Eielawyn [The Maidens of Mocmoran 3] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Wynette Davis

  Eudis (U-dis) beans - long, slender, brown beans used in most cooking. They have a nutty flavor, with a sweet aftertaste. They are packed tightly in a small tin, 100 to a container.

  Gloven plant - a pungent, musty-smelling plant that grows wild in the hills of Yaeltaran

  Gonwrath Tombs - Gaeldos’ prison

  Mass transport - bus

  Moon mint - a small green plant with orange veins that renders fairies powerless, and is rumored to kill them

  Mover - car

  Octal -gas

  Onan (Oh-nahn) - liquor/wine

  Orzin (Ore-zin) - iron-like metal

  Quivahnder (Kwee-vahn-der) - a large black-and-yellow fruit with pulpy, purple flesh inside. It’s sweet yet peppery, with a bit of a sour tang to it.

  Sea transport - ship/boat

  Talius (Tal-ee-us) - smelly fungus used to make octal

  Technical Communication Device (TCD) - small devices the size of a pea that are implanted into the temple, or are external and mobile to fit into the ear. They are used to communicate similar to a phone, but directly let the receiver know who is contacting them through a set wavelength.

  Tru-View (TV) - television

  Months of the Year, Divided Into Seasons:

  Qoo (Koo)/spring

  Djee (Shee)/summer

  Guimith (Gwim-mith)/autumn

  Talal (Tah-lahl)/winter

  The months in those seasons are referred to as, one, two, and three (i.e., One Qoo = the first month in Qoo, Two Guimith = the second month in Guimith, etc.).

  Names of the Week:

  First day - Monday

  Second day - Tuesday

  Third day- Wednesday

  Fourth day - Thursday

  Fifth day - Friday

  Sixth day - Saturday

  Seventh day - Sunday

  Cities and Towns of Teveoch:

  Oaes - the world

  Morhais (More-hace) - the Capital

  Mocmoran (Mok-more-an)

  Yaesdrah (Yays-drah)

  Calthia (Cal-thee-ya)

  Minor Villages and Towns:

  Mosmaedor (Mose-may-dor)

  Wilsthohaeron (Wils-tho-hay-ron)

  Dansdabith (Dans-dab-ith)

  Realms and Kingdoms of Ai:

  Balknae (Balk-nay). Capital, Tisthan (Tis-thahn). [King Althindunahs (Al-`thihn-doo-`nahs), thirty-third in the line]

  Drisa (Dree-sah). Capital, Daenisnae (Dane-is-nay). [King Noesmaneon (Nos-mane-nee-ahn), son of the Lady Xiantrae (Zee-ahn-tray)]

  Ja’Kahl (Ja’call). Capital, Solsthroch (Sols-throk). [King Zonsbroael (Zons-bró-eye-ale)]

  Jroan (J’rone). Capital, Jahlvendahr (Jahl-ven-dahr). [King Dothmeadon (Dothe-mee-aye-don), son of Frohnathahs (Froh-nahth-ahs)/Queen Ahliasinaer (Ah-lee-ah-sin-air)]

  Teveoch (Teh-vee-ok). Capital, Morhais (More-hace). [King Gaeldos (Goag (Go-ag), son of Thric)/Queen Balaedras]

  Tulor (Too-lore). Capital, Barthahna (Bar-thah-nah). [Queen Mordrialahr (More-dree-all-ahr), daughter of Colithoenahs (Coe-lith-o-nahs)]

  Valwithia (Val-with-ee-ya). Capital, Kaldukahr (Cal-doo-car). [King Tathasdahbaenan (Tah-thahs-dah-bay-nahn), son of Vrinith (Vrin-ith)]

  Yaeltaran (Yah-ale-tah-ran). Capital, Yaelvoch (Yah-ale-vok). [King Lavaerion (Lah-vay-ree-on), son of Kibahthinor (Kee-Bahth-in-ohr)/Queen Riatrahs (Ree-ah-trahs)]

  Zinvia (Zin-vee-ya). Capital, Ompiar (Ohm-pee-ahr). [Queen Ethroahs (Eth-roe-ahs), first of her line]

  Region Names, and Etc.:

  Baenmoch Mountains (far north)

  Balknae (Balk-nay). People are (Balk-nee-an) - a modern city to rival Morhais is in the south, east of Calthia with connections to other unnamed kingdoms

  Battle of the Monlores (Mon-lore-ehs)

  Calthafahr (Cal-thah-fahr)

