Recent content by Kristen Pirian

THE FIRST NIGHT The promise of something wonderful awaited. Kristen Pirian, alongside a retinue of Stormguard and Piriansworn men, had at last been informed by the driver of her carriage that they had just entered Alliria proper. Evening had just settled upon Arethil, and to the west ahead of...

Kristen stopped when Mortivore's hand fell upon her shoulder, and she listened. Behind her the horses wailed, men grunted and gasped and cried out as their wounds bid them, and Zephyrine struggled all the while to upkeep her magic. Kristen looked up the winding path to the Hilltop and to the...

Subtle did the intercession start—quiet whispers from Mortivore, a small gasp of frustration from the priestess. Kristen shot a quick and hard glance over to Zephyrine: do it. And now the priestess's incantation suffering interruption was the least of the problems of the Cortosi. Zephyrine's...

The rider immediately to Enkardo's right bristled in his saddle, on the verge of whipping out a terse and impassioned response to the string of Mortivore's provocations, but Enkardo raised his right hand and the rider kept his peace, and slowly Enkardo let his hand descend to rest as Mortivore...

Zephyrine's silence was cue enough for Kristen to speak. "I have chosen to be here," she said, answering Enkardo's query directly. "And neither my life nor my vigor has been snuffed, by my homeland or otherwise." "Then I pray you not to be deceived by your dour commander, young soldier," he...

Kristen didn't have the best information on the incident at Cliff Keep, but doubtless such a betrayal was possible; and here at this Hilltop no word might ever reach Anirian ears of horrific conduct. Regardless, Kristen was loath to place herself and everyone else into the mercy of the enemy...

The slow downward glide of Kristen's eyes gave testimony to her pondering on Zephyrine's answer. Victory, though hard-won, but victory nonetheless—and rumor of loss elsewhere in the war. And indeed it was Zephyrine's own personal experience which Kristen sought to compare, and in this a...

With a quiet assurance Zephyrine mentioned escape, should the night come to it. Kristen feared that prayer and strength of arms might not be enough; but she feared more that her final moments would be unworthy of all the life that came before them. And so she resolved not to allow desperation to...

"Oh, but I would not wish to be imposing! Therefore, I shall upon Sable's assent go to Vel Castere—Mayor Caspian shall again watch over Vel Numera in my absence." And, after a small moment of quiet, with yet a new fascination she added, "I have never been to Vel Castere, and mayhap this could...

The plan went into motion, Zephyrine attending to her part, Mortivore heading toward Miller for the purpose of "preserving knowledge", and Kristen calling to her the rest of the Guardsmen who were not aiding the other two Dreadlords. She spoke to them succinctly, matter-of-factly, eager to get...

Kristen lightly covered her mouth with her left hand, and her eyes glimmered with sudden delight, and the redness of her cheeks deepened. But what a tale of seeing without seeing! Though this happened far more than one could truly reckon, and the eye did often pass over, or make small note of...

Kristen, surprised by (and hopeful of) the alacrity of her Uncle's budding suggestion, nevertheless found herself at a bit of a loss; though some names swirled about in her mind, the sheer anticipation, as it were, clouded much of her deduction. And she knew how uncouth it would be to guess, if...

"Foremost do I desire a man who will uphold our Pirian values, who will do us all proud, though I shall come to bear his name, as will our children." She sighed lightly, averted her eyes for a moment, and said further, "I...cannot help but think my words and my desire sound hasty; that...

Neil shared in his brother's surprise, as was clear by the mirrored expression he gave back in the glance to Tobias. Then both Tobias and Henrietta spoke, and Kristen, quite visibly, hung on to very word, as though the voices of her uncle and her aunt were as a balm to a wound. "Yes, Aunt...

"Very well," said Kristen to Zephyrine. "Requisition what metal you can—though I fear it may not be much. Some of the men have their packs, and they may have items not strictly necessary for the coming battle." And then she looked again to Mortivore, and a dark cloud came over her expression...