J.F. Posthumus

J.F. Posthumus

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Virginia, United States
A computer tech and artist that thrives on writing fantasy to escape the harshness of reality.
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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Back to Banshee's Daughter...

Here's another short snippet from Banshee's Daughter. We've finished plotting out the next bit and now we're back to writing. Highly unlikely it'll be finished before the new year, but oh well. We're currently at around 47k and hoping to have it wrapped up with around 80-90k words. (hopefully... though it might be a bit longer...)

Thanks to everyone who have been reading and commenting. It's greatly appreciated!!!

Backstory:
This happens the day after Iliana's been paid by Saldone, Dante's Father: Iliana has already received several vases of flowers from Dante and a box of chocolates of perfectly designed and proportioned naked male elves from Xantos.

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After tucking the candy in a kitchen cabinet, placing an invisibility spell on it before setting a small sachet of herbs that would hamper her mother’s magic if she snooped through the cabinet, Iliana returned to the sofa. 
Not bothering with turning the TV off, or even stopping the DVD, she called, “Mother!  I need your advice!”
A single pop sounded and Ceara stood in the middle of the room wearing a dark green shawl over a white peasant blouse and matching, dark green pants.  Her bright red hair was pulled back into a thick French braid with a hairclip holding it in place at the nape of her neck. 
She must have been on a business trip, Iliana mused.
“My, my, I didn’t realize you enjoyed flowers so much, Lena,” Ceara teased her daughter.  “Or were these sent as a thank you from Saldone?”
“Actually, his son,” Iliana replied.  She offered her mother the card from Xantos, adding, “Xantos also sent a present; a box of chocolates and no, I’m not sharing.”
Ceara chuckled.  “Might I suggest a vacation in the Caribbean?  Perhaps a cruise there?  I’m certain you’d enjoy a long extended vacation.”
“Tempting, but I’d rather not anger our dear docelfar warlord.  I do have to work in his world rather often, Mother,” Iliana retorted pleasantly.  “I was hoping you’d have some suggestions about what to do about my little… umm… problem.”
“That’s simple enough,” Ceara replied cheerfully, “Tell one or the other, or both, that you’ll gladly be his concubine if they keep showering you with flowers, chocolates, and other presents.  Oh, and make sure they also pay you a weekly fee of at least a million dollars.”
“Mother!”  Iliana squawked, feeling her face burning. 
As she was trying to force her tongue and mouth into forming more words, the doorbell rang. 
“Oh, gods, what now?”  She groaned as her mother opened the door.
As her mother raised her head in her typical haughty manor used to intimidate humans and fey alike, Iliana called, “Behave, Mother.”
From the hallway, she could hear a squeaky voice saying, “It’s for the Lady Iliana.  A gift from my lord, Dante Saldone.” 
  As Ceara stepped to the side, a short spindly man wearing a red cap, white shirt, black pants and vest with a breast pocket hurried forward with a small box with holes in the sides.
“For you, mistress,” the little man said before darting from the room, leaving the box on the coffee table. 
No sooner than the midget deliveryman vanished, the box began shaking.  Iliana scooted to the edge of the sofa and carefully unfolded the cardboard handle.  As the box fell open, a small round head that reminded Iliana of an earless raccoon popped up.  Long, silvery whiskers twitched a few seconds before the animal pounced from the box and onto her shoulder.  A long, bushy tail, long enough to wrap around the animal’s body, wagged almost like a puppy’s tail.
The fur, black that lightened to dark brown tips, was surprisingly soft and the feet grasped Iliana’s blouse were like hands.  It purred deeper and longer than a cat, even as it draped itself around Iliana’s neck and began rubbing its earless head against her cheek.
Iliana looked to her mother who stared at the creature with a mixture of shock, amusement, and concern.  She pointed to the creature and said, “Explain?”
“Your… Dante… just gave you a puka.  A banshee’s familiar,” Ceara replied, folding her arms across her chest.
“He’s not my Dante, Mom,” Iliana grumbled.  “Though, if he’s giving me these gifts, he can’t be all bad, can he?”
“Just wait till his horns come out,” Ceara countered with a malicious grin.
“Horns, huh?  Kinky.  Could be fun!”  Iliana commented, trying to not giggle. 

6 comments:

  1. Lol---I think I need one of those pukas--it sounds cute! Plus, I'll take the chocolate, too! :)

    I'd just say--the last line is sooo casual, I'm not sure it matches tone with the rest of the dialogue? Maybe either make them a tad more casual or make the last line more formal. I liked the idea of it though--horns and kink! :)

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  2. This is good. I like the dynamic between them. I have to say Illiana's voice is funny! She comes out with some funny/sarcastic thing. Like!

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  3. Cute critter. really vivid description. I also like the snarky rappor between mother and daughter. (reminda me of my daughter LOL)

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  4. lol, thanks, you guys!

    The critter is based on the unknown critter that currently lives near my parents and has lived there for over a decade. no one knows what it is, either... not even the pros at one of the bigger zoos!

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  5. I think this is some of the best voice work you've done.

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