  Cohlinsonaer (Coe-lin-so-nayer)

  Coraethian (Cor-rathe-ee-an) - people of Corathia

  Corathia (Cor-athe-ee-ya) - a town in Valwithia

  Corbeahth (Core-bee-ahth)

  Gindisial (Gin-dis-ee-ahl) - a town in Valwithia

  Highway 1 (runs north to south between Morhais and down to Calthia and beyond toward unmentioned Kingdoms)

  Highway 2 (runs east to west in the middle of Ai from Tulor connecting with highway 4)

  Highway 3 (runs north to south between the Kingdoms of Valwithia, Jroan, and Zinvia)

  Highway 4 (runs in the northeast to south between the Port of Yaesdrah and the Port of Doabinor (Doe- ahb-in-ore) in Ja’Kahl)

  Highway 5 (runs east to west just beyond Calthia between Drisa and Ja’Kahl)

  Hills of Laefah (Lay-fah) – in the mid-south

  Hyaeth (Hy-athe)

  Ilos Hill (Eye-loss)

  Jahlmerikahl (Jah-mer-i-kahl) - a land to the east past the sea like Europe

  Jruindars (J’roo-in-dahrs) - a remote frozen outpost in an enclave of Teveoch’s located in the outer northlands of Ai

  Kaldukahr (Cal-doo-car)

  Kilsoth (Kil-sahth) River

  Kingdom of Drisa (Dree-sah). People are Drisian (Dree-see-an)

  - Daenisnae (Dane-ihs-nay)

  - Quith (Kwith)

  Kingdom of Ja’Kahl (Ja-Call) - in the far southeast. People are Ja’Kahlian (Ja-kal-lee-an).

  Kingdom of Jroan (J’rone) - in the northwest, within the Kulduan Cliffs, with stark white cities and towns. People are Jroan (J’ro-an).

  Kingdom of Yaeltaran (Yah-ale-tah-ran). People are either Yaeltaranian (Yah-ale-tah-ran-nee-an), or known by their town or city affiliation. North of Yaesdrah, either by boat, or by gaining entrance on the bridge

  Kulduan (Kool-doo-on) Cliffs - in the northwest

  Lasmoan (Las-mo-ahn)

  Lilsthinpuhr (Lils-thin-poor)

  Lolsthrokith (Lows-throw-kith)

  Moardoch forest (southeast)

  Mornashmahl (More-nahsh-mall)

  Mosmase (Mose-mase) - a city in Ja’Kahl

  Ochothahstrahn (Ok-oh-thahs-strahn)

  Rutria (Roo-tree-ya)

  Sea of Pliath (Plee-ahth) - to the far southeast

  Solsurdon (Sole-sur-don) Hills (a small mountainous range mixed within the Moardoch forest between Calthia and Ja’Kahl

  Sookmeiaer (Sook-my-air)

  Tanthahfor (Tan-thah-fore)

  Thaingrais Plains (west)

  The Oald (Oh-ald) Forest (East of Calthia toward the Kingdoms of Drisa and Ja’Kahl)

  Thonsael (Thon-say-ale) - a town in Jroan

  Tisthan (Tis-thahn)

  Wildwoods (between Morhais, Mocmoran, and some of the smaller unmentioned towns)

  Yaelbahs (Yah-ale-bahs) River

  Yaelkalan (Yah-ale-kah-lahn) Mountains

  Yaelnoar (Yah-ale-no-ahr) Pass

  Yaesdrah (Yays-drah) - farthest eastern city of Teveoch and is known as the gateway to the north. People are Yaesdrahain (Yays-drah-hane).

  Zinvia (Zin-vee-ah) - positioned in the middle, between Balknae and Jroan. It’s a kingdom with a mixture of people from Morhais, Mocmoran, and the Valwithia kingdom. People are Zinvian (Zin-vee-an).

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Author's Note

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  About the Author

  Landmarks

  Cover

  EIELAWYN

  The Maidens of Mocmoran 3

  WYNETTE DAVIS

  Copyright © 2016

  Chapter One

  She st
ood stone still, with the knife in her hand. Crimson blood dripped from the blade and onto the stone floor. She was breathing heavily, but held no remorse at what she’d done. She stared down at her handiwork, and then at the other woman standing in front of her.

  “I can’t believe I just did that. I killed him. I didn’t even think about what I was doing. I just slit his throat. By the goddesses,” she whispered. “I’ve never killed anything in my life. I’m so sorry,” she whispered, looking down at all of the blood as it drained through the grate on the floor.

