This is a short snippet from the first chapter of my second book ~

Beyond the Boundary ~ The Dragons Awake

One –The Boundary

    The horse he was sat upon pounded his hoof hard into the ground and brayed impatiently.

    “Okay Tyress I know it’s time to go back,” he said, patting his horse affectionately and looking one more time at the edge of the boundary.  The wall of magic unseen by most eyes wavered clearly in front of him; the barrier between them and the lands beyond.  Every week he came here to the far end of the forest and listened; to what he was not entirely sure.  Whispering voices called him continuously and it was beginning to drive him insane.  Turning he looked behind him, his attention caught by the sound of another horse approaching. 
    “I thought I would find you here,” she sang happily, as she pulled her horse alongside him.  He leaned forward to her and gave her a kiss.  The two horses brushed noses in greeting.
   “You shouldn’t have come out here by yourself,” he said to her firmly.  She shrugged.
   “I know, but I can take care of myself.”  He smiled at her resolve that she could.
   “Why do you come here Kainan?  I’ve not asked before because I know it’s none of my business, but you always look sad when you return home.”  He leaned forward on his saddle and looked at the barrier.
   “It’s the voices;” he sighed.  “Constantly I hear voices calling me.”  She leaned over and placed a hand on his knee.
   “What sort of voices?  I’ve never heard anything.”  He rubbed her hand briefly and then shrugged, raising an eyebrow at her.
   “It’s hard to explain, it’s like the whispers of hundreds of voices calling me all at once.”
   “What do they say?” she asked.
   “Help us, awaken us,” he whispered, glancing back to the Boundary, unease reflected in his face.  Fidgeting on her saddle, her eyes following his gaze, she frowned.
  “Kainan that’s really creepy.”  He sat back in his saddle.
  “Tell me something I don’t know,” he replied with a sigh, before turning and smiling at her beautiful face.
   “Come on I’ll race you back home,” he challenged, kicking his horse on, and pulling the reins hard right he began to speed off.  Kicking her heels she urged her horse on after him.
   “Kainan I thought we might take a detour,” she called, as she cantered alongside him grinning flirtatiously, her long dark hair and dusky blue cloak billowing behind her in the light breeze.  He grinned back.
    “Oh really, and what did you have in mind?” he yelled back to her.  She nodded behind at her saddle bags.
    “I have a blanket and some wine.  We could go to the circle and be on our own for a while.”  He pulled his horse to a sudden halt in front of her, causing her horse to stop abruptly.  He then drew alongside her, leaning in close.
     “The circle?” he whispered, captivated.  She raised her eyebrow seductively at him and he twitched a thoughtful smile.
     “Your mother would not like it!”  He then jibed at her in a silly voice, shaking his head.  She leaned forward, her chest heaving from her low cut dress and her eyes fluttering at him.
     “My mother does not need to know,” she replied in a soft whisper.  As his eyes wandered all over her face he felt his body tingle in anticipation.  He gave a small firm nod of his head.
    “Race you there,” he then cried, kicking his horse hard and cantering off.  Shaking her head after him she laughed.
    “Come on Alora we cannot let them beat us again,” she urged to her horse, kicking her on urgently.

       “So you lose again,” he whispered, leaning into her as they led their horses through the trees.  Pink blossoms floated like snow across their path from the wild apple trees that were dotted here and there between the oak and the ash; their sweet fresh scent wafting to their noses.

     “Well it was hardly fair now was it?  You had a head start,” she replied, with a smile.  He returned her smile affectionately and then hooked his arm through hers.  Just ahead of them was what they had named the circle; it was a great stone circle that stood up on its side; the meaning of which no one really knew.  They led their horses through and into a small clearing.  As usual it was quiet and just the gentle song of the birds and rustle of the breeze in the trees was all that could be heard.  They tethered their horses to an apple tree which stood next to a gentle trickle of a stream where there was plenty of lush green grass for them to graze upon.  They then wandered the few paces to a large willow tree which dominated the clearing; one half of its long wispy branches dipped into the gentle flowing stream the other half spanned out over the clearing.  Arweyn stepped through the long branches and pulling open the blanket she threw it down close to the trunk of the tree.  Kainan followed and they both dropped to the ground and lay upon the blanket.   Opening the wine he poured them both a drink.  She sighed contently.
      “You know this has to be the most beautiful place in the world,” she whispered.
      “In this world?” he asked.  She pitched up onto one elbow and gazed into his dark eyes. 
     “In all the worlds,” she replied.  He passed her a goblet.
     “Thank you,” she said, taking a sip.  The breeze stirred a bit stronger rippling the branches and blowing her hair across her face.  Reaching forward the young prince pulled the hair from her eyes, and then leaning forward he kissed her and she felt herself melting into his kiss as his strong arms then grasped hold of her tightly, pulling her to him.  He deepened the kiss and she shuddered pleasurably at his touch.  Releasing her, his dark eyes stared mesmerised into hers.
     “You Arweyn Glanber are the most beautiful woman in this world, and all the worlds within worlds, and I do love you,” he whispered to her.  She giggled tapping him on his nose with her finger.
    “And you Kainan Dermock are the most handsome, gentle and loving man in the whole of this world and the world within worlds and I love you too.”  He grinned back at her.  Finishing her wine she threw the goblet behind her.  She knew what was to come next and her heart pounded at the thought.  Kainan drank his wine and discarded the goblet; he then removed his sword and dagger.  Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him; his hand lifting to the ribbon ties on the front of her dress he began slowly and teasingly pulling them undone, her chest heaved and her body tingled as his knuckles brushed against her skin; raising her left hand towards the weeping branches of the willow, she whispered.
   “Pora estorma kelaram,” and with a wave of her hand the branches of the willow closed in tight around them, concealing them and their passions from the outside world.

copyright Rosemary Lynch March 2012