Defile, A narrow gorge or pass.
Destrier, the heaviest class of warhorse.
Din, A jumble of loud, usually discordant sounds.
Dirk, A long, straight-bladed dagger.
Dower, The part or interest of a deceased man's real estate allotted by law to his widow for her lifetime, often applied to property brought to the marriage by the bride.
Empurple, To make or become purple.
Erstwhile, In the past, at a former time, formerly.
Ewer, A pitcher, especially a decorative one with a base, an oval body, and a flaring spout.
Faggot, A bundle of sticks or twigs, esp. when bound together and used as fuel.
Falchion, A short, broad sword with a convex cutting edge and a sharp point.
Farrier, One who shoes horses.
Fash, Annoy.
Fetlock, A ‘bump’ and joint above and behind a horse’s hoof.
Forbye, Besides.
Ford, A shallow crossing in a body of water, such as a river.
Garderobe, A privy chamber
Gilded, Cover with a thin layer of gold.
Girth, Band around a horse's belly.
Git, A bastard or fool.
Glen, A small, secluded valley.
Gorse, A spiny yellow-flowered European shrub.
Groat, An English silver coin worth four pence.
Hallo, A variant of Hello.
Hart, A male deer.
Hauberk, A long armor tunic made of chain mail.
Haugh, (Scots) A lowlying meadow in a river valley.
Hied, To go quickly; hasten.
Hock, The joint at the tarsus of a horse or similar animal, pointing backwards and corresponding to the human ankle.
Hodden-gray, coarse homespun cloth produced in Scotland made by mixing black and white wools.
Holy Rude, (Scots), The Holy Cross
Hoyden, High-spirited; boisterous.
Jape, Joke or quip.
Jesu, Vocative form of Jesus.
Ken, To know (a person or thing).
Kirtle, A woman's dress typically worn over a chemise or smock.
Laying, To engage energetically in an action.
Loch, Lake.
Louring, Lowering.
Lowed, The characteristic sound uttered by cattle; a moo.
Malmsey, A sweet fortified Madeira wine
Marischal, The hereditary custodian of the Royal Regalia of Scotland and protector of the king's person.
Maudlin, Effusively or tearfully sentimental.
Mawkish, Excessively and objectionably sentimental.
Mercies, Without any protection against; helpless before.
Merlon, A solid portion between two crenels in a battlement or crenellated wall.
Midges, A gnat-like fly found worldwide and frequently occurring in swarms near ponds and lakes, prevalent across Scotland.
Mien, Bearing or manner, especially as it reveals an inner state of mind.
Mount, Mountain or hill.
Murk, An archaic variant of murky.
Nae, No, Not.
Nave, The central approach to a church’s high altar, the main body of the church.
Nock, To fit an arrow to a bowstring.
Nook, Hidden or secluded spot.
Outwith, (Scots) Outside, beyond.
Palfrey, An ordinary saddle horse.
Pap, Material lacking real value or substance.
Parapet, A defensive wall, usually with a walk, above which the wall is chest to head high.
Pate, Head or brain.
Pell-mell, In a jumbled, confused manner, helter-skelter.
Perfidy, The act or an instance of treachery.
Pillion, Pad or cushion for an extra rider behind the saddle or riding on such a cushion.
Piebald, Spotted or patched.
Privily, Privately or secretly.
Quintain, Object mounted on a post, used as a target in tilting exercises
Rood, Crucifix.
Runnels, A narrow channel.
Saddlebow, The arched upper front part of a saddle.
Saltire, An ordinary in the shape of a Saint Andrew's cross, when capitalized: the flag of Scotland. (a white saltire on a blue field)
Samite, A heavy silk fabric, often interwoven with gold or silver.
Sassenach, (Scots), An Englishman, derived from the Scots Gaelic Sasunnach meaning, originally, "Saxon."
Schiltron, A formation of soldiers wielding outward-pointing pikes.
Seneschal, A steward or major-domo
Shite, Shit
Siller, (Scots), Silver.
Sirrah, Mister; fellow. Used as a contemptuous form of address.
Sleekit, (Scots), Unctuous, sly, crafty.
Sumpter horse, Pack animal, such as a horse or mule.
Surcoat, An outer tunic often worn over armor.
Tail, A noble’s following of guards.
Thralldom, One, such as a slave or serf, who is held in bondage.
Tiddler, A small fish such as a minnow
Tisane, An herbal infusion drunk as a beverage or for its mildly medicinal effect.
Tooing and froing, Coming and going.
Trailed, To drag (the body, for example) wearily or heavily.
Trebuchet, A medieval catapult-type siege engine for hurling heavy projectiles.
Trencher, A plate or platter for food, often a thick slice of stale bread.
Trestle table, A table made up of two or three trestle supports over which a tabletop is placed.
Trews, Close-fitting trousers.
Tun, Large cask for liquids, especially wine.
Villein, A medieval peasant or tenant farmer
Wain, Open farm wagon.
Wattles, A fleshy, wrinkled, often brightly colored fold of skin hanging from the neck.
Westering, To move westward.
Wheedling, To use flattery or cajolery to achieve one's ends.
