robust, and friendly brother faded. Yes, Tristan was still handsome, but his fair skin was sallow, yellowed beneath his spattering of freckles and trim red beard. His green eyes, once bright as emeralds, were bleary and narrowed as if against some light source Gabriel couldn’t see.

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Being king can take it out of a guy.

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Blurb-in-progress for Snow, a reimagined fairy tale:

Following the death of his mother the Queen, Prince Gabriel is called home by his brother, now King. Gabriel hopes for a reconciliation with his estranged brother, but all is not well at Castle Rosenthal. King Tristan has fallen under the sway of a scheming alchemist, the magical denizens of the bordering Black Forest are on the move, and Gabriel begins to fear for his life. Is the handsome huntsman in on a plot to assassinate him, or is there an even darker, more evil force afoot? A forced flight into the Black Forest may expose ancient powers at work, if only Gabriel can survive long enough to uncover them.

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Weekend Writing Warriors is a blog hop where writers from a wide variety of genres share from their work in excerpts of ten sentences or less.  Click the link to check out the other writers participating today.  It’s a great way to discover your next favorite book.