  “Eielawyn, it was necessary,” Frodrisa said to her. “I thank you, and I’m sure many families would thank you also. The guards will never miss him.”

  “I know. But even goats are living things, Frodrisa. But you’re right. The guards will never miss one goat. And this is a lot of meat for a lot of families.” She took the towel from the table, wiping the blade of the knife clean. The bell to her shop jingled.

  Frodrisa’s eyes stared wide at Eielawyn. “I thought you closed the shop?”

  “I did. I put the sign up.” She scanned around the back of her shop and took an old sheet from a box, covering the carcass of the goat. “Just stay quiet back here. I’ll get rid of whoever it is that can’t fuckin’ read a sign. Then, we’ll divide the meat.”

  She checked herself to make sure she didn’t have any blood on her, before going through the back door to the front of her shop. She stopped in her tracks, seeing four royal guards milling about the aisles.

  The royal guards of Teveoch seemed to be everywhere in Yaesdrah lately, filling the streets like cockroaches on the hunt. Ever since Queen Balaedras had come into power, the guards were seen in Yaesdrah, patrolling the streets in force in Mocmoran, and troops were positioned along the borders into Valwithia, Yaeltaran, and even near Zinvia. Balaedras was flexing her muscle to show everyone she was queen, and would remain so. There were those who began to miss the sadistic King Gaeldos. Some saw the present situation as jumping from a frying pan into a fire. Balaedras’ evil was basically the same shit, but a different day.

  But Eielawyn knew that it was somehow worse than when Gaeldos was king. Sure, he had started wars over menial shit. Maybe because a town had posted caricatures of him in an unflattering light, or a group of men had held a rally in another small village that might have looked like an uprising, or he coveted a Mocmoran woman that he suspected was vaedra. The last had guards searching for that woman for over seven months. The guards engaged in small skirmishes with Mocmorans in the name of the king to find her.

  But it was all over now. King Gaeldos was dead. Things were supposed to be better. The queen had promised her people that it would be. Yet, taxes had been levied that were impossible for some to pay. If they couldn’t…well, some were never seen again. Balaedras sent her military to the borders to, as she said, keep the peace. Yet the news reported of civilians that were killed in her name. The latest, the acquisition of the kingdom of Drisa, had been to combat the fairies that had attacked the kingdom. Yet people were leaving Drisa in droves to escape the chokehold Balaedras had put on the land.

  A peaceful kingdom, Drisa had no standing military. When the fairies attacked, King Noesmaneon basically bent over to take it in the ass. Balaedras had seized control of all agriculture and ranching, made all men between the ages of seventeen and forty serve in the Teveoch military, and outlawed the right of all Drisians to keep any crops and animals for their personal use. Everything became the property of Teveoch. And to use any of it, farmers and ranchers in Drisa had to buy back the crops and meat that they grew at triple the price. And the strange thing was that the fairies had never attacked after the first few times. They’d simply disappeared from Drisa, retreating back into the wildwoods and their underground caves.

  A year has passed since Balaedras had come into power. And as Eielawyn stood in her shop, staring at the guards, she understood why many Drisians had come to Yaesdrah. They were escaping Drisa, trying to get into Yaeltaran or Valwithia, or some traveling farther into the northlands toward Tanthahfor.

  But in Yaesdrah, it was becoming harder to find food. The tourist industry had dwindled to a trickle. No one wanted to come to a scenic seaside town to see tents and refugees sleeping on the beaches. They had nowhere to go. Ja’Kahl had refused to let them into the kingdom. Zinvia and Balknae had agreed, but they were too far west for many Drisians to travel. Teveoch had promised to help the kingdom, but seeing what Balaedras was doing, many had given up on any help from Teveoch.

  Eielawyn wanted to help them, though. It was why she took a small sea transport to an uninhabited island off the coast, and then a small air transport to the island of Lasmoan to secure as much fresh fruit, meat, and medical supplies as she could. She didn’t sell them. She distributed the goods to those that needed it most. The goat hadn’t been a part of her regular acquisition. Frodrisa had taken the liberty to free it from a royal guard camp. Stealing it was no problem. It was what Frodrisa was known to do. Call her an outlaw, or call her a woman that procured certain items when needed. She stayed under the radar and never asked questions. Since Ai had changed with the new Queen of Teveoch, there were more people like Frodrisa helping those that needed help. Eielawyn wasn’t sure if Frodrisa even lived in Yaesdrah. But it didn’t matter. She was there when needed, and they needed that goat. Stealing was what she did, and it came easy for her. It was killing it that Frodrisa couldn’t bring herself to do. But Eielawyn had killed the animal, not thinking of the life she was ending, but the lives she was helping.