Whilst, While.
Whisht, To be silent—often used as an interjection to urge silence.
Wroth, Angry.
Credits
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Cover art by: Jade Zivanovic
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Editing by: Derek Prior
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Freedom's Sword
Scottish Historical Fiction
A Prequel to the Black Douglas Trilogy
Before William Wallace … before Robert the Bruce … there was another Scottish hero …
In 1296, newly knighted by the King of the Scots, Andrew de Moray fights to defend his country against the forces of the ruthless invader, King Edward Longshanks of England. After a bloody defeat in battle, he is dragged in chains to an English dungeon.
Soon the young knight escapes. He returns to find Scotland under the heel of a conqueror and his betrothed sheltering in the hills of the Black Isle. Seizing his own castle, he raises the banner of Scottish freedom. Now he must lead the north of Scotland to rebellion in hope of defeating the English army sent to crush them.
A Kingdom's Cost
Book I of the Black Douglas Trilogy
Scottish Historical Fiction
Eighteen-year-old James Douglas can only watch, helpless, as the Scottish freedom fighter, William Wallace, is hanged, drawn, and quartered. Even under the heel of a brutal English conqueror, James's blood-drenched homeland may still have one hope for freedom, the rightful king of the Scots, Robert the Bruce. James swears fealty to the man he believes can lead the fight against En
glish tyranny.
The Bruce is soon a fugitive, king in name and nothing more. Scotland is occupied, the Scottish resistance crushed. The woman James loves is captured and imprisoned. Yet James believes their cause is not lost. With driving determination, he blazes a path in blood and violence, in cunning and ruthlessness as he wages a guerrilla war to restore Scotland's freedom. James knows he risks sharing Wallace's fate, but what he truly fears is that he has become as merciless as the conqueror he fights.
Countenance of War
Book II of The Black Douglas Trilogy
Scottish Historical Fiction
Fourteen-century Scotland is a conquered nation, at the mercy of England’s brutal King Edward. James Douglas continues his guerilla war to reclaim his stolen birthright and drive out the English tyrant. But as Edward’s attentions turn again to subduing the rebellious Scots, James must deal with the tortuous, conflicting demands of duty and love.
The clash of two nations and the destiny of a man coming of age in a violent time springs to life in this novel of passion, loyalty, cunning and ruthlessness.
Fourteenth-century Scotland suffers under the heel of England's King Edward, but James Douglas refuses to submit to the conqueror. Above all else, James fears that his life and his own dream—of a free Scotland—might be lost to Edward's lust for conquest. As James wages a guerilla war to drive out the invader and reclaim his birthright, Edward brings a vast army to crush the Scottish resistance. In the midst of the brutal war, even the woman James loves is threatened by his implacable duty.
In a conflict poised to reach its bloody finale, the Scots and English cross swords in a reckoning that will determine Scotland's survival.
Not for Glory
Book III of The Black Douglas Trilogy
Scottish Historical Fiction
All over Scotland, crops are burning and people have fled. The English army led by King Edward has invaded, and the Scots meet them in an epic battle at the waters of the Bannockburn. When the battle is over James, Lord of Douglas, emerges a hero and has his orders from his liege lord, Robert the Bruce, King of the Scots. In order to force the English to the peace table, James sweeps through the north of England like a storm, burning and wreaking devastation. But the English king instead brings another army north to try to conquer Scotland. With the city of Berwick under siege and Scotland yet again facing conquest, James takes a desperate risk. He leads his army south to York in an attempt to capture the English queen. When the outnumbered Scots seem to be trapped, James and his men, his enemies, and the fate of Scotland meet at a apex of violence and heroism.
The Shadow Ryana
Fantasy/Epic/Romance
Ryana, a worthless girl-child, is sold to a mysterious woman who takes her to the home of the Shadow Sisters who are prized for their abilities as spies and assassins. She survives years of training in spite of being unconventional: adopting poisonous bats as familiars—something no one else would dare to do; choosing the blow dart as her weapon of choice—a weapon the Sisters don't teach; and relying on intuition rather than logic.
As she completes her training, the Shadow Sisters are under attack. The senior Sister selects Ryana to find out who is killing Sisters and why—because her intuitive approach has proved effective, even though her youth and inexperience makes it unlikely she will survive.
As she travels through the kingdom as a member of a gypsy clan, she finds the only way she can protect the Sisters and hope to discover the underlying plot is through ever more violence and killing. As she proceeds through the provinces, her secret enemies come to call her the Sister of Death and become desperate to find and kill her. But in her desperate fight to protect the Sisterhood and the kingdom, Ryana fears that she has destroyed herself and the only life she ever wanted.
The Gypsy Ryana
Fantasy/Epic/Romance
The Shadow Sister Ryana, the very Shadow of Death, is marrying her beloved and joining his gypsy clan. War took her innocence, and now she's determined to rebuild her life. But religious cults are springing up, and the gypsies come under attack. Ryana's best friend in the Sisters, Jelena, has fled to join one of the cults, and the senior Sister asks Ryana to find out why. Too late, Ryana discovers their enemies have a sweet and seductive weapon, one that has turned Jelena into her enemy. Ryana is betrayed, kidnapped and her will stolen. She must regain it if she is to defend her clan and the Shadow Sisters. If she fails, it means the end of both her families—her new gypsy clan and the Sisters she swore to defend.
