book 3 sample

This is a small sample of book 3.

 Just to set the scene:

The Queens are in Georstrie and Tarra and Tashan have just won a sailing ship from a fella called Blayden. Blayden is the Captain of the ‘Bella Fiore’ or Beautiful Flower and this is the first time the Queens have been on the ship. The Brownies are on board so you can be sure mischief isn’t far behind them!

Blayden doesn’t know about the Queens’ ability to travel instantaneously so he expects it’ll take weeks to get to Irasia where his boat is parked offshore.

I hope you enjoy.

Denise

 

*****

The Queens and their new Captain shook hands and sealed their deal. “Now all we have to do is get to Irasia and out to her. We should be there in a few weeks, if we hurry.”

The Queens looked at each other and laughed. Tarra stated “Well we’d like to see her today. Now actually.”

Blayden laughed loudly as he watched the Queens confer and split up.

Tashan sent a message to the Brownie trio and the dragons asking them all to come to the family rooms. The Brownies immediately appeared, were told of the newest acquisition by their Queens and they immediately screamed and jigged around the room.

“We are such great sailors!!”  Robbie sang.

Willie looked at the seaman in front of him and smiled. “We can be Captain Blayden’s First Mates.”

Chuckie also smiled at the Captain. “We love being First Mates!”

The Queens couldn’t argue with the enthusiasm of the Brownies, they were just as excited. Lili advised Bellan where they were going and asked her to take the children, Ranna, Geon and Deltan to the house in Irasia for lunch and a surprise afterwards.

Tarranna and Chandral ran to the bedroom where they changed into cut off linen pants (ending mid-thigh) and tight singlets. They set out the same type of clothing for the blondes then whooped and hugged in pleasure.

They were going sailing!

****

Blayden landed on the deck of the ‘Bella Fiore’ and kissed her reverently. “Please tell me this is real!” He groaned. The Brownies immediately leaned over and pinched his posterior. “Ouch!! What was that for?”

Robbie smirked at the man “Still think you’re dreaming?”

Blayden shook his head and laughed as he stood and looked around. The deck was covered in bits of dried seaweed, but everything seemed in pretty good order. The Brownies looked about, pleased with what they saw. “He was telling the truth about her design. She should do everything he said.” Chuckie assured his Queens.

Robbie and Willie put their heads together and Robbie asked “Would you mind if we clean her up a bit. We’ve been practicing.”

The Queens chuckled and Chandral said “Spoken like true Brownies guys! Go for it!”

The Brownies miniaturised to their true size and buzzed over the four decks. Wherever they dragged their wand the deck was spotlessly clean, revarnished and oiled. The transformation was spectacular. Blayden in awe at his ship, he was gobsmacked at the finished product.

“We put a protection spell on her. No matter how rough the sea is or what she hits, she won’t sink. She’ll never rot, burn and’ll repel dirt. We even adapted the sails to automatically set and fold. On the binnacle (the stand where the compass sits) are levers, two for each mast. One lever for square and one for lateen sails and half lever is half sail. The anchor can be set or raised from there also. This baby only needs one person to sail her! Mumma’ll be so proud of us!”

Blayden ran to the binnacle and inspected the changes. He grinned wildly as he appreciated what the Brownies said was true. The Captain could do everything from where he was standing. “I’ll never have to rely on drunken sailors who wouldn’t know if their forward’s up their aft!” he sighed.

Tarranna laughed as she heard his comment. “Had trouble with getting a decent crew, eh?” He blushed and nodded. She chuckled and looked him in the eye. “Don’t ever worry about losing her. Even when you’ve taught us to sail better than you, this’s your home for as long as you want it.” Tarranna quietly told him. Blayden was ecstatic and sincerely thanked his bosses.

Chuckie held his chin, deep in thought. He called his brother Brownies to him and they whispered, laughing as they mumbled.  “Your Majesties, may we put a spell on the ship? To anyone who sees her she’ll be a derelict, with a spectral glow. She’ll have ripped sails, be covered in seaweed and we’ll appear to be skeletons. We thought that would be a great touch, considering.” The Queens laughed at the irony and quickly agreed. It would help with the cloaking of Atlantis if it looked like a ghost ship frequented the waters around where it used to be.

The women looked at the decks and planned how to keep their children safe. The Brownies erected fences to keep the kids out of the most dangerous areas and ensured the rails around the whole ship were escape proof. The women told Blayden he was to keep the Captain’s quarters and they took the staterooms on the main deck. The Brownies sealed the door to the stateroom next to the Queens’ and placed a door between the two rooms. That way the kids would have to leave their quarters via their mothers’.

The apartments on the lower deck were for Ranna and her partners and any visitors they may invite on board.

The Queens turned to Captain Blayden and motioned for him to set sail. “Where to?” he asked.

“Wherever the wind takes us…” was the excited reply from Tarra. “… As long as we’re back by lunchtime – we have to pick up the kids.”

Blayden laughed wholeheartedly as he pulled the lever and watched the anchors as they pulled free of the bottom and stored themselves in their compartments. He pulled the mechanism for full hoist of two square and one triangular sail and watched as the cloth climbed the masts, as if by magic. Within a minute the ‘Bella Fiore’ was flying across the open water.

“I love my First Mates!!” Captain Blayden screamed into the wind.

 ****