  “I’m closed,” she said loudly.

  “Nice shop,” one of the guards said to her, as he pushed several items off a low shelf.

  Eielawyn suppressed her reflex to launch herself at the guard. It’s what he wanted. “Thank you. Maybe you should destroy something else. It seems to give my shop just the right touch.”

  Intimidation was their purpose, as two other guards began to throw glass globes onto the floor, letting them break onto the floor below. She would have gotten upset if they were ruining any kind of revenue. But with the lack of tourists lately in town, everything they broke she could claim on her insurance. Break away, she thought.

  “Like I said,” Eielawyn said, sneering at the man in front of her, as he pushed a porcelain figurine off the shelf. It shattered on the floor, and he smiled slyly at her. “I’m getting ready to close for the afternoon. I don’t have much in inventory with the embargo on goods anyway.”

  “We were told you know just about everyone in town,” a tall guard said to her. They were all tall. Menacingly tall and muscled. And if they hadn’t been in royal guard uniforms, she would even say they were attractive. But they were royal guards. Queen Balaedras’ henchmen, and she wanted them out.

  The guard who spoke to her fingered a small figurine of a wave with painted white foam, and the caption “Making Waves in Yaesdrah.” On any other day, Eielawyn would have taken more notice at the rugged good looks of the guards. She would have appreciated the muscled expanse of their chests, and their tight asses. But today wasn’t a time to let her libido—her vaedra—rule her senses. She wanted them out and away from her shop, so she could give Frodrisa the meat she needed without raising the suspicions of the guards.

  “Is that true?” asked the guard, glancing over to her with suspicion.

  “I live in Yaesdrah,” she said, challenging his gaze. “It’s a small town. Most everyone knows everyone here.”

  “So, I ask you. Do you know of the man called Filkothinor?”

  Eielawyn crossed her arms over her bosom. “Why?”

  The guard laughed. “That isn’t something you need to know, now is it?”

  “If you come into my store when I’ve already told you I was closing for the afternoon, and then start asking stupid questions, yeah. I want to know why.”

  The other three guards stopped their perusal and destruction of her goods, and turned their attention on her. It was then that she focused on their thoughts. The guard to the
left was blond with a short beard covering most of his facial features. He wanted to leave the store, and leave Yaesdrah. The guard next to him had long, brown hair pulled into a ponytail. He had kind eyes, but his thoughts were far from kind. He was thinking about how much he wanted to fuck her, and then shut her up by sticking his cock down her throat. She focused a suggestion on him that he should piss his pants. He cursed out loud and ran out of the store, leaving piss puddles in his wake. The other guard was thinking the guard who pissed his pants was an asshole, and how much he hated his job. But the guard in front of her that had asked all of the questions was thinking about how much they were all going to be paid once they found and killed the perceived traitor to the realm, Filkothinor.

  “He’s wanted for questioning, is all. You know him?” asked the guard.

  “Yes. I know him. The last I heard was he left Yaesdrah after the royal guards tortured and killed his wife. You must remember that? The woman’s body was left out to rot on the beach. Was that some of your handiwork?”

  The guard sneered at her. “You have a smart mouth. I could take you in for that.” He walked closer to where she was standing behind the register. His eyes studied her, perusing her up and down before returning to her stare. “You’re Mocmoran, aren’t you?”

  “Do you automatically assume that every woman that has more of a figure than a Morhais woman is Mocmoran? By the goddesses, my left thumb is bigger than a Morhais woman.”

  “Answer the question,” he said sternly.

  “Why?”

  Just then, the small bell above her shop jingled and another guard walked in. He was taller than the rest, with dark wavy hair to his shoulders, a deep tan complexion, and blue eyes. Facial hair framed his strong jawline and around his full lips. For a split second, Eielawyn’s gaze caught his, and something flared inside her. She shook her head slightly, frowning in confusion at what she’d felt. He was a guard. A royal guard like the rest of them.

  “I’ve already spoken with Quadis outside. Vinsadaer, Aionael, you were supposed to relieve the others at the gate an hour ago. What’s going on here, Sergeant Zhoardaeash?”