The Riss Gamble
Book I in the Riss Series
Science Fiction/Fantasy
A young girl dreams of seeing the stars and meeting aliens. Her chance comes in the form of a project offering a college education, commissioning in the SAS Fleet, and a partnership with an alien. She successfully qualifies and wins one of the coveted ten positions. Of course everything comes with a price—the alien is a parasite that inhabits the body and mind, and is there for life. Is it a dream or nightmare come true—or maybe both?
The Riss Proposal
Book II in the Riss Series
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Nadya, hosting an intelligent parasite, is now an experienced naval officer with two battles against the Raider's cruiser packs. But she continues to be seen as an alien, generating disgust, fear, raw hate, and attempts on her life.
To add to her problems, the Raiders have identified her as contributing directly to their bad luck and have designated her a dybbuk—demon—and have set a price on her dead or alive.
With the Raiders a continuing threat to the SAS, life has become a little too interesting.
The Riss Survival
Book III in the Riss Series
Science Fiction/Fantasy
The Raider clans have been defeated and their planet under the supervision of the Riss, with Captain Reese the station commander. But while Reese sees the Raider clans as on probation, many in the SAS task force she commands, perceive them as prisoners and hope to break the Treaty and get revenge.
As Nadya attempts to maintain the fragile peace, the three empires are being invaded. They know the invading force is far more technology advanced than the SAS. But who are they, where did they come from, and what do they want?
One thing appears certain. The SAS cannot defeat the aliens alone. But can they overcome their prejudices against the Riss, hatred of the clans, and long years of distrust of the other empires, to combine forces and technology to meet the challenge. The fate of the three empires, Riss, and the Raider clans may depend on it.
Kazak Guardians: Lynn's Rules
Book I of the Kazak Series
Urban Fantasy/Adventure/Romance
If the Kazak Guardians had a recruiting poster, it would have read: WANTED: A select few insane men to fight professional Assassins with super-human abilities. Good medical plan provided.
Because surviving the training program to graduation was dangerous, even the first challenge to gain entrance could get you killed. But training was the easy part. Staying alive afterward was the hard part. Kazaks guarded individuals whose lives were deemed critical to the security of the United States. These individuals attracted fanatics and the best professional assassins money could buy—Liars who could tell lies you believed, Ghosts who could become nearly invisible, and Illusionists who could appear to be anyone, among others.
But Lynn wanted no other life—the Kazak Guardians gave her life purpose. She had grown up in the foster care system, neglected and abused, at the mercy of people who didn't care. Even when she finally ran away, her freedom wasn't the renewal she had hoped. So when a friend told her about a unique organization that trained individuals to protect VIPs, she knew it was the life for her.
She survives years of training and five deadly challenges to become a Kazak Guardian, and entered a world of extremists and assassins, where each assignment became a deadly contest between Kazak and assassin, with the prize the life of the VIP.
Kazak
Guardians: The Unthinkable
Book II of the Kazak Series
Urban Fantasy/Adventure/Romance
Lynn the Fox has been a Kazak for several years and thought she had seen it all; after all, she's a Master Kazak having killed more than five Assassins—professional killers with wizard-like talents. But life is unpredictable
There is a new kind of Assassin—a Mind Bender—who has caused two Kazaks kill their clients.
The unthinkable happens—and a client turns on her.
An unknown member of the secret and powerful Committee who funds and directs the Kazaks is a traitor.
And what should have been a simple misunderstanding at a State Department security checkpoint results in a life and death encounter with a SWAT team.
But there are fun moments, if you don't mind people trying to kill you and your client. Lynn gets to play the part of Afghan Warlord's daughter, a college student, and a homeless woman—an eagle covered with dove's feathers.
Talon of the Unnamed Goddess
Fantasy/Adventure
Alisha is the newest Talon of the Raptor Clan, mercenaries prized by rulers, nobles, and the wealthy as elite bodyguards. Like all Talons, she survived the five Ordeals and ten years of grueling training.
Alisha is not the strongest mercenary in the Raptor Clan, but she is the craftiest. Only tricking her opponents into underestimating her got her through the long years of clan training. Those years honed her weapon skills, but not as much as her sharp wits. Even the ability she gets from the rune she was given by the Unknown Goddess depends on her guile.
Her first assignment for the clan, to guard a young princess, requires all Alisha's skill, wit, and her newly acquired rune to keep the young heir to the kingdom alive.
Women of Power
Fantasy/Adventure
Nisha has trained all her life to develop Qi—her internal energy—exceeding the raw power of any Qi'advisor in several generations. But before she is ready to take her place, the unthinkable happens. Rhybac's king is dead; the kingdom is in chaos. War breaks out and their enemies out of the Sands are circling for the kill. She chooses to become a Qi'advisor, although still untried.
A King Ensnared, A Historical Novel of Scotland (The Stewart Chronicles Book 1) Page 24