Hello and welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the blog hop where writers from a wide variety of genres share from their work in short excerpts of ten sentences, and maybe a few more.

I’m sharing from my current project, a romantic gay fantasy inspired by the tale of Snow White. In this scene, Prince Gabriel is meeting the mysterious Lady Baltan for the first time. Last week’s snippet ended with the Lady claiming that she’d rather be alone with a book than mingle with the lords and ladies at the great feast. Gabriel speaks first:

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“I understand all too well. Why do you think I’m hiding in here instead of hurrying down to the feast?”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better,” Lady Baltan said and reached out with the book.  He thought of telling her to keep it, but something stopped him. Something petty and jealous, no doubt, but he wasn’t ready to let go of any bit of his mother, no matter how small or insignificant.  So he accepted the book, feeling a bit of a cad.  He was surprised to feel a resisting tug.

With both of their hands still on the book, Lady Baltan raised her gaze to look straight in his eyes.

“I am so glad you’ve finally returned. King Tristan needs his brother by his side, now more than ever.”

That’s the official ten. Here’s a bit more:

“I only hope I can be of service to him,” Gabriel said, and waited for her to release her grip.  She was sizing him up, peering into his soul, and he let her.  He had nothing to hide, although why she should care—

I’m engaged.

Tristan’s voice rang loud as a bell in his head. Gabriel was suddenly certain this Lady Baltan must be his brother’s future wife.  She released the book and he nearly dropped it, startled by the weight of it.

If this is your future sister-in-law, you really should let her take the damn book.

Instead he held it at his side and watched in silence as she stepped back, bowed again, and left the room, closing the door behind her.

***

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Blurb in progress for Snow:

Following the death of his mother the Queen, Prince Gabriel returns home for the first time in three years, hoping for a reconciliation with his estranged brother, the new king, but all is not well at Castle Rosenthal. King Tristan has fallen under the sway of a mysterious noble woman with a dark past, and all along the border of the Black Forest, magical denizens are on the move. 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 power afoot? A forced flight into the Black Forest may expose ancient magic at work, if Gabriel can survive long enough to uncover